Immune Boosting Raw Foods: What To Eat When You’re Expecting To Prevent Colds & Flus
When I released my eBook Well Rounded: The Ultimate Guide to a Healthy Raw Food Pregnancy, I asked people for questions and planned to release a separate, free eBook with the answers. I decided to answer the handful of questions I did receive right here on the blog. If you personally have a question that was not answered, contact me! I’ll be happy to help.
A reader asks:
I am pregnant. What foods should I focus on if for some reason I am constantly getting colds?
I’m the kind of person who really does not tolerate sickness, I see it as a sign that something isn’t right, whether it’s caused by diet, the environment, etc. Pregnancy is a time where I am even more careful to get everything right. To me, a cold is a warning that something needs to be addressed and corrected.
Pasteur said that germs are nothing, what matters is the terrain, your immune system. If you’re healthy and strong, you won’t get sick. If your immune system is weak, viruses and bacteria will thrive and make you ill. It’s really pretty simple. 
The Raw Food Diet & Pregnancy
So what if you’re pregnant and getting colds regularly?
First, examine your diet. Are you eating anything that is stressing your body? You need to be spending your energy growing a beautiful baby, repairing skin stresses which can lead to stretch marks, etc., you shouldn’t be spending it fighting off illnesses left and right. So, anything hard to digest needs to go — heavy unsprouted processed grain products are out, and so are heavily processed dairy products. While you’re at it, anything that needs to be bought and can’t be made in the home should be ditched as well — this includes candy bars, pastries, boxed foods in plastic containers, etc.
What’s left?
Delicious, wholesome whole foods. You’ll be surprised how much money you’ll be saving once you focus on whole foods and stop buying processed junk! Focus on big salads, juicy fruits, crunchy vegetables, mineral rich seaweeds, deliciously rich nuts and seeds, etc. Not only will you have more energy to fight off illnesses, but you’ll also feel on top of the world!
An Apple A Day & Other Immune-Boosting Raw Foods
Now what if you want to take things further and want a list of disease-fighting foods? Try eating foods from the following list daily:
Fruits rich in vitamin C: like oranges etc. Make fresh juices everyday! It’s citrus season right now, so take advantage of it.
Sunflower seeds: their vitamin E content is wonderful at fighting infections. Moisturize your skin with sunflower seed oil, eat sunflower seeds as salad topping, or make sunflower seed milk.
Brazil nuts: rich in selenium, a mineral which can be tough to get in adequate quantities, Brazil nuts make the smoothest, richest nut milk and are immune system powerhouses.
Garlic: everyone knows garlic is awesome. Crush a clove and whisk it into oil and vinegar for a tasty salad dressing. Add a clove to the blender when you make a raw soup. Easy!
Chia Seeds: if you’re vegan, you need to make sure you are getting enough omega 3 fatty acids (and if you’re not particular about where your seafood comes from, you’re in the same boat). Chia seeds and other omega 3 rich foods should be a dietary staple (about 2 T a day) coupled with a DHA supplement (like O-mega-zen 3).
Probiotic rich foods: it is said that a weak digestive system equals a weak immune system. I totally believe it. Make cultured foods a dietary staple, along with cultured drinks such as kefir (coconut kefir, dairy kefir if not vegan, and commercial cultured drinks like Ke-Vita if desired/within your budget). Probiotic pills can be beneficial as well.
Also, make sure that you’re eating enough and getting enough calories. You’re not exactly eating for two, but you’re still growing a life inside of you! Make sure you’re not inadvertently on a low-calorie diet because of food restrictions. And, relax, relax, relax. I can’t say this enough. Stress is a total immune system killer. Take regular baths, do yoga, practice meditation. Every little bit helps.
Are you interested in having a raw food based pregnancy?
You only have one chance to give this new life the very best chance for health possible! Do it right! This book fills in the gaps in the raw food movement, so you can read a single book to get your answers without having to read a skimpy section on pregnancy in ten different books about raw food!
Note: this book is aimed at both raw vegans and raw vegetarians, with recommendations for both.
About Joanna Steven
Joanna Steven is the director of the Raw Mom Club. She’s also the author of Well-Rounded:The Ultimate Guide to a Healthy Raw Food Pregnancy.
To learn more about Joanna, access our free online community of thousands of raw food enthusiasts doing their best to raise healthy families and help their kids enjoy a diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. You can also interact with Joanna at the Raw Mom Facebook Page!