Staying healthy is one of the top priorities for most pregnant women. Maintaining a healthy weight, a healthy mind and a healthy gut are essential to avoiding complications during and after pregnancy. One of the best pieces of advice we can give momma’s to be is to consume probiotics daily. Probiotics are live organisms that help promote good gut bacteria and can be found in certain foods or supplement form. Some of our favorite ways to consume probiotics include yogurt, pickled vegetables, kimchi, & kombucha. The latter of these options usually comes loaded with sugar so we drink it sparingly. We also recommend eating plain greek yogurt and not the heavily presweetened variety. A little drizzle of honey topped with some in season fruit and granola make a healthy snack for anyone in the whole family.
In addition to promoting good gut health, probiotics can help you lose weight and reduce belly fat postpartum. Good gut health is linked to better mood quality and overall mental health. According to Healthline, “[consuming] Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus strains for 1–2 months can improve anxiety, depression, autism, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and memory.” That’s not all, consuming probiotics regularly can reduce the chances of your unborn baby developing eczema. In my personal experience, during my second pregnancy consuming probiotics in certain foods drastically reduced how bloated I felt in comparison to my first pregnancy. I also experienced far less fatigue and fogginess. It was easier for me to maintain a healthier weight as well. My productivity skyrocketed during my second pregnancy; where as during my first pregnancy I could hardly get out of bed most days. Can I attribute all these positive things to just probiotics alone? Of course not! Every pregnancy is different. But, I did have far less constipation and overall digestive issues which simply put, weren’t dragging me down.
Here are a few products I swear by that tremendously helped me soar through into good gut health territory:
Kimchi -Kimchi, a traditional Korean condiment, can be found at just about any grocery store but especially your local asian market. Great side dish to just about anything, especially if you like it a little spicy. Here is my personal favorite.
Fage 5% Yogurt - One of my favorite thick and creamy greek yogurt finds. Perfect for parfait. I love to top mine with local honey, low glycemic-gluten free granola and strawberries or blueberries. Buy organic when you can.
Wildbrine Raw Organic Kraut - I personally love this brand but you can gobble down any sauerkraut with equal satisfaction. Great over eggs in the morning or topped on salads and sandwiches.
