Good nutrition is of vital importance throughout the prenatal period and during breastfeeding. Ideally, eating well before conception is best, but if this hasn’t occurred yet … now is the time!

Always emphasize whole natural foods. Unprocessed (NO ham, hotdogs or lunch meats), fresh meats or other protein sources, lots of vegetables (especially raw and greens), unprocessed cheeses, and whole grain breads. Please read labels, and learn what you are feeding your baby! Eliminate all pop, coffee, black teas, and so-called “juice” drinks. Raw & or fresh is best, frozen is okay, but canned is useless regarding fruits and vegetables.

Salt should not be restricted. Salt to taste. Too little, or too much, salt can cause elevated blood pressure and edema. Moderation is the key. The best salts to use are “Real Salt” or Celtic Sea Salt. Use of foods that are cured with salt are best left alone. In other words …Avoid salted chips, pickles, olives, nuts, processed or lunch meats etc.

Pregnancy is not the time to diet. Weight gained with quality food in pregnancy is desirable, and different, than weight gained on junk food. No pattern or amount of weight gain is “normal”. Eat QUALITY food, and you will gain what you and your baby need. Do not overeat. If you now have a weight problem, we can talk about it at your next visit. Be sure to remind me of this if it is of great concern to you.

Pregnant mothers need to drink a lot of fluids. The Red Raspberry, Alfalfa, Nettle Leaf, and Oat straw infusion is mandatory if you have a birth with me; there’s another blog post under “New Clients” that explains why. Freshly made juice, and at least 2 quarts of water per day (with a half of lemon squeezed into each quart, if desired), will help to expand the blood volume. This is very important during pregnancy.

You should eat slowly, chew well, and eat until you’re full. If you are not very hungry or nauseous, this could be because of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia). Small, frequent snacks of high quality food, usually a carbohydrate, can help alleviate this problem. Keeping something digesting in your stomach at all times has proven to combat most nausea. A good resource for slow digestion is complex carbohydrates. Try and pick healthy options like baked yams or sweet potatoes, or AkMak crackers. Nausea is uncomfortable, but excessive vomiting is the greatest concern with regards to the overall health of the baby. You need quality food (especially protein) and fluids to grow a healthy baby, so keeping it down is important. Try eating something when you get up at night to go to the bathroom; preferably a complex carbohydrate or milk. This happens frequently in the first trimester, because the appetite has not yet caught up with the increased demand for nutrients.

Approximately 2,400 – 2,600 calories and 70 – 90 grams of protein (more with twins) is generally enough daily intake for these nutrients. Fresh organic vegetables, especially the dark green leafy variety, and organic fresh fruits (not to excess: 1-2 pieces/day) are essential.

Eat a wide variety of foods. Changing your diet too quickly is not good. Try and incorporate better eating habits slowly; but do change if needed. For info on your personal “metabolic type” and how best to eat for YOU, ask me for the “Metabolic Profile Test”. I will be happy to answer any questions regarding this.

Be careful adding foods to your diet, which have been restricted for some time. If necessary, slowly integrate to avoid reaction. They tend to cause an excessive amount of mucous, which taxes your system and may create disease.

Now I want you to keep a three – five day diet history. Write down for me everything you eat & drink including water for three – five full days. Include amounts … i.e. 8 oz. water, approx. 3oz. of ling cod, a lrg. drk. green leafy salad etc. Bring it to your prenatal visit so that we can go over it together. This should portray an average 3 days eating intake. Do not pick a time where you’ll be eating better or worse than usual.

Each woman and pregnancy are unique and each will find for herself the optimal diet if her general dietary habits are steered in the right direction.

If you have any questions regarding any specific detail in this guide, please do not hesitate to ask! Nothing is too simple or elemental to me when it comes to nutrition. I have been busily at this subject before I was out of high school (1970). I understand this may be new to some of you and I am more than willing to explain anything.

We will continually be looking at your diet physically, mentally and spiritually throughout your pregnancy. You are eating in more than one way!

To your care!

“Health is not a medical artifact. Economics, politics, the social system in which we live, conditions in the work-place, poisons in the environment, and personal relationships are all elements in causing health and disease. Doctors treat illness; they do not make us healthy. For the vast majority of women physical health and a sense of well-being during pregnancy is nothing to do with how often they visit the doctor, but with the social conditions in which they live.” –from Sheila’s Kitzinger’s book – Birth over 35, Sheldon Press

Foods to Avoid

1. White sugar and white sugar products, including corn syrup and fructose.  Fructose may remove copper from the bones.
2. Bleached white flour, and white flour products, soy, corn http://www.soyinfo.com/haz/gehaz.shtml – fermented organic soy is okay, occasionally.
3. “Wheat” flour:  this is usually a mixture of mostly bleached white flour with a small amount of wheat.  The label should read whole wheat flour, or stone ground whole wheat.  Whole is the key word.
4. All soft drinks.  Even the carbonation of these soft drinks leaches out calcium, not to mention the artificial or refined sugars, chemicals and caffeine.  NEVER use “diet” sodas (or foods).  Aspartame (Nutrasweet) is a neuro(brain)-toxin. It is designed like MSG to make you addicted to the food substance that it is in.
5. Refined cereals.  ex. chemicals used to package, & preserve … refining, sugars …
6. Highly salted foods, chips, pickles processed meats, olives  etc.
7. White rice, with the exception of Basmati / Texmati rice
8. Hydrogenated oils and saturated fats (most margarines).  For butter why not make “Better Butter”?  In a food processor mix 1 lb. of butter to 1 cup each of olive oil, and coconut oil.  Blend til smooth.  I also add 1 teas. or so liquid lecithin.  This tastes very good and gives you daily EFA’s.  Be sure and keep it refrigerated, because it melts faster than butter.
9. Peanut butter that is highly processed.  Peanuts are grown with cotton and therefore are sprayed with both pesticides.  They both, cotton & peanuts receive over twenty different sprays.  Organic is best if you eat peanuts at all.  Peanuts are very hard on your pancreas.
10. Heavily processed meats:  bologna, hot dogs, salami, bacon, corned beef etc.  Anything with sodium nitrate, nitrite, or MSG.   “Excitotoxins” (neurotoxic =  brain toxin – much evidence that they are responsible for many auto-immune disorders.  )

    CHECK YOUR LABELS! The following ALWAYS contain excitotoxins: glutamate (usually monosodium glutamate, MSG), aspartame, autolyzed yeast, or yeast extract, caseinate ingredient names containing “hydrolyzed” L-cysteine. The following FREQUENTLY indicate the presence of excitotoxins: broth, flavors, flavoring, protein, seasoning, spices, natural flavors.   Eat primitive!

11. Canned goods that contain any of the “no nos” on this list.  With canned vegetables you might as well drink the fluid in the can and throw away the other ingredients to get any real food value out of it.
12. Non medicinal-Chocolate, (usually American unless organic) all candy, ice cream made with chemicals (commercial “old fashioned” usually is the least adulterated)
13. Coffee, tea, alcohol
14. Raw meat, or fish (i.e. sushi)
15. Fried foods
16. “Instant” foods
17. Soft cheeses
18. Shell fish
19. Papaya

Foods To Include

1. In place of sugar – (Organics) Agave, Maple syrup, local honey, unrefined sugar used sparingly, blackstrap molasses, fruit syrup, juice, & dates as sweeteners.
2. Sprouted whole grains, flours and products (Fresh ground is Best)  If weight is a concern significantly modify grain use.  Spelt is a good substitute for wheat sensitivity.
3. Homemade juice, in moderation, (can really put on the weight) and vegetable juice  (Fresh made with a juicer and drank (chewed) immediately is best)
4. Natural vegetable seasonings, sea salt, kelp (high mineral content); Salt (celtic or Real Salt®) to taste, not excessively.
5. Organic Brown and wild rice, Basmati white rice is fine also.
6. Oils, cold pressed, unrefined.  Olive, & sesame are always cold pressed.  Palm, & coconut oil.  Many people are finding good butter supplements through good oils esp. olive oil.   Butter is better for you than margarine.  Avoid Canola oil = GMO
7. Clean meats (not pumped full of antibiotics/hormones.), if you can grow them … or buy from those who do.
8. Canned goods are generally not good but if you use them use those that are devoid of chemicals or sugars   READ LABELS!!!
9. Carob sweetened with fruit juice or dates or organic dark chocolate (occasionally)
10. IF you have eaten ALL your protein and greens – Ice cream … natural variety “Breyers” or “old fashioned” , although with sugar is somewhat better.
11. When possible grow your own vegis/fruit or buy organic local from Saturday Markets IF you know where and how foods are grown.
12. Natural , unprocessed products:  an example would be if buying instant potatoes; buy fresh and bake them.  *Baking retains many of the minerals, eat the skins for potassium if organic.  Sweet potatoes are much better for you due to glycemic content.
13. Baked, poached, steamed or stewed foods.  Vegi steamers are a good investment!
14. Use stainless steel or glass cookware.  Aluminum causes disease, and Alzheimer’s may be one of those diseases.  Aluminum is Toxic.  Silverstone or Teflon comes off into your food.  We have come to a very serious time on this planet when toxins are rampant.  The air, water, food and soil we use are full of chemicals; chemicals that are extremely harmful to us and the life of our unborn.  We are dying from auto-immune disease and the like as a result.  It is the responsibility of every parent to see that his or her children get the best possible start – both physically and spiritually.  The offspring of future generations depend on us.   Always thank God for, and ask Him to bless your food.

Fresh and raw food is best – The more processed  the less nutritional value.

Read labels and become familiar with non-foods and toxic chemicals, so you avoid them. NO GMO’s!!! http://www.safe-food.org/

Protect your family!

True organic is nutritional, non-organic usually minimally nourishing and chemical laden.

Eat for health and performance (energy, not esthetics.) EAT RAW FOOD SNACKS and capitalize on SUPERFOODS.

Learn the language of your body’snutritional needs. Listen to your “motherwit” if you are healthy. Dis ease is produced by unhealthy indulgences. Stay alkaline!

When you occasionally indulge in decadent healthy treats, enjoy it!

Always drink at least 2 quarts of water per day!!! (Ultimately, drink half your body weightof water in ounces)

You may not feel it now – but you will feel the results of your good or bad eating habits later.
1 Corinthians 3:16, 17, 2 Corinthians 9:6, Galatians 6: 7-8                                    6/2010

Leave a Reply