Are you thinking about getting pregnant? Having a baby is an important decision in every couple’s life, you have to be physically, mentally, financially and emotionally ready for such a huge change in your life. Your health, your life style and your habits will impact the health of your future child, so it is essential that both parent’s get their both mental and physical health in the best shape before attempting to get pregnant. Life style habits of parents such as alcohol intake, diet, obesity, marijuana use have been shown to have a negative impact in your future’s baby’s health, other factors such as environment toxins have shown to have a negative impact in the fetus’ health. A study by the Environmental working group (EWG) founts an average of 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants in the umbilical cord blood from a random selection of babies born un U.S. hospitals. Due to these challenges, it is essential to get yourself in the best health before getting pregnant.

Here some ways to prepare yourself for pregnancy.

1. Take high quality prenatal vitamins daily

Our diet these day lack many of vitamins, mineral and nutrients that are important in fetal development. It is important that mothers to be to start taking prenatal vitamins for at least three months before trying to get pregnant to ensure the optimal amounts of these vitamins and nutrients are in the blood stream. Make sure your prenatal is food based, contains Iron and plenty of Methyl folate. This nutrient has shown to prevent miscarriage, lower the chance of preeclampsia. Recent date suggests a strong correlation between maternal methyl folate consumption and autism. Fortified food with folic acid are not bioavailable and body is unable to absorb the adequate amount of this nutrient, also there are a certain percentage of population who are unable to folic acid to bioavailable folate form. It is best to eat plenty of fresh vegetables and take 800-1000 mcg methyl-folate supplement.

2. Eat organic and avoid high mercury fish

In order to decrease environmental toxin in our food and decrease in utero exposure of agricultural chemicals , it is important to eat organic as much as possible. If eating organic is not cost efficient, try to ONLY eat organic form of the “dirty dozen”  and eat the “clean 15” which do not have to be eaten in organic form.

You also want to avoid fish that are high in mercury, which can cause neurological problems in the developing fetus. There include tuna, shark, swordfish, king mackerel, sea bass, oysters, marlin, halibut, pike. Tilefish, walleye and largemouth bass.

3. Reduce environmental exposure

Studies have shown exposure of Pregnant women to environmental toxins such as Bisphenol A (BPA) found in many food packaging and plastics to heavy metals can have a negative impact on the growing fetus. Other environmental chemicals called endocrine disruptors can mimic hormones and they can cause problems such as genital birth defects, and development in diabetes in adults and  children.

In order to reduce your exposure to environmental factors, avoid food in soft plastic wrap, avoid heating in plastic containers in microwave, use glass storage containers to freeze/store your food and drink out of glass water bottle.

Make sure your cosmetics (especially lipstick) and household cleaners are toxin and chemical free as much as possible.

4. Eat Healthy

In order to avoid gestational diabetes, focus on keeping your blood sugar balanced by eating high quality protein and high quality fat, healthy carbohydrates ( from whole grains and beans) at every meal, make sure to include ample amount of vegetables daily in your meals. Snack should be high quality protein rich and organic. Eat regularly to avoid drastic blood sugar fluctuations, avoid sugar, white flour, and excessive starchy good, sodas, fruit juices and other sweetened drinks, limit your intake of high in sugar content fruits.

5. Get Acupuncture

Acupuncture and Chinese herbs (when needed) are very effective in reducing stress, balancing hormones, reducing anxiety and depression, improving blood flow to uterus and ovaries. It is recommended to get Acupuncture for at least three months before trying to get pregnant to maximize its benefits.

During pregnancy, acupuncture can help with morning sickness, aches and pains, depression during pregnancy, headaches and sleep problems during pregnancy.

At Acuwellness Center, we offer Acupuncture and Herbal medicine for infertility we specialize in women’s health, infertility and pregnancy related problems. Please call us  to learn more and include y acupuncture in your wellness regimen for your pregnancy.