T.J. Samson | Destination Health | April 2018

6 DESTINATION HEALTH Make mealtime family time If you’re thinking about having a baby, one of the most important things you can do to help protect the health of your future little one is to make sure you’re up-to-date on vaccines. During pregnancy you share everything with your baby— including serious diseases, which is why even if you think you were vaccinated against a disease, such as measles, as a child, you should talk to your health care provider about immunizations. You may need a booster shot, or there may be a new vaccine that wasn’t avail- able when you were a kid. Some necessary vaccines should be given at least one month before you get pregnant. The March of Dimes recommends women receive these vaccines before pregnancy: ➜ Measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). Rubella can cause birth defects, and measles and rubella can cause miscarriage. If you don’t know if you’ve gotten this shot, a blood test can tell your doc- tor if you’re immune or not. ➜ Chickenpox (varicella). Chickenpox can cause birth de- fects. Tell your doctor if you haven’t had chickenpox or haven’t been vaccinated for it. ➜ Human papillomavirus (HPV). Get this vaccine if you’re younger than 26. Additional source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Planning a pregnancy? Get all your vaccines first Family meals have a lot of competition from soccer games, piano lessons, homework and the schedules of working parents. Still, if you’re a mom or a dad, it’s important not to let those commitments crowd out meals altogether. Research shows that kids who regularly eat family meals are more likely to have healthy diets than those who don’t. Shared meals also give families the chance to talk and grow closer. And that may explain why they help protect kids from behavioral problems and even sub- stance abuse. So do your best to eat as a family at least a few times a week. Here’s how to fit in time together—and put healthy food on the table, even when you’re rushed: Plan ahead. Pick times when everybody’s available for a meal, and be sure everyone knows to be home at a certain time. If conflicts rule out dinner, try breakfast, especially on weekends. Let everybody pitch in. For example, young kids can wash the veggies, and older kids can do the chopping. Serve no-fuss meals with nutritious foods. Try frozen ravi- oli with store-bought tomato sauce and a salad. Or rotisserie chicken with frozen peas and potatoes. A sandwich—even at dinner—is OK too. Just use whole-wheat bread, stuff it with veggies and lean meat, and serve it with a piece of fruit. Source: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics