Work of M. Sai., Leela and Professor B. R.Busi under the heading “The effect of physiological state on the nutritional status of Women” appeared in the Man in India 1993 are important. In this study authors divided their samples in three categories i.e. lactating women, pregnant women, and non-lactating, non-pregnant women. Their results show that the conditions of lactating women were not according to standards and their weight and nutritional intake were very poor comparative to other two categories. Weight was high among non-pregnant, nonlactating women's that was equal to pregnant women. Overall the conclusion of this study was that non-pregnant, non-lactating women were enjoying good nutritional status compared to other two categories (3), Some of the earliest studies on the effect of food supplementation to understand women on course and outcome of pregnancy were undertaken in the National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad (India) and IN CAP, Guatemala. Data from both these studies demonstrated that food supplements during pregnancy resulted in improvement in birth weight and reduction in premature death rate. Studies from Guatemala showed that calories were critical component of dietary supplements in relation to improvement in birth weight(4, 5).

Food culture is closely associated with pregnancy, post delivery and lactating period. Various food taboos have been imposed by different societies as they believe that food influences the physique, character, and health of unborn child (6). Wrong food consumption is believed to hamper easy delivery and may cause mortality and disease to the offspring. Therefore, food during and after pregnancy is an important concern of most societies. Beliefs related to prescribed and prohibited foods during and after pregnancy vary from culture to culture.

The most important aspect of folk dietetics was the humeral quality attributed to foods. Social scientists have analysed and attempted to explain food behaviour patterns of people and their influence upon the health of the women during pregnancy and lactation. Some anthropologist like R.Pool (1987), R.L.Currier (1966), G.E.FerroLugi (1980), M.H.Logan (1973), Nichter and Nichter (1983) etc, have discussed the physiological states of the human body, the foetus, the constitution of the pregnant women and diseases in the humeral perspective of the hot/cold theory.

The Hot/Cold beliefs is widespread in many cultures and in some, it constitutes the single most important etiology for popular folk medicine(7). In Garhwal the whole health wellbeing is depend on hot cold belief system. Anthropologists have also studied the principles of classification of disease based on being hot and cold. In South India, excess of heat is thought of as “building up within the body” while excess of cold is seen as “attacking from without (8). Hot disease shows externalized symptom like boils, rashes, irritation and are not generally painful. Treatment is cold remedies. Cold diseases have internalized symptoms and are less visible, painful, and disabling. Treatment is hot remedies (9).

Food product from flora and fauna sometimes contribute greatly to adequate nutrition by providing certain micro- nutrient, elements necessary for health. Thus, both physical and mental well-being of rural people is provided by forest.
In Garhwal Himalayas also people collect and eat all types of wild fruits and vegetables. Seasonal collection of wild fruits and vegetables is very important part of rural life and play major role in completing their nutritional requirements.

All these wild fruits are packed with micronutrients but prohibited to pregnant and lactating women. When their nutritional requirements are high.

Following is the list of wild fruits which are abundantly available in local forests and their reason of avoidance in pregnant and lactating women.

KAFAL (Myrica nagi):- These trees grow at subtropical climate and between 3-9 thousand feet height rain forest. The fruit is tasty when ripe.  The size of the fruits is up to 1cm diameter and green when not ripe, but becomes dark red to dark brown in color when fully ripe. There is restriction for eating it by the women who are pregnant because of hot quality, but breast-feeding woman resist themselves from eating as the feeding baby can be affected by janku (worms) through spoliation of breast milk.

BEDOO (Ficus carica):– The fruit of this tree is taken when fully ripe. The color is deep violet when ripe. The expecting mothers avoid this fruit for the sake of Dukhna on the child after delivery. The effect is hot.

KARAUNDA (Carissa spinarum):-This plant grows in between sea level to 3 thousand feet height area only. The fruits of the plant are about lcm in size. When ripe, the color becomes dark violet, further turning into black when fully ripe. It is also seen that the people use the green fruit for making pickle and chutney. When ripe it is eaten, lactating mother do not eat the fruit as the feel the side effects are bad for the infants. Jonka fear is always in folk psyche. The effect of this food is hot.

KINGODE (Berberis asiatica):- These plants are sharp, thorny, as well as the leaves are sharp and conical. The fruits are about half a centimetre in size, when ripe the color is purple to dark violet. Since it is not very tasty, but the rural folks are accustomed to eating it since time immemorial, as it is a wild plant and found in abundance in some places. Expecting and lactating mothers resist eating it for the fear of junka (worms). The effect of this food is hot. Barks and roots have lot of medicinal value. The folks use the bark of the plant by boiling it in water, the yellow color water is then put into the eyes of persons suffering from conjunctivitis, and the same water is also used in cuts and wounds as medicine.

HINSAR Kali (Rubus ellipticus):- This grows above the height of 3-9 thousand feet. The bushes and leaves are thorny, which has a curved hook type look. The fruits are purple to deep violet in color; there by the name is kali hinsar. Pregnant and lactating mothers do not take it for its hot quality and fear of jonka.

HINSAR Yellow-Orange (Rubus biflorus):- The plants are bushes. Stem, leaves have thorns are hooked type, curved ones. Since the plants are different in color, shape, leaf with black hinsar. the shape and taste is same when not ripe, the color of both (orange and black) plants/bushes is same green/light green. When they start ripening, both of them take different color. The orange colored bush grows between 1-6 thousand feet height only. The condition and restrictions are same for feeding and expecting mother. The orange hinser is hot in nature, in daytime if eaten, it is likely to cause diarrhea.

BURANS (Rhododendron):- These are large trees grow between 5-12 thousand feet height. In lower height 5-8 thou feet the flowers are red to dark red in color but when the height increases the flowers are light red to pink and white in color . The white color tree has a lot of medicinal value. The green leaves are burnt in dried cow dung cakes (uppla, gossa), the ash of the leaves is then mixed with mustard oil and a paste is made of it. It is applied on the eczema, chronic eczema it is sure cure for the disease. It is an Ayurvedic medicine. The flowers are large and in bunch. The rural folk eat it. In modern days juice is made of the flowers and preservative is added, the juice is bottled and sold in the market. It is tasty and has nutritional value as well as medicinal value. The flower is rich in vitamin A. The flowering takes place in winters January to March end. The effect is cold so avoided by lactating mothers.

KHAJOOR (Phoenyx acaulis):- They grow up to 4 thousand feet only. The fruit is sweet and here again forbidden for the lactating mothers, for the fear of jonka to the infant. The effect is hot.

AMLA (Emblica officinalis):– These trees grow unto three thousand feet only. The rural people, where it is found more, collect it then boil and dry it in sunlight for dry preservation. The fruit is taken raw as well as morabba and pickle is prepared out of this fruit. There is no restriction for the expecting or lactating mother. The effect is cold.

TUNGA (Rhus parviflora):- They grow between 1-6 thousand feet height. The fruit are red to light red in colour. The size of the fruit is about 3-4 mm and taste is sweet to sour. The effect is cold avoided by lactating mothers.

GANA KAFAL (Fragaria nubicola):- These are small shrubs plants. The local named fruit is derived from the kafal (Myrica nagi) fruit has the colorresemblence, like that of kafal but without seed. People use the shrubs for medicine washing wounds, snakebite and boils. This has been found more effective medicine its effect is cold avoided by lactating mothers.

GHINGARU ():- The fruits of this tree are red to light red in color. The taste is sour to sweet when fully ripened. Some people believe the effect is cold, and some say the effect is hot, in both cases it is avoided by lactating mothers.

BEL Wood Apple (Aegle marmelos):- This tree grows at a height of 3 thousand feet height only. The fruit is round and inside content of the fruit is eaten. The taste is sour to sweet as per ripening condition of the fruit. The fruit has cold effect so avoided by lactating mothers. Mostly, it has been seen that the fruit is taken by the sick people if the digestion is bad and as an antipyretic.

MEYOLU (Pyrus pashia):– The trees are found 3-8thousand feet height area the size of the fruit is about 20 -30 centimetres and the taste is sour to sweet as per the ripening condition. When fully ripened the color is black and effect of this fruit is cold avoided by lactating mothers.

BHAMORA ( ):- These trees grow between 5-8 thousand feet height area. It is mostly found in oak forest. The fruit is sour to sweet in taste it looks like lechi in shape and size. Considered as cold fruit and avoided by lactating mothers.

DAIYAA (Calicarpa macrophylla):-The fruit is white in color and size is about 2-3 mm and has sour to sweet taste. The seeds have medicinal value as used by the local inhabitants for eye disease and wounds. The effect is cold and avoided by lactating mothers.