Hi, new here.<br><br>
As others have said, pre-E is not that clear cut. Just wanted to share info I have gathered:<br><br><b>Avoiding pre-Eclampsia/Eclampsia</b><br><br>
For many women, Brewer's Diet and WAP diet for diet with good protein intake helps *prevent* pre-E and E. A diet like this starts pre-conception ideally. For some, digesting a lot of animal protein is difficult. If digesting protein is difficult for you, you may be lacking enzymes to digest them and need enzyme supplements. However, I believe that the protein is just what comes with what it is really about: good fats.<br><br>
I think it's worth saying though that nothing has been proven or disproven to prevent, treat or cure preeclampsia. The protein theory is only one of many.<br><br><a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=221654" target="_blank">http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=221654</a><br><a href="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/showthread.php?t=967042" target="_blank">http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=967042</a><br><br>
These threads have a TON of info. It's also important to know also that no one has (been able to) replicate(d) the success that Brewer claimed to have had. Ina May has had amazing success with it at the Farm but I think there are obviously huge mental, nutritional and emotional benefits of simply being there that would contribute to this.<br><br>
For what Dr. Weil has to say<br><a href="http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART02820" target="_blank">http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/id/ART02820</a><br><br>
I don't agree with what he considers to be the right fats though. Coconut oil, I believe is a good fat, and soy bean oil not because of it's high oxidation rate upon processing which causes free radicals.<br><br>
Also:<br>
Lauro,V. "Preeclampsia: correlation between changes in symptomatology and changes in diet". (1997) 68:95<br><br>
This study analyzes 13 cases of pregnant women affected by varying degrees of preeclampsia, and correlates the patients' data (height, weight, preeclampsia symptoms according to intensity and time of onset) to the amount of mean daily intake of nutrients (proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, starch, total calories, Na). The amount of nutrients was obtained processing with a special computer software the patients' weekly dietary diaries. The analysis of the data shows the correlation between the onset of pre-ecclampsia symptomatology and the excess of certain nutrients: excess in calories and/or proteins, and/or lipids, and/or simple sugars, and/or sodium. A reduction in the amount of these nutrients, especially proteins and Na when applied during the early stage of preeclampsia symptoms, favours the disappearance of the clinical signs of the disease. Of course this is a very small study.<br><br>
All in all, I've known a lot of women following the Brewer's diet faithfully that developed preeclampsia and or Hellp regardless. I think the diet may be helpful some women. After all, some women aren't getting nearly enough protein or nutrition at all. I would guess that the women who the diet does not help or makes worse would go on to have chronic hypertension later in life.<br><br>
***<br>
About fatty acids:<br><br>
The essential dietary fatty acid DHA has been shown to be important in regulating heart function and high blood pressure<br><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10454450" target="_blank">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10454450</a><br><a href="http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/klu/mcbi/1998/00000178/F0020001/00150459?crawler=true" target="_blank">http://www.ingentaconnect.com/conten...9?crawler=true</a><br><br>
Babies need a *lot* of this structural fatty acid - they may take as much as 300mg a day from mama's brain in the last trimester. I wrote a bit about my reading on this subject here: <a href="http://viewtopic.php?f=70&t=1024" target="_blank">viewtopic.php?f=70&t=1024</a><br><br>
Many people can't interconvert this specific essential fatty acid from the more general plant fatty acid sources such as hemp and linseed: the best way to ensure the requirement for DHA is covered is by eating high quality fish oils, an extract from fish oils or the algae extract. Look for something that says it delivers >300mg /daily dose.<br><br>
Michel Odent's hypothesis about the origins of pre-eclampsia supports the importance of dietary fatty acids which are most easily absorbed from the sea food chain:<br>
"Theoretically, the most direct way to prevent preeclampsia would be to consume sea fish that is rich in n-3 polyunsaturates and also in minerals that are essential nutrients for the brain (eg, iodine, selenium, and zinc). This conforms with the geographical variations in the rates of preeclampsia and with the results of our encouragement of pregnant women to eat sea fish.(16)" from <a href="http://www.wombecology.com/preeclampsia.html" target="_blank">http://www.wombecology.com/preeclampsia.html</a><br><br>
As far as hypertension goes, many cases of hypertension during pregnancy are easily remedied through hydration and balancing the body's minerals. So of course it goes without saying that keeping well hydrated (2quarts of<br>
water a day AT LEAST while pregnant), eating whole foods (which<br>
contain the right amounts of nutrients and trace minerals that your<br>
body expects), and NOT restricting salt intake (unrefined sea salt is<br>
the absolute best, because of the natural trace mineral content that<br>
your body needs!) are essential to staving off pre-e in the first<br>
place.<br><br>
Sometimes supplements are needed, especially if you already have high<br>
blood pressure starting off in your pregnancy, or you are being<br>
diagnosed with pre-e later on in pregnancy. Cal/Mag, potassium, zinc,<br>
and selenium are what is often found to be deficient in women who<br>
suffer from pre-e. DHA is also VERY important, and unless you like<br>
sardines and salmon, you should be taking a DHA/ fish oil supplement<br>
everyday while pregnant. (Make sure the DHA is from a natural source,<br>
and cold pressed. It should say on the bottle "Hexane Free". DO NOT<br>
TAKE IT IF IT DOESN'T SAY THIS!) The less processed the better, so if<br>
you can stomach the sardines, eat them like that. They also contain<br>
the trace minerals that are so important to preventing pre-e. 500mg<br>
of vitamin C during pregnancy (unless you get it from food sources,<br>
which you really *should* be doing anyway while pregnant <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"> It isn't<br>
hard to get that much vitamin C) can also help prevent pre-e and is<br>
can be good for reversing it.<br><br>
And of course, pregnancy massage is good for draining the lymph<br>
system, lowering blood pressure, and just keeping stress levels down<br>
period <img alt="" class="inlineimg" src="http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/smile.gif" style="border:0px solid;" title="smile"><br><br>
What you want to avoid:<br>
Processed foods, refined sugar, caffiene, refined foods, trans fat,<br>
stress. If you are following a good diet, are well hydrated, you try<br>
herbal remedies, etc, and your b/p is still rising, a full thyroid<br>
panel is then indicated. I think checking the thyroid is always a good thing when things are haywire. I would then start myself on kelp to help<br>
with my iodine levels; another culprit in pre-e. I would also<br>
consider cutting out dairy at that point, as sometimes that can<br>
aggrevate pre-e in some women.<br><br>
To treat rising blood pressure/ pre-e with food/suppl:<br>
Up Protein to 80-100g/ day and water intake to a gallon/ day<br>
Supplement with Cal/Mag (800/ day), zinc (15mg/ day), selenium (not<br>
sure how much, it is a trace mineral, so you wouldn't need a whole<br>
lot), and potassium. Getting these from foods is much better than a<br>
pill of course.<br>
200-400iu Vitamin E<br>
600mg of garlic oil (The vitamin E and Garlic oil might be something<br>
you would want to cut down on as you got closer to your due date as<br>
these can cause you to bleed too much as it thins the blood)<br>
DHA supplements<br>
Cayenne pepper (absolutely amazing for bringing down b/p... works<br>
almost immediately)<br>
Hawthorne (has been used for centuries as an herb that brings down<br>
b/p and is safe in pregnancy)<br>
Dandelion tea (is a mild diuretic, so lots of water while taking this<br>
is important; it helps clean out the kidneys and liver which helps<br>
pre-e)<br>
Pomegranate juice<br>
Fresh OJ<br>
Watermelon, Asparagus, Cucumber, Celery, Blueberries<br>
Yellow Dock tea (ONLY take if you do NOT drink coffee, black tea, or<br>
anything else with tannins in it)<br>
Pure Grapefruit juice<br>
Unrefined sea salt added to diet, as well as sea salt baths are<br>
extremely helpful<br>
Healthy fats (cutting out all unhealthy ones)<br>
GSE taken daily<br>
Lowering stress through swimming, massage, yoga, meditation, positive<br>
affirmations, sex, etc<br><br>
Good place to read and ask:<br><a href="http://www.preeclampsia.org/about.asp" target="_blank">http://www.preeclampsia.org/about.asp</a><br><br>
It has a forum with great info <a href="http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/default.asp" target="_blank">http://www.preeclampsia.org/forum/default.asp</a><br><br>
Also, and not any less important, there is a theory (and one that I've heard echoed a few times since discussing it) that pre-E is also partially an autoimmune issue. It is apparently much rarer in subsequent children with the same partner than it is in first children with any given partner, almost as if it is an allergic reaction to the partner's DNA inside the mother's body. It was interesting and I'd never heard of it before, but from a lot of people that I've talked to it seems to be the case.<br><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16169871?dopt=AbstractPlus" target="_blank">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...t=AbstractPlus</a><br>
Male children of preeclamptic pregnancies are thought more likely to father preeclamptic pregnancies. That's because the father's genes direct the growth and development of the placenta, and the baby is carrying half the father's genes.<br><br><a href="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17292469?ordinalpos=20&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum" target="_blank">http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1...ubmed_RVDocSum</a><br>
Preeclamptic pregnancies are shallowly implanted, most likely because the mother's body doesn't recognize the signals being sent by the trophoblast that modulate the immune response to the foreign cells.<br><br><br>
About Trophoblast:<br><a href="http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521851657&ss=fro" target="_blank">http://www.cambridge.org/catalogue/c...1851657&ss=fro</a><br>
The father's genes direct the growth and development of the placenta. This is interesting in light of some association with the husband and preeclampsia. You're more likely to be preeclamptic in your first pregnancy with a given partner, even if you've had previous children with another man.<br><br>
Finally, activity may ward off preeclampsia for lean women:<br><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE4A66WC20081107" target="_blank">http://www.reuters.com/article/healt...4A66WC20081107</a><br><br>
It says that being physically active during pregnancy may help prevent preeclampsia, but that the effect is small, and only seems to apply to women who are not obese, according to new research from Norway.<br><br>
However, the study wasn't designed to look at why exercise may or may not help prevent preeclampsia. What the study does suggest is that early development of the placenta might be a key factor in the condition. Exercise may promote healthy placenta development among lean women, but it may be stressful for women who are heavier.