Warning: There is a Link Between Diet and Spina Bifida

If you are trying to get pregnant, good diet and nutrition are even more important than ever. Not only do you need to think of your own wellness, if you are planning to go through the strenuous task of supporting another life and birthing a baby, but you also have to think of the wellbeing of the baby.

 

Women who are of a child bearing age and in any way likely to fall pregnant are recommended to take certain vitamins, which they should then continue into the first trimester of pregnancy, which is the time during which the foetus is developing at the fastest rate.

 

The link between diet and the development of the foetus has been studied for a long time, and as part of this, neural tube defects have been looked at. Through medical research, it has been discovered that neural tube defects generally occur during the first few weeks after conception, and that diet can play a strong part in helping to avoid them.

 

Folic acid is thought to be a key player in this process, and women who take folic acid before pregnancy and during the first trimester are thought to be far less likely to have a baby with a neural tube defect. Taking other vitamins during these important times can also help to guard against other problems in the developing foetus.

 

To adequately protect against these neural tube defects (like spina bifida), women should aim to consume around 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before conception and for 13 weeks after. This level of folic acid cannot really be obtained through food, so women should take a daily dietary supplement to ensure that their baby is protected from developing a neural tube defect. Neural tube defects have serious implications for the health of a baby, throughout the course of their life.

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The Best Sources of Folic Acid for Elderly People

A vital B vitamin which is essential for your DNS synthesis and numerous bodily functions, folic acid is necessary for everyone’s development – not just pregnant women as you may once have thought. Experts advise a 400 microgram serving for elderly people which can be sourced from a number of natural ingredients, from broccoli to legumes. Just adding some more of these ingredients into your diet can really help you feel better in yourself. Here are a few of the top ingredients you should start adding to your diet for your daily dose of this essential nutrient.

 

Broccoli

Broccoli is great for adding a moderate amount of folic acid, with 51 micrograms found in every ½ cup of this delicious vegetable. Of course, there are many other nutrients besides that you can also benefit from – iron, fibre and vitamin C are just a few. It’s easy to add broccoli to your diet, from just having it has a boiled or steamed side dish to adding to to soups, pasta dishes and stir fries.

Squash

A great winter vegetable, squash plays host to around 15 percent of the daily requirement for elderly people in just one cup. Not only that but it also offers vitamin B1, C, B6, niacin, potassium and fibre. There are plenty of options in the squash family, such as acorn, butternut, turban and pumpkins. Try having it mashed as a side dish to your main meal, blending it in soups for added thickness or roasting it with other vegetables for a delicious addition to your daily diet.

Mushroom

Mushrooms may look unassuming but they are a fantastic source of so many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, amino acids and antibiotics. These tasty fungi provide calcium, iron, vitamin D, copper, selenium and potassium, as well as providing folic acid. Because they are so low in fat and cholesterol, they’re great for maintaining a healthy diet. Studies suggest that they can help you to prevent breast and prostate cancers, as well as lowering your cholesterol. They can also boost your immune system so they are perfect for elderly people who may be more at risk of a lowered immune system.

Bell peppers

Bell peppers provide 92 grams of folic acid in every cup, so you can get over 10 percent of your daily intake from this one vegetable. They are also a source of vitamin A, C, B6, B2, E, K and a host of antioxidants. If you need to increase your fibre intake, they can help with that too! There are various colours which each provide different antioxidants – they can be eaten raw or cooked.

Legumes

Beans and lentils are rich sources of fibre and fantastic for upping your protein intake. For elderly people looking to increase their folic acid, beans and pulses are an easy way to do it – a cup of canned baked beans can provide up to eight percent of your daily intake. They’re brilliant as a store cupboard essential that you can call upon at any meal time for a boost to your diet.

Parsley

Not just a garnish to your main meal, parsley provides many nutrients of its own. Not just a great source of folic acid, it can also boost your levels of vitamin C, A, K and luteolin. There are anti-cancer benefits to it too, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It can be a great addition to your food as a tasty flavour booster, as well as added raw to salads for boosting your intake of folic acid.

Categories: acid, Bell Peppers, daily intake, diet, elderly people, folic, folic acid, main meal, vitamin

What Every Pregnant Women Needs To Know About Supplements

In order to give yourself the best chance of maintaining your wellness and wellbeing, and that of your unborn child, throughout pregnancy, there are certain vitamins, minerals and supplements that you should take.

 

Eating a varied diet is the best way to achieve this, but there are also some supplements that you are unable to get from food that you must take extra doses off to ensure you stay healthy.

 

Health professionals now recommend that you take at least 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day for the duration of your pregnancy, and longer if you breastfeed. They also recommend that you should take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, and should start this before you become pregnant and continue until you are around 12 weeks pregnant, or even longer if you prefer.

 

On the other hand, you should avoid vitamin A or anything that contains vitamin A as too much of this can do damage to your baby. .

 

Supplements of vitamin D and folic acid can be obtained from most pharmacies and supermarkets and your GP may be able to prescribe them in some circumstances. If you decide to take a multivitamin to cover all bases, make sure that it is a pregnancy-specific one, as many standard multivitamin pills contain too much vitamin A and not enough folic acid.

 

Folic acid is particularly important as it can help guard against certain types of birth defects known as ‘neural tube defects’ which cause problems such as spina bifida. Taking this supplement can help to guard against these even before birth, and you should also aim to eat lots of foods that contain folate, such as brown rice, some breakfast cereals, bread and vegetables. If you have not been taking folic acid but are already pregnant, you should start as soon as possible.

Categories: acid, folic, folic acid, nbsp, Pregnant, Supplements, vitamin, vitamins

How Folic Acid Can Help Reduce The Risk of Autism

Folic acid has long been recommended during pregnancy to help reduce the risk of many health concerns in the unborn child, but new studies suggest that it could help to prevent autism from developing. The March of Dimes, a private US group, has gone even further to suggest that all women of a childbearing age should take this potent B-vitamin, even if they aren’t planning to get pregnant, as it can help to reduce the risk of autism in everyone.

The neural tube is the origin of the brain in the foetus and this closes very early on in the development of the child. It is when this tube is damaged that defects can occur. Such defects include spina bifida, which is a condition where the spine is damaged, as well as some brain defects. When looking at the impact of folic acid on the formation on the neural tube, they noticed that it had a positive effect on the prevention of autism as well. Studies found that the risk was 40 percent lower in those who had taken folic acid than those who hadn’t.

Folic acid can be found in many foods, including green leafy vegetables such as spinach and cabbage, fruits and nuts, which naturally contain folate. This vitamin helps the body to develop new cells. The majority of pre-natal supplements will contain this as it is a vital nutrient in the healthy development of your child. As many pregnancies are unplanned, folic acid supplements from a childbearing age are important to reduce the risk in the early stages of development, where the sensitive stage of pregnancy holds the risk of autism developing. If you’re unsure whether you’re getting enough folic acid, check with your GP who can advise you.

How Folic Acid Can Help Reduce The Risk of Autism

Categories: acid, autism, childbearing age, children's health, folic, folic acid, neural tube, pregnancy, reduce, risk