Candice’s Pregnancy Journey: First Trimester

First Trimester
Time: week 1 – week 13
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Theme: Balancing hormones for morning sickness
After you’ve prepared your body for pregnancy, it’s time to start trying! I was lucky enough to get pregnant the first time trying, and I think that’s largely due to the 6 months I spent preparing my body and detoxing myself from heavy metals.
Now that you’re pregnant (congratulations!), diet and supplementation become even more important. You want to make sure your growing baby has everything you need, and you also want to make sure you’re doing everything to support your health and well-being too.
DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS
The most important thing is to listen to your body and take it easy. DO NOT eat for two. Bear in mind your baby does not get nutrients from your food intake during this period of time. Whatever weight you gain during this period is your own extra weight and maintaining a healthy weight during pregnancy helps reduce the chances of pregnancy-related complications and conditions.
Foods to Add:
I buy my organic chicken bone and feet from https://gonzalo.hk. Bone broth can help nourish gut healing, support digestion, and provide a great source of collagen and protein.
These vegetables are exceptionally high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E and K. They’re also crammed with fiber, folate, chlorophyll, and many essential nutrients that are ALL very good for making a healthy baby and staying healthy yourself.
I suggest cooking with: |
I buy mine at https://gonzalo.hk. Try your best to eat protein every 2-3 hours. During the first trimester, eating protein at regular intervals may help curb nausea
Make sure to buy sprouted brown rice so the nutrients are easier to absorb by the body. The sprouting process also removes phytic acids which interferes with absorption.
Cooking with these provide a better mineral profile than your standard cooking/table salt.
I bought organic chicken essence drinks to have first thing in the morning as the amino acids inside are highly bioavailable. |
Foods to Avoid:
Completely avoid fish like tuna, yellowtail, swordfish, and other big fatty fish |
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Dietary Tips for Morning Sickness
The first trimester is when morning sickness can get really bad. It’s best to avoid taking medication for morning sickness if possible, and implement these dietary strategies to ease nausea:
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SUPPLEMENTATION PROTOCOL
I was lucky to have a friend like Dr Deborah in Singapore who gave me very comprehensive advice on what to take during my pregnancy. I know she’s a person who does extensive research and knows her info especially when it comes to supplements, lifestyle and fitness. Again, I chose mainly pharmaceutical-grade brands that I trust because I do not want to intake any of the junk that my body doesn’t need. My recommendations are not the gold standard, but it worked very well for me. Please take into consideration that everyone is different!
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LIFESTYLE
Exercise
I was quite sleepy all the time during the first trimester. I was taking it easy and did not do any strenuous exercise. The most I did was some easy walking after dinner and some simple stretching at home.
Skincare
Clean skincare is so important because our skin absorbs so much of what we put on it. And whatever chemicals may be absorbed from the skincare we use, can go straight to the baby. These are the products I chose:
For face:
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For Body:
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Oral Health
I have been practicing oil pulling for around 6-7 years by now. It’s amazing for cleaning out the bad bacteria in your mouth every morning, which can also improve your gut function. Put a spoon of coconut oil in your mouth the first things in the morning (before you eat or drink anything), and swish through your teeth for 10-15 mins. You can then spit it out and brush your teeth.
That’s it! These are my top tips to not just surviving but thriving during your first trimester. Each trimester is so different so I really believe in celebrating and enjoying each stage of your pregnancy as much as possible. I know it’s not all fun! Thankfully I didn’t have too many unpleasant symptoms but I hope that sharing my health decisions can help support you during your pregnancy. Like I said, every woman and every pregnancy is different, so reach out to our fantastic team at LifeHub for personalized advice.

Candice Chan, CEO of LifeHub
Candice Chan is a Canadian-certified Doctor of Natural Medicine and nutritionist who co-founded LifeHealth Group, a private healthcare group based in Hong Kong which owns and operates both clinics and consumer health care spaces devoted to creating a new way of health care; and previously founded Younibody, a chain of 7 functional medicine based wellness centers in Hong Kong. Candice holds a Bachelor’s degree in nutrition science from the University of California at Davis and an International Certificate for Doctor of Natural Medicine, from the Canadian Board of Healthcare Practitioners and International Naturopathic College, and is also a certified reiki practitioner, bioresonance therapist and yoga teacher.