14 | Oh BABY! You’re pregnant! You’ve never had a better reason to eat healthy. A developing baby depends solely on the trans- fer of nutrients from the mother. These nutritional building blocks help maximize brain development, growth of all organs, and develop the integrity of your baby’s immune system The quality and the quantity of nutrition that you eat, the pollutants, drugs and infections that your body is ex- posed to during fetal development, and the stress level and state of mind that you adopt while pregnant are all factors that shape your baby, your life, the lives of your grandchil- dren, and great-grandchildren. That’s right, not only can you grow a healthy child, but you can also optimize the health of your family for three generations. Balance in your lifestyle choices can bring vital health to your pregnancy. FIRST TRIMESTER In the first trimester of pregnancy by week 6, your baby has a beating heart, and by the 10th week of pregnancy you will have created all of the organs your child will have for the rest of their lives. During the first 13 weeks, it is com- mon to feel nauseous, fatigued, and moody. Don’t worry, all those symptoms are perfectly normal, and you will not have to eat more now than if you weren’t pregnant. It’s often hard to eat in the first trimester because of nausea. Focus on small and frequent snacks/meals that are protein rich (nuts and seeds, legumes, dairy, and lean animal) and always pair a carbohydrate with a healthy fat or lean protein. It is easy to mistake nausea with hunger and thirst. Try adding lemon, lime, mint, or ginger to your water or hot tea. These are natural ways to manage nausea. Adding magnesium rich foods can help as well: pumpkin seeds, spinach, Swiss chard, and chocolate. SECOND TRIMESTER In the 2nd trimester your baby is laying down new bone. Bone building nutrients are a focus in the 2nd trimester. Most of us know the role that calcium plays in strong bones, but did you also know that bones rely on vitamins A, D, and K, as well as the minerals boron, mo- lybdenum, manganese, and magnesium? Focus on color- ful fruits and vegetables daily to consume all of these vi- tamins and minerals. The goal is at least 1 food from each color daily: blue/purple, red, orange, yellow, white/tan, and green. The easiest way to achieve this goal is to make a daily smoothie loaded with fruits and veggies. Spinach is the mildest green vegetable to hide in a smoothie. Try a couple big handfuls, you’ll never know it is there! THIRD TRIMESTER Did you know that your baby’s brain grows by 260% in the 3rd trimester alone? Now that’s brain power! Focus on brain building nutrients in weeks 28-40 to help maximize cerebral development: protein, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, iron, vitamin A, vitamin D, and B vitamins. All your healthy eating is starting to pay off. Even if you can’t see your baby eating, they are swallowing amniotic fluid daily and with it comes all the flavors of the foods you have been eating. Recent studies show that you can influence the palette of your child starting in utero. By choosing foods that have strong and complex flavors such as herbs and spices, and colorful fruits and vegetables, you can prime your baby to enjoy diverse flavors before food introduc- tion. TOP NUTRIENTS FOR PREGNANCY AND WHERE TO FIND THEM Protein—promotes cell growth and blood production. Protein is a long-lasting fuel source for your body as your energy requirements are in high demand. Found in lean meat, fish, poultry, egg whites, legumes, nuts and seeds, tofu, and tempeh. Carbohydrates—your body’s #1 fuel source. Found in whole grains, non-starchy and starchy vegetables, fruits, legumes, and dairy/dairy alternatives. Fat—promotes healthy hair, skin, eye, nail, and membrane development and is a key part of your body’s energy stores. Found in olive oil, olives, avocado, coconut oil, sunflower oil, dark chocolate, nuts and seeds, seafood, and meat. Vitamin A—an antioxidant and fat-soluble vitamin that helps create skin, eye, brain, and bone health, and fights off viral infections. Found in carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, Nutrition: Eating for the Health of Your Family