Coconut Oil Ketosis for Pregnant Women
Coconut Oil Ketosis | Ketosis Pregnancy Symptoms | Coconut Oil Ketogenic Diet | Coconut Ketogenic Diet Plan
What has my journey into discovering coconut oil ketosis? I was a primigravida. Yes, I was pregnant for the first time. Although I have just turned thirty, I struggled with getting pregnant. My friends blamed it to stress because of the long hours I spent at the office trying to financially prepare for children that I almost thought I couldn’t have. Ironic isn’t it?
Something seemingly impossible happened. I was expecting, I have to admit that I didn’t exactly lead a healthy lifestyle. I worried more about the coats of mascara I used than the calories of the food I wolfed down. My mind felt more occupied with the red light at the next intersection than the nutritional value of the stash of potato chips in my glove compartment.
But everything changed when I was diagnosed with PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome). Not even the medication I was taking would assuage my feeling of frustration so I decided to subscribe to a dozen health magazines. It was then that I started to get a different perspective. And I found coconut oil ketosis.
What is Coconut Oil Ketosis?
Let me first explain ketosis in the simplest way I can. Imagine that the body as a hard-boiled egg. The egg white is the glucose in your body while the egg yolk is the fat part. To generate energy, the body uses up what’s readily available (the glucose) before it consumes what’s in the core (the fat).
Too much sugar means more than enough energy source leaving fats that are unused and deposited in the body. Reducing carb intake lessens the production of sugar thus, leaving room for the fats to be consumed. This is what is popularly referred to as the keto diet. While on keto diet, the body produces ketones as a by-product of the fats broken down in the liver.
So when I’m stuck in traffic or driving aimlessly on an empty stomach, my body uses the glucose left in my system and later on, my fat deposits. This is ketosis. Coconut oil ketosis is among the many healthy options to lose weight using this natural process and it was very important for me to shred body fat as it’s one of the main treatments for PCOS. I learned that once I reached my weight goal, it would be easier for me to get pregnant.
Benefits of Coconut Oil Ketosis For Pregnancy
Ketogenic diet is indeed a trend for people who are trying to lose weight. In my case, I was trying to get pregnant so it was imperative for me to be healthy. I started running with my husband at least twice a week. Devoted time to go to our local farmers’ market to buy some farm-fresh produce. I became a fan of coconut oil ketosis after reading a significant amount of articles about its benefits. Let me share some with you:
- Dairy Substitute – Even before I got pregnant, I couldn’t resist a cone of my favorite vanilla ice cream or a little bit of butter for my bread. I still didn’t shy away from all of these during my journey to motherhood but from time to time I switched to coconut oil when it was possible.
- Source of Lauric Acid – I learned that coconut oil, just like breast milk, is a rich source of lauric acid. This fatty acid boosts the immune system and consequently helps fight infection.
- Lower Risk of Heart Disease – Coconut oil is known to improve lipid profiles including cholesterol on high-fat diets.
- Moisturizer – While there are many benefits of taking coconut oil internally for its Vitamin E, it could also prevent skin dryness, damaged hair, and even stretch marks when applied to affected areas.
I could say from experience that coconut oil ketosis is very cathartic. Aside from its therapeutic effects, I felt relieved to know that my OB-Gyn recommends it. True enough, motherhood starts from conception and while it was a little terrifying, it became more exciting and extremely fulfilling knowing that I have equipped myself with more knowledge and have taken the right nutritious foods for me and my baby.
Coconut Oil Ketosis | Ketosis Pregnancy Symptoms | Coconut Oil Ketogenic Diet | Coconut Ketogenic Diet Plan
