Be 5 steps ahead of pathogens and boost your immune system for pregnancy with these nutrition hacks.
If you are a client or my friend on my socials, you know I love prenatal diet optimisation. Preparing the body before pregnancy for pregnancy is one of the best gifts you can give yourself and your baby.
If you are planning pregnancy, make sure you book a session with a prenatal & fertility dietitian to make the most of every bite before, during and after pregnancy.
And while there are many topics to cover in relation to preconception nutrition (egg, sperm & uterine health, nutrient adequacy and so forth) today we’re focusing on foods to boost your immune system for pregnancy.
The recipe for an optimal immune system is:
- Exceptional daily dietary vitamin, mineral, protein, fibre, fatty acids, energy and water intake
- A happy and highly functioning microbiome (the trillions of bacteria living inside your gastrointestinal tract)
- you also need: good hygiene practices, medical conditions under control, limited alcohol intake, not smoking, regular exercise, sunlight, good mental health, coping strategies, sleep hygiene – the stuff we all know we should do 😉
If you planned your daily diet to meet every single nutrient requirement to build a strong immune system for pregnancy, life might not be so fun.
Luckily, you don’t need to be so super specific. Eating a variety of healthy fruits, veggies, whole grains, fermented veggies, adequate plant and lean protein, dairy/ calcium fortified alternatives, legumes, oily fish, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices usually does the trick.
Here are five foods (not an exhaustive list) and how they help boost your immune system for pregnancy.
1. Yoghurt
Specifically probiotic rich yoghurts. When it comes to the world of probiotics/gut bacteria, we know some things, but we’re only scratching the surface. But we do know specific strains are protective of the gut lining.
A probiotic is defined as a “live microorganisms that, when administered in adequate amounts, confer a health benefit on the host“. You can buy probiotic supplements tailored to particular conditions, but there are conditions which can be exacerbated (made worse) by adding probiotics, so always chat to your health-care team prior commencement of any supplement.
Yoghurt is a happy probiotic rich food. It is a nourishing food with protein and calcium and usually contains live strains of beneficial bacteria/probiotics.
Not all yoghurts are made equal though. When selecting one, flip over the to the nutrition panel and look at the ingredients list. Look for specific probiotic strain names in the ingredients list at a CFU (colony forming units) count. As for the sugars, fat, protein and flavour ingredients – these are all very much based on your individual nutrition goals and needs.
2. Oily fish
Salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies, tuna and sardines are wonderful sources of marine based omega-3 DHA/EPA fatty acids. Omega-3 plays a huge role in physiological antioxidant activity, helping to reduce systemic inflammation. Remember the body’s acute inflammatory response to things like injuries and wounds is good. However constant chronic inflammation related to health conditions, poor diet and lifestyle and forth will impact immune health.
Oily fish is also one of the few dietary sources of vitamin D (the sunshine vitamin) – other sources include egg yolks and mushrooms left to soak in the sun.
Interestingly, the VITAL Trial -a randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trial in the United States with 25, 871 participants- looked at the affect of vitamin D & omega-3 DHA/EPA supplementation in relation to the development of autoimmune disease.
Three groups were supplemented for 5 years and compared to control groups who were not supplemented to assess the development of an autoimmune disease.
- One group received 2000IU vitamin D daily
- Another group received 1000mg omega-3 DHA(380mg)/EPA(460mg) daily
- And the last group consumed both supplements
All three groups showed reduced rates of autoimmune disease development compared to their controls after 5 years. The group who consumed vitamin D and omega-3s had a 30% lower risk for disease development than the control group. That’s wild! If you want the full picture, read the study here
Suffice to say, oily fish is a food to add to your diet if you can.
3. Kiwi Fruit
Not only is kiwi one of the most vitamin C rich fruits out there. It’s also a constipation hack. Kiwi’s contain an enzyme named Actinidin, which can play a role in the digestive process to help move things along, ie: help you poop.
Regular bowel movements will eliminate waste, bacteria, toxins and things the body no longer needs.
You want to be eating enough fibre and fluids to be having regular bowel motions. If you’re not regularly pooping or your bowel habits have changed, step 1 is to chat to your GP to rule out more complex issues. If that’s in the clear, try adding 2 kiwis into your diet daily.
4. Walnuts
Not only are walnuts delicious (bias opinion) and an excellent topper for carrot cake oats, they’re mighty mini nuggets of antioxidant activity. Plus they’re packed with a variety of micronutrients you want to be eating regularly like iron, magnesium, zinc, vitamin C & E which are all required as cofactors for enyzmatic reactions related to immune health.
Walnuts are also a fabulous source of prebiotic fibre which will nourish your microbiome. All tree nuts are excellent sources in fact. But walnuts hold a special place in my heart because they are also a good source of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids.
So for a healthy gut, eat your daily walnuts.
5. Kimchi
I touched on prebiotic fibre above, but want to add some more fuel to the microbiome fire. Kimchi is a traditional Korean dish made with salted and fermented vegetables (cabbage, garlic, onions etc). They’re the cruciferous, prebiotic veggies your gut bugs love to eat. We talked about probiotics -live bacteria- in yoghurt, and now we’re talking about the fuel which feeds those bacteria -prebiotics-.
Research looking at the interplay between our microbes and immune system is growing.
A thriving gut microbiome fosters a healthy and protective gut lining. Our gut is one of our protective barriers from pathogens and harmful bacteria, so a happy microbiome gives us a strong defensive system.
As microbes ferment fibres they create beneficial short chain fatty acids (SCFA), which help reduce systemic inflammation, related to the weakening of our defence system.
Suffice to say, there are MANY reasons to focus on gut health for pregnancy, a strong immune system is one them.
Again, this list is not exhaustive. It’s the variety of whole foods in your diet that work together to feed a thriving microbiome and abundant protective antioxidants for a strong immune system.
If you are planning for pregnancy and feeling overwhelmed by nutrition advice out there, reach out.
