Let Nutrition Month Begin!!

I have decided to make this my official “Nutrition Month”. What does that mean? It means that for 30 days (and maybe longer) I am going to be concentrating my studies on nutrition. I am not just going to focus nutrition during pregnancy, but nutrition in general!!

I am trying to gather some really well rounded sources. Obviously I tend to lean more towards the “crunchy” side of thinking, but I really want to know what the best and healthiest options for mothers and families are. I am willing to have my mind changed about what I think to be healthy!

I have a few books that I will be reading, as part of my studies. Super Nutrition for Women by, Ann Louise Gittleman; Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy by, Elizabeth Somer; Prescription for Nutritional Healing by, Phyllis A. Balch; Prescription for Dietary Wellness by, Phyllis A. Balch; Nourishing Traditions by, Sally Fallon; The Natural Pregnancy Book by, Aviva Jill Romm; and Understanding Nutrition Custom Edition for Oklahoma State University by, E. Whitney and S. Rolfes. I really hope that these books will give me a well rounded look.

I have begun reading the Super Nutrition for Women by Ann Louise Gittleman. It isn’t a very long book, but it seems to be packed full with information. Gittleman talks about the dangers of living on the American low-fat/no-fat diet. We have deprived ourselves of a vital nutritional element from our lives. Without fats, our bodies cannot utilize the fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamins A, D, E, and K. Let’s look at what some of the vitamins help with:

Vitamin A: needed for new cell growth, healthy skin, hair, and tissues, and vision in dim light.
Vitamin D: promotes absorption of calcium for healthy bones and teeth
Vitamin E: protects red blood cells and helps prevent destruction of vitamin A and C.
Vitamin K: necessary for normal blood clotting and synthesis of proteins found in plasma, bone, and kidneys.

This is just on a basic level, what these vitamins do for us. I am only two chapters in, but am finding out reasons not to be so scared of fats! I will continue to post as I learn more. I am hoping that I will have this book read by the end of the week. It just depends on how much the kids will let me read 

On a different note, I want to say that I am working on a blog post about my miscarriage with Gabriel. So much has happened and I have learned so much from my experience and time with him that I want to make sure I am able to truly express what his life and death has meant to me. I promise that I will not leave everyone hanging for very long. Until next time!