Growing a Healthy Baby & Placenta

These days it's difficult to sort through all the research about health and diet without becoming overwhelmed and down right confused!  So many people seem to know what diet is best and they often contradict other expert dietitians.  This is the reason that I love studying traditional foods.  Scientific research is always changing and evolving the more we learn about food and the human body but the intuitive knowledge of our ancestors is a solid foundation that we can build off of and will remain reliable.

Pregnancy and the 6 months before and after are a very important time for a woman and her baby.  Good nutrition during pregnancy can protect a baby from a variety of diseases later on in his or her life.  Healthy mothers grow healthy babies! In traditional societies, women followed special preconception and pregnancy diets that emphasized nutrient dense food such as muscle and organ meats, raw milk, bone broths, eggs, seafood and vegetables.  Eating foods such as these during pregnancy is very beneficial for both the mother and baby.  

A preconception and pregnancy diet should include:

• Cod liver oil (I like Green Pastures)
• Butter, 4 TBSP per day, preferably from pastured cows
• Eggs, 2 or more, preferably from free range hens.  More egg yolks are also recommended because they contain superior nutrition.
• Liver, 4 oz once or twice a week
• Fresh seafood, make sure to use varieties that are low in mercury!
• Beef or lamb, preferably grass-fed
• Lacto-fermented foods
• Coconut oil, lard, and bone broths regularly 

COD LIVER OIL
Cod liver oil is rich in vitamin A, D, and K and omega-3's EPA and DHA, among other things.  Cod liver oil has been called "the number one super food" and is an effective treatment for many ailments.  Pregnant women who use cod liver oil give birth to infants with a reduced risk of type 1 diabetes.  Cod liver oil protects against heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, rickets, allergies, behavioral disorders and more.

BUTTER
Butter has been vilified in our culture but the benefits of butter are countless!  Butter protects against heart disease, cancer, arthritis, osteoporosis, and asthma.  It also aids thyroid health, fertility, digestion, growth and development, and weight loss.  Butter contains vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), glychospingolipids (a fatty acid that protects against gastrointestinal infections), cholesterol (maintains intestinal health and is needed for brain and nervous system development in the young), and the Wulzen factor (a hormone like substance that protects against arthritis). 

EGGS
Eggs are an excellent source of nutrition for pregnant women.  Eggs are rich in protein, the building blocks of life, and they also contain many amino acids and beneficial vitamins and minerals.  Eggs are one of natures perfect foods.
 
LIVER
Liver?  Yes, liver!  While the thought of it may be unappealing, liver is a powerhouse of nutrition.  Liver is rich in iron and other minerals, choline, vitamins, A, B, D, and K.  It is an excellent way to help treat iron deficiency during pregnancy and makes a great first food when baby is ready.

FRESH SEAFOOD/SMALL FISH
Seafood is an excellent source or nutrition.  One of the traditional sacred foods is small fish.  Small fish such as anchovies and sardines are especially nourishing because you are eating the whole fish, bones, meat, head and all.  They are rich in minerals such as calcium, and vitamins A, D, and B12.  Because of their smaller size they are also lower in mercury, which can be harmful to you and your unborn baby. 

MUSCLE MEAT
Meat is another great food to eat while pregnant.  The benefits of grass-fed, pastured meat is well worth the extra price.  Meat from pastured animals is richer in vitamins and minerals because they have had ample access to fresh grass, as opposed to synthetic vitamins that grain fed cattle consume.  Grass-fed beef is also rich in CLA, an important fatty acid that protects against cancer and aids weight loss.
 
LACTO-FERMENTED FOODS
Lacto-fermented foods are full of nutrition for you and your unborn baby.  They also contain important bacteria that help populate your gut and aid in digestion.  Good bacteria is especially important for women who give birth vaginally because the baby picks up the mother's flora in the vaginal canal during the birth.  Most major health food stores (Sprouts, Earth Fare, Whole Foods, and even Albertsons and Winco) sell fermented foods in the form of sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi.  Make sure to check for the "naturally fermented" label!