Month Three
Emerging
WEEK THIRTEEN
• Baby is 2.9 inches and .81 ounces.
• Head is now a third of the size of the body.
• Teeth are forming.
• The baby now has unique fingerprints.
WEEK FOURTEEN
• This is the start of your second trimester
• Baby is 3.4 inches and 1.5 ounces.
• Baby can suck his or her thumb.
• The lanugo, a thin layer of hair over the body, is keeping baby insulated.
• The baby’s sex can be identified.
• Baby can hear the environment in your belly now too.
WEEK FIFTEEN
• Baby is 4 inches and 2.5 ounces.
• Baby can hiccup.
• All the joints and limbs are fully mobile.
• Baby is 4.6 inches and 3.5 ounces.
• You can probably feel baby moving now (but don’t worry. It’s also totally normal if you can’t feel them yet).
• Your baby can grasp with fingers now.
• The body is filling out with more fat being deposited under the skin.
• Hair is appearing on the head along with eyebrows and eyelashes.
East-West Fetal Development
This month is represented by the Chinese Pericardium system. Your actual pericardium is the protective membrane around the heart, and as you build on the information you’ve gathered about your pregnancy, including test results and your personal experience of being pregnant, you may subsequently be even more trusting and confident in your pregnancy. Your heart may feel bolstered and open to newfound connection and joy—especially as some of the initial symptoms of the first trimester begin to recede.
In Chinese medicine, the Pericardium is the companion to the Heart; both systems are associated with the element of fire. During this phase, in response to your growing baby and increasing circulatory demands, your blood volume is increasing and may bring another round of heated symptoms such as heartburn. As with all of the phases of pregnancy, temper the ups and downs and trust that if the process itself is not fully enjoyable, the final result—your baby—will be. I feel confident that he or she will bring you a joy like none you’ve experienced.
Constipation and Heartburn
Constipation, heartburn, and hemorrhoids seem to be the triad of pregnancy, and this is the month when hints of any or all of these may creep in. (More on hemorrhoids in month five.) From a Chinese medicine perspective, these are all symptoms of stagnancy, which is not surprising if you think about growing a baby as “accumulating a baby.” While your body is working hard to retain the baby, it’s also retaining everything else. After all, accumulation is the opposite of elimination, and these other accumulations, namely constipation, often drive the heartburn and hemorrhoids. Focusing on the constipation can be a good start for managing or resolving the rest.
STOMACH-SOOTHING SLIPPERY ELM LOZENGES
Slippery elm contains mucilage, which means it turns into a gel when mixed with water. It also has potent antioxidants that relieve inflammation and stimulate increased mucus secretion in the stomach, which can coat or protect your stomach from acidity—hence helping heartburn.
Ingredients
¼ cup marshmallow root
1 tablespoon dried elderberries
1 cup water
2 tablespoons honey, divided equally
½ tablespoon slippery elm powder (plus some extra in a bowl for coating finished lozenges)
Directions
Add marshmallow root and elderberries to water, bring to a boil, and simmer with lid on for ten minutes. Pour 1 tablespoon honey and strained marshmallow root “tea” into a bowl.
In a separate bowl, slowly add remainder of honey to the slippery elm powder while stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. As you make this “dough,” adjust the consistency by adding more slippery elm powder to firm it up, and begin to add the “tea” to moisten it, aiming for a smooth, not-too-sticky dough. Roll dough out to ¼-inch thickness and slice into discs about size of lozenges. I like to roll each lozenge in some extra slippery elm powder as well to keep them from sticking together. Dry lozenges on a plate for two days or bake at 250 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour.
Constipation
Whether you’re backed up for days or hours, or just having difficulty moving your bowels, it’s such an uncomfortable symptom to add to an already congested and bloated system. Constipation happens in about a third of pregnant women and, from a Western medicine point of view, is usually caused by rising progesterone levels, which affect intestinal motility.
Another culprit is iron supplementation. Even though iron is great to support your pregnancy, it can cause constipation. (See the anemia section for more details and tips on easily digestible sources of iron that can potentially help you avoid the supplement route.)
Hypothyroidism may also be an occasional cause of constipation during pregnancy. Make sure your thyroid has been evaluated, since the thyroid is the engine of the endocrine system and can experience changes during pregnancy.
Luckily, you may have some recourse from constipation. Most of the time, fluids, food, and exercise can restore normal bowel function. When you’re constipated, your system isn’t doing a great job of assimilating the nutrition you are taking in or distributing the nutrients, so it really helps to replenish your nutrients with fluids that contain electrolytes and easy-to-digest foods such as broths and porridges. (Refer to the Vitamin C-Rich Electrolyte Refresher and Boosted-Up Chicken stock recipes in month one, and the Ancient Grains Porridge recipe in month two.)
Heartburn
As the baby grows, the heart grows fonder, but heartburn also grows. Interestingly, baby’s hair may be growing too! The same pregnancy hormones that contribute to heartburn by way of relaxing the esophageal sphincter (the muscles that keep food from going up the tube that connects the throat with the stomach) also promote fetal hair growth.
The occurrence of heartburn in pregnant women increases from 22 percent in the first trimester to 39 percent in the second trimester and then up to 72 percent in the third trimester. Basically, for most women, everything just gets exponentially more uncomfortable.
There are ways to deal with heartburn, and, like everything in pregnancy, we always try the lowest-impact intervention first. Start with diet changes (see the sidebar for some foods to add and others to avoid), and chew slowly and thoroughly (this stimulates digestive secretions to help your stomach more optimally process food and minimize the secretion of unnecessary acid).
If changing your eating habits doesn’t do the trick, the next line of defense can be Western interventions including Milk of Magnesia, calcium carbonate-based antacids (these rarely have adverse effects; plus they’ve been shown to be beneficial for the prevention of high blood pressure and preeclampsia). If you’ve been diligent with diet and lifestyle changes, heartburn symptoms are unrelenting and you’re still seeking temporary relief, histamine H2-receptor antagonists (also known as H2 blockers or acid reducers) are sometimes used, and if it’s really, really bad, in severe instances, proton pump inhibitors can be prescribed, but as ever, it’s advisable to avoid drugs during pregnancy if possible. Be sure to check in with your physician about appropriate options. Although you might not be able to completely get rid of heartburn, it may be possible to at least minimize the discomfort.
NOTE: If you are one of the few who has been prescribed medications to control nausea and vomiting, these can cause heartburn.
Things to Avoid to Minimize Heartburn
• anti-inflammatory drugs
• caffeine
• carbonated drinks
• chocolate
• citrus
• dairy (except for probiotic-rich yogurt)
• greasy and spicy foods
• garlic
• mint
• mustard
• onions
• refined flour
• tomatoes
• vinegar
• lying down within three hours after eating
It can be challenging to feel like you’re supporting your nutrition during a time when you might not feel like eating, or wondering what you can eat without too many repercussions. Since it’s advisable to eat small meals and snacks throughout the day to minimize the burden on your stomach, here’s a recipe that fits the bill in size and contains nutrient and protein-rich ingredients that are also soothing for digestion.
By the way, the term “carat” evolved from the use of carob seeds as weight units for measuring gold, and carob is worth its weight in gold if it helps you feel better at this stage of your pregnancy.
Ingredients
¼ cup carob powder
1 teaspoon slippery elm powder
2 tablespoons sesame seed butter (tahini)
1 teaspoon green powder (such as spirulina or chlorella)
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon chia seeds
Directions
Combine everything in a bowl and mix. Roll into small balls (about a tablespoon worth). Eat one or two a day. You can keep the rest in the fridge.
Things to Add to Minimize Heartburn
• Carob powder (see My Heart Burns for You recipe in this chapter)
• Magnesium-rich foods such as avocado, dry-roasted almonds, halibut, kelp, kidney beans, lentils, spinach, wheat bran, wheat germ, and yogurt with live cultures.
• Probiotics
• Zinc
Any of the previous concoctions for constipation may also help with heartburn.
Thyroid
The thyroid is the engine of the body, the crux of hormone regulation, and the gland at the core of metabolism. Pregnancy makes a lot of increased demands on your body, and it’s no exception that the thyroid is working overtime—especially in regard to stimulating enzymes that help metabolize nutrients and oxidation of glucose. (Even though sugar often gets a bad rap, this form of sugar is one of the building blocks for your baby.)
To process all of this glucose, you end up increasing your oxygen uptake and basal metabolic rate (BMR). During pregnancy, there is a 20 to 30 percent increase BMR, and with this increase, symptoms that mimic hyperthyroidism can arise such as fatigue, a feeling of anxiety, sweating, heat sensitivity, warm skin, shortness of breath, edema and higher pulse rate. It’s often difficult to differentiate between symptoms of normal pregnancy and a state of hyperthyroidism. True hyperthyroidism only occurs in .08 percent of pregnancies, though.
SOOTHING THYME AND HONEY DIGESTIF
Thyme has a therapeutic effect on inflammatory conditions, especially in the digestive tract, including heartburn. This is a delicious, refreshing cold-brewed tea that you can make in big batches to always have on hand.
Directions
Pour 4 cups of warm (but not boiling—you don’t want to destroy the important volatile plant oils) water over ½ cup of fresh thyme and ½ cup of honey. Stir and let cool. Add 2 cups of fresh-squeezed lemon juice to the thyme water. Mix. Pour over ice and enjoy.
Your continued quick lesson in endocrinology is that there are two thyroid hormones: thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). One reason these hormones get stimulated during pregnancy is because the increased estrogen of pregnancy stimulates the liver to double up the amount of thyroid hormone-binding proteins (TBG) it produces. As you can imagine from the word “binding,” the hormones are occupied and not available, or “free.” So, the body pumps out more of the aptly named “thyroid stimulating hormone” (TSH) to compensate. Your baby also secretes thyroid hormones around twelve weeks. That’s why it’s really important to assess a baseline and late pregnancy thyroid test and look at the “free” or circulating amounts of thyroid hormones. Note that lab ranges already take into account that thyroid levels are bound (pun intended) to be a little higher during pregnancy.
Additionally, calcitonin, which manages the calcium level in your blood, is also produced by the thyroid cells. When it’s elevated it removes calcium from the blood and stores it in your bones and kidney cells. Estrogen (which naturally increases during pregnancy) can influence this process, which in turn inhibits calcium from being released and helps conserve your bone density.
For the most part, the body adjusts to all of these changes and acquires a new equilibrium, but these metabolic adjustments pose a problem when there is an existing autoimmune thyroid disease, hypothyroidism, or inadequate iodine in one’s diet, and since the thyroid hormones are so prevalent in the body, they can have a swathe of adverse effects on a developing baby. It is important to concertedly manage thyroid issues during pregnancy.
Please note that iodine should not be thrown at any thyroid issue. It can actually throw off the thyroid even more and contribute to an increase in autoimmune thyroid issues. It reduces an enzyme called thyroid peroxidase (TPO), which is essential for normal thyroid hormone production. So, if you have the “right” kind of iodine-deficient hypothyroid condition and you’re supplementing with iodine (or dosing up on seaweed), just be sure to recheck your thyroid labs every four to six weeks.
Nasal Congestion, Snoring, and Nosebleeds
Barring a cold, nasal congestion is just a phlegmy aspect of pregnancy that comes with growing a huge mass of human. It’s called pregnancy rhinitis, which simply translates to “pregnancy-induced runny nose.” If this inflammatory condition persists, the delicate membranes of your nose can be more susceptible to actual infection. The congestion can also, of course, impair your breathing, and in addition to being a nuisance, fluids accumulate in your upper respiratory tract particularly when you’re lying down. So snoring becomes an issue too.
On the other spectrum, throughout pregnancy, your blood volume and estrogen increase, which both can lead to increased blood flow in the membranes of your nose, leading to a susceptibility toward nosebleeds even from minor irritations. If you already tend toward nasal irritations or infections, they may worsen during pregnancy. If this is not a general concern for you, a runny or even bloody nose may still be part of your pregnancy repertoire. Perhaps an opportunity to carry around stylish handkerchiefs?
The Reality behind Feeling Fat
It tends to be confusing for women that, within the first few weeks of finding out they’re pregnant, they seem to already need maternity clothes. Not to fret! This is mostly due to a normal initial accumulation of fluids due to rapid hormone changes and the immediate needs of the newly growing baby. In the second trimester, fluid retention will typically subside and be replaced by tauter, more proportional, baby-related growth.
In general you can expect to gain the most weight in your stomach (obviously), hips, back, and upper thighs during pregnancy, since these areas are where estrogen (which is produced in high quantities during pregnancy to help protect and secure your pregnancy) is distributed and stored in fat tissue. Set your expectations now about your changing body.
It’s true that throughout your pregnancy you will gain weight, and for a very good reason. There are a lot of factors at work. The placenta can alter your blood sugar and stimulate weight gain. Other components of weight gain include protein, fat, water, and minerals that are deposited in the fetus, placenta, amniotic fluid, uterus, mammary glands, blood, and adipose tissue. (The adipose tissue is what we commonly call “fat,” and that’s where a lot of this important stuff is stored.) Most of this weight gain can be lost when you and your baby don’t need the intense nutrients anymore. Think of pregnancy as your body’s way of storing up for a long winter. Basically, your body is conserving what you need for pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding.
Just make sure you’re experiencing the type of weight gain that is ultimately supportive for you and your baby, because it is also true that obesity is an increasing problem—especially in the United States—and can contribute to risk factors for pregnancy, birth, and the baby, such as preeclampsia, hypertension, gestational diabetes, the need for labor induction, or a baby that’s large for her gestational age, which increases the likelihood of having a caesarean section. If weight was a pre-existing issue for you, and your pregnancy weight gain is already way outside the boundaries of average, now would be a great time to get going on a more supportive eating and exercise routine for you and your baby. Your habits will most likely become your children’s habits too.
Having said that, weight gain in pregnancy is like growth in children: there’s a wide range of normal. Humans are actually the most diverse species on the planet—from Pygmies to Samoans. Regardless, it’s never comfortable to feel like you’re outside the “norm” in your pregnancy. The normal rule of thumb is about two to four pounds of weight gain in the first trimester and just about a pound per week in the second and third trimesters, with slight adjustments to these numbers if you were either underweight or overweight when you conceived. For twins, the general guideline is a total gain of about thirty-seven to fifty-five pounds.
Every pregnant woman I’ve ever met has one thing in common: she hates when people guess (wrong) how far along she is in her pregnancy—particularly when she has some months to go and is told that she looks like she’s “ready to pop.” During the last months of pregnancy, the impacts of weight gain and stamina can be challenging.
Some people believe that women should not be weighed at all during pregnancy, since the “number” can produce unnecessary anxiety without any real added benefit. If you’re eating well, have a healthy exercise regimen, and baby is meeting regular growth expectations via measurements and ultrasounds, you can probably safely assume that you are gaining the right amount of weight for you and your baby. But if your underlying blood sugar isn’t stable, you can be doing all the right things without getting the right results. Manage your blood-sugar stability by eating small, protein-based meals throughout the day—balanced with whole grains, vegetables, and moderate amounts of fruit—along with managing any clinical aspects of blood sugar changes. Check out the section on gestational diabetes for more in-depth information on this topic.
Eating and weight are usually sensitive issues for women, with many emotional layers and habits to contend with. Don’t feel bad if you have the best intentions but are having difficulty articulating them. If you’re feeling very stressed about weight gain, consider seeking help from a nutritionist or a psychologist who (especially together) can help you set reasonable and healthy goals. You know the saying “It takes a village to raise a child”? Well, it can also take one to get through a pregnancy.
And one more thing: if you’re worried about the idea of birthing a really big baby as a result of excessive weight gain, I’ve rarely seen a woman whose birth canal could not accommodate her baby. The exception to this is excessive growth caused by out-of-the-norm blood sugar or more serious genetic complications. Contrary to popular belief, “birthing hips” are not visible to the casual observer. Even if you are petite, what is of relevance in birth is the internal pelvic outlet. This loosens and opens to accommodate your baby, and frankly, in the throes of birth, you’re really not able to differentiate between six pounds and eight pounds. It’s a lot of baby, either way, but you get through it.
Remember, your body is doing what it needs to do to support a healthy pregnancy and grow a baby that it is designed to accommodate.
The Ins and Outs of Intercourse
Just like in your normal love life, sexual desire can go every which way during pregnancy. There are more hormones flying around and increased blood perfusion into reproductive tissue, which could account for many women’s increased sex drive at certain stages in their pregnancy. This is a time of not only heightened physical sensitivity, but emotional sensitivity as well. Listening to your body and doing what feels right for you can become its own source of pleasure. Whatever the origin of your desires, if you’re in the mood, it can be confusing, disappointing, and painful if you or your partner feels nervous about acting on your impulses. Just like you, your partner may be having a new process around his or her sexuality. Often, partners feel that they will be injuring the baby, hurting you, or doing something morally inappropriate if you have intercourse.
This is an important juncture to communicate together about any deep concerns, thoughts, or judgments, and it’s also an opportunity to navigate the many disparities that arise in relationships and in parenting. It is a place that can be a catalyst for reconciling your view of yourself as both a mother and an intimate partner. It may help to know that, barring any conditions that may warrant abstaining from sex at certain stages, sex is a safe and healthy way to continue to bond throughout a pregnancy. Conditions that you would want to look out for would include existing risk of miscarriage or preterm labor threat, placenta previa, unexplained vaginal bleeding, or if your practitioner has recommended abstaining for another reason.
Other Facts to Help Quell Your Concerns about Sex during Pregnancy
First, let’s talk about the actual anatomy going on here. Know that your baby is completely contained within the amniotic sac and will not be exposed to any of the sexual fluids. There is also a thick mucus plug that seals the cervix during pregnancy to guard against infection or anything else entering the uterus. Neither the penis nor the semen comes into contact with the baby during sex.
I would surmise that if the baby is privy to anything, it’s probably the unconscious feeling of their parents loving and caring for each other. As a matter of fact, oxytocin is released during a woman’s orgasm, which is the same “bonding hormone” that helps facilitate not only bonding between partners, but also bonding with the baby after birth. It’s notable that oxytocin is also released during warm touch and prolonged gazing into each other’s eyes. So cuddling might satiate you if sex doesn’t appeal right now.
Rest assured that unless there is already a threat, sex does not cause miscarriages. Miscarriages are typically due to chromosomal abnormalities or unknown causes unrelated to sex. Oral sex is also safe during pregnancy, but your partner should refrain from blowing any air into your vagina. Although it’s very rare, this can cause an air embolism, which can be life threatening during pregnancy.
The primary concern about anal sex during pregnancy is the spread of infection to the vagina. So, be sure to be cognizant of hygiene if this is in your repertoire.
If you need extra inspiration, think about this: by virtue of the new mechanics of sex during pregnancy, you might even find yourself making up new positions with each other. This can be an exciting time to expand your sensuality in whatever way feels right for you.
Cold and Flu Facts and Prevention
Pregnant women have about the same amount of colds and flus as nonpregnant women, but because your body’s resources are a bit preoccupied, you may be at risk for more complications from a “simple” cold or flu than you normally would. Specifically, your T-helper cells (which mediate part of your immunity) are slightly suppressed during pregnancy, your heart is working harder, and your oxygen uptake is a little lower. This means you may be more likely to get pneumonia or, in extreme circumstances, experience premature delivery. However, Chinese medicine also recognizes that during pregnancy you are storing up energy in your Kidney system, and the Kidneys are the root of immunity. So many women’s overall health actually greatly improves during pregnancy.
A general Western medical recommendation is to receive the flu shot during pregnancy. The flu shot is a guess, albeit an educated guess, on which strain of virus will be most prevalent during a particular season. Viruses tend to mutate differently in everyone’s systems. So, the flu shot may or may not be an effective combatant for you.
Additionally, it’s a bit of a misnomer that the flu shot prevents the flu. Actually, it is designed to shorten the duration of your flu symptoms by only a few days and perhaps lessen the severity of the impact. Having said this, if you are severely immune compromised (as Western medicine conjectures you are during pregnancy), it’s worth doing what you can to minimize your risks of infection. If this doesn’t seem like it applies to you, or doesn’t appeal to you, it may be worth considering allowing your own immune system to respond to the assault of the season to set the precedent of a protective mechanism for this and subsequent strains. As ever, check with your healthcare provider about your specifics.
I tend to be of the school of thought that in order to best treat yourself without risking harm, you should always try to treat yourself first with food or plant-based medicines. But healthy doesn’t just mean medication free; it means making the most well rounded and healthiest decision for you and your baby. So trust yourself and those on your healthcare team.
IMMUNE CIDER
Many of the ingredients in this recipe are natural immune tonics with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons grated horseradish root
3 tablespoons grated ginger root
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
One medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
One whole head of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 cayenne, habanero, or Serrano pepper, finely chopped (optional)
Raw, organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, to fill jar
You will also need two large glass jars with tight-fitting lids.
Directions
Place all chopped ingredients into a glass jar. Pour apple cider vinegar over the mixture all the way to the top of the jar. Make sure all ingredients are covered and no air is trapped, and secure the lid tightly. Allow to soak for two weeks (or longer) in the fridge. Drain the liquid into a fresh clean jar. Discard the solids. Keep tonic refrigerated. It will last this way for a few months.
Ways to use your concoction:
1. Take 1 to 2 tablespoons as needed to stave off a cold or flu.
2. Make a “hot toddy” with your immune cider by adding a tablespoon or two to hot water with some honey and lemon juice, to taste.
3. Add it to salad dressings.
If you do get sick, just a quick NOTE: as nasal decongestants do not have a lower risk to the fetus than oral medications, you may want to investigate some over-the-counter herbal remedies designed specifically for pregnancy, such as WishGarden’s tincture line (see resource section). You can also try a simple face steam over a bowl of hot water, with a few drops of eucalyptus essential oil added to clear out the nose. I am partial to the Immune Cider recipe below, and the Stomach-Soothing Slippery Elm Lozenge recipe on page 89 also works as a pregnancy-safe, soothing remedy to alleviate inflammation and discomfort.
Strep Throat
Even though you may be healthy, immune-system changes during pregnancy can make you feel a bit like a petri dish. If your throat is scratchy or burning, and you’re having difficulty swallowing (especially if accompanied by a fever), you’ll want to do a strep test to confirm the culture before jumping to conclusions about your sore throat, but if you do have strep, the typical coarse is antibiotics. You can also introduce the remedies in the cold and flu section above to contribute to getting better.
By the way, this is completely unrelated to Group B streptococcus, which we’ll talk about in month nine.
Fifth Disease
Fifth disease, named this, by the way, because it’s fifth in a list of historical skin diseases. It looks like a red rash on your face, and is caused by parvovirus B19 and spread via respiratory secretions such as coughing and sneezing. Although it’s very contagious (and sometimes the baby does catch it), it’s usually not a problem for you or your baby, and since it’s a virus, there’s really nothing to do for it other than work on natural immune-building strategies and rest. It usually self-resolves within ten days.
How to Quit Smoking
You may or may not be surprised to hear that about 10 percent of women smoke during pregnancy. The primary risks with this are delivering prematurely and low birth-weight babies, which can impair baby’s own immunity and resources for beginning the life ahead of him. If you’ve tried to quit in the past and feel discouraged, the good news is that, statistically, the more times you’ve tried to quit, the more successful you’re likely to be now. I like to think of smoking less as an addiction and more as one of many various habits that we develop in our life. It is less about withdrawing—since once you stop smoking, the nicotine in your blood immediately begins to decrease and recedes completely in about a week—and more about repatterning. This can be a great opportunity not only to get healthier, but also to possibly explore and develop some new hobbies or habits.
In Chinese medicine, we adhere to the idea of stimulating your inherent ability to take care of yourself. So most of the tools I recommend are based on implementing diet and lifestyle support that you can do at home to help you in your process and long-term health. As an addition to this, I do highly recommend acupuncture, which has lots of research behind its role in effectively helping manage and curb addictions (and is safe during pregnancy). One of acupuncture’s mechanisms of action is that it produces endorphins, which can be good assistance during the initial period of cravings.
Here’s an outline of what I give women at my clinic to get them started.
Preparing
On the day that you’re ready to quit (hopefully this corresponds with having an acupuncture visit scheduled), clean out all of your ashtrays and throw away all cigarettes. You’re about to get busy.
I suggest that you identify a buddy for support outside of the times that you will be seen by your acupuncturist—someone to communicate with you during any rough patches.
Grocery Shopping and Cooking Tips
Miso soup can help neutralize and clear the blood of nicotinic acid and fortify the blood sugar.
Add magnesium-rich foods like carrots, citrus fruits, dark leafy greens, legumes, pregnancy-preferred seafood, and whole grains to help alkalize the body and neutralize the acidity that smoking causes. People with a body pH of 7 and above show a decreased desire for tobacco.
Cook with turmeric to help neutralize cancer-causing agents. NOTE: turmeric is best utilized in the body when cooked for long periods of time such as in a slow-simmered soup or stew.
Eat baked Asian pears to help moisten and soothe the lungs.
Foods to Avoid
Avoid oxalic-acid-forming foods like chocolate, cooked spinach, and rutabaga that bind up magnesium in the body.
Avoid white sugar and white flour products such as breads, candy, cookies, pastries, and soda, as well as sugary juices, which deplete nutrients and create an acidic condition in the body—which can aggravate your cravings. A caveat that I like to add to this is that if short-term sugar intake soothes your nerves as you’re denying yourself those initial smokes, go ahead and indulge for a week or two, and then you can worry about reducing your sugar.
Avoid deep-fried foods and margarines, as they generate inflammatory and oxidative reactions in the body.
Cleanse and Supplements
Pregnancy is not a good time to do cleanses. Just focus on eating as cleanly as you can (fresh vegetable juices, lots of leafy greens, broths, soups and stews, and whole foods versus refined foods), and you can also supplement with:
Vitamin C: 1,000 mg, four times a day. Your body is severely depleted of vitamin C by smoking. As an antioxidant, vitamin C is instrumental in neutralizing the toxic by-products of smoking. See the section on vitamin C for more specifics on foods to boost up on and see the recipe for the Electrolyte Refresher in month one’s recipes.
If you must, herbal cigarettes or nicotine gum or patches can help with the transition as well.
Exercise and Relaxation
Get physical: Physical activity can help distract you from your cravings and reduce their intensity. Try to walk for thirty minutes a day during the first few weeks of quitting. If you’re unable to get out of the house or your office, try deep knee bends, push-ups, squats, or walking up and down a set of stairs a few times.
Get relaxed: Practice relaxation techniques. Coping with your cravings can be very stressful. In addition, smoking may have been the very way that you coped with stress and anxiety in the first place. Replace your stress-coping mechanism with a healthy alternative by practicing relaxation techniques. These include deep-breathing exercises, hypnosis, massage, visualization, and yoga. You can also download guided imagery exercises online. See the resource section for a reputable source for guided imagery.
Hydration
Drink at least ten to fifteen glasses of liquid a day, including water, soup, or broths. Hydration is essential for replenishing the lungs and counteracting the effects of the drying and acidifying effects of smoking.
Distraction
When cravings strike, distract yourself with healthy alternatives to smoking such as:
• Breathing deeply for a few minutes to increase oxygen in the body
• Going for a walk
• Munching on carrot and celery sticks (even better to munch on the ginger carrot pickles in month two’s recipe section)
• Chewing sugar-free gum
• Sucking or chewing on cinnamon sticks, licorice sticks, mints, or toothpicks
• Crafting, drawing, knitting, or other busywork that occupies your hands
• Doing lunges, push-ups, or squats until the cravings pass
• Using ear seeds (which your acupuncturist can place for you) to help with withdrawal symptoms
• Going to the movies or other entertaining environments where smoking is prohibited
Emotional Support
Don’t hesitate to call on your friends and family for support. Talk about your struggles. If you need deeper emotional support around your process, seek out a therapist to help you recognize and reorganize your patterns around smoking and assist you in creating new, more supportive habits.
BAKED ASIAN PEAR TO SOOTHE A SINGED THROAT
Core out an Asian pear, wrap in tinfoil, and bake at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for about forty-five minutes or until soft. Eat an Asian pear every night before bed to help rid your lungs of phlegm and soothe coughing.
Checklist for Month Three
Essential
• Schedule monthly prenatal visits.
• Decide when and how to announce your pregnancy.
• Begin planning maternity leave.