Holistic Squid weighs in with a nutrient-dense spin on Lauren J.'s diet. Lauren, age 29, lives in Aptos, CA (near Santa Cruz). Mom to a five month old little girl – born the natural way! – Lauren recently discovered the work of Weston Price, and is committed to following a traditional, nutrient-dense diet for both her baby's sake and her own personal health.
Here's what Lauren ate today:
Breakfast:
2 eggs scrambled in Irish butter and a slice of Ezekiel bread with more butter.
Green tea with a splash of apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of coconut oil.
5 capsules fermented cod liver oil, 2 tablets desiccated liver, 2 capsules Organic India turmeric, 2 capsules milk thistle.
Snack:
1 cup raw milk with an egg yolk and 1 tablespoon molasses with a dash of cinnamon and vanilla.
Lunch:
Bowl of vegetable soup, and a grilled cheese sandwich (raw cheese on ezekiel bread).
Green tea with a splash of apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of coconut oil.
Snack:
2 pieces 85% dark chocolate
Dinner:
Coconut chicken soup (chicken, homemade chicken broth, coconut milk, basil, brown rice)
2 pieces dark chocolate
Green tea with a splash of apple cider vinegar and a tablespoon of coconut oil.
Bottle of kombucha
5 capsules fermented cod liver oil, 2 tablets desiccated liver, 2 capsules Organic India turmeric, 2 capsules milk thistle.
After writing this I'm realizing this is not enough food for a nursing mom 🙁 Going to go make myself a snack right now!
Dietary Goals:
Try to eat as clean and whole as possible. I want to figure out which foods/supplements can help balance my hormone levels and increase my milk supply. I would be overjoyed to figure out how to keep my skin clear and radiant.
Challenges:
Before I had Vivienne I could spend hours in the kitchen cooking and love every minute. Now not so much! I want to be better at managing my time because spending all evening in the kitchen cooking and cleaning is not realistic with a 5 month old. I have a slow cooker that I need to utilize. Kombucha is adding up so it would be great if I started brewing my own.
Holistic Squid says:
Hi Lauren! Welcome to the wonderful and wacky world of motherhood. Your daughter is gorgeous, and this photo of you both is so fun! Here are my dietary suggestions:
- More Food! – While your diet is rich with nutrient dense foods like broth, pastured eggs, butter, coconut oil, and raw milk, you are correct in your observation that a nursing mom needs more food. Swap out your second snack of chocolate for a something rich in fat and protein – yogurt and fruit or raw cheese and some cultured veggies on sprouted crackers. Add an evening snack – homemade ice cream with raw cream, egg yolks, and a touch of raw honey is a fun choice that also addresses your sweet tooth. By adding more food, you are likely to see an direct increase in milk supply as well as a bit more energy too.
- More FCLO – In order to get equivalent of 1 teaspoon per day of the plain fermented cod liver oil you need to take 8 capsules per day. When pregnant or nursing, the Weston Price Foundation recommends 2 teaspoons or 16 capsules per day.
- Add High Vitamin Butter Oil – Weston Price found that cod liver oil on it's own was not nearly as effective in promoting proper development and overall health as when it was combined with a high vitamin butter oil. This should be taken in the same proportion as the FCLO, so 16 capsules while you're nursing or pregnant, and eight when you are not.
- Watch the caffeine – Despite it's health benefits, green tea is still a caffeinated beverage. While a daily cup will certainly not do any harm, three per day on a regular basis may interfere with your body's hydration (and thereby reduce your milk supply), and over time disturb adrenal function. The caffeine from the dark chocolate is significantly less, but your total caffeine intake is probably over 200 mg per day – the equivalent of 2 1/2 Starbuck's single shot lattes.
- Greens? – Consider adding a big handful of local, season greens twice per day to help balance pH and add an element of cleansing for your skin and hormones. Kale, collards, broccoli, or chard lightly steamed and topped with a generous scoop of butter or finely chopped and added to your finished soups will provide your body with extra minerals without taking much extra time.
- Start culturing – Since your already up to your knees, it's time to dive in! For homemade kombucha you can easily order a SCOBY that will more than pay for itself in the first batch (where to find fermented food starters). The various cultured veggies recipes out of Nourishing Traditions are so easy you can even make them while entertaining a five month old. Your cultured foods will add a new probiotic dimension to your nutritious diet.
- Find a good holistic practitioner – I am a big fan of people being empowered to understand their own bodies and use food and healthy lifestyle as medicine, but at certain points it can be beneficial to reach out to an expert. Find a practitioner who can do a complete physical assessment to determine the root cause of your skin condition and what herbs and supplements will most efficiently address any disharmony in your system. In Chinese medicine, acne can be caused by excess, deficiency, heat, dampness, stagnation or a combination of these imbalances. Preferably the practitioner you find will be near you, but if that's not possible, I'm happy to consult with you via Skype.
Would YOU like to have a Holistic Squid, nutrient-dense spin on what YOU ate today? Send me your name, age, home town, and occupation plus your list of breakfast, lunch, snacks, supplements, dietary goals, and challenges to info at holisticsquid dot com. Please include a fun picture too.
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