Good nutrition begins in the womb: Did you know that mothers who eat a junk food diet have children that have weaker muscle strength and are less capable of exercising as they age, thus increasing the risk of the child becoming obese? This suggestion from a study by The European Journal of Nutrition in 2008. As Jonny says, it may seem like a no brainer to avoid junk food, but honestly how many bags of chips, pretzels and cookies live in your pantry. The think about junk food is, that old Lays Potato Chip commercial was right: “Bet you can’t eat just one.” Junk food is addictive and can have some health consequences for mom and baby.

Say No to Lunch Meat: There are good reasons to avoid deli meats during pregnancy. They have a higher risk than other foods of being contaminated with harmful bacteria, like Listeria. Plus they are loaded with fat and sodium that have been added, meaning you are going to get too much. Added fat can definitely contribute to feeling queasy during pregnancy, so avoiding lunch meats/deli meats are a good idea. Roasting a turkey breast and slicing that for sandwiches is a much healthier idea. If you are not sure how to roast a turkey breast, ask the guy at the meat counter. They usually have cooking times down. And in this age of internet, you can always Google how to cook a turkey breast. It’s not difficult.

Artificial Sweeteners: The name artificial sweetener already suggests that you should be avoiding these types of products at all cost! And don’t forget to look for products that contain artificial sweetners. You need to be aware of products like soft drinks (not a good pregnancy food anyway), yogurt, desserts, fruit spreads, chewing gums, salad dressings and candy. You need to become a label reader. Aspartame, Cyclamates, Sucralose and Saccharin. While I suggest avoiding all of these, Jonny does point out that the government considers aspartame safe for pregnant women but recommends that Saccharin and Cyclamates be avoided. This is probably more than just one time that I don’t agree with our government. I don’t think you need chemical cocktails in any food during pregnancy or otherwise. If you can’t spell it, can’t pronounce it, never heard of it, leave it alone! Fortunately there are yogurts and salad dressings, fruit spreads and chewing gums on the market that do not contain these artificial sweeteners.

“The 100 Healthiest Foods to Eat During Pregnancy” has foods lists foods and their nutritional values as well as foods to be avoided (really good idea). Jonny’s Tasty Tips will help you to find easy, delicious snacks and meals no matter what trimester. The Fast Facts in this book address everything from fatigue, anemia and Omega 3’s with simple ideas and solutions for your pregnancy eating. This book is so much more than just 100 foods, it is the ideal pregnancy companion when it comes to eating for two! And it’s a great start for the New Year, the New Decade and a New Pregnancy!

Visit Jonny Bowden’s web site at www.jonnybowden.com and purchase his book there or from Amazon. Happy and Healthy Eating for a Happy and Healthy New Year!

The Paleo diet refers back to Paleo times when human beings were hunter/gatherers and lived on diets of protein , vegetables and moderate amounts of seasonal fruit.  Notice the absence of carbs?  The body does need carbohydrates and although a lot of those are present in vegetables, the advent of bread became the main staple for carbohydrates post Paleo times.  If we as humans, had just left it at that, bread, we probably would not have weight issues.  But bread became crackers, chips, and all sorts of desserts.

So a pregnancy diet based on the Paleo diet is a good direction to go:  lean meats like, fish (especially the fatty fishes, salmon mackerel, sardines), chicken and turkey; lots of fresh vegetables, some raw like in a salad and some steamed or baked; and a minimum amount of  carbohydrate.  I suggest  staying away from processed carbs like chips and crackers and going for whole grain breads, nuts, whole grains like wild rice and  of course yummy baked yams and sweet potatoes.

This kind of diet means actually cooking.  The fast food/restaurant movement has really pulled us away from the kitchen.  But the kitchen can be a great meeting place for family and friends and cooking is a way to make sure that you and your family stay healthy.  Cooking can also be a time and place for prayer and gratitude.  Offering small prayers of “thank-you” while you are washing, peeling and chopping food is nurturing to the Spirit.

I was very lucky in that I was taught to cook when I was a child in both my grandmother’s and my mother’s kitchen.  So I feel very confident in that arena.  Cooking is certainly more economical than eating out or getting take out.  But it’s never too late to begin getting comfortable in the kitchen, and cooking your own food will certainly allow you and your family to eat in a healthier way.  Time in the kitchen can be and should be shared with husbands and children who can help in the process of preparing and then sharing food.  And there is nothing like a family sharing a meal they have prepared together to help create a strong sense of belonging.

So back to the diet.  Here are some ideas for a healthy pregnancy paleo-type of diet and also some resources:

1. Lean meats like fish  (check to make sure it’s farm raised and/or avoid mercury containing fish, like tuna), chicken, turkey without skins.  Bake, steam or broil.
2. Veggies of all kinds!  Some raw veggies everyday in a salad or as a snack.  Keeping cut up, washed veggies in the fridge while you are pregnant is a good idea:  celery, jicima, carrots, snap peas.  Steam or sauté  veggies and don’t over-cook them.  Veggies can be sautéed in a little olive oil to being out flavor.  Remember that sauté means to cook slowly over a very low heat…you don’t want to fry any food!
3. Seasonal fruit.  Apples in the fall and winter and berries in the summer is a good way to go.  I love apples and often eat them with a little bit of almond butter and a hand full of raw almonds.
4. Nuts and seeds.  These are a good source of protein and calcium and make for a good snack.  Pine nuts, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds can be added to tossed salads.  Try to get raw, not roasted!
5. Good oils.  Olive oil is best for cooking, but a tablespoon of Barlenes Flax seed oil can provide your body with good Omega 6 oils.  Never cook with flax oil, (it should not be heated)  but use it for salad dressing.
6. Minimal Carbs:  whole grain breads, whole grains, like rice are best.  Avoid processed carbs like chips and crackers.
7. Dairy:  I am not big on dairy as many people are reactive to milk and milk products.  That being said, if dairy feels good in your body, by all means go for the milk and cheese.  You may even want to try goat cheese.  Goat milk tastes a little gamey to me, but some people like it and it is a good source of protein.  Yogurt is a good as long as you get the yogurt that is either non-sweetened or natural fruit sweetened.  Avoid corn syrup!!!!
8. Desserts: a LITTLE chocolate is good for the soul, but you may also want to try baked apples or baked pears with coconut milk and maple syrup.  Or make your own oatmeal cookies, using honey as a substitute for sugar.  Omit two tablespoons of liquid in the recipe if you are using honey and you will get the right consistency.

Okay, here are some of my favorite resources for cooking.  Some of these are vegetarian cookbooks, not because I am a vegetarian, but because these cookbooks get really creative with vegetables and vegetables are loaded with good vitamins and minerals:

My favorite cookbook for veggies and also the best cookbook if you want to have a vegetarian pregnancy is :

• The Vegetarian Mother’s Cookbook by Cathe Olson
• Any of the Moosewood Cookbooksby Katzen
• Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon – what a great, educational and delicious cookbook!
• These are a good beginning.  Please share your diet and healthy eating tips with us!