The F Word - Part 1

So I skipped down to Chapters to pick up a splendid little book called "What to Expect Before You're Expecting" and what a wonder it is! It basically covers everything you need to know about getting ready to conceive. I'm just working my way through it right now, but I read something that really caught my eye.

A little box in a corner was talking about "Folic Acid." Now there's a pair of words I've heard before. When browsing through "What to Expect When You're Expecting" (quite prematurely, I might add) it also talked about folic acid, and how important it was for your imminent child.

Here are a few other facts about the wonder vitamin:

- Women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily intake of folic acid daily, prior to conception and during early pregnancy, reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (spina bifida, anencephaly, encephalocele) by up to 70%.

- Folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation, because it is crucial to the development of DNA.

- Adequate folic acid intake is absolutely crucial before conceiving, and at least 3 months afterward.

- Other birth defects folic acid protects from are: cleft lip, pregnancy complications, premature birth, low birth weight, miscarriage, poor growth in the womb.

- Not only does folic acid protect your baby from birth defects, it also protects your own health by lowering the risks of: heart disease, stroke, and some types of cancers. It might even ward off Alzheimer's disease.

Wow! What a vitamin! It says everywhere that women should be taking it even when they aren't trying to get pregnant, but that its extremely important that they take it if they are! I can't believe I've never heard of this before reading the "What to Expect" books, and that 3 out of 4 women didn't take it in the month before they conceived. Wow!

So, now that I've read this I'm heading straight to the pharmacy to pick myself up some of this crazy stuff! I could get it from the foods I eat, but with my eating habits, I highly doubt I'd be able to monitor my folic acid intake on a daily basis.

Although, in case you're wondering, the every-day foods you can find this miraculous vitamin in are:
- asparagus
- bananas
- broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy veggies
- dried beans
- oranges and orange juice
- peanuts and other nuts
- peas

I'll head over to the pharmacy, and let you know what I find!