Pregnancy is not merely a phase but an extremely elaborate and exciting journey of life, full of transformation as well as challenges. Your body does all the hardest work in growing another human being, and your diet plays a central role in this. However, universal guidelines on diets are not proper to handle the individual woman’s needs. In this regard, a nutrition plan that is aimed at your body’s requirements, lifestyle, and preferences will make you and your baby succeed on this journey.
Even celebrities have started embracing customized nutrition plans during pregnancy. Take Anushka Sharma, for instance; she was on an appropriately planned diet, thanks to Ryan Fernando, a leading nutritionist from QUA Nutrition, and this kept her fit as well as the baby in perfect health. That speaks volumes about how much-customized care makes pregnancy easier and healthier.
This blog explains the science behind pregnancy nutrition, facts, what foods to have and avoid during this period, and reasons why this customized diet is to be followed strictly by all expectant mothers.
Why Nutrition Matters During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the stage when the demand for nutritional requirements increases. The baby needs all the help it requires from you, so everything you are eating is going to determine how healthy or unhealthy your baby is likely to be. Nutrition matters to you in the following ways;
Support Fetal Development
- Folic acid prevents neural tube defects; iron supports the oxygen supply toward the baby.
- Omega-3 fatty acids, especially DHA support brain and eye development
Averts Maternal Health Disorders
- Reduces risks for complications such as gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, and anemia.
- Determines the mother’s need for calcium and vitamin D for maternal bone health while allowing support to the baby’s skeletal development.
Smooth Delivery and Recovery
This balances the body to prepare for childbirth, while also aiding the mother in postpartum.
Though these may be universal requirements, the needs of every pregnancy may be different.
Anushka Sharma’s Pregnancy: A Tailored Approach to Wellness
Anushka Sharma has been an outstanding case that finally showed personalization to indeed be the game changer for her. She embraced a customized diet devised under co-founder QUA Nutrition Mr Ryan Fernando that could suit her requirements.
Ryan Fernando’s Strategy
- Major Nutrients: All of Anushka’s diets were covered under folate, iron, proteins, and omega-3 fatty acids.
- Cravings in Balance: Ryan balanced her cravings so that healthier options balanced those indulgent ones.
- Hormonal changes balancing: Diets that facilitated hormonal balancing and mental well-being.
- The diet is culturally enlightening: The addition of staples like lentils, ghee, and seasonal fruits makes this diet very pragmatic yet enjoyable.
This reflects her shining health, minimal complications, and smooth recovery postpartum as some evidence of how impactful a well-designed nutrition plan can be.
Foods to Include During Pregnancy
A healthy diet during pregnancy includes all the main food groups but focuses more on nutrient-dense ones.
Proteins
Why? Proteins are the building blocks that help in a baby’s tissues and organs.
What To Eat?
- Lean meat chicken and turkey, among others.
- For example, eggs contain proteins and choline.
- Plant-based sources of lentils, chickpeas, and tofu for vegetarians.
Carbohydrates
Why? Provide the energy needed to support your daily living and fetal growth.
What to Eat?
- Whole grains: brown rice, quinoa, oats.
- Sweet potatoes are a good source of complex carbohydrates and beta-carotene.
Lipids
Why? For right brain development and hormonal balance.
What to eat?
- Avocado, nuts, and seeds.
- Fatty fish such as salmon contain omega-3 fatty acids.
Vitamins and minerals
- Iron: Raw spinach, beetroot, and lean red meat improve oxygen-carrying capacity.
- Calcium: Milk, almonds, and fortified plant-based milk for bone.
- Folic acid: Require green, leafy vegetables, oranges, and fortified cereals to avoid neural tube defects.
- Vitamin D: Egg yolks, mushrooms, and fortified food for calcium absorption.
Hydration
Drink as much water, coconut water, and soups to keep amniotic fluids full in your body.
Foods to Avoid During Pregnancy
Some foods are dangerous during pregnancy, mostly owing to possible bacterial or toxin content or excessive levels of some substances.
Raw or Undercooked Foods
It’s rare meats, soft-boiled eggs, even sushi. These contain the harmful bacteria salmonella and listeria.
High-Mercury Fish
Avoid sharks, swordfish, and king mackerel because they have mercury, a toxin that damages the nervous system of a baby.
Unpasteurized Dairy
Raw milk and cheeses such as brie and feta may contain listeria.
Caffeine
That is only up to 200 mg of caffeine per day to avoid the risk of low birth weight.
Alcohol avoidance
Alcohol should be strictly avoided to prevent fetal alcohol syndrome.
Processed and Refined Foods
Foods that contain high sugar or simple carbohydrates may predispose women to develop gestational diabetes.
Scientific Backing for Personalized Nutrition
Studies demonstrate the important role of individualized care during antenatal pregnancy:
- Nutrigenomics
The study conducted on how genes interact with food shows that not everyone fits in the same mold.
- Risk Management
The personalized plan reduces risks such as gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia by helping them attend to specific dietary needs.
- Improved Compliance
Prescriptively tailored diets meet personal preferences, thus increasing the possibility of adherence.
- Long-term Advantages
Studies have shown that the mother’s diet can affect the baby’s long-term health, thereby reducing the possibilities of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases later in life.
How QUA Nutrition Can Transform Your Pregnancy Journey
QUA Nutrition is at par with developing nutrition care plans that cater to the needs of pregnant women. It is just the right one because:
- Expertise You Can Trust
Scientific research helps guide a team led by Ryan Fernando as they come up with effective plans.
- Multiple checks
Advanced tools and consultations define nutritional gaps and specific requirements.
- Cultural Sensitivity
With the objective above, plans include culturally known food of relevance so that it becomes easily implementable.
- Aftercare
Routine follow-ups will ensure that the plan changes with your pregnancy.
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy Journey
Hear Your Body: Hunger, fatigue, and cravings signal your body. Learn to respond correctly to the calls.
Meal planning: Balanced, controlled portions, meals that maintain even energy.
Practice: Walking or prenatal yoga may improve blood circulation and, consequently, mood.
Get Professional Help: Work with specialists, including QUA Nutrition professionals, to make sure that your plan meets your needs.
Humanize the Journey: Partner’s Role
Anushka Sharma’s husband, Virat Kohli, played a great role in his wife’s pregnancy by supporting her nutrition plan. Partner can:
- Participate in meal preparation and buying of groceries.
- Support adherence to the nutrition plan.
- Emotional support during craving and mood swings.
Conclusion: Why You Deserve the Best Care
Your pregnancy is unique, and so should your nutrition plan. Whether it is controlling the cravings, fighting fatigue, or preparing your body for delivery, you and your baby will benefit from a personalized nutrition plan that provides you with the attention you deserve.
Anushka Sharma’s story is inspiring and reminds us of what is possible under proper guidance. QUA Nutrition has got it all, from expert advice to scientifically backed plans and the support needed for a healthy, happy pregnancy journey.
Now, get your pregnancy nutrition in order. Book an appointment with QUA Nutrition now and let the dietitian and nutritionist design a plan just for you. Every mother deserves the best!
