preconception

Yesterday, I found myself searching for meal plans that nutritionists, bloggers, medical organizations and doctors shared for pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant. For whatever reason, I love seeing meal plans and getting an idea of what others are eating. Unfortunately, for the most part the meal plans were pretty terrible. They recommended oatmeal instead of eggs because of the fat content (um yeah, the omega-3s along with choline and vitamins A, E, D and K are kind of the point of eating eggs during pregnancy!), low-fat dairy products and a ton of fiber from “healthy whole grains.” Overall, the plans were very low in fat which is exactly the food a woman needs for optimal fertility. In fact, a study from Harvard found that women who ate two or more servings of low-fat dairy per day had an 85% higher risk of infertility than women who ate…

For today’s Wellness Wednesday I wanted to share the preconception supplements I’m taking. I’m picky about supplements; a lot of them are complete junk. I want to make it clear that it’s not possible to take supplements to rectify a poor diet. These supplements are meant to be taken in addition to a healthy diet. A healthy diet is the basis of any healthy pregnancy. In the video, I didn’t include the liver supplement simply because I forgot. I actually only take it if I’m not eating liver regularly (which for the most part, I am, because it’s delicious). You can also check out my pregnancy bundle, which includes these supplements here. Be sure to watch the video to find more info on my favorite preconception supplements. https://youtu.be/pJJiJ2tDyRk Here’s the total list of supplements: Great Lakes Gelatin – Gelatin boosts gut health. It also promotes strong bones, joints, and cartilage and helps…

True story: to freak me out and annoy me, my husband used to awkwardly rub my belly and in a disgustingly creepy voice whisper to me, “I’m gonna put a baby in there.” It was the worst. But now we’re actually planning on getting knocked up in 2015. I’ve talked a lot about preconception diets, how important they are, how I plan on doing one before I get preggo, etc.  Actually, we both are doing a preconception diet. Don’t forget that dudes need to do this too! It’s just as important for the husband to take steps to detoxify as well as nourish himself to be able to make a healthy baby. It takes two to tango ya’ll, in more ways than one. Why You Need To Do A Preconception Diet When Dr. Price traveled the world studying indigenous cultures, he discovered that they prepared for pregnancy from three months…

Learn how to prevent stretch marks by optimizing your nutrition and focusing on nutrient-dense and supportive foods like collagen. Here is how I prevented stretch marks while pregnant: Before I got pregnant, something in the back of my mind worried about my body changing. I think most women are like this, but I was particularly concerned. When my mother was pregnant with my little brother, she routinely told me how disgusting she felt. “I feel fat.” “My body is so gross right now.” I heard this constantly. Even at five years-old, I remember her saying these things about her pregnant body. They always stuck with me. Additionally, my mother had some of the worst stretch marks I’d ever seen. I didn’t mind them, they were just a part of her body. But she hated them. And to be honest, if I put myself in her shoes, I wouldn’t like them…

Most people use the terms folate and folic acid interchangeably, and doctors do this regularly. There is a simple, concise and important difference though: folate is that naturally occurring form that is found in food and easily absorbable. Folic acid is made in a lab, difficult for the body to utilize and has been linked to cancer. This is why you need folate during pregnancy, NOT folic acid. Hell, this is why you need folate all the time. Folate is crucial during pregnancy and I recommend taking it prior to even becoming pregnant. If you even suspect you may become pregnant, get yourself a good prental with folate, not folic acid. This is my favorite prenatal. It’s food based, easily absorbable and organic. Or if you prefer a once a day prenatal, Garden of Life makes this as well, another favorite: Folate is so important during pregnancy because it…

I am so nervous-excited to tell you guys this. So many of you have been on this journey with me, from preconception and preparing my body for a healthy pregnancy, to one of the darkest times in my life – when I miscarried, and I’m so thankful (okay, full disclosure – crying now) that you all will be on this new journey with me. That’s right – I have a (gluten-free) bun in the oven. ANCESTRAL NUTRITION IS KNOCKED UP. My husband and I are so thrilled, especially now that we’re out of the first trimester. I’ll be entering my 15th week of pregnancy this Thursday. And holy hell has this been emotional. Not in an “Oh I’m so hormonal” kind of way. But I’m not going to sugarcoat it because so many of my sisters (especially those that have also miscarried) deserve to know the truth. Getting pregnant again…

I can only imagine how terrifying it is to have a child diagnosed with cancer. My heart goes out to every family affected by cancer, childhood cancer or otherwise. I recently read that cancer is the leading cause of death by disease in children from 1 to 14 years-old so I thought it would be a good idea to discuss cancer prevention. Of course, sometimes a person does everything right and it can happen anyway, but we can still do our part as parents and potential parents to try to prevent cancer. While I am not a parent yet, considering that we will likely have kids within the next five years, there are certain steps I plan on taking to make sure my offspring are as healthy as can be. A number of studies are examining suspected or possible risk factors for childhood cancers, including early-life exposures to infectious agents;…