When it comes to pregnancy and diet, there seems to be much to worry about, along with some of the other things pregnant women have to worry about. Especially in the age of low-carb diet fads and the added pressure of looking great all the time. So before we get into it, let us just set the record straight. Keto is short for Ketosis, a natural state that that body reverts to once it is deprived of its “go-to” energy source, carbohydrates. A ketone body is a natural state the body enters, allowing it to metabolize fat, the body’s reserve energy source. This state of ketosis is a completely natural bodily state and can be achieved simply through fasting. It allows the body to breakdown and use its fat reserves as its source of energy. With this being said, pregnant women have nothing to worry about when deciding on a low-carb diet or meal plan. The important point to keep in mind is that everyone’s body is different, and your particular nutritional and lifestyle needs must be taken into account.
What is Keto?
Keto is short for the word Ketosis, and is a natural state that can be created within the body. A keto-based lifestyle is one that is designed to shift the body into its natural state of using backup energy reserves, a.k.a. fat. Rather than requiring carbohydrate to convert into energy, the body turns to its fat reserves, converting them into the energy it needs to function. When properly applied and maintained, a keto diet can result in stable blood sugar levels, low ketone levels, as well as a healthy acid-base balance, creating a body unattractive to diseases. Greater mental and physical astuteness will also be experienced as a way of life.
Is Keto Suitable for Pregnant Women?
Unless an individual’s specific and material circumstances disqualify them, the ketogenic diet should pose no threat to the women, or the development of their unborn baby. Today’s standard Western diet is choked full of high-carb and high-sugar foods and drinks, and actually cause more harm to both mother and child than they do good. Lifestyle choices made by the mother, such as drinking and smoking, do not only effect the development through fetal and infant stage, but progressively effect every stage of a child’s development throughout their lives. A low-carb diet that is properly managed is an effective way to deal with excessive weight issues during pregnancy, and it is recommended in this blog post, that being in ketosis at the begin of your pregnancy may be a preferred state compared to that of being overweight, consuming excessive amounts of sugars and carbohydrates. It is further suggested that a low-carb lifestyle should be practiced and maintained throughout the entire term of the pregnancy.
Taking charge of your pregnancy is one of the greatest gift you can give to both yourself and your unborn child. Cutting the carbs and sugars, and allowing your body to feed on its natural reserves are going to help you feel better during this time of enlargement, while giving you the best chance at a smooth and healthy pregnancy.