Holistic Nourishment

This article is adapted from Safbaby.com, written by healthy home expert, Mary Cordaro.

You’re pregnant!  Images of beautiful nurseries fill your head as your thoughts turn to how to prepare your home for your little one. Whether you are adding a new room, remodeling an existing space or simply painting and furnishing a room, you want it to be beautiful and perfect. You want the best for your baby.

But you wonder…can you trust the products you see, the ones labeled as “non-toxic”, “natural” or “safe” for baby?

EWG’s Baby Body Burden Study made it starkly clear that what the mother ingests, absorbs and inhales directly affects the fetus. In fact, nearly 287 chemicals were found in the cord blood, the majority being carcinogenic, neurotoxic and developmentally toxic. Until recently, the impact from chronic, extremely low-level exposure to these chemicals has not been clear.

Dr. Bruce Lanphear, MD, MPH, well-published expert on children’s environmental health, states “There is strong evidence that learning disabilities and lower IQ scores can be attributed to extremely low levels of exposure to toxic metals like lead and mercury, persistent toxins such as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs), and other toxins including organophosphate (OP) pesticides and compounds used as flame-retardants.” He concludes that thirty years of research led to the conclusion that chronic low-level exposure to these chemicals does matter. (more…)

Postpartum depression is very common among new mothers. In fact 40-80% of new moms feel the baby blues! Discussing your emotions and mental state with your health practitioner during pregnancy can be very helpful in catching any sign of depressed mood early.

Symptoms of depression may include negative feelings toward baby, lack of pleasure, lack of appetite, fatigue, feeling withdrawn, feeling worthless or guilty, agitated, irritable, trouble sleeping, difficulty concentrating, or having thoughts of death or suicide.

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Looking for an easy, delicious way to support your hormones?  These tea recipes boost a woman’s energy, promote balanced hormonal cycles and levels.

Red Raspberry Leaf:
This herb is an all-around excellent herb to use for women at any life stage, especially during pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is rich in chelated iron (easily absorbed), stimulates the flow of breast milk, and facilitates the mother’s post-birth recovery.

Peppermint:
Peppermint is an all-over body strengthener and cleanser. Aids in digestion and is safe to use during pregnancy.  (more…)

These foods are powerhouses for your body during pregnancy.  Supporting the growth and development of a child is no small feat!  And your body will need to be nourished with high-quality organic foods in order to prepare your body for the new life it supports.

Eggs and Egg Yolks – Egg whites are a complete protein source and egg yolks are rich in nutrients necessary for the healthy growth and development of a baby.  Yolks are high in choline, which is critical for the development of the brain, neurons, and the synapses where two neurons can communicate. Four yolks and at least one egg white each day will provide about 500mg of choline, a modest recommendation for daily choline intake. Yolks are also rich in cholesterol, a crucial nutrient for the healthy development of a baby’s brain, nervous system, intestinal tract, and hormones.

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Research is showing that the decisions you make about your nutrition, exercise, stress, and environmental toxin exposure can influence your health and fertility.  Additionally, these lifestyle factors also influence the health and development of your baby once your pregnant!  While some aspects of lifestyle may not be modifiable, there are many that can be modified in order to promote health and fertility. The main factors that are influential to creating a fertile environment in both men and women include: (more…)

Many BPA-free plastics are just as bad for us as the ones that contain BPA, and and in some cases, are possibly worse, according to research by neurobiology professor George Bittner and his team at CertiChem.  The endocrine disruptors in most plastics have far-ranging effects that not only alter our gene makeup and increase infertility risks, they can also harm children.

Perhaps even more disturbing: companies are not required to determine their level of toxicity before releasing them for sale and marketing them as “safe and non-toxic.” Heat, oils, acidity, UV light (sunlight), and abrasion are all factors that increase the release of BPA and other toxic plastic ingredients such as phthalates into the food or environment around the plastic item. As in the case of baby bottles containing breast milk or formula, heat, oil, light and abrasion are the main factors that increase the release of toxic ingredients out of the plastic bottle and into the baby’s milk and mouth!

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Not only are we exposed to external environmental toxins (air pollution, pesticides, heavy metals…), we are also exposed to our own internal toxins produced by the body.  These toxins are often not neutralized and excreted from the body, but rather stored in the fat cells.  When the body is under stress, it can release these toxins into the blood stream where they can wreak havoc on many other places in the body, causing inflammation and burdening the liver.

So how do you know if you are toxic? Do you suffer from headaches, excess weight, muscle/joint pain, food allergies, depression, insomnia, fatigue, asthma, body odor, or acne/eczema? If so, your body is trying to tell you that it is out of balance and these matters need to be addressed before they become serious health conditions.

Did you know that you have about 3-4lbs of microorganisms in your colon that you cannot survive without?  These symbiotic microorganisms are intimately linked with your wellness.

Your  diet, medications, lifestyle, environment and shape the composition of the different microbial communities in your GI tract and body.  The microflora in the intestine has even been collectively considered an organ because of their ability to support the immune system, regulate intestinal health, support healthy metabolism, and contribute to overall health and wellness.

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Nutritional Guidelines For Pregnancy

Recent research has discovered the nutrient environment of a growing fetus and baby significantly impacts genetic expression. Overall health and risk of disease are in part dependent on the mother’s health and nutrient intake before, during, and after pregnancy.  Just as nutrition is important to growing kids and adults, so to is it critical for the first weeks, months, and years of development.  (more…)