The period of pregnancy can bring around joy for the expecting parents and the family members. It is extremely important that the expecting mother be provided with the utmost nourishment and care around that period. Many a time, the expecting parents move along with the basic advice of the doctors like avoiding alcohol or any other toxic substances, consuming folates and calciums, avoiding excessive caffeine etc. but it is not always enough. It is important to know that every expecting mother’s body is different and what kind of care their unborn child deserves. A functional approach to medication can bring out your body’s distinct needs and suggest food to eat during pregnancy, foods to avoid during pregnancy and provide good guidance to make your body a nourishing wonderland for the growing life inside you.

How to prepare your body before getting pregnant

The functional approach revolves around identifying core issues and healing them to completely eradicate any possibility of recurrence of the problem. How the Functional approach helps in conception is providing solutions to make your body healthier and fully prepared for nurturing a new life. It includes-

• Identifying the core issues and deficiencies: With functional lab testing for checking hormonal balance, digestive and gut health, allergies or food sensitivities, and deficiencies an expecting mother can prepare her body to get sufficient amounts of substances to make herself strong and healthy, improve her wellbeing and prevent herself from any kind of complications during pregnancy.
• Prepare a Pregnancy Diet Chart: A healthy diet that consists of high nutrient food and avoiding processed and sugary food products are particularly important for the expecting mother and the growing fetus. Make a pregnancy diet chart to make sure you get all the nutrients you deserve.
• Sleep: A good amount of regular sleep can help in managing stress, hormones, and metabolic balance in the body.
• Supplements: An expecting mother must be aware of the deficiencies in her body and take the required supplements to help her fight uninvited diseases.
• Managing stress: Stress can be extremely harmful to a mother not only before conception but also during pregnancy and after childbirth. It is important to take control of stress with the help of mindful practices like exercises, yoga, pranayama, and meditation.

 Nutrient-rich superfood to support you during pregnancy

Before forming a list of healthy food items to include in your diet, it is important to note that consuming nutrient-rich, fresh food items and avoiding processed foods is the key to a healthy pregnancy stage. Let’s have a look at the types of food to eat during pregnancy and foods to avoid during pregnancy.

Fresh and organic vegetables

A diet for pregnant women must be filled with fresh vegetables, which signals to your body that you are having plenty of food which helps in the production of progesterone. Green leafy vegetables help in supporting the development of healthy progesterone and improving hormonal health during pregnancy. Vegetables also help in increasing the number of fibers which helps in removing toxins from the body via stool.

To improve fiber consumption to help remove toxins from the body;

• Consume a limited serving (1-2) of Cruciferous vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, cabbage, Brussel sprouts, kale, radish, onions, garlic etc.
• Consumption of whole fruits- one or two low in sugar fruits, best if made as smoothies.
• Beets for a good functioning of the liver
• Lemon juice with water to increase the production of bile that helps in digestion.

Leafy vegetables like spinach, kale, broccoli, bok choy etc. are also packed with a variety of nutrients such as iron, folate, calcium and vitamins. Include these vegetables in your pregnancy food chart for providing your body with the much needed nutritions.

A moderate amount of fresh fruits

A pregnancy diet chart must contain fresh berries and citrus fruits that can provide your body with the much-needed vitamins and healthy sugars.

• Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, amla, kiwi, currants, and cranberries can provide a good amount of nutrients like vitamin c, potassium, folic acid etc. and add flavors to your meals.
• Bananas are a good source of carbohydrates.
• Figs contain a high amount of natural antioxidants along with fiber and calcium.
• Apricots and pears are also healthy fruits that contain a good amount of fiber and vitamins.

Healthy fats

Good fats are essential to regulate the amount of blood sugar in the body and reduce cravings. It is also important for the healthy development of the brain. Some sources of good fats that must be included in the diet chart for pregnant women are

• Avocados
• Nuts like Macadamia, Almonds, Cashews, Pecans etc
• Seeds – flaxseed, chia seeds
• Peanut butter
• Organic butter
• Organic cheese
• Coconut oil
• Farmed freshwater fish

Protein

Protein is an important nutrient that helps in the growth of the baby. Hence, a diet for pregnant women must contain animal or plant-based proteins. If you are a non-vegetarian you can opt for the following

• Lean organic meat or grass-fed animal meat like chicken is a good source of protein. It could be added to salads and sandwiches.
• Free range eggs can be a good source of protein as well as amino acids.
• Fishes can be another clean, great source of protein that helps in the baby’s growth. However, it is important to know where your food is coming from. Source farmed freshwater fish, saltwater fish can contain high amounts of Mercury which can be harmful.

For vegetarians, best plant based sources of proteins to include in the diet chart of pregnant women are

• Tofu, beans, mushrooms, whole grains and pulses, millets such as quinoa.
• Nuts and seeds like pumpkin seeds, almonds, peanuts, peas, beans etc are also good for health.

Carbs

Carbohydrate and starch-rich foods like sweet potatoes, potatoes, squashes, peas, beets, carrots etc are a rich source of organic, nutrient carbohydrates that provide natural sugars in your body. A balanced diet must contain all the nutrients and hence carbohydrates are as important as any other nutrients that help in the growth of your baby and provide you with the energy that you need. Unless you have high blood sugar, it is safe to consume this natural carbohydrate-rich food to replace your artificial sugar needs. If you have diabetes you can switch to grains like quinoa, chia and other whole grains that are gluten-free and help in optimal digestion like oat, buckwheat, brown rice, barley etc.

Nutrition plays a key role in a healthy pregnancy and in the health of your baby, so expecting mothers have to be very careful with what to eat and what not to eat during this time. Create a pregnancy food chart that must include foods to avoid during pregnancy and We recommend following a clean, nutrition rich and plant based diet to optimize your health to support your physical and mental health during this crucial time.