The More You Know:On Pregnancy

Fairbanks had a trunk sale this weekend. Having just had my sister in town, talking of all her fabulous finds from yard sales back home, I just had to check it out. I love the idea that someone's trash can truly be something I treasure. Later on, I'll show you some of my finds. Back to the trunk sale, though--I was less than impressed. I did have a good time meandering through the junk with a good friend and picking up books that I found interesting. One such book was one of those random facts types. I flipped it open to an entry about the origin behind why women crave oddities during pregnancy. I decided to delve into this topic a bit further and do a little research of my own as this is something that will probably (hopefully) affect me at some point in my life.

-Cheese Whiz sandwhiches

-Egg plant as a pizza topping

-Pickles & Ice Cream

-Salsa

-Steak fat

These foods seem bizarre enough for all of us non-preggos who haven't experienced an aching for seemingly disguisting food combinations, but did you know that some women actually crave other more dangerous substances?

The term, pica, is used to describe the longing for nonfood items. Some women report craving things like cigarette butts, laundry starch, coal, chalk, and soaps. 

There's an argument that women often crave certain things because there's a deficiency in them that is calling out to be balanced. For example, a craving of chocolate may be said to be a result of a Vitamin B deficiency. Who doesn't crave chocolate, though?

On the other hand, this quote from Elizabeth Somer may say it all-

"If people craved what the body needs, we would all eat more broccoli and less chocolate."

Whatever the reason, I often find it fascinating how complex the human body is. There's always something new to learn about the human race with medical advances happening daily. We're intricate beings-so much so that we are still able to discover new facts about the human body many, many, many years after it was originally designed. To me, it's only further proof of a God that knows us from the inside out and designed us perfectly.

What did you crave when you were pregnant?

References here and here.

(P.S. I hope you sang the first part of the title how it is meant to be said.)