You've just found out you're pregnant, and naturally you want to give your baby the healthiest start possible. Reading the newest research on the benefits of organic foods and the dangers of toxic chemicals is a great place to start, but who has time to keep up with the ever-changing news?
The good news is that you don't have to.
Ayurveda, which has been around for three thousand years, is an Indian tradition that honors the relationship between what goes into the mother's body during pregnancy and the effect it has on the child. The emphasis is on naturally healthy eating
The emphasis is on naturally healthy eating and living - and with the renewed interest in green living it's easier than ever for you and your family to integrate Ayurvedic principles into your busy lives.
According to Ayurveda, everything you taste, see, feel, hear, and smell during pregnancy should be nourishing and pleasant. Your diet, of course, is at the core since ultimately the goal is to nourish your baby during pregnancy while building up the reserves your body will need to make breast milk.
An Ayurvedic diet largely consists of easily digested foods, such as milk, rice, ghee (clarified butter), grains, and fresh fruits and vegetables. According to Ayurveda, food should have all six tastes - sweet, sour, salty, butter, pungent, and astringent - so that you have a full and pleasant meal.
Ayurvedic principles promote a holistic approach to eating, and can easily be applied to an organic lifestyle, which emphasizes foods that are free of chemicals and artificial enhancements.
The main benefit of organically grown food, such as fruits and vegetables, is that it helps you avoid ingesting residue from pesticides, which can often linger even after the food is washed. A research and advocacy group called the Environmental Working Group published the "Dirty Dozen" list of fruits and vegetables that should always be bought organic since the conventionally grown ones tend to be laden with pesticides.
Organically grown fruits and vegetables may also contain more vitamins and minerals than those grown through modern farming practices, and may offer more disease-fighting nutrients to mom and baby, preventing health concerns ranging from heart disease to cancer.
An Ayurvedic and organic lifestyle encourages families to try to avoid meat and dairy products that contain hormones and antibiotics. In the case of antibiotics, during pregnancy the amount that gets to your baby is small. However, everything a mother ingests does cross the placenta and although the amount is small its best to avoid items that can affect a developing fetus. The biggest problem with antibiotics is that the overuse of them in animals and humans is creating the potential for a public health issue: The more antibiotics are used, the more likely bacteria will develop resistant strains to the drugs, making it increasingly difficult to treat infections.
Based on the principles of Ayurveda and organic living, some other things to think about for a low toxic pregnancy include:
- Eat Organic foods and hormone free meat and diary products. It has been proven that by eating organic fruits and veggies you can reduce your exposure to chemicals and pesticides by 90 percent. Pregnant Women in particular can pass chemicals and pesticides through the placenta, thus to ere on the side of caution ensure when eating organic you choose Fruits and Veggies from the Dirty Dozen and avoid meats and dairy that are injected with hormones.
- Avoid certain types of fish. Pregnant women need to be careful of the types, and quantities, of fish they consume because of exposure to mercury in contaminated fish. Mercury can be converted by bacteria to a more dangerous form known as methylmercury that accumulates in the fatty tissues of fish. The metal is most concentrated in larger fish, such as swordfish, and high levels of it can harm the nervous system of an unborn baby or young child. For more details on all types of food-borne risks, see www.epa.gov/oecaagct/tfsy.html.
- Watch out for toxic cleaners. It's important to remember to limit your exposure to household chemicals, such as some cleansers which may contain solvents. Be sure to read product labels to avoid anything that contain solvents, or indicate that they're toxic or to find cleansers made of natural ingredients. Some great natural cleansers include Baking Soda and Vinegar.
- Use chemical-free beauty and bath products. One concern related to beauty products during pregnancy is the use of parabens in cosmetics. Parabens are used as preservatives to help prevent the growth of bacteria. Some studies have found that they mimic the effects of estrogen in the body, raising concerns about a potential link to breast cancer. Research on this safety issue is still ongoing, but to be safe choose Paraben free products.
- Try to avoid painting. There are a variety of chemicals, ranging from oils and resins to solvents, in paints, so it's best to avoid this activity or ask someone to do it for you. If you do paint, use a non-toxic paint such as one labeled Zero VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) or NO VOC, which contain very low levels of VOC. Paints with VOC in them can emit gases that are chemical in nature.
- Cook food thoroughly, and watch out for deli meats and soft cheeses, to avoid listeria. Pregnant women are more susceptible to contracting the bacteria listeria from foods that have not been thoroughly cooked, or from deli meats such as hot dogs and soft cheeses. The Centers for Disease Control say that pregnant women are 20 times more likely to become infected than non-pregnant healthy adults. While infection can happen at any time, a woman in her third trimester is most vulnerable because her immune system is suppressed. For more information about listeria, and what can be done to avoid it, see www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancycomplications/listeria.html.
Remember that whether you're following Ayurveda or simply trying to live organically, the ultimate goal is for you to have a happy, healthy and peaceful pregnancy. If you respect the deep, basic connection between you and your baby during pregnancy, you can be empowered to give your baby a happy and healthy start to life - even before he, or she, is born.
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