Oh, hi! In case you missed it on Instagram, I recently announced I am pregnant with baby number two! I am due in September and am currently 18 weeks. You may have noticed over the last few months my posting was a little less frequent and there was not as much new content — now you know why. There were a couple months there where the thought of cooking near repulsed me and I wanted to eat little more than toast with peanut butter and applesauce. Not ideal for a food blog.
Well, I am pleased to report that I have mostly emerged from the first trimester haze of nausea and exhaustion. As I get my energy and appetite back and spring slowly makes its appearance (perfect timing!), I am bursting with ideas for new recipes and lifestyle content I want to share with you in the coming months. I definitely don’t want pregnancy posts to overtake my regular content, but I do hope to share pregnancy updates over the next 5 months and any tips, products and recipes I have to share to promote a healthy pregnancy. Feel free to send any questions or post suggestions my way. For now, I’ll share the recipe for my go-to morning tonic during pregnancy (and beyond!) and some of my current pregnancy essentials.
This morning tonic helped get me through the first trimester and continues to be part of my morning routine. It’s great for pregnant and non-pregnant people alike, especially anyone experiencing digestive woes. The key ingredients are fresh ginger, fresh turmeric, lemon, raw honey and aloe juice, all of which offer powerful benefits to support digestion and overall health.
Digestion-enhancing Ingredients
Ginger — Ginger is the age-old ingredient to help relieve nausea and aid sluggish digestion — both common woes during pregnancy.
Turmeric — Turmeric boasts strong anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties, thanks to a powerful compound called curcumin.
Lemon — Lemons support the immune system, with high levels of Vitamin C. They are also alkalizing, which means they help balance the body’s PH. Finally, they stimulate the digestive system and help gently detoxify the body.
Raw honey — Raw honey is honey that is pure, unpasteurized* and unprocessed. It contains beneficial vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants and phytonutrients. Raw honey also supports the immune system.
Aloe Juice — Aloe juice helps alkalize the body, encourages hydration, helps relieve heartburn and encourages optimal digestive function, making it a great natural remedy for many common pregnancy symptoms.
*NOTE: While raw honey is unpasteurized, it does not carry the risk of listeriosis and other food-borne illnesses that other unpasteurized foods may pose. Furthermore, healthy adults with a mature digestive system are not at risk for botulism (the reason infants under 12 months must not consume honey — raw or pasteurized). This remains true during pregnancy. I am not a physician, but based on my own research, I am completely comfortable consuming raw honey during my pregnancy and welcome the numerous health benefits it offers over processed honey.
I also occasionally like to add pregnancy-safe bitters to further enhance the digestive benefits. They really help curb gas, bloating and heartburn by stimulating the production of digestive enzymes to enhance digestion and get it back on track. I swear by them and do not travel without them. See my list of pregnancy essentials below for my go-to bitters.
Whether you are pregnant or not, I hope you try this morning tonic to jumpstart your day and get your digestion on track. It truly has been a game-changer for me in terms of my overall digestive health.
Enjoy! xo Maggie
Current Pregnancy Essentials
Urban Moonshine Digestive Bitters — I use this pregnancy-safe version and this version while not pregnant.
Lily of the Desert Aloe Vera Juice — This is the real deal — straight from the plant with no additives. Aloe helps tremendously with digestion and heartburn.
RAW Digestive Enzymes — I swear these helped with nausea! I use these or these.
RAW Prenatal Vitamins — These whole food prenatal vitamins have been my go-to for the last 3 years. I have no issues stomaching them, even during the 1st trimester.
Nurture by Erica Chidi Cohen — This is the only pregnancy book I’ve found worth reading. Cohen gently guides you through pregnancy and beyond, taking a more modern and integrative approach in her advice. She provides tips to nourish body and mind throughout pregnancy and offers judgement-free (for real) advice on making birth choices.
Storq Leggings — I live in these leggings. They are incredibly soft, completely opaque and can be worn over or under a bump.
Zoe Organics Belly Oil — Very soothing to sensitive pregnancy skin and comprised of organic ingredients. I slather this all over my body.
Moodbeli Blue Green Protein — I have low iron levels this pregnancy, so in addition to supplementation I try to have spirulina every day. It is rich in iron and other vitamins and minerals, as well as a great source of plant protein. This blend tastes the best of any I have tried. I use it in my daily smoothie.
Prep Time:
Yield:
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PinIngredients
- 3 inch piece of ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 inch piece of turmeric, peeled and thinly sliced
- Zest and juice of 1 organic lemon
- 3 cups water
- 2–3 tsp raw honey
- Optional: 3/4 cup aloe juice (I use this one)
- Optional: freshly ground black pepper; digestive bitters
Instructions
- Place ginger, turmeric, lemon zest and juice and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium/ medium-low heat. Simmer for about a minute, then turn off heat. Stir in raw honey and let mixture steep for another 5 minutes.
- Strain into a glass container, stir in aloe vera juice and store in the refrigerator.
- Drink first thing in the morning to jumpstart digestion. I like to warm slightly in a small saucepan or by adding a little hot water. Enjoy!
Notes
The addition of freshly ground pepper aids in the bioavailabity of the curcumin compounds from the turmeric. I couldn’t tolerate the pepper during my first trimester, but it is definitely worth adding if it agrees with you.
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