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Eating for two
By Alexis Costello

Maybe it has something to do with the cold, maybe it is due to an economic recession that has people staying in more often, but it seems like everywhere I look I see pregnant women.  Nutritional information geared towards pregnancy can be confusing: a doctor may tell you that at least 3 glasses of milk a day are needed, well meaning friends tell you to have another muffin since you need the calories, all the bottles of herbs in you’re cupboard may now be unsafe and half of what you used to eat is making you nauseous.  What’s a woman to do?

Good nutrition is vital during pregnancy as the health of the mother does much to determine the health of the baby.  All the general rules of good eating apply when it comes to ‘eating for two’.  Keep all junk foods to a minimum, including all packaged and processed foods, and highly seasoned or fried foods.  Coffee and alcohol should be eliminated from the diet, and consult a health care provider before using any over-the-counter drugs.  While you don’t want to double your calories in the day, it is normal and healthy to gain 25-35lbs over the nine months and there is a lot of evidence out there that says that trying to keep as slim as possible while pregnant can hurt the baby. 

Many of my clients are vegetarian or vegan and worry about getting enough iron and protein throughout pregnancy.  It is definitely possible to have a healthy baby on a vegan diet, no matter how aghast people look when you tell them what you are doing!  Just be sure that protein is included with every meal along with a good omega3 supplement that contains added EPA and DHA from algae.  Vegetarian sources of protein are good choices for all pregnant women as they are less likely to cause morning sickness or carry harmful bacteria.  Nuts are good sources of protein, good fats, calcium and magnesium and it’s easy to keep a bag in your purse for emergency snacking.

Anemia is a common problem associated with pregnancy no matter how much meat a woman eats.  Extra iron is needed at this time to help in the production of hemoglobin.  A liquid iron supplement that is derived from foods such as fruits and herbs will be easy to absorb and non-constipating.  The easiest food sources for iron are meat, eggs, and fish, but significant amounts can be found in green leafy vegetables, whole grains, and enriched breads and cereals and dried fruits like apricots, dates and raisins.  Herbs such as alfalfa, dandelion, nettle and raspberry leaf are high in iron and are safe (in normal amounts) for use during pregnancy, either in tea form, or as a green drink.  These herbs can be used after the baby has been born to enrich breast milk with extra minerals and help the body recover.

Bach Flower Remedies and other systems of flower essences are safe at this time and can help with the emotional and hormonal upheaval that sometimes goes along with pregnancy.  Trust me; a bottle of Rescue Remedy (used for anxiety, stress, and trauma) can become your best friend as you go along to OB/GYN visits!  Flower remedies run the gambit emotionally from a little bit of moodiness to extreme hopelessness and depression and help the person taking them to return to a balanced state.  A practitioner can help you figure out which remedies would work best for your unique self.

            Not everyone will need extra supplements, herbs and minerals.  Sometimes people act as if pregnancy is a disease that needs to be treated, rather than a simple stage of life.  The body is doing a lot of extra work but truly the emphasis should be on supporting it in this work, not trying to ‘fix’ it. 

Alexis Costello is a Natural Health Practitioner who is certified in many modalities including herbology, iridology, Bach Flower Remedies and different facets of Kinesiology.  She enjoys sharing her passion for health and wellness through writing as well as instructing Touch for Health classes. My new website is www.happilyholistic.ca Phone: 250-763-2914

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