Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy Kaldas ... · Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy Kaldas Center 4 P re-pregnancy, or the time you’re trying to

Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy | Kaldas Center i

Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy | Kaldas Center

00 Introduction 1

01 Healthy Eating Before Pregnancy 3

02 Healthy Eating During Pregnancy 14

03 Healthy Eating After Pregnancy 23

04 Happy & Healthy Eating 32

Table of Contents

1Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy | Kaldas Center

The Kaldas Center & Nutritional Healing, LLC partnered to create this guide for healthy and nutritious eating before, during, and after pregnancy. Both organizations wanted to create a resource for nutri-tional eating during pregnancy they could share with their patients and clients.

They soon realized that each other’s organization has valuable information and that collaborating would create a powerful and complete guide to pregnancy nutrition. It was the perfect match.

Introducton

In this eBook, you’ll find information on:

• Fertility Snacks • How Much Water You Should Drink • Core Principles of a Healthy Lifestyle • Lots of information and visuals to help • Debunking Pregnancy Eating Myths you digest and use what you learn! • Tips for Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy | Kaldas Center 2

We hope you find this resource easy to digest and helpful at every stage of pregnancy. Both The Kaldas Center and Nutritional Healing, LLC welcome any questions or comments.

Happy Reading!

The Kaldas Center Team & Nutritional Healing, LLC Team


Pre-pregnancy, or the time you’re trying to conceive, is a great time to build healthy eating habits for pregnancy and beyond!

10 Foods That Increase Fertility and Libido in Women

1. Seaweed Seaweed is packed with nutrients that help enrich the liver, kidneys, bladder, and adrenals which are organs vital to fertility health.

2. Salmon Salmon is full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids which are proven to regulate blood flow to the reproductive organs.

3. Figs Figs have been believed to increase fertility since the time of Ancient Greeks, and now we have scientific evidence. Figs contain a lot of iron, which are important for healthy eggs and ovulation.


4. Oysters Oysters have been known to increase libido, but oysters can also be a great source for fertility because they are packed with zinc, which increases the production of good-quality eggs.

5. Berries Any kind of berries are good at protecting eggs from damage and aging because they are full of antioxidants. Strawberries have been linked to naturally increasing a woman’s libido.

6. Beans Beans are a lean protein and are full of iron, which helps to increase fertility and libido. Low iron levels can result in anovulation, which is when ovulation does not produce a healthy egg.

7. Leafy Greens Dark leafy greens such as spinach, romaine, arugula, and broccoli are high in folate, a B vitamin that has been shown to improve ovulation. Leafy greens also naturally increase a woman’s libido.


8. Maca Root Maca root increases fertility in men and women by increasing energy, boosting the immune system, and providing vital minerals and nutrients. Maca Root is packed with iron and iodine.

9. Yams Research shows yams have an ovulation stimulating substance that can help boost fertility.

10. Vegetables and Fruits Eating up to three servings a day of fresh fruits and vegetables is important for any diet, but especially important when trying to conceive.

Download the printable resource!


Core Principles of a Healthy Lifestyle

ColorfulInclude a rainbow of fresh foods, herbs and spices for phytonutrient complexity.

Incorporating a variety of colorful, whole vegetables and fruits as well as legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices widens the body’s exposure to a broad spectrum of health-promotes messag-es from plant compounds called phytonutrients. Phytonutrients give plants their allure – vibrant colors, extraordinary flavors, tantalizing fragrances and texture. In the body phytonutrients help nourish and protect similar to essential vitamins and minerals. Eating a diet rich in color helps the body with nu-merous vital functions including immune system function, blood sugar balance, heart health, healthy aging, stress tolerance, vision, and bone integrity.

Low Glycemic “Glycemic” refers to blood sugar. When eating glycemic-conscious means selecting foods that help to balance blood sugar levels. Reducing the amount of high-glycemic foods can dramatically affect the way you feel and the food choices you make. High-glycemic (typically sugary or more processed carbohydrates) cause a quick rise in blood sugar causing a spike in energy followed by a “crash” that leaves you tired and hungry for more sweet foods this cycle which can occur is often referred to the vicious cookie cycle. Those extra calories that are consumed exceed your daily energy demand will


eventually make their way into storage as fat.

Portion Size We live in a “supersize” it society. The majority of people are eating more than what we need to, which translates into excess calories that may eventually be stored as fat. Making a visual of what appropriate servings look like on a plate or in relation to your hand can help to gauge a suggested serving when a measuring device isn’t present, particularly when dining away from home.

Timing & Frequency Breakfast is really the most important meal. Eating within the first 30 to 60 minutes of waking to “break the fast” after a night’s sleep. When meals are skipped the body releases a hormone that may result in

Animal Proteins(meat, poultry, fish)

Center of palm = 1 serving

Fruits/Vegetables/Legumes(apple, broccoli, kidney beans)

Closed fist = 1 serving

Oils(olive oil)

Thumb = 1 serving


muscle loss instead of fat, this hormone also promotes fat storage. Overeating at the next meal is also a typical response after a meal or snack is skipped. Eating every 3 to 4 hours which typically means 3 meals and 2 snacks during the day is best to help keep energy level and blood sugar consistent. Keeping a schedule for meal is important, because if you wait until you’re hungry to eat, you might be tempted to eat more than you should. Listening to your body is key, some people like an afternoon snack to fend off boredom or give them fuel for a pre-dinner workout. Likewise, some people may like more of a “big” meal for breakfast while other prefer something lighter and quicker in the morning. Plan the timing of your meals and snacks ac-cording to your preference, just remember just don’t skip breakfast!

BalancedInclude a healthy ratio of lean proteins, quality carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

Protein is important to support healthy muscles and bones, as well as to help make important enzymes and hormones that are involved in digestion, metabolism, and tissue growth and repair. Proteins are digested slower in the body, they help you feel fuller longer.

Not all carbohydrates are bad. Whole, plant-based foods provide complex carbohydrates in the form of fiber. Complex carbohydrates take longer for the body to digest than simple sugars helping to pro-


vide the sensation of fullness.

Eating healthy fats and eliminating processed foods rich saturated fats, synthetic trans fats, and refined sugars can help to improve blood sugar, insulin sensitivity and help address inflammation.

Whole and Fresh FoodsMinimally processed foods, such as produce, nuts, and selected whole grains. Purchase organic fruits and vegetables and antibiotic/hormone-free proteins.

Since your body is approximately 70% water it’s vital to how your body functions. When too little water is consumed a hormone called aldosterone is triggered which signals cells to conserve every molecule of water and sodium it can. Water retention can intensify with hormone imbalance or if protein intake is too low. Drinking adequate amounts of water will also help your body work most efficiently.

Mindful Sometimes eating can be a mindless activity- a routine that frees you up to do other things. Eating for some is something you forget about until hunger stops you in your tracks. Or eating could be an unpleasant experience, particularly if you’ve ever been overly restricted that may have felt more like a punishment. Or the food you eat – or eating in general – makes you feel uncomfortable. Eating and


preparing meals should feel adventuresome and pleasurable. You can achieve this by developing a greater connection with you food by understanding the benefits it can provide and by being “present” when you eat. Mindfulness is paying attention to how you feel emotionally and physically in relation to your food choices. With practice, mindfulness cultivates the possibility of freeing yourself of poor, reactive habitual patterns like unknowingly eating a whole bag of chips in front of the TV. This connec-tion and awareness can help you savor meals and control how much you eat. Research has shown that mindful eating can decrease binge-eating particularly in times of stress.

Creating lifelong healthy habits will help you to achieve your goals. Every journey will likely have road-blocks, detours, or unexpected curves but you are in charge to succeed. The key is to learn how to avoid pitfalls, stay focused, and pick yourself up if there’s a stumble. The rewards you seek can be yours!

Here are eight tips to place you in the driver’s seat and keep you present to how each choice you make promotes or postpones your vision and realizing your dreams.

1. Self-Monitoring – Keep a Journal Can help to clarify resistance and help to keep you accountable to stay on track


2. Create a Trigger List Figuring out what behavior or series of minor events undermines achieving your goal

3. Shop Mindfully – Read Labels Paying attention to ingredients and nutrition information is vital

4. Reward Yourself with (Non-Food) Incentives Treat yourself to a small reward for taking action on any one of your goals

5. Build a Support Network Everyone needs a safety net when trying to make a significant change because you are bound to face challenges


6. Energize the Physical Push, Push, Push

7. Get Sleep Seven to nine hours of restful sleep a night is recommended

8. Set Specific and Realistic Motivation Goals The unspoken goal is to do what you say you will do – fulfill your promise to yourself. The power is living up to your expectations. The challenge is being real. This is a creative process - the process of getting to know you! The tests work by detecting the hormone human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG for short) in your urine. A chemical in the test will change color if hCG is present.



We’ve all heard the myth “pregnancy means eating for two!” Learn more about what you can eat and drink during pregnancy!

During a healthy pregnancy a weight gain of 25-35 pounds is expected.

Here is what the breakdown of weight gain during pregnancy:

Baby: 6-8 pounds

Placenta: 2-3 pounds – helps to provide nutrients to the growing baby and remove waste products in baby’s blood

Amniotic Fluid: 2-3 pounds – fluid that surrounds and supports the growing baby

Breast Tissue: 2-3 pounds – fat stores build up and milk glands increase in size in preparation for breastfeeding

Blood Supply: 4 pounds – gives the nutrients the growing baby needs and supports the enlargement of mom’s organs during this time


Fat Stores for delivery and breastfeeding: 8-9 pounds

Uterus increase: 2-5 pounds – to accommodate the growing baby

Let’s take a look at how much should be consumed for a healthy weight gain. During the first trimester no additional calorie intake is necessary because baby is so small at this stage. However, growth is very rapid at this phase so it is essential to be consuming a healthy balanced diet for optimal development. Typically 1 to 4 pounds in total is gained during those first three months.

During the 2nd and 3rd trimesters a steady weight gain is expected, which is why an additional 300-500 calories is necessary to support baby’s development and mother’s changing body. Maximizing nutrition with those additional calories is essential. Fruits vegetables, nuts and seeds, and dairy items can provide extra calories but also essential vitamins and minerals essential for healthy growth and development.

Pregnancy is a unique time where additional vitamins and minerals are needed to optimize develop-ment. Many during this time supplement with a good quality prenatal vitamin in addition to a healthy diet to ensure they are receiving the right mixture of vitamins and minerals that the body is demand-ing at this time. Some of the vitamins and minerals in a prenatal vitamin can be challenging to in diet alone, so supplementation is a good idea.

An additional 300-500 calories is necessary to support baby’s development and mother’s changing body.


Let’s take a look at the different nutrients the body needs during this time.

Calcium Helps to build strong bones and teeth, supports muscle contraction and nerve function. Best places to find calcium are in dark, leafy greens like spinach, broccoli and kale. Dairy products like yogurt, cheese and milk also contain calcium.

Iron Helps red blood cell production, red blood cells are essential for delivering oxygen to baby.

Iron can be found in lean red meats, poultry, fish, beans like chickpeas or lentils, and nuts like pistachios or cashews.

Vitamin A Forms healthy skin and good eyesight, it also supports growing bones. Carrots, dark leafy green and sweet potatoes are all great sources of vitamin A.


Vitamin C Supports healthy gums, teeth and bones and aids in iron absorption. Foods that are good sources of vitamin C are citrus fruits, broccoli, tomatoes and strawberries.

Vitamin B6 Assists with the formation of red blood cells and helps the body to use protein, carbohydrates and fat. Vitamin B6 can commonly be found in salmon, white potato, turkey, avocado and spinach.

Vitamin B12 Helps to maintain health of the nervous system and also assists in the formation of red blood cells.

Meat, fish and poultry along with dairy products have vitamin B12. It is important that vegetarians who do not consume dairy products, must supplement with B12.


Vitamin D Supports healthy bones and teeth, can help with the absorption of calcium and activates immune system. Vitamin D is produced in the body from sunlight, supplementation of vitamin D is also recommended to achieve the right level.

Folate/Folic Acid Prevents birth defects of the spine and brain and is effective in enzyme function.

Folate is the naturally occurring in foods compared to folic acid which is the synthetic form found in fortified foods. Folate can be found in lentils, garbanzo beans, lima beans and dark leafy greens like spinach and asparagus.

Here are some great combinations of snacks that can help to achieve the additional 300-500 calories with many essential nutrients during the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.

Apples with Peanut Butter In this combo, the peanut butter contains protein which helps to satisfy hunger, adding an apple or celery along with the peanut butter can be a dynamite snack. The quality fats in peanut butter provide an extra bonus to help reduce cortisol levels and overall stress!


Hummus with Broccoli and Cauliflower Hummus is made from beans. Beans are one of the most overlooked foods in most people’s diet. Hummus also contains protein which makes them a great dip for any veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, snap peas, cucumbers or even green beans because it helps the veggies keep you fulfilled longer.

Almonds and Grapes There are many benefits of enjoying almonds for a snack. Almonds contain a healthy serving of “good” or unsaturated fats along with some fiber to aid in digestion and are also another great source of protein.

Strawberries in Greek Yogurt Having plain, unsweetened Greek yogurt and adding your own fruit like strawberries is a great mid-day pick-me-up. Adding your own fruit to plain Greek yogurt avoids all of the added and artificial sugars. You can also add Sweet Leaf Sweet drops to naturally sweeten plain yogurt with stevia for a sweet treat!

String Cheese and an Orange String cheese is a good source of protein because it contains 15 grams of protein for 2 oz. Two sticks of string cheese is just that! Adding a fruit along with the string cheese makes a great combination.

Check out Nutritional Healing’s Pinterest page for more healthy ideas and recipes!


Foods to Avoid

Alcohol Alcohol during any trimester of pregnancy can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome, a permanent disorder affecting your baby’s physical and mental development. There is also evidence that drinking alcohol during pregnancy leads to a higher chance of miscarriage. If you did drink alcohol before you knew you were pregnant, even to the point of being drunk however, don’t beat yourself up. The majority of babies are born healthy including babies of mother who drank before discovering they were pregnant.

Unpasteurized Dairy Protecting yourself against bacteria-borne diseases like listeria by eating healthy and avoiding unpas-teurized dairy products is essential.

Raw Cookie Dough & Cake BatterSorry! Don’t lick the spoon during baking or eat raw cookie dough. If the batter has raw eggs, there is a chance of Salmonella.

Here’s a recipe for edible cookie dough!

http://www.today.com/recipes/doliciously-edible-classic-chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-t34861


Raw FishYou can still enjoy sushi - just have the a california roll, smoke salmon sushi, or a dragon roll! Avoid raw or undercooked fish as there is a risk of parasites or bacteria.

How Much Water Should You Drink?

Staying well-hydrated during pregnancy will help keep you and your baby healthy! With the help of wa-ter, all those nutrients you’re consuming will be able to reach the placenta and during your baby.

How much water should you consume? The average person should consume approximately 8 eight-ounce glasses of water (depending on height and weight). The Institute of Medicine recommends pregnant women should consume approximately 12 to 13 eight-ounce glasses of water a day. That’s a lot of water!

Keep Hydrated to: • Prevent UTIs • Keep your system flushed • Prevent headaches & overheating • Minimize swelling (yes, even ankle swelling

Drinking that much water may seem daunting! Buy yourself a cute reusable water bottle to keep with you at all times. Sip on your water throughout the day. If you chug a lot of water, it may leave you feel-ing uncomfortable!

Averageperson

Pregnant Woman

8x

13x



Nutrition for Breastfeeding

Breastmilk provides the perfect nutrition for baby, but what about mom’s nutrition? You can be assured that your breastfeeding diet is in many ways similar to your pregnancy diet, with much more relaxed rules. That’s because although you are what you eat, your breast milk isn’t, so much. The basic fat-protein-carb combo of human milk isn’t directly dependent on what you eat. Even women who aren’t well fed can feed their babies well, since if a mom doesn’t consume enough nutri-ents to produce milk, her body will tap into its own stores to fuel milk production. That said, you’ll still be aiming for plenty of nutrient-dense foods and steering clear of less healthy ones.

How Many Calories Do You Need?

Just because you can make milk on a less-than-adequate diet doesn’t mean you should. The goal when you’re nursing should never be to deplete your body’s store of nutrients. That’s too risky for your short- and long-term health, and it will shortchange you on much-needed energy as well as potential-ly sabotage your milk supply. While calories definitely count, however, you won’t need to count them (unless, of course, your practitioner has recommended you do so). Milk production burns 300-500 calories a day, depending on the individual. To put this into perspective, this is the equivalent of what you’d torch on a five-mile run, all without leaving your lounge chair! As long as you stayed within your doctor’s recommended weight gain during your pregnancy and don’t have considerable fat reserves you’d like to burn, you may even need to up your intake by up to 500 more daily calories than you ate pre-pregnancy. (Just one of the many benefits of breastfeeding)!


What Should I Be Eating While Breastfeeding?

Eating healthy when you’re breastfeeding means getting a variety of nutritious food. The healthy va-riety of foods you’ve been eating all throughout pregnancy remain constant recommendations for life! Also, since a varied diet changes the taste and smell of your milk, it will expose your baby to many different flavors (so the apples, avocados or sweet potatoes you’re eating today may have your baby reaching for those foods in the future). In fact, expanding your little one’s culinary horizons well before she starts solids might even minimize the potential for pickiness.

Here’s what to aim to consume each day to ensure you’re getting the nutrients you need and offering your baby a taste for the healthy stuff early on:

Protein: 3-4 servings

Beans/Legumes: 2 servings

Vegetables & Greens: Minimum 5 servings

Starchy Vegetables: 1-2 servings

Fruit: 3-4 servings

Whole grains and complex carbohydrates: 1-2 servings

Oils: Small amounts (you don’t need as much as you did during pregnancy). 4 servings (servings = 1 tsp).


Prenatal Vitamin & Omega 3 Fish Oils: Daily to promote baby’s overall well-being, development, and brain health.

Calcium: 5 servings (or 1,500 mg—especially important since breastfeeding draws from your calcium reserves)

Iron-rich foods: 1 or more servings

Vitamin C: 2 servings

How Much Water To Drink

Aim for at least 8 cups every day — especially in the weeks after birth, since it will help your body to re-cover. To ensure you’re getting enough, a good rule of thumb is to drink a cup of water at every nurs-ing session. Keep in mind your milk supply won’t be affected unless you’re seriously dehydrated, but your urine will become darker and scanter. Not drinking enough can set you up for health issues in-cluding urinary tract infections (UTIs), constipation and fatigue. As a general rule of thumb, it is recom-mended to always be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water.

Foods To Avoid While Breastfeeding

When you’re breastfeeding, there’s a lot more that’s back on the menu than off — with a few suggested limitations:


Excessive Caffeine One or two cups of coffee, tea or soda a day won’t affect your baby (and during those early, sleep deprived months, it might be just what you need to keep going). More than that, however, may lead to both of you feeling jittery, irritable and sleepless. Also, excessive caffeine has been linked to colic and acid reflux in some babies.

High-mercury Fish The same EPA guidelines on fish safety that apply to pregnant women also apply to breastfeeding women: avoid high-mercury fish including shark, tilefish and mackerel, and limit tuna to canned white, 6 ounces per week.

High-fat Dairy and Meat Pesticides and other chemicals you should consume sparingly are stored in animals’ fat, so generally it’s best to stick to lower-fat varieties. Whenever you do opt for higher-fat dairy, poultry and meat, consider choosing organic, since producers cannot use antibiotics, growth hormones, pesticides or other chemicals.

Processed Foods As a general rule, check labels and try to avoid processed foods that contain long lists of additives. If you cannot recognize an ingredient, neither can your body, and these should certainly not be passed on to your baby.


Some Herbs Few studies have been done on the safety of herbs, so little is known how they affect a nursing baby — plus herbal supplements aren’t regulated by the FDA. To stay safe, ask your doctor before taking any herbal remedy, and think twice before drinking herbal tea or breastfeeding brews. For now, stick to reliable brands in varieties that are considered safe during lactation (orange spice, peppermint, raspberry, red bush, chamomile and rosehip). Read labels carefully to make sure other herbs haven’t been added to the brew.

Sugar Substitutes When it comes to sugar substitutes, avoid all of them whether you’re breastfeeding or not. There are plenty of healthier options such as stevia, monk fruit (Lo Han), or small amounts honey, brown rice syrup, coconut sugar, etc.

Non-organic Foods Choose organic fruits, veggies, dairy, poultry, meat, eggs and grain whenever you have the choice and can afford the usually steeper price and you’ll minimize the chemicals your baby is exposed to through your breast milk. But don’t drive yourself crazy — a small amount of pesticides and other chemicals will end up in your diet despite your best efforts, and that’s OK.


Alcohol and Breastfeeding

Looking forward to pouring a glass of wine at the end of a long day? You are now able to enjoy alco-holic beverages in moderation. While some alcohol does find its way into your breastmilk, it’s consid-erably less than what you drink. Wine, beer and hard liquor are all safe to drink while you’re nursing (in moderation, of course). A few tips:

Nurse First, Drink LaterAim to sip right after you’ve nursed rather than before, if possible, to allow a couple of hours for the alcohol to metabolize.

Aim to Limit Yourself to a Few Drinks a WeekHeavy drinking can make baby sleepy, sluggish, unresponsive and unable to suck well; in very large doses it can interfere with breathing. It can also impair your own functioning so you are less able to care for your baby, and can weaken your let-down reflex.

Test YourselfNot sure whether your milk is alcohol-free at the moment? It’s best not to guess, so opt to raid your freezer for some stored breastmilk instead.


What To Watch Your Baby For

While most babies consume breast milk no matter the flavor, a few have picky palates right from the start — detecting and rejecting even the smallest hint of garlic or strong spices. You’ll quickly tell which category fits your baby and be able to modify your diet accordingly.

Another thing to watch for: It’s not common (and hasn’t been backed up yet by science), but some moms say that certain foods they eat (especially gas-producing ones like cabbage, broccoli, onions, cauliflower, beans or Brussels sprouts) unsettle their little ones’ tummies and temperaments (even causing colic). And a maternal diet heavy in melons, peaches and other fruits may cause diarrhea in some sensitive babies, while red pepper can cause a rash in others. Don’t assume, though, that your baby will have a reaction to what you eat. Keep in mind that what seems like a reaction (fussiness, gassi-ness) is much more likely newborn baby business as usual.

It takes between two and six hours from the time you eat a certain food until it affects the taste and aro-ma of your breast milk. So if your baby is gassy, spits up more, rejects the breast or is fussy a few hours after you eat a certain food, try eliminating the food for a few days to gauge the response.

Allergies in Breastfed Babies

A very few babies (two to three in 100) are actually allergic to foods in their moms’ diets. The most common offender is cow’s milk; others are soy, nuts, wheat and peanuts. In addition to extreme fussi-ness and crying, babies who have a real food allergy will display other symptoms, including:


• Occasional to frequent vomiting • Loose, watery (or mucousy) stools (possibly tinged with blood) • Lack of weight gain • Eczema, hives, wheezing and/or nasal discharge or stuffiness

If think your child might have a food allergy, and especially if you have a family history of allergies, talk to your doctor. He or she will likely recommend eliminating a potential problem food for two to three weeks to check if it’s truly the culprit. Food sensitivity testing is also advised and will ease the mind of the mother that what she is eating is the right choice every time!


We hope you found this resource helpful! This eBook is our labor of love and we’re so glad you found and read it.

If you haven’t already done so, we recommend you print this eBook off and use this information to the fullest. Highlight, make notes, or keep certain pages that you find beneficial. For example, some read-ers like to keep the “Third Trimester Snacks” page and bring it with them to the grocery store!

Share this guide with your family and friends!

If you have questions or want to meet with either organization, our contact info is below.

We look forward to meeting with you!

Happy & Healthy Eating

Kaldas Center (920) 886-2299

Nutritional Healing (920) 358-5764

http://www.facebook.com/thekaldascenter

http://www.facebook.com/NutritionalHealingLLC

http://kaldascenter.com/contact/

http://nutritionalhealingllc.com/contact/

Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy | Kaldas Center 33www.kaldascenter.com www.nutrionalhealing.com

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Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy Kaldas ... · Healthy Eating Before, During, and After Pregnancy Kaldas Center 4 P re-pregnancy, or the time you’re trying to