Healthy Pregnancy

Everyone wants great hair. The health of your hair is a direct reflection of your nutrition and lifestyle habits. My friend Amanda recently wrote a great blog about pregnancy and hair care. She was surprised by how much her hair changed when she got pregnant. While we usually shed an average 50-100 hairs per day, pregnancy is considered a resting stage and hair loss decreases, causing hair to thicken. The thickening is attributed to the increase in estrogen which promotes beautiful skin and hair versus high levels of testosterone that promote baldness. Hair is actually thickest in your 20 and 30’s when estrogen levels are peaking. During this time 70-90% of hair is in a growth phase compared to 30 % in your 40’s.

Knowing that your DNA and basic genetics can predetermine graying and balding, here are some tips to help you improve the health of your hair:

Medication

There are certain medications that can impact the health of your hair. Birth controls containing progesterone can shut down hair follicle production, as can thyroid problems, antidepressants and some acne medications. If you are required to take a medication that impacts your hair growth it would be important to follow some of the stress reduction guidelines and dietary recommendations to help counteract the effect.

Stress

The hair follicles are surrounded by stress hormone receptors and are vastly impacted by cortisol and adrenaline. Stress impacts the growth of your hair and can lead to thinning or even balding. Luckily we know that there are ways to reduce stress by making the relaxation response part of your daily routine. Learning to unwind and take some down time not only improves the health of your hair but also your nervous system, metabolism and mood. In Chinese Medicine the hair and bones are related to the kidney energies, our deepest reserves that we trade on a daily basis to fuel our activities. Working too hard, not sleeping enough and failing to eat a healthy diet all contribute to a acceleration of stress and the aging process.

Diet

It is important to eat a healthy diet for obvious reasons including hair health. In fact, depriving yourself of nutrients and vitamins will wreak havoc causing dullness, thinning and split ends. To strengthen hair include lots of antioxidant in fresh fruits and vegetables along with the following nutrients:

Protein is the building block of your hair

Zinc supports natural oils and contributes to shiny hair. Foods with high zinc content include liver, beef, lamb, venison, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, green peas, shrimp and mushrooms.

B vitamins support cell growth for regenerating hair follicles. Include fermented products, seaweeds and algae in your diet.

Iron fuels the enzymes that support hair growth (consume with Vitamin C (citrus) to improve absorption). Iron rich foods: liver, lean red meats,seafood, black beans, lentils, dark leafy greens, chicken, turkey, molasses, nuts and egg yolks.

Vitamin E helps with circulation which gives fresh blood supply to hair follicles. Vitamin E foods include: sunflower seeds, safflower oil, peanuts, spinach, broccoli, kiwi and mango.

Vitamin A keeps the hair root lubricated to support healthy hair. Vitamin A rich foods include: liver, sweet potatos, carrots, mangoes, spinach, cantaloupe, dried apricots, milk, egg yolks and mozzarella cheese.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.

Fast food is a habit and while I’m all about meals to go, there are certainly some choices that are better than others. If you’re craving a quick fix on the road, consider some healthier choices like Panera Bread (great soup and salad), Real Food Daily (for my vegetarian friends in LA), Fresh Direct (a favorite for my NY clients who tell me “recipe” is a bad word) or the Whole Foods hot food bar (my personal favorite). The rest of you might like to try some of these delicious recipes and recreate your burger combo at home.

Instead of french fries, try yam fries

Yams are a lower glycemic variety of potato, that not only tastes delicious, but may be the secret ingredient for pre-conception twin creation. The Harvard Medical School Nurses Study noted that that the trans fats found in a small serving of commercial French fries are enough to adversly affect fertility.

2 medium yams, cut into 1/8 -inch strips
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon parsley
¼ teaspoon sage
¼ teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon rosemary
Sea salt or dulse flakes to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice sweet potato into circles or thin strips. Baste with olive oil, and add spices. Place a single layer on baking sheet, and cook for 45 minutes or until tender inside and crisp outside.

Black bean burgers

Black beans are considered a reproductive tonic in Chinese Medicine and are loaded with protein, fiber, folate, iron and antioxidants all essential vitamins and minerals for your fertility. The Harvard Medical School Nurses study found iron rich foods like lentils to support ovulation and fertility in women.

1 cup black beans
1 small carrot, chopped or grated
1/3 cup onion
¾ to 1 cup crushed gluten free crackers
2 to 3 cloves chopped garlic
1 tablespoon herb de Provence
Sea salt to taste
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds
2 to 3 tablespoons unrefined olive oil
Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until thoroughly combined. Form mixture into patties or smaller “cakes.” If they are not holding together because they are too “wet,” add more crackers. Place in an oiled skillet and cook 5 to 7 minutes on each side or until browned. Serve with Ezekial sprouted grain buns.

Opt for natural sodas

Instead of drinking soda, substitute the following combination of juice and sparkling water to offer a fizzy satisfaction. By doing so you will avoid harmful chemicals that disrupt the proper release and regulation of hormones and benefit from the natural nourishment of fruits and water.

½ cup limeade, lemonade or any unsweetened juice
½ cup sparkling water

Combine ingredients in a tall glass and enjoy!

Store bought varieties to try: Reeds Gingerale (made with real ginger), Izze sparkling juice (delicious flavors),Closest to cola: Zevia

Last year I found out I had a vitamin B deficiency and Tiffany, the co-creator of the Cooking for Fertility DVD, came over and taught me how to make two fermented foods: sauerkraut (check out the how to make sauerkraut video we filmed together) and coconut water. Instantly my cheeks became more rosy and I felt vitalized. Since then fermented foods have become my go-to staple whenever I need an energy boost.

Sauerkraut and other fermented foods have incredible health benefits, from helping to build B12 and strengthening digestion. Paul Pitchford, author of Healing with Whole Foods believes “saltless sauerkraut is an excellent food for regenerating the intestines. It harmonizes the digestion by balancing the secretions of the stomach, helps in the formation of enzymes and vitamins, strengthens the function of the pancreas, and improves the digestion of fats. Raw, saltless sauerkraut also helps maintain the acid-alkaline balance of the body, strengthens the nerves and the immune system, and stimulates blood formation”.

2 heads purple cabbage
1 tablespoon wakame
½ tablespoon cumin

Remove two leaves from the cabbage and thinly shop the rest. Mix cabbage with dulse and cumin in a large bowl and transfer to a glass container. Fill the container half full with water and use a wooden mallet to compact leaves. Continue to the top, covering with the entire leaf, and place in a cool, dark area for at least seven days.

Berry smoothies are delicious and healthy snacks, packed with blood-nourishing antioxidants from dark berries and balanced protein. The combination of protein and carbohydrates is essential for stabilizing blood sugar, which is particularly important in conditions of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), weight loss, and for managing stress levels. When making a smoothie, thaw frozen fruit or combine with warm milk to balance temperature and ease digestion.

1 cup blueberries, raspberries, blackberries or combination
1 banana
2 cups almond, hemp or goat milk
1 tablespoon flaxseed
1-2 tablespoons whey, rice or egg protein powder

In a blender, combine all ingredients and mix at low speed. Pour into glasses and serve. Makes 2 generous servings.

Source: Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul

While having dinner with my friend Tiffany the other night, discussing our Cooking for Fertility DVD, I mentioned I was working on an article about the connection between heartfelt happiness and health. She shared with me that in ancient cultures, before shaman would perform healings they would ask their patient to list ten things that they were grateful for. They believed that this simple act of expressing gratitude was oftenenough intervention to cure what ailed their patients.

Research is confirming this may just be true. A Canadian study revealed that looking for the silver lining throughout life and adopting a positive attitude may lower the risk of heart attacks and Angina. Furthermore, perhaps we can shift our experience of sorrow to joy simply by including pleasurable activities in our lives.

Pleasurable thoughts and experiences change our physiology by flooding the body with feel good chemicals like serotonin and beta-endorphins. Alongside hormones, a chemical called nitric oxide is also released, most commonly in the experience of orgasm. Nitric oxide relaxes the blood vessels inducing the relaxation response, which supports the parasympathetic nervous system and combats stress.

Dr. Deborah Kern, a health scientist who specializes in the impacts of pleasure conducted a study where women were enrolled in a Pleasure Diet and encouraged to seek pleasure on a daily basis through all five senses. Kern looked at 22 areas of life satisfaction and noted significant increases in life happiness in all areas.

Lifestyle and nutrition tips to support heart health and happiness:

Meditate on gratitude: Focus on an image that brings you joy and you will begin to resonate with a higher vibration. The Institude of Heartmath uses technology to measure this shift from dissonance (stress) to resonance (pleasure) using technology.

Keep a gratitude list: as shaman healers have long recognizing what you are grateful for can immediately shift your state of mind. Consider keeping a list beside your bed.

Explore your five senses: pay attention to the sensations of pleasure you experience when you taste, touch, smell, see and hear. Notice how different images and feelings impact your state of happiness.

Heart Healthy Foods: in Chinese medicine red colored foods positively impact the heart: beets, tomatoes, red peppers, raspberries and adzuki beans. The following foods also help to build the blood: apricot, beef, beetroot, blackberries, bone marrow, eggs, cuttlefish, dark leafy greens, date, dandelion, fig, grape, kidney bean, liver, hormone-free meat and liver, microalgae, nettle, octopus, oyster, parsley, sardine, spinach, spirulina, sweet rice, and watercress.

Supplements for Heart (Cardiovascular) Health: OPC, Proflavonol 90, CoQuinone 30, Biomega (fish oil)

Exercise: Daily exercise floods the body with fresh oxygen and blood supply. Find activities you love and incorporate them into your routine. Whether you are exercising for pregnancy or for fertility, pleasure is a key component to keep you on track.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.

Healthy fats are the cornerstones of a balanced diet.  In fact, your hormones are stored in your fat and there is evidence that shows having either too much or too little may just impact your fertility.  Women who do not eat enough healthy fat sources often lack the necessary body fat to sustain a regular cycle and sometimes lose their periods completely.

It’s also important to recognize that all fats are not created equally.  Avoiding unhealthy fats was shown to protect fertility in the Harvard Medical Nurses Study that concluded the equivalent amount of trans fats “in two tablespoons of stick margarine, one medium order of fast-food French fries, or one doughnut” could negatively impacts one’s reproductive function.  Once you become pregnant, healthy fats are essential to your baby’s development in utero.   To get healthy fats in your diet each day include the following:

Cooking oils:

Organic, unrefined oils for cooking: extra virgin olive oil, sesame oil and high oleic sunflower oil.

Oils for drizzling:

Omega and GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid) oils have countless health benefits. Drizzle the following oils on breakfast cereals and steamed vegetables: Usana-brand Optomega, flax oil, evening primrose oil, borage oil, black currant oil, pumpkin seed oil and chia seed oil.

Food sources:

Omega 3 fatty acids: salmon, sardines, mackerel, flax seeds, chia seed, walnuts, pumpkin seeds, and dark leafy greens.10

Monounsaturated fats: almonds, coconut, olives, walnuts, sunflower seeds and avocadoes.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.

I recently re-read Walter Makichen’s book Spirit Babies which is offers an insightful metaphysical viewpoint of conception. I first met Walter while working at a Fertile Soul Retreat. At the time, I didn’t know much about him except that he was a clairvoyant and I had not yet read his book. There were twenty or so woman attending from all over the world and I have to admit that I wondered how they would receive the concept of spirit babies, since many of them had never seen a psychic. After seeing Walter speak, each of these woman was so moved by his description of working with spirit babies that almost all of them signed up for an individual consultation with him.

Walter’s belief is that many parents have been with their babies in past lives and that often there are lessons left to work through together. When working with infertility patients, he has noticed that there is often a blockage in physical circumstances or energetic vibration preventing the soul from entering the body. In his individual sessions, Makichen is able to speak to the spirit baby and offer insight to the parents about the needs or fears that are preventing conception. He often sees the spirit baby surrounded by an oval of light that corresponds with the chakra system, revealing which emotions need to be addressed to invite the baby in to what he calls the conception chalice:

“When couples with a conscious or unconscious desire to have a child make love, their kundalini energies flow up their spine and out the top of their heads. Their individual energies intertwine, forming a column. At the top the two energies merge into the shape of a bowl. The whole form resembles a large gold and orange goblet or chalice. This gold and orange bowl, which I call the “conception cradle,” floats above the top of the prospective mother’s head. The conception cradle calls and welcomes the spirit baby, drawing the spirit into the conception contract.” (page 186-187)

Spirit Babies offers practical solutions to teach prospective parents to speak with the spirit of their unborn child through meditation and breathwork. Walter also helps women and men to work through issues of past miscarriage, abortions and trauma through grief and self-forgiveness exercises. The key that he re-iterates throughout the book is to continuously return to nature to re-attune your system with the earth. Walter believes that spirit babies may be with their parents for many years before entering the body, often presenting themselves in the form of butterflies and hummingbirds.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.

An estimated 1 in 5 pregnancies end in miscarriage, defined as the loss of pregnancy prior to 20 weeks. Whether expected or unexpected the loss of pregnancy can be an absolutely devastating experience for a woman. Though everyone reacts differently, there is often a deep wondering of what could have caused such a thing to happen. Was it something I did? Will I be able to get pregnant again and carry a baby until full term? Fear, anxiety and deep sadness coupled with hormonal mood swings can leave you feeling low. It is most important to surround yourself with a good support group who can help you to get through this difficult time.

In a culture that doesn’t have the reverence for the experience of loss that other cultures do, it is important to allow yourself to process the many emotions you may be experiencing. In Tears of Blood: Understanding and Creatively Intervening in the Grief of Miscarriage, the authors explain the experience of miscarriage as “a meaningful loss worth of acknowledgment and support, yet many woman do not perceive their miscarriage loss experience as validated and acknowledged.”* For many of these women the process of sharing their story of loss with a loved one or a healthcare practitioner can open the path to healing.

Mayan Abdominal Massage can be helpful for accessing the emotions and trauma stored in belly after a miscarriage. This form of massage also helps to restore hormonal balance and gently prepare the reproductive organs for a healthy pregnancy.

Minerals from seaweeds flood the body with healthy minerals and nourish the deepest reserves of the body impacted by miscarriage. Adding cut up seaweeds like kombu and wakame to foods slowly simmered in water (soups, stews and grains) is a great way to get the benefits without impacting your taste buds.

Foot soaks and relaxing baths help to ground and gently detoxify the body. Taking time to interiorize and relax deeply is important for replenishing your vital energy. Simply add a cup of sea salts of epsom salts to warm water, light a candle and drop into your home spa experience.

Working with a counsellor can allow you to express feelings that may feel uncomfortable to release in your daily life. A good therapist can be objective and guide you through the experience of grief. If you find yourself struggling to release painful memories consider an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) session that works with memory patterns to release the trauma stored in your body.

Creative outlets couple with downtime are helpful ways to let the mind wander and release tension. Spend time sourcing pleasurable moments to doodle, draw or simply be inspired by the nature that surrounds you. It is a fallacy that we need to immediately dive back into the rat race. Be sure to take the time you need.

The good news is that most women will go on to have a healthy pregnancy. Even in the case of recurrent miscarriage, technology has made advances that allow women previously deemed infertile the ability to conceive. With the guidance of your doctors, allow yourself the time to grieve your loss and heal your body in preparation for a healthy pregnancy.

*Douglas, K.I., & Fox, J.R. (2009). Tears of Blood: Understanding and Creatively Intervening in the Grief of Miscarriage. In G.R. WAlz, J.C.Bleuer, & R. K. Yeps (Eds.), Compelling counselling interventions: VISTAS 2009 (p.91) Alexandria, VA: American Counseling Association.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.

It is well known that increased stress levels over time can contribute to a host of illnesses by lowering immune function, increasing blood pressure, disturbing healthy digestive patterns. Since stress creates imbalances of hormones in your body, it also has a strong impact on your fertility and can lead to menstrual cycle irregularity, ovulation malfunction, implantation issues and lowered tubal function.

From a physiological perspective, increased levels of stress hormones are released by the nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis sending the body into “survival mode”. As seen in nature, animals do not reproduce when they are in danger. Our body’s react in much the same way to less primal perceived threats in our environment. Some of the warning signs of stress are: memory problems, inability to concentrate, depression, feelings of isolation, chest pain, digestive disturbances, low libido, over or under-eating, changes in sleep patterns and substance abuse.

With busy schedules and constant deadlines, the opportunities to feel stressed may seem endless. Learning to manage stress in a different way by introducing specialized relaxation techniques may be the key to restoring hormonal balance and vitality. In the early 1970’s Dr. Herbert Benson, a Harvard cardiologist, introduced a technique called the relaxation responseto counteract the harmful effects of stress. He suggested that everyone practice a mindful meditation by sitting quietly, completely relaxing the body from the toes to the top of the head and breathing rhythmically for 20 minutes twice a day at least 2 hours from mealtime. The goal: when practiced over time the relaxation response can help to overrule the stress response.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.

The holiday season reminds us to be grateful for the many blessings in our lives. But what many of us may not realize is that practicing gratitude as a ritual impacts our health, leading us to feel healthier and happier. Current research at the University of California Davis, has revealed that practicing gratitude elevates our inner happiness and contentment with life. I first heard about the gratitude concept from Oprah who wrote that she kept a journal and made a list of all she was grateful for each day. If you are looking to make major shifts in your wellbeing and joie de vivre this New Year, consider keeping a gratitude journal. Studies have revealed that:

1. Those who keep gratitude journal on a weekly basis exercise more often, experience less illness and feel more optimistic about the week to come and their lives as a whole (Emmons & McCullough, 2003).

2. Tracking gratitude is equated to meeting personal goals (personal, health and academic).

3. Guided gratitude meditations elicit positive thinking, while increasing alertness, attentiveness and energy.

4. People who practice gratitude are able to support others.

5. Those with neuromuscular disease improved their quality of life with increased feelings of connectedness, positive moods and improved sleep.

6. Children who grow up on gratitude feel more positive towards education and family. (Froh, Sefick, & Emmons, 2008)

Looking for additional ways to bring gratitude into your everyday life?

Practice giving back: the simple act of giving spreads gratitude. Consider ways you can give to experience how much you receive from the profound act of giving.

Say thank you: the two words are so simple and yet when spoken with sincerity they acknowledge the feeling of gratitude for a gift received by another.

Smile: a simple smile amongst strangers and friends can change the entire dynamic.

Say grace before meals: blessing your food is one of the most profound acts to imbue your food with gratitude to nourish your cells.

Kathryn Flynn is the author of Cooking for Fertility: Foods to Nourish Your Fertile Soul. Kathryn supports men and women worldwide in achieving a healthy pregnancy through nutrition and lifestyle changes in her individual fertility nutrition consultations. For additional information, please feel free to email Kathryn.