The miracle of birth never ceases to amaze me. After I watched a TED.com video showing incredible footage of a fetus from conception through birth, I was inspired to write about something near and dear to my heart – helping future generations thrive and survive in the best possible way.
Throughout my thirty-some years of practice, I’ve taken care of many new mothers and their families. Starting with a baby’s first adjustment to helping people in their golden years adjust to changes, my work with families and people of all ages has always been very rewarding. Knowing that life is always better when we have good health reassures me that everything I can do to help people live healthier lives is important. A good example of this is based on one of my most recent adventures – kayaking with one of my oldest patients. An amazingly agile 96 year old, Jessie takes an active role in her health by exercising and eating well. Thankful to be able to do so many of the things she loves, she attributes it to having an active lifestyle and chiropractic adjustments throughout her life.
In honor of Mother’s Day, a big thank you goes out to everyone who has made it a priority to provide good healthy nutrition for themselves and the people they love. Although historically this was the mother’s job, it is now often delegated to other family members. Preparing good food takes time and energy, and responsible choices are healthy choices in many ways and for many reasons. For example, if no one purchases chemically processed non-food items, there will no longer be a market for them.
A mother’s physiological influence on her children begins long before birth with her own nutrition. This is why it’s essential for a prospective mother to have adequate mineral reserves. Since these mineral reserves are used to build the skeletal structure of the baby which begins to form only 36 days after conception, her nutrition is extremely important.
It’s fairly common knowledge that a growing fetus will take calcium and other minerals from the mother’s body as needed during pregnancy, but it doesn’t work this way when it comes to the adrenal and thyroid glands. Exactly the reverse can occur. A pregnant mother will utilize the glands of the baby pre-birth to help supplement her own glands if they are exhausted due to a rough pregnancy or other factors, which means that many babies begin life with exhausted thyroid and/or adrenal glands.
One of the most important minerals needed by everyone, especially expectant mothers is calcium. This mineral adds strength to the body structure and is important for the transmission of nerve signals and muscle contractions. Calcium is utilized by the immune system to help rid the body of bacteria, virus, rouge cells, and other offenders if they’ve gotten past the acid barriers of the stomach and large intestines and the alkaline barrier of the small intestines. Other significant minerals needed in appropriate ratios by the body include magnesium, boron, and potassium. Interestingly, postmenopausal women don’t need to maintain the same reserves to build a baby’s skeletal structure so the amount of mineral held in the bone is decreased at this time of life without loss of structural integrity.
What’s the best way to obtain optimal nutrition? The best diet for everyone starts with fresh fruit and vegetables – 80% vegetables and 20% fruit, with the fruit being primarily berries as they are low glycemic, meaning that they release their sugars slowly. Check the glycemic index link on our website to check for low glycemic foods. Although pregnant mothers are often prone to gestational diabetes, they may be able to avoid using drugs by taking good care of themselves.
Check out www.environmentalworkinggroup.org to find out which foods should be organic and which are safe to eat when grown conventionally. Although one’s religious and/or philosophical outlook often influences their decision about including eggs, meat, and fish in their diet, only pasture-raised meats and eggs obtained from healthy animals raised without chemicals and wild-caught fish should be consumed. For the best nutrition, most foods should be either organic or environmentally verified –a certification similar to organic used by many smaller farms.
A caution to pregnant women is that even wild-caught fish may contain some mercury and that extra bit of toxic metal could cause a problem when combined with the toxic metals in vaccinations. Since the prevalence of autism is currently at astronomical levels, it’s never a good idea to take chances. On the other hand, healthful additions to the diet including chlorophyll and wheat germ oil are encouraged. According to Gina L. Nick PhD, N.D., the use of these natural substances during pregnancy helps to prevent miscarriages and contributes to an exceptionally healthy pregnancy.
Both prospective parents should detoxify before planning to conceive a child. Specific nutritional cleanse programs, ionic foot baths, chelating supplements, and/or homeopathic remedies may be utilized to help safely remove heavy metals. If someone is dangerously toxic because they waited too long to rid their body of toxins in more conservative ways, intravenous chelation therapy may be indicated. The body uses many types of organic metals but doesn’t like elemental metals. When you become free of toxins and heavy metals, you may be able to think more clearly and have a better memory but you should not detoxify during pregnancy.
All parents and prospective mothers are invited to a have a full body system evaluation in my office utilizing one of our latest high-tech instruments known as the Zyto. Using sophisticated bio-communication technology, this system is able to effectively assess a person’s current physical and nutritional state, including the endocrine system, meridians, and glands such as the extremely important adrenal glands and the thyroid. This is another tool to help find nutritional deficiencies and work at correcting them before starting on the most important and rewarding journey of a lifetime –that of becoming a parent!
Dr. William H. Karl, D.C.