Long Time Vegetarian Diet, Pregnancy Preparations

Eating organic foods and cutting out processed foods is a good start

I have just tipped the thirty mark and heading towards pregnancy preparations. I have been on a vegetarian diet for more then 15 years.

I need help with daily vitamin supplements I should be taking, not only because I am on a vegetarian diet, but getting just a little older each day and thinking about pregnancy preparations.

I'd like to eat better in general. Hope you can help. - E.

Savvy Vegetarian Advice

Dear E.,

If you've been on a vegetarian diet for 15 years, and you're in good health now, you should be in good shape for it. On the other hand, if you were completely confident, you wouldn't have written. Obviously, you want to make sure that you are in good health now, by getting a thorough physical checkup, vitamin b12 blood as well as tests for iron and folic acid.

I'm not a big fan of dietary supplements being consumed daily, because I think they can be provided by our food in a more holistic, synergistic form, which is better absorbed and utilized by the body. However, not everyone agrees with that. If tests show that there is a deficiency in some area, short term use of supplements might be good.

A key factor in vegetarian nutrition is eating organic foods. If you haven't gone organic, this would be a good time, to clean toxins from your body for pregnancy preparations. I'm a very strong advocate of organic food. See the article What is Organic Food and Why Should We Eat It? My own experience, and that of many vegetarians I know, as well as the research I've seen, indicates that organic food has much higher levels of all nutrients, as well as better taste. Plus, you're not eating herbicides and pesticides.

There are other things besides eating organic foods that will help to clean toxins from your body, and generally improve your health in preparation for pregnancy:

1. Herbal Dietary Supplements specifically for de-toxing, such as MAPI's Elim Tox
2. Herbal preparations such as those recommended by noted herbalists Susun Weed (The Childbearing Year) and Rosemary Gladstar (The Complete Family Herbal)
3. Exercise, such as walking, swimming and yoga practice
4. Drinking plenty of water (be sure to add trace minerals to R.O. water)
5. Eliminating processed foods, soda, caffeine, sugar, alcohol etc from your diet

Recommendated Reading:

I applaud you for being wise and caring enough to make sure that your body is ready for pregnancy, and wish you a blissful pregnancy and motherhood - Judith Kingsbury, Savvy Vegetarian

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