When It's Time to Change

Things are progressing, and not really for the better. I've been feeling a bit woozy, which is annoying when I've spent so much time congratulating myself for being so hearty. I've also been incorporating more starches and cooked food, which seems to help settle my stomach.

Today:

green tea (very little) and probiotic cap
4 large juices (romaine, apple, cucumber, lemon, ginger) drunk throughout the day
3 vitamin caps, spaced throughout the day
large mutsu apple
salad of two tomatoes and avocado
baked potato
raw soup of carrot, celery, garlic, tomato, parsley, olive oil
2 baked potatoes

I don't think I've eaten that much cooked starch in one day for a long time. I hope this doesn't become the norm.

Lately, I've been reading about testing for chromosomal abnormalities. Since the risk of those abnormalities is so much higher for women my age, typically one would do a blood test (first) to determine the risk a little more carefully and then, depending on the results, you would do a CVS or an amniocentesis or both. CVS is accurate and can be done earlier in the pregnancy, but has a slightly higher risk of miscarriage associated with it. Amnio is 99% accurate, with a 1-3% risk of miscarriage.

I would want to know if my fetus had chromosomal abnormalities, but I'm not sure how I would use the information. I think if it was a problem that would cause the child pain and little chance of survival, I would want to abort. If it was a problem that would cause the child treatable health issues with a good chance of survival, I think I would continue the pregnancy. My husband and I talked about it a little last night; we didn't come to any specific conclusions, but it was good to start thinking through the issue so that we can be on the same page.

The nitty gritty: a little woozy and very hungry. Weird. Very, very tired.

Back on the Chain Gang

When you work in an office, it's harder to do exactly what you want, when you want. But that may be a good thing.

This week, I've been back at work with a cold. I'm trying to maintain a healthy diet, but I haven't been able to exercise much...which worries me. I'm also going away this weekend to a wedding, so I'm sorry to be traveling and missing my juices and fruit.

Yesterday's choices:

green tea with probiotic cap
4 large green juices with spirulina (drunk throughout the day)
3 vitamin caps, spaced throughout the day
3 small green apples
salad, small raw chili, and curried vegetable wrap (take-out from a raw restaurant!)

Dinner was delicious, but way too big. I was stuffed! So yummy, though.

Recommendations: I read an excellent article on "Risks of Birth Defects." Older mothers do have a higher risk of delivering babies with Down syndrome, which is worrisome. Otherwise, the health of the mother seems to be as important as age.

Coming up: I ordered some books about pregnancy over 35, which may have more information than I can dig up on the interwebs.

She's So Cold

Terrible cold! Apparently, pregnant women are more susceptible to colds because of lowered immunity (which keeps the body from rejecting the fetus). Not a good idea to take cold medications -- not that I do anyway -- so I'm mega-juicing.

Today:

green tea with probiotic cap
4 super-duper green drinks with spirulina and lemon, drunk throughout the day
3 vitamin caps, spaced throughout the day
4 small green apples, spaced throughout the day
yummmy raw soup of carrots, celery, garlic, tomatoes, and avocado

Recommendations: Good articles about what to do when you have a cold and you're pregnant:

Pregnancy and Colds (About.com)
Coughs and Colds in Pregnancy (Dr. Spock)
Is It Safe to Take Cold Medications During Pregnancy? (Baby Center)

Nitty Gritty: Very constipated lately. Time to back off from the soy and rice!

Days Go By and Still...

Last day of vacation! Boo!

Yesterday's intake:

green tea with probiotic cap
green juice (40 oz, storebought)
3 vitamin caps, spaced throughout the day
1 green apple
salad of ear of corn, tomato, 2 celery stalks, 1/4 avocado
green salad, roasted veggies (brussels, kale, fennel, cauliflower)

The nitty gritty: my cold is going away some, but I'm sure that all my errands and evenings with friends (and cooked food) are not helping. Back to being a bit constipated... feh. Hopefully, going back to work with a fairly convenient juice bar and some decent groceries will help.

Recommendations: I looked at some articles about raw food diet and pregnancy. One, "Raw Vegan Diet and Healthy Pregnancy," seemed especially sound. The author says that as long as you make sure to get enough protein (via sprouts, soaked nuts/seeds, leafy greens, and/or algae), along with adequate DHA from spirulina and other algaes, you should have all your nutritional needs met. So... here's to spirulina and algae! I have a kind called Nutrex, which has a mild, sweet flavor. I sometimes eat it mixed with lime juice; it tastes sort of like a key lime cake.

Nothing Changes on New Year's Day

I have a little cold, so we just stayed in and goofed around last night. I guess I'm antisocial, but I love being home best.

green tea & 1 probiotic cap
green juice (1 head kale, 1 1/2 cucumber, 1 apple, 1 lemon, 1/2 head celery) drunk throughout the day
3 vitamin caps, spaced throughout the day
2 green apples
arugula with 1/2 avocado and some olives
blended tomato, parsley and olives on a collard leaf
little steamed veggies and tofu
c. brown rice
agave lemonade

Still feeling okay, digestion-wise. My cold is annoying, though. Ever since I went raw, I don't get sick very often, and when I do, I can feel it but I'm not really sick -- I just feel that I'm fighting something off. The trouble is, no one thinks I'm sick, so only I know that I need rest. I feel like I'd get more sympathy if I got more snot. :)

Still, I was able to get in a good workout yesterday. I've been lucky to have this time to take good care of myself before work and school start up again.

***

I also saw this note about drinking fresh juice while pregnant: "Juicing while pregnant and breastfeeding." He says that juicing is highly nutritious, so you shouldn't drink juice while pregnant, because you don't want to accustom your fetus to that level of nutrition.

I hope this isn't just shrugging off advice that I don't like, but this sounds completely dopey to me. My physician saw me with a quart of fresh green juice and didn't comment that I should beware of getting too much high quality nutrition. Besides, I like juice, and I feel good. I'm going to keep following my tastes and instincts and hope for the best. Hope, hope.

DHA and Food with Friends

I went to visit my regular physician yesterday; I wanted to assess my nutritional levels, get some advice, and possibly get a referral for an OB/GYN. He told me that I should supplement DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid), because babies will leach that from a mother's body if they aren't able to get it through the mother's diet. He said that there's speculation that a lack of DHA can lead to postpartum depression, too.

Looks like you can get both vegan and fish versions of DHA supplements. My GP recommended fish-based Nordic Naturals, but said vegan was fine. I ordered the vegan version from Life's DHA, mainly because Kris Carr recommended it. Otherwise, he just took some info, ordered some tests, and congratulated me. I'm glad I went.

Tricky day, foodwise, because I had lunch and dinner at other people's houses.

Fasted for the morning (for blood work)
Quart green juice (cucumber, spinach, apple, ginger, kale, parsley -- bought at a juice bar)
3 vitamin caps, spaced throughout the day
1 apple
Bowl squash soup (my friend and I made this together -- she's a wonderful cook and so generous and cool)
Salad of two ears corn, two tomatoes, 1/2 head celery, parsley, 1/2 avocado
Spinach salad
Rice with cooked peppers and onions, steamed broccoli, 3 chocolate-dipped dried apricots (!!!Yum!!!), 2 gluten-free macaroons

A few things I've learned in my many, many, many years:

1. Don't fast unless you're sick. It'll just lead to overeating later.
2. Foods that are sugary or fried taste good, but they are the opposite of satisfying. They leave you craving more.

I'm not sure if that's just true or just true of me, but it's definitely worth remembering. Also, when I eat too much cooked food I get sick (this morning I woke with a chest cold). But so it goes. To me, it's more important to connect with people -- it's not healthy to let your diet alienate you from the world. And I'm not so fragile that I can't cope with a tiny cough.

Just the Facts

No reflections today, just a record of my diet:
green tea, 2 probiotic caps
green juice (1 head kale, 1 head spinach, 1/2 cucumber, 2 apples -- yuck, did I buy arugula instead of spinach?) drunk during the day
3 vitamins, spaced throughout the day
1 green apple
4 ears of corn, two tomatoes, 1/2 c. parsley, 1/2 avocado, 1/2 head celery
sm bowls of marinated kale salad and sauteed shiitake mushrooms
several sundried tomatoes

All's well on the western front.


Recommendations: I read through Sherah's pregnancy story and really enjoyed it. Not medical advice, again, but encouraging and so fun to read. Onward!