(Prudent Press Agency)---From the dawn of time, the desire to bear a child has been so deeply imbedded in women that as biological clocks tick and no child is conceived, women and their partners often spend years in medical diagnostics trying to create the child their heart is longing for.

Before spending your time and money going down conventional medical avenues, consider how couples in the past have increased their fertility through traditional foods and nutrition.

Below are some Fertile Foods suggestions that we give to all of the fertility patients in our clinic: 1.Eliminate all caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. 2.Eliminate soy products, which are dampening in nature and also increase your estrogen levels. Read labels. All processed foods contain lecithin which is usually made from soy.

To avoid this, eat foods in their natural state. 3.Eat more alkaline rather than acidic foods. This website has a chart to help you follow this suggestion - www.trans4mind.com/nutrition. To make this easier, just add lemon juice to your water. 4.Eat organic foods and hormone-free meats, poultry, fish and eggs. The hormones in these foods create estrogen in the body which makes a woman like a walking birth control pill and lowers sperm counts significantly in men. 5.Eliminate all dairy from your diet. It is phlegm producing which causes things like cysts, fibroids, endometriosis, blocked tubes, etc. 6.A diet high in essential fatty acids and B vitamins, while low in sugar and processed carbohydrates, may aid fertility. Couples may benefit from keeping a food diary for 1-2 days, and then reviewing that information with a holistic practitioner for suggested changes. Over-supplementation with vitamins is never recommended. However, you should take a high-quality fish oil supplement along with 800 mg (micrograms) of Folic Acid (folate) every day. Unfortunately, you cannot get enough of either through eating natural food sources (fish, peanuts, liver, and vegetables). In fact, during pregnancy, women's bodies just don't absorb folate as efficiently as we would like. Supplementation for at least 3 to 6 months before conception is ideal, and supplementation through the pregnancy is critical. 7.Add more cruciferous vegetables like cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and cauliflower to your diet. Juice Plus provides these foods daily. 8.Eat only whole fruits and vegetables, not juices, which contain too much sugar and damage the spleen organ system. 9.Supplement your diet with a high quality EFA (Fish Oil only not flax, or cod liver oil). 10.Avoid foods with preservatives and chemicals. 11.Avoid any food made with white flour or wheat. Simple starches are converted to glucose immediately after ingestion and become sugar as far as the body is concerned, which damages the Spleen. Eat rice and potatoes instead. Rice is also diuretic and may help clear excess fluids, which is helpful in eliminating dampness from the body. 12.Avoid sugar and sugar substitutes and any concentrated sweets including honey and maple syrup. Molasses and agave syrup are OK for sweetening. 13.Avoid junk food, excessive stress, too little sleep, too much exercise, or anything taxing to the immune system. 14.Avoid unnecessary medications and drugs, including over-the-counter preparations. 15.Avoid harboring anger and resentment. Feelings of frustration and internal emotional tension need to be resolved as soon as possible, as any stagnated emotion can inhibit the Qi mechanism. 16.Laugh. Watch funny shows or movies to release any stuck internal feelings. Comedies are better for you than Law and Order: SVU! 17.Breathe deeply and relax. Learn to take a few minutes each day to sit quietly in a chair, or lie down on a bed, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Take a deep breath in through your nose and then slowly exhale. While inhaling say to yourself, "I am calm and serene"; while exhaling say to yourself, "I release all stress and discomfort." A few minutes of this simple breathing exercise every day can change your life (especially when combined with some Hatha Yoga exercises in the morning or evening). 18.Get adequate rest and sufficient exercise. 19.Perform meditative techniques to help relieve the mind of undue worry. Gentle Hatha or Yin Yoga and affirmations are good for this.

There is more to preparing for pregnancy than just eating healthy and relieving stress. You need to develop an attitude of gratitude. The Energy, the Source, that created the world and all life within it, is within you too. You can attract and create new life, the child meant for you, by developing an attitude of gratitude, even if that child hasn't arrived yet. Look at everyone who has a baby, or is pregnant, and say to yourself, "I am happy for them! I am just like them! I give thanks for blessings I already have and for the child I know I am going to have." Developing an attitude of gratitude reduces your chances of following the tumultuous path of failed infertility treatments and constant anxiety.

Remember, you are preparing for pregnancy-not competition. You are not in competition with those who already have what you want-a baby. I strongly encourage all women to develop their own pre-pregnancy plan through which they honor their womanhood, their intuition, and their feminine energy and thus create their optimum level of health and well-being.

GUIDE FOR THE NEWLY PREGNANT

It has finally happened, the pregnancy test is positive!! You and your partner are so excited; the moment you have been praying for has arrived. Soon you are filled with a whole new list of questions as you begin this new adventure. We have put together a list of foods to avoid and do's and don'ts to help you answer some of your questions. Remember we are always here for you if you have any questions and don't hesitate to call your doctor with questions as well.

Following is a list of foods you should avoid throughout your pregnancy:

*Avoid soy products as they can affect the growing fetus' sex organs. *Alcohol. Beer, wine, and spirits rob developing cells of oxygen, making normal development impossible. The effects of alcohol on intellectual prowess are irreparable. According to the March of Dimes, there is no known safe level for alcohol consumption in pregnancy. *Raw or undercooked meat, poultry, seafood (like raw oysters, clams, sushi), and eggs (including eggs in cookie dough and cake batter). Undercooked animal foods may contain a variety of bacteria and viruses. Use a meat thermometer to determine when meat and poultry is done, and cook eggs until they are no longer runny. Hot dogs and luncheon meats, including deli ham, turkey, bologna, and salami - unless they have been reheated until steaming hot. These foods are prone to Listeria monocytogenes, a bacteria that causes listeriosis, which may result in miscarriage, stillbirth, or other serious health problems.

*Swordfish, shark, tilefish, king mackerel, limit canned albacore tuna fish. These large fish harbor higher levels of methyl mercury, a metal detrimental to a growing child's brain and nervous system. Pregnant and nursing women may safely eat up to 6 ounces of albacore ("white") tuna fish as part of their weekly total limit of 12 ounces of seafood low in mercury. This also includes salmon, shrimp, canned light tuna, pollock, and catfish. *Fish caught in rivers, lakes, streams, or any other body of water that you are unfamiliar with. Recreational anglers may hook fish contaminated with bacteria or chemicals. Check the safety of fish from your favorite fishing grounds with your local health department. Unpasteurized dairy foods, including some milk and certain cheeses, such as Brie, feta, Camembert, Roquefort, blue-veined, "queso blanco," "queso fresco," and Panela; refrigerated pates or meat spreads; and refrigerated smoked seafood, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, cod, tuna, or mackerel (most often labeled as "nova-style," "lox," "kippered," "smoked," or "jerky"). These foods may contain harmful levels of listeria bacteria.

*Unpasteurized juices, such as cider purchased from roadside stands, at farms, or in stores. These products are prone to germs, including E. coli. Check the label to be sure juice is pasteurized. *Raw vegetable sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean. The FDA says sprouts are not a good idea for anyone, never mind pregnant women who are more susceptible to the health effects of the germs sprouts possess. *Herbal supplements and teas. Herbs are natural, but herbal products have not been studied enough to recommend them during pregnancy. *Certain foods that cause food allergy. Depending on your family history, your child may be at risk for developing food allergies. Avoiding foods including peanuts and peanut products during pregnancy (and nursing) may reduce allergy risk in susceptible children. Before you make any changes to your diet speak with a licensed health care professional about your child's risk for allergy and consult with a registered dietitian knowledgeable about food allergy. Things You Should and Should Not Do During Pregnancy There are quite a few things you can do during your pregnancy to help improve your health as well as your baby's health. You can also avoid risks that can complicate or terminate a pregnancy. Some of the items listed here (such as avoiding microwaves and electric blankets, etc.) are controversial. Some studies have shown they are dangerous, others not. It is up to you to do the research and decide if the risks outweigh the benefits.

Things You SHOULD Do

*You Should Get Regular Medical Exams. One of the easiest and best ways to avoid problems and complications during pregnancy is to get regular medical exams from your doctor or midwife. *You Should Get the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for Folic Acid. By getting the proper amount of Folic Acid you significantly reduce your baby's risk for spinal bifida. The current recommendation is 0.4 mg of folic acid daily. Folic Acid should be in the prenatal vitamins you are already taking. Continue to take them throughout your pregnancy or ask your health care provider for a prescription. *You Should Check Your Immunity to German Measles (Rubella). German Measles (Rubella), if contracted during pregnancy, can lead to miscarriages and fetal deformities. The best way to avoid this possibility is to be vaccinated for Rubella prior to getting pregnant, however, staying away from someone who contracts German Measles is also advisable whether or not you are immunized. You should not receive the vaccine now that you are pregnant. *You Should Take Prenatal Vitamins. Both you and your baby need plenty of vitamins during pregnancy, and by taking special prenatal vitamins, you may ensure that you are getting proper nutrition for you and your baby. Getting the proper vitamins can also help you avoid developing gestational diabetes. *You Should Eat Plenty of Protein. The recommended daily allowance of protein for pregnant women is 75 grams but 100 grams is often recommended. Adequate protein is essential for the development of the baby (especially the brain) and may help protect against preclampsia during pregnancy. *You Should Eat Well and Get Plenty of Exercise. Your diet needs to include plenty of vitamins, minerals, fiber and so on, just as it normally should. Continuing to take your Juice Plus throughout your pregnancy will help to insure that you are taking in proper nutrients. You also need to exercise and watch your weight as you normally would. Walking for 30 minutes 5 times a week is a great form of exercise that keeps you moving without jarring the body too much. Watch your heart rate and always keep it under 160 beats per minute to insure your baby is getting enough oxygen. *You Should Be Sure to Get Enough Fat in Your Diet. Fat and cholesterol, which you normally try to avoid, are important for absorbing the fat soluble vitamins (A,D,E, and K) during pregnancy. It also helps with maintaining elasticity of the skin. Fat is also necessary for the developing baby's brain. That does not mean you want to be over-consuming it, but you need to make sure you are getting enough of the good fats. There are so many fat-free foods on the market today (fat free milk, butter, ice cream, meat, bread, cookies etc.), it is very easy to consume a fat-free diet without realizing it. *You Should Do Kegal Exercises. Weak kegal muscles can contribute to pain during birth, premature flexion of the baby's head and a prolonged second stage labor. Childbirth can also weaken these muscles and cause discomfort afterwards. *You Should Use House Plants. A modern house is full of hundreds of hidden chemicals that are emitted by paints and stains, carpet, particle board, household cleaners and so on. One of the best ways to filter and remove these chemicals is with house plants. Spider plants, for example, are known to be good at removing formaldehyde (which is quite common in paints). *You Should Focus on Your Child and Avoid Negative Thoughts and Actions. Keep doing your Spirit Baby work. Talk to your baby, rub your belly, and let the baby know you love them and how excited you are to meet them. *You Should Take Care When Traveling. Traveling when pregnant requires some special considerations, especially when traveling to foreign countries. It is advised that women stop traveling in their third trimester. Make sure to eat and drink safe foods and beverages, including water. *You Should Talk to Your Doctor about Existing Conditions and Your Family History. If you have any pre-existing conditions, chronic problems or a family history of reproductive problems, you should let your doctor know about them so that he/she can take appropriate action. Pre-existing conditions include things such as diabetes, herpes (and other STDs), heart problems, epilepsy and high blood pressure. ... ( cont. on website...)

ChicagoHealers.com mission is the education and advocacy of natural medicine and a holistic lifestyle.

Please give credit to the original author when republishing all or part of any article. Also, kindly link back to www.ChicagoHealers.com