Nurturing Your Baby’s First Bites: A Guide to Different Weaning Approaches

Nurturing Your Baby’s First Bites: A Guide to Different Weaning Approaches

As a dedicated integrative nutritionist and a parent who values the importance of early nutrition, I’m thrilled to share insights on the various weaning approaches for introducing solid foods to your baby. Whether you’re considering baby-led weaning, purees, or homemade foods, there are plenty of options to nurture your little one’s palate. Stay tuned for exciting news about my upcoming book, “Nurturing: A Comprehensive Guide to Introducing Solid Foods for Optimal Infant Development,” which will soon be available on Amazon, offering you a comprehensive guide to this essential phase of your baby’s development.

Baby-Led Weaning: Empowering Independence

Baby-led weaning is an approach that encourages babies to explore and self-feed solid foods from the very start, typically around six months of age. Here’s why it’s gaining popularity:

  1. Independence: Baby-led weaning allows babies to take control of their eating, promoting self-regulation and autonomy.
  2. Texture Exploration: Babies can experience different textures and flavors, aiding oral development.
  3. Family Meals: It encourages family meals from the beginning, fostering a love for communal dining.

Purees: Traditional and Nutrient-Packed

Purees are a more traditional approach to weaning, where you offer your baby finely mashed or blended foods. Here are some advantages:

  1. Smooth Transition: Purees offer a gentle transition from milk to solid foods for babies who may not be ready to self-feed.
  2. Nutrient Control: You control the ingredients, ensuring your baby gets a balanced diet.
  3. Texture Progression: Purees can evolve into chunkier textures as your baby’s oral skills develop.

Homemade Foods: A Taste of Love

Preparing homemade baby food can be a rewarding experience. Here’s why many parents opt for this option:

  1. Quality Ingredients: You can choose fresh, organic ingredients, providing the highest quality nutrients.
  2. Variety: Homemade baby food allows for creativity and variety in your baby’s diet.
  3. Cost-Effective: It can be a cost-effective option compared to store-bought baby food.

“Nurturing on Baby Weaning” – Your Ultimate Guide

I’m excited to announce that my upcoming book, “Nurturing on Baby Weaning,” will soon be available on Amazon. In this comprehensive guide, you’ll find:

  • In-Depth Weaning Insights: Explore the pros and cons of different weaning approaches, helping you make informed choices.
  • Nutrition Essentials: Discover the essential nutrients your baby needs during this crucial growth phase.
  • Recipe Ideas: Get a collection of delicious and nutritious recipes to inspire your homemade baby food adventures.
  • Parenting Tips: Learn strategies to navigate the joys and challenges of introducing solid foods to your little one.

Weaning your baby onto solid foods is a significant milestone, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. Whether you choose baby-led weaning, purees, or homemade foods, the key is to provide a nourishing and loving environment for your child’s culinary journey. Stay tuned for the release of “Nurturing: A Comprehensive Guide to Introducing Solid Foods for Optimal Infant Development” on Amazon, where you’ll find a wealth of information and guidance to make this journey smooth and enjoyable for you and your baby.

Unraveling the Hidden Influence: Maternal Nutrition and Offspring Health Outcomes

Unraveling the Hidden Influence: Maternal Nutrition and Offspring Health Outcomes

Introduction:

The journey of pregnancy is a transformative phase in a woman’s life, and the impact of maternal health on the well-being of the next generation is profound. It’s not just about nurturing the mother’s health; it’s about shaping the future of the child. My recent thesis, conducted as part of my Master’s in Integrative Nutrition, delves deep into the intricate relationship between maternal nutrition and the health outcomes of offspring. In this blog post, I’ll take you on a journey through the fascinating insights I’ve uncovered, highlighting the importance of maternal well-being for the generations to come.

The Significance of Maternal Nutrition:

The saying “you are what you eat” takes on a whole new meaning when we consider its implications for a developing fetus. Maternal nutrition plays a pivotal role in determining the future health of the offspring. I examined an array of studies to understand how factors like maternal diet, nutrient intake, and even genetic variations can influence gene expression, epigenetic modifications, and eventually, long-term health outcomes.

Revealing Findings:

A husband talking paternal nutrition with his wife

One of the most remarkable discoveries was the link between maternal vitamin B12 levels and the risk of metabolic disorders in offspring. Low vitamin B12 levels were associated with altered adipogenesis and insulin metabolism, emphasizing the crucial role of this vitamin in ensuring a healthy start for the next generation. Similarly, adherence to the Mediterranean diet during pregnancy showed positive associations with reduced childhood adiposity, blood pressure, and leptin levels, suggesting long-term metabolic benefits for the offspring.

Genetic Parameters and Offspring Health:

Genes provide a blueprint for life, and understanding their influence on maternal-fetal interactions is a key aspect of my research. I explored studies that revealed how genetic variants associated with gestational diabetes risk impact both maternal health conditions and offspring health outcomes. Enduring changes in DNA methylation due to prenatal exposure to famine were also unveiled, showcasing the lasting epigenetic effects of early-life nutritional exposures.
Compound Exposures and Epigenetic Regulation: The environment in which a fetus develops is as crucial as the genetic code it inherits. My research uncovered the intricate interplay between maternal compound exposures and epigenetic regulation in placental and fetal liver tissues. This revelation shed light on the underlying molecular mechanisms that influence gene expression patterns and contribute to long-lasting health effects in offspring.

Implications and Beyond:

The implications of my thesis are far-reaching. The findings provide essential insights for public health policies, clinical practices, and future research directions. By focusing on maternal nutrition, health interventions can be tailored to promote optimal well-being for both mothers and children. Precision medicine approaches offer exciting possibilities, enabling early risk assessment and targeted interventions based on individual genetic parameters.

Conclusion:

A pregnant woman considering maternal nutrition

As I conclude this blog post, I invite you to ponder the significance of maternal nutrition and its far-reaching effects. It’s not just about nurturing the health of mothers; it’s about securing a healthier future for generations to come. My thesis has illuminated the profound impact of maternal nutrition on offspring health outcomes, and I’m excited to contribute to the growing body of knowledge in this vital field. Through continued research and a collaborative approach, we can ensure that every child receives the best possible start in life through their mother’s nourishment.

If you’re interested in learning more about my thesis or have any questions, feel free to reach out! Your feedback and engagement are invaluable as we strive to make a positive impact on the world of maternal and child health.

And if you’re ready to take charge of your own health journey, I invite you to book a consultation for my personalized nutrition services. Together, we can work towards a healthier future for you and your family.

How to Have a Natural Pregnancy (Part 2)

This is part two of a two-part article. See part 1 here.

We began our discussion of natural pregnancy by considering how to choose a medical provider.  We then touched upon which ultrasounds and scans are necessary, as well as things to consider when conceiving later in life. You’re probably not surprised to learn that there is much more to the topic.

Preventing Group B Strep (GBS) Infection

Approximately 25% of women carry a bacteria called Group B Strep (GBS), which lives in the vagina or rectum. When pregnant, there is potential for the mother to pass the disease to the newborn during delivery. 1 in 2,000 babies will be affected, which can create serious or life-threatening complications.

Screening for GBS takes place between weeks 35 to 37.

Today’s conventional modern approach to medicine consists of giving women intravenous antibiotics that kill the B strep bacteria in the birth canal if they test positive. The antibiotics do kill the GBS bacteria.  Unfortunately, the drug can’t single out only harmful bacteria. It effectively kills all bacteria in the birth canal. This removes essential bacteria designed to boost your baby’s immune system, help absorb nutrients, promote good digestive health, and produce vitamins.

In a natural approach to pregnancy, I recommend beginning to inoculate the birth canal with probiotics at week 30. This can be done by upping consumption of fermented foods such as yogurt, sauerkraut, and by adding raw garlic to the diet.

Should a client test positive for GBS, I have herbal protocol to rid the body of the bacterial infection without completely compromising gut and vaginal flora. Every protocol for GBS is followed by a flora restoring phase.

Request the initial screening between weeks 32-35, so you have time for a retest if you do test positive.

Addressing Gestational Diabetes

Your baby doesn’t run on the typical three meals a day schedule we all are accustomed to. Instead, your baby will pull nutrients from the body throughout the entire day and night. To prepare for this, your body goes through a natural metabolic shift, which includes some level of insulin resistance. The alteration ensures that there are enough nutrients for the baby through long periods when you can’t eat, at night, for example.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that 9.2% of pregnant women suffer from gestational diabetes. Often, these women had no blood sugar issues prior to pregnancy.

There are ways to prevent and minimize the impact of gestational diabetes, such as maintaining a healthy weight, exercising, and eating a healthy diet. If you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, it’s essential to work with a nutritionist to create and implement a diet that helps maintain healthy blood sugar levels.

For more information on gestational diabetes, check out my five-part series covering everything from testing to measuring your levels to managing with diet.

Creating a Nutrient-Rich Environment

Your baby is built from the food you eat, digest and assimilate.

Take a moment to consider this. Can you name all the ingredients from the foods you’ve eaten recently? If you were to read the labels, would you be able to pronounce every ingredient?

Your baby is nourished by the foods you eat and is, unfortunately, exposed to everything, toxins and all. It’s important to ensure that you are giving your baby the most nourishing elements from which to grow. This means eliminating highly processed foods, trans fatty acids, man made concoctions, and introducing clean, unprocessed, organic foods.

Here I outline different diet adjustments to make when working to increase fertility. Luckily, they are the same guidelines that you can follow when nourishing your unborn baby.

Exercising, Resting, and Managing Stress

Exercise is a crucial component of a healthy pregnancy.

Women who regularly exercise prior to pregnancy can continue with their pre-pregnancy workout routines, adjusting the intensity to what feels comfortable. If you’re new to exercise, start slowly and build according to your midwife’s recommendations. It is also important to choose an activity that you enjoy, so that working out does not become a burden.

Meditation is a fantastic tool during pregnancy, which gives you the ability to quiet your mind, opening an opportunity to listen to your body. There are few more effective ways to be in tune with all the changes you are undergoing. It’s also magical to listen to the little heartbeat. Benefits of meditation include sleeping better, and reducing stress.

In today’s hectic world it can be tempting to try to finish everything before the baby comes. This can mean long workweeks, late nights, and large-scale projects to prepare for the baby. This increase of activity, stress, and busywork is the opposite of what the body needs.

Your body needs rest.

Rest gives the body the platform to gain strength. We all underestimate the physical changes the body undergoes during pregnancy, particularly in the final weeks prior to birth. Maintaining a low stress environment coupled with a good night’s sleep can help your body adapt to the changes brought on by pregnancy.

Out of all the elements that I teach, this was the most challenging for me to implement during my pregnancy. I understand the urge to put in 50-hour workweeks, knocking out as many work-related projects as possible. While it may not be easy, rest is extremely important to a healthy pregnancy.

Listen to your body. Rest when you need to.

Controlling your Environment

Living a natural pregnancy isn’t limited to diet. It also requires evaluating the chemicals with which your skin comes in contact. When you take a serious look at all the items that touch your skin throughout the day, such as soaps, water, and shampoos, you may be alarmed at all the things you are exposing your body.

Switching to organic products helps eliminate unwanted toxins. See my full guide of items to look out for in my guide to “Household Items to Watch Out For.” Many will surprise you.

Defining Your Pregnancy

In reality, these two articles only scratch the surface. Between chemicals and toxins in our food supply and an overzealous medical institution, there is a lot for an expectant mother to ponder.

I am here to help you find your way.

Schedule a free 15-minute consultation today to see how beneficial my Baby Bumps package can be for you.

 

How to Have a Natural Pregnancy

This is part one of a two-part series.

Some people might find the term “natural pregnancy” perplexing. Perhaps you are asking, “Aren’t all pregnancies natural?”

You are right. Pregnancy is a natural process. Yet, many things have changed since that very first woman brought a baby to her arms centuries ago. While we’ve enjoyed countless advancements in medicine, many modern practices for monitoring a pregnancy have veered from a natural path, becoming unnecessary and or even invasive.

For expectant moms who want to preserve the beauty of a more natural pregnancy and birth, there are many different routes. It starts with educating yourself on the options you have as well as choosing providers who prioritize a more natural approach to medicine. Knowing more about your options and leveraging the power of a healthy diet lessens the need for unnecessary medical intervention.

As you are charting your journey to motherhood, here are the main areas to focus on:

Choosing Your Medical Providers

As with any service providers, you will encounter medical providers who align closer with your values. If your goal is to have a pregnancy less dependent on medical intervention, then it’s important to choose providers who operate a more naturally inclined practice.

In America, we have a much higher rate of C-sections than other countries. While there are times that this procedure is warranted, too many providers default to a cesarean birth out of convenience or due to a hospital policy that favors intervention. In 1965, the US had a 4.5% rate of cesarean birth. Fast-forward to today and that rate is closer to 32%. Bottom line: healthy, low-risk pregnancies are ending in unnecessary surgery. While hospitals are becoming more tolerant of surgeries, it’s an incredibly invasive procedure that should not be taken lightly.

When choosing your maternity ward, evaluate their practices around birth, labor, and postnatal intervention. Choosing a hospital with a lower incidence of intervention will give you a better chance at a traditional delivery.

Ultrasounds and Scans

Expecting parents eagerly anticipate the day they can see their little one on screen. We’ve grown to expect a snapshot of the moment shared on social media shortly after the pregnancy announcement.

While this moment truly captures parents’ hearts, what is going on behind the scenes?

The short answer is heat and sound. The technology behind the ultrasound sends in sound waves through the placenta to capture the image of the growing fetus. These waves have been shown to increase the temperature surrounding the baby. Increased temperature can lead to neurodevelopmental defects. Some studies suggest the possibility of birth defects related to the rise in temperature. That’s why the FDA and professional medical associations strongly advise against ultrasounds for creating keepsakes.

The ultimate goal of the ultrasound is to monitor the baby’s progress. Luckily, there are additional ways to accomplish this. In fact, many healthy women only have two scans throughout their entire term. These screening tests help identify any genetic abnormalities or conditions that parents should be concerned about.

For healthy women, I recommend two scans:

NT Nuchal Translucency Scan:

Done between 11 and 14 weeks, this test assesses the likelihood of the baby having Down syndrome. This test is performed using standard ultrasound equipment. During the test, the sonographer will also measure your baby to date your pregnancy.

MaterniT21

This blood test screens for Down’s syndrome as well as chromosome abnormalities and sex chromosome abnormalities. It is done between weeks 10 and 14. The results from this non-invasive screening are 99% accurate for detecting Down’s syndrome and a 91% accuracy for detecting the other abnormalities. False positives are less than 1%.

Scans to Be Aware Of

Chorionic villus sampling (CVS) and amniocentesis are two dangerous tests that some professionals still use today. Each test gives a more accurate assessment on the baby’s likelihood of Down syndrome, yet can cause a miscarriage.

Note: There are times and situations that merit the need for several ultrasounds and other scans throughout the pregnancy. Mothers who are suffering from placenta previa, have gestational diabetes, have an autoimmune disease, or have other characteristics of a high-risk pregnancy will need more in depth monitoring.

Conceiving Later in Life  

Having a child later in life does not necessarily mean that you are at higher risk. I have worked with women in their 20s who are far less healthy than women conceiving in their 30s.

Yet traditional hospitals and providers typically label women over 35 as geriatric, which means that they adopt several high-risk practices throughout the pregnancy regardless of health. Higher risk approaches involver higher levels of intervention.

More scans. More tests. Less natural.

Particularly if you are conceiving later in life, I recommend working with a qualified midwife. A midwife will evaluate your health and that of your growing baby when approaching your care and advise you on your options throughout the process. Rather than turning to consistent scans, a midwife will monitor the baby’s health by checking the heart rate with an external fetal heart rate monitor.

Continuing the Conversation

This is part one of a two-part, in-depth look at adopting a more natural pregnancy. Join me next month as I continue the conversation with inoculating the birth canal, gestational diabetes, and important measures to take at home.

For action items to implement now check out my recent post, “Expecting? Lifestyle Changes You Need to Make Today.

In today’s society, it can be overwhelming to make all the necessary changes to enjoy a natural and nourishing pregnancy. From the medical world pursuing invasive methods to toxins being introduced to our food, it is a lot to try and tackle all at once.

If you are looking for support throughout the journey, schedule a free fifteen-minute consultation today. Together, we can review different steps you can start now toward ensuring you have the healthiest pregnancy possible.

Preparing to Conceive: Diet Changes to Boost Fertility

If the joys of motherhood are beckoning, now is the time to start preparing the body to conceive. Carrying your baby is a beautiful experience. You and your husband will create a life, and then that life will grow within you for nine whole months.

What the body can accomplish never ceases to amaze.

In order to become pregnant and create the most nourishing environment for your baby, it’s important to make several changes today. Parents realize the importance of the first several years for cognitive development. Too often we discount the power of the first nine months.

You control the environment that your baby will start their life in. Research shows the importance of the nine months in the womb for development. A baby’s brain and nervous system are some of the first systems to start developing. Your body’s relationship with your growing baby is so strong that your baby’s taste buds are even influenced by what you eat during pregnancy.

Giving your baby the most nourishing environment starts prior to conception. Luckily, the same steps we take to create that environment also increase fertility and your chances at becoming pregnant.

While your diet should be tailored to your unique chemical makeup, here are several diet basics that are universal.

 

It Takes Two to Tango

Too often when we talk about infertility, we isolate our focus on women. Your partner’s health plays equally into conception. As the old saying goes, “It takes two to tango.” Your child will be built from 50% of your DNA, and 50% from your partner’s genetic makeup.

While you are working to establish foundational health, ensure that your husband’s health is accounted for as well. I’ve often worked with couples where the woman is taking every measure to increase fertility where her husband maintains a processed diet, decreased physical exercise, or detrimental activities such as frequent hot tub use.

You can do everything in your power to prepare your womb to conceive, but if the sperm doesn’t have the gusto to make it, you will be facing another month of infertility.

Preparing for conception is something you both need to commit to in order to make the healthiest baby possible.

 

Quit Caffeine

Caffeine is a stimulant. That’s why so many Americans clutch to their java to kick start their day. As a stimulant, caffeine increases your heart rate and blood rate.

Not ideal for preparing the body to conceive.

While some experts suggest limiting caffeine to 150 milligrams per day (the equivalent of a 12oz cup of coffee) or less, it’s best to completely cut it out if you can. Stimulants aren’t ideal for nourishing the body.

In addition, the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology released a study citing that caffeine consumption of 200mg  per day or more increased likelihood of miscarriage compared to those who didn’t consume caffeine. Other reports, such as one by Epidemiology, didn’t conclude there was an increased risk.

While the scientific world finalizes their findings, it’s much better to be on the safer, caffeine-free side of the equation.

 

Remove Processed Gluten

There are countless unexplained causes for infertility. Studies looking into potential reasons have started to pinpoint gluten as one of the roadblocks to conceiving. A Prospective Study cited that 5.6% of patients struggling to conceive were suffering from undiagnosed Celiac Disease.

Whether or not you have untreated Celiac Disease, removing gluten for 4-6 months can help alert the body to start conceiving. Creating a baby primarily utilizes fats and proteins. There is little starch involved in the process. By altering your diet to provide more ample resources for growing a baby, you signal the body that it’s time to prepare for pregnancy. When the body starts preparing, it helps to increase the likelihood of conceiving.

 

Eliminate Trans Fatty Acids

It’s not news that trans fatty acids are detrimental to our health. Despite the warnings, the mainstream adoption of foods such as doughnuts, cookies, muffins, fries, and more continues. I recommend completely removing all sources from your diet immediately. Not only are they a hindrance to getting pregnant, a study that followed 104 girls on their 25 year journey to adulthood noted that increased amounts of trans fatty acids was independently associated with an increased risk of having at least one miscarriage.

The deep fat, fried foods aren’t worth the risk.

If you’re worried about removing some of your favorite flavors from your weekly routine, consider homemade options. Often you are able to use substitutes that keep flavor but remove trans fatty acids.

 

Increase the Healthy Fats

As mentioned, babies are primarily made from protein and fat. This means you need to increase your healthy fat consumption. Additionally, sex hormones are made primarily out of fatty acids. Low-fat diets limit the production of sex hormones.

Here are several healthy fat sources you can build into your diet:

  • Coconut oil,
  • Whole milk and cream,
  • Egg yolks,
  • Full fat cheeses,
  • Salmon,
  • Dark chicken meats,
  • 80-85% lean ground beef,
  • Nuts and seeds.
  • Avocados

Especially with fat sources, it’s very important to choose organic. Nature stores nutrients in fat cells. When we choose food sources that have been exposed to chemicals, pesticides, and other harmful substances, the toxins are stored in the fat.

 

Alter Special Diets

Many women I work with choose to follow vegetarian or vegan diets. When done properly, these diets can be incredibly rewarding for the body.

It’s important to know that your vegetarian diet for daily living and the vegetarian diet for an expecting mother are different.

Even if you are consuming the necessary nutrients from your diet today, the needs of your baby will alter the way the body uses resources. Particularly in specialized diets, it’s essential to evaluate your needs and adjust consumption to meet the new nutritional needs.

 

Underscoring Importance of Nutrition

It’s almost a daily occurrence that someone mentions that as humans, we have been conceiving since the dawn of time. Why then, would they need to work with a nutritionist on something as natural as childbirth?

The reason is that there is currently an epidemic in society, particularly in America.

While childbirth may be a natural part of life, diseases such as ADHD, diabetes, and pediatric depression occur when the components of the body are not in unison. In short, it’s a chemical alteration and not a natural one. Many of these diseases are directly related to the toxins that we put in our bodies.

In the United States, we are one of the richest countries in the world, yet we see the highest incident of ADHD, autism, and other development disorders.

It stems from our Standard American Diet (SAD) and the unnatural modifications that we have made to our food in the last several decades. The food we eat is no longer the nourishing sources that we put into our bodies decades ago. Rather, it fills our systems with toxins that alter our chemical makeup.

We also see the impacts in couples struggling to conceive. The CDC states that, “12% of women 15–44 years of age in the United States have difficulty getting pregnant or carrying a pregnancy to term.”

What was once a very natural process now sees countless barriers.

Working with me, we can return pregnancy to the more natural process that nature intended. It starts with the food you use to nourish your body with. Contact me today to schedule your free, fifteen-minute consultation. Together, we can put you on the road to conceiving.

Expecting? Lifestyle Changes You Need to Make Today

Throughout the entire pregnancy, your body is going to go through remarkable changes to grow your baby. All of the systems of your body work together to account for your second little heartbeat. From an increased respiratory rate to increasing blood volume to hormone adjustments, the body accomplishes remarkable feats during pregnancy.

If you have been following the Standard American Diet (SAD) and related lifestyle, you are going to need to go through adjustments to give your body the best tools to do what it’s designed to do: nourish your baby. In America, our typical diet is filled with toxins and chemicals harmful to a growing fetus. You need to work to remove those sources and replace them with nourishing food.

Typically, when clients are looking to conceive, we start slowly adding in the changes to your lifestyle. If you are already pregnant, there isn’t time to take a slow approach. These are lifestyle changes you need to make today.

 

Cleaning Out the Pantry

Any item that has words you can’t understand in the ingredients goes in the garbage bin. If you need a chemistry degree to figure out what an ingredient is, it has no place in your body. Remember, your baby pulls nutrients from everything you put in your body. Potassium chloride and artificial coloring don’t sound very healthful.

Trust me. Those complex, unpronounceable ingredients aren’t nourishing you or your baby.

I recommend moving to a whole food diet, eliminating all packaged foods. That doesn’t always work for every client. If you need packaged options in your diet, only choose items with no more than six ingredients. Make sure you can pronounce and identify all of them. A good rule of thumb is to have 6 grams of protein and no more than 5 grams of sugar per serving in all packaged items that make it into your pantry.

 

Purchasing Organic

From covering our produce with pesticides to feeding our meat supply hormones, fresh foods that look amazing may be very harmful. Opt for organic to ensure that you are selecting nourishing food void of chemicals.

I understand that not everyone has the budget to switch to a completely organic whole food diet. If it’s not in the budget, you can prioritize items. First, any animal fat product, such as butter or milk, needs to be organic. The body stores toxins it can’t eliminate in the fat tissue. When you take that fat byproduct off the shelf, you are selecting a cocktail of pesticides and chemicals the animal ingested and stored.

Skip the cocktail and go organic.

This also goes for meat. If you can’t afford organic meat, choose lean cuts to eliminate toxin reserves. Although, if organic meat makes it into the budget, feel free to enjoy the fattier selection. In absence of hormones and other harmful substances, organically raised animals store extra nutrients in their fat.

To prioritize your other organic purchases, check out the free EWG Dirty Dozen resource outlining which foods receive the most pesticides during production.

 

Exercise

Moms who exercise during pregnancy give birth to babies with healthier hearts. In fact, new studies indicate that exercise during pregnancy might be one of the best ways to improve heart health after birth.

In truth, there are many benefits to consistent exercise (as long as you don’t have a medical condition limiting exercise). If you were an active person before getting pregnant, continue with your favorite workout routines. Just make sure to not over exercise.

If you love being in the outdoors hiking and despise being locked in the gym, don’t switch to the gym. Exercise in a manner that brings you joy. If you weren’t super active before, we can work on some simple exercise programs that ease you into a regular fitness routine.

 

Sleep

It may come as surprise, but it’s not just about how much sleep you get. It’s also important when you are sleeping.

Most of my clients get seven to eight hours of sleep a night but don’t go to bed until midnight or later. You are shortchanging the body of needed rejuvenating cycles that typically happen between 10pm and midnight. We all sleep in cycles. The first cycle is a deep relaxing sleep. Here the brain actually slows down and focuses on restoration. The second cycle, REM, quickens the pace from the first cycle. Here you experience the vivid dream sleep.

While these cycles are trigged in part based on when you go to sleep, the body has a natural rhythm influenced by daylight as well. When you alter that natural rhythm, you won’t enjoy the full benefits of your most restful sleep.

Going to bed by ten matches that natural rhythm unlocking all the benefits of restful sleep.

 

Evolving World

The world has changed a lot over the last several decades. In many ways, while we have made drastic advancements in treating scary diseases and extending life, the majority of “advancements” we made with our food and even some medicines have not been beneficial to our health. More so than ever we need to be intimately aware of what we put in our bodies. What may look nourishing at first glance could be causing serious damage on the inside.

When you are expecting, that is not a chance you should take.

Sadly, these toxins extend beyond our food and water supply. Check out my article on Household Items to Watch Out for to eliminate the most prevalent chemicals and toxins from your home.

Likely you are feeling a little overwhelmed at the whole process. I’m not going to sugarcoat it; this is a lot of work. But cleansing the body and creating a nourishing space to grow your baby is the most rewarding act you can do.

When you hold your sweet baby in nine months, you will know that you did everything in your power to ensure they had the best environment to grow up in.

If you are ready to commit to change today and want a supportive guide to help you throughout the process, contact me today. Together, we can build healthy practices into your life, eliminate harmful toxins, and start nourishing the body with the foods best suited to your specific chemical makeup.

Schedule your free 15-minute consultation here.

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