Problems in Pregnancy – 8

Yoga and Childbirth – Chapter 8

This chapter will deal simply with methods of diet, and exercise, that can be used to cure or minimise some of the problems women face in pregnancy.

Acidity

If little exercise is taken, increase it to include stimulating walks, practising deep breathing as you walk. Increase the amount of raw, ‘alkaline’ foods, and exclude concentrated starches such as white bread, or white sugar. Do not mix starches and sugar too much in one meal. (See health questionnaire on ‘stomach’.) Take at least two dessertspoons of brewer’s yeast powder daily. Use the apple fast if necessary, as it is a very quick cure. Much acidity or indigestion is caused by inner tensions, and the relaxation and ‘earthquake’ posture should be used frequently.

Age

If you are an elderly mother, check your health carefully against the health questionnaire, and follow directions. It is best to start with very high doses of the vitamins and minerals, and drop them week by week to the ‘under par’ dosage given in Chapter 3, No. 11 under ‘Full Diet’ (page 64). Therefore start with 1,000 i.u. of vitamin C, the same with vitamin E;* halibut oil capsules as directed on the bottle; 4 dessertspoons of brewer’s yeast and wheatgerm; and a multi-vitamin and mineral supplement daily for one week, 800 i.u. of vitamin C and 800 i.u. of E for the second week, and from the third week drop the C and E by 100 units per week until you reach the ‘under par’ dosage as given in the chapter just mentioned.

*Vitamin E should not he used in higher doses than 400 iu. per day if suffering from high blood-pressure or a rheumatic heart condition

Alcoholism

If the mother is an alcoholic it is possible to bring about marked changes in health, and reduce if not remove the need for alcohol. Adelle Davis gives the following suggestions that have been tried with success at a for alcoholics. Six small great ‘home’ high protein meals per day, free of all refined carbohydrates, are taken. This includes plenty of lean meat, eggs, fish, milk with dried milk added, yoghurt, and brewer’s yeast, which, weight for weight, has more protein than other foods, and fulfils dietary needs in an alcoholic. Also, high doses of lecithin, calcium and magnesium, taken as halibut oil capsules, backed by multi-vitamin and mineral capsules. This should also be used with the raw food diet where possible. It is the B vitamins that are particularly needed, thus brewer’s yeast, and B-complex tablets should also be used. Alcohol destroys many vitamins in the system, thus these recommendations. Slow breathing should be practised daily. See also Depression.

Allergies

Hay fever, asthma, and many other allergies are often greatly reduced or cured by enormous doses of vitamin C. 2,000 i.u. daily is indicated, until the attack has been cured. If high C intake causes looseness of the bowels, start at a low dosage and work up.

Anaemia

As many raw green leaves as possible, including dandelion watercress, cress, sprouts, kale, broccoli, lettuce, peppers, etc., should be eaten. Also daily take plenty of brewer’s yeast, 400 i.u. of vitamin E, one vitamin and mineral capsule daily, with vitamin B12 as suggested on the bottle. Also the ‘Full Diet’ (page 63), with added wheatgerm.

Ankles, swollen

There can be several causes of this, and each should be checked. The foremost is constipation or sluggish bowel, delivering hard stools. See the suggestions under ‘Intestines’ in the health questionnaire. Balanced diet, with plenty of raw foods, with carrageen moss beaten into milk, and wheatgerm, will help or cure the hard stools. Other possible causes are insufficient protein in the diet, or too much salt. A protein deficiency can be filled by beating dried milk, or lecithin powder, into one’s milk drink, or added to cereals, and taking plenty of brewer’s yeast. It is important to get plenty of raw foods and green leaves also. Another factor may be lack of vitamin F, or unsaturated fatty acids. Strangely enough, one needs such oils to keep slim and lose weight due to water retention. Therefore, if you can see that inadequate vegetable oils, as from nuts, maize, wheatgerm, and sunflower seeds, are included in the diet, remedy this and also add some olive oil, safflower oil, or wheatgerm oil to one’s daily foods.

Birth

An easy delivery is aided by taking raspberry leaf tea, or tablets, throughout pregnancy. High doses of vitamins C and E during labour will greatly enhance the effectiveness of the raspberry leaf tablets. That is, at the commencement of labour take 1,000 i.u. of E and 1000 mg. of C. Make sure that calcium tablets are taken during the last week, and four at the beginning of labour, as this alone has resulted in painless births. The calcium should contain vitamin D.

Blood-pressure

Very often caused by a too high salt intake. Dr Dahl, in experiments, has shown that high blood-pressure in babies has resulted from feeding tinned baby food, which contains high amounts of salt. High blood-pressure can also be caused by a cholin deficiency, which can be reduced by either taking cholin, or brewer’s yeast. Low blood-pressure may indicate insufficient protein intake.

Breath, shortness of

Apart from the pressure on the diaphragm near the end of term, this can indicate lack of B vitamins, to be found in brewer s yeast, and anaemia. The exercises and breathing practices will also help.

Constipation

It is not true that constipation is natural during pregnancy. It is widespread – but not natural. It can result from lack of raw foods, and insufficient whole cereal grains or wholewheat flour in the diet. It can, in many cases, be immediately cured by a few slices of wholewheat bread daily. Whole wheat must not be confused with ‘brown bread’ or wholemeal, which are quite different. Brewer’s yeast, wheatgerm, and carrageen moss beaten into milk will all help remove this condition. Some people find a few bananas daily aids the problem. In difficult cases, bran should be taken, and multi-vitamin and mineral tablets might help.

Cramps

These should not occur if you are eating the Full Diet as given (page 63), with supplements. This condition is basically due to insufficient calcium or magnesium in the diet; but also links up with B vitamins, as in brewer’s yeast, and vitamin D. If the supplements as suggested are being taken, it is most likely that the calcium and magnesium are insufficient. Extra calcium should be taken, either as kelp or bone-meal or straight calcium tablets, with one multi-vitamin and mineral tablet.

Dandruff

if this develops during pregnancy it is a sign that you have become deficient in vitamin A and B and need more fruit. However, if the suggested diet and supplements have been taken, there should be no sign of this. As some people have greater needs for particular vitamins, it might suggest a need for more vitamin A with the supplements. Extra halibut oil capsules should help.

Depression

Here is another common, although often unnecessary, aspect of child-bearing, and sometimes even after birth. If this happens -despite following the full diet and supplements, it is suggested you regularly practise slow breathing. To do this, sit quietly and breathe as slowly as possible without having to gasp. Try to breathe smoothly as well as slowly. Practise for ten minutes every day, and gradually increase the time to half an hour.

Diarrhoea

If diarrhoea continues for more than a day, it can be dangerous due to flushing out necessary nutrients. Rest, and apples or carrots (raw) only, will quickly cure. The first meal should consist of milk, slippery elm food, and carrageen moss (1 teaspoon) mixed into a cream, with honey. Do not keep eating a mixed diet if it continues for longer than twenty-four hours, but eat only apples or carrots plus garlic tablets.

Drug addiction

See Alcoholism.

Edema

See Ankles.

Epilepsy

Dolomite tablets, and sometimes Epsom salts, due to their high magnesium content, can often completely remove convulsions, and as long as sufficient magnesium is taken in a balanced diet, they will not return. Convulsions in babies will often respond similarly. Vitamin B6 is also used to control convulsions.

Fatigue

Excessive fatigue is often due to a badly balanced diet, high in sweets, sugar, carbohydrates, and low in proteins, vitamins and minerals. Often such people miss breakfast, eat sweets, drink strong tea or coffee. Anaemia and low blood-pressure are also factors to be taken into account. In such cases it is wise to eat an egg, and have a milk drink fortified with dried milk, for breakfast, as well as balancing the diet as given in the ‘Full Diet’ (page 63). See the breakfast recommended in the’ Weight-losing Diet’, page 61. Incorrect breathing may also be the cause. See Chapter 4 on breathing.

Fertility

In cases where couples are unable to have children it is suggested that both go on an apple fast for three days. See the ‘Cleansing Diet’ on page 59. This should be followed by coming back to the ‘Full Diet’ (page 63), with the following supplements: 300 mlg of vitamins E and C per day, and the other supplements suggested under No. 11 under the ‘Full Diet’, page 64. If there is a tendency to catarrh, garlic tablets should be taken; they leave no odour.

No attempt should be made to conceive until a full month on these supplements and diet has passed. Also, if in going through the health questionnaire other things are indicated, these should be taken also. Once conception has taken place, the basic diet and supplements for pregnancy should be taken. It is helpful to add wheatgerm to the diet also. The father’s diet is as important, prior to conception, as the mother’s.

How long may conception take on this diet? This is impossible to predict. Benjamin Sieve, NI.D., experimented with a group of twenty-two women who had remained childless for at least five years. His only addition to their diet was PABA, a part of the B vitamin group, and found in brewer’s yeast. The result was that twelve of the group bore healthy babies within two years.

The above diet programme attempts to hit more of the possible causes of childlessness than PABA deficiency. Therefore, please attempt to follow it fully. With all the dietary modifications a year should be long enough in most cases to see, one way or the other, whether conception will take place under these methods. Sufficient exercise must also be taken. In other words, an effort must ‘be made to attain positive good health.

Flatulence

If this is painful, or really bad smelling, it is very often caused by an unbalanced diet, insufficient intestinal bacteria, digestive enzymes, hydrochloric acid and B vitamins. This ties up strongly with the condition of one’s tongue. If the tongue is always coated, or if it is sore, or deep red or magenta, or if the edges are scalloped, or if there are deep fissures in it, or if the taste buds are much enlarged or unevenly distributed, or if it is too large or too small a tongue; these all show signs of vitamin B deficiencies, and enzyme, acid, or bacterial imbalance. If adequate B vitamins, in the form of yeast, wholewheat flour, and wheatgerm are being taken, it is suggested that for a week or two, hydrochloric acid tablets and digestive enzyme tablets be taken, along with two multi-vitamin and mineral tablets daily. The flatulence should stop in a day or two if you have hit the cause. In this case continue until the flatulence does not occur, and the tongue clears up. Plenty of brewer’s yeast powder should be taken, along with liver, calcium tablets, and dates. I have found eating only yoghurt for two days very helpful in such cases. As much can be eaten as wished.

Fluoridation

Many nutritionists look upon artificial fluoridation of water as a drug. As medical opinion is against drug use during pregnancy, it should also be against water fluoridation. Animal research has shown that fluorides cause the dissolving of the forming heart tissue in the embryo. Carlton Frederick, in Food Facts and Fallacies, says,’ Significantly, the rate of the birth of stillborn babies in New Britain, Connecticut, went up 150% after fluoridation. The rate in adjacent communities without fluoridation did not change in that period. Studies have also shown a higher incidence of Downs Syndrome births in fluoridated water areas.

Other research has proved that harmful fluorides, or in fact many poisons, are ‘floated’ out of the system by vitamin C when taken in sufficient quantities. Therefore, if you live in an area where the water is fluoridated, 300 mlg of vitamin C daily will act as a preventative measure.

Hay fever

See Allergies.

Headaches

If the diet is already sufficient in the way described, and headaches have only begun with pregnancy, it is possibly a sign of calcium lack. Even migraines can often be eradicated by sufficient calcium and magnesium where the diet is otherwise sufficient, especially in the B vitamins.

Heart

If the prospective mother has a heart condition, 600 i.u. of vitamin E should be taken daily throughout pregnancy, with the other basic supplements, and the wholefood diet. Many heart conditions are literally cured by this treatment, but at the least it will take much strain off the heart. As magnesium has also cured many heart conditions, a quarter teaspoon of Epsom salt daily is a wise precaution, as it is a muscle food.

Hot Flushes

These, like headaches, where the diet is otherwise sufficient, often indicate a deficiency in calcium and magnesium.

Infertility

See Fertility.

Insomnia

This may point to a greater need of the B vitamins in yeast, and to calcium lack. Practising the relaxation techniques will help in this problem, and de-tensing the body while in bed often aids sleep. The slow breathing technique already described under ‘Depression’ is also an enormous help, especially if used just prior to sleep.

Labour

To make labour easy, raspberry leaf tea or tablets should be taken throughout pregnancy. I have known women who have used them produce their baby in half an hour or two hours. Also, stress is reduced by taking 1000 i.u. of vitamin E as labour commences, and 100 mlg of vitamin C every half-hour. Pain is reduced or removed by taking four calcium tablets with vitamin D as labour starts, and one every hour. Adelle Davis quotes some mothers who have used calcium tablets and vitamin D in this way, as saying that they thought they were only having wind pains when the baby was born. It would be even more effective to take the extra calcium and D during the whole of the last week.

See also Birth.A particular help for a quicker delivering can be found in Labour.

Legs, swelling of

See Ankles.

Miscarriage

Where there is not a physical cause for miscarriage such as fibroid tumour in the uterus, tears in the cervix, malformation of reproductive organs, high blood-pressure, diabetes, or syphilis, the general state of health is often the reason. Many women who miscarry can have a successful pregnancy once their general health and nutrition is taken care of. Even regular miscarriages can frequently be avoided by sensible diet, exercise and rest.

This book may come into the hands of women at all stages of pregnancy, and even prior to conception. It is obviously best to begin one’s health renovation prior to conception, but I have seen an advanced pregnancy that medically seemed ripe for miscarriage, yet responded immediately when supplements and raw foods were added to the diet.

Therefore, if you have a history of miscarriage, and have not conceived, but plan to, I would suggest that husband and wife should start with the cleansing diet, whichever version is acceptable, although I would recommend the apple diet. Come back on to the ‘Full Diet’ (page 63), with the following supplements and dietary additions. For the husband, 100 i.u. of vitamin E daily, with a multi-vitamin and mineral capsule. For the wife, flood the body with vitamin C for a week by taking 2000 mlg per day. It may be best to work up to this dose over a few days. Drop the dose to 300 per day throughout conception and pregnancy, after this one week at 2,000 mlg. Vitamin C strengthens the capillaries, and thus aids the strength and health of the placenta and baby. For the first week, 1000 i.u. of vitamin E per day, and then drop to 300 i.u. per day throughout conception and pregnancy. Take the other supplements as in No. 11 under ‘Full Diet’ (page 64). If possible, get vitamin C and E tablets that contain the whole vitamins.

Go through the health questionnaire and see whether there are any other needs, in which case (as with poor skin needing extra vitamin A) fulfil the need. Eat as many oranges as are enjoyable each day. Be careful in peeling them to leave as much of the white pith on as possible. The pith of the orange contains what are called bio-flavonoids, which are very necessary to the health of the placenta. Vitamin K likewise, when deficient, compensates to miscarriage. This is found in green leaves such as raw cabbage, kale, carrot greens, spinach; also in tomatoes, egg yolk, cauliflower, and liver.

Anaemia is a contributory cause of miscarriage, but if the Full Diet is followed this should be under control. If there is still anaemia, take ‘Iron Plus’ tablets. These contain vitamin C, aiding its digestion, and making the tablet less constipating.

Other additions to the diet should be 4 dessertspoons of wheatgerm daily, and black treacle or molasses used in making any cakes, bread or puddings.

If you are already pregnant, take the supplements as described (i.e., a large dose to start), and begin the other dietary suggestions as far as possible. I realise that many people are temperamentally against salads and some of the other suggested foods. But all that is asked is to follow them as far as possible, and I know that many will then have a successful pregnancy and a beautiful baby.

For those women already pregnant, and who are suffering a threatened miscarriage, Dr Shute of Canada holds out a great deal of hope. It is common medical philosophy that a spontaneous miscarriage usually means that the foetus is possibly unhealthy or malformed, and the body is trying to be rid of it. Dr Shute did not accept this attitude, but felt that while this may hold true in a very few cases, the majority of miscarriages are due to factors of nutrition causing an unhealthy placenta. In working with several hundred women, using 100 to 400 mlg of vitamin E daily, he was able to cause virtually all of the threatened miscarriages to revert to a state of health, and result in the birth of healthy babies. Therefore, in such cases, it will be wise to go on to the Full Diet, with the suggested supplements as given above, i.e., 500 mlg of vitamin C, 300 of vitamin E, with brewer’s yeast, kelp and wheatgerm.

Morning sickness

I have noticed that women who are suffering from morning sickness, and then go on to the vitamin mineral supplements, often lose their sickness very quickly. Carlton Fredericks says, ‘If the diet and the use of supplements are instituted prior to pregnancy, the incidence of morning sickness may be sharply diminished.’ Research has shown that vitamin B6 plays a large part in curing or preventing this sickness. Therefore, brewer’s yeast should be taken in ample quantities, and if necessary a B6 supplement. Fairly large amounts of B6 may be necessary to cure the sickness, but little to prevent it.

A further aid is given by Bircher Benner. He suggests a few raisins, pine kernels and mint leaves eaten on waking. Also dry wholewheat bread, with cream cheese, nuts, fruit and dried fruit for breakfast. A helpful general rule is to eat a small snack on waking. This is something found most helpful if very dry, such as toasted wholewheat bread. The succeeding meals should be small but often, five or six per day are suggested, and eating just a few things each meal. That is, few mixtures.

Nerves

See Depression

Neuralgia

Use the, apple fast or cleansing alkaline diet. The results are dramatic.

Oral contraceptives

If’ they have been used, this increases the need for the B vitamins, and vitamin E.

Piles

See ‘Intestines’ in the health questionnaire (page 51).

Poisoning

Poisons, such as lead, bromide, arsenic, benzine, fluorides, ivy, some snake bites, or insect bites, gas or car fumes, can be removed by massive doses of vitamin C. 3000 mlg each day, for one week, should be taken. Vitamin E has a similar power, so 300 i.u. should be taken with the vitamin C.

Prenatal

In breast-feeding the baby, one should check to see that the diet is sufficient, especially in vitamins A, D, C, and E, and calcium. Formulas are not recommended by nutritionists, nor for the emotional health of the baby.

Prolapse

Prolapse during pregnancy can be very painful, and is experienced as sharp pains in the groin or sometimes as severe backache. This can be cured or greatly relieved by taking from 300 to 600 i.u. of vitamin E daily. Experiment on the low dose to see if it works; if not, increase. Also increase the calcium intake.

Pyorrhoea

If this develops while pregnant, it shows a greater need for vitamins B, C, and D; C in particular.

Salivation

Excess salivation can be helped by eating very dry meals. Going on the cleansing diet for a few days will be of great help also. It is not recommended to do the apple diet for more than one day if pregnant, but the other cleansing diet is safe for up to a week. A very dry mouth sometimes accompanies vitamin A deficiency.

Sciatica

See Neuralgia.

Sterility

See Fertility.

Varicose veins

These can usually be avoided by taking care to watch bowel action. If the stools become slightly hard, add more carrageen moss to drinks, and wheatgerm and brewer’s yeast to the diet. If this is insufficient, bran will usually help. But the stools must be consistently soft at each passing. If you are on the full diet and supplements, this will go a long way to preventing this. 400 mlg of vitamins C and E daily will help if the stools are soft. Sometimes cramps and varicosities occur together. In this case besides the vitamin E, take a B complex tablet. See also Constipation.

Vaginal discharge

If very heavy and thick, may point to a vitamin A need, as this vitamin helps control the health of all mucous membrane. Also, a more alkaline diet will help to clean the body.

Weight

It has often happened in my experience that people put on an adequate diet lose or gain weight to become a normal weight. If the Full Diet here suggested (page 63) is followed, the person should find little excess of weight gain. The daily salad is important in this respect. Causes of excess weight gain can be due to insufficient iodine and vitamin E in the diet. These are found in kelp tablets and wheatgerm. It may also be caused by a lack of protein, thus causing water retention, as does excess salt in the diet. One can easily boost protein intake by taking extra eggs, yoghurt or yeast daily. Insufficient vegetable oils such as safflower, olive oil, etc., may have a similar result.

Obviously, if you are not on the Full Diet as suggested, it could be that you are simply eating far too many sugar and flour products.

As a postscript to this section, an enormous amount of information concerning baby care has arisen in recent years. Love has at last come into its own as a scientifically observable healing agent. It is now acknowledged that the new-born baby often has the instinct to immediately suckle, and needs to be held close and lovingly, if possible skin to skin, as soon as born. Looking into your baby’s eyes, holding, cuddling, playing and caressing, are all expressions of love, and the baby needs it as much as food. It has even been shown that babies who are loved and caressed often, especially skin to skin, are less prone to infection than babies seldom handled or rocked.

 

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