Crazy for Coconut!!

As promised, I am going to continue with the series on nutritious foods for breastfeeding mommas. After reading the book “The New Breastfeeding Diet Plan” by Dr. Robert Rountree and Melissa Block, I realized that there are a lot of good benefits to adding coconut to your diet, especially if you are nursing. For those of you who are not nursing, there are benefits for you too (I’ll get to that in a bit). Nursing Mothers Coconuts are a great source of Lauric and Capric Acids, a type of saturated fatty acid that protect against microbes that can cause infections in infants and adults. According to Rountree and Block, these fatty acids are made naturally in nursing mother’s milk ducts, but by adding coconut oil or unsweetened coconut to your diet, you can actually increase the amount of these fatty acids in your system, in turn promoting higher amounts in your baby’s system which will help them fight of infections a lot easier. Non-Nursing Mothers Adding coconut oil to your diet can help promote weight loss by helping to control thyroid function and blood sugar levels, it can also help to lower cholesterol “by promoting its conversion to pregnenolone, a molecule that is a precursor to many of the hormones our bodies need” (www.doctoroz.com). Studies done by Dr. Mary Enig have also shown that coconut oil can help treat diseases such as heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and diabetes (see further reading section). So, now you must be asking yourself, how do I get it, and how will I use it to incorporate it into my diet? Well, after some internet research, I found that you can purchase small amounts of coconut oil at most grocery stores (it’s usually pretty pricey) or you can order it online. Websites and stores like The Vitamin Shoppe also sell it, usually in multiple brands and sizes. I found a 16oz, 100% organic extra virgin coconut oil at The Vitamin Shoppe for $9.27 online (that was almost $7 off the in store price). As for how to use it, it really depends on what you are making. Coconut oil can be used to replace vegetable or canola oil in recipes for stir-fry’s, granola, or cooking meats. You can use Coconut milk in soups or stews or rice dishes. Both coconut oil and milk as well as coconut flakes can be used for baking or in smoothies. The possibilities are endless. There are tons of recipes at freecoconutrecipes.com that you can try! Continued reading: http://coconutoil.com/coconut-oil-research/ http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/surprising-health-benefits-coconut-oil?page=2#copy

Making Oatmeal Fun and Yummy!!

So, after a few long months of preparing for baby, she is finally here! I've done a lot of reading recently on breastfeeding and post-partum nutrition, and it has inspired me to get the word out (well at least to share some of the things I’ve learned and recipes to go with them)! I've decided to do a series of posts revolving around this idea, starting with this one, the importance of oats! Now that I'm nursing, I've discovered rather quickly how important oats are to a mother's daily diet. Not only is it a good source of fiber and a heart healthy meal, but oats help build a good milk supply as well. The problem is, a mama can only take so much plain oatmeal in the morning! I've tried to find ways to increase my oat intake daily, and this has resulted in some pretty intense Google searches. According to Kelly Bonyata, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, “oats may support lactation because they are rich in iron, are comforting, and share properties with some other common galactogogues” (livestrong.com). This led me to thinking of ways to jazz up oats to taste good while still supporting my body and that of my newborns. Below are some of my favorite recipes that I’ve found as well as websites for more information and recipes to check out! Oatmeal *Start with your favorite cut oats and try adding: • Peanut butter and your favorite jelly • Peanut butter and chocolate chips • Bananas, coconut, sliced almonds, vanilla extract • Apples, cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar • Diced strawberries and peaches and cream / milk • Raspberry preserves and cream cheese Cookies *I start with this recipe and then change the add-ins depending on my mood. You can include: • Dried cranberries and white chocolate chips • Chocolate chips and almonds • Raisins • Orange zest • Butterscotch chips • Cinnamon chips Other ways to get oats: • Homemade granola / granola bars • No bake cookies • Muffins / breads Read more:

• http://www.livestrong.com/article/165671-foods-that-increase-milk-supply-when-breastfeeding/#ixzz2HxjcjT6g • http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/recipes/quick-recipes/breakfast/easy-oatmeal-recipes/ • http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_oats_recipes