Women should start eating for pregnancy a year before the pregnancy begins. The baby needs the mother's body and biochemistry to be in the best possible condition before he or she has to live in it.
I once delivered a baby for a twenty-year old who had lived on the side of a mountain on a Caribbean island for her entire life eating nothing but organic foods. She was in amazing shape. Her labor was almost painless; she never cried out but would sometimes groan softly during some of the contractions. The baby grew into a sparkling little girl. While one example doesn't prove my point, I think it's possible that the pain of delivery in developed countries is due in part to our sedentary lifestyle, our poor diet and our toxic environment.
It's self evident that diet, rest and exercise make a healthy body so it is only logical that they are necessary to prepare oneself for pregnancy. Rest and exercise are covered in other articles. The focus of this article is diet and special foods for pregnancy.
What's the best diet?
Generally a Mediterranean Diet or the South Beach Diet is best for all humans living in the temperate zones, including pregnant women and women who want to get pregnant.
Specific Foods for Fertility
Low glycemic index carbohydrates such as nuts, beans and grains are best for promoting fertility. High glycemic foods like cold sugary breakfast cereals, white rice, potatoes, and soft drinks decrease fertility.
Vegetable protein is better than animal protein. In one study, women who ate animal protein had 39% more problems than women who ate little or no animal protein.
Get your omega-3 fats but avoid eating too much fish which may have too much mercury. Supplements may be your best choice. The type of fat is important; transfats work against fertility. Avoid fried foods. Doughnuts have transfats and are high glycemic.
If you like milk, drink whole raw organic milk not low-fat dairy foods.
Don't drink soda! Your first choice should be herb teas and water. If you need a pick-me-up, drink caffeinated tea. Green tea and white tea are excellent choices. Coffee will not affect fertility but it has over a dozen carcinogens so it just isn't a good choice for healthy people.
