Imagine living a healthy, vibrant life – all you life! Science is increasingly discovering that it is possible Instead of getting sicker and infirm as we age, we can live life to the full at every stage of our lives. The key is following some simple guidelines, starting with accepting that our health is our responsibility. In the following series we’ll look at what we can do to achieve this – starting with conception and continuing on to our golden years.
Part 1. How To Ensure A Healthy Conception and Pregnancy
Nothing is more wondrous than the miracle of new life, and nothing is more critical to the development of the child than its mother’s diet and lifestyle prior to conception and during pregnancy.
Science now recognizes that a mother’s nutritional status before and during pregnancy can profoundly influence her baby’s long-term health, including gene expression, brain development, and immune function. For the first time ever, researchers from the Medical Research Council (MRC) International Nutrition Group in London and the MRC Unit in the Gambia have discovered that a mother’s diet during pregnancy can affect the expression of genes in her unborn child.1
According to senior author Branwen Hennig: “Our results represent the first demonstration in humans that a mother’s nutritional well-being at the time of conception can change how her child’s genes will be interpreted, with a life-long impact.”
It has long been recognized that drug, alcohol, tobacco, and excessive caffeine usage during pregnancy can influence the long-term health of offspring, but this is the first proof that something as basic as diet for healthy pregnancy can do so as well.
Here’s how to optimize conception and pregnancy naturally:
Before Conception
- Nutritional Preparation for Pregnancy:
- Folic acid: Prevents neural tube defects like spina bifida. Neural tube development occurs in the first four weeks, often before pregnancy is confirmed.2
- Vitamin E and Zinc: Boosts fertility in both men and women.3,4
- Avoid Toxins for Healthy Pregnancy:
- Household chemicals: Antibacterial cleaners are linked to declining fertility.5 Switch to non-toxic, eco-friendly alternatives. Two independent studies (British6 and Spanish7) both showed that use of toxic household cleaning products during pregnancy contributed to increased risk of respiratory diseases in early childhood. Just another indication of how outside environmental factors can affect the unborn foetus. It would seem sensible for pregnant moms to avoid using toxic household cleaners. Just because it’s on the shelf doesn’t mean it’s safe, so change to non-toxic, environmentally friendly, ‘green’ cleaners.
- BPA: Found in plastics, BPA disrupts neural development.8 According to Dr. Wolfgang Liedtke, lead author of the study “It disrupts this process and it corrupts this process. And that, for example, would be a scenario that fits very nicely to the setting of neuro-developmental diseases, where we see an exponential growth in the number of cases that are being diagnosed year by year.” Avoid plastic water bottles; use glass or stainless steel.
- Alcohol: Pre-conception alcohol use by either parent increases risks of underweight babies and birth defects.9
During Pregnancy
During pregnancy the need for vitamins, calcium, iron and zinc all increase. According to nutritionist Patrick Holford, supplementing with these can eliminate “morning sickness” (can occur at any time of the day).
ALL the active brain cells a child will have are present when it’s born. A well nourished foetus develops ±250,000 brain cells every minute, so nutritional deficiencies during pregnancy can result in your child being born with less than the maximum number of active brain cells.
American researchers Brian and Roberta Morgan in their book “Brain Food’ stated: “A developing infant who is fed poorly during its period of brain growth may be left with learning disabilities which will remain for the rest of its life.”
Optimal nutrition during pregnancy decreases the likelihood of pre-eclamptic toxaemia (high blood pressure, edema, and excessive protein in the urine).
Key Nutrients for Healthy Pregnancy
✔ Vitamins & Minerals: The whole point of supplementing is to give your body what it’s not getting from your diet. A good multivitamin/mineral supplement should be organic, derived from wholefood sources, contain ALL the vitamins in their correct ratios and contain no artificial colourants or preservatives.
- Vitamin D: Deficiency in the first trimester raises the risk of multiple sclerosis in offspring.10
- Iron, Zinc, and Iodine: Deficiencies contribute to birth defects and developmental delays.11
- Calcium and Magnesium: Reduce risks of hypertension, pre-eclampsia, and low birth weight.12
- Choline (a B vitamin): Supports brain development and reduces birth defects.13
✔ Protein: Essential for cell growth. Protein is the basic building block of every single cell in the body, including all enzymes, hormones and antibodies. As the foetus is developing at a staggering rate it is essential for the mother to get an adequate supply of good quality protein in the diet every day. Choose high-quality sources or supplements with all 22 amino acids. A review of 11 studies showed that protein supplementation reduces risks of small gestational age infants.14
✔ Omega-3 Fatty Acids (DHA/EPA): Research shows that a baby’s need for DHA peaks in the last trimester of pregnancy and continues for the first two years of its life. DHA content of the brain increases 3 to 5 times in the last trimester and again during the first three months following birth. DHA and EPA are important components of Omega 3, although they are not the only ones. In fact, the latest science has revealed that Omega 3 comprises 8 components and that, when all 8 are present, the results are better than if only DHA and EPA are taken.
Omega 3 is –
- Vital for brain development during pregnancy. DHA comprises 50% of fetal brain fatty acids.15
- Reduces asthma risk in children if taken during pregnancy.16
- Improves visual acuity in preterm infants and lowers postpartum depression risk.17
Omega-3 also benefits pregnant moms, reducing high blood pressure, circulatory problems, and postpartum depression.
✔ Probiotics for Pregnancy:
- Reduce eczema risk in children and support immune development.18
- Critical for C-section babies, who miss birth canal probiotics. During normal birth the baby ingests fluid from the birth canal containing live probiotic bacteria. These help to ‘kick-start’ the baby’s immune system. Having a Caesar prevents this, putting the baby at an immediate disadvantage. Babies born by caesarean should be given a probiotic supplement as soon as possible after birth and mother should continue to take probiotics while breast feeding, so that some can be passed onto baby via the breast milk. C-sections may increase autism risk by 23%.19
Lifestyle Adjustments for Healthy Pregnancy
✔ Diet:
- Eat fresh, whole foods: fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and whole grains. The Mediterranean and DASH diets are ideal for pregnant moms.
- Avoid processed fats (margarine and processed oils like canola), processed foods, caffeine, and alcohol.
- Drink filtered water and avoid plastic containers.
✔ Small, Frequent Meals: Combats nausea (first trimester) and heartburn (third trimester).
✔ Supplements for Pregnancy:
- Use natural, whole-food-based multivitamins for better absorption.
- Take supplements with meals to ensure best absorption.
To see my previous blog on diet for preggy moms CLICK HERE
✔ Exercise:
Exercise can help prevent pregnancy related disorders, such as
- gestational diabetes,
- excessive gestational weight gain,
- hypertensive disorders,
- urinary incontinence,
- foetal macrosomia (over large foetus),
- lumbopelvic pain (lower back pain),
- anxiety,
- prenatal depression.
Exercise in pregnancy is safe for both mother and baby. However, the type of exercise and intensity should be adapted to a woman’s previous fitness level, medical history and characteristics of the ongoing pregnancy.20 Walking, swimming, cycling, dancing, pilates and exercise classes for expectant moms are all good ways to exercise.
As a pregnant mom you owe it to your baby to give it everything it needs to grow and develop into its full potential. Diet and supplementation are two aspects that only you can control. Make sure you give your baby the very best start to life.
Stretch Mark Prevention During Pregnancy
Try the following recipe for preventing stretch marks:
- 1/2 cup virgin olive oil
- 1/4 cup aloe vera gel
- 6 capsules Vitamin E
- 4 capsules Vitamin A
Mix all the ingredients together in a blender. Pour the mixture into a jar and store in the refrigerator.
Once a day, apply the oil all over the abdomen, hips & thighs. If you do this regularly, you may be able to prevent stretch marks.
From: Prescription for Nutritional Healing, J.F & P.A. Balch
References:
1. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/mothers-diet-at-time-of-conception-may-alter-babys-dna/
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11147289/
3. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23775385/
4. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5836012/
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5840865/
6. http://thorax.bmj.com/content/60/1/45
7. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23064260
8. http://www.pnas.org/content/110/11/4315.full
9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8056307/
10. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26953778/
11. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3140638/
12. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09581596.2025.2469786#abstract
13. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20164309/
14. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21501434
15. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1560326/
16. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15480319/
17. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35104631/
18. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/370664932
19. https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jcpp.12351
20. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34478617/