Stop and call your Dr. if while exercising you...

Just a reminder to ALWAYS listen to your body! If doing any exercise even walking and you experience any of the following stop and call your midwife or physician ASAP

Any of these symptoms could mean you've put too much stress on your body:

• Vaginal bleeding or leakage of fluids
• Difficult, labored, or uncomfortable breathing
• Heart palpitations or pain in your chest
• Headache, nausea, or vomiting
• Dizziness or fainting
• Sudden change in temperature, clammy hands, or overheating
• Swelling or pain in your ankles and calves
• Decreased fetal movement
• Blurred vision
• Pain in your abdomen

Ignorance is not a justifiable excuse

 

I was rocking my darling baby girl to sleep tonight. As her eyes fluttered closed to enter a wonderful dreamland, she ran her perfectly tiny hands along mine, providing her own soothing as well as mine. Those hands that were created inside my body. This beautiful creature I feel unworthy of and so in love with. Tears welled up in my eyes as images of her lying in a hospital fighting for her life less than five months ago. I will always protect this child no matter what. The thought of any parent not doing everything humanly  possible to give their child a healthy and happy life truly boggles my mind. 

As I lay there breathing in my little miracle and counting my blessings, my mind flipped to a conversation a friend had with me yesterday. She told me her cousin is seven months pregnant. Which would normally be cause for celebration, but what she told me next had us both SEETHING. The pregnant cousin has celiacs disease;  for those of you unfamiliar with CD, gluten becomes the devil. If you do not drastically change your nutrition to accommodate the gluten-free lifestyle, your healthy is severely impacted. You eventually do so much internal damage that your body cannot sufficiently process nutrients.  When people with CD eat foods that contain gluten, it creates an immune-mediated toxic reaction that causes damage to the small intestine and does not allow food to be properly absorbed. Even small amounts of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. When food is not absorbed they are not getting the proper nutrition they need. That is bad enough for the person with CD, but now think about that baby that is trying to grow in an environment depleted of proper nourishment. Struggling to pull nutrition from a malnourished "host". This woman, and I hesitate to call her a mother, because what mother can knowingly neglect her child's needs like this, is living on pasta and grape soda! Not only is the pasta's gluten destroying her, but the grape soda is all chemicals and of ZERO benefit. She throws up every time she eats gluten, but still doesn't change her food intake. She is not taking in any fresh fruits, veggies, protein sources, healthy fats, or staying hydrated, and the list goes on. She is completely negligent in my opinion. She has not gained a single pound as she enters her 3rd trimester. The baby is underweight and this woman is doing nothing about changing her destructive behavior.She actually said :"the baby must want grape soda because that's all I can keep down". How can you possibly believe that rationale. This is also the same woman that gained almost 100 pounds with her first pregnancy. Which is a whole other massively ridiculous abusive scenario in my books. The human body needs more respect than this. Our lives as both mother and child are worth more than this simple-minded destruction.

It is sickening to me that there are no repercussions for pregnant women who don't adopt healthy behaviors to provide for the life inside them. They are allowed to abuse their children up until they are born. No one steps in to protect that child while they are in utero. That baby is dependent solely on its mothers discretion to provide an environment for which he/she can thrive. Where is the doctor in all this? Even if the doctor is urging their patients to adhere to healthier guidelines there is no enforcing agency, no one to turn the abuse in to...because while the child is still in utero apparently it's not illegal to abuse them. Which when you stop to think, it is really unfathomable. I'm done holding my silence. I want to spark you to THINK and ACT. Whether it's you who is pregnant or know someone who is, it is our job as intelligent human beings to stop cowering away from uncomfortable issues. Take a stand you might just save a life.

When you create a living being inside of you it is not your right to be able to harm that child. You should no longer have the right to treat your body like an amusement park or a back alley dumpster. It is no longer your right to be misinformed and poorly educated. I am so sick of these awful stories of women simply not caring. Then guess what you shouldn't be pregnant in the first place, because you blatantly are not ready to be a good mother. Funny, we have to get a permit and license to drive a car, we need gun permits and training to own a firearm and we need a license for boating and hunting, but any idiot can procreate and not have to know a thing about how to adequately care for a living human being or go through basic training on how to treat themselves during the journey.

I am PLEADING with any woman reading this to stop the madness. Educate yourselves on what needs to be done to be healthy for you and your family. When you see something that morally does not sit well with you SPEAK UP. Silence breeds regret and harmful consequences. We are so concerned with offending people and not sticking our nose in that we idly sit by and watch our society fall further and further from its pure and good humanity. We fall further from a well functioning and healthy society. Each generation is becoming a duller copy of the one before. We walk around in a fog of stress, ignorance and chaos. Not stopping to cherish what we have; the miraculous ability to create life and thrive as we do so.

My two cents worth....

Protein Treats for Mama

At my wellness company, Simply B (www.SimplyBhealthy.com)Protein  we make it a point to provide tasty treat ideas that are satisfying but made with a PURPOSE. This is especially important while you are pregnant. As your baby grows you will have less and less room to take in food at each sitting, so your foods MUST serve a nutritional purpose and not just be filler. Snacks should pack some power for you and baby. Here are some protein and nutrient packed recipes sure to satisfy a sweet tooth and possible put the squash on things like nausea and heart burn. Skip the empty calorie desserts and try these on for size.

* IMPORTANT NOTE about protein powders: If you are not going to be using Simply B Natural Whey protein (which is safe for moms-to-be), please be sure you choose another brand that does NOT contain the following: Soy proteins (extremely important if you are having a boy baby), aspartame, sucralose, hydrogenated oils, artificial coloring/dye

Protein Snack Recipes

Sustained Energy Pumpkin Bars

• 1/2 C natural organic brown sugar (can't find the xylitol brown sugar)

• 1/2 C natural organic unsweetened applesauce

• 1/16 tsp clove (1/2 of the 1/8 tsp measuring spoon)

• 3 tsp of cinnamon

• 3 tsp vanilla extract (spice island organic)

• 1/8 tsp Ginger

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 5 egg whites

• 4 scoops of Simply B Natural cinnabun protein

• 1 scoop of Simply B Natural vanilla protein

• 5 scoops of  whey crisps

• 3/4 Cup of unsweetened vanilla almond milk

• 2 1/4 C organic oat flour

• 1 - 15 oz Can of organic pumpkin purée

 

Mix all ingredients together and spread in glass pan sprayed with non-stick spray. Bake at 350 until golden and no batter pulls out with a knife poke.

 

PB Protein cups:

1 scoop chocolate protein powder

1 TBS cocoa powder

4 TBS water

2 packets Truvia

1 TBS of nut butter

Mix all ingredients together and freeze 30 mins. Stir and freeze another 30 mins.

 

Cinnabun Banana Ice Cream

 

3 frozen organic banana's

1 scoop Simply B Cinnabun protein

1 tbsp agave nectar

 

In food processor, whip the frozen, peeled banana's until creamy smooth. Add in protein powder and blend again. Place miz back in freezer for 15 minutes. Take out and drizzle with agave nectar. Other toppings "ice cream": unsweet coconut, chopped nuts, dusting of pumpkin or apple spice, diced fruits. etc.

 

No Bake Protein Oat Nuggets

 

2 cups unsweet almond milk

1/3 cup natural peanut butter (when pregnant buy processed main stream brands like Skippy Natural or Jiff and NOT raw nut butters as they may have a bacteria that pregnant women are more susceptible too and very harmful to baby)

2 cups old fashioned oats

2 scoops Simply B Natural Cinnabun protein

1/4 cup Mini chocolate chips (try brands without hydrogenated oils like "Enjoy Life" http://www.enjoylifefoods.com/chocolate-for-baking/) 

 

On a stove top - bring almond milk and nut butter to a boil- stirring regularly. Remove from heat and stir in oats and then protein powder. Dough should be moist but stick together when scooped with a spoon. Line a pan with foil. Scoop out dough ball smaller than a golf ball - and palce on foil. Place entire tray in the fridge for 15-20 minutes. Once dough cools, dip just the top in mini chocolate chips (so they dont melt). Place back on on foiled tray. Keep in fridge and snack on one or two when you get the need to nibble or in between healthy meals.

 

Prenatal Baby Belly Fit Program

Fit and Healthy WHILE Pregnant
- The "Baby Belly Fit Program" - Coming July 1st!

You may be sharing your body for 9+ months, but you need to keep YOU at the forefront 
(Will you be a MomME? -being a super Mom and maintaining  a sense of ME in the process = MomME)

Briana is looking for currently pregnant women who want the BEST for themselves and their unborn baby. When did we start thinking it was acceptable to use our hardworking, child-growing bodies are garbage disposals? ENOUGH ladies! It's time to give your exhausted, hormonally charged, overstretched body what it needs! We also need to keep our own health a top priority so we can hit the ground running post-delivery and set a great example for our growing children!

Are you interested in:

• Gaining energy
• Decreasing fluid retention and swelling
• Improving mood (decreasing mood swings)
• Boosting your immune system
• Supporting the million changes your baby (and your body) is constantly undergoing (supporting eye, brain, nervous system, bone health and more)
• Improving your digestion and bowel movements
• Keeping weight gain to a HEALTHY minimum to best support your child and you
• Lessening recovery and bounce back time
• Gaining and maintaing strength and stamina to preapre for hectic mommy life!
• Decreasing symptoms and causes of heartburn, bloating, nausea, cramping and MORE!

What are the program entails?

Begins: July 1 and you can follow guidelines through your delivery date

Who: Pregnant women during any trimester (doesn't need to be your first pregnancy either)

What is the program: Briana has created a program that encompasses a multifaceted angle to healthy pregnant living based on sound whole nutrition, research on prenatal care, gentle exercise techniques, mental/emotional health ​activities, and preparedness tactics.

When one is prepared, educated and has a plan, the body and mind are less stressed...and that impacts baby-to-be.
​
Moms will:

• ​Follow nutritional guidelines and track your DAILY eating (to be reviewed weekly by Briana, a certified Holistic Health Counselor)
• Try given recipe suggestions and provide your feedback
• Follow/try primary lifestyle suggestions (Ex: moderate exercise for every level, calming activities, sleep guidelines, suggestions to battle stress, gain emotional support from the group etc)
• Get permission from your doctor to participate (I AM NOT A DOCTOR - USE your common sense throughout the program and listen to your body)
• Optional: Participate in 30 minute prenatal fitness classes (held weekly July - Sept in North Tampa) (extension of classes beyond that depends on who Briana can trust to take over classes while she is having her own first little girl Oct 1st!) - only $8/class - that's an incredible value! The only paid optional part of the plan! (you're welcome!)

What is the cost?

NOTHING! huh? In exchange for ALL the nutritional guidance (over $1,300 value), daily/weekly support, lifestyle suggestions you agree to the following:

1) You will NOT mass-share or post the actual guidelines or program details (this is a trial program for a larger project I am working on)

2) You will BLOG and/or Facebook about your overall experience weekly (daily if you truly love me!) - and mention what you are a part of :)

3) You will log your foods to submit weekly via email to Briana

4) You will journal and partake in other written activities when requested (this wont be very time consuming I know we are all busy and tired, but it will be helpful to your well-being and the program)

5) Attempt to make some of the fitness classes if you are local to Tampa/Wesley Chapel, FL

6) Write up a testimonial if you love the program -and refer friends for nutritional counseling :)

7) Before and after pictures will be taken/submitted

8) Use of your fabulous testimonials, quotes and pictures on www.BrianaMichel.com, facebook.com and printed marketing materials. Thanks in advance my wonderful mommies!


How do I register? Visit the casting page on http://www.brianamichel.com/#!CASTINGS/c66t