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Expert Q&A

	By Allison Gamble Nutritionist/Diet Technician Highland Park Hospital, Illinois

Some sources seem to have an unrealistic concept about what kinds of food I have the ability to make or get a hold of on a daily basis. They leave you with the idea that every bread that's not whole wheat and every grain of rice that's not brown is poison. You don't seem to suggest avoiding such easy options as bagels, etc. There's a phrase in Jewish cultures when talking about just how kosher a person keeps-kosher or "meshuga (crazy) kosher." How crazy do I need to be about this?

I have to say I have never heard so many crazy things about nutrition as I have since I started researching pregnancy. There is so much mixed information circulating that it is hard to know what to believe. I tend to take the more old fashioned, traditional approach. I don't believe in fads, but am open to new ideas. There have been many times people's "radical" ideas were doubted by others and eventually the radical ideas became the norm. After all, we did once believe the Earth was flat...

So back to the question: Don't drive yourself crazy. I don't believe you have to eat only certain foods one hundred percent of the time. I think common sense and education are the best tools for ensuring your pregnancy is the best it can be. It is great to be conscious of what you are eating and to pack in as much nutrition as possible. However, I do realize that one can only tolerate so much good behavior. So, take the advice with a grain of salt, and integrate what is reasonable to your lifestyle. Good luck!

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