Pass The Pickles ‘n’ Ice Cream… STAT!

Alison Gore — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 15:41:04 +0000

Lately I can’t seem to escape a pregnant belly – everywhere I look my friends are getting preggers! Cue wicked ‘n’ weird pregnancy cravings like pickles and ice cream. Cravings are our body’s way of telling us to give it more of something – specific nutrients, water, primary food (TLC). Ever wonder what’s behind cravings?

Well, it all depends on whom you ask and there are a variety of causes, including.

Nutritional Deficiency – Your body may be craving a specific food as a result of a nutritional deficiency. For example, a craving for ice cream may mean a calcium deficiency.
Hormonal Changes – Your hormones undergo a major transformation during pregnancy, affecting your smell and taste.
Lack of Primary Food – You may just be craving some primary food from your partner. If this is the case, ask him/her to turn up the TLC, so you can turn down the cravings!

According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition the most commonly craved foods during pregnancy were:

Ice cream
Sweet foods
Chocolate & other candies
Fruit
Fish

Tatiana’s Tips For Fighting Off Food Cravings:

Give into your cravings every once in awhile. (Except for alcohol!) However, it’s important that you control your cravings by not giving in all the time, and when you do give in, limiting yourself to that special treat.
Grab the healthier version of what you crave. For example, if you want a brownie try a LaraBar chocolate chip brownie flavor, made with no added sugar, made with fruits, nuts and spices. They have plethora of healthylicious flavors to curb your cravings, like: apple pie, key lime pie (my fave), pecan pie, and more!
Exercise. Try walking, spinning, the elliptical machine, pre-natal yoga, and other low-impact activities (as permitted by your Doctor).
Grab a green drink. Drinking your greens will help to regulate your cravings and provide you with the Folate, a B vitamin, which is crucial during pregnancy. Here’s my Green Goddess Smoothie recipe if you want to make it at home.

Important: Contact your health practitioner if you crave unusual substances such as ashes, clay, dirt, paper, or laundry starch (yes, you just read that!). This craving, known as pica, may be a flashing red sign of nutritional deficiency, usually of iron or zinc.

Boy or Girl? According to an Old Wives’ Tale, the type of food cravings one experiences can indicate the baby’s gender. For instance, if you are craving protein rich foods like cheese and red meat, or sour foods like lemon, supposedly you’re expecting a boy. And if you crave sweet things like chocolate or fruit, you could be expecting a boy.

Questions? Contact me for a free phone consultation and let me help you tackle your pregnancy cravings the healthy way!

Blissfully Yours,

Tatiana Ridley

-Tatiana is a a Board Certified Nutrition and Health Coach (CHHC) and graduate of The Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN), and member of the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP). She is the founder of Tatiana’s Health and Wellness.

New York Nanny Center » cravings

Pass The Pickles ‘n’ Ice Cream… STAT!