QUESTION

Dear Nutritionist,
My husband and I are trying to conceive. Could you possibly give me an example of a day with a well balanced diet? I know you need your vitamins, fruits and vegetables. However, I am very petite and never needed to watch my weight. In fact, I am always trying to put on a few pounds. Please help me to understand exactly what a well balanced diet contains. I know I need to be patient. I just want to make sure I am doing this right.

QUESTION

Dear Nutritionist,
Help! I feel terrible about myself!

My question is about excessive weight gain during pregnancy. Before my pregnancy, I was very happy with my size - 5'6" and 128 pounds. I'm now 23 weeks pregnant and have gained 24 pounds. I'm worried that I'm on track to gain an excessive amount of weight. I'm too afraid to ask my doctor about this because she is very heavy and I don't want to be offensive.

First and foremost, the baby is doing great - very healthy and growing beautifully.

QUESTION

Dear Lactation Consultant,
I have a two-month-old son who is breastfeeding and hopefully will continue to do so for at least a year.

My diet has always consisted of tons of carbohydrates throughout the day. I would like to cut back on them to feel better about myself (sometimes after eating lots of carbohydrates it's hard for me to get up and move around because I feel so full) and to loose some of this after pregnancy weight. I am 5'3" and weigh 150 pounds. I am still about 25 pounds more than before my pregnancy.

Your excuse is "I just love to eat!" Of course you do. And because food is such an important part of life, you are entitled to love it. But like any amorous relationship, if your lover is causing you pain, it may be time to re-evaluate the picture.

Simply put, a negative attitude toward food (such as feeling that it controls us, not the other way around) takes away our confidence and belittles our self-esteem. And it's this shaky belief in oneself that is at the root of many a real weight problem.

QUESTION

Dear Midwife,
I need your advise, Please? I am currently 25 weeks into my pregnancy with my second child. I am experiencing alot of swelling in my feet and hands. My right hand and fingers are numb at times as well as at times, it hurts for me to walk on my feet. My doctor tells me to put up my feet, drink plenty of fluids, but it seems like it is not helping. At night when I try to sleep, I can't lay on my back, it is hard for me to breathe and if I lay on either of my sides, my arms go numb.

Any suggestions of what I should do?

It may seem as if it will be an uphill battle to get your family to switch from heavily advertised sodas, energy drinks, and sugary juice drinks to healthier beverages such as water and milk. Believe me, though, it's a battle worth fighting.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. You've heard it before. People who set goals are more successful at making changes. But if it's so important, why can so few people recite their personal or professional goals? Perhaps they don't know how to set good goals.