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Holistic Nutrition and Pregnancy
You’ve just found out your pregnant. You want to know more about nutrition during pregnancy. Your doctor will give you the basics – take prenatal vitamins, exercise a little, add 300 calories a day, blah, blah, blah. Now maybe that was fine back in the 1950's. But today is different - for better and for worse. In today's world, what you don't know can definitely hurt you and your baby.
If you've already tried to do some research, you know that everything out there is either too superficial, too laden with medical jargon (sometimes 400 pages of single space print) or there’s simply too many different books and articles to wade through and you don’t have that kind of time available with the usual jam-packed day that we all face. You want some practical guidance that’s thorough, accurate and straightforward to understand and follow. |
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How can Bernadette help you? |
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As a mother of two young children herself, Bernadette has shared your concerns, worries and fears about what is best for you and your child. She knows what it’s like to try and pin down useful, accurate and sound advice for a pregnant Mom. And unfortunately, much of the advice expectant Moms get is NOT nutritionally sound, is out of date and is often based on the biased information put out or based on research supported by by the food manufacturing industry.
As both a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and a Mom, Bernadette has spent a great deal of time studying and researching the material that’s available out there and can help you with an easy step-by-step nutritional program that’s customized for you an as individual and will help you manage your busy lifestyle while making the best nutritional choices for you, your baby and your body.
Bernadette will meet with you for an initial Nutritional Consultation, during which she will review your diet and lifestyle and complete a 60 point Biomeridian assessment protocol to determine any energy imbalances. Bernadette will then make specific nutritional recommendations matched to your individual needs.
In addition, Bernadette will provide you with a comprehensive guide to Nutrition during your pregnancy (as well as for post-Pregnancy), a series of easy to use and follow meal plans laid out week by week, Grocery lists to match the weekly meal plans, Recipes to go with the meal plans, as well as a comprehensive list of local resources, both conventional and alternative, for use during your pregnancy.
Bernadettes nutrition guide for pregnant Moms also provides summarised background information as to why specific dietary recommendations are made, along with references should you desire to read and research further on your own. Based on Bernadettes personal experience as a pregnant Mom trying to determine whats useful and accurate from whats not, this alone will save you a tremendous amount of time.
This is all included in the cost of your first session with Bernadette. If you would like follow-up sessions with Bernadette to address specific concerns regarding your nutrition during pregnancy, or would like follow-up Bioenergetic testing to identify energy imbalances as your pregnancy proceeds, Bernadette will be happy to arrange these with you.
Please remember that good nutrition can make a major difference to your pregnancy and to the development of your child. And as a Mom herself, Bernadette enjoys working with, and helping, other Moms.
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Holistic Nutrition and Pregnancy |
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Holistic Nutrition helps individuals achieve optimal mental, physical and spiritual health through the use of food and nutrients. It is used to help already healthy people stay healthy, but it can also be used to help improve symptoms of disease for those already living with a chronic ailment. It is a perfect nutritional plan for pregnancy because it is tailor made to your specific needs.
The focus is on eating foods that provide your body with the highest levels of nutritional value and supplementing one’s diet with vitamins, minerals, amino acids and essential fatty acids when necessary. It is more than just eating a balanced diet though. Diet and nutrition have a serious impact on physical as well as mental health. The wrong food and/or a lack of balanced nutrients can lead to many problematic psychological and physical symptoms as well as chronic health conditions.
Holistic Nutrition is very individualistic. You will need to meet with a holistic nutritionist to figure out exactly what your body needs, and set up a program individualized to your needs. Even though holistic nutrition is largely individualized, there are some basics that apply to all individuals who wish to follow a healthy nutritional plan.
Here are some of the basics you will need to know if you plan to follow a sound nutritional plan:
- As much as possible of your food should be organic
- Eat whole foods in their natural states as much as possible
- Drink adequate amounts of water. Filtered and free of chlorine, fluoride and other contaminants
- Avoid junk food and processed food
- No food with additives, preservatives or colorings
- No sugar or caffeine
- No genetically engineered foods
- Avoid microwaves and microwaved food
- Identify hidden food allergies
- Address nutritional deficiencies
Knowing which foods to avoid (or severly limit) during pregancy is especially important. It's a time in a woman's life when she should be especially careful to protect her developing baby. Some foods on this list are obvious, like alcohol, but others may come as a surprise. When shopping for food, always do the "ingredient list test" - how long is the list and how many words look like something out of a chemistry text book? If you don’t recognize the ingredient as a fruit, vegetable or grain, it’s not good for you.
To discuss Holistic Nutrition, you and your Pregnancy in detail , please call Bernadette to make an appointment for an Initial Consultation.
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| What is the best pregnancy diet? Specifically, it will consist of the foods listed below: |
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High quality protein (grass-fed meats, preferably hormone and antibiotic free – and NOT corn fed, eggs from free-range chickens, with organic eggs/eggs high in lutein being the best) |
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High quality dairy products (organic, preferably from grass-fed cows: cheese, cream, milk and butter) |
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Soaked grains and nuts |
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Organic / locally grown fruits and vegetables |
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High Quality fats, stocks, |
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Lacto-fermented foods (Yogurt, Kefir, Sauerkraut, etc) |
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Filter water (NOT unfiltered tap water) |
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High Potency Fish Oil |
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Selective use of high quality Supplements |
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Eating the foods above will provide all the necessay nutrients a mother and developing baby need (including B Vitamins, Calcium, Iron, Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Vitamin D, a healthy Omeag 3 to Omega 6 ratio, Conjugated Linolenic Acide, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Folate, Cholesterol).
This means that you will gain a healthy weight and have less to lose after pregnancy. Why? Because by giving your body and your baby what is needed, you will not be tempted to overeat or fall a victim of food cravings (which are largely an indication of a dietary deficiency). |
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Foods to AVOID during your pregnancy |
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Junk Foods:M ostly full of additives and chemicals that are bad for your baby and you. Junk Food includes fried foods, margarine, soft drinks, sweets, anything made with white flour, most cereals, most boxed foods. |
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Trans Fats: Trans Fats inhibit the conversion of fatty acids needed for fetal brain growth and decrease the fat content of breast milk. Also decreases sperm count. DO NOT trust labels that claim a product is trans fat free. If a food has half a gream or less per serving then it can be labelled trans fat free. There is NO safe intake level for trans fat. It is not good for your developing baby and it is not good for you. |
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Artifical and Refined Sweeteners: These are neurological toxins and can also negatively affect your babys ability to regular blood sugar. There is all kinds of info out there on just how bad artificial sweetners are for you. |
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Food Additives: These are neurotoxins. This includes MSG, which has been associated with brain lesions on developing embryos. MSG may appear in the ingredient list as: hydrolized protein, calcium, sodium casinate, textured protein, citirc acid, soy foods, malt flavorings and natural flavorings - SO CHECK YOUR LABELS! |
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Soy: Soy foods are highly processed and refined, and are full of things that will block you and your baby from absorbing nutrients such as zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium. Soy also contains phytoestrogens which can negatively impact fetal brain and reproductive organ development. |
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White Flour and Sugar: Basically junk food that is nutritionally worthless and places a toxic strain on your body, robbing it of nutrients. |
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Soft Drinks: Bad for you in any shape. Just say No! |
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Alcohol: This should not be a big surprise! |
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Caffeine: Caffeiene reduces iron absorption, interferes with normal fetal growth and is associated with lower birth weight and an increased risk of miscarriage. |
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Making at least some of these changes to your food intake will do wonders for your baby and you. If you can do them all, even better. Bernadette will be happy to help you make these changes. | | |
Nutrition and Pregnancy
