PART 2A: NUTRITIONAL FACTORS THAT SUPPORT CIRCADIAN HEALTH

Summary:

• Supporting hormones is one reason pregnant women need a high-protein diet¹

• Recommended reading: Lily Nichols’ book Real Food for Pregnancy

• The amino acid (protein) tryptophan becomes serotonin and melatonin²

  • Melatonin is often considered representative of the circadian rhythm as a whole

  • Melatonin is anti-inflammatory³

  • Inflammation in pregnancy is associated with feeling crappy and having morning sickness⁴

• Melatonin protects pregnancy⁵

• Fluoride inhibits melatonin synthesis⁶

• Folate needs many cofactors to work and donate methyl groups to DNA⁷

  • Folate can be produced by the microbiome in our digestive system⁸

  • Folate is degraded by UV light; skin pigmentation protects folate in cells⁹

  • Overcooking food, consuming diuretics, alcohol, sugar, refined carbohydrates, phytates from certain plant foods , certain medications, and taking certain medications can reduce folate’s bioavailability¹⁰

• Q&A: talked about using this information to start conversations with providers; talked about the Brewer Pregnancy Diet…