Nourishing pregnancy: Optimal nutrition for a healthy journey

Nourishing pregnancy: Optimal nutrition for a healthy journey

The question of nutrition during pregnancy is vitally important. 

And it is necessary to think about it not when the future mother gains excessive weight or excessive blood glucose, but when planning pregnancy. It is also worth worrying if a woman weighs little or adds insufficient weight. It is not easy to convince yourself to take care of proper nutrition, but the result is worth it. 

Improper nutrition can be of different kinds: 

1. Lack of

2. Wrong ratio of essential ingredients

3. Poor quality of products 

4. Excess 

The essential components in nutrition include : 

1. Proteins

2. Carbohydrates

3. Fats

4. Vitamins

5. Minerals

6. Water 

Above all, food should be as close to its natural state as possible. The more refined the food, the more it is processed, the more it should be avoided (for example, the difference between fries fried in refined oil and potatoes baked in mound is obvious). 

If vegetables - it is better organic and raw, root vegetables baked in a jacket; if it is cereals - then dishes, cooked by you personally from whole grains (use low-processed cereals - brown rice, pearl, buckwheat, corn, not cereals "extra"), if sweets - let it be a fresh peach, a piece of melon, honey, dried fruit. 

You can not worry about excess weight, as long as you eat such food. Of course, you should eat at least three times a day, and preferably more often, in small portions. 

Avoid as far from nature as possible: snacks, canned food, fast food, sweets, all foods with a long shelf life. Do not eat convenience foods, ready-made baked goods, sauces, mayonnaises - they contain trans-isomers of fatty acids, which prevent the digestion of healthy fats. For that very reason, avoid using margarine for cooking.. 

Do not limit yourself in fluids, drink up to 3 liters a day - this is the norm, a pregnant woman should not feel thirsty. However, it is necessary to choose the right drinks. 

Sweet drinks: compotes, canned juices, nectars, carbonated water - retain fluid in the body, it is better to exclude them from the diet. Drink clean water, filtered through a filter or taken from the source. 

So, let's discuss the most important things about each of the listed components of nutrition. 

Let's start with proteins. Here's what they provide during pregnancy: 

- Growth and development of the baby, the mother's placenta, uterus and mammary glands, and supplies to be used during breastfeeding; 

- Transportation of nutrients, vitamins, trace elements; 

- Immune defense, since antibodies against bacteria and viruses are proteins; 

- Optimal functioning of the coagulation and anti-coagulation systems, as coagulation factors are also proteins; 

- Maintenance of plasma osmotic pressure: this is a property that does not allow the liquid part of the blood to leave the vascular bed, thus preventing edema and blood clotting (sodium chloride, i.e. table salt, is responsible for this important quality of blood, in addition to albumin protein): It is better to eat gray coarse sea salt, it is healthier than purified iodized fine salt, because it is of natural origin and contains trace amounts of many essential trace elements ); therefore, low-protein diets are inappropriate during pregnancy. 

What protein deficiency can we talk about in today's society? For example: 

- Due to lack of appetite (a common situation in the first trimester of pregnancy); 

- Because the food contains little protein or is of poor quality ("starvation in abundance");

- Because there is no time to eat and no time to cook (a typical situation for working women and mothers with many children); 

- When a woman's diet is low in carbohydrates (then proteins are burned instead of fuel and there is not enough to build.

These categories need a diet fix and a change in attitude towards such an important issue as nutrition. Therefore, if a woman gains little weight, the baby has a growth retardation according to ultrasound, edema appears, if from the second trimester hemoglobin values are increased, blood pressure rises - first of all it requires a serious check and correction of nutrition. Supply, digestion and absorption of proteins can be hindered by various painful conditions of the stomach, intestines, liver, kidneys - then you need the help of a good doctor. It is wise advice for everyone to include in their daily diet lean meat, poultry, or fish, steamed or baked, as well as natural cottage cheese, pressed cheese, natural milk, vegetable proteins. Protein food should be at least two palm-sized portions per day.

Fats: Heavy fats, which are obtained by frying with oil, are not very useful. But fish and unrefined vegetable oils are necessary, they contain omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Essential fatty acids (EFA) are necessary for the construction of the brain and nervous system of the baby, the formation of his eyes, sexual system, for the correct course of labor, prevent gestosis. The unique ability to deliver to the brain in large quantities of special molecules of fatty acids, which are necessary for its development - a characteristic feature of humans. The growing brain is in dire need of a fatty acid called DHA (decosahexaenoic acid): 50% of the fatty acid molecules that serve as "building blocks" for the developing brain are DHA. Long-chain molecules of this polyunsaturated fatty acid from the omega-3 group are formed and found almost exclusively in the food chain of sea creatures. Humans with their huge brains are poorly adapted to independently synthesize the molecule responsible for nourishing the nervous system. That is, the human body is simply programmed to include this substance in its diet, and practically speaking - to consume seafood. Have a fish day 2-3 times a week. A real treasure trove of healthy fats are chia seeds and flax seeds. They are also rich in protein, calcium and potassium. We should not forget also useful pumpkin and sunflower seeds, sesame seeds (also rich in calcium), from nuts - almonds, walnuts and pine nuts. But! Nuts are high in calories, so you need to watch the portions: about 20 pieces of almonds or 15 walnut halves a day. Avocado fruit is rich in omega-3, helping to reduce overall weight. Omega-3 is also found in other foods: dark green leafy vegetables (portulaca, sea vegetables). Omega-6 acids are found in pork fat, red meat, eggs.

Vitamins and Micronutrients. All expectant moms need vitamins. For this purpose it is necessary to use the gifts of nature. Of foods high in vitamins, calcium, iron and many other trace elements (as well as protein and fiber) the best are salads and other greens: curly kale, watercress, spinach, green garlic, parsley, cilantro, mustard greens, seaweed, spirulina (seaweed should be consumed as often as possible - it is a source of iodine). Fiber is also necessary for proper digestion, it eliminates the feeling of hunger and helps to avoid eating unhealthy foods. Salad of greens, vegetables with vegetable oil (better unrefined olive, flaxseed, sesame oil) should be eaten at least once a day, ideally adding freshly ground flax seeds, pumpkin seeds or nuts. Remember that the more colorful food on the plate, the better, so it contains almost all the necessary vitamins and trace elements. Folic acid (vitamin B9) is involved in the processes associated with cell division and growth, is involved in the synthesis of hemoglobin. This is especially important in the first trimester of pregnancy, when the main structures of the nervous system of the fetus are formed, the correct laying of which is largely provided by folic acid. Folic acid is necessary for the development of all organs and tissues, the normal development of the fetus, the processes of hematopoiesis. High content of folic acid is found in asparagus, avocados, bananas, black beans, egg yolks, buckwheat and oatmeal porridge, coarse bread, green beans, leafy green vegetables, lentils, liver, oranges and other citrus fruits, spinach, strawberries, tuna, wheat germ and yogurt. That is, this vitamin can be obtained with a fairly diverse diet. The need of a pregnant woman in folic acid is 400-600 mcg per day. Breakfast of one cup of porridge and a glass of orange juice provides half of the daily need for folic acid. With a healthy gut microflora, folic acid can be synthesized there as well. Healthy intestinal microflora is a powerful barrier that protects against all sorts of bacteria. It also plays a primary role in the synthesis of vitamins (PP,B,K, biotin), hormones, antibiotic and other substances and neutralization of toxins; it enhances the absorption of iron ions, calcium, vitamin D, activates wall digestion in the intestine. In addition, it significantly affects the development and maturation of the immune system (the intestinal biocenosis is the basis of immunity). At the moment when the baby leaves the mother's womb, his digestive tract and mucous membranes are sterile. After a few hours, billions of bacteria settle in the nose, mouth and intestines of the newborn, and the most important question is what kind of bacteria first colonize his body. Bacteriologists are well aware that the microorganisms that first "occupy" the new sterile field, most likely, and will subsequently dominate it. A human infant is destined to be born through an opening near the mother's anus. This is a kind of guarantee that the child's body, and above all his digestive tract will be immediately populated with a huge variety of beneficial microbes that are in the mother's body. Therefore, regular stools - this is the first thing to achieve. And immediately after that - a sufficient number of lacto-, bifido-, and other beneficial bacteria in the intestines. In this will help starter "Evitalia" and "Yogurtel" - they contain live beneficial microorganisms, vitamins, trace elements. As a result, there is a restoration of intestinal microflora, GI function, immune system, as well as vaginal microflora.

 

Carbohydrates. Recommendations here are primarily concerned with the quality of carbohydrates. The most useful advice is to evaluate carbohydrates according to their glycemic index (GI). If possible, you should choose foods with a low glycemic index. A food has a high GI if, when digested, it causes a rapid and significant increase in blood glucose levels (glycemia). In practice, this means that a woman should refrain from sweet drinks, put less sugar and honey in her tea. There are published tables of glycemic indices for foods. From these tables we learn, for example, that oatmeal or barley porridge has a low GI, as does whole-grain bread or pasta. In contrast, potatoes and pizza are high GI foods and should be eaten less. Fructose, also known as fruit sugar, possesses an exceptionally low glycemic index (GI).. A comparison of glucose and fructose shows that their GI is 100 and 23 respectively. The conclusion is that a pregnant woman needs to eat more fruits and vegetables. It should also be remembered that regular physical activity is necessary. The main thing for the baby from the first days of pregnancy, and maybe even earlier - is care. Take care of your health, your baby's health, eat right!