Here’s what we came up with, nutritionally as well as some random tips from the team that we found beneficial.

The first thing is to make sure your body has plenty of natural soothers. There are 2 main minerals we need daily that are fab at helping with this. They are Magnesium and Calcium. I personally don’t like to take a magnesium supplement after 4pm as it can keep me awake, so if you choose to take a supplement, then you may want to ensure you take it during the day. They are
both best taken (if as a supplement) on an empty stomach between meals, as they reduce stomach acidity and are absorbed poorly, if they are taken with food. You also only need take half the amount of magnesium compared to
calcium. Hope that makes sense!

You can find magnesium in foods such as: Dark green veggies, most nuts (almonds, pecans, cashews and brazil) and some seafoods. Soy products and tofu are also very good sources, as are avocados and apricots. Grains include – wheat (bran germ in particular) millet and brown rice.

You can find calcium in foods such as: Broccoli, cauliflower, peas, pinto-aduki-soy beans as well as dairy produce…which you probably already know. Nuts and seeds are equally good sources of calcium and these could be good alternatives for you ladies who are breast feeding and concerned broccoli and cauliflower cause wind for your little ones. You need vit D for your body to absorb calcium, so I think that equals a nice walk in the park on a sunny day

Additionally, when I asked the team what else they would recommend, we all found establishing our own relaxation routine helped us. For example, we liked: a cup of camomile or valerian tea, whilst soaking in a hot bath before bed, so that we began to unwind. A page or two of reading was then all we needed to seal the deal as brain death would then occur and we’d be fast a sleep in seconds.

I used to bath in camomile flowers and marjoram plus saint johns wort too. I had a herbal tea mix made up for me by
the guys at Neals Yard and although it sounds slightly bonkers, the smell from the herbs was really soothing. They were also medicinal as I had a slight tear that took a life time to heal and they helped with that.

We do have some courses coming up over the next few weeks that focus on helping you get to grips with the things your bodies need to get you back to optimum health. If you would like more info, check out our courses for parents page for more details. Courses range from nutrition during pregnancy to getting your body back on track.

Good luck!

NICE is the official advisory body to the NHS and highlighted the vital role of antenatal classes for the health of both mothers and babies. These classes provide information on the impact of smoking and drinking, the importance of a healthy diet and how to spot possible complications.

According to the BBC, an average of fourteen in 100,000 women die during pregnancy or childbirth but in deprived communities this figure rises fivefold. Infant mortality and stillbirth rates are also higher.

Recommendations to improve access include text messaging appointment reminders, one-to-one sessions, and midwives hosting classes within school. The final point has been met with controversy and accusations of normalising teenage pregnancy, defended by a NICE spokesperson as one of the ways in which we can fulfil our duty of care to teenage mothers.

The lovely Amy put together some favourite recipes from The Young Parents Project and you can find them here.

The Young Parents Project founder, Nina, gives us her opinion on why there are so many diets out there and the effect all this pressure to slim is having on us mere mortals.

Why do you think there are so many diets on the market?

Ultimately the diet industry is worth millions so it’s in their best interests to make you think that in order to be beautiful you need to be a size zero.  By promoting the message that to be a bikini’d beach babe you have to be super skinny they can ensure you keep spending money on weight loss to try and reach an often unattainable idea of beauty and success.

Why is there so much conflicting information about what is healthy and what isn’t?

Often research is carried out on behalf of big organisations to try and encourage you to buy certain products. It is always worth looking into who has commissioned the research as this can be the source of the conflicting advice to what you have heard before. For example, research published stating it is safe to drink excessively during pregnancy that has been paid for by an alcoholic drinks company probably shouldn’t be taken that seriously.

The other thing to bear in mind is that we are all different so different things will work for some of us and not others. What we do know is a balanced lower fat diet with plenty of fresh fruit and veg is the best way to maintain a healthy weight. There is government advice which is a very useful starting point here but the important thing is to find out what works best for you and your body and pay attention to that.

Why is no one talking about simply talking about eating healthily?

There are organisations out there promoting the sensible healthy eating message but the fact is it’s not as sexy or headline grabbing as the dramatic effects of celebrity-led slimming diets. To be healthy and really take care of yourself takes work and commitment but you’ll feel so much better physically and emotionally if you change your lifestyle over a quick fix.

Any ideas on summer recipes that we can cook using a portable hob and grill…….??? Was thinking stir fries and pasta, that sort of thing.

Jade x

Ingredients

• 3 oranges
• 1 tsp of orange peel
• 1 pink grapefruit
• 1 lime
• 1 lemon
• 2 cm’s of crushed ginger
• 1 tsp bee pollen

Steps

1. Juice the oranges and the rest of the
   citrus fruit
2. Add all other ingredients and blend
   together for about 1 minute
3. Remember to add some pulp as this is
   where the flavanoids are stored.

Photo credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blackeiffel/4343486915/