Pregnancy

The Complete Guide to Vitamin D for Bone Health and More

Vitamin D is a crucial fat-soluble vitamin that plays multiple roles in ensuring overall health and wellness. Vitamin D is naturally present in a few types of foods, but can also be obtained from a supplement or most famously, via sun exposure. If you are not getting a sufficient amount of vitamin D, you are putting your personal health at risk. This guide to vitamin D is intended to help empower you to make smart decisions about your food choices, supplements and sun exposure.

Why is Vitamin D Important?

Vitamin D is most useful in supporting calcium absorption throughout the body, particularly in the gut. Vitamin D also works in tandem with calcium for bone growth and maintenance. The bones in the body are more likely to become too thin and brittle without adequate levels of vitamin D. Sufficient levels of vitamin D in children will help to prevent rickets. For adults, vitamin D, along with calcium, is needed to mitigate the risk of developing osteoporosis. Inadequate vitamin D levels are also associated with a variety of other health issues, including poorer colorectal cancer outcomes, joint pain, periodontal disease, decreased muscle strength and more.

Signs You May be Low on Vitamin D

There are a number of symptoms that may present if you are low on vitamin D. Because this vitamin is so important for bone and muscle strength, a general feeling of weakness is associated with a vitamin D deficiency. Increased incidences of depression, fatigue and mood swings also may be signs that you are not getting enough of this crucial vitamin.

Other signs that you may be deficient in vitamin D include high blood pressure, hair loss, a depressed immune system, a greater sensitivity to pain, chronic gum disease, problems with your gut and greater susceptibility to allergies.

In addition to these short-term health issues, a vitamin D deficiency that continues for the long-term can lead to a host of chronic complications. This includes an increased risk for developing cancer, autoimmune issues, type II diabetes, cardiovascular problems, pregnancy complications and more.

The bottom line is that there are a variety of health conditions that you may be at a higher risk of developing both in the short-term and in the long-term if you are not diligent about getting enough of this important vitamin.

How to Ensure You Are Getting Enough Vitamin D

Now that you know about the problems associated with a deficiency in vitamin D, you are probably wondering how you can ensure that you are taking in enough of this crucial nutrient. Here are the three primary ways to boost your intake of vitamin D.

Food

While vitamin D is not plentiful in a wide variety of foods, it is still possible to boost your intake by focusing on foods that feature the nutrient. Good food sources for vitamin D include cheese, fatty fish, mushrooms, egg yolks and beef liver. You can also find many foods that are fortified with vitamin D. The most common foods that are fortified with vitamin D include cereal, bread, milk and orange juice.

Sun

You may have heard the phrase, “soaking up that vitamin D.” This is because the sun is one of the best sources of vitamin D. The sun’s rays hitting the body’s bare skin stimulates the production of vitamin D. Because the UVB radiation does not travel through glass, sun exposure needs to be direct. You will receive the highest concentration of vitamin D if you spend time in the sunlight between the hours of 10 a.m. and 4 p.m..

Supplements

If you are worried that you are not getting enough vitamin D, you may want to consider the use of supplements as an added layer of insurance. There are a number of highly effective supplements that provide vitamin D, including Vitachron.

The Great Sunscreen Debate

Because vitamin D is not as plentiful in foods as other vitamins, many people turn to the sun to deliver this nutrient. The challenge is finding that balance between sufficient protection from the sun and getting your daily dose of vitamin D.

As more is understood about vitamin D, the great sunscreen debate continues to rage on. Practicing sensible sun-protective measures is the best way to protect yourself against skin cancer while also ensuring that you are getting enough vitamin D. This means that you should avoid applying sunscreen so thickly that it blocks out all of the sun’s ability to provide vitamin D. It is also important to remember that most people only need about 20 minutes of sun exposure a few times per week to generate the amount of vitamin D needed for optimal health.

When it comes to vitamin D exposure via the sun, keep in mind that a little goes a long way. You do not need to bake in the sun to see the benefits.

Understanding the importance of vitamin D and how you can guarantee that you are taking in adequate amounts can have a profound positive effect on your overall health and well-being.

Why It’s Important to Get Enough Vitamin B12 During Pregnancy

Jan 29 by Ewcopywriting

It has long been known that it’s important to get enough vitamin B12 during pregnancy. Now, new research has discovered that this crucial vitamin provides even more benefits to a growing baby than previously known.

Why is Vitamin B12 Important?

Vitamin B12 provides a vast range of health benefits. However, because it is a water-soluble nutrient, it is not stored in the body, but is immediately absorbed and utilized. Whatever is not needed at the time is eliminated via the urine. For this reason, it’s important to continuously provide the body with adequate levels of vitamin B12 on a daily basis.

There are many ways vitamin B12 benefits everyone, regardless of age and gender. We know that vitamin B12 helps the body form new red blood cells and improves the metabolism of cells throughout the body. It also benefits nerve function and helps the body create new DNA. Vitamin B12 also promotes a healthy heart and helps to maintain blood pressure within normal ranges when combined with vitamin B6 and folate. Along with vitamin B12, these nutrients work to benefit heart health by helping to regulate blood levels of homocysteine, a compound which can contribute to an increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Research has also shown that people with dementia exhibit vitamin B12 deficiencies, although new studies are needed to establish whether boosting B12 intake would affect the risk for developing dementia.

Adding more vitamin B12 to your diet can be helpful and safe, but ingesting too much too quickly could result in mild adverse side effects. Those side effects or symptoms include:

headaches
dizziness
nausea and/or vomiting
anxiety

Why Do Women Need Vitamin B12 During Pregnancy?

Pregnant women are frequently given vitamin B12 shots or supplements to ensure the healthy development of their babies. Research has found that the nutrient helps babies by promoting optimal development of the nervous system and brain, although it also encourages proper growth of the physical body. In order for the baby to absorb enough vitamin B12, the mother must ingest sufficient amounts to supply her body and leave enough of a surplus for the baby. The placenta and blood of the baby should contain twice as much vitamin B12 as is present in the mother’s blood supply.

A new study that focused on the importance of vitamin B12 during pregnancy found that the brain was adversely affected by a deficiency of this vitamin. While previous research established that B12 promotes the development of the brain, this new research found that speech and mathematical abilities were negatively impacted by a B12 deficiency. Using a study of mothers and their children that was completed in the 1990s, the researchers examined the diets of 14,000 pregnant women and followed up with assessments of their children. The developmental abilities of the children in the test group were evaluated periodically.

The project involved comparing the abilities of children whose mothers ate a diet high in vitamin B12 to those of children with mothers who ate a diet deficient in the vitamin. The research team compensated for other factors that might explain differences in development among the children.

The study ultimately found that six factors were affected by insufficient levels of vitamin B12. Insufficient vitamin B12 resulted in lower vocabulary in children at 24 months, which led to problems with using word combinations at 38 months. Additionally, children without exposure to vitamin B12 in the womb exhibited reduced speech intelligibility at six years of age. Children in that particular group also showed poor math comprehension from fourth to sixth grade (ages eight to 11). Those children with mothers who did not maintain sufficient levels of vitamin B12 also performed poorly on the national mathematics test, which is given to 13-year-old children.

While these findings provide a better understanding of the importance of vitamin B12 to pregnant women, the researchers say more studies need to be conducted. They hope future research will uncover why these specific abilities are affected by the level of B12 in the mother’s blood, while other types of development seem unaffected. In the meantime, this early research is enough for doctors to continue urging pregnant women to increase their intake of vitamin B12.

Natural Ways to Boost Vitamin B12 Intake

One of the best ways to ensure you’re getting a sufficient supply of vitamin B12 throughout your pregnancy is to take a high-quality supplement each day. Pregnachron offers a sufficient supply of B12 to help ensure your baby is getting enough of the nutrient for optimal development. Additionally, the supplement contains a broad range of essential nutrients that will help ensure the health of your pregnancy. You can also add the following B12-rich foods to your diet during your pregnancy.

Animal Liver and Kidneys

While organ meat from any animal is packed with a broad range of nutrients, the liver and kidneys of a lamb are particularly rich in vitamin B12, containing 3,571 percent of the daily recommended value, making it ideal for pregnant women. Lamb organ meat is also rich in vitamin A, vitamin B2, selenium and copper.

Clams

If you’re a seafood lover, adding clams to your diet will give you a potent shot of B12 that’s equivalent to 7,000 percent of the DV. You will have to eat 20 clams to reach that level of B12, however.

Cereal

Unfortunately, vegans will find it difficult to get B12 naturally aside from taking a daily supplement. One of the only other ways to get vitamin B12 naturally without eating meat, fish or poultry is to consume fortified cereal. Fortified cereals are infused with powerful B vitamins, including B12. While the vitamin B12 in cereals is synthetically engineered, consuming it in this way will help you stick to your diet without risking a vitamin deficiency.

Melatonin and Pregnancy: How the “Sleep” Hormone Helps During Pregnancy, Labor and Beyond

Sep 13 by Ewcopywriting

Healthy pregnancies are essential to the survival of our species. However, due to a lack of willingness to experiment on pregnant women, there is very little research on exactly what it takes to sustain a healthy pregnancy. According to a growing body of knowledge, the pineal gland hormone melatonin, generally associated with sleep, may be essential to having a healthy pregnancy.

Melatonin and Pregnancy

Because pregnancy is so common — after all, it is how we all got here — we forget that it is a complex physiological process that relies on an intricate cascade of hormones and growth factors. According to some studies, melatonin appears to play an important role. Fetuses begin to make melatonin very late in the pregnancy, and even then will not make sufficient amounts until several months after birth. Instead, they rely on melatonin made by their mothers, which appears to cross the placental barrier easily.

Once in the bloodstream of a fetus, melatonin has a variety of important effects. Melatonin increases the viability of both the placenta and the fetus, appearing to work with other hormones to support good pregnancy health. The absence of melatonin, on the other hand, appears to have a negative effect on the neurological development and health of offspring.

Melatonin appears to be especially important in pregnancies that are higher risk. It has been found to be protective in pre-eclampsia, which is one of the most common causes of death in pregnancy among both mothers and babies. According to one study, it even has potential in treating pre-eclampsia.

Melatonin’s antioxidant effects also can protect a fetus from injury when they are exposed to chemicals, either in the environment or from the substance abuse of the mother. Melatonin can also help to prevent the bone damage seen in babies whose mothers used nicotine products while pregnant. It even can protect against some of the prenatal effects of alcohol, which can produce severe physical and cognitive disabilities.

Melatonin’s Role in Labor

The most important hormone in labor and childbirth is oxytocin. This hormone, which is responsible for the feeling of love and other “warm fuzzy” emotions, causes the uterine contractions that compel a fetus into the world. Melatonin appears to have a synergistic effect on oxytocin, encouraging its release and also enhancing its effects.

The effects of melatonin on placental insufficiency also likely has a positive effect on labor and delivery. Placental complications in delivery are rare but remain feared by obstetricians and mothers alike. The placenta is necessary to keep the baby alive but can cause serious hemorrhage during the birth process if it detaches too early or too late. Melatonin’s role in stabilizing the placenta may be crucial in helping mothers through the difficult and painful process of birth. Once the baby is born and the placenta delivered, melatonin continues to play an important role.

Infancy and Beyond

The entire goal of a pregnancy is to give birth to a healthy baby and, ultimately, healthy child. Any hormone that supports a healthy pregnancy and birth will contribute to healthier babies. Melatonin is no exception. It has neuroprotective effects that may protect against autism. According to one study, it can even be protective against high blood pressure much further on in the child’s life.

Many of the studies looking at the long term effects of melatonin were performed on mice, rats and other animals due to the understandable restrictions on experimenting on human infants and fetuses. However, melatonin appears to act in the same manner in all mammals, suggesting that it may have similar effects on human babies. Because melatonin has relatively few side effects, supplementation may be a safe way to give a pregnancy the best possible chance.

Developmental Changes in Circadian Rhythm

A fetus’s circadian rhythm appears to be extremely important to their health and well-being. This does not change as they grow older. Newborns do not make sufficient melatonin on their own but instead get it from their mothers in breast milk, allowing their circadian rhythm to begin mirroring that of their caregivers. As children grow older, having a stable circadian rhythm has been linked to better health, better cognitive function and overall better lifelong health.

Although melatonin supplements can be helpful, the best approach to optimizing melatonin levels is to strive to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Most people make enough of this hormone to support good sleep habits and good health when they practice good sleep hygiene and get plenty of sleep.

Melatonin is not just for sleep, although this remains its best-known and likely most important role in human health. This hormone is made by our bodies for a variety of purposes, from cell repair to antioxidant activities. Although we associate it most with the circadian rhythm, it is an important part of life from conception through old age.

Recent Breakthroughs in Dementia and Cognitive Decline

Sep 07 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Recent research has brought to light a few key factors that can significantly contribute to your risk of dementia. Here, we highlight some of the newest findings regarding dementia and cognitive decline.

A Healthy Brain Starts With a Healthy Heart: How Improving Your Heart Health Could Lower Your Risk of Dementia

In a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a team of researchers demonstrated that steps taken to improve heart health have the added benefit of lowering one’s risk of experiencing dementia or cognitive decline in late life. Using the seven heart health metrics defined by the American Heart Association, the team assessed a combination of modifiable health behaviors and biological components and their link to cognitive decline. According to the team’s findings, each individual parameter reduces the risk of developing dementia by 10 percent, for a total risk reduction of 70 percent if all metrics are kept in check.

Seven Steps to Improve Cardiovascular Health and Lower Dementia Risk

Eat a healthful diet.
Stay physically active.
Maintain a healthy weight and BMI.
Keep cholesterol levels under control.
Maintain a healthy blood pressure.
Reduce blood sugar levels.
Don’t smoke cigarettes.

While the authors admit the limitations of the study, it nevertheless demonstrates that steps taken to better heart health are strongly associated with a decreased risk of dementia and cognitive decline, and that addressing even one area positively impacts the risk of cognitive decline. INSERM’s Cécilia Samieri commented, “In practice, this objective appears more realistic, making it possible to reach a larger number of people and therefore have a greater impact. While health promotion is a collective challenge for public authorities and healthcare professionals, it also involves each individual taking ownership of their own health.”

Belly Fat Linked to Cognitive Decline: How Your Waist-to-Hip Ratio Impacts Your Brain

Bearing a direct impact on cholesterol, blood pressure and blood sugar levels, a person’s body mass index (BMI) affects nearly all facets of cardiovascular health. In fact, obesity is one of the top risk factors for cardiovascular disease and, according to researchers from Trinity College in Dublin, cognitive decline as well. The study, which was published in the British Journal of Nutrition, examined the health data over more than five thousand Irish adults over the age of 60 and found that higher waist-to-hip ratios were associated with a decline in cognitive abilities.

With the number of obese people on the rise around the globe and the prevalence of dementia expected to increase to upwards of 80 million by the year 2040, these findings could have “significant implications” for many. Senior study author Conal Cunningham, an associate professor at Trinity College said in a press release, “While we have known for some time that obesity is associated with negative health consequences our study adds to emerging evidence suggesting that obesity and where we deposit our excess weight could influence our brain health. This has significant public health implications.”

How Pregnancy, Reproductive History, and Hormone Therapy Impact Cognitive Decline

New findings shared at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) drew attention to sex differences among dementia and Alzheimer’s patients over the lifespan. “More women than men have Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias; almost two-thirds of Americans with Alzheimer’s are women,” said Dr. Maria Carrillo, the Alzheimer’s Association’s Chief Science Officer. According to the 2018 Facts and Figures Report published by the Alzheimer’s Association, 3.4 million out of 5.5 million elderly Americans diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease are women. Here are a few of the top findings on women’s health presented at this year’s conference.

A Woman’s Reproductive History is Linked to Dementia Risk

Researchers from Northern California investigating different facets of reproduction with regards to incurred dementia risk uncovered associations between the risk of dementia and numerous reproductive factors. “Possible causes of dementia in women, in particular reproductive factors, are not well understood,” explained Dr. Paola Gilsanz, a staff scientist at Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California Division of Research. “In our study, we aimed to identify female-specific risks and protective factors impacting brain health, which is critical to diminishing the disproportionate burden of dementia experienced by women.”

According to their findings:

Women who have had three or more children are 12 percent less likely to develop dementia when compared with women who have had only one child.
Each incidence of miscarriage increases the risk of dementia by 9 percent when compared to women who have had no miscarriages.
Women who started their first period at the age of 16 or older are 31 percent more at risk of dementia than those who have their first period at the average age of 13.
Women who experience the onset of natural menopause at the age of 45 or younger have a 28 percent greater risk of developing dementia when compared to women who naturally enter menopause after 45.
The length of a woman’s reproductive period averaged around 34 years. Women whose reproductive periods span 21 to 30 years in length are 33 percent more at risk of dementia when compared to women whose reproductive periods span between 38 to 44 years.

Pregnancy History Affects the Risk of Alzheimer’s Disease in Women

In order to investigate possible associations between Alzheimer’s risk and a woman’s reproductive history, researchers from the University of California at Los Angeles collected pregnancy histories and measures of dementia symptoms and found that the cumulative months of pregnancy could serve as a “significant predictor” for the risk of Alzheimer’s disease. According to their data, women who spend 12.5 percent more months pregnant than an otherwise identical woman are 20 percent less likely to develop Alzheimer’s. The researchers believe that the body’s immune response during the first trimester of pregnancy may be the mechanism underlying the reduced risk.

“We are intrigued by the possibility that pregnancy may reorganize the mother’s body in ways that could protect her against developing Alzheimer’s later in life. These results also suggest that the story might not be so simple as being all about estrogen exposure, as previous researchers have suggested,” said Dr. Molly Fox, an assistant professor at UC Los Angeles.

Hormone Therapy is Not Always Linked to Cognitive Decline

Researchers reviewing recent studies regarding cognition and hormone therapy found that only under certain circumstances was hormone therapy associated with cognitive impairment. In particular:

Women who begin hormone therapy between the ages of 50 and 54 encountered no negative cognitive effects.
Women who start hormone therapy between the ages of 65 and 79, however, saw decreased cognition, impaired memory and reduced higher functioning.
Women with type 2 diabetes undergoing hormone therapy were found to have a higher risk of cognitive decline than either diabetic women not on hormone therapy or non-diabetic women who were on hormones.

Dr. Carey Gleason of the Wisconsin Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center commented, “These findings add to our understanding of the complex effects of hormones on the brain. These data are sorely needed to guide women’s healthcare during and after the menopausal transition and to help women make personalized and informed decisions regarding management of their menopausal symptoms and the prevention of future adverse health outcomes.”

A Woman’s Verbal Memory Advantage Could Mask the Earliest Stages of Alzheimer’s

Data suggests that, throughout the aging process, women possess an advantage when it comes to remembering words and verbal materials. Many of the current tests used for diagnosing Alzheimer’s rely on verbal memory and word recall, story recollection and other verbal items. Researchers hoping to form a better understanding of these sex differences in verbal memory in the aging brain found that, even though their brains presented moderate signs of Alzheimer’s degradation, women indeed maintained higher levels of cognitive performance in the earlier stages of the disease when compared to men, though the advantage diminished as the disease progressed.

“These findings may help to explain why women show a more rapid decline across a wide range of cognitive abilities after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. While the female advantage may be functionally beneficial, it could mask early stages of Alzheimer’s, resulting in a more severe burden of disease at the time of diagnosis, with more rapid deterioration thereafter,” said Dr. Pauline Maki, Senior Research Director at the University of Illinois’s Center for Research on Women and Gender.

The use of diagnostic tests based upon gender improved the accuracy of diagnosis in both men and women, which suggests a need for further research into alternative diagnostic approaches.

Painkillers Used to Treat Chronic Pain in Dementia Patients Can Triple Harmful Side Effects

Also presented at this year’s AAIC were a pair of studies highlighting the effects of opioid painkillers in people living with dementia and the potential mechanisms underlying these effects.

Approximately half of dementia patients in care facilities live with “clinically significant pain,” which is often mismanaged or even undiagnosed. Researchers found that the opioid-based painkillers commonly used to treat pain increased the negative side effects — like confusion, lethargy, and mood swings — by threefold in dementia patients.

“Pain is a symptom that can cause huge distress and it’s important that we can provide relief to people with dementia. Sadly, at the moment, we’re harming people when we’re trying to ease their pain. We urgently need more research in this area, and we must get this dosing right. We need to establish the best treatment pathway and examine appropriate dosing for people with dementia,” commented the University of Exeter’s Professor of Age-Related Diseases, Clive Ballard.

While opioid painkillers are an effective treatment, dementia patients require smaller doses for pain relief and seem to more sensitive to negative side effects of the drugs. Research suggests that this may be because dementia patients’ bodies appear to overproduce its natural endogenous opioids.

Taking Supplements During Pregnancy May Reduce Autism Risk

Jan 17 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

The rates of autism have been increasing in the United States and other countries, from around 1 in 2000 in the seventies to approximately 1 in 150 now. Part of this increase is due to changing criteria for the diagnosis as well as increased awareness. However, there also appear to be other, currently unknown, reasons for the increased prevalence. Could health factors such as nutrition during pregnancy be a contributing factor? According to a new study, taking supplements during pregnancy may reduce autism risk, suggesting that nutrition indeed plays an important role.

What Is Autism?

Autism is a complicated disorder, which is why criteria have changed several times over the past decades. In general, it is a developmental disorder that affects a person’s ability to communicate with and relate to others. It also appears to have an impact on the way that people with the disorder perceive the world. Many people with autism also have issues with processing different sensations such as loud noises or certain textures. This can affect almost every aspect of a person’s life.

Although many people with autism lead happy and fulfilling lives, the disorder can be a challenge. In addition, the rising rates are concerning from an epidemiological standpoint. As a result, there are currently many studies examining what exactly causes autism and why rates have increased, and a new study points to prenatal nutrition as an important contributing factor. Could a simple decision like taking vitamins and supplements reduce the growing rates of this disease?

Potential Causes of Autism

Although the symptoms of autism often present later in infancy and toddlerhood, it appears to begin early in pregnancy. Studies have found that there are structural brain differences in people with autism when compared to the general population. Autism has also been linked to ingesting certain toxic substances during pregnancy. In addition, there appear to be several genetic factors. Some families have more autistic children than what statistics would predict, and parents with autism are more likely to have children with the disorder. In addition, autism often occurs alongside genetic disorders such as phenylketonuria.

Researchers believe that most people with autism have a genetic susceptibility that then can become the disorder when there are other factors in pregnancy and delivery. These factors may include infections, metabolic imbalances, chemical exposure, and even poor nutrition. Taking better care of women who are expecting a child may significantly improve their child’s risk of leading a healthy life.

How Taking Supplements During Pregnancy May Reduce Autism Risk

According to a new study in Sweden, women who take vitamins and supplements during pregnancy have a significantly lower rate of having a child that develops autism with intellectual disability. At the same time, a study in Israel has found a significant reduction in autism when pregnant mothers take vitamins that include folic acid. Iron and folic acid appear to be especially important in reducing risk. This is important because prior studies on vitamins and autism risk have been inconclusive and yielded conflicting evidence. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked to autism risk, but these are the first studies to find a firm connection between prenatal vitamin supplementation and autism risk.

How can nutrition affect autism rates? Folic acid has been found to be important in preventing neural tube defects and other issues impacting the structure of the brain. It is possible that certain vitamins similarly can prevent the structural brain differences that appear to lead to autism in children who have a genetic susceptibility to the disease. Although we cannot prevent all cases of autism with prenatal vitamins, we may be able to significantly reduce the prevalence and also the severity of the disease in people who have it.

Enjoying a Healthy, Happy Pregnancy

Leading a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is essential to the future development of a child. Although taking supplements is important in maintaining good health, there are other things women can do to increase their chances of having a healthy baby:

Get regular prenatal care.
Try to become as healthy as possible before pregnancy. Doctors recommend taking prenatal vitamins for several months before conception and seeing a doctor find out how you can prepare for a healthy pregnancy.
Get plenty of sleep to allow your body plenty of energy to grow a new life.
Avoid taking medications without the recommendation of your doctor.
Eat a healthy diet and take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid.
Take time to exercise on a regular basis. Talk to your doctor about which exercises are best for your unique situation and fitness level.

Although there is no way to guarantee perfect health, there are many things that pregnant women can do to improve their child’s chances at a healthy, happy life. Taking prenatal vitamins has long been known to have a positive impact on a developing fetus’s brain and neurological system. New research is showing that it may have even more health benefits than we previously realized.

Study Links Adult Development of Schizophrenia and Diet During Pregnancy

Sep 15 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

All expecting parents want to give their baby the best chance at a healthy and happy life. However, until recently there was very little data on exactly how to accomplish this goal. New research on the effects of nutrition in pregnancy is yielding hard data on exactly what comprises a healthy prenatal diet. Surprisingly, there may even be links between psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia and diet in pregnancy.

Living with Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is one of the most serious mental illnesses affecting mankind. People with this disease struggle with delusions, hallucinations and cognitive changes. They also have trouble expressing emotions, with many suffering from a flat affect, or a face devoid of emotion. Over time, they lose interest in social activities and become increasingly closed in their own world. Their behavior and speech become disorganized and then completely nonfunctional.

In the past, people believed that schizophrenics were possessed by demons. In modern times, however, we understand that schizophrenia is a disorder of the brain. The brain undergoes atrophy in areas related to emotion and judgment. In addition, dopamine levels increase and cause frenetic biochemical activity. Schizophrenia is a progressive disease that causes structural changes that cannot be reversed. Prevention along with early identification and treatment are the only solutions currently offered by modern medicine. Learning more about how prenatal nutrition impacts schizophrenia could change the lives of many people suffering from this illness.

The Link Between Schizophrenia and Diet in Pregnancy

Omega-3 and omega-6 acids are known to be important in prenatal brain growth. New research suggests that a lack of these nutrients may increase the fetus’ risk of developing schizophrenia over the course of a lifetime. When pregnant mice were deprived of these two polyunsaturated fatty acids, their offspring developed a flat affect (or expression), disordered behavior and other symptoms that are similar to schizophrenia. The mice also developed brain changes associated with schizophrenia.

How can omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids have this large of an impact? Researchers found that these fatty acids actually affect the transcription of key genes. These genes govern the expression of key neurotransmitters and are decreased in both fetuses deprived of fatty acids as well as schizophrenics. Genes that support the health of oligodendrocytes, which pass messages in the brain, were also downregulated in these mice, which may be a cause of the structural brain changes seen in this mental illness.

The Impact of Diet on a Growing Brain

Omega-3 fatty acids have been previously found to be important in the brain health of adults, slowing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases and providing a wide variety of cognitive benefit. They appear to be especially important to the rapidly growing brain of a fetus. However, this study is not the only link between maternal diet and schizophrenia. Another recent study found that eating too much of the essential amino acid methionine could also increase the offspring’s risk of schizophrenia. Pregnant mice that were fed three times the normal daily amount of methionine had offspring that showed behavior associated with schizophrenia. When researchers examined their brains, they found that the gene Npas4 had been downregulated, a change also seen in the brains of human schizophrenics.

Methionine is found in cheese, eggs, nuts and other foods that are considered healthy. While pregnant women can enjoy these foods without risk to their future offspring, it is important that they do so in moderation. These studies underscore that a rich and varied diet appears to be one of the most important factors in the health of the fetus.

Good Nutrition for a Lifetime of Health

There are several simple changes that women can make to their diets to increase the chances of good health in their babies. Several studies on the impact of maternal nutrition have found that the following dietary measures are most important:

beginning pregnancy with a healthy BMI
taking a folic acid supplement and avoiding medications that affect folate metabolism
getting plenty of polyunsaturated fatty acids such as omega-3s and omega-6s
eating protein from a wide variety of sources
choosing moderation in sugars and simple carbs
taking a multivitamin or high-quality prenatal supplement
eating iron-rich foods and taking an iron supplement if necessary to avoid fetal anemia
taking in a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to get an ample supply of vitamins and phytonutrients

As with all health decisions in pregnancy, it is crucial that women discuss their health and their diet with their doctor. Many women have special dietary needs that their doctor can help them to identify and treat.

Pregnancy is one of the most special times in many women’s lives. Eating a healthy diet is one of the simplest and most delicious ways to give your baby the right start in life. New studies are showing that good nutrition is crucial to maintaining whole body health, both for mother and for the child.