Homemade Apple Sauce for Baby

You might have guessed that since I'm very focused on nutrition and good health, that I'm going to make Ava's first foods at home. It's a tradition in my family. My mom made all of my food when I was a baby so I'm excited to keep the tradition going. I actually hated Gerber food that I had on occasion because I preferred real food that she made me. She used to freeze the purees (including meats) in ice trays and then pop them out and freeze them in a separate container for easier storage. I put the baby food trays on my baby registry and I was looking forward to trying them out. Thank you, James, Kelly and Ethan!

I got some small Ginger Gold apples in my produce box from Farm Fresh Delivery, and decided to cook them into applesauce. Our approach for Ava's first foods is to give her fresh real food, from the family table and let her experiment instead of rice cereal and packaged baby foods. I've been doing lots of research at my Le Leche League meetings (with other breastfeeding moms), from my favorite Lactation Consultant resource site Kellymom.com, reading Nina Planck's Real Food for Mother and Baby, and also talked to Ava's pediatrician to confirm my action plan. I learned that babies lack the enzyme to digest starches until age 1 or 2. They get some of that enzyme from breastmilk and even found naturally in banana. Babies are great at digesting fat and proteins so naturally, I'll use butter and olive oil in her first foods.

I'm planning on starting her sweet potatoes, avocado with olive oil and sea salt, and egg yolk with sea salt mixed with a little of mom's milk to ease the transition. Breastmilk is sweet, so there's no need to skip starting on fruits versus veggies like the conventional wisdom (probably more for formula babies). Applesauce is the perfect sweet and fiber-filled first food. Ava will be 5-months old next week so I thought it would be good to have it on-hand when I'm ready to start her after 6-months old. Until then, it's all momma's milk, of which she's thriving and literally more than doubled her birth weight! As of tonight she was 17 lbs on the bathroom scale.

This afternoon, I put Ava in her Bumbo chair with her toys around her (see my picture) and she played happily while I peeled, cored, and cut 3 green apples for the applesauce. The apples simmered on low heat after coming to a boil with filtered water. I added a dash of ground cinnamon and a bit of butter toward the end. They cooked on the stovetop for about an hour, stirring every so often and then I let it cool. It turned to applesauce, the apples breaking out without effort. I loaded up the ice cube trays and stored them in the freezer while Ava was hanging out in the Baby Bjorn after our walk. I told her that she'll get a taste when she's a little older and can sit on her own.


You don't have to be a baby to enjoy this applesauce! You could sweeten it with honey or maple syrup, but I thought the Ginger Golds were sweet and tart, delicious on their own. I wonder if Ava will like apples as much as her mom! I'll let you know.

Resources: Here's a great link on Kellymom.com about First Foods where she discusses delaying solid introduction until about 6-months and the best foods to start.

Do you have any experiences to share about making your baby's first foods?

Cooking with a Newborn. Is it Possible? YES!

Since Ava was born (almost 11 weeks ago), we've had a lot of friends and family visit. We both love to host, which is why we bought our house because it's really easy to entertain here. I've been able to do lots of cooking since she was born and our visitors always ask me "how do you cook with a newborn?" So here is the post for those parents out there that can't figure it out. Cooking at home is a priority to me because we like to eat nutritious meals and it's nice to have healthy leftovers in the fridge ready for lunches to grab and go.

Yes, I've even cut green beans with Ava in this sling carrier in the picture. It really works!

• Give yourself more time: Before Ava was born, I cooked quickly because I have my tools (sharp knives, access to equipment, etc), but now I leave myself more time. Truth be told, we eat later now, typically around 8pm if I'm cooking a meal. The baby needs care and when she's hungry, you can't ignore a baby with a growling tummy so I stop what I'm doing to feed her. I've learned to make a dish when she's sleeping or playing happily and then stop and then go back to cooking. I put the baby in the swing in the kitchen or even on the floor on her Baby Einstein and talk to her about what I'm doing. It can be a 2-hr process sometimes. It depends on how it goes that night. This leads to me to my next tip...
  
• Strategically plan your cooking nights: The first 4 weeks back to work, I work in the office on Monday's so I cook a larger meal (like my Enchilada Casserole) on Sunday for about 4-6 servings of leftovers for the week. Then, Mon night comes around and we'll have leftovers or a sandwich and fruit for dinner. On the days I work from home, I will cook something simple like a quick pasta and veggie or prep the slow cooker in the morning so it cooks throughout the day. I recently made Lentil Stew in the crockpot. A great option!
  
• Weekly shopping and meal planning: I do meal planning and shop once a week on Saturdays. I hit the stores efficiently when Aaron is home with Ava or sometimes even take her with me. The baby loves the lights in the stores. Shopping once a week helps stay on budget because you're not running to the store randomly or even getting takeout.
  
• Keep it easy when entertaining: One night I made Beef and Noodles (homemade semolina flour) and that was more extravagant, but most times I made really easy meals when we're hosting people for dinner. I might make steaks, steamed veggies or salad, roasted potatoes or even frozen french fries. Panini sandwiches are really easy to make because it's super easy and people can customize how they want their sandwich. You can serve with a salad and fruit. For dessert, we usually buy something or if our guests offer to bring something, I suggest dessert.
  
• Kitchen organization: Check out my post on kitchen work zones. When we moved into the house, I organized the kitchen into functional work zones so that I would be efficient. Now, I can whip together muffins or even Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake really quickly because everything is in reach.
  
• Stocking the pantry: My success with cooking with a small baby is that I keep essentials that I use all the time handy in the pantry. I get an organic produce delivery every week and always have seasonal produce on-hand and stock basics like cans of beans, rice, chicken stock, cheese, eggs, bread, milk, etc. I can always whip together something healthy even if it's a turkey sandwich with avocado. Easy sides work. Check out my post on the snap peas that steam in the bag in the microwave!
  
• Get a helping hand: Aaron is really good about helping me when I have to stop cooking to feed Ava. He will finish something for me so I can stop and take care of her or just hold her while I'm getting food on the table. Our friends that have come over are always willing to do the same! After all, they're getting a nice meal!
  

Many nights Aaron and I eat dinner later than we like or staggered because as the food is ready Ava is ready to eat, too! But we make it work and we're still living healthfully!

Even if you don't have a newborn and you have a toddler, or you're a busy person without kids, these tips can apply to you! In real life, we're all busy, but taking care of our bodies (our ONLY body), is a great priority to ensure a higher quality of life and hopefully a longer one, too!

Send me your tips or comment below to share your secrets.

Vitamin D Drops for My Breastfed Baby: Decision Made!

If you saw my post last week, you know that I've been struggling with my decision on how and if to supplement Ava with Vitamin D. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have started recommending Vitamin D drops for breastfed babies because the primary way people get Vitamin D is through sun exposure (from the skins reaction to the sun). This is true for adults and children. Since babies have tender skin and shouldn't be in the sun, the AAP recommends supplementing. Vitamin D is important for bone strength and helps in calcium absorptions, which is why whole milk is fortified with Vitamin D.

Our pediatrician recommended TriViSol or VitASol, which I found out are made by Enfamil. I bought TriViSol in a hurry without reading the label. It turns out there's artificial flavors and other vitamins like A and C, that my baby doesn't need. In fact, I've read that breastfed babies are able to absorb vitamins and nutrients present in human milk because it's highly digestible.

Most supplements are just passed through the baby and not absorbed through the body. This is true for iron for example. Human milk is lower in iron than formula, but the baby has stores from pregnancy gestation and absorbs iron in the human milk because it's again, easily digestible. It's not until the baby is about 6-months that you can add iron to the baby's diet through solid foods. Check out this great resource page from Kellymom.com.

I was lucky that I ran into the lactation consultant that works at the hospital near my house and led my breastfeeding group. She recommended Carlson because it's just Vitamin D. She and I discussed Le Leche League's position on Vitamin D supplementation and she said that Ava is not likely to get Rickets, from Vitamin D deficiency, because of her complexion and access to sunshine.

My decision...
The point was that Ava's doctor wanted her to have Vitamin D, which I want to supplement on days that we're not in the sun. On days that we're outside taking a walk or she's exposed for 10 minutes, then I won't supplement. I decided AGAINST the TriViSol because of all the additives. I bought Carlson Baby D-Drops from my local hospital's pharmacy, but I know they also sell it at Whole Foods. I LOVED the directions. You turn the small bottle upside down and it automatically dispenses the drop of 400 IU of PURE Vitamin D. They recommend you drop it right on the mom's nipple (or pacifier) and start the feeding. The baby should suck for 30 seconds.

Carlson understands breastfeeding moms because we tend to be more holistic minded. Thank you, Carlson. Thanks to the the moms that have recommended it to me!

Making Decisions about Vitamin D Supplements for Breastfeed Babies

I'm navigating through uncharted waters. Ava's pediatrician recommended that I supplement her with vitamin D drops since you can't get that from diet and it's not safe to expose baby's tender skin to sun. The latest recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatricians (AAP) are that breastfed babies have 400 IU of daily vitamin D supplementation to prevent infections and a condition called Rickets. Our pediatrician recommended TriViSol in Ava's one-month visit and then again in her 2-month visit.

Why Vitamin D? I've seen lots of health news recently about vitamin D deficiency, which in babies can weaken their bones and delay crawling and walking. Very few foods offer vitamin D. The primary way we get vitamin D is by sun exposure, without sunscreen, which allows your body to synthesize the hormone. The amount of time is dependent of the darkness of your skin.

In deciding whether to supplement Ava, I consulted the Le Leche League's position, since their positions are typically aligned with the AAP and have the best interest of breastfeeding moms and babies. Their position is that mother's milk can be tested for vitamin D. I've continued to take a daily prenatal vitamin to ensure that my nutritional stores are strong to produce high quality milk for Ava. Now, I'm considering having my milk tested so I don't have to supplement Ava.

Regrets. I bought it and now I want to take it back. After the two recent visits and getting the same recommendation to supplement, I went to the Target pharmacy to get the TriViSol that the doctor recommended. I horrified when I saw that the product brand is Enfamil, the formula company. The $13B baby formula industry falls prey to moms that are exasperated while trying to nurse their babies. It's in their best interests when moms fail to establish and continue breastfeeding. They give the "free gift" at the hospital to breastfeeding moms that includes a sample of their formula and a little book that says it's OK to supplement your child. Can you tell I'm upset? While I know women that despite their heroic efforts to get lactation resources and support to exclusively breastfeed, could not do it without supplementing. And you have to feed your baby. I get that. But, Enfamil is wanting and EXPECTING women to fail at exclusive breastfeeding. I'm blessed with a very abundant supply of milk so if Ava and I continue what we're doing as a nursing pair, she'll be exclusively breastfed for as long as she needs. Yep, that means I might be nursing a toddler, too.

What fires me up is that Enfamil is selling this product to the breastfeeding moms market segment and their marketing messages are enough to make me crazy and angry! Their product marketing manager should be ashamed of themselves. The dosage directions state "Drops may be given by dispensing directly into the mouth. Drops may also be mixed with formula, fruit juice, cereal or other foods to increase your child's acceptance." Where is the mention of expressed breastmilk? The completely avoid it! They start with formula, which is not a surprise since that's their cash cow product, but "OTHER FOODS." Excuse me, but babies are born to drink breastmilk. It's completely unacceptable. The product marketing manager for TriViSol is a moron.

I'm still undecided on what to do. I'm going to investigate getting my breastmilk tested for vitamin D. I don't want Ava to miss out on vital nutrition, but I also don't want to supplement her needlessly.

By the way, I just found a really good resource page on Kellymom.com about how rare it is for moms to be deficient in vitamin D in Western countries or women and babies with lighter skin.

Breastfeeding Does a Body Good, But Why is it So Hard?!

Babies are BORN to breastfeed. And mothers finish the cycle of childbirth by lactating. There is no question in my mind or even the American Academy of Pediatrics, that baby's optimal nutrition source is human milk, ramping up starting in the middle of the baby's first year to solid foods. Breastfed babies are sick less than formula babies (from Le Leche League). Breastfed babies are shown to have fewer allergies, lower risk for obesity, better jaw development, better absorption of nutrition since human milk is easily digestible. And mom's uterus contracts after childbirth by breastfeeding, which helps her uterus return to normal size easily.

When I thought about being a mom, exclusive breastfeeding my baby without formula was always THE priority. I never questioned it. I thought that I'll deliver my baby and breastfeed the baby because that's the most natural and best way to feed and bond. I heard from other moms that it would be hard, but who knew HOW hard! When I was pregnant, I read the Womanly Art of Breastfeeding from the Le Leche League, a national breastfeeding support group of nursing moms. But, my friend, Jill reminded me when Ava was 5-days old and I felt I was at wits end trying to breastfeed little Ava that that's why breastfeeding is called an "Art" and not a science. That really comforted me!

My in-laws sent the LLL book when I was pregnant. My mother-in-law, who is an amazing support, was a LLL group leader back in the 80's when she was heavily in nursing. Moms in the group are breastfeeding advocates now, but can you imagine what the climate was like 30 years ago when nearly every baby was formula fed, including yours truly! Michele brought the whole family into it. Aaron and his sibs babysat the babies and my father-in-law talked to the fathers in those days about the benefits of breastfeeding, peer-to-peer. Growing up knowing breastfeeding is best for babies, Aaron was in lock-step with me and my biggest supporter. He told me Ava's position should be adjusted and comforted her when she was raging because she was hungry and couldn't latch so we could try again.

I'm now 8-weeks into breastfeeding and it's still a challenge sometimes. I'm wondering why is it SO HARD?? If it's natural, then why? I've learned that it's dance between babies and mothers that involves the right and left brains! Emotions and biology are wrapped up in one with breastfeeding! The good thing is that I have established a fantastic supply of milk starting with the frequent breastfeeding in those early hours and days. I used a nipple shield in the hospital because I had flat nipples and Ava had trouble latching the second feeding. By about 6-weeks, my nipples were drawn out by frequent nursing for Ava to latch and now by 8-weeks, she's completely weaned from the shield. BUT we're not out of the woods, yet. Now, we're working on her latch, which I suspect is shallow sometimes. I'm reading a great book that I borrowed from the LLL library Breastfeeding Made Simple, which has helpful techniques for getting the baby to latch in the "comfort zone."

Needless to say, I've spent countless hours breastfeeding now all over the place (check out my 6-week post), reading books, learning from lactation consultants and moms at breastfeeding support groups by now. One mom told me that if someone says breastfeeding is easy the first time is LYING! Just look at the numbers. The current stats from the CDC are staggering! By 3-months of age, when mom's are most likely back to work, only 33% of US babies are exclusively breastfed, not to mention only 13% by 6-months! It's so heartbreaking.

Now, I know why it's so hard to get right! Our culture has evolved to enable the $13B formula industry and take power from mothers. (A must read article Huffington Post) Before formula was invented, women had no choice but to breastfeed their babies, unless they were in the elite classes and they had wet nurses, which was obviously a handful of women. We give birth in hospitals that may not support breastfeeding. My disclaimer is that my hospital, OBGYN, pediatrician, and nurses were extremely supportive and pro-breastfeeding. But, women are giving birth in hospitals and coming home with the baby without their mothers, sisters, aunts, and grandmothers there to support her not just after a couple days, but for weeks and months. We lack experiential knowledge, needed for breastfeeding. My mom fed me formula because it was too hard for her. No one jumped in to support her and she didn't seek it. But lets face it, that was 1976 the height of the "formula is more scientific movement."

The negative side of American culture is obsessed with quick fixes and letting corporations cook for you - look at the grocery store aisles. It's a vicious cycle. Moms that don't get the support and work hard at this careful dance, lose their confidence and their milk supply goes with it. There many moms are frustrated, embarrassed, and feeling down-right guilty. It makes me angry. I'm angry enough to fight for me and little Ava to continue as long as she needs it, which yep, folks, that means I may be nursing a toddler. But she'll be getting her nutrition from human milk until at least 1-year. Ava is worth fighting for. And now, I can't imagine not breastfeeding her. It's a constant bonding routine that gives her comfort, security, and mother's love.

I'm returning to work next week and I've already scheduled times in the Mother's Room to pump for daycare and to keep my supply strong. My first 4-weeks are really flexible, working 1 day in the office and 4 days at home. I'll have Ava in 1/2 day daycare so I can be productive and have time with her to continue to establish our nursing relationship. Then in June, I'll go back to the office 3 days a day and 2 days at home with the 1/2 day daycare to support me.

I struggle emotionally with going back to work, although I'm blessed with a flexible and supportive work culture that provides me a good transition schedule to keep me with Ava longer. I believe my emotions as a mother are hard wired. Mothers and babies are not meant to be separated. I'm reminded of that every time it's about 3-4 hours between feedings! Ouch! Working mothers need technology, AKA breastpump, to be apart from the baby. See, it's hardwired in our biology to stay together. Our household, at this point, is a two-income household to accommodate our financial needs and goals like providing shelter and still saving for the future like Ava's college and our retirement. Working mothers do it every day. I've admired many of my friends who have maintained their breastfeeding relationships with their babies by being diligent with their schedules. On Monday, I'll be one of those mothers with her mysterious "bag" who goes into a room to pump. But in my thoughts will be Ava and her smiles and cuddles. This picture above is from her first week of live when breastfeeding was a battle with the flailing arms and legs, but it's the image in my mind all the time. I love her to pieces, my little Ava!

My Favorite All Natural Yogurt that Tastes Great!

Since I gave up eating funky chemicals in my foods, one thing that I had to really scrutinize is yogurt! Pick up a container of your favorite yogurt at the grocery store and you'll be surprised to see aspartame and even High Fructose Corn Syrup! Yogurt sounds so healthy, but if you look at the ingredients of Yoplait or other non-organic brands, you will be shocked to see what is in them. Aaron and I like yogurt so much that we buy it by the large container and I pack it in containers to take for snacks.

Brown Cow yogurt is one brand that I'm obsessed with because it's creamy, thick and tastes great! They use growth hormone free milk to make this yogurt and cane syrup to sweeten it. I buy the non-fat vanilla and thankfully my new Whole Foods in Indianapolis now stocks it after I requested it! In researching this blog post, I found that Brown Cow has eCoupons so you can follow this link to check it out. You can find this brand at grocery and health foods stores.

Yogurt is perfect for a snacking or in a smoothie. Plus, yogurt is a good source of calcium and heart healthy potassium.

Smoothies are refreshing and nutritious: The smoothie in the picture was blended with 1/2 cup yogurt, 3/4 cup frozen mixed berries, 1/2 scoop of vanilla protein powder, 1/2 cup pomegranate juice, and 1/2 cup water. Check out my other favorite smoothie recipes.

My favorite yogurt snack toppings:

• Granola
• Slivered almonds
• Cereal
  
• Sliced berries, kiwi, or pomegranate seeds
  

A Must-Read Guide for Women Thinking of Starting a Family in the Future...

Back in 2007, I decided to take my healthy lifestyle up a notch to prep my body for baby. At that point, I didn't know exactly when we were going to start a family, but I thought it would be best to take advantage of the time to get my body in shape to grow a healthy human. By the time you're in your 30's so many of your friends have had babies or in the process of it so you hear all the things they're going through when they're pregnant with nutrition, exercise, and the cycles a woman's body goes through to make room for the growing baby. I know a body takes time to adapt and optimize so I thought why not start now. I was already committed to a healthy lifestyle of nutrition and exercise, but I decided to improve further.

I'm 27 weeks pregnant now and enjoying a very smooth and healthy pregnancy. Health professionals say that pregnant women have higher blood pressure/cholesterol/or blood glucose and swelling. I haven't had any of these conditions. I truly believe that my preparations made all the difference. The recommendations that physicians make to pregnant woman are not too far from a non-pregnant woman, except for the part about alcohol. I really do miss wine right now!

There are 4 physical phases for a woman to consider as you plan to bring a child into this world that effect your body. If your body is strong and healthy, you can help ensure a healthier experience for you and baby!

• Fertility & Conception - lifestyle planning can help set the stage for pregnancy achievement for you and your partner. I tracked my fertility signs for over a year before pregnancy, which was empowering to know MY body.
  
• Pregnancy - 40 weeks to grow a healthy human and your body goes through massive changes over this period to adapt for life's miracle.
  
• Labor & Delivery - The more medical interventions (induction, c-section, etc), the harder the labor and longer time for recovery. Physical fitness conditioning preps you for the labor and delivery.
  
• Lactation - your baby's most perfect and nutritionally balanced food is produced by you! And the health benefits are massive for you and baby.
  

So here are the health overhauls and steps that I took to plan for baby years before my pregnancy.

• Read your labels: eliminate dangerous fake sweeteners like High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS), Aspartame, and Sucralose from your diet. This is really important and harder to do! Everything from salad dressings, condiments (ketchup), cereal, yogurt, bread, are loaded with fake sweeteners. HFCS is particularly dangerous to your metabolism because it encourages over-eating because your body doesn't feel satiated and over time your body becomes less efficient at processing sugar, which can lead to Type 2 Diabetes. After this process my husband is now on-board, too! Perfect timing because I definitely don't want our baby to be exposed to fake food either! I buy organic versions of yogurt, ketchup, cereal and bread to avoid these dangerous sweetners. Instead, I use all natural sweetners that your body can process like pure Stevia Extract (not Truvia), honey, and sugar in moderation. It turns out my nurse told me in the first visit "no pink, yellow, or blue packets, just sugar is ok." I told her no problem, DONE! Remember, your baby is growing in your body and getting all the nutritients that you are good/bad. Do you want your baby to develop his/her own metabolism with food we are not meant to process naturally?
• Balanced nutrition and smaller meals. I've learned to eat more fresh produce over the years and spreading my meals in smaller portions throughout the day. Your metabolism needs a variety of high-quality foods found in nature (whole foods and complex grains) to maintain a steady stream of energy throughout the day. Physicians recommend that pregnant women eat smaller meals to avoid nausea and indigestion. To be fair, I have had indigestion, but not nausea. I truly believe this is due to my already healthy nutrition habits.
  
• Fitness foundation - aerobic endurance and strength training. Labor and birth are one of the most challenging physical experiences a woman can go through in her life. A strong body going into pregnancy helps immensly because physicians do not advise you to START a NEW fitness program during pregnancy. When I met with my OB/GYN for the first time, she asked me what my fitness routine was and I told her about my heart monitor, spin classes, and strength training workouts. This foundation gave her the comfort to allow me to target a 160 bpm heart rate maximum goal rather than the 140 bpm that many women get. This helps tremendously since pregnant women's hearts are taxed more so your heart rate is much higher than pre-pregnancy. This gave me a better buffer for my prenatal fitness routine. Having strong and balanced muscles from strength training help me carry the extra baby weight without worrying about losing my balance or swelling up. Having a fitness routine helps pregnant women maintain a slow and steady weight gain.
  
• Vitamins & Fish Oil: Many pregnant women complain that the prenatal vitamins make them sick. I switched to prenatal vitamins from my pre-pregnancy variety (whole foods multi-vitamin from Dr. Mercola), but continued to take my fish oil. Pregnant and lactating women should take 300 mg of DHA found in fish oil capsules for omega-3 fatty acids. It's recommended for the baby's body and brain development and for the woman's general heart health.
  
• Final Step: Pre-pregnancy physical and check-up. Back in April, I went to the doctor for an annual physical exam and blood work. They told me that I'm completely healthy and better than optimal in many cases! I had another physical for work a couple months ago and I know that I have an optimal blood glucose, which means I'm not at risk for gestational diabetes. In 2 weeks I'll go for my routine 3rd trimester blood work to screen for gestational diabetes, but I'm confident there won't be any issues due to my previous scores and healthy lifestyle!
• Finally all this prep work is great, but listening to your body is key to staying healthy in the moment! I haven't gotten extensively sick during my pregnancy. I may feel run down and the start of a cold coming on, but I take the time to rest and sleep, which helps me bounce back faster! I blogged before about not taking the flu shots during my pregnancy. I haven't worried too much about getting seriously sick because I'm proactively listening to my body's signs of exhaustion to ensure a higher immunity.
  

I'm sure you can tell from reading this that I have thought endlessly about becoming a mother physically and spiritually (that's a whole other topic)! That's why becoming a mother at 33 feels fantastic! I hope you can join me in the smooth journey!

'Tis the Season for Tea: Yerba Mate

A couple years ago, I discovered Yerba Mate tea. I love brewing tea in the Fall and Winter seasons and it's fun to try different varieties. I stock wide varieties in the pantry in case I have a craving for chamomile, green tea, or mint and it's great for guests to choose their favorites. Then, I spotted Yerba Mate one day and I was intrigued by smoky flavor and the health advantages like antioxidants, improving digestion, aiding mental clarity, and boosting your natural energy. Maybe that energy comes from the natural caffeine, but I do enjoy the flavor!

Yerba Mate is grown in South America and enjoyed by the people of Argentina, Uraguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Brazil.

I buy the Guayaki brand pictured on the right because it's a fair-trade product and it supports the native people to grow and harvest the plant.

To brew, I warm the water in a tea kettle on the stove. I use an average size tea pot and place 2 tea bags at the bottom. Pour the hot water in the tea pot with the bags and brew for 3-5 minutes.

Try it with sweetener (sugar, honey, stevia extract) and even a splash of vanilla soymilk or milk. The smoky flavor is very soothing and rich.

You can buy it in the natural foods section of your local store, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods.

A Daily Fish Oil Omega-3 Pill Can Do Wonders for Heart and Body

Just before my pregnancy, I started taking fish oil supplements to boost my heart healthy omega-3 fatty acid intake because I have read about the benefits. My husband doesn't like to eat fish so I don't cook it often enough. There are so many health benefits for taking fish oil daily for pregnant women, children, and adults.

The advantage of fish oil compared to other foods like walnuts and vegetable oils is that you get both DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EHA (eicosapentaenoic acid) acids with the same source. Relying on eating fish daily is not ideal, due to the presence of mercury and toxins in especially farm-raised fish.

Health Benefits of Fish Oil for Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

• Optimal heart health (reduces triglycerides, lowers risk of death from heart disease, and reduces the plaque build-up in arteries)
• Reduces risk of stroke
  
• Lower blood pressure

Check with your doctor on your recommended dosage. In general, pregnant women can target 300 mg of DHA daily. Here's a link to more information for pregnant women from HealthNews Blog.

For pregnant and breast-feeding women, there's benefits for you and your growing baby:

• Brain development and mental focus
• Lower risk of allergies
  
• Reduced risk of post-partem depression

Ultimately, when you are in good health, you feel better. I feel more energetic and resiliant to fighting on viruses and colds. Taking a daily fish oil supplement is one way that you can make a positive impact on your overall health.

Easy Ways to Get "5 A Day" Servings of Fruits and Veggies

This week a CDC study revealed that 14% of adult Americans on average get the recommended servings of fruit and vegetables daily. Worse yet, less than 10% of American teens are eating the recommended servings daily. But the old slogan "5 a Day" may not be enough. The new US food guidelines are 7-13 cups of fresh produce per day.

It's not a surprise that teenagers are worse off nutritionally than adults because based on the result - they have a terrible example!

So why are eating fruits and vegetables important? Fresh fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins and minerals that your body needs to maintain a optimum health. A balanced diet with an emphasis on fresh produce is beneficial to:

• Strengthen the immune system
• Protect against diseases - type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease
• Maintain stable metabolic functions
  

I heard about these findings when I was driving to work on the NPR Morning Edition broadcast. Then, I looked around and it hit me as I drove passed the fast food restaurants along the street. It's really not a surprise when Americans are buying fast food, precooked frozen food, convenience food in bags or boxes, and well...not cooking from fresh ingredients! I have to admit cooking has been a challenge for me in the last two months because I live in a tiny rental apartment with a terrible kitchen. We made the move to Indianapolis from Chicago, leaving behind our gorgeous granite counters, gas stove, and spacious workspace kitchen! Our condo is on the market and we're waiting patiently to make the move to our new home in Indy. Being focused on my health, I have found ways to eat fresh produce both raw and cooked.

Tips for getting fruits and veggies in your diet...

1. Sign up for a produce delivery service or stock up at the local Farmer's Market. Eating seasonal local produce is not only better for the environment, but it's budget-friendly! You can try out new varieties instead of the same old tired choices you make if you go to the grocery store. If you have the produce delivered to your doorstep, there are no excuses for not getting to the store if you're busy. I order from a local company in Indy to get organic, seasonal local produce. I receive a shipment every week filled with fruit and veggies. Since it's already here, I have no excuse to wash, cut, cook, or pack up fresh in my lunches for snacks.
2. Look on your plate - your meal is incomplete without fruits and vegetables. Making a sandwich? Add lettuce, tomato, cucumbers, or roasted red pepper inside. Add a fruit and veggie as a side dish. Sometimes I saute veggies if I get tired of steamed vegetables for dinner. You can try a mix of onions, peppers, and zucchini for a quick side dish sauteed with minced garlic and olive oil.
3. Stock up on frozen fruits and veggies. Frozen fruits and veggies are picked at peak season with minimal processing. They are very nutritious and plain versions (not mixed with suaces) are always budget friendly. I always stock broccoli, chopped spinach, and frozen peas on-hand in the freezer for quick side dishes. Check out my quick pesto pasta that I used with frozen peas and trick for my pasta with frozen spinach - no need for defrosting!
4. A few more tips here on WebMD.

Frozen Spinach, a Nutritional and Budget Bargain For the Pantry

I've professed my love for pasta many times on this blog! Tonight, while cooking dinner I added frozen spinach to my sauce, something I do regularly, and I thought I should share the tip. Tonight, I made ground turkey and spinach marinara with a spaghetti. It's really simple and you can throw it together in 30 minutes.

Spinach is a highly nutritious food, providing fiber, vitamin C, and folic acid for only 45 calories per cup! Many times kids request marinara pasta, but adding chopped frozen spinach takes the nutritional factor up to a higher level.

Fresh spinach is fantastic for pasta or side dishes, but it can strain a family's budget. Chopped frozen spinach is less than $2.00 for a 16-oz bag where I shop and no cleaning required! I opt for the pesticide-free version at Trader Joe's. The easy thing is that I just put in the sauce frozen and let it work directly into the sauce! This particular brand seems to have less water than others I've tried. Other brands may need to be thawed in the microwave and squeezed dry with a clean dishtowel or sturdy paper towel.

Practical and Delicious Uses for Frozen Chopped Spinach:

• Egg Frittata or Quiche: use defrosted, drained spinach in eggs for a Florentine-inspired egg frittata or quiche with shredded mozzarella cheese and sun-dried tomatoes. Serve for breakfast, lunch or dinner with roasted potatoes and fruit.
  
• Spinach-Parmesan dip from Cooking Light made with yogurt and fresh basil. I served it with fresh cut veggies.
  
• Creamy Spinach-Feta dip from Cooking Light I made this earlier this summer and served with pita chips and veggies for a family get together. It was delicious!
• Ground Turkey and Spinach Marinara: Cook ground turkey with chopped onion and add garlic, dried oregano, basil, crushed red pepper and salt. Add frozen spinach and stir until thawed and then add a can/jar of marinara. I prefer the Trader Joe's all-natural marinara sauce because it's lowfat and lower sodium. Serve over spaghetti or any pasta.
  

What's In Season Now: Cantaloupe

Serving fresh fruit for a family meal is a great way to add more nutritional values to your diet and if it's there ready to eat, kids and adults alike are more likely to serve it up on their plates. Cantaloupe is a fresh-tasting, sweet melon that is in season all summer so take advantage of the best prices now.

Cantaloupe is a nutritional powerhouse that is low in calories (about 50 calories per cup) and high in potassium (490 mg per cup). Potassium helps you keep your heart healthy and help regulate blood pressure. Cantaloupe is also an excellent source of vitamins A and C!

Cut up the cantaloupe all at once and store in containers in the refrigerator for quickly packing for lunches or snacks.

Tools you need to cut a cantaloupe quickly and safely:

• Large chef knife
• Small paring knife
• Tablespoon (Your table utensil, not measuring spoon)
• Cutting board
  

An efficient way to cut a cantaloupe:

• On a clean cutting board, cut the cantaloupe in half on the vertical line (longway) with the chef knife.
• Using a tablespoon scoop out the seeds and make sure you empty as much of the liquid from the hole in the middle.
• Starting with the first half, slice the melon half in 4 vertical strips.
  
• Then use the small paring knife to follow along the line of the rind against the flesh. Discard the rind and any green edges. With the paring knife slice cross-wise to form chunks.
• Repeat with the other half.
  
• Store in a container for serving or the refrigerator. Work next to the sink or garbage can to discard quickly and clear your space to keep your board clear.
  

Cantaloupe Snack Suggestions:

• Power Energy: Serve 1 cup of cantaloupe with 1/2 cup of low fat cottage cheese.
• Italian Appetizer: Wrap prosciutto slice around cantaloupe slice (don't cut into chunks for this snack)
• Accent for Salad: Slice cantaloupe for a spinach or arugula salad paired with Serrano ham or prosciutto and red onion slices. Use a red wine vinegar and olive oil dressing for a balance of the sweet, salty, and spicy flavors.
• Sweet Treat - Homemade Popsicles: Puree cantaloupe in the blender with a bit of water. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and serve to the family on a hot day.
  

Switching to Whole Wheat Pasta is Only the Half of It...How to Balance Pasta in Your Healthy Lifestyle

Pasta is one of the things in life that I really enjoy. Being in Italy for our honeymoon made me appreciate pasta even more because it's fresher there. And velvety, earthy red wine with a slightly spicy red sauce pasta is a symbiotic marriage of flavors that I could not, will not give up! If you throw in a bit of fresh basil and shredded parmesan cheese, that's called heaven in our house! Sometimes, I make my own fresh pasta with my stand mixer roller attachment. But most times that we want to indulge, I turn to whole wheat pasta.


Comparing whole wheat pasta to white flour, you will boost the fiber and protein. By eating higher fiber, your body eat less and the meal will stay with you longer. Whole grains make better choices because they burn slower in your body and stick with you longer. Have you noticed that you can always eat more bread, pasta, pancakes or white flour anything??

Pay attention to your body to see how you react to different types the food that you eat. With white flour, I get a blood sugar spike, then crash. I know I can eat too much on white flour foods because it doesn't fill me up and I eat too much.



Tips on balancing pasta in your healthy lifestyle:

• Keep portion sizes in check. Calorie counts are about the same (210 calories) in a typical serving size 2oz or 1 cup cooked pasta.
• Eat pasta for dinner when you had salad for lunch. It's all about balance. If you had a bagel for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner, that's a lot of carbohydrates! Salad for lunch is a good idea to keep your energy high and avoid the sleepy afternoon problem. Check out one of my favorite salad recipes.
• Go crazy on the veggies. I boost the nutritional content by using more vegetables in the pasta. You can try, frozen spinach, peas, peppers, broccoli, mushrooms, swiss chard, tomatoes, for example. Check out this pasta that I made and posted the recipe for last week. It's loaded with healthy veggies and 2 oz of pasta.
• 
  
• At a restaurant, ask the server to add extra veggies to your pasta meal. At my favorite Thai restaurant, they have an option for the pad see ewe with "extra veggies," which I always order because it's more nutritious. Or you could order an extra side of the steamed vegetables. Other options...you could also request half the meal brought out in a to-go box, split the meal with a friend, or request a lunch/appetizer portion.

Life is about balance so just enjoy the pasta!

Easy, Online Food Journal Can Help You Manage Your Nutrition

Recently, I went to the doctor and my blood work proved that I'm in optimal health. Don't be a procrastinator like I was and not go to the doctor because even healthy people should go for a check-up (see my recent post). But, there is one thing that I want to improve - reducing my body fat percentage. To help me, I got back to maintaining my daily food journal.


When you keep a food journal, you write down what you eat and drink for the day. And just that act alone helps you control your portions. Using a paper-based food journal can be tedious, especially when you're figuring out the nutritional values manually.



I prefer an online food journal tool so you can manage your nutrition anywhere! I use a FREE site, The Daily Plate, that is so well used that almost anything you can think of eating is already in their database. Last Aug through Dec, I used the Daily Plate to help me trim down and it worked. Then I lost interest and stopped using it. And guess what happened? Yep, now my clothes are tighter. So....today, I'm back on the wagon! I'm sure it's because my portion sizes slowly increased because I wasn't eating the ideal proportions of protein/carbs/fat.

An online tool, like Daily Plate helps people manage nutrition but doesn't emphasize the dangerous food pysho-language that goes with "Diets," which are can really do damage on your thinking and self esteem. Diets, by definition are temporary, which means you can't sustain them. That's why so many are following the trend for overall healthy lifestyle. The difference is following a philosphy of good health practices - exercise, nutrition, hydration, sleep, and then tweaking to find your balance.

Here are some reasons that I like The Daily Plate to manage my food journal and nutrition.

• No guesswork! They calculate the numbers for you - Enter in your current weight, your future goal, physical activity category, and speed you want to lose/gain weight and the tool calculates how many calories you should take in for the day. When you do an activity, you log that in and those calories are added back like a financial balance sheet.
• Save your food and activity favorites to log them quickly - I save my "lunch spin class" and my frequently eaten foods are automatically saved on the first page for easy logging.
• Nutrition breakdown decoded - I try to eat based on my protein metabolic type, which is 45% protein, 35% carbohydrates, and 20% fats, but realistically, it would be impossible to do without the pie chart graph on this site. Check out the book How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy for metabolic typing information. Each time you enter a food or drink, it shows the nutritional breakdown, showing you the contribution to the whole day.
• Mindless nutritional calculation - it's highly likely the food you ate is already in the database because there are tons of users entering in the nutritional information. You enter in the servings you had and it calculates the nutritional totals for the day. When your weight changes and you're moving towards your goal, the calorie count automatically adjusts for you!
• Reminds you to stay hydrated - a water tracker helps you remember to drink water throughout the day.

What are your food journal tips? Please share them.

Vitamin D Major Contributor to Optimal Health

Vitamin D is essential for good health, especially for healthy bones and heart, and your body’s ability to absorb calcium. A recent study, published in Archives of Internal Medicine showed that 3 out of 4 Americans are deficient in vitamin D. The body doesn’t synthesize vitamin D on its own so people could either take supplements or get appropriate sunlight exposure for their skin tone per day.

The problem is that many people forget and stay in the sun too long without SPF protection, which damages the skin, your body’s largest organ. And for many, sunlight is hard to come by, especially in the winter months and is proved insufficient north of the 42 latitude region from December through February. There are other factors that minimize vitamin D with the sunlight aborption method such as smog, season, time of day, or cloud cover.

Very Few Foods Contain Vitamin D: Oily fish: tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and cod liver oils. Trace amounts are found in some mushrooms, egg yolk, cheese, and fortified food products.

Get your vitamin D for breakfast:
Try a toasted small whole wheat high fiber bagel, lowfat cream cheese with a dash of dried dill, 2 oz smoked salmon, 2 slices tomato, and a wedge of lemon. Delicious!

Check out the radio story on National Public Radio (NPR) from Morning Edition March 24, 2009 for more information.

The recommended daily allowance for vitamin D is 200 IU for most adults, but could be more, according to some research.