Did you know pregnancy has an effect on the health of your mouth and teeth? Did you know good dental health has a measurable effect on your lifelong general health? The connection isn’t immediately obvious, but what goes on in your mouth relates intimately with your whole body. Check out our new page on Dental Health in Pregnancy to learn more.
Wellness Wednesday: Exercise in Pregnancy
When I was a little girl in the 1960s, pregnant women wore loose billowing clothes in futile efforts to hide their pregnancies. The round silhouette of the pregnant belly was considered too suggestive for public presentation. Pregnant women were encouraged to stay home out of sight and rest.
Fast forward to 2015 and not only are women wearing yoga pants in public, but pregnant women are too, complete with body conscious form fitting exercise tops in bright colors. They are out and about flying that pregnancy flag and getting fit. I love it. Do you exercise ? Would you continue your exercise in pregnancy? Review the facts on the subject here on my page on Exercise and Pregnancy.
Medical Monday: Discomforts of Pregnancy
Mother Nature considers pregnancy the height of her achievement. Because of this, she will throw all your bodily resources toward the cause. It's no wonder we feel like pregnancy takes over our bodies and, by full term, uses up most, if not all, of our strength. The rapid growth and development of not only the baby but of our own bodies is not without its dramatic and sometimes uncomfortable sensations. To learn more about these and how to deal with them. Click HERE.
Structure Sunday: The Structure of Prenatal Care
How closely related is prenatal care to outcomes for mom and baby? Has prenatal care become available to everyone in the world? Does everyone in the United States get prenatal care? What does prenatal consist of anyway? Find out more HERE, in these fresh pages on our website. Expect these pages to be expanded sometime in the next couple days. And, have a joyous Passover and Happy Easter!
Food (sort of) Friday: Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal Vitamins are a standard part of prenatal care. But did you know they should be started at least three months before pregnancy ? And did you know that 50 % of all pregnancies are unplanned ? Given these two facts you could make an argument for all women of childbearing age to take prenatal vitamins all of the time.
What makes prenatal vitamins so special ?
Mayo Clinic recommends that a prenatal vitamin include at least the following :
- Folic acid — 400 to 800 micrograms
- Calcium — 250 milligrams
- Iron — 30 milligrams
- Vitamin C — 50 milligrams
- Zinc — 15 milligrams
- Copper — 2 milligrams
- Vitamin B-6 — 2 milligrams
- Vitamin D — 400 international units
Consider folic acid. This is given to prevent defects of the baby's brain and spinal cord, what we call neural tube defects. These defects form in the first 28 days after conception, so often times the woman does not even know she's pregnant. This is why it is ideal for women to be on them in the three months before pregnancy. As soon as a woman decides to try to become pregnant she should start a prenatal vitamin.
Prenatal Vitamins are not always easy to take. I recommend taking a gummy prenatal vitamins if nausea is a problem. I also recommend taking them with food in the evening. Sometimes they cause constipation. Of course that is best dealt with by fluids, fiber, fruit and vegetables, but stool softeners can be used .
Pregnant women need more of just about every nutrient. This also includes calcium and iron, in addition to folic acid. Calcium is necessary for building bone. Iron is necessary for manufacturing red blood cells which carry oxygen to mom and baby. A deficiency of iron results in anemia, which is suboptimal for both mom and baby. Personally, I think Calcium taken separately from the Prenatal vitamin or iron causes them both to absorb better. It is also good to note that Calcium citrate is the most easily absorbed type of Calcium. Additionally, calcium should be paired with vitamin D. Most over the counter calcium supplements do just this.
Newer data also indicate that it is beneficial for pregnant women to ensure that they are consuming at least 200 milligrams of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) in addition to their prenatal vitamins. This seems to be beneficial for the development of unborn baby's brain. It is available by supplement or incorporated into a prescription prenatal vitamin.
But vitamins are not the whole story. I have prepared a page devoted entirely to preparation for a planned pregnancy. You might be surprised to see some of the things that it contains. Have a look HERE.
Wellness Wednesday: Out of the (water) closet
Trouble with incontinence can cause problems with body image, self esteem and confidence. It can also interfere with a woman's social life and her ability to stay fit. Incontinence is common, and should not be a source of shame. It should come out of the closet and be subject to evaluation and treatment.
Learn more on the newly completed page about Urinary Incontinence.
Please note that the entire section of Gynecology is now done !
Medical Monday: Pelvic Floor Relaxation and Prolapse
Baby shower cake: champagne cake with raspberry filling, courtesy of MISS PATTY CAKES of Kalispell, Montana
Here's a problem that besets 1/3 to 1/4 of all US women, and that is rarely discussed. The risk factors are common and it greatly affects quality of life. This blog post will lead you to a newly completed page on this very important topic.
To learn more on this fascinating and important condition that affects so many, click HERE.
And just so you know, this post is serving both as your Structure Sunday and Medical Monday posts for two reasons:
1. It required quite a bit of time and research
2. On Saturday I threw a baby shower for our daughter Echo, who will have our first grandchild in May : )
Many thanks for your patience,
Dr. Gina
Food Friday : Party Food
in social life, Nutrition
Despite my intense interest in nutrition, I believe the highest and best use of food is to forge bonds between people. Food is a natural centerpiece for social gatherings. It puts people at ease, and makes them feel good. It can, if presented correctly, cause us to slow down and connect with one another.
I am blessed with a large extended family and group of friends. It has become our tradition to have frequent large gatherings which I think people really appreciate. Here are ten tips about parties and party food which I have learned along the way.
- Entertain for traditional and nontraditional occasions. It's great to observe birthdays and holidays, but it is also fun to celebrate different things like graduations, the spring equinox, or the Academy Awards. Do not limit yourself to dinners. Brunch and lunch can be fun too, though a great deal of preparation has to be done the night before.
- Partial pot luck is a very successful format. Partial pot luck is, as far as the guests are concerned, pot luck. They are each assigned a dish of your choice and mutual agreement, since you have made sure the menu is balanced. Behind the scenes, you make sure you have a flexible main dish, enough for almost everybody, and good beverages. You may also have your signature dish, which in my case is large fruit platter. That way you have the backbone of the meal covered, in case of no shows and dishes turning out poorly.
- Be aware of any special dietary needs or preferences of your guests. I know it is extra work, but if you want to host you are obliged to have something for everyone. This includes vegans, vegetarians, diabetics, the pregnant and those nursing, the gluten intolerant, and those who do not eat pork or shellfish.
- Set a beautiful table. Be creative. Check Pinterest.
- Serve the meal in stages and take your time. After you take a guest's coat and introduce them, offer them something to drink. We offer things like Perrier, Pellegrino, and club soda. With a sit down meal you can control how fast the courses come out. With a buffet you can do the same the as the dishes go onto and off the buffet table.
- Its a party! Have several courses. Consider appetizers, a fancy salad (with multiple dressings on the side) , main dish, side dish, always a fruit platter with cheese, and at least one dessert. It is fair to have both cake and pie. I usually omit bread, rolls, rice and potatoes. Why ? Because dessert.
- Consider a culinary theme like Mexican, Japanese, Italian, you name it. Rehearse your recipes ahead of time if need be. Do not perform culinary experiments on your guests.
- Go ahead and have a rich fancy dessert. However, be sure to have something savory to go with it, such as cheese. Many people feel poorly with they have a big serving of sweets without anything to buffer it. Always offer coffee and tea afterwards. Be sure to have attractive decaf coffee and tea options.
- Have enough predesignated helpers before, during and afterwards. Make sure no one person is burdened with cleanup. Even a pair of buddies in the kitchen washing dishes can be fun.
- Be confident and know that it does not have to be perfect. Send invitations at least two weeks in advance, and plan the details of the event at least one week in advance and you will be fine !
Wellness Wednesday: Wellness in Menopause
More and more of us will be in menopause as time passes by. Our lifespans are increasing along with the quality of our health care and our knowledge about fitness, nutrition and health in general. So get rid of old stereotypes about menopause and menopausal women and learn the facts HERE.
Medical Monday: Tubes and Ovaries
Tubes and ovaries rarely enter one thoughts or conversation. However, pain in the low pelvis catches everyone' attention. To understand more about this life impacting and very important area of the female body, click HERE.
Structure Sunday: The Body Mind Connection
It is somewhat counterintuitive to think of your midmorning snack as being good for your mood stability or your yoga session as lengthening your attention span, but they are. This blog post will point back to some recently finished website pages that will inform you about how you can leverage the integration of body and mind to produce more health and fulfillment in your life. I am re-highlighting them since together they make a set that speaks to the integration of body and mind.
Learn more here.
Food Friday: Another Workout Recipe
in fitness, Nutrition, productivity
This blog post reflects two of my biggest health priorities: exercise and good food. It also reflects one of my favorite hobbies: getting more done in the day.
Have you ever balanced the checkbook while waiting for laundry to dry ? How about unloading the dishwasher while listening to an online class ? I call this nesting. This just means you put one chore inside another. It is not the same as multitasking, which is so last decade.
In that spirit, I like to workout and prepare dinner when I get home from work. To accomplish both I need recipes which can go untended for the length of a workout. I call these workout recipes.
I have noticed that many of my patients do not get the recommended amount of cardio. I have advised such patients starting out to take it easy at first, and go for a manageable length of time, like about 20 minutes. What kind of recipe might work ? Meatloaf ? Nope. It takes too long. But what if you hacked the recipe and instead of making one big lump that took an hour to cook, you divided it into muffin tins ? Voila. You may have heard of this on Pinterest, but my husband is sure he made it up. OK. Here is our version. I suspect you can do it with any meatloaf recipe.
Muffin Tin Meatloaf
Preheat to 350 degrees
Thoroughly Mix:
1 pound thawed drained ground red meat
1/2 to 1 minced onion, 1 Tablespoon minced garlic, or once bunch minced green onions
1 Tablespoon mixed Italian spices or Herbes de Provence, a few grinds of pepper, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 Tablespoon mustard, and some say also of ketchup, some say a dash of Worcestershire sauce
One whole wheat piece of bread, made into fine crumbs
One egg
If you want to sneak some veggies in, add a couple grated carrots.
Mixture should be moist but able to be formed. Adjust with crumbs or olive oil.
Scoop into papered muffin tins and bake until crusty and done to 160 degrees internal temp ( Takes between 20-30 minutes ) You may add a sauce on top but this may make it too sweet and also it will be prone to burning before the meat is even done. You can always add a sauce later.
Do your workout.
Toss a big fresh salad, pour some water and serve.
Wellness Wednesday: Meditation
As complementary health practices go, meditation seems to be the one with which Americans feel the least comfortable. The CDC reports that in 2012, nearly 18 % of people used non vitamin non mineral supplements. Eight percent use chiropractic manipulation, 8 % use yoga, but only 4% use meditation. And yet, among the many alternative or complementary approaches, it is one which is amply supported by data.
Is it religion ? Is it philosophy ? Is it just exercise ? What does it even do ?
Read HERE to learn more.
Medical Monday: Hysterectomy
Hysterectomy is a topic that is highly politicized in our media and in our culture. It is the most common operation that women have except for Cesarean section. The reasons or indications for hysterectomy are fairly well defined. And yet there is debate about when to do them and how to do them. The good news is that the quality of our research and the quality of our surgery is improving by the day. Our decision making processes regarding treatments, our ways of discussing options with patients, and our methods of surgery are far better than they used to be.
Click HERE to learn more.
Structure Sunday: The Structure of Laparoscopy
In the " olden days" all surgery was done through open incisions, meaning an incision large enough to see and get at whatever you were operating on. During my Ob/Gyn specialty residency training in the years 1990-1994, our profession made a big transition to laparoscopy. Instead of large 14 cm incisions for a hysterectomy for example, we made a 1-2 cm incision tucked discreetly under the belly button and two others out to either side of the same size. We would use instruments on sticks in the side ports to do the surgery. Most recently we have a adopted the use of the multi-armed Da Vinci Robot for laparoscopy which confers numerous advantages to surgeon and patient alike.
One a warm evening in 1992 in a synagogue in Boulder Colorado, I had the pleasure of meeting an elderly Russian man and his family. His wife was a cardiologist and his adult children a variety of scientific professionals. They were recent refugees to the States. Despite their education and experience, they could only find work at McDonalds.
The old gentleman himself had been Chief of Surgery in a large Russian hospital. Since his children spoke English, I decided to chat with him though a translator about what surgery we were doing at the University Hospital. I described the new laparoscopic technique, from the small incisions, to the use of CO2 gas to elevate the abdominal wall, and the positioning of the patient with her head down, to get the bowel out of the way of the pelvic organs. I described the long straight tools which we inserted in the two side ports, one cautery, and one grasper, and how we could switch out for a scissors which rotated at the end. There we sat at a festive dinner table after services, with good food, and these amazing people, discussing the latest advances in surgery. I had to suppress my eyes from getting misty when I contemplated all they had been through. I thought he would be so proud and pleased.
He listened thoughtfully but his face was very grave. I feared he had not understood me. He seemed restless. I finally had to ask his daughter what was the matter, and she measured her words in a thick Russian accent. He did not believe me. He said it was impossible. He thought I was mocking him. Despite my best efforts, he gathered up his family and left.
I wish I could have a chance to show him all that I have presented for you in the latest section of my website: Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgery. Click HERE to see it.
Food Friday: Nutrition in Pregnancy
Many things related to food change in pregnancy. What you need changes. What you like changes. Some of these changes have reasons. Some are just plain weird.
You need to know a few things about nutrition in pregnancy to deal with all of this and to make sure both you and baby are getting the best nutrition possible. Learn more HERE.
Wellness Wednesday: Yoga
in fitness, health, Mental health, mind body
Yoga became popular when I was a child in the 1970s. Since then it has taken on more the luster of fad than fitness. Learn what the evidence says here.
Menopause Monday: Menopause Basics
Thinking about menopause ? I didn't think so. But chances are, you or someone you care about is in menopause or will be facing it someday. Menopause is a natural life transition. At its essence, it means the cessation of reproductive functioning. It need not mean the loss of health, intellect or vibrancy. On the contrary, it can be a time for better self care and creativity. Click HERE to learn more.
Structure Sunday: The Structure of Surgery
Surgery is a major intervention. It can be a wonderful help and a positive experience, but only if patient and surgeon work together closely.
Learn more HERE.
Food Friday: Snacks !
in Nutrition
Snacks can be your dietary downfall or your salvation. So often a snack is the easiest thing we can get our hands on, and as such, it is often processed and of poor nutritional quality. (Think granola bars and the like which are full of fat, sugars and refined flours.) But with a little planning, healthy snacks can be a great contribution to your nutrition, fitness and weight optimization plan.
Learn more here.