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The Brewer Medical Diet

Aug 31, 2011 | By Carrie Cross
The Brewer Medical Diet
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The one, most important thing you can do for your unborn child is provide a safe and nutritious environment for your baby’s growth. Eating a diet that balances all the food groups ensures your baby has all the nutrients it needs to develop properly. Dr. Tom Brewer, an obstetrician, developed a diet for expectant moms, using decades of research. The Brewer Diet, according to "Midwifery Today," averts and treats many complications associated with pregnancy.

Diet Basics

The Brewer Medical Diet advocates 2,600 calories and 80 g to 100 g of protein daily, with unlimited salt to taste and enough water to quench your thirst. It advises the following daily choices from these food groups: four servings of dairy products or calcium replacement foods; two eggs; 6 to 8 oz. of protein; two servings of dark green vegetables; five servings of whole grains; two servings of vitamin C foods; three servings of fats or oils; and unlimited snacks from any of these food groups. Always consult with your health-care provider before adopting any diet regimen while you are pregnant.

What to Avoid

Your body’s ability to carry and nourish your growing baby is contingent on the increase of your blood, claims the Brewer Diet. During pregnancy, your blood volume may increase by upwards of 60 percent. For a 130 lb. woman, that equates to 2.1 quarts more blood. To ensure that this increase in volume is maintained and handled safely, do not to take diuretics of any type, especially herbal diuretics or products that contain them. These include liver cleansers, pregnancy teas, nettle, some iron supplements, dandelion, celery, bilberry and alfalfa. The diet also advises you to consume your daily protein from natural sources and to avoid protein supplements.

Pre-eclampsia, Eclampsia and Other Complications

The major cause of maternal and perinatal deaths is pre-eclampsia, according to a 2005 article in the medical publication the "Lancet." Pre-eclampsia is a state of high levels of protein in the mother’s urine accompanied by high blood pressure after the 20th week of pregnancy. If not treated, it develops into eclampsia, which may lead to seizures and death. There is no known cause for pre-eclampsia or eclampsia. The only cure is to deliver the baby. Other complications that the Brewer Medical Diet may address are premature labor, abruption of the placenta, low-birth weight, edema, gestational diabetes and anemia. All of these problems have their roots in low blood volume, which the Brewer Diet claims to address. Check with your doctor if you feel you are having any of these difficulties.

Common Controversies

The Brewer Medical diet advocates maintaining salt intake during pregnancy. The premise is that to maintain the mother’s increased blood volume, salt must be present to keep fluid out of the tissues and in the circulating blood. This is contrary to some treatment modalities that decrease salt for edema and pre-eclampsia during pregnancy. The diet also supports weight gain, the average during pregnancy being 35 lb. to 45 lb. It maintains that it is not how much you gain during your pregnancy, but how healthy your diet is.

References

Article reviewed by GlennK Last updated on: Aug 31, 2011

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