The TAO in Everyday Life
STEPHEN LAU
The TAO is in every aspect of life: growing up; receiving education; seeking careers; getting married; raising children; connecting with others; staying healthy; growing old; and facing life challenges.
HEALTHY PREGNANCY
All About . . . .
Pregnancy is a nine-month period during which a baby develops and becomes a human being. The mother-to-be and the father-to-be have many dos and don'ts in order to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy. This book provides not only a list of all the dos and don'ts, but also all the whys and why nots because as a mother you would like to know why there are certain things you should do and why there are things you should not do to guarantee a safe and healthy pregnancy.
This book is concise with a holistic approach to a safe and healthy pregnancy through the mind, the body, and the spirit.
Click here to get your copy.
All About . . . .
Pregnancy is a nine-month period during which a baby develops and becomes a human being. The mother-to-be and the father-to-be have many dos and don'ts in order to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy. This book provides not only a list of all the dos and don'ts, but also all the whys and why nots because as a mother you would like to know why there are certain things you should do and why there are things you should not do to guarantee a safe and healthy pregnancy.
This book is concise with a holistic approach to a safe and healthy pregnancy through the mind, the body, and the spirit.
Click here to get your copy.
An Excerpt from the Book . . . .
THE PRE-PREGNANCY
Pregnancy is more than just nine months; it is a lifelong project that requires adequate preparation to ensure better results.
The Dos
Do physical checkup first for both you and your partner. (why: to resolve all health issues and problems, e.g. chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.).
Do blood tests to check your immunity to German measles (why: it can cause malformations in the baby) and chicken pox (why: immunization before conception if you have not had it before); to check your antibodies from toxoplasmosis (why: an infection that may affect conception and pregnancy).
Do discuss medical conditions with your doctor: previous pregnancy problems, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, premature baby; genetic disorders in family; current prescribed medications.
Do dental checkup (why: gum diseases may lead to premature birth), and dental work (why: avoiding filling or extraction during pregnancy).
Do weight management (why: overweight may lead to diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy; underweight may result in a small baby, problems during labor, and after birth).
Do find out your ideal weight: to determine that, you need to know your height, and weight, as well as your waist size (i.e. your waist circumference between your rib cage and above your belly button). A waistline of 35 inches or more for most women may indicate overweight.
Do find out your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measure of your body fat based on your weight and height. Your BMI is determined by this formula: BMI = (body weight in pounds) divided by (body height in inches x body height in inches) multiplied by (703). To illustrate, if you are 5’11” tall and you weigh 165 pounds, your BMI will be: (165/71x71) x 703 = 23 The BMI numbers have the following implications:
Any BMI that falls between 19 and 24.9 is considered ideal and healthy.
Any BMI that is below 18.5 is considered underweight.
Any BMI that ranges from 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight; any BMI that is above 30 is considered obese.
You should be within 15 pounds of your ideal weight before pregnancy, and that also applies to your partner (why: an overweight partner may have decreased testosterone leading to depressed libido).
Do birth control until you are ready for pregnancy. Hormonal contraception may take months for fertility to return to normal. Natural family planning is the way to go.
Do boost nutrients for a healthy pregnancy. Important nutrients include the following:
Calcium (why: avoiding back and leg pain, insomnia, and irritability)-eat figs and raw leeks.
Folic acid (why: avoiding structural defects) -- eat chives. Chives are a nutrient-dense food low in calories but high in nutrients. Always use a sharp knife to cut chives (why: avoid bruising the herb), and add chives to any dish near the end of cooking (why: avoid losing its flavor).
Iron (why: healthy growth of baby) -- eat chives.
Magnesium (why: cellular development; over-coming early pregnancy discomfort, such as constipation) -- eat chives.
Manganese (why: baby’s normal skeletal development) -- eat raw leeks.
Vitamin B6 (why: avoiding nausea and morning sickness; metabolizing proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) -- eat raw leeks.
Vitamin C (why: proper absorption of iron) -- eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin K (why: healthy bone growth and proper blood-clot formation) -- eat raw leeks.
All the above nutrients and vitamins are especially important not only for pre-pregnancy but also for the first trimester of pregnancy.
Do get sufficient sleep (why: research has shown that the more sleep you get, the less time of labor may ensue; getting less than 5 hours of sleep may even increase the chance of having a C-section for delivery. Do set a schedule for your sleeping hours to help your body get on a set schedule of sleep. Do go to bed earlier.
Do take herbs to increase fertility (why: drink clover flower tea and nettle tea to increase female fertility).
Do avoid unpasteurized milk and blue-veined cheeses.
Do cook all your food thoroughly.
Do help your partner to enhance his fertility. According to a Danish study, overweight men have fewer sperms. According to State University of New York, placing laptop computers on laps may decrease sperms (why: due to accumulation of heat). Certain drugs on men’s hair loss, high blood pressure, and ulcers may also affect the quality of sperms. Do increase his intake of folic acid, vitamin C, and zinc to enhance the quality of sperms.
The Don’ts
Don’t start a teenage pregnancy (why not: pregnancy between age 15 and 19 may result in many emotional traumas, such as difficulty in keeping up with peers, financial problems, and health and life challenges).
Don’t contact mold (why not: harmful to fetus, leading to birth defects, such as paralysis, developmental problems, and even miscarriage).
Don’t eat bacteria-harboring foods (why not: increasing the chance of developing food-borne infections during preconception stage and in a developing embryo).
Don’t stress out, develop anxiety or depression in pre-pregnancy stage.
Don’t eat raw, such as sushi, raw clams, and oysters.
Don’t eat undercooked meat and eggs (why not: avoiding bacteria growth; do refrigerate food below 40°F/4°C).
Don’t take certain herbs (why not: some herbs, such as echinacea, ginkgo biloba, and Saint-John’s wort may prevent conception).
THE DOS AND DON'TS DURING PREGNANCY
THE PRE-PREGNANCY
Pregnancy is more than just nine months; it is a lifelong project that requires adequate preparation to ensure better results.
The Dos
Do physical checkup first for both you and your partner. (why: to resolve all health issues and problems, e.g. chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, etc.).
Do blood tests to check your immunity to German measles (why: it can cause malformations in the baby) and chicken pox (why: immunization before conception if you have not had it before); to check your antibodies from toxoplasmosis (why: an infection that may affect conception and pregnancy).
Do discuss medical conditions with your doctor: previous pregnancy problems, such as miscarriage, stillbirth, premature baby; genetic disorders in family; current prescribed medications.
Do dental checkup (why: gum diseases may lead to premature birth), and dental work (why: avoiding filling or extraction during pregnancy).
Do weight management (why: overweight may lead to diabetes and high blood pressure during pregnancy; underweight may result in a small baby, problems during labor, and after birth).
Do find out your ideal weight: to determine that, you need to know your height, and weight, as well as your waist size (i.e. your waist circumference between your rib cage and above your belly button). A waistline of 35 inches or more for most women may indicate overweight.
Do find out your Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a measure of your body fat based on your weight and height. Your BMI is determined by this formula: BMI = (body weight in pounds) divided by (body height in inches x body height in inches) multiplied by (703). To illustrate, if you are 5’11” tall and you weigh 165 pounds, your BMI will be: (165/71x71) x 703 = 23 The BMI numbers have the following implications:
Any BMI that falls between 19 and 24.9 is considered ideal and healthy.
Any BMI that is below 18.5 is considered underweight.
Any BMI that ranges from 25 to 29.9 is considered overweight; any BMI that is above 30 is considered obese.
You should be within 15 pounds of your ideal weight before pregnancy, and that also applies to your partner (why: an overweight partner may have decreased testosterone leading to depressed libido).
Do birth control until you are ready for pregnancy. Hormonal contraception may take months for fertility to return to normal. Natural family planning is the way to go.
Do boost nutrients for a healthy pregnancy. Important nutrients include the following:
Calcium (why: avoiding back and leg pain, insomnia, and irritability)-eat figs and raw leeks.
Folic acid (why: avoiding structural defects) -- eat chives. Chives are a nutrient-dense food low in calories but high in nutrients. Always use a sharp knife to cut chives (why: avoid bruising the herb), and add chives to any dish near the end of cooking (why: avoid losing its flavor).
Iron (why: healthy growth of baby) -- eat chives.
Magnesium (why: cellular development; over-coming early pregnancy discomfort, such as constipation) -- eat chives.
Manganese (why: baby’s normal skeletal development) -- eat raw leeks.
Vitamin B6 (why: avoiding nausea and morning sickness; metabolizing proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) -- eat raw leeks.
Vitamin C (why: proper absorption of iron) -- eat fresh fruits and vegetables.
Vitamin K (why: healthy bone growth and proper blood-clot formation) -- eat raw leeks.
All the above nutrients and vitamins are especially important not only for pre-pregnancy but also for the first trimester of pregnancy.
Do get sufficient sleep (why: research has shown that the more sleep you get, the less time of labor may ensue; getting less than 5 hours of sleep may even increase the chance of having a C-section for delivery. Do set a schedule for your sleeping hours to help your body get on a set schedule of sleep. Do go to bed earlier.
Do take herbs to increase fertility (why: drink clover flower tea and nettle tea to increase female fertility).
Do avoid unpasteurized milk and blue-veined cheeses.
Do cook all your food thoroughly.
Do help your partner to enhance his fertility. According to a Danish study, overweight men have fewer sperms. According to State University of New York, placing laptop computers on laps may decrease sperms (why: due to accumulation of heat). Certain drugs on men’s hair loss, high blood pressure, and ulcers may also affect the quality of sperms. Do increase his intake of folic acid, vitamin C, and zinc to enhance the quality of sperms.
The Don’ts
Don’t start a teenage pregnancy (why not: pregnancy between age 15 and 19 may result in many emotional traumas, such as difficulty in keeping up with peers, financial problems, and health and life challenges).
Don’t contact mold (why not: harmful to fetus, leading to birth defects, such as paralysis, developmental problems, and even miscarriage).
Don’t eat bacteria-harboring foods (why not: increasing the chance of developing food-borne infections during preconception stage and in a developing embryo).
Don’t stress out, develop anxiety or depression in pre-pregnancy stage.
Don’t eat raw, such as sushi, raw clams, and oysters.
Don’t eat undercooked meat and eggs (why not: avoiding bacteria growth; do refrigerate food below 40°F/4°C).
Don’t take certain herbs (why not: some herbs, such as echinacea, ginkgo biloba, and Saint-John’s wort may prevent conception).
THE DOS AND DON'TS DURING PREGNANCY
