Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy

When planning your diet, it is wise to take care during pregnancy.

Nutrition during pregnancy is a difficult balancing act, you often don’t feel like eating and at other times your pregnancy cravings may push you towards foods that you should avoid. Apart from the foods that may affect baby development, there are also foods that may increase the chances of other problems (such as diabetes, insomnia, acne or gout) which can occur during pregnancy.

Here are a few healthy eating guidelines that are designed to help you keep fit.

Types of Cheese to Avoid During Pregnancy.
What cheeses you can and can?t eat when pregnant can be very confusing. Some cheeses can carry a bacteria called listeria monocytogenes. Although potentially dangerous for yourself and your baby, listeria infection is rare. However, it is still best tokeep avoiding certain cheeses for this reason. It is best to avoid blue cheeses such as Roquefort, Stilton and Gorgonzola. It is also a good idea for pregnant women to avoid cheeses that are often coated with wax for preservation such as; Asiago, Port- Salut, Taleggio, Muenster, Havarti and Belle Passe. Pasturised and unpasturised cheeses that have an editable rind and surface mould are also not healthy for you. Examples of these are Pont l?eveque, Montrachet, Cambert, Brie, Feta and Neutchatel. As if all of this wasn’t enough. cheese will also affect your cholesterol levels.

Types of Milk and Cream to avoid During Pregnancy
It is best to avoid unpasturised milk during your pregnancy. This includes goat milk and sheep milk. Unpasturised milk should be avoided during pregnancy and even after childbirth if breast feeding (ask your doctor if you are unsure).

Types of Eggs to Avoid during pregnancy
Eggs can carry salmonella, this relates to all types of eggs. It is safe to eat eggs that are cooked thoroughly enough for the yolk to be hard. Therefore, you should avoid fried eggs (with a runny yolk), poached eggs and soft boiled eggs. It is also advisable to avoid foods that are made with raw or partially cooked eggs whilst pregnant. This includes, mousses, homemade mayonnaise and ice-cream, sorbets, and cheesecake. Eggs can also cause constipation, which is common enough without you encouraging it.

Types of Meat to Avoid During Pregnancy
Raw meat may contain toxoplasma (which causes toxoplasmosis) and should therefore be avoided. Only eat meat that is
thoroughly cooked. Smoked and cured meats such as salami, luncheon meat, parma ham and frankfurters should be avoided. To avoid listeria it is advised that you do not eat meat pate whilst pregnant. Liver and products made from liver, such as liver sausages and pate should be avoided so as not to exceed your recommended allowance of vitamin A.

Types of Seafood to Avoid During Pregnancy
It is advisable to avoid raw fish, swordfish, fresh tuna and shark. Canned tuna has less mercury than fresh tuna so is safe to eat, however, intake should be limited to no more than two cans per week. It is also advisable to avoid mussels, prawns and crabs unless they are cooked thoroughly. It is best to avoid mussels, prawns and crabs unless they are cooked thoroughly. Fish preserved in nitrates such as smoked fish should be avoided. It is also advisable to avoid tropical fish such as; grouper, amberjack, blowfish and mahi mahi.

Types of Salad to Avoid During Pregnancy
Ready made and pre-prepared salads should be avoided during pregnancy to avoid the risk of catching lysteria. This includes bagged salads, potato salads and coleslaw. Salad leaves should be washed thoroughly before eating.

Types of Nuts to avoid During Pregnancy
It is advisable to avoid peanuts if anybody in your family or the father?s family suffers from an allergic condition. This includeshay fever, asthma, eczema and allergic responses to food. Peanuts should also be avoided during breastfeeding. This is to limit the chance of your child suffering from a nut allergy later on in life. However, a direct link has not been proven so far. If you decide to avoid peanuts then it is advisable to avoid products that contain peanuts such as; some cereals, biscuits, cakes, museli, breads and ice-cream.

General Advice on Foods and Pregnancy
If eating ready meals whilst pregnant make sure they are piping hot before eating them.

It is generally a good idea to avoid eating spicy foods and stimulants such as coffee and tea. It goes without saying that smoking and alcohol should be avoided also.

It is also worth having regular diabetic checks and looking out for early signs and symptoms of high blood sugar (your Doctor should be doing regular blood tests).

If you are suffering from headaches, heartburn or other symptoms that may be related to your diet, seek medical counseling rather than try to medicate your self, either with conventional medicine or alternative therapy (eg aromatherapy)

In the months leading up to the birth, make sure you get plenty of exercise and keep up a good general level of fitness. If you want low stress workouts, then Yoga is one of the best exercises for pregnant women.

If you keep in good health and eat healthy food, you minimise the risk of conditions such as hypothyroidism – you also improve your chances of avoiding the long lasting and unsightly stretch marks.