Brewer’s Diet

 From experiences of not only my own, but of those I know and those I have read and heard about, I have ZERO doubt about the impact that nutrition plays in our overall health and wellness. Combined with good dental care, chiropractic care, herbal and holistic medicine and vitamin therapy, I strongly believe white coats won’t be needed. Along with that, I believe in vegetarianism.

I do my best to adhere to the Brewer Diet though I am not really a meat eater. I do not like red meat and actually have a tough time getting it down if eating it to be polite when served someplace other than my home. I get my proteins elsewhere and sufficiently. In the past ten years, I have, for the most part, (about 7 years of the past 10) maintained a very healthy, well balanced lacto-ovo vegetarian diet. I birthed two babies as a vegetarian (I ate chicken, however, when pregnant with Zoe and I think I had two hamburgers, but I craved them for some strange reason,) and both of them remain very healthy vegetarian children with the exception of fish on occasion.

The Brewer’s Diet is an excellent diet for getting everything one needs when pregnant to keep oneself healthy and grow a healthy baby and can easily be adapted to a meatless diet.

My first pregnancy, I knew NOTHING about health and natural wellness and nutrition. I gained nearly 70 pounds. I lost it all plus some, but I still gained WAAAAY too much weight. With Zoe, I am unsure how much weight I gained, as I UPed the second half of my pregnancy and we do not own a scale as I care not what a number is. I probably, if I had to guess, gained about 30-35 pounds with her, which I lost most of before becoming pregnant with Sprout. I was a marathon runner then, at peak physical condition for myself, vegetarian and drank A LOT of water. Very healthy. I did not, however adhere to this diet.

I am attempting this diet this time around (BTW, a diet is how you eat, not trying to lose weight) and I am curious what it’s results will be. Does anyone have any experience they might like to share? I know of one UCer who does the Brewer’s Diet (Jenny Hatch) and she has success with it, so Jenny, if you happen to read this, please share your insights on the Brewer’s Diet!

Relieving Vaginal Yeast Infections In Pregnancy

I must get it from my grandmother. Shortly before she died she told me one of the most mortifying things a grandmother can tell her granddaughter. I had just found out I was pregnant with Zoe. I am very regular, like stop watch regular in my cycle and I had not bled yet. I knew I was pregnant. After Rob was told we called the obligatory people. My Grandmother, Lola Mae, was on that list. She told me, after her congratulations, that she always knew she was pregnant because she needed to go buy a jar of pickles. Not for the cravings, mind you, but to use as a douche for the pregnancy related yeast infections she always got.

I am now 6w and 1d and I have a yeast infection. I got it in part, I am sure, to the antibiotics I am taking for my wisdom tooth removal last week and in part to Sprout.

Here is my arsenal in fighting a vaginal yeast infection while pregnant:

Gentian Violet for topical use. Make sure you wear grungy panties and a pad, as it will stain. I use cloth pads, so I just use some of my older ones. Use a cotton swab soaked in the Gentian Violet to cover your entire vulva and the very inner part of your vagina.

Echinacea for internal immunity boosting. I use the recommended doseage three times a day in a cup of green tea sweetened with stevia. Echinacea is something one should always have in their herbal arsenal to combat most illnesses.

lastly,

Probiotic Dietary Supplement such as Florajen3 which contains the cultures Acidophilus, Bifidum and Longum. Acidophilus in particular is known to aid in the prevention of and the healing from vaginal yeast infections.

I would normally be using yarrow tincture, but I have read a lot of conflicting information regarding it’s use during pregnancy. (ETA: because it is a great aid for during menses, encouraging bleeding, regulating bleeding and aiding with the discomfort og cramping. It’s one that just out of a ‘better safe than sorry’ mind set should be avoided during pregnancy IMO since it is an encourager of uterine bleeding.)

Now you don’t need to go buy pickles to douche. I think that would hurt a little, especially if you have gotten over-zealous in itching.

Useful Links on Breastfeeding and Lactivism

La Leche League

Ask Dr. Sears

Breastfeeding

CDC

Nurse Here Now

The Lactivist 

and for a little funny in your nourishing and activism:

HATHOR!