Having children, for many, is a defining moment in life. They find their perfect mate, and look forward to the day when they know that they have created a child with that person. Someone to carry on their genes. A little, innocent bundle, there is something special about a child. Unconditioned to the world, completely themselves, they are not trying to BE, but just are. We initially (in most cases), form a loving bond with this little being, and times before their existence bane in comparison. We would do anything for them, and they can do no wrong, incandescently beautiful, the parental/protective side takes over. So if they are so important to us, don’t we want to do everything we can to make them healthy? Not only is your own health important to consider, but this little beings future. With birth defects and infertility running wild in this country, we should evaluate eating patterns, because doesn’t it just always seem to boil down to the things that we put in our mouths. If planning for children, nutrition should be a main

priority before conception (and this means both parents). Our ancestors knew a thing or two about child bearing preparation (go figure!). Before conception both parents should look into a diet that includes:

• Organ meats (notably liver)
• Fish eggs
• Seafood (wild)
• Pasture-raised eggs
• Grass-fed butter or Ghee
• Cream
• Grass-fed fermented milk (kefir, yogurt)
• Fish Oil or Cod Liver Oil
• Grass-fed beef or pastured-chicken meat
• Organic vegetables (notably leafy greens that are a great source of folic acid that is essential in preventing birth defects)
• Other oddities that may not hurt: primrose oil and bee pollen
• Beet Kvass and Kombucha (fermented drinks) help with morning sickness as do foods rich in Vitamin B6 (interestingly is that women in Africa nibble on clay to soothe nausea- read this post on dirt though before digging up your back yards, as most things in the US, soil erosion and poor caretaking of our environment causes problems)
• Bone broths to help with digestibility (as well as lacto-fermented foods, which often increase the nutritional qualities of food)

 A nice little cleansing fast six months before conception isn’t a bad idea either, but it’s important the six months before and during the length of the pregnancy, that a regular nutrient-dense regiment is followed. Of course there are things to avoid during pregnancy as well, you are a lifeline to this little child, so don’t forget what you take in affects the baby as well. Potential toxins include:

• Sugar (here is a refresher post with 143 Reasons not to eat sugar)
• White flour
• Hydrogenated vegetable oils
• Excess polyunsaturated oils (littering processed foods)
• Tobacco
• Caffeine
• Alcohol

I believe a lot of times what you consume during pregnancy can pass on to the child as well. This is personal experience. During my wife’s pregnancy with my first daughter, Amanda, she consumed sugar regularly. Today my daughter is a sugar-addict and finds it hard to go a day without something sweet. Don’t pass your addictions onto your children- these foods are highly addictive and drug-like. Now, you can’t abandon a good healthy eating schedule once the baby is born. There of course is controversy of breastfeeding vs. formula. Of course there are both positive studies and negatives studies for breastfeeding. Naturally, the mother’s diet affects the quality of the milk. So a healthy mother with nutrient-dense milk is the perfect fuel for their little baby to develop and grow. But for vegetarians or those consuming a diet rich in processed foods and junk, breast feeding may not be a wise option. Ideally the milk is the perfect concoction for baby’s development, physically and mentally. This allows for robust, intelligent babies, which are less likely to suffer from allergies and other ailments. The colostrum streaming from the breasts the first few days is especially helping the young fight colds, flu, polio, staph infections and viruses. In an ideal world breastfeeding (by a properly nutritional mother) would be done for the first six months up to a year. Breastfeeding helps protect the mother, as well, decreasing the risks of breast cancer. What is important for the lactating woman to consume? Of course fat-soluble vitamins like A and D coming from animal fats, and vitamin B12 that comes from animal fat are essential for development. Foods to consider are: liver, eggs, fish oil. Minerals, like zinc are also important. Don’t forget this post on gelatin and the benefits of bone broths not only for vitamin content, but absorption of them and other nutrients (it doesn’t do any good to consume vitamins and minerals if you’re not absorbing or utilizing them). Trans fat and processed foods MUST be avoided, especially Trans fats that can get into the milk and lead to visual acuity and learning disabilities. Mother’s milk is rich in natural cholesterol and saturated fats (50% of milk composition is fat), that also aid with development (therefore a lot-fat diet during feeding and after pregnancy is depriving your baby of it’s future. You may think, ‘oh the government says fat is bad’ or ‘I want my body back and cutting fat will cut my fat too.’ WRONG, WRONG, WRONG. You’re depleting yourself and your child of vital vitamins and nutrients. Not to mention that childbirth generally depletes mothers of not only vitamins and minerals, but muscle tissue as well. That’s why its important to consume substantial amounts of nutrient-dense foods. This week we’ll cover childhood health more progressively. It’s not hard, but how it should be, plus you’re saving your children from an addictive potentially harmful future. They’ll grow up with a view as food as nourishment, and food preparation as something sacred and full of love, so stayed tune! For more on our fat-burner weight loss programs check out bodychange.net