Craving Fast Food While Pregnant

by Sarah
(a Nutritional Consultant who Knows Better)

Craving Fast Food While Pregnant! Help!

Craving Fast Food While Pregnant

I am a healthy natural mama. I have the worst morning sickness and the only thing that helps me is fast food!

This is mortifying!

I never ever touch this stuff normally!

I am feeling sick and guilty!

I am a nutritional consultant and I am not being very healthy.

It's killing me, but I have 3 other kids, I can not feel like crap all day. Just cooking dinner makes me nauseous, I can't handle the smell!

I want so bad to be healthy and set a good example for my family.

Anyone experience this? What did you do?

Help!
Sarah


Thoughts from Arrington at Natural Parenting Advice

Dear Sarah,

I am so sorry you are going thru this! I had something similar happen when I was pregnant with #2. It was the only time I found myself craving fast food while pregnant...

I felt especially sick and nauseous late in the afternoon. I literally dragged myself around.

In my case it was a caused by blood sugar problems caused by adrenal fatigue. I learned after my delivery (which was complicated by too much amniotic fluid a characteristic sign of gestational blood sugar issues) that I likely had gestational diabetes and didn't know it.

Like you I had always had a really great diet. So I was really puzzled by what was going on.

For my last pregnancy I was able to prevent all the blood sugar issues by being sure to eat a protein snack just before I went to bed and first thing in the morning. Weirdly, one of my favorite snacks first thing in the morning was celery with almond or peanut butter.

Two other things I leaned on since I was working full time and also had a 11 month old at home was to have a protein shake (I used Dr. Mercola Protein Powder with either whole milk or coconut milk with a scoop of psyllum fiber) before bed.

I think the milk helped me sleep. The protein helped my blood sugar and the fiber made it easy to poop without straining. During the day I also kept a couple protein bars in my purse. I don't usually eat any packaged foods, but I felt the Cocoa Crisp Bars made by Standard Process were pretty good all things considered (organic, low glycemic, taste like a tootsie roll) as well as the "Pure Power Protein Bar" by Dr. Mercola (14g protein & 5g Fiber per bar)

You may want to read some of the suggestions for diet and diagnosing gestational diabetes to see if that may be what is causing your cravings.
preventing and managing pregnancy diabetes

Anyway, hope some of this helps.

Hugs,
Arrington

What about the rest of you? Have any of your had problems with craving fast food while pregnant? Do you have any tips to help Sarah??