The Pregnant Diet

Following a sensibly varied and well-balanced diet is one of the many practical ways of coping with stress generally. Diet is especially important during pregnancy, when eating the right foods can do a great deal to ensure that the developing fetus is getting the right nourishment, and that the extra drain on the mother's resources is being adequately compensated.

It may sound obvious, but eating properly really is a highly effective way of keeping harmful stress at bay. The following foods are specially important during pregnancy and should be included regularly in the diet:

• Lean meat and fish, for body-building protein.

• Cheese, yogurt and milk, to ensure good supplies of calcium.

• Liver, a valuable source for the extra intake of iron recommended for pregnant women to counter any tendency towards anaemia.

• Fresh fruit and vegetables, especially leafy green vegetables

• High-fibre foods, such as pulses, to help keep the system regular and avoid the constipation to which pregnant women are prone.

• Potatoes and wholegrain bread, important sources of complex carbohydrate, for energy, as opposed to the refined carbohydrate of sugar and sweets, which should be cut down.

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