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During last July’s 5.8 earthquake, 3-year-old Bronwyn told her 1-year-old sister, “We’re going for a wiggle.” READ MORE

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Before Baby Series

Foods to really avoid Listeriosis lurks in your picnic lunch. By S. Danyelle KnightPublished: August, 2007

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Mercury mingles with the celery and pickles in your tuna sandwich. E. coli and salmonella sit undetected in the alfalfa sprouts on your salad. Scary as it sounds, it’s fairly simple to steer clear of food-borne risks while you are pregnant by avoiding certain foods and taking extra care in food preparation. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the stuff you want to avoid can be broken down into three categories: listeria, methylmercury and toxoplasma. The first culprit can be found in deli meats, soft cheese such as feta, brie and queso fresco, pâtés and meat spreads, unpasteurized milk and juices and refrigerated smoked seafood. This nasty little bacterium is undeterred by the cool climate of your refrigerator. In order to get rid of listeria, you’ll need to heat products like hot dogs and cold cuts until steaming hot. Just say no to food items that can’t be heated and are made from unpasteurized products. Next up on the list of no-nos are fish, including shark, tilefish, king mackerel and swordfish. These can harbor dangerous doses of mercury – potentially damaging to an unborn baby’s developing nervous system. Better-for-you seafood alternatives are shrimp, salmon, pollock and catfish. The March of Dimes also notes that women should avoid uncooked seafood, including sushi and shellfish, because they could harbor bacteria and parasites. Last on the list of items to avoid are raw and undercooked meat and unwashed fruits and vegetables. The FDA recommends following these four steps when prepping your food in order to avoid toxoplasmosis and food poisoning: • Wash hands with soap before and after handling food. • Wash cutting boards and other work surfaces and utensils with soap and hot water after contact with raw meat, poultry or fish. _ • Keep raw meat separate from cooked and ready-to-eat foods. • Thoroughly rinse fruits and vegetables. By S. Danyelle Knight

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