Dietary advice during pregnancy

When pregnant, a mother will need to increase daily intakes of almost all nutrients. This is because she has to supply the building blocks of life for her child. It is especially important to ensure appropriate caloric intake. An topic every women fears. It takes an estimated 75,000 calories to make a baby. This equates to an increase of 300-400 calories extra per day. The average mother then would need to take in between 2,400 and 2,600 calories per day, with an increase again in the last trimester.

It is also important to remember that the food choices you make as a mother to be will directly impact the health and development of your unborn child. Also, the decisions you make now can play a huge role in your health later. During the development of the baby, certain nutrients will need to be present. If the mother is not getting them in her diet for baby to use, the baby will take them from the mothers “stores”. A common issue many mothers experience after pregnancy is dental problems. This is caused by the loss of calcium from the teeth during pregnancy, as the development of the skeletal system is reliant upon adequate stores of calcium.

Nutrient dense whole foods are the best dietary options available to the expecting mother. These should be eaten in a raw state when possible to ensure full enzyme expression. Vegetable based proteins in copious amounts are also recommended. An expectant mother will need almost twice her normal non-pregnant daily requirements of protein. This means consuming between 75-90 grams of protein. To put this into context, an average chicken breast offers 31 grams of protein per 100 grams of meat (an average portion).

It is also important that the expectant mother considers the quality of the food she is consuming. Foods fried in oils will most certainly contain trans-fats (a common occurrence of heated oils is the transformation of the double bonds, creating “trans” fats), a toxin to not only the mother but also her baby. Processed foods contain hazardous chemical colouring agents, flavour additives, preservatives, and often, added sugars and high amounts of sodium. All of which are harmful to the baby. Choose organically grown foods, and use certified organic flavourings (be careful…these often have increased sugars and sodium as well!).

The most important rule when making dietary choices when pregnant is this: Eat often, eat whole, and eat clean.

Not just for bathing anymore...

Water.

We are told to make sure we have lots everyday but few actually know how much.

When I say few I'm referring to not only the standard layperson but also many of the professional health care providers including your Doctor.

So how much is enough?

Recently I heard a Doctor speak on a radio talk show. What he said shocked me. He claimed that what the complimentary health care community was recommending in daily water intake was in fact harmful to the body. And went on to say: all the body requires on a daily basis is 2 1/2 Cups of water per day.

Well Doctor, I am here to say: You are absolutely, partially, correct, kinda.

Not what you expected to read is it???

Don't stop reading however.

The good Doctor was correct in his quantity of 2 1/2 Cups, providing the following requirements be met:

a) The person was completely hydrated before intake of the daily 2 1/2 Cups

b) The person did absolutely no physical activity

c) The person remained in a climate controlled facility with a relative humidity of approx. 20%

d) The person consumed approx. 10 portions of fruits and vegetables daily (preferably raw)

e) The person avoids ALL toxins

So why all of these requirements?

The body utilizes the majority of its daily water intake for detoxification.

Yes it is true that the daily evaporation of water from the human body is only approx. 2 1/2 cups, and that consuming 2 1/2 Cups of water everyday should maintain that balance (keep in mind that the evaporation rate is dependent upon physical activity, relative humidity, number of blankets on your bed at night, etc.). However, this does not take into consideration the NEED of the body to constantly detoxify. In fact, there is a lot of truth behind the statement (and book title): Detox or Die.

Our lifestyles are toxic. The foods we eat offer us a chemical burden never before seen in the history of mankind. The water we drink is processed with chemicals which we then consume. The chemicals in the air can often be seen with the naked eye (look above a city on a warm day - see that coloured haze? SMOG, AKA chemical soup).

All of these toxins enter our bodies and need to be detoxified. Water is our best friend here.

Water acts as a medium by which chemicals are bound to hydrogen molecules for elimination. Without it, we don't eliminate.

Without elimination we get sick.

Yes....but how much is enough???

An easy way to ensure adequate intake is with the following equation.

First I'd like to point out that this is adequate intake. If you are exercising, in a hot climate, drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages, or have an increased toxic burden due to environment or intake, then your water consumption must be increased!

The equation: Weight (in Lbs.) divided by 2 = quantity of pure water measured in ounces.

For example:

a 160 Lb. Man, would need about 80 ounces of water per day.

a 125 Lb. Woman, would need about 68 ounces of pure water per day.

What should be noted is this: initially upon increase to these quantities increased urine production will occur. In other words: your gonna need to pee more. This is because your body is taking advantage of the increased intake for detoxification. It simply isn't used to having the water available, so it trys to detox as much as it can initially. This will subside as you continue to drink the appropriate quantity.

As a Certified (practicing) Nutritionist I have noticed that by simply increasing water intake with a patient can reverse, or at the least, slow the progression of an ailment.

So Doctor (from the talk show)...care to comment?

A great book to read on this topic is: Your Body's Many Cries For Water by Dr. F. Batmanghelidji M.D.