House destroyed by fire in Mississauga,Ontario.

I don't know what to say but today doesn't  appear to be very good. First it started with a parrot that was lost and now we just witnessed a house totally destroyed by fire in Mississauga,Ontario. I hope that everyone got out of the house safe.  We were driving on Terry fox and saw a bunch of fire trucks pass by and i knew that something wasn't right. 

A little frustrated to see the amount people standing there and taking pictures and laughing. 

Effects of Drugs on babies : Avoid Drugs during pregnancy

Illegal drugs are harmful to those who consume it regardless of age, sex, race etc. However, it is even more harmful during pregnancy since everything the mother to be consumes will also be consumed by the baby to be.  Since the unborn baby is not developed completely, the effect drugs have will be even worse as the unborn baby will not be able to clear it off as quickly as an adult.

Some of the common effects of illegal drugs are miscarriage, low birth weight, premature birth, placental abruption, fetal death etc. The long term effects as the child grows are learning difficulties, behavioural problems etc.

Some of the common drugs and their side effects during pregnancy are as follows:

Marijuana

-          Restricts oxygen supply to the baby

-          Increases the supply of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide

-          May lead to premature births, low birth weight, miscarriage, delays in development, learning and behavioural problems

Cocaine

-          May lead to miscarriage, placental abruption, premature birth, fetal death, growth issues and kidney, brain, genitals deficiency

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Healthy Eating during pregnancy

It is of no surprise that whatever a mother to be eats during pregnancy will directly impact the unborn baby. Hence, it is important to watch what you eat and ensure whatever your consuming will have a positive effect on the development of the unborn baby. Although most women are worried about their weight gain during pregnancy, it is not the best time to go on diets that will starve your body since starving yourself equals starving your baby to be. But, it is a good time to minimize the consumption of junk foods, refined carbs, sweets, fatty food etc.

Some of the nutrients that are important for the development of your baby during pregnancy are listed below:

Iron

Iron is vital for the circulation of the red blood cells. It is even more important during pregnancy as the red blood cells are increased during pregnancy. Hence, it is important to increase the intake of iron during pregnancy. Health Canada recommends, consuming multivitamin that contains 16 to 20 mg of iron. Lack of iron may need to maternal anemia, premature birth, low birth weight and perinatal infant mortality. Some food items that are high in iron are spinach, soy products, beef, dried fruits etc.

Calcium

Calcium is important during pregnancy to meet the needs of your growing baby. It aids in building strong bones, teeth, heart, nerves, muscles and to aid in blood clotting abilities and maintaining a normal heart rhythm. Daily calcium intake of 1000mg is recommended during pregnancy. Some of the food items that are high in calcium are milk and milk alternatives (yogurt, cheese), fortified juices, dark green vegetables (broccoli, kale, spinach etc.) and fish with soft bones (salmon, sardines etc.).

With the consumption of calcium it is also important to intake vitamin D as it aids the body to use calcium effectively.

Folic Acid

Folate is a B vitamin that is essential for spine, brain and skill development of the unborn baby. Health Canada recommends consuming a multivitamin that has 400mcg of folic acid during pregnancy. Lack of folic acid during pregnancy may lead to Neural tube defects in the baby. It is actually recommended, that women start taking multivitamin containing folic acid three months prior to becoming pregnant. If your pregnancy was unplanned then it is important to start taking multivitamins high in folic acid as soon as you find out about your pregnancy. Some food that are high in folic acid are lentils, romano beans, black beans, okra, white beans, asparagus, spinach etc.

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Airline Pilots having fun?

I love planes. They always amazed me from a young age.  I always wondered what it feels like to fly one.  What I saw today was simply too amazing.  No offense to any pilots. I mean how can you fly a plane straight for hours at a time? I’m sure it gets boring. 

Saw this plane this morning literally zigzagging its way through the sky. Being a plane fanatic, I had to take a shot.  I can’t see a reason why or how they agreed on this flight plan.  There are no apparent reasons as to why he/she was doing this.  There is nothing flying anywhere close to this airliner, so he/she can’t be trying to avoid anything.  Someone please explain this to me. I have never seen such behavior in recent years.

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drinking coffee during pregnancy?

Limiting the intake of caffeine while trying to conceive or during pregnancy is a well-known concept. Most health professionals recommend to limiting the caffeine intake to less than 200 milligrams per day. While some other recommend that it is safe to consume less than 300 milligrams per day.

According to Health Canada, it is recommended that “women of reproductive age consume no more than 300mg of caffeine per day”.

Caffeine leads to some physical effects on the baby. Adults are able to break down and digest the coffee; however this is not the case for the unborn baby. As a result, the caffeine stays in the unborn baby’s bloodstream for a long period of time. Furthermore, the caffeine also increases the unborn baby’s heart rate while slowing down their movement in the uterus.  Since caffeine is a diuretic (substance that increases urination), it will reduce the amount of nutrition such as calcium, iron etc. your baby receives. Lastly, high intake of caffeine may increase the chances of miscarriage in a pregnant woman.  

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