Food and nutrition.pdf

176 Nutrition for Pregnant Women• Unpasteurized milk, juices, and apple cider• Raw eggs or foods containing raw eggs, including mousse andtiramisu• Raw or undercooked meats, fish, or shellfish• Processed meats such as hot dogs and deli meats (these shouldbe well-cooked)• Fish that are high in mercury, including shark, swordfish, kingmackeral, or tilefishIf you've eaten these foods at some point during your pregnancy, trynot to worry too much about it now; just avoid them for the remainder ofthe pregnancy. If you're really concerned, talk to your doctor.Managing Some Common ProblemsBecause the iron in prenatal vitamins and other factors may causeconstipation during pregnancy, try to consume more fibre than you didbefore you became pregnant. Try to eat about 20 to 30 grams of fibre aday. Your best sources are fresh fruits and vegetables and whole-grainbreads, cereals, or muffins. Some people also use fibre tablets or drinksor other high-fibre products available at pharmacies and grocery stores,but check with your doctor before trying them. (Don't use laxatives whileyou're pregnant unless your doctor advises you to do so. And avoid theold wives' remedy - castor oil - because it can actually interfere withyour body's ability to absorb nutrients.)If constipation is a problem for you, your doctor may prescribe a stoolsoftener. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids, especially water, whenincreasing fibre intake, or you can make your constipation worse. One ofthe best ways to avoid constipation is to get more exercise. You shouldalso drink plenty of water between meals each day to help soften yourstools and move food through your digestive system. Sometimes hot tea,soups, or broth can help. Also, keep dried fruits handy for snacking.Some pregnant women find that broccoli, spinach, cauliflower, andfried foods give them heartburn or gas. You can plan a balanced diet toavoid these foods. Carbonated drinks also cause gas or heartburn for somewomen, although others find they calm the digestive system. If you'refrequently nauseated, eat small amounts of bland foods, like toast orcrackers, throughout the day. If nothing else sounds good, try cereal withmilk or a sweet piece of fruit. To help combat nausea, you ~an also:• Take your prenatal vitamin before going to bed after you'veeaten a snack - not on an empty stomach.• Eat a small snack when you get up to go to the bathroom earlyin the morning.• Suck on hard candy.