Joy in Birthing

Food	Serving	Calcium (mg)	Servings needed to equal the absorbable calcium in 8 oz of milk
Milk*	8 ounces	300	1.0
Yogurt*	8 ounces	300	1.0
Cheddar cheese*	1.5 ounces	303	1.0
Cheeses*	1.5 ounces	241	1.2
Pinto beans	1/2 cup, cooked	45	8.1
Red beans	1/2 cup, cooked	41	9.7
White beans	1/2 cup, cooked	113	3.9
Tofu, calcium set	1/2 cup	258	1.2
Bok choy	1/2 cup, cooked	79	2.3
Kale	1/2 cup, cooked	61	3.2
Chinese cabbage	1/2 cup, cooked	239	1.0
Broccoli	1/2 cup, cooked	35	4.5
Spinach	1/2 cup, cooked	115	16.3
Rhubarb	1/2 cup, cooked	174	9.5

* A few studies actually state that milk and milk products can leech calcium out of your body for more info read Dr. Gordon’s Milk: Does it Really Do a Body Good? or http://www.notmilk.com/deb/092098.html . I personally recommend to stay away from all milk products in the first three moths while breastfeeding.

Iron

In 1997 The American Dietetic Association position paper on vegetarian diets reported that vegetarians do not have a higher incidence of iron deficiency than do non-vegetarians. Sources of iron include legumes, dark leafy greens, dried figs, prunes, black strap molasses, nuts, millet, certain whole grains such as quinoa, and acidic foods cooked in cast-iron pans. Combining iron rich foods with foods high in vitamin C (such as oranges, grapefruit, potatoes and tomatoes) will help improve the absorption of the iron. If you have been put on an iron supplement from your doctor during pregnancy or postpartum you’ll probably have also been given a laxative, as almost all synthetic iron pills make you constipate. Consider a liquid iron remedy (used and prescribed by many midwives) called Floradix Iron + Herbs. The absorption rate of Floradix (liquid iron gluconate) is twenty-five per cent compared solid iron tablets that have an absorption rate of two to ten per cent. Floradix provides maximum absorption by using the most highly absorbable form of iron, iron gluconate. Floradix also contains B vitamins and vitamin C to enhance absorption, herbal extracts to increase digestion, and fruit juices to ensure proper stomach acidity. A twenty milligram dose of Floradix satisfies the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of fifteen milligrams of iron for women of child-bearing age. Search the web to find and purchase.

Do vegans need to take vitamin B12 supplements?

Vitamin B12 is of special concern to vegans because it is not reliably found in plant sources. Vitamin-enriched foods in a vegan diet can provide enough vitamin B12 to meet daily needs. Vegans can also obtain adequate B12 by taking a supplement. Vitamin B12 is important for correct neurological function; therefore it is important for all vegans – especially vegan infants and children (who do not have stores of B12), pregnant and lactating women, and elderly individuals – to include good sources of B12 in their diets. The body requires only small amounts of B12 and stores this vitamin for slow release, so the signs of deficiency may not become evident for several years in individuals who formerly ate meat or dairy. The best sources are fortified soy/rice milks, fortified nutritional yeast such as Red Star Vegetarian Support Formula (formerly T6635+), fortified cereals, fortified meat analogs, and vegan vitamin supplements.

Vitamin A:

Some good sources of vitamin A are green leafy vegetables, red and yellow vegetables, and yellow fruits.

Vitamin D

Supplementation is automatic since the body synthesizes it through exposure to sunlight. In fact many babies born with slight jaundice (yellow hue to their skin) are exposed to indirect sunlight to add vitamin D to their system and reclaim their rosy color. Many foods are also fortified with vitamin D. Vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption, so it is an important part of the diet. If vegans do supplement their diets with vitamin D, they should look for vitamin D2 supplements, which are more likely to be vegan than are vitamin D3 supplements, which may be derived from fish or wool (lanolin). Daily exposure of the face and arms to sunlight, however, will enable vegans to meet their daily needs of vitamin D.

Zinc

Can be found in wheat germ, beans, seeds and nuts.

General Nutrition

Get your proteins

High quality vegetable proteins, such as soy (make sure it’s organic,) is considered comparable to meat (in fact it is even easier to digest,) and should be included in your diet every day. Proteins are necessary for building muscle mass and sustaining energy. Your body must have protein. The most common sources of Proteins include Soy, and other nuts, which contain COMPLETE proteins. Many turn to legumes alone as a source, but this is misdirected. In order to make a complete protein, you must use a combination of Grains and Legumes. This is why many traditional sustenance diets have dishes like Beans and Rice, Corn and Beans etc. As well this becomes a great base for a meal, which has the carb/protein combo, that allows for sustained energy. Other sources include: dried beans, peas and lentils.

Grains

Are the necessary source of much of the Carbs, and help create those wonderful Complete Proteins. Many of the grains are found in the bread products- loaves, rolls, tortillas, naan, etc. Grains also help provide fiber, which is necessary for digestion. Stay away from white flour and white rice they are pretty empty when it comes to nutrients. Stick with all grains you’ll get used to the hardy taste and you’ll be happy when you’ll notice your intestines are working regularly.

Fats

contrary to diet fads, Fat is necessary. The nerve cells in your brain are coated with the myolin sheath which is essentially small fatty deposits. Fat helps insulate our bodies in the cold, and serves as a stored energy source when there are times of food scarcity. Although a lot of the fat in our body is from the consumption of carbohydrates, we still need to have a fat intake. Recent studies of Cholesterol, especially the good kind, are showing that a lot of the deposits in the arteries occurs when there is damage to the artery wall. The cholesterol is laid over the area to prevent eruptions of the artery wall… I wish that i could find the source on that, but if you get the chance browse around… Still, use sparingly and avoid hydrogenated oils, and other trans-fatty acids. It is always best to stick to pure un-hydrogenated oils, like Olive oil (but of course…) Another great source of fat comes from nuts.

Exercise and bone building

Along with food, exercise also plays a key role in building strong bone. That’s right—you can build bone through exercise. Remember, bones are living. They constantly remodel themselves largely due to the normal “stress” placed on them. This means that the more stress you place on them, the more your body will respond and build bone.
So it’s no surprise that weight bearing exercise can have terrific results. And this is true no matter what your age. Yoga is probably one of the best types of exercise to build your bones in pregnancy. Same goes for swimming.

As you can see, there are plenty of natural ways to keep your body healthy and strong. At the very least, make sure you’re giving your body the right nutrients daily. And when you add the right foods and exercise, you’ll be amazed at the results.

My recipes book is coming out soon, stay tuned!