Pregnant women hold the key to our survival and evolution as a species. In their wombs, they carry the next generation of children. Unfortunately, with our modern lifestyle most women have been mislead by lame-stream media into focusing more energy on the search for the right stroller and baby accessories, than on delivering a healthy and beautiful human being into this world.
I myself was surprised to realize how little my wife and I knew going through both of our pregnancies and after researching this topic for a while, I felt compelled to share 9 things I wish all future moms knew, please share with anyone looking to have a healthy pregnancy:
1) Healthy babies are created prior to conception
We live in an incredibly toxic environment. As a species, we’ve released tens of thousands of toxic chemicals into our environment. Our modern day agricultural practices have depleted the soil from the most vital nutrients needed by plants, animals and humans to survive. Genetically modified crops have made things worse for our planet as they have introduced unpredictable mutations that are sure to impact our children for generations to come. 1. 2. Studies confirm that mother’s toxicity is passed on to their unborn children via the placenta 3, and first-borns will typically get the highest load of toxicity.
In particular, if you live in any major city around the World, it is crucial to detoxify prior to conception, as your body will one day become the vessel through which your baby will receive all its nutrients. Removing mercury or toxic dental amalgams is also a must in your to do list.
Besides green juices, organic broken cell wall chlorella is known to be the most powerful superfood for eliminating heavy metals. Other options to consider are organic spirulina, blue green algae, green juices, apples and chia seeds.
2) Your exposure to the sun will determine a great deal of factors
There is no doubt that the sun plays a vital role in our ecosystem. Our ancestors understood that without it, crops would not survive. There simply would be no life on earth as we know it without the sun.
For those of us who grew up in the city, we’ve forgotten all about this, and is probably why a great number of studies show most of us have very low levels of vitamin D (that is naturally acquired through sunlight exposure). In pregnant women, low vitamin D levels are associated with serious illnesses like preeclampsia, premature births, respiratory infections, and more.
The best source for vitamin D is obviously daily exposure to sunlight. A vitamin D level test can greatly help you determine if you are deficient and supplementing vitamin D on a daily basis can help ensure optimal levels of this vital hormone which regulates over 2,000 genes in our body.
3) The right food can nourish and protect your baby’s brain development
With everything that we encounter in our environment, it becomes crucial for pregnant women to increase their consumption of healthy omega 3s, folates and other nutrients via vegetables and fruits and to a lesser degree nuts and seeds. At the same time, eliminating genetically modified foods, processed and fried foods, soft drinks and meat from animals in Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) is a really good idea, particularly while pregnant and breast feeding.
Most obstetricians will recommend supplementing folic acid. Folic acid is the synthetic version of folate and unfortunately, it actually increases the chances of breast cancer 5, childhood asthma and respiratory infections 6, 7, and cardiac birth defects 8. Regularly eating folates from green vegetables will protect against these illnesses and supplementing with a high quality multivitamin like Dr. Fuhrman’s Multi vitamin for pregnancy and breast feeding can be a great choice for a healthier pregnancy.
4) Home births and midwives are safer than hospitals and obstetricians
In previous blog posts, I’ve talked about the questionable practices in modern day obstetrics. Twilight sleep, x-rays, thalidomide and cytotec, are some of the most dangerous common practices of the past, while present day’s misuse and abuse of Pitocin, epidural, fetal monitoring and ultrasound are clearly disrupting the natural development of babies and contributing to the epidemics of autism, diabetes and other major illnesses. It should come as no surprise that a recent study in the Netherlands found home births safer to hospital births for low risk pregnancies. 9. It has also been found that labor inductions increase the risk of autism spectrum disorders. 10. Developed countries with more home births actually have more favorable maternal mortality rates and infant mortality rates than countries that have chosen to treat childbirth as an emergency rather than a miracle of nature. 11. At the same time, babies delivered through midwives have less unnecessary medical interventions than babies delivered through obstetricians. 12
5) Drugs and Alcohol are your baby’s worst enemy
As one can imagine, drugs, smoking and alcohol interfere with your baby’s development, so you should seriously consider stopping altogether. Chlorella, spirulina, raw cacao, goji and acay berries, kale, maca and blueberries can help cope with the symptoms of withdrawal.
6) All pharmaceutical drugs interfere with your baby’s brain development
By now, some are starting to catch up to the fact that pharmaceutical products are not meant for healing, but rather for symptom management. In particular, during pregnancy, when a mother’s immune system is at an all time low, pharmaceutical drugs can cause severe damage on babies’ development. According to the brilliant neurosurgeon Dr. Russell Blaylock, a baby’s brain develops very much like a complex orchestra, and anything that interferes with this development can cause inflammation and cause babies’ brains to develop abnormally. 13, 14.
In recent years, some countries have adopted a very dangerous practice, the practice of vaccinating pregnant women with the intention of protecting their unborn babies from potential threatening viruses. This technique is commonly referred to as cocooing. Sadly, this practice is not based on any scientific data, and has not rendered any reduction in cases of flu, whooping cough or any illness it is meant to stop. Furthermore, vaccines in pregnant women stimulate the immune system. They contain highly toxic ingredients like mercury, aluminum, formaldehyde and polysorbate 80. All these ingredients have been associated with serious illnesses like cancer, brain inflammation, diabetes, and more.
As a general rule, and specially in the first trimester, women should avoid all chemicals in the form of pharmaceutical products (vaccines included).
7) Cellphones and wireless devices are bad for you and your baby
More and more evidence suggests that electromagnetic frequencies we thought were harmless are causing a negative impact in our health. 15. This is probably the reason why cellphone manuals include warnings about usage and storage of these products. Pregnant women should limit their exposure by reducing or eliminating wireless devices, and using a shielded wire and air-tube headset for using cellular phones and wireless phones.
Earthing products can help neutralize some of the negative health impacts from our your wireless devices.
8) Your Ears Come First
Our auditory system is actually the only system we fully develop while in utero. As early as 25 weeks, babies can hear outside sounds and start learning from their outside environment. Pregnant women should take advantage of this opportunity to start communicating with their unborn babies. Singing, along with soothing nature sounds and relaxation music can be perfect companions for nighttime as they can help establish routine early on (these soothing sounds can be used after babies are born to cue night time as well).
9) Visualization is your best ally for a healthy pregnancy
The more that you visualize your baby and your birth, and the more you prepare for a birth filled with a blissfull labor, the closer you’ll find yourself having that experience. Hypnobirthing, yoga and meditation can greatly enhance your birthing experience. Bringing a baby into this world probably the most fulfilling experience you’ll have in your live, so you should be ready for this rite of passage!
