[Raw Pregnancy] Detox and Switching to a Raw Vegan Diet During Pregnancy

A reader asks:

I was wanting to get more information on slowly switching to a more raw vegan diet.  I am currently 25 weeks pregnant and want to make sure I don't go into a full blown detox while pregnant or nursing.  So would love any suggestions on ways to use a raw diet since I am not on a only raw diet right now.  I did order the Well rounded pregnancy book.  But was mainly concerned about he detox part.  If any detox right now is not good and how much during nursing.

First, let me congratulate you on your pregnancy! How wonderful! :-)

Let's begin with some information for you to read:

My article on juice feasting while pregnant: can you juice feast when pregnant? Are there gentler ways to cleanse?

My article on green smoothies while pregnant: can you drink green smoothies when pregnant? Are there any contraindications?

Now, let's look at your question more closely. First, what is detox?

Detox happens when your diet changes so drastically (yet positively) that you experience physical discomfort. Your body goes into intense "cleaning house" mode and all the stored toxins come out to the surface. Just like a dusty yet untouched house won't give you too much trouble, a good cleaning sessions is likely to make you sneeze and give you itchy eyes.

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I would recommend changing your diet slowly by removing unhealthy foods from your diet and added healthy foods one by one (besides, it will help you establish good habits). For example, if you currently eat a processed cereal/milk breakfast, change it by having a green smoothie, and a bowl of nut milk with your choice of organic, minimally processed cereal. Slowly, start using a raw granola, or anything else you find appealing in the morning. I personally loved to have a green smoothie followed by a superfood shake or a bowl of chia seed pudding. Keep your other meals the same using less-processed versions of the foods you are used to, and adding a large salad. Gradually, make more changes. If you can tell me what your staples are, I can recommend better alternatives.

You can also add certain superfoods which will help draw out impurities gently, like chlorella tablets. Studies show that women who consume chlorella have cleaner breastmilk, and since toxins are eliminated by the digestive system, they don't go in the blood or breastmilk. You don't have to though -- focusing on increasing your intake of greens, and trying to get organic produce whenever you can (especially for the most polluted products) will help a lot!

Once these good habits are established, you'll be able to learn more about the raw vegan diet and you'll incorporate more healthy raw foods. You'll also learn to fine tune your diet to find the version that fits you best. It's going to be fun and exciting!
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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 vegetarian, with recommendations for both. It does not focus on meat-based raw pregnancies.