Women’s relationship with dieting are the same with their relationship with clothes: they try out whatever is in vogue, discard if it doesn’t apply or it becomes a favorite staple in their closet even after the novelty has run out.
Unfortunately, pregnancy is a temporary and unstable state for a woman’s body. Experiments with food have to be done quickly and any mistakes in the experimentation ends up costing the mom her lunch or even her whole day meal.
There are of course hard and fast rules for dieting when pregnant – small servings taken often instead of large meals, stay away from spicy, sour, salty, or anything tasty in general, load up on the fruits and veggies, and so on.
Those are nice tenets to build a diet around. But it is like a well-drafted and -designed Executive Order without a set of Implementing Rules and Regulations. A beautiful theory that has not been operationalized.
That is where the tricky part is, adjusting the basic rules of dieting in pregnancy with my lifestyle, food preferences, and resources while ensuring the maximum nutrients possible for the baby. Sigh.
I am lactose intolerant. I tried forcing down the milk but I ended up facing the toilet bowl the whole day because I kept on throwing up. Pong is encouraging me to try drinking again but I dont want to go through that anymore. The calcium supplements I am taking should be enough for the baby. I like to drink taho although I am not sure about its calcium/ protein contents. I do know it is made of soy. Soy is supposed to be good.
I had to research on a more practicable diet. The nearest I found is the Brewer Diet. It suggests that on a daily basis, eat:
- 4 servings dairy
- 2 eggs
- 2 additional proteins
- 2 servings green
- 4 servings grains
- 1-2 fruits a day
In addition to that, eat:
- Potato 3 times a week
- Yellow or orange veggies 2 times a week
- Use salt to taste
- Drink when thirsty
Simple enough. I have been meeting the fruits requirement. Not really the greens. The protein is easy.
I have been throwing up less. But that is because I have been controlling my eating rigidly. I don’t eat too much. I just try to eat on a 3 hour interval. Mornings continue to be hard for me.
What is interesting about the Brewer Diet is that it does not eliminate salt from the diet. Widespread opinions advised me against using salt in any cooking. The Brewer Diet says that salt makes absorption of food easier.
This Diet has been used in several clinics and states in the US. It has worked best in ensuring the right weight for the baby, prevented edema in mothers, as well as lesser occurences of premature labor and high blood pressure.
I am trying to follow as much of it as I can now. But who knows, I only get to do pregnancy once or twice.
