Nutrition After Loss - Foundations

Written By Allison Hesberg

It’s common for a women to feel distrust, hurt, and anger towards her body after a loss. In the midst of these emotions, a desire to treat her body with love, nutrition, and respect may be absent entirely. Though after loss may be the hardest time to nourish your body, it’s the most important.

A woman’s nutrient status is depleted during pregnancy. Though depletion is highest later in the pregnancy, nutrients are still given from maternal stores to the growing baby throughout the whole pregnancy. After loss, a mother is depleted from the pregnancy and many days of bleeding. Regardless of how a woman feels towards her body, repletion is important.

Macronutrients = Building blocks for tissues, enzymes, and hormones

Protein

  • Animal Protein and Dairy, Legumes

Carbohydrates

  • Fruits, Whole Grains, Legumes

Fats

  • Nuts, olive oil, butter, avocado, and seeds

Micronutrients = the tools to metabolize the macros and build new structures (hormones, etc)

Minerals

  • Iron: Beef, oysters, oatmeal, dark chocolate

  • Zinc: Beef, oysters, oatmeal, dark chocolate, legumes, almonds, cashews

  • Selenium: Potatoes, oysters, brazil nuts

  • Magnesium: Dark chocolate, nuts, seeds

Vitamins:

  • C: Fruits and vegetables

  • E: avocado, almonds

  • A: liver, red/orange produce, whole fat dairy, broccoli sprouts

  • B12: liver, animal protein

  • Folate: Leafy greens, poultry, eggs

  • D: Dairy, fortified foods like orange juice

Allison Hesberg
Next

I'm Not Ashamed of the Bounce Back