Swelling is common, although common doesn’t necessarily mean optimal.  Swelling is a symptom of imbalance.  Unfortunately, sometimes imbalanced health can happen so often that we think it is an expected part of pregnancy (or life).  We don’t realize we need to change… sometimes big changes to our lifestyle (and our traditions).  It is incredibly challenging for a mother to meet nutritional needs if her family and community aren’t meeting their needs either.  Many people are so used to feeling unwell since they were young children that the feeling of being imbalanced becomes normal until they become pregnant.  Then, pregnant mothers struggle to change health in the short time span of a pregnancy.

Swelling is often caused by undernourished kidneys that can’t balance fluid levels and high toxins that can’t be filtered.  Oddly, dehydration is one of the main causes of swelling because water is needed for toxins to flow out of the body, and electrolytes are vital for organ function.  This kind of swelling is easily fixed with a LOT of leafy greens, fresh produce, and at least 8 oz of water hourly.  Regular movement and position changes will reduce swelling caused by a growing baby’s weight in a pelvis.  So, these are simple tests to eliminate most swelling, or to see if bigger lifestyle changes are needed.  When using the bathroom, if your pee is yellow then your kidneys are stressed.  You need more fluid, less toxins, and more nutrient-dense food. When the kidneys are stressed, toxins and albumin (protein) “spill” in the urine.

Well-nourished kidneys eliminate blood-waste created by the liver. This helps you avoid illness and helps your body (and pregnancy) to thrive in wellness.  Simply put: eat real, nutrient-dense food.  Your body can’t function when it’s missing nutrients or overloaded with toxins.  Many Americans are technically starving with a full belly.  Our region has some of the worst health statistics in the whole United States, especially with diabetes and lifestyle-preventable illness.  Food choices are a significant cause of this.

Your liver must create albumin (protein) from nourishing foods (especially dark leafy greens, colorful fruits, and protein-rich foods) so that your kidneys can work.  Albumin’s main role is to move molecules through your blood by maintaining osmotic pressure within the vessels (in other words, albumin helps your kidneys balance your fluid levels).

In pregnancy, your kidneys must filter over ½ cup of blood every minute to remove toxins, excess acids, and excess fluid (via urine or sweat).  Therefore, over 150 quarts of blood are filtered by the kidneys daily… if the kidneys are healthy.  When the liver isn’t healthy, more toxins build up and less albumin is created.  If the kidneys don’t have enough albumin, or if they’re damaged or overloaded with toxins, they can’t filter these toxins, which causes fluid retention.  This relationship between the liver and kidneys is why so many dis-eases of pregnancy (diabetes, pre-eclampsia…etc.) have similar symptoms.

One of the first signs we might be able to see for liver or kidney dysfunction is severe nausea in the first trimester.  Around 28 weeks, we might notice a lack of blood volume expansion in the form of rising, or no change in, hemoglobin.  Urine strips may show spilled protein, ketones, and high specific gravity.  Though, these symptoms may not happen before blood pressure rises, so pay attention and nourish your body with real nutrient-packed foods such as dark leafy greens and a variety of colorful vegetables and fruit.  Eat protein-rich meals, including meat and eggs, and avoid high-carbs and grains, or sugary foods.  Eat protein-rich, healthy fat, high-plant-centered meals.  Get rid of added sugar including maple syrup, honey, processed sweeteners, sugar alcohols, and grains (including corn).

Nourish yourself with at least 2600 calories daily for: hormones, blood volume, your liver, kidneys, and baby’s growth.  Nourished isn’t just a satisfied tongue and a full belly; it means getting foods in your body that have adequate balanced nutrients at least 80% of the time.  Some studies say foods today have close to 50% less nutrition than they did just 50 years ago.  Every food choice you make matters and choosing to let go of some of the foods that just taste good, but have low nutrition, will make room for foods that are good for the body and your baby.

What if we were as intentional with the nutrients we put into our bodies as the thoughts we put into our mind and the community we surround ourselves with to support us on this journey?