Eating For a Healthy Pregnancy

Personal training, Training programme, pre-natal exercise

If you are pregnant or about to conceive now is the time to start thinking about what you eat. Optimum nutrition during pregnancy indisputably leads to healthier babies and healthier mothers. While the need for calories only goes up 200 calories in the last trimester, the need for certain nutrients increases between 30-100%: more protein, calcium and magnesium and phosphorus are needed for cells which are rapidly dividing; more iron and B vitamins are needed for the expanding blood supply; double the amount of folic acid is needed as the baby's central nervous system develops. At this time, more than ever therefore, it is important to ensure that the food you eat is as nutrient dense as possible.

Foods to increase

1. Sources of essential fats - Aim to eat oily fish three times per week (tuna, mackerel, sardines, salmon) and a tablespoon of mixed seeds daily (pumpkin, sesame, sunflower and linseed). Essential fats are important for foetal brain development (70% of the brain is made of essential fats). Research also shows that essential fats are not only important for your baby's brain development, but they can also help prevent low-birth weight and decrease the risk of premature birth. Avoid hydrogenated vegetable oils found in margarines and processed food and saturated fats (found in red meat and dairy), which interfere with the body's utilisation of essential fats.
2. Water - Drink at least 2 litres of water daily. Chose bottled water over tap water if possible. Consider the installation of a water filter.
3. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables - Ideally 3 -5 portions of fruit and 3 -5 of vegetables each day. They are a good source of antioxidants, nutrients and fibre (which helps the common pregnancy problem of constipation).
4. Increase your protein intake - Protein is important for growth, mood and mental-well-being and detoxification. In particular, chose the vegetarian sources of protein such as pulses, soya, rice and seeds as well as poultry and fish. These sources are high in protein but low in saturated fats, which could contribute to unnecessary weight-gain. Try to eat protein with each snack or meal to balance blood sugar, helping energy levels and morning sickness.
5. Increase consumption of Zinc - Deficiencies are related to low birth weight babies and susceptibility to stretch marks. Zinc works together with the vitamin B6, which may help combat morning sickness. Zinc is found in leafy and root vegetables, meat, poultry, lamb, seafood, seeds and wholegrains.
6. Complex carbohydrates - Choosing complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, wholemeal bread, whole-wheat pasta, over the white, refined carbohydrate will help balance blood sugar, avoid cravings and supply even energy throughout the day, also helping symptoms of morning sickness.
7. Eat three servings of calcium-rich foods - Calcium is important for bone and teeth formation and for nerve impulse and blood clotting. Calcium absorption from the diet does increase during pregnancy. Milk and dairy products are not necessarily the best forms of absorbable calcium so try to include some non-dairy sources too, such as spring greens and sardines.

Calcium sources include:
Whitebait (100g) - 850mg
Milk (semi-skimmed) (300ml) - 350mg
Cheddar (50g) - 350 mg
Sardines (70g) - 350 mg
Pinto beans (200g) - 250mg
Spring greens (100g) - 180mg
Tofu (100g) - 180mg
Sesame seeds (20g) - 150mg

Foods to decrease/avoid

1. Reduce intake of anti-nutrients - for example sugar, caffeine and alcohol serve no nutritional role in the body and deplete the body of vital nutrients. The tannins in tea can also have a negative effect as they interfere with iron uptake from foods by up to 70%. Phytates in wheatbran can also limit the uptake of minerals (such as calcium, iron, and zinc), so it is best to concentrate on eating other grains such as porridge oats, millet and buckwheat. Also it is worth being aware that though leafy green vegetables are healthy to include in your pregnancy diet, oxalates found in spinach and kale can limit mineral absorption from meals, so vary your intake.
2. Avoid environmental toxins - Reduce exposure to xenooestrogens by limiting your intake of food in plastic packaging and drinking bottled/filtered water. Infections can be minimised by avoiding soft-cheeses and raw meats, washing pre-prepared salad, cooking poultry thoroughly and avoiding raw eggs. Un-pasteurised milk, shellfish and raw fish should also be avoided.
3. Minimise exposure to pesticides by buying organic where possible and always carefully washing vegetables and fruit.

Research News

Cod-liver oil during Pregnancy Makes Babies Smarter

Pediatrics 2003; 111:39-44

Women who take fish oils during pregnancy and the first 3 months of breast-feeding are likely to have more intelligent children, according to a study published in Pediatrics. This report adds to a growing body of evidence that dietary intake of a specific fatty acid present in fish oils (DHA) is needed to promote optimal brain development. This omega-3 fatty acid can be manufactured from its precursor molecule, alpha-linolenic acid (found in linseeds, hemp seeds and pumpkin seeds) however, most of us are not eating enough of these foods and even if we do it is not clear that infants have the capability to manufacture as much DHA as their rapidly developing nervous system needs.

For those who are not breast-feeding it may be prudent to add DHA to formula milk, if it has not already been included.

Totalbeing Comment: This research is not a surprise as there is now overwhelming evidence for the benefits of DHA on foetal brain development - however because of the concerns of vitamin A toxicity and some fish oils recently being found contaminated with mercury, we suggest that you chose a DHA supplement rather than using the whole fish oil.

Focus on Food

Morning Sickness Breakfast!
One of the key factors in managing morning sickness is keeping blood sugar levels even, therefore it is good to start the day with a form of complex carbohydrate such as oats, which will give you sustained energy until lunch. Vitamin B6 has also been shown to have therapeutic effects when suffering from morning sickness as it helps clear excess oestrogen from the body. Ginger is a traditional remedy for morning sickness and can be beneficial if taken throughout the day.

Porridge oats with raspberries, banana and sunflower seeds - Oats will help balance blood sugar; the fruit is packed with important antioxident nutrients and the seeds are a good source of vitamin B6 (as well as zinc which is often deficient in pregnancy). Make the porridge with milk or a milk substitute such as rice or soya milk.

Lemon and ginger herbal tea - either use commercial herbal tea bags or grate the ginger and simmer in boiling water for 10 minutes

Exercising while pregnant

At Bodydoctor we do not recommend beginning a new training programme when pregnant. We recommend light cardio such as walking, swimming and pre-natal yoga. Please consult your doctor and a personal trainer before beginning any new exercise when pregnant.

Information in this nutrition update is provided by Amanda Moore (BSC (hons) Dip ION mBANT) at Totalbeing +44 (0) 845 658 5658. www.totalbeing.com.

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