If you needed one more reason to eat healthy while you’re
pregnant, here it is. Researchers at the Joslin Diabetes
Center in Boston, Massachusetts have found a link between
prenatal nutrition and adult onset diabetes. In the study, a
team of researchers led by Dr. Mary-Elizabeth Patti
deliberately malnourished a group of mice during the third
trimester of pregnancy.

The results? The majority of babies born to the mice that
had been malnourished developed diabetes on reaching
adulthood. This was true even though the baby mice all were
fed diets high in nutrition, and quickly caught up with the
mice in the control group. Low birth weight has been a known
risk factor for adult diabetes for many years, but Dr.
Patti’s research drew a clear link between prenatal
nutrition and the development of diabetes in later life.

Even more important, the study at the Patti Labs at Joslin
isolated one of the reasons behind that risk factor. They
found that the mice whose mothers had had poor nutrtion
during the last trimester displayed impaired pancreatic
functioning. While the pancreas seemed to be doing its job,
secreting insulin, it didn’t respond properly to extra sugar
in the blood. No matter how much sugar was in the blood, the
low birthweight mice only produced limited levels of
insulin.

The damage done to the pancreas in utero seems to be
irreversible, even with proper nutrition after birth. In
addition, while low birthweight babies are at risk for
developing diabetes as adults because of pancreatic
function, high birth weight babies (over 8 pounds) are also
at increased risk because they’re resistant to insulin. It
seems that too much is just as dangerous as too little.

Diabetes is a case in point. The study done at Joslin found
that poor nutrition apparently damaged the fetus’ pancreas
in utero. No amount of healthy eating after birth could
repair that damage.

Those extra calories shouldn’t just be applied willy-nilly,
though. According to the American Dietetic Association, your
diet as a pregnant woman should include the following:

In addition, they recommend the following dietary
supplements for pregnant women to ensure that there is an
adequate supply of all needed nutrients for a growing baby:
At least 400 mcg of folic acid (vitamin B) Low dose iron
supplements A good multivitamin At least 6 8 ounce glasses
of water a day.

Most nutritionists and doctors also agree that the North
American diet doesn’t provide adequate amounts of some key
nutrients. That’s why most doctors will prescribe a prenatal
vitamin that provides extra iron and folic acid, both of
which are vital for your healthy pregnancy and your baby’s
development.

* At least 7 servings of fruit and vegetables At least 9
servings of whole grains, rice or pasta.
* At least 4 servings of dairy or milk .
* At least 2 servings of protein – fish, eggs, meat or nuts.
* At least 400 mcg f folic acid (vitamin B)
* Low dose iron supplements.
* A good multivitamin
* At least 6 8 ounce glasses of water a day.

It may be a good idea to ask your obstetrician or midwife
for a referral to a good nutritionist. He or she can help
you put together a healthy eating plan that will carry both
you and your baby through pregnancy in the full bloom of
health.

Ralph E Halsey is the cheif editor of
REH Nutrition This
is where you will find all the information, resources and
articles you want on nutrition. Ralph invites you to sign up
for his free newsletter. To find out more go to:
http://www.rehnutrition.com

Surgery of any kind is scary. If you think about going to
sleep, having a doctor make an incision, and then the
recovery portion, it is a very unnerving thought.
Regardless if having your tonsils out or open heart
surgery, feeling uncomfortable about the experience is
perfectly normal. To ensure you have a safe and smooth
surgery, you do have some options.

You need to put yourself 100% at ease. The first easy
thing to do is to research whether your chosen doctor is
certified to practice and has a good reputation. Determine
if they have a license, talk to people that have used the
surgeon in the past, chat with the other professionals
that work there and don’t be afraid to make as many
queries as you want. You don’t find out if you don’t ask.
At the end of the day it’s your body and you have a right
and a need to make the right decision.

Will you get nervous a few weeks before surgery? Pretty
much everyone does and if you don’t you’d have to be a
psychopath! It’s a natural reaction to the stresses and
strains of having surgery, but just don’t forget that your
family will be experiencing the same emotions too.

If you’re feeling stressed out chat to your surgeon as
many times as you feel necessary and don’t be afraid to
call them if you think of something else. If you don’t
like their attitude towards you, seek a consultation with
another surgeon. You need to feel comfortable that either
your doctor or one of his nursing team will phone you to
provide you with responses to any queries you have.

Are you worried about your pets and children? Don’t be! We
can all think the worst and wonder what will happen to
them if something goes drastically awry, but you just have
to drum it into your head that the surgeon has years of
experience and everything will go fine. If you make sure
you have a relative or friend waiting in the wings to take
control this should help you to keep calm.

As the time for surgery nears, make sure you are prepared.
Go shopping for what you will need whilst you are in
hospital two weeks before. Don’t give yourself anxiety by
running around and throwing things into a bag the night
before surgery. Get ready a week in advance; this will
help to make sure that you don’t miss anything out.

If you have children at home that will go to stay with
family or friend, you will need to talk honestly with
them. While you do not need to go into detail unless they
are older, let them know where you will be, who will be
caring for them in your absence, and when you will be
home, emphasizing that you will be home. Most children do
quite well and if they know, they can come see you at the
hospital that will eliminate some of their fear. Remember,
good planning, good communication, and a good doctor make
for a successful surgery.

Wendell James is an expert on all types of surgery, and
is webmaster and operator of Surgery
Point.
This is one of the Internet’s most complete & informative
surgery sites. For more details, please visit:
http://www.surgerypoint.com

Whether you are hoping to lose five pounds or fifty
pounds, regular exercise has repeatedly proven itself as
the most effective way to achieve permanent weight loss.
Though dieting can often help you reach your weight loss
goals quicker and more drastically, most dieters
eventually gain back all of the weight lost during their
diets once they lapse back into their old eating habits.
Rather than entering the cycle of yo-yo dieting and
rapid gains and losses, it is much more sensible and
healthy to gradually change your eating habits, and to
embark on a fun and consistent exercise program.

If you are accustomed to sitting on the couch every day
and watching television after work, you might find it
hard to get motivated at first. However, for those
leading sedentary lifestyles, even fifteen minutes of
exercise a day can make a big difference in how you look
and feel. Once you begin to see the changes taking
place in your body, you will find it easier and easier
to get up off of the couch and do something active.

Before starting a weight loss exercise program, you
should first consult with your doctor. He or she can
assess your cardiovascular health to insure that your
body can take the strain of exercise. He or she will be
able to tell you how much you should do and how much is
too much. With your doctor’s guidance, you will be able
to set up a beginning workout that is definitely doing
more good than harm to your system.

If you have never been involved in an exercise program
before, may be you can think about going to a gym or
hiring a personal trainer. Most health clubs propose a
great variety of classes that you can take for free. You
can choose among the traditional aerobics and
stair-stepping classes, yoga, Pilates, kickboxing and
Spinning classes, which happen with in a room full of
stationary bicycles. If you prefer one-on-one instruction,
look for a personal trainer. He or she will lend you a
hand according to your specifics needs.

May be you do not like working out in a gym. Well, in that
case you can be a part of an organized sports team. This
is definitively an exceptional way to lose weight and
become more lively. There is a lot of adults leagues at
local recreation centers and YMCA’s that present a
diversity of sports and ranges of proficiency. You can
join both with your own team of friends or alone, just an
individual. By the way, this is a great occasion to make
new friends while you
exercise!

After some time you will notice that exercising has become
a habit, and at that very moment you can begin to
increase the amount and intensity of the activity you are
doing. For example, if you have started by walking, you
should try, after some weeks, running a little bit. It
does not matter how much you increase, you should do it
bit by bit.

An important thing to remember when you are exercising
toward weight loss is that you should focus more on
getting healthy and less on dropping pounds. Some
people even gain a little weight when they begin
exercise simply because they are gaining muscle, and
muscle weighs more than fat. However, the more muscle
you acquire, the more fat you burn and the more calories
you use every day. This means that even if you make no
changes to your diet, you will still end up losing
weight. It is important, though, to make sure you are
eating healthily and that you are eating enough of the
right foods to keep you going through your workout
sessions.

Pierre Pesodat is the owner of Weight
For Me that is an expert resource for information about
weight. For more information, go to:
http://www.fineweight.com