To nourish and sustain another life is a monumental blessing. To be able to bond in this way with your babe, wow, not only are we giving them a great gift but they are giving us one as well. Everyday I am filled with awe at the fact that my little man is getting perfectly chubby solely from my breast milk alone. Pregnancy and birth is a huge journey, especially being a first time mama. For me, I feel like I focused so much on being pregnant and what birth would be like, that I didn’t take much time to think about what happens after the fact. Now here we are, we made it through the first phase and onto the next. Let me just tell you that I was one hungry wolf mama during pregnancy, especially the third trimester. All I want is to give my babe the highest nourishment possible, no ifs, ands or buts. Even more so than during pregnancy, breastfeeding is a very important time to be taking in the best quality foods.
Statistically around 50% of women aren’t able to full fill their breastfeeding goals(1). We know breast is best, but it’s vital to ensure our nutritional and emotional needs are being met to ensure success. Lets talk about some common ideas that come with breastfeeding. For one I think it’s pretty common that women assume it will deplete them of calcium and other valuable minerals. We see huge hormonal changes such as low sex drive, hair loss and post partum depression. Breastfeeding can evidently take a lot out of us, but we can still feel vital and energized when we incorporate the best healthy foods for breastfeeding moms into our diet.
“Among women exclusively breastfeeding their infants, the energy demands of lactation exceed prepregnancy demands by approximately 640 kcal/day during the first 6 months post partum compared with 300 kcal/day during the last two trimesters of pregnancy (NRC, 1989). In contrast, the demand for some nutrients, such as iron, is considerably less during lactation than during pregnancy.”(2)
This study also points out this is dependant of your weight gain during pregnancy. If you have stored extra fat (who hasn’t?) then those caloric requirements are a bit less. Anyhow it’s pretty easy to get an extra 600 calories a day but the point is quality, not quantity. The emphasis during this important time should be on high quality fats and protein. Amazingly, a babies brain grows to 50% of its final size in the first year. All the more reason to eat the best brain building superfoods.
Brain Building Superfoods for a Super Little Human
Superfats
Fermented Cod Liver and High Vitamin Butter Oil- I know it sounds gross but this stuff is super high in non isolated nutrients. The fermentation process is the traditional way to eat cod liver oil. This process makes it last a lot longer than conventional fish oil and it makes the vitamins easily assimilated. Not only is it rich in omega 3s but also Vitamins A & D, not many foods that can make that statement.
Coconut Oil- High in Medium Chain Triglycerides known to support brain health, coconut oil packs a punch. It’s anti fungal nature helos protect both of your immune systems from unwanted invaders. Our brains are mostly made of saturated fats. The myth has been busted and they are absolutely good for our health and that of our growing babies. An added bonus of high quality saturated fats like coconut oil is that eat with dark leafy greens and other vegetables they make the fat soluble vitamins (A, D,K, E) absorbable.
Ghee from grassfed cows
Cashews- High in magnesium, and healthy fats, cashews are easy to incorporate since they are so delicious. Soaking them in water for a few hours releases phytates which makes their minerals a lot easier to absorb. Cashews are also a tryptophan rich food, meaning they help release happy hormones in the brain.
Nutrient Rich Additions
Eat lots of protein- It’s really important to make sure you’re getting enough protein to satisfy growing energy requirements. The best sources include wild or pastured meats, free range eggs, nuts and seeds.
Super foods- Nutrient packed super foods offer high levels of vitamins, minerals and enzymes in a small serving. Try sourcing foods like goji berries, bee pollen, chlorella, hemp seeds and chia seeds to add extra nutrients to your daily regime.
Dark Leafy Greens- Rich in minerals, fibre, enzymes and vitamins, greens like kale, collard greens, swiss chard and spinach can also help balance out hormones associated with breastfeeding.
Fresh fruit and veggie juices and smoothies- Juicing can be a great energy boost on low days. Many fruits and vegetables contain phytoestrogens and can help boost milk supply.
Galactagogues- Foods that help stimulate milk production include fenugreek, blessed thistle, oats, alfalfa, shatavari, fennel and chaste berry.
Emotional Aspects
Support
It is crucial to ensure a breastfeeding woman is well supported and encouraged by her community and family. The importance of breastfeeding to a child’s health for the rest of their lives must be emphasized in society. If a mama has to go back to work, she needs to have a safe comfortable environment to pump her breast milk. Ideally we will start to see more shifts towards this practice as well as adequate paid maternity leave. A breastfeeding woman needs to feel empowered that she is providing her child with the best possible source of nourishment.
Postpartum Depression
It is completely normal to experience extreme highs and lows in mood and energy following childbirth. The hormonal fluctuation is drastic and many of us may have never felt that way before. Self love is the best remedy, treat yourself to a hot epsom salts bath and leave the baby with dad or a trusted friend for half an hour. Stretch your muscles and practice taking full deep breaths. The practice of deep breathing is not overrated for calming anxiety, it literally works on a level of the subconscious which hears a message that it is ok to relax and leave the fight or flight state. Meeting nutritional needs is also key, particularly omega-3 consumption should be higher than ever. There are various herbs that can help with the baby blues. Personally the herb Motherwort was a game changer. After one day of taking motherwort tincture 3 times per day my symptoms all but disappeared. Other herbs you could try include St.John’s Wort, Lemon Balm, Blessed Thistle and Skullcap, the herbalist Susun Weed has an excellent recipe for postpartum depression tea (3). More than anything it is vital to be gentle with yourself, have compassion for what you are experiencing, it is likely the deepest feeling you have ever experienced, especially with your first child.
What to Avoid
Environmental Pollutants and Xenoestrogens- Endocrine disruptors found in soft plastics, unfiltered water, soy, pesticides and cosmetics. Breast milk actually accumulates xenoestrogens quite easily (4), so it’s best to stay away from conventionally grown fruits and vegetables, bottled water and especially soy. These substances not only affect your baby, but can also wreak hormonal havoc in your body. Thyroid problems aren’t uncommon in people exposed to excess xenoestrogens and because they are of similar chemical makeup to estrogens produces in our bodies they can cause the regulatory feedback loop between our brains and glands to function less than optimally.
Excess Sugar and Refine Carbohydrates- A study was done showing correlations with insulin resistance and low milk supply(5). This is an indicator that women should avoid the sugar roller coaster and stick to quality fatty foods and high protein consumption. Everything that can be done to stabilize blood sugar levels will give you a better chance at producing an abundant milk supply. Treats are ok but we need to realize the importance of an overall healthy balanced diet that doesn’t include ice cream before bed every night and donuts for breakfast.
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about Immune health. All this talk of the next pandemic gives me the heeby jeebies and I hate to think of the suffering occurring in West Africa right now. It’s hard not to think of the possibility of Ebola spreading, and what our action plan will be. For now, my focus is keeping a super strong immune system with the help of herbs, probiotics, and an all around healthy lifestyle. The most important aspect of health is to not let fear pervade. The fear paradigm that rules this planet is serving no one. Switch it around, watch those thoughts of fear and disregard them, we weren’t put on this planet to live in perpetual worry. Not to say we shouldn’t prepare for certain possibilities, that’s where taking your health into your own hands comes into play. Having full responsibility for your temple is empowering, only you can heal and strengthen yourself.
“The process of self-healing is the privilege of every being. Self-healing is not a miracle, nor is self-healing a dramatization of the personality as though you could do something superior. Self-healing is a genuine process of the relationship between the physical and the infinite power of the soul.” -Yogi Bhajan
There are so many amazingly powerful natural substances which can initiate deep healing from within. Turmeric is one of the most researched healing plants out there. With over 7000 scientific studies backing up turmerics medicinal qualities, this is a medicine you want to have on hand. Comparable to 14 common prescription drugs in it’s effectiveness in treating everything from depression, high blood pressure, diabetes and general inflammation just to name a few. Lucky for us organic Turmeric is super affordable, doesn’t really taste like anything and there are a multitude of ways to incorporate it into your daily routine.
5 Ways to Use Turmeric Everyday
1. Cook with it- Turmeric is a traditional ingredient used in Indian curries and rice dishes, but you don’t have to limit it’s uses to just Indian food. Try adding Turmeric to bone broth, soups, teas, and eggs.
2. Mix it in with honey for adding to teas or hot lemon water.
3. Add some Turmeric to your favourite salad dressings.
4.As an addition to smoothies, don’t worry it doesn’t taste like much.
5. Make Golden Turmeric Tea and enjoy a cup before bed for a restful sleep.
Not only is Turmeric a great overall tonic for the Immune System, it’s active component curcumin has also been shown to protect against radiation induced damage, protect against heavy metal toxicity, prevent and reduce Alzheimer’s disease, destroying drug-resistant cancer These are all peer reviewed scientific studies with irrefutable evidence supporting the previous statements, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. When we’re educated about the incredible medicinal properties of natural substances there’s no reason to fear. Taking control of your health is all about adding in good stuff. So sprinkle some of this yellow magic on your food and feel good, you deserve it.
Golden Turmeric Milk is a traditional elixir from the ancient system of Ayurveda. Yogis and Ayurvedic practitioners throughout the ages have recommended this drink to their patients for increased immunity and to help inflammation. There are many variations of Golden Milk, many use almond oil, I like using coconut oil instead and adding some additional warming spices, for flavour and the added health benefits.
Chai is a staple in India, and for good reason, hot or cold, the medicinal deliciousness of a flavour combo that’s been around longer than you can say Saraswati is always and forever off the hook. What I don’t love, is sitting around for an hour waiting for the amazing herbs, roots and seeds to infuse in order to have a satisfying cup o’ chai. Solution! Chai tea concentrate, I make a big gallon jug and every time I want a chai it’s as easy as heating it up with a bit of cream or almond milk, or splashing it over some ice cubes. Chai concentrate is also a great gift idea for the tea lovers in your life. When you make it from scratch you don’t have to worry about insane amounts of high fructose corn syrup and all that nonsense.
When I was travelling in India, almost everything seemed centered around chai, life itself seemed to unfold amidst chai stalls. I always wished that we had something like that back home. There is a sense of community and like mindedness incomparable to that of our modern melting pot of a country. Coming back to a cold city where nobody seems to stop, let alone sit together and drink a nourishing tea was a whole new culture shock. Starbucks just doesn’t compare to the feeling you get on the streets of India, where everyone drinks chai together almost ceremoniously. The chai is especially amazing when they serve it in those little clay cups, because they again meld back with the earth.
If you love authentic tasting chai but don’t feel like getting all the separate spices and grinding them, well I’ll tell you, it’s worth it! But you can also buy absolutely exquisite chai masala powder from my friend Jess’s Etsy shop, she learned the craft in India and her stuff is the real deal. You can use it to make a big jug filled with chai concentrate or you can just make a bit at a time.
Your house will smell like magic…all your neighbours and friends may just appear out of nowhere. I love to let the chai simmer on low for at least an hour to really get the whole house smelling like a chai walla.
Medicinal Benefits of Chai
The ingredients in chai have all sorts of medicinal aspects. Together they are a powerhouse of nourishment. These are just some of the benefits you get when indulging in this healing elixir.
Makes 1 Gallon (3.7L) of Chai Concentrate. You can easily halve or quarter the recipe but you will want the whole Gallon. It lasts about 2 weeks in the fridge. Shake well before using.
Ingredients
15 cardamom pods, gently crushed
20 whole black peppercorns
20 whole cloves
8-inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
6-8 cinnamon sticks
12 whole allspice (optional)
6 star anise
1 vanilla bean, sliced down the middle or 1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp. nutmeg (optional)
⅓ C worth of assam black tea OR roobios OR yerba mate
¾ C honey or coconut sugar (optional)
1½ Gallons (5.7L) of water
Instructions
Use a coffee/spice grinder or a mortar and pestle to grind everything together aside from the nutmeg,vanilla and tea.
Bring 1½ Gallons (5.7L) of water to a boil in a large pot.
Add ground spices and let simmer uncovered for about an hour.
Turn off the heat and add your preferred tea, nutmeg and vanilla. Cover for 5 minutes.
Strain mixture into another large vessel, preferably using a fine mesh or cheesecloth, nut milk bags work very well too.
Add sugar or honey and stir well. Allow the tea to cool before transferring to the fridge.
Mix with half milk, almond milk or water when serving.
The Vitamin C of the North, we may not have citrus trees and schizandra berries but we do have an abundance of wild rose hips. Rose hips are rich in Vitamin C (1000mg/100g) and other flavanoids,polyphenols,Vitamins B1,B2,B3 and Vitamins K and A, making them particularly useful for those long winter months. I love going for walks and balking at the huge juicy rose hips growing everywhere we go. They are very abundant in these parts, as in much of the world particularly North America, China and Europe. During the Second World War, the people of England gathered wild rose hips and made a vitamin C syrup, for general consumption, and in particular for children. Citrus fruits were understandbly very difficult to find during wartime. Not only are rose hips good for the immune system they are also amazing for the skin.
The best time to pick them is after the first frost, then you really get the sweetness that they stow away to burst forth for a relatively small window in the late fall. You can pick them before the frost, just make sure they are nice and red, if you want to sweeten them up just pop them in the freezer. The outer flesh of the rose hip is edible when raw, but you do want to discard the hard hairy seeds. However, if you are drying the rose hips you don’t have to worry about taking the seeds out.
Uses
Make rose hip oil
1 C fresh or dry rose hips, chopped into little pieces (don’t worry about the seeds)
2 C preferred carrier oil such as almond or olive oil
Directions
In a slow cooker add both rose hip pieces and oil and allow to heat on low for 8 hours. Strain with a fine cheesecloth until the oil runs clear. Store in glass jars out of any light. Use as a natural skin remedy, treatment for scars/stretch marks and moisturizer.
Tea
Simply add a few whole dried rose hips to your tea blend and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Alternately you could pulverize your dried rose hips and add the powder to your tea blends instead.
Remove the seeds and any hard bits. Simmer the rose hips in 4 cups of water for about an hour. Mash them all up as they cook. Strain using a fine mesh, extracting as much juice as possible. Return juice to pot and add lemon, sugar and pectin. Ladle into jars and secure lids. Process jars in boiling water for 10 minutes.
Guess It’s time to get pickin’!
How did the rose ever open its heart
And give to the world all of its beauty?
It felt the encouragement of light against its being,
Otherwise we all remain too frightened. Hafiz
Smoothies make me happy, and this one is specifically designed to ward off depression and anxiety, nourish you with mood lifting minerals and make your spirit soar with ethereal delights. To really boost your mood, try this, positive affirmations can have a huge impact on how we feel, this is one of Louise Hays suggestions for depression, I am enough just as I am. It may seem silly but say it with meaning a few times a day and you may be surprised at the peaceful feeling that grows within.
Fall has arrived, I don’t know about you guys but shorter days for me, bring on a bit of the blues. There are so many foods that can help fight depression, an illness that ails more than 121 million people worldwide. I’ve noticed huge differences in my mood when I make sure I’m taking good care of myself. Adequate omega-3, magnesium,vitamin D and probiotics are among the most important tools in your armament for fighting off the blues. Self-love and equipping ourselves with the knowledge of how to feel better on a holistic scale can drastically improve depression and anxiety (and a lot of other diseases). Smoothies are a really enjoyable way of getting those nutrients into your life and feeling happier every day.
2 handfuls of raw cashews are the therapeutic equivalent to a dose of prozac.
Coconut helps fight off candida and parasites which can inhibit good bacteria and cause brain fog.
Organic plain yogurt is packed with probiotics for healthy gut flora which is necessary for serotonin (the happy hormone which is formed in the gut) to pass the blood brain barrier and work its magic upstairs.
Berries are filled with antioxidants and help reduce inflammation and improve digestion.
Bananas are high in the amino acid tryptophan which coverts into serotonin.
Chia seeds are high in omega-3 fatty acids, a factor commonly overlooked when treating depression.
Bee pollen contains key neuro-nutrients such as GABA, tryptophan and norepinephrine which help to correct brain chemistry.
Elderflowers magical essence adds sweetness and imbibes powerful renewal of energy.
Elderflower Syrup
Honestly, it’s like nothing I’ve done lately works, and it was really bumming me out all weekend. I tried to make 3 different things for the blog and nothing was good enough (I only want to give you the best of the very best!) Frustrated and anxious to DO more and BE better I had to really step aside and pop my own bubble. Hello, this isn’t about perfection, it’s about sharing and growing and learning. I’m not perfect, I burn the roast chicken, I make butt ugly but darn delicious beetroot tarts with cauliflower crust, I dust coconut flour all over the camera and piss off J but whatever. Everybody is going through it, every person is looking at the state of the planet and looking at their children and thinking- wow, how can we change this for their sake? Well I guess my answer to that,from my humble perspective, is we need to love ourselves more, with all our hearts wide open the world can change. Every day is a new day and a chance to improve, whether it be physically, spiritually or mentally, all those realms play a huge part in our happiness. I am enough just as I am.
2 handfuls raw cashews- soaked for 6-8 hours and drained
¾ C fresh or frozen mixed berries
1 banana
½ C plain organic yogurt
3 tsp coconut oil
¼ C coconut flakes
2 Tbs elderflower syrup or honey
1 C water
1 tsp bee pollen, for sprinkling on top
1 tsp chia seeds, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
In a blender add cashews, berries,banana,yogurt,coconut oil, coconut flakes and elderflower syrup or honey. Blend on high until smooth and creamy, you can adjust the consistency by adding more or less water, start with ½ cup and work your way up from there.
Sprinkle chia seeds and bee pollen on top with a drizzle of honey or elderflower syrup
3.2.2802
I would love to hear your ways of fighting off the blues, drop me a line in the comments, by e-mail or on any of my social networks.
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So often I hear people say they can’t afford to eat well. Food becomes a distant priority for many as opposed to mortgages, bills, gasoline…the list goes on. It’s true, the banksters can’t sick collections on you for having an empty stomach. What’s also true is you’ve only been given this one body, and if your healthy, you’re happy, productive, and more equipped to live up to your true potential. But people give up. There’s too much confusion surrounding what’s considered “healthy”. People think products labeled “natural” “low fat” or “sugar free” are healthy solutions – when in reality nothing could be further from the truth.
Lets simplify and put it all in to perspective, eating well doesn’t have to be complicated, you don’t have to break the bank, or be an amazing chef. There are ample solutions to equip anyone with an arsenal of money saving tips and tricks.
Hey I'm Chantelle, my alter ego would be a mermaid if I wasn't such a terrible swimmer. I love writing authentically and cooking in my pyjamas. My favourite pastimes include eating avocados, travelling the world and hanging out with a toddler.
