Paleo Guide to Pregnancy

For many women, pregnancy is a stressful time with lots of complications, like morning sickness, constipation, food cravings, loss of body shape, irregular weight gain, and they are usually exhausted. Only a healthy diet can bring about hale and hearty changes during pregnancy. This is utmost essential for the well-being of the mother and overall growth and development of the child. Here is a short Paleo guide during pregnancy. What does Paleo diet advice during Pregnancy? Paleo diet or the cavemen’s diet advises on optimal intake of proteins, large quantities of fiber, and restricts the use of processed foods like dairy products, sugars, and pulses as processed and packaged foods contain large amount of chemicals like preservatives, additives, colors, that are potentially toxic when consumed in large quantities. While consuming Paleo diet, the body is de-toxed and provides safety during pregnancy. Avoiding alcohol and refined sugars restricts empty calories and thereby maintaining optimal blood sugar levels, in turn ensuring optimal weight gain. Paleo diet encourages consumption of lean meat that provides adequate protein requirement for growth of the baby. In addition, consuming meat increases iron content, which is utmost essential to prevent anemia. Paleo diet also stresses on the consumption of green leafy vegetables, to obtain more folic acid, which is necessary for neurological development of the baby. Benefits of Paleo diet during Pregnancy While consuming foods as per the Paleo diet, it satisfies all the nutritional requirements needed for pregnant women, and even reducing the complications, apart from providing a healthy diet for the baby. Here is a short list of the benefits of consuming Paleo diet during pregnancy. 1. Provides healthy weight gain As Paleo diet stresses on eating less of carbohydrates and more of protein rich foods with no added sugar, the weight gain is healthy. This ultimately allows optimal weight gain for the baby. 2. Provides essential Vitamins and Minerals Paleo diet encourages pregnant women to consume large quantities of fruits and vegetables. As everyone is well aware that fruits and vegetables are rich in vitamins and minerals, which is essential for baby’s neurological development, healthy skeletal system, and overall development of the baby and to prevent infections. This also provides lots of fiber and helps to prevent constipation, which is a commonly seen complication during pregnancy. 3. Reduces the risk of Gestational Diabetes Processed foods, cereals, refined sugar, processed dairy products, alcohol, are a strict no-no in a Paleo diet, as these are simple sugars and result in nutritional deficiencies and increases blood sugar level. By avoiding these foods, pregnant women can reduce the risk of Gestational Diabetes or even maintain optimal blood sugar level, if they are already diabetic. 4. Reduces Morning Sickness Most pregnant women experience morning sickness at least for a short period. By consuming low carbohydrate foods in the morning, and a healthy and early dinner, one can avoid morning sickness. 5. Reduces Cravings Pregnancy is a period of cravings, usually of unwanted and unhealthy junk foods that bring about unhealthy changes in your diet. By consuming Paleo diet, cravings and aversions to unhealthy foods are manageable. By following the guidelines of the Paleo diet, pregnant women can ensure that she has a healthy pregnancy. Many believe that adapting to Paleo diet is a solution to all their complications and of course, bring about healthy growth in the baby.