Nutritional Dogma in Pregnancy

Last week i was hoping to write on the absurdity of modern nutritional dogma pushed on expecting mothers, namely the ludicrous recommendations to avoid fish during pregnancy.

As Chris Kresser has written extensively about (here, and here,) the toxic effects of any trace elements of mercury in common fish are protected against by Selenium, and 16 of the 25 highest dietary sources of selenium are ocean fish.

Furthermore, any practitioner telling an expecting mother to avoid fish because of the possibility of mercury toxicity better have a look inside that mother’s mouth, because if she has amalgam fillings, she has more mercury sitting in her gob every single day than it would be possible to consume via fish in a lifetime!!  I dont see any recommendations for the removal of these toxic deposits coming from the medical establishment?

This whole scenario angers me, because it is extremely well documented that Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is essential for the growth and functional development of the brain in infants.  You could say it is a primary building block for a brain.  The DHA obtained from whole food sources (ie fish) is far superior to fish oil capsules, or plant based DHA (from flax,) as outlined here.  I believe a lot of the recommedations by modern midwives and ObGyns is partly to blame for the explosion in neuro-developmental disorders, and cognitive developmental delays we are seeing now.

Last week i was interviewed by Corey Hague at the ABC on the subject of the obesity epidemic, during which time i tried to get across that obesity is probably a sign of a disease rather than a disease in itself.  the interview is HERE.

After the interview i received an email from a woman regarding her change in diet and the impact it had on her now 9-month-old baby.  I was pleased to read it, as it makes everything i push at the clinic feel worthwhile (even though she was not a patient of mine, she, and her husband, followed a similar protocol to what i would give to couples planning a family.)  Below is the email, published here with her permission:

Hi Josh,

I heard you on ABC radio during the week speaking about your thoughts on diet, lifestyle and obesity. I wanted to tell you that what you said really resonated with me especially the part about foods eaten during pregnancy.
My husband and I are just starting to live more of a Paleo lifestyle but changed our diet before we conceived. We did a 3 month pre-conception diet and cut out alcohol, caffeine, and preservatives and most processed foods. Although our diet before hand was considered very healthy, we then adopted a new way of eating by cutting out processed foods including sugar and eating organic wherever possible. It was going to be a temporary diet change for us, but the more we read about what was in these so called foods the more we started choosing real food all the time (with the occasional exception of course). I continued eating that way during my pregnancy as well as exercising and meditating regularly. We are now the proud parents of a healthy 9 month old. Since the day she was born people have commented on how alert she is. We can’t help but think that our food and lifestyle choices play a big part in that. A friend of mine also did the same during her pregnancy and she also gets comments on how alert her baby daughter is.

Not only have we done our best to give our daughter a healthy start to life, my husband and I are feeling less foggy and more energetic despite the lack of sleep that goes along with having a little one. My eczema and his psoriasis have pretty much disappeared. My husband has been strict with cutting out gluten and dairy and has had little to no bouts of depression, which is something he’s had a long history of. Plusses all around!

I thought you may be interested our story since you have similar beliefs. With all the problems in the world it’s nice to hear about the good things sometimes 🙂

F

This is a fantastic example of the benefits of a whole food, anti-processed diet: A NORMAL BABY!  It pains me to have to suggest that a normal baby is a benefit these days, rather than a given.  It is so fantastic to hear that people make comment that somebody’s baby is “alert” or “bright,” but this was once the norm, and it was unusual to have anything but an alert baby.

Please consider your choices if you are expecting or planning a family, because the epigenetic sequalae of your choices now directly impacts the starting blocks for your baby.  Dont take nutritional dogma fed to you as “gospel.”  Question everything and do your own reading, and reap the benefits of a healthy happy child.