Stage Category: General Nutrition

Nutrition is not about individual food choices but what you do consistently. We encourage focusing on inclusion versus exclusion, i.e., instead of “I will eat less processed foods,” “I will include more green vegetables like green beans, asparagus, and kale.”

Eating what is in season will often save you money and provide more nutrients, that said, a lot of produce is “in season” year round like apples, bananas, potatoes, lemons, herbs, tomatoes, cabbage, bell peppers, celery, onions, and more! Frozen produce, like berries, are always an option when it isn’t summer.

Bloating is a common issue that is often solved by addressing constipation. Foods that help with constipation include high fiber foods, fermented foods, ginger, high magnesium foods, and high potassium foods. Get more help with constipation here.

Regardless of what stage you are in, your prenatal or multi vitamin should contain some choline, and at least 300 mg of choline if you do not eat eggs.

Instead of focusing on calories and carbohydrates when making food choices, focus instead on protein and fiber. As well as micronutrients such as vitamin D, magnesium, B12, folate, and iron.

Nutrients that are important for energy levels are protein, fat, iron, B12, vitamin D, and zinc. CoQ10 is also involved in energy production. Pork, beef, chicken, salmon, sardines, lentils, avocado, pistachios, and eggs are all good sources collectively.

Less is almost always more when it comes to supplementation. While well targeted, high quality supplements can make a difference, food is the most important to your health, pregnancy, and longevity. It is not recommend to randomly start a supplement without consulting a health practitioner.

There are very few circumstances where a “low salt” diet is recommended especially surrounding pregnancy. Salt is highly misunderstood, but a vital component of our diet. Inadequate salt intake is why pickles are often craved during pregnancy. Learn your sodium levels by completing at HTMA (hair mineral analysis).

If you struggle with iron levels often, you could have an imbalance with a nutrient that works alongside iron such as copper, vitamin A, zinc, or vitamin D. Check in on these nutrients via blood work and hair test, plus a full iron panel which includes ferritin, transferrin, and TIBC (total iron binding capacity). Learn more about iron labs here.

Optimal thyroid function is crucial during this phase of life because it is needed to sustain a healthy pregnancy. Checking on your thyroid function throughout this period of life is highly encouraged especially if you’ve experienced pregnancy loss. Iodine, selenium, iron, zinc, and vitamin D are all vital nutrients for thyroid function.

Blood sugar balance is important for everyone, not just those with diabetes. Frequent blood sugar imbalances can lead to insulin resistance which is linked to adverse health outcomes in and outside of pregnancy. One simple way to better blood sugars is to never eat carbs alone, i.e., eat an apple with peanut butter, eat crackers with cheese, eat dessert with your meal.

Try your best to avoid “food rules” and being overly restrictive with your nutrition. Before starting any “new food regime”, ask yourself, “would I be able to do this for the rest of my life?” If the answer is no, then we would not recommend it.