10 tips for surviving and thriving in the 1st Trimester of Pregnancy

I'm excited to finally share that baby #3 is on the way!  We're thrilled, so so blessed and especially excited that the first trimester is over :).  With so many physical and emotional changes and demands in the first 13 weeks of pregnancy, I thought it would be nice to share some facts, anecdotes and ideas about how to achieve a healthy and balanced 1st trimester.

Here are my 10 professional and personal tips for making the most of early pregnancy:

pregnancy cravings for citrus: a healthy recipe

I guess there may be a little more to my extra long absence from blogging.  While my intention was to come back in January, I found myself preoccupied and utterly exhausted.  Turns out we're expecting another baby!  We're so thrilled and I'm finally shaking the exhaustion and my nearly daily afternoon nap  which leaves me a little time to spring clean (ugh) and blog.  While the first trimester was filled with lots of pizza cravings and indulgences (could explain some of the exhaustion), I'm also really focused on eating tons of fruits and vegetables.  My other craving has been citrus.  Here's a cleansing and crisp smoothie that fits my focus and my cravings (for citrus, not pizza ;)

*1 large stalk celery 

*1 granny smith apple (cored)

*1/2 cucumber

*Juice of 1/2 lemon

Blend with ice/water and enjoy!

*go organic on these fruits/veggies if you can as they can be highly contaminated veggie

Celery:  Celery contains compounds that help regulate fluid balance (aka relieve water retention) and reduce blood pressure making it a great addition for pregnant women, anyone with hypertension and pretty much the rest of Americans who generally eat too much sodium.  

Cucumber:  Cucumbers provide us with valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer benefits all great additions to any diet, not to mention pregnant moms and baby.  

Apples:  I keep the skin on the apples for smoothies making it an even better source of fiber.  Ideal for keeping you regular and full!

Lemon:  A great source of vitamin C, lemons help fight free-radicals in our bodies (harmful aging components) as well as strengthen immunity.  

Why choosing grass fed and pastured meat is important

I know I don't do a lot of recipes on Green & Plenty that feature meat or poultry but I want to start adding more!  I try to be picky about where my meat comes from and so recently I signed up to join a buying club through Wallace Farms to supply us with most of our grass fed meat, butter and poultry.   And here's why:

The group of farmers who supply the products for this buying club believes in raising grass fed animals without antibiotics, hormones, pesticides and using sustainable farming methods.   Sure you can get some grass fed products at grocery stores and either way it's more expensive than conventional, but I like the idea of supporting a local trusted farm (and it's a bit cheaper than Whole Foods).  If you can't afford grass fed for all your animal products, choose a few items each week if you can as a start.

The benefits of grass fed meat and poultry that should have you asking questions next time you're at the butcher counter: