38 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • DECEMBER 21, 2017 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
wellness
4 things no one tells you about preparing for baby
It’s only a matter of time now. Your
little bundle of joy is on its way, and for
the fi rst time you are about to be a parent.
Th ink you’re ready? Many people do
and then the reality of parenthood strikes
them. Remember your friends who said
being a parent is nothing like they expected?
Th ey were right.
Parenting is a wild ride, but it’s also one
of the - if not the - most rewarding things
you’ll ever do in your life. Just don’t
expect it to be smooth sailing right from
the get-go. It’s going to be challenging,
but there are things you can do to prepare
before your life changes forever.
To give you the leg up you so desperately
need, Dawn Dais, author of the parenting
book “Th e Sh!t No One Tells You,”
off ers this advice:
• Take advantage of your freedom. If this
is your fi rst baby, you need to maximize
every second of freedom you have left .
Go to the movies, order an appetizer
and a dessert at dinner, travel, decide to
leave the house and then do so 25 seconds
later. Watch television shows with
cuss words.
• Sleep now. Dais recently teamed up
with Store Brand infant formula to help
get the word out about ways parents
can prepare before their baby arrives.
Earlier this year, they released a “Baby’s
First Year” survey that found 25 percent
of new moms confessed their biggest
fear before their baby’s arrival was
the fear of never sleeping again. You
will sleep again, but it might not be for a
few months, so it’s important to get it in
while you still can!
• Do your research. Make sure to discuss
important topics before the baby
arrives, such as feeding. Th e Store Brand
formula survey found infant formula
is the last topic researched by new
moms while pregnant, but the No. 1
topic researched aft er their baby arrives.
Feeding is the most important thing you
do with your baby, so why is it so far
down on the list? A lot of new parents
don’t think about this because they just
assume they will breastfeed. Th ey are
told that it is the most natural thing on
the planet and so it’s not even a consideration
or option not to breastfeed. But
what people don’t tell you is that breastfeeding
can be hard and there may be
challenges. Th e survey also found that
more than 50 percent of moms experience
issues when it comes to breastfeeding
baby, with low breast milk supply
being the top concern. So knowing
your feeding options before baby
arrives is vital.
• Babies are expensive, so know where
you can save big. It’s important to note
that all infant formulas are required to
meet the same FDA standards. Th at
means you can choose store-brand
infant formulas that meet the same federal
nutrient requirements for baby as
nationally advertised brands, and in
fact, cost up to 50 percent less!
Make the most of your
new role as a parent
Having a child is the most monumental
change you can make to your life, but
the joys that come with parenting make
the process entirely worth it. So, plan
ahead now by applying the tips above and
you’ll eliminate some of those potential
headaches. To learn more about feeding
options and the “Baby’s First Year” survey,
visit storebrandformula.com.
Tips to prepare for parenthood
Parenting can be tough. Make the most
of it with these tips from Dawn Dais,
author of the parenting book “Th e Sh!t
No One Tells You .
• Take advantage of your freedom. If this
is your fi rst baby, you need to maximize
every second of freedom you have left .
Go to the movies, order an appetizer
and a dessert at dinner, travel, decide to
leave the house and then do so 25 seconds
later. Watch television shows with
cuss words.
• Babies are expensive, so know where
you can save big. It’s important to note
that all infant formulas are required to
meet the same FDA standards. Th at
means you can choose store brand
infant formulas that meet the same federal
nutrient requirements for baby as
nationally advertised brands, and in
fact, cost up to 50 percent less. I wish
someone had told me that. Moms who
use formula can relate - it can be expensive.
Courtesy BPT
Say goodbye to winter blues with vitamin D-rich foods
Winter got you down? Seasonal
Aff ective Disorder (SAD) is estimated to
aff ect 10 million Americans, according to
Psychology Today. Another 10 percent to
20 percent may have mild SAD.
Even if you don’t have diagnosed SAD,
it’s not uncommon to have bouts of the
winter blues. Th ere are many reasons
people experience a “winter funk:” cold
weather, little sunlight, shorter days, limited
outdoor activity, etc.
Additionally, between the months of
November and March, the lack of vitamin
D absorption from the sun can be taxing
on your immune system and may also be
contributing to your winter blues.
Dubbed “the happy vitamin” by some
researchers, vitamin D could be the key
to turning seasonal frowns upside-down.
Maintaining vitamin D levels during the
cold winter months may help keep you
healthy during cold and fl u season while
also boosting your mood.
What’s more, vitamin D may help you
maintain a healthy weight. It’s no secret
that many people experience weight gain
due to the fl ood of comfort foods available
during cooler months. Th is, paired
with lower physical activity, causes many
people to put on a few winter pounds.
According to a study quoted in Men’s
Health, a University of Minnesota doctor
found that people with adequate vitamin
D levels lost more weight than those with
low levels, even though all study participants
reduced their calorie intake equally.
To get all the benefi ts of vitamin D, start
by adjusting your diet. Vitamin D occurs
naturally in eggs and oily fi sh like salmon,
tuna and mackerel, but it’s important
to look for foods that contain even higher
levels of vitamin D to naturally boost your
intake, especially in the winter.
“Food is quite literally one of the best
medicines out there when it comes to
improving your mental and physical
health,” says registered dietitian nutritionist,
Dawn Jackson Blatner. “One of
my favorite tips for boosting Vitamin D
intake is to simply swap out ordinary eggs
for Eggland’s Best eggs, since you’ll automatically
get six times more vitamin D - it
doesn’t get any easier than that!”
In addition to added vitamin D,
Eggland’s Best eggs provide superior
nutritional benefi ts such as 10 times more
vitamin E, double the omega-3s, more
than double the vitamin B12 and 25 percent
less saturated fat than ordinary eggs.
A healthy diet that uses mood-boosting
ingredients doesn’t have to be boring. Get
creative in the kitchen and try new recipes
featuring vitamin D-rich ingredients
like this BLT Salmon Caesar Salad from
Eggland’s Best and Th eAlmondEater.
com.
BLT Salmon Caesar Salad
Makes two servings
Ingredients:
1 salmon fi let, baked and seasoned to
your liking; 2 slices bacon; 1 Eggland’s
Best egg (large); 5 cups lettuce; 1/2 cup
tomatoes; 1 avocado, sliced; 1 cup croutons;
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese;
2 tablespoons Caesar dressing
Directions:
Heat bacon in a skillet and cook completely;
set aside and then cut or break
into bite-Â size pieces once cooled.
Soft boil the egg over the stovetop.
While egg is cooking, place lettuce in
a large bowl and add tomatoes, avocado,
croutons and cheese to the bowl; stir
to combine.
Next, add the baked salmon to the
salad, along with the bacon; add the
Caesar dressing and stir to combine.
Last, add the soft -boiled egg and enjoy!
Courtesy BPT