Shed The Pregnancy Pounds

Don't think it can be done? You're about to be very surprised.

When you walk into the labor and delivery room, your belly is bulging. If the baby stays inside you one more day, you fear your stomach will simply explode. And when the contractions are over and your new little one has arrived, you look down and realize a shocking fact: your baby didn't take all the extra weight from your body.

Want to shave off 40 weeks of weight gain? Read on to get a few tried-and-true methods to get you back on the road to light.

Breastfeed. You may plan to have your baby feed on a bottle when you go back to work, but if you really want to see pounds fall by the wayside, nothing works as well as breastfeeding. Okay - so the jury is still out about whether breastfeeding will really get rid of those pregnancy pounds, but it's definitely worth a try. Even if it doesn't work, it won't cause you to gain weight, and you'll boost your newborn's immunity and reduce your likelihood for breast cancer in the future in the process.

Eat. Before you got pregnant, you had to watch what you ate to maintain a healthy weight. Now that you've had baby, the same watchfulness is needed to lose pregnancy weight. If you're breastfeeding your baby, do not cut back on your calorie intake. Regardless of whether you're breastfeeding or using the bottle, don't eat high-calorie or high-fat foods. Rather, go for anything stuffed with lots of vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients.

Sleep. Though sleeping doesn't sound like something that is going to help you shed pounds, not getting good sleep is a sure way to hang onto pregnancy pounds. According to research, insufficient sleep increases stress levels, which can in turn increase your weight. On top of the stress-induced weight gain, feeling sleepy also makes you less likely to feel like exercising - a major way you can help your body fend off the weight that doesn't look quite as cute now that it isn't accompanied by a pregnant belly.

Exercise. Though you don't want to jump headfirst into an intense workout regiment immediately after giving birth, you should begin implementing exercise into your daily routine as soon as possible. During the first few days after giving birth, go for a short walk. If it hurts of you get tired, stop and take a rest. Giving birth is a traumatic event on your body, and it can take a while to recover. Allow your body to recover in its own time, but don't stop trying to help it along.

Exercise Some More. Even if you breastfeed, eat right, get nine hours of sleep each night, and take a walk around the block each day, you may still a few pounds that cling on for dear life. If this happens to you, you will need to increase the amount and intensity of your exercises. For fun ways to exercise, check into "Mommy and Me" exercise classes that allow you to spend time with your child and get fit at the same time. You may also want to make your way back into the gym as soon as possible for some weight training. To make sure your routine isn't putting you at risk, talk with your physician before beginning anything strenuous.

Prevent Osteoporosis

Three factors essential for keeping your bones healthy throughout your life are:

• Adequate amounts of calcium
• Adequate amounts of vitamin D
• Regular exercise

Calcium
The amount of calcium you need to stay healthy changes over your lifetime. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommends the following amounts of daily calcium from food and supplements:

• Up to 1 year old — 210 to 270 milligrams (mg)
• Age 1 to 3 years — 500 mg
• Age 4 to 8 years — 800 mg
• Age 9 to 18 years — 1,300 mg
• Age 19 to 50 years — 1,000 mg
• Age 51 and older — 1,200 mg

Dairy products are one, but by no means the only, source of calcium. Almonds, broccoli, spinach, cooked kale, canned salmon with the bones, sardines and soy products, such as tofu, also are rich in calcium.

If you find it difficult to get enough calcium from your diet, consider taking calcium supplements. The IOM recommends taking no more than 2,500 mg of calcium daily.

Vitamin D
Getting enough vitamin D is just as important to your bone health as getting adequate amounts of calcium. Scientists don't yet know the optimal daily dose of vitamin D, but it's safe for anyone older than 1 year to take up to 2,000 international units (IU) a day.

Experts generally recommend that adults get between 400 and 1,000 IUs daily.

Although many people get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight, this may not be a good source if you live in high latitudes, if you're housebound, or if you regularly use sunscreen or you avoid the sun entirely because of the risk of skin cancer. Although vitamin D is present in oily fish, such as tuna and sardines, and in egg yolks, you probably don't eat these on a daily basis. Vitamin D supplements or calcium supplements with added vitamin D are a good alternative.

Exercise
Exercise can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss. Exercise will benefit your bones no matter when you start, but you'll gain the most benefits if you start exercising regularly when you're young and continue to exercise throughout your life. Combine strength training exercises with weight-bearing exercises. Strength training helps strengthen muscles and bones in your arms and upper spine, and weight-bearing exercises — such as walking, jogging, running, stair climbing, skipping rope, skiing and impact-producing sports — mainly affect the bones in your legs, hips and lower spine. Swimming, cycling and exercising on machines such as elliptical trainers can provide a good cardiovascular workout, but because such exercises are low impact, they're not as helpful for improving bone health as weight-bearing exercises are.

Other tips for prevention
These measures also may help you prevent bone loss:

• Don't smoke. Smoking increases bone loss, perhaps by decreasing the amount of estrogen a woman's body makes and by reducing the absorption of calcium in your intestine.
• Avoid excessive alcohol. Consuming more than two alcoholic drinks a day may decrease bone formation and reduce your body's ability to absorb calcium.

Fresh Mango Pie

What better way to usher in summer than with this delicious no-bake mango pie? You won't find any processed sugars or refined carbs in this dessert – just sweet and nutritious whole food ingredients. That being said, remember to use portion control even with nutritious desserts.
Servings: 12

Here's what you need...

• 2 cups raw pecans
• 1/2 teaspoon ground vanilla beans, divided
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 cup pitted dates, divided
• 2/3 cup water
• 3 ripe mangoes, peeled, seeded and sliced

1. Combine the pecans, 1/4 teaspoon of the vanilla bean, sea salt and 3/4 cup of the dates in a food processor. Press half of the mixture into the bottom of a pie pan, set aside.
2. Combine the remaining 3/4 cup dates, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean and water in a food processor or blender. Mix until a thick syrup forms.
3. Place the mangoes in a large mixing bowl. Toss with the syrup until fully combined.
4. Arranged the mangoes over the crust, then sprinkle with the remaining crust.
5. Keep in the fridge and eat within 2 days.

Nutritional Analysis: One serving equals: 220 calories, 12g fat, 27g carbohydrate, 5g fiber, and 3g protein.

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Maintain A Healthy Spine

Back pain and neck pain - problems so prevalent that it seems everyone has experienced one or both at least one time in their life. Is there any way to avoid them? Once they start, are you doomed to have pain forever? Much of the answer is up to you. Research suggests that many spine problems are preventable because they result from poor posture and body mechanics, which subject the spine to abnormal stresses. Abnormal stress over time can lead to structural changes in the spine, including degeneration of disks and joints, lengthening or shortening of the supportive ligaments and muscles, and wear and tear of cartilage. All of these structural changes can lead to pain. However, there are many things that you can do each day to minimize current spine pain and prevent future episodes from occurring. (Think of your body, especially the spine, as a machine that needs regular care and maintenance to keep it functioning properly and efficiently. For example, does your car work properly when the alignment is off? ) The key factors to taking care of your back and neck center around three concepts:

1.) Learning and practicing good posture

2.) Using good body mechanics during the day

3.) Regular exercise Let's explore each of these in turn.

Posture
The foundation for good neck and back care starts with posture. Bad posture can be the cause of spinal pain, it can make existing pain worse, and it certainly can make the pain last a lot longer. Poor posture is also a factor in conditions such as chronic headaches, TMJ dysfunction and shoulder pain. Many people spend large portions of their day sitting or performing tasks that require bending forward or lifting. Think about your lifestyle, the postures you assume, and the activities you perform each day. The basis for good posture is maintaining a "neutral spine." A neutral spine retains three natural curves: a small hollow at the base of the neck, a small roundness at the middle back, and a small hollow in the low back. A neutral spine is neither rounded forward nor arched back too much. Maintaining a neutral spine is a dynamic process as you transition from one position to another. Let's look in detail at proper alignment in standing, from the bottom up: (Figure 1)

Figure 1: Left: Incorrect posture Right: Ideal Posture

1.) Feet should be shoulder width apart, thigh muscles elongated without locking the knees back.

2.) Maintain a small hollow in your low back, but avoid the tendency for too much arch/leaning back, especially with prolonged standing. The "tail" should remain slightly tucked down.

3.) Lift the breastbone. As you do this, the shoulder blades will move down in back. This should create a good distance from your hipbone to your rib cage.

4.) Make your chin level. The highest point of your body should be the top back region of your head. Relax your jaw and neck muscles. With the mouth closed, rest your tongue on the roof or your mouth.

A "wall test" can be performed to help practice good standing posture. Stand with head, shoulders, and back against wall and heels about 5-6 inches forward. Draw in the lower abdominals, decreasing the arch in your low back. Push away from the wall and try to maintain this upright, vertical alignment. Next, let's examine proper sitting alignment, from the bottom'up: (Figure 2)

Figure 2: Sitting

1.) Feet should be resting on the floor with knees and hips bent 90 degrees

2.) Maintain an arch in the low back. If you are unsure how much arch is "good," go from a slouched position up to the extreme end range of erect posture. Now back off 10-15%. This is the neutral position for your low back. A "lumbar roll" is recommended to support the low back with prolonged sitting. It is a foam roll, approximately 4-5 inches in diameter, 12 inches long. To place it, scoot your hips back so that you are touching the back of the chair. "Bow" forward and place the roll in the natural arch of your low back.

3.) Lift your breastbone. Picture a string tied to the 2nd or 3rd top button on a shirt pulling straight up to the ceiling. This again creates a good distance from your ribcage to your hipbones. Your shoulder blades should be down in back. Think of the bottom tips of your shoulder blades as "anchors," helping you to maintain this upright posture.

4.) Make your chin level. If it helps, picture a book on your head. The highest point of your body should be the top back region of your head.

While it is okay to assume other positions for short periods of time, most of your sitting time should be spent as described to allow for the least stress on your spine. It is also strongly recommended to take frequent breaks from sitting and change your position, at least hourly if you have spine problems.

Good posture driving tips are as follows:

1.) Adjust the seat so that the back is vertical. Allow your back to be supported by the seat back and your head to rest against the headrest with your chin level.

2.) Knees should be bent to reach the pedals and they should be at the same height or higher than your hips.

3.) With hands on wheel, elbows should be slightly bent and relaxed.

4.) Avoid shoulder shrugging.

Finally, let's look at some good postural tips for sleeping.

1.) In lying, the spine will be most comfortable when a neutral spine is maintained. A sagging mattress or the use of more than one pillow will interfere with the neutral spine position. A firm mattress is recommended-a board placed between the mattress and box spring can provide a temporary fix to a sagging mattress.

2.) The best sleeping positions for someone with neck or back pain is either lying on the side or on the back. -When lying on the side, a pillow between the knees helps keep the spine neutral. People who lie on their side without a pillow between the knees sometimes draw one knee up high and in front. This asymmetry can result in pain over time.

Whether lying on the back or sides, rolls can be added to support the natural curves of the spine in the neck or low back. A "cervical roll" can be used to support the neck. It is a foam roll, approximately 3 inches in diameter and 18 inches long that is placed inside the pillowcase along the lower border of a (preferably down or synthetic down) pillow. The roll is situated between the base of the head and the shoulders, supporting the curve of the neck and helping to maintain neutral alignment lying on the back or in side lying.

A lumbar sleeping roll can be purchased or fashioned for a trial at home. It is a long thin roll tied around the waist to help support the lumbar arch lying on the back or in side lying. The diameter is smaller than the sitting roll, approximately 3-4 inches. To make one at home for a trial:

1.) Roll a large bath towel lengthwise.

2.) Stuff the towel roll into one leg of an old pair of pantyhose or feed a rope through the center of the towel roll, securing the roll with masking tape.

3.) Tie the roll around your waist at the level of the small arch in your low back.

This roll may provide comfort by keeping your back from sagging off center to the right, for example, if you are lying on your right side. If lying on your back, it will help keep your from rounding out your low back.

In short, the key to good posture is awareness and perseverance. It is not easy to change poor postural habits, nor do the changes come quickly. However, if good posture is practiced, it becomes easier and you will find yourself preferring the "neutral alignment" to your previously poor position. In addition to feeling better, good posture also makes you look better. It is said that good posture can make you look 10 pounds lighter and 10 years younger! Give it a try. The benefits are well worth the effort.

-Cleveland Clinic

Drinking Water Helps Prevent Muscle Cramps

Most of us have experienced muscle cramps at one time or another. Cramps can affect anyone, whether you are a regular exerciser or a regular couch potato. They strike many of us when we are sound asleep - waking us up in the middle of the night with a sharp, piercing pain. but cramps may affect some of us during a baseball game or in the middle of a volleyball match.

Resulting from an abnormal muscle contraction, a cramp occurs as the muscle locks into an awkward and sustained spasm because of that contraction. Although the calves are the most likely site for a cramp, any muscle in the body is vulnerable. Medical specialists are not exactly sure what causes cramps, but they do recognize several factors that are associated with them. Muscles that are overworked, injured or exposed to extreme temperatures may be more likely to succumb to a cramp.

Other factors include:

• Dehydration - A body that is dehydrated can make muscles more vulnerable to cramps. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids during the day, especially if you exercise.
• Electrolyte imbalance - Electrolytes can be found in the minerals potassium and sodium, and they carry an electric charge that helps trigger your muscles to contract and relax. Dehydration can disrupt the balance between potassium and sodium which may cause muscle cramps. You need to constantly refurbish your body's fluids in order to keep electrolyte balance and reduce your chances of suffering muscle cramps.
• Mineral Deficiency - Sometime, too much or too little of certain minerals other than potassium and sodium in your diet can onset a muscle cramp. Two important minerals for your body are calcium and magnesium. Sufficient amounts of these and other minerals in your diet can help you avoid muscle cramps.

For immediate relief of a cramp, gently stretch the muscle. Although this can be quite painful, it will help the muscle to relax. Stretching a contracted muscle increases the tension on the tendons and causes the muscle to relax. Pressing on the muscle, massaging it and applying ice while stretching can also help to relieve the cramp.

Stretching and massaging are only temporary treatments for a continuing problem. In order to avoid muscle cramps in the future, you must change some of your dietary and lifestyle habits. Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, get enough potassium and sodium by eating foods such as bananas and oranges, build up your body's levels of other important minerals, keep your muscles in shape and conditioned with regular exercise, stretch your muscles throughout the day, and wear appropriate clothing - tight clothing that interferes with blood flow can lead to cramps.

Muscle cramps are a common problem, but by following a few simple guidelines to make sure your body is well-nourished and properly hydrated, you can eliminate your risk for muscle cramps. Don't let cramps slow you down - eat mineral -rich foods, drink lots of water and take good care of your muscles.

Nourish For Your Noggin

We all know by now that eating a healthful diet rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables can help us stay slim and lower our risk for heart disease, but did you know that a growing body of research shows that this type of diet also preserves memory, boosts alertness, and may even stave off the blues and prevent Alzheimer's disease!

It's true! "Nutrition plays a significant and crucial role over the long run and the short run in brain health," says Ray Sahelian, MD, a Marina Del Ray, Calif.-based physician and author of Mind Boosters. "We can maintain a healthy and active mind well into our 80s and 90s by eating properly," he tells WebMD.

Why tax your brain doing all the research for what it needs to thrive? WebMD did it for you by putting together a list of the top five brain-friendly nutrients you need to stay smart, starting with:

Eating More E

"For a long time, people believed that a common component of vitamin E called alpha tocopherol was most important, but another form called gamma tocopherol is definitely a protective antioxidant in brain disorders," says Aimee Shunney, ND, the coordinator of the educational and wellness program at Long Island College Hospital in Brooklyn, N.Y.

When you consume food rich in vitamin E, including almonds, green leafy vegetables, corn oil, sunflower oil, hazelnuts, and whole-grain flour, you get both alpha tocopherols and gamma tocopherols, she says. If you are choosing supplements, look for vitamin E with "mixed tocopherols" and take 400 IU a day, she says. Vitamin functions as an antioxidant and the brain is particularly susceptible to free radicals (damaging, unstable molecules). Some research indicates that vitamin E can delay progression of Alzheimer's disease and/or prevent it from occurring in the first place by reducing the free radicals damage!

B Good to Yourself

"B vitamins are involved in helping the formation of brain chemicals such as dopamine, epinephrine, and serotonin," Sahelian says. In fact, each B vitamin plays its own role in preserving brain function and mental acuity. Starting from folic acid (a B complex), which helps in the early brain development, these vitamins help in many aspects of metabolism. A few recent studies have shown a link between declines in memory and Alzheimer's disease in the elderly and inadequate levels of folic acid, vitamin B12, and vitamin B6. Reduced levels of folate are associated with high levels of homocysteine -- a marker of heart disease and stroke.

Boosting B12

"Vitamin B12 has a number of roles including helping in the formation of myelin," Sahelian says. Myelin forms layers or a sheath around the nerve fibers and acts as insulation. Sahelian points out that B12 is mainly found in meats (beef, pork, lamb, veal, fish, and poultry), and an as result, vegetarians may be deficient. This deficiency could lead to nerve damage, memory loss, low moods, and mental slowness. His advice? Shoot for between 3 and 100 micrograms a day.

It worked for nutritionist Molly Kimball's grandmother. "Sometimes as people age, they have impaired absorption of B12," says Kimball, a nutritionist at the Ochsner Clinic's Elmwood Fitness Center in New Orleans. In fact, B12 deficiency can present as similar to Alzheimer's disease, she says. "My grandmother couldn't make sense until her doctor supplemented her B12," she tells WebMD.

Filling Up on Folate

Folic acid or folate is another important B vitamin for the brain, says Sahelian. "Getting adequate folate can make one a little more alert, and improve memory and focus." It helps lower blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine that is known to damage brain cells, he explains. It's found in abundant supply in many foods including beans, fruits, green leafy vegetables, lentils, and whole-wheat cereals. Shoot for 400 micrograms a day, he says.

Stirring Up Serotonin With B6

Vitamin B6 helps convert 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5HTP) in into the mood chemical serotonin and it also helps in making dopamine. "These are big mood and alertness chemicals," he says. Aim for roughly 2 to 10 milligrams a day if you supplement. B6-rich foods include bell peppers, cranberries, turnip greens, cauliflower, garlic, tuna, mustard greens, and kale.

Maximizing Magnesium

"Magnesium is an important brain nutrient because it protects the brain from neurotoxins," says City Island, N.Y.-based Carolyn Dean, ND, MD, author of The Miracle of Magnesium. "Some enlightened surgeons give extra magnesium to their patients before and during surgery, especially brain surgery, for this reason," she tells WebMD. The dosage for protecting the brain in general is 300 milligrams one to three times a day. According to Dean, nuts, seeds, dark leafy greens, and whole grains have magnesium, but most other foods have little, she says. "Cooked and processed foods also lose a lot of magnesium making it a very deficient mineral."

Seeing to More C

"Vitamin C is an important antioxidant that can intercept free radicals before they affect the brain," says Dean, also the health advisor to yeastconnection.com. It's found in foods such as broccoli, legumes, oranges, potatoes, and strawberries. If you are taking supplements, aim for 500 micrograms once or twice a day, she says. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that people taking vitamins C and E were 78% less likely to have had a diagnosis of Alzheimer's at the study's start and 64% less likely to have developed the disease four years after the study began.

Of course, before taking any supplements talk to your doctor first, many may interfere with the absorption of medications you may be taking or may cause bothersome side effects.

-Webmd

Small Steps To Your Health

There are many things the "experts" tell us to do to prevent diabetes complications or type 2 diabetes: Choose healthy foods... make healthy meals... be active 30 minutes a day.

But where should you start? It's not easy to do all of this every day living in today's fast-paced and fast-food world. And it can be even harder if you have a lot of changes you want to make.

• One Step at a Time It's easier to make lifestyle changes over months and years. Think of each small step as one piece of your effort to change your habits.
• Bad habits? Accept that you have bad habits you need to change. If you believe you have a problem, you will probably succeed in making some changes.
• Ready, Willing and Able To succeed at making lifestyle changes, the change must be important to you. For example, maybe you want to live long enough to see your grandchildren grow up. You must have more reasons to change than reasons not to change.
• Pick and Choose Take what you want to do and break it down into small steps. Then think about a few things you are ready, willing, and able to change. Leave other habits that you don't feel ready to change for another time.
• Take a Look Think about your current habits. How active are you? Pick some changes that you want to do the most and that will make the biggest impact. For example, take 15 minute break from the TV and go for a walk.
• Setting Goals For each goal, think about four things:
  1. How long will you try to reach this goal? Keep it short.
  2. How often will you do this?
  3. Is it easy to do in your regular daily life? Keep it realistic.
  4. Is it limited in scope? Be specific.

  Set 1 to 3 goals at a time. For example: for the next month (how long), four days each week (how often) I will take a 15 minutes walk after lunch three days a week (realistic and specific). Write them down. Put them in a place where you will see them often—on the refrigerator, your bathroom or bedroom mirror, or in your purse or wallet.

  Read more realistic tips on how to be more active.

• How Did You Do? Once the time you set is over, look at the goals you set. Did you succeed? Did you set your sights too high? Did something happen in your life to keep you from being successful? If you were successful, give yourself a BIG pat on the back (or maybe a trip to the movies!).

Wait, you are not done!

Making a change for two weeks or a month does not mean that it will stick for life. It's so easy to slip back to your old ways. Practice the new habits faithfully. It will take months before they become your way of life.

If you weren't successful, try again. Revise your goals or choose easier ones. Make sure they contain the four parts of setting a goal that's within reach. Make sure you want to make changes in this area and that you believe you can.

-American Diabetes Association