Does Your Diet Prevent Birth Defects?

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Does Your Diet Prevent Birth Defects?January is National Birth Defects Month. For women of childbearing age, this is a time to take stock in your diet and lifestyle as a means to prevent birth defects. Nutrition plays a large role: the risk of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, can be drastically decreased by supplementing your diet with B vitamins. Beginning at least one month before planned conception and continuing through the first trimester, moms-to-be should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. Good food sources of folates (the name for the family of folic acids found in food) are green vegetables, orange juice and beans. In addition, women planning families may want to increase their intake of vitamin B12. Food sources for vitamin B12 are meat, dairy, eggs and fish. Lifestyle changes include quitting smoking, reducing stress and getting daily exercise. For more information on supplements, or to take my free Vitamin Advisor, visit DrWeil.com.

 

Diana Gonzalez

 

 

 

Nothing wastes more energy than worrying - the longer a problem is carried, the heavier it gets. Don't take things too seriously - live a life of serenity, not a life of regrets.

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