Postpartum Care (#4) Provide Warmth for the Body
Leaning into traditional postpartum care, the wisdom that has been passed down from generation to generation in certain cultures, is a powerful source of inspiration for supporting new mothers in our western society.
Beautifully outlined by Jenny Allison, traditional Chinese medicine recognises four important requirements of diet in the fourth trimester and in what they consider the Golden Month. The last requirement is providing warmth for the body.
#4 Provide warmth for the body
The vulnerability of a mothers body postpartum makes the nutrient quality of her diet, and her ability to absorb every benefit of this nutrient dense diet, the highest importance.
For this reason a focus must be on digestive function and supporting the inner digestive fire and warmth of her body. Warmth will support a mothers circulation and activate the enzymes used in her digestive process. It will take strain of her body whilst assuring she is able to replete.
Food focus. Warm foods support your ability to digest and allow the nutrients within to become more bioavailable and easily absorbed.
- grains and legumes adequately rinsed and soaked overnight
- broths and meals stewed over long periods
- specific herbs and spices
- foods and drinks that are warm in temperature
Grains and legumes. When some nutrient dense grains and legumes are adequately rinsed and soaked overnight, the anti-nutrients are removed and they become more digestible, allowing the body to absorb all their benefits:
- pulses and dal like lentils, mung dal and chana dal
- psuedo-grains like buckwheat
- basmati and wholegrain rice
Slow stewed meals. Broths and meals stewed over long periods allow the nutrients to remain in the liquid while breaking down the larger proteins:
- curries
- meditteranean stews
- casseroles
- broths
- soups with a broth base
Herbs and spices. Specific botanicals can be warming through their effects on the digestive process, stimulating digestive juices and thereby the process of digestion:
- ginger
- cinnamon
- star anise
- garlic
- turmeric
- black pepper
- burdock root
