Prenatal nutrition: optimal nutritional support during pregnancy

Pregnancy significantly increases the need for vitamins and minerals. Deficiency or overabundance of any particular nutrient may lead to birth defects and / or complications for the mother during pregnancy. What should a future mother do? Here are some key recommendations to increase the chances of a healthy pregnancy:

• Eat a high-value diet that focuses on whole, unprocessed foods.
• Eat 2-3 servings a week of cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, halibut, etc.) or take a fish oil supplement that contains EPA and DHA.
• Take “a broad-spectrum high-strength prenatal multi-vitamin and mineral .”
• Take extra iron when needed.

Eat a nutritious diet  

The importance of quality nutrition during pregnancy is evident. The main recommendation is to focus on whole, natural foods. Stay away from processed foods, especially those that have no real nutritional value (for example, junk food). Also, read food labels carefully and try to steer clear of foods that contain trans fatty acids (trans fatty acids), partially hydrogenated oils, including margarine and shortening, and most processed foods.

 Studies have shown that the higher the intake of trans fatty acids, the greater the risk of giving birth to an premature baby. These fats interfere with the development of the fetus, especially in the brain. Another type of food to be avoided is cured and smoked meats. These foods contain compounds (nitrites and nitrates) which have been shown to be very harmful to the fetus. Studies link diets rich in nitrites and nitrates during pregnancy with higher rates of brain cancer, diabetes, and leukemia in offspring.  

Increase your intake of omega-3 fatty acids

The second recommendation is to eat 2-3 servings per week of cold-water fish (salmon, mackerel, herring, halibut, etc …) or take a high-quality fish oil supplement such as wild salmon oil from Alaska from Natural Factors to increase your omega-fatty acid level. 3, which is available to the developing fetus. The Djelkosahecsanwick acid is one of the most important omega fatty acids – 3 for the development of embryonic. In fact, DHA is important for the proper development of the brain and eyes since it is a structural fatty acid in the gray matter of the braiprenatal nutrition: optimal nutritional support during pregnancy and retina. Adequate levels of DHA are important for all ages, but they are especially important for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

 Significant development of the brain and eye occurs when the fetus is in the womb and continues during the first year after birth. Infants depend on their mothers to supply them with DHA to develop the brain and eyes, first through the placenta and later through breast milk. DHA is the long-chain omega-3 fatty acid that is most abundant in breast milk and studies have shown that infants fed breastmilk have an IQ higher than infants fed formula without DHA.

However, the levels of DHA in breast milk in women in the United States are among the lowest in the world. Increasing DHA levels should be a primary goal for all pregnant or breastfeeding women. 

Get a high-strength multivitamin and mineral formula

The discovery of the fact that taking a folic acid supplement early in pregnancy reduced the incidence of neural tube defects by 80% is one of the greatest discoveries of the latter part of the twentieth century. The evidence was so overwhelming that the FDA finally had to reverse its previous position and acknowledge the connection between them and allow folic acid supplementation and foods rich in folic acid to claim that “the daily intake of women of childbearing age can lower the risk of developing neural tube defects.”

Folate is just one of many essential nutrients. What about other nutrients? Is it less important than folic acid? Absolutely not! Virtually any deficiency of any nutrient during pregnancy creates complications for both the mother and the baby. In addition, adequate levels of key nutrients such as antioxidants, calcium, magnesium, and other B vitamins may help provide a healthy pregnancy and a healthy birth by preventing pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes as well as a life-threatening pre-eclampsia condition (also known as preeclampsia). “)

More simply, common sense says to take a multi-vitamin and mineral specially formulated for pregnant and breastfeeding women. The only caveat is to ensure that the vitamin A content is better supplied with beta-carotene than vitamin A. Do not take more than 5,000 international units of vitamin A per day if you are pregnant, unless you are getting it as beta-carotene and not as retinol. 

With the goal of providing optimum levels of micronutrients needed to promote a healthy pregnancy and healthy birth, I developed MultiStart prenatal formula. In addition to supplying optimal levels of vitamins and minerals, this formula includes a number of important supportive compounds that include super green food concentrates of alfalfa juice (jet), spirulina and wheatgrass juice, as well as extracts of ginger, dandelion root and red blackberry leaf. These herbs have been used since time immemorial to promote a healthy pregnancy.

Ginger is valued for its clinically proven ability to reduce pregnancy nausea and vomiting. 8 Dandelion root extract reduces the burden on the liver by promoting proper detoxification and removal of excess hormones produced during pregnancy; 9 Red blackberry leaf extract helps to strengthen the blood vessels in the uterus and placenta to help avoid Any lacerations or premature contractions.

Get more iron when needed

Iron cannot always be greatly increased during pregnancy with diet alone. Supplements are often recommended. The iron in a prenatal multivitamin is usually sufficient, but if a future mother develops anemia or develops a deficiency in iron storage (serum ferritin is the best proven method) this requires an additional supplement.

For iron deficiency during pregnancy, women will need to take an additional 30 mg of iron twice daily between meals for best absorption. If this advice leads to stomach discomfort, then take 30 mg with meals three times daily.