GET YOUR
Pre- Pregnancy
BRAIN BACK!
All moms have experienced pregnancy brain. You may have heard that it NEVER goes away. From forgetfulness, to poor concentration and decision-making, researchers say that there is a far way to go before determining the possible (many) reasons why women experience pregnancy brain.
But Patrick Holford may have the solution, and we have proudly tried and tested it, with with positive results! In his book, Optimum Nutrition For A Child's Mind, he outlines why certain foods benefit the brain and why others do not, and details the connection between nutrition and the mind.
To keep things simple and not go too much into the science of things, he explains that whilst pregnant, the fetus requires very much of the Omega-3 fatty acids for development, and the body strips the mother's brain of these fatty acids for the baby.
Other science also indicates that along with the physical changes of the brain, emotional changes are also part of the reason for "Pregnancy Brain", and suggests that the "reduction in grey matter volume could mean our brains are optimizing and rewiring themselves to help cater to the needs of their infants – with the effects lasting for at least two years."
So what did we do to get our Pre-Pregnancy brain back, all whilst still breastfeeding?
We followed Dr Holford's daily recommendation (for children) of Omega 3's contained in seeds, with the following ratio:
1:1:1:3 (cups)
Sesame Seeds : Pumpkin Seeds : Sunflower Seeds : Flax Seeds
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, adding 1 tablespoon to our homemade muesli each day.
And that's it, as simple as that! Of course, you need to ensure a healthy diet all round, and ensure you are getting enough other nutrients in your daily diet, but this concoction of seeds is sure to get you on the right track of getting your Pre-Pregnancy Brain back!
If you're interested in our home-made Vegan muesli, see the recipe below:
Home-Made
Vegan
Muesli Recipe
Ingredients:
3 cups Jungle Oats
1½ cups Mixed nuts
½ cup Flaked coconut
½ cup Whole wheat flour
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
¾ cup melted coconut oil
½ cup Maple syrup
1 tsp Vanilla Essence
2 cups All Bran Flakes
1 cup Raisons
Method:
-
Preheat the oven to 180°C.
-
Add the oats, coconut flakes, whole wheat flour, salt, cinnamon, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla essence into a mixing bowl, and stir until ingredients are well combined.
-
Put mixture into an oven proof dish for 20 minutes, stir, and leave to bake for another 20 minutes.
-
Take the mixture out of the oven, stir gently so not to breakup the clusters too much, and allow to cool.
-
Add the nuts, all bran flakes and raisons.
-
Stir again, and transfer to an air-tight container.
-
Add 1 tablespoon of seed mixture with your serving of muesli each morning.
NEED MORE SUPPORT?
Need more help? Parenting challenges in the first year can be incredibly tough, from differing parenting styles and introducing a sibling, to colic, breastfeeding, sleep struggles and so much more! Contact Us for support to guide you in challenges with your child in the first year and beyond!
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