Blog - Page 2 of 27 - Lily Nichols RDN

Liver and Organ Meat: Nutritional benefits & how to make it palatable

If you are familiar with my work, you know that I am an advocate of eating a “nose-to-tail” omnivorous diet for optimal fertility, pregnancy outcomes, and postpartum recovery. That means not only consuming muscle meats, like steak and chicken breast, but consuming all parts of … continue reading

Budget-Friendly Prenatal Nutrition Following Real Food for Pregnancy Principles

Budget Friendly Prenatal Nutrition Real Food for Pregnancy principles

I recently had the pleasure of speaking at an Indiana WIC organization about budget-friendly prenatal nutrition following Real Food for Pregnancy principles. Aside from covering the many misconceptions and areas for improvement in conventional prenatal nutrition guidelines, we spent the majority of the conversation around … continue reading

Lily’s Sourdough Bread

My first foray into sourdough bread-making was as a teenager. I nurtured a starter from its humble beginnings as a shapeless blob of flour and water into an amazing loaf of sourdough. Then, when my second batch didn’t turn out as well, I abandoned it. … continue reading

Protein Requirements in Pregnancy are Higher Than Previously Thought

Lately, I’ve been reading more and more about protein, how our guidelines were set for it, and specific amino acids and their roles in health (especially during pregnancy and early childhood). Proteins are quite literally the building blocks of human life. Every cell in your … continue reading

The Truth About Postpartum Hair Loss

I’m regularly asked if there’s anything that can be done to prevent postpartum hair loss. After all, many of you know my work on optimizing nutrition during pregnancy and preparing for a smoother postpartum recovery via focusing on nutrient repletion. You may be thinking: “If … continue reading

Pregnancy Weight Gain: How much can I expect to gain and does it matter?

In a society where a lot of emphasis is placed on a woman’s looks and appearances, it’s no wonder that weight gain during pregnancy is such a touchy subject. Prenatal weight gain may be one of the most (if not THE MOST) sensitive topics around … continue reading

Vitamin D & Pregnancy

Vitamin D and Pregnancy: Why it matters, why deficiency is common, and how to ensure you’re getting enough Many people are familiar with the role of vitamin D in bone health, but the function of this nutrient extends far beyond this. During pregnancy, vitamin D … continue reading

First trimester tips for nausea, food aversions, fatigue and more

The first trimester can be a lot more challenging than you might have expected… or maybe that was just me! From nausea to fatigue to food aversions to headaches to bloating to emotional ups and downs of “Is this pregnancy gonna stick?” and “Is this … continue reading

Broccoli Cheddar Soup with Spinach and Bone Broth

I started making broccoli cheddar soup years ago in the winter as a means to make use of frozen vegetables. Nothing against frozen broccoli, but the texture is… not good. I much prefer fresh (especially if I’m making something like this Baby Broccoli with Bacon), … continue reading

Folate: Why it’s Superior to Folic Acid for Pregnancy (even if you don’t have MTHFR)

When it comes to pregnancy, arguably the most commonly discussed nutrient is folate. Almost all medical professionals will recommend a supplement of this nutrient prior to and during pregnancy because it’s known to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects (which can impact baby’s … continue reading