This Saturday I hit the 20 week mark for my pregnancy. It feels so good to be halfway there! I couldn’t be more thankful for this little one inside me. While I am SO eager to welcome baby into our arms, I am cherishing this pregnancy and the miracle of a human nestled inside mommy. And praise God I am feeling healthy and strong! That definitely makes this pregnancy easier.
Just like with any task we ask our body to perform, the health of pregnancy is optimized when given the proper environment of diet, exercise, and lifestyle. For this reason I have started to work with more clients on fertility nutrition--nutrition for preconception, prenatal, and postpartum health. Now that I am pregnant myself, it is quite the bonus to my clinical practice to be able to experience and practice what I teach.
The first step to a healthy pregnancy diet is, perhaps surprisingly, the same as for every individual regardless of the season of life: to eat healthy whole foods. The elimination of processed foods is healing to momma’s digestion and blood sugar handling systems which already have to work harder during pregnancy. It also reduces toxins a baby is exposed to in the womb. The focus on whole foods then increases the nutrient density of those foods. This leads to the second step: Momma does not need to focus so much on eating more quantity but more quality. The micro-nutrient demand during pregnancy increases for momma as she builds a baby….and an iron rich placenta. This means more vitamins and minerals like choline, folate, b vitamins, and more. While there is much more to it, the basics of a healthy pregnancy diet are absolutely a foundation in whole foods.
Because fertility nutrition is increasingly my focus as a practitioner, you can expect more and more content on this subject. Of course I will also continue sharing my recipes, general health tips, and lifestyle inspirations. My hope is that this new content will inspire you to value investing into the health and wellness of every generation.
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