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My Mom used to tell me about how she craved jello when she was pregnant with my sister and I (twins). In fact, she craved it so much that she would wait until my Dad went to work, then make a package the "quick-set" way, and then eat the whole thing herself. I could tell that this seemed really strange to her...almost like she was guilty about it! But the more I started learning about the nutritional needs of pregnant women, the more I understood how WISE her body was! Building babies takes a LOT of nutrients, including proteins and fats (she was building two!) Personally, I craved eggs during my first pregnancy, which isn't surprising now considering that I ate a mostly vegetarian diet. My body knew that I needed more protein than I was getting, and it told me so. Now that I know more about how helpful probiotics are for a healthy immune system and pregnancy, I'm sharing a recipe that has quality protein and probiotics in a tasty package. Water Kefir JelloI've made this one with apple cinnamon flavored water kefir, but you can use any flavor. Water kefir is a mild, broad-spectrum probiotic beverage that can be flavored in myriads of ways. Probiotics help to populate and balance the microbiome, which strengthens the immune system of mother and baby. For directions on how to make water kefir, see here. You will Need:
Method:
That's All! Simple and protein-packed. My kids love this also. Some individuals don't like the taste of the gelatin, so you might substitute some of the water kefir for a stronger organic juice. Just play around with it, and enjoy! This one is kind of a quickie. I'm going to get back to the "pregnancy interventions" series later this week, but I thought that it might be helpful to give some tips on HOW to include some "sacred foods" from these traditional cultures into your preconception or pregnancy diet. Not all of us are ready to jump into liver and onions; I know that I wasn't!! It's okay to go slow, but including at least some of these foods can only be helpful to your body and to your baby. And don't forget Dad! Cultures that prized these foods also included the father in the preconception period; he was also expected to eat liberally of whatever food was prized in fertility for his particular area. I'm going to start with homemade bone broth. Broth is incredibly nutritious and healing, and may even be palatable if you are coping with morning sickness in your pregnancy. Please keep in mind that the quality of bones is important; healthy animals will produce a more nutrient-rich, tasty broth. Buy local or pastured as much as possible, especially if you will be using the bones. |
Author- Sara
I look at birth from the perspective that our bodies are wonderfully made, and if we really believe that and work with the birth process and nourish our bodies properly, they will function optimally, most of the time! Archives
November 2019
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