!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!GIVEAWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm doing a GIVEAWAY for this incredible Betty Crocker's Diabetes Cookbook! I live by this book.
As I've mentioned before, I don't cook that good, but these recipes are literally the easiest recipes to go by. Not only are they absolutely delicious, but they give you all the calories, carbs, and any other nutritional facts about each meal.

{leave a comment if your interested and I'll put them in a bowl and have Brad pick one and have it mailed out to you within a week:)}

Answers: Part 2

"Here's my question. Almonds are supposed to be so good for you. Are there any alternatives that are equally beneficial that will not kill me? Just curious."

Almonds (and walnuts) of course have countless benefits that provide so much nutrients and good nutrition to the body. But since you can't have them, that means nothing to you, ha. But unfortunately there are a lot of people out there that are allergic to nuts. So you're not the only one.
There are a lot of different things that Almonds and Walnuts contribute, so it just depends on what your looking for. Almonds and Walnuts carry a lot of Vitamin E in them, which is an incredible source of antioxidants but also helps regulate the physiological processes(in other words, helps your insides function properly). You can find Vitamin E in a lot of foods. Mostly in eggs, avocados, asparagus, the skin of the apple, spinach, potatoes, and oils such as olive oil or vegetable spray.
A handful of almonds a day can help lower bad Cholesterol by about 10%. Something else that can do that as well,is Flax seed. You can get Flax seed usually in the organic sections. I would consider using that in your yogurt, oatmeal, or even on top of your cereal. Flax seed is very healthy for you and offers a lot of good nutrition to your body as well. There is not one thing, or one food in specific that offers all the exact same nutrients an Almonds does, but Flax seed might be the closest thing when it comes to all the benefits.
Give Flax seed a try and just double up on those dark green vegetables:)

{Also, Flax seed is a grain, but I don't know if it contains anything that nuts do as well. you might need to double check before eating, and if you are allergic to them as well, I'll find some more foods for you}

Answers: Part 1

Since I only had the 2 questions, I'll go ahead and answer each question with a post:). The first question was:

"OK, this is NOT an announcement, but when I started all this new portion control stuff, like measuring with your hand, I was thinking, it was working great for me right now, but when I am pregnant, I am totally going to be starving, cause I eat more often when I am preggers....not necessarily MORE food at each sitting, just more often, does that make sense? SO, I was just wondering, do your portion sizes change when you are pregnant, do you need to just eat more frequently, what do "they" say about when you are pregnant, what to eat that would help you keep your weight maintained while you are pregnant...I will have more kids, not right now, but I am curious..."

A lot of woman think that because they are pregnant, they have to eat for 2. So they end up eating double the intake and double the calories, but they absolutely don't need to. When people say you "have to eat for 2", they are literally meaning, you are feeding two people, they don't mean you have to eat 2 plates every time you sit down. Which is why a lot of woman gain more weight then they have to. All your baby needs is the nutrients, not an entire serving for itself. What she recommended was to eat more "filling" foods. High fiber foods such as Oatmeal for breakfast (keeps you full longer) and a lot of vegetables and fruits. Make sure to get 100% whole wheat, it has more fiber. You want to eat foods that keep you fuller longer, and help you to have more energy while carrying the baby. If you're eating processed foods, you will feel hungry all the time-just like if anyone else was eating processed foods.
She also recommended eating snacks. But a snack isn't a pop-tart or ice-cream. You may be craving those things, but you can start your kids off eating healthy right from the womb. The more sugar you eat in the womb, the more the baby will become immune to sugar when the little guy gets out. So basically, the exact same concepts apply whether your pregnant, or just trying to eat healthier. Fill your stomach with healthy snacks. Go to SNACKS on the side of my blog for some good choices. So eating more snacks is for sure ok, you just have to make sure they are healthy for you and the baby.

Hope that helped:)

Questions and Answers

Dear Everyone-

The end of this week I have a visit with the good old Nutritionist and I'm taking questions if you guys have any. I would be more than happy to get them answered for you if I don't know the answer already. Thanks so much for the support of this blog! I can't tell you how wonderful it is each time I get a comment from you knowing we are all in it together.

Go ahead and leave your question as a comment and I'll answer them on a post along with all the questions and answers from all of you.

Yours Truly

melissa

Hooray for Hummus

I'm sure most of you cringe when you hear the word Hummus, which might be because most of you don't know what Hummus is actually made from and the benefits it has. It may not be the best tasting to some, but for the most part, it has a very distinct flavor and can add a lot of taste to a sandwich.
Hummus is a fantastic source of Iron, Fiber, Protein and Vitamin C. It is made with Chickpease and Garlic which is healthy for the heart. It has very little carbs which of course is good for everyone, especially the diabetics, and has fat intake, but the fat is from Olive Oil, so it's the fats your body needs. I'm not saying go eat a bucket of Hummus. Of course eating anything of too much isn't good for you, but when it comes to choosing a healthy condiment-it is very highly recommended.

Ideas for easy, healthy Hummus use

~Whole Wheat Ham Sandwich:
Tomatoes, Cheese (low-fat), Avocado, Hummus, and Ham

~Egg and Hummus Breakfast:
Whole Wheat with Hummus, Cheese, and scrambled Egg Whites (3)

~Turkey Wrap:
Whole Wheat Tortilla, Hummus, Turkey, Lettuce, Tomatoes, Cheese