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  • The “Knocked Up” Smoothie Pregnant Celebs are Loving

    Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY and Well+Good.

    Just like sneakers or bags, the drink you hold in your hand tells a story about who you are. Smart Water or Poland Springs? Juice Press or Pressed Juicery? Diet Coke or Diet Pepsi? (Kidding!)

    And for pregnant women—specifically, wellness-obsessed, nutritionally savvy famous pregnant women—the drink du jour is a smoothie from the SoCal organic cafe, Beaming.

    Famous moms-to-be like Molly Sims and Chrissy Teigen have been getting straw-happy over the appropriately named Knocked Up, a smoothie created in collaboration with LA-based doula, healer, and pregnancy coach Lori Bregman. (She also created for them the Get Preggy blend, packed with nutrients specifically helpful for those who are looking to conceive—consider it the bump watch precursor.)

    The Knocked Up smoothie is filled with superfood staples like avocados, goji berries, and almond butter, along with ingredients specifically selected for their pregnancy-boosting benefits: think spinach (high in birth defect-preventing folic acid), dates (a natural energy booster and—yup—constipation aid), and E3Live (an algae said to purify the body of environmental toxins).

    Bregman, author of The Mindful Mom-to-Be and doula to the likes of Sims, Kelly Rowland, andKristen Bell, dreamed up the Knocked Up beverage after one of her previous recipes went viral. “Many women attributed their becoming pregnant to my Fertility Smoothie,” she says, adding, “I wanted to create a smoothie that was packed with all the things a pregnant woman needs to feed her growing baby and help her thrive though pregnancy. I also needed it to taste delicious, as many expectant moms have food aversions or suffer from morning sickness.”

    And you don’t have to be in LA to look as good as Chrissy Teigen does eight months into her pregnancy; Bregman shared with us her drinkable secret.

    Get Beaming x Lori Bregman’s superfood-filled, pregnancy-boosting, celeb-loving Knocked Up smoothie recipe below.

    Knocked Up Smoothie

    Ingredients:
    8 ounces almond milk
    2 ounces coconut water
    1 date
    1 tbsp almond butter
    1/2 cup of spinach
    1/4 avocado
    1 Tbsp goji berries
    2 Tbsp of protein powder
    1 tsp of super greens
    1 tsp of chia powder
    1/2 tsp of E3live
    1/4 cup frozen bananas
    1/2 cup frozen strawberries
    1 cup of ice
    1 Tbsp of hemp seeds

    Directions:
    Place all ingredients except for hemp seeds in blender. Blend on full speed until fully combined, pour in glass and top with hemp seeds.

    This article is by Jessica Pallay, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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  • Happy, Healthy Halloween!

    Do you love Halloween but cringe at the thought of your kids (or your growing baby-to-be) scarfing down a bunch of corn syrup, refined sugar, and other toxic junk? With a little advance planning and these easy tricks, you can treat your family to a happy, healthy holiday–without the sugar crash!

    Avoid the Binge. And the blood sugar crash! If your kids come home with a pillowcase full of candy, let them choose a couple of their favorite pieces and have them trade in the rest for a prearranged treat of their choice, such as a family dinner to a restaurant of their choice, a new toy, extra TV time, and more. Don’t stash the candy away for later either. Make sure you throw them out so someone–include yourself–doesn’t find them later!

    Bust Out the Baking Supplies. Bake handpicked pumpkin muffins with organic cream cheese frosting, homemade caramel apples (roll in shredded coconut for a sweet and healthy crunch), or any other healthy, seasonal treat. Getting into the Halloween spirit doesn’t mean you have to stuff yourself with garbage. It can be a fun time to fill your kitchen with delicious smells and trick your taste buds with something indulgent (but good for you, too)!

    Explore Community Events. Many communities hold candy-free costume parades and parties for families during the days surrounding Halloween. Keep your eye out for haunted houses and pumpkin patches, if you and your kid think you can handle it. Consider celebrating together this way and then hanging at home handing out (non-candy) treats instead of making the rounds on Halloween night.

    Look for the Teal Pumpkins. The Teal Pumpkin Project was started as a way for kids with allergies to identify houses offering non-food treats on Halloween. Even if your kid’s allergy-free, support this project at your own home by handing out kazoos, stickers, and temporary tattoos instead of Snickers bars, and steer toward homes giving away similarly non-sugary treats.

    Give In To Your Sweet Tooth–or Pregnancy Cravings–Without Compromise. Must have chocolate? No problem. Brands like The Organic Candy Factory produce 100% organic candies, including gummies and chocolates. This company’s candies are also gelatin-free, gluten-free, nut-free and tree-nut free. Check your local health food store for other healthy Halloween candy choices, too.
    Creating new, healthier traditions starting this Halloween can be fun and rewarding. Try out these tips to have a happier, safer holiday and of course, have fun with it!

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  • Well Rounded NY: Food Diary Of A Pregnant Nutritionist

    Health and nutrition expert Stephanie Middleberg gives us her weekly report.

    Article & Photo courtesy of Well Rounded NY

    Whether you were obsessed with food before pregnancy or never gave it a second thought, once baby’s on the way, nutrition becomes a daily (if not hourly) topic. What’s healthy? What’s safe? What’s not going to make me want to throw up? Which is why we can’t be the only ones curious about what one of our fave NYC nutritionists, Stephanie Middleberg of Middleberg Nutrition, is eating during her own pregnancy.

    Now 5.5 months pregnant, Middleberg says she initially gave into her early pregnancy cravings to quash nausea, but regretted relaxing her standards. “Many women consider pregnancy a time to eat whatever they want and give in to their cravings to readily, especially in the very beginning,” she says. “My best piece of advice nutritionally is to try to get veggies and protein in early on. Quality really does matter.”

    Living in NYC can also up the health quotient when it comes to pregnancy. “Having to walk everywhere truly makes you stay active. You’re always moving here, even when you’re on transit or going up and down stairs. And in New York, we have everything! The diversity of food options is unbeatable, and there’s a gym or class on almost every corner.”

    Take a peak into what a week in her pregnant nutritionist life looks (and tastes!) like. Then head on over to our Instagram feed where you can catch her #WRNYInstaTakeover…and ask her all your pregnancy and new mama nutrition questions!

    MONDAY
    Breakfast. I love breakfast! It’s a meal I never try to skimp on. But since I’m typically out the door by 6:30/7am I need to prepare everything the night before. These little egg frittatas are super easy and are perfect to grab and go. I make them the night before and they can get me through half the week. They are a great source of easy protein and I like to add some spinach for added fiber and calcium. Just whisk a few eggs together pour them into parchment paper lined muffin tin, bake at 375 for 15 minutes (or until puffy) and voila breakfast of champions!

    Sushi. Team meeting office lunch! I’ve heard one of the most missed foods during pregnancy is sushi and man they are right! Thank god for Beyond Sushi, tricks me just enough to satiate that craving. It is solely focused on making vegetarian sushi rolls and it is not only delicious but also beautiful. There are two locations right now in NYC and one is near my office. My favorites are the Nutty Buddy, the Spicy Mang and the Mighty Mushroom rolls.

    Pilates. Monday evenings I do Pilates. For me, it has been one of the best exercises before and during my pregnancy. Since I ruptured a disk in my back a few years ago (and have had friends with back issues through their pregnancies), I’ve been very careful to make sure my back (and surrounding muscles) are strong. At the end of a long day, it really helps my alignment and gives me space where I feel especially tight. Working with Chrissy has been incredible. I’m also wearing my favorite maternity workout brand FitBump who I also consult with.

    TUESDAY
    Beauty Indulgences. Thanks to the lovely Sakara Life (one of my favorite meal deliveries) girls who sent these Tata Harper goodies to me as a beyond generous gift. I am now obsessed with their products (eye cream, exfoliate face wash). They are all natural, non-toxic and have the most gorgeous packaging!

    Infused Water. I got this awesome Ball Infuser water bottle at an event I went to a month or so ago with the Olympic Volleyball Gold Medalist Gabby Reece (who is my new favorite person). This has been a huge help as it’s easier to get dehydrated while pregnant and the infuser allows for the addition of delicious fruits, veggies and herbs. Today I filled the infuser with mint, lime and cucumber. Extremely hydrating and delicious! We also made ice cubes with these herbs and provide infused filtered water to our clients.

    WEDNESDAY
    Nails. Spring is in the air (well, sort-of) and I love Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. I stumbled upon them one night on the Lower East Side and feel in love immediately. It’s 100% vegan, non-toxic and is just as good as any mainstream brand out there in terms of color and longevity.

    Café Clover. I am part of a “Kale Club” (eye roll I know) with some girlfriends and tonight we had our first “baby” kale dinner (two of us are pregnant and due 3 days from each other and delivering in the same hospital—crazy!). It’s just a fun excuse to go out to eat at healthy spots in the city. Tonight we went to Café Clover, which is by far my new favorite healthy restaurant. The food is delicious, fresh and simple. I loved their beautiful crudité platter and the fish entrees as well as this yummy mocktail, called the superhero (pomegranate, blueberry, elderflower, Echinacea, lemon) they made.

    THURSDAY
    Workout. I sit so much during the day with clients and I’ve started to feel uncomfortable. Since I can’t stand with my clients, my husband suggested I sit on an exercise ball, so I ordered one…just the wrong size. Fail.

    Smoothies. When I moved into my new office in January 2014 what most excited me was the opportunity to have a real test kitchen and the centerpiece of that is the smoothie bar! I love bringing clients there and experimenting with all different types of ingredients and recipes.

    FRIDAY
    Cashew Milk. I am lactose intolerant and always searching for dairy alternatives. Today, I’ve decided to make my own cashew milk. It’s super easy. Simply soak raw cashews for at least 4 hours (I did it over night) and then blend with water and some flavors (I used vanilla extract, sea salt, cinnamon + a little maple syrup). The taste and texture and nutrition (great source of magnesium, iron and zinc) are better than most store brands. Although, I definitely do not make my own all the time. Next up, I want to make sesame seed milk.

    Dinner. This is a Friday night staple and one of my biggest cravings! It has always been my favorite meal especially when I was a kid and it’s been a perfect comfort food to cook on these busy frigid weeks. (My husband put this plate together to take the picture, I then added double the portions!)

    SATURDAY
    Barre Class. My other favorite pregnancy exercise are barre classes. There’s a studio right around the corner from us in Brooklyn Heights, Xtend Barre, and it’s become a Saturday morning ritual. Perfect cleanse from the work week and a way for me to feel relaxed for the weekend.

    Lunch. My husband and I are just back from our babymoon in Mexico and have been missing the fresh fish so we decided to try out Greenpoint Fish & Lobster Co. It is phenomenal! I was able to get my fish taco’s and purchased some wild fish on our way out. This is by far the best quality fish I have found in a while. They are working on a delivery service so stay tuned….

    Tea Time. On our way home, we stopped off at Matcha Bar in Williamsburg, which I recently featured here. You know a trend is at its peak when there is a dedicated store in Brooklyn, and since it has double the antioxidants than green tea, its one I can get behind…We both had Matcha Lattes and for a little sweet treat Matcha donut holes and macaroons.

    This article is by Jessica Pallay, courtesy of Well Rounded NY. Conceived with love by former magazine editors Jessica Pallay and Kaity Velez, Well Rounded NY aims to be the singular pregnancy resource for city-savvy moms-to-be. Through reviews, profiles, expert Q&As, local guides and more, Well Rounded curates the New York City pregnancy and helps its readers come to terms – and term! – with pregnancy in the city.

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  • BPA—What it is, How to Avoid it

    Google “BPA news” and the laundry list of articles that pops up is enough to take any pregnant woman’s breath away. Just last week, the presence of BPA (or bisphenol A) has been linked to breathing problems in kids with prenatal exposure to the chemical. So – what exactly is it, and why does it pose such a danger?

    BPA is an industrial chemical found in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. This means the chemical is often found in water bottles, food can linings, bottle tops, baby bottles – even water supply lines and dental sealants. If a bottle or food container has a #7 stamped on the bottom, it is likely to contain BPA.

    Since a small amount of packaging materials can migrate into the food and drink it contains, especially if the container is heated, there has been an increased public awareness about the safety of ingesting the chemical. According to the FDA, there have been many exploratory studies on the dangers that BPA present. These studies link BPA exposure to a variety of health problems such as reproductive disorders, diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

    During pregnancy, it’s especially important to avoid exposure to BPA as it can impact your health and your baby’s health. Minimize BPA exposure by:

    1. Avoid eating canned Fruits and Veggies, And Instead Opt For Fresh: Because BPA lines the cans in which these foods are packaged, you’re better off avoiding them. Fresh fruits and vegetables are so much healthier and tastier anyway, so opt for heading to your local farmer’s market and grabbing what’s in season!
    2. Skip Drinking Water That’s Bottled In Plastic: Instead, go for glass, stainless steel or BPA-free plastic bottles.
    3. Don’t Microwave Your Food In hard Plastic Containers: Much has been made in the news lately about polycarbonate plastics seeping into food when heated. To be safe, store your food in glass, stainless steel or BPA-free containers and never put plastic in the microwave. If non-plastic substitutes are unavailable, follow this rhyme to help you remember which plastics are safer: 4, 5, & 2 – all the rest are bad for you!
    4. Avoid Smoking And Secondhand Smoke: Yes, this is a no-brainer, but it bears repeating. Women who were exposed to secondhand smoke had higher BPA concentrations than those who weren’t.

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