Folic acid is one of the B Vitamins and is important during preconception and pregnancy. It is found naturally in many foods and often added to manufactured food such as fortified breakfast cereal, malt drinks and bread.
Folic acid helps your baby develop, is necessary for the formation of blood cells and also prevents neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anaemia (folate deficiency anaemia.)
Mindful Mum lists the;
- best natural sources of folate (the natural form of folic acid),
- latest UK recommendation on folic acid supplements,
- reason why you can stop taking folic acid supplements after 12 weeks.
Continue reading “How To Get Folic Acid Naturally In Your Diet” →
If you have decided the time is right to start a family and want to get pregnant fast, give mother nature a helping hand by introducing the following lifestyle changes.
To get into the right mindset for pregnancy think of yourself as the baby you want to care for. As a mother your focus will be on the well being, heath and safety of your child. Start caring for ‘you’ in this way now and enjoy the pampering, detoxing and ‘me-time’ required for optimal preconception health.
Of course, you have to have sex too, so we are going to start with the best time to conceive.
Continue reading “Get Pregnant Fast: Health for Pre-conception” →
Question: Help, I’ve been using polycarbonate bottles for my baby and have just found out about BPA. What can I do?
Answer
Many mums are concerned that their child may have been exposed to the chemical BPA in plastic baby bottles. Fortunately scientists are researching how to block the potential damage done by BPA.
Preliminary research from Duke University in the US indicates that folate (found in most green leafy vegetables (such as spinach) and genistein (found in legumes like soy) can block BPA damage.
Continue reading “My child has been exposed to BPA in baby bottles. What can I do?” →
Question: Should I buy organic milk? My little boy is just about to turn one and move from breast milk to cow’s milk. My partner thinks it is much healthier than conventional milk, but my Mum thinks its just a marketing gimmick!
Answer
Organic milk comes from cows which are only fed organic cereals and graze on land free from artificial fertilisers and pesticides. There is scientific evidence that organic milk contains higher levels of types of fats called short-chain omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants as well as more vitamin A and E than conventionally produced milk.
However, your Mum’s view is understandable. Last year the Food Standards Agency funded a controversial report in 2009 stating that organic food is no healthier and provides no significant nutritional benefit compared with conventionally produced food. Although the FSA have concluded that organic milk contians higher levels of omega 3 than non organic milk, they advise the public to get their allowance from two portions of oily fish each week.
However, the FSA conclusions on organic food have been called into question by scientific experts and organic food campaigners.
Before making your decision, consider the following research on organic milk:
Continue reading “Should I buy organic milk?” →
Question: I am trying to maintain a healthy weight when pregnant, can I take sugar substitutes like aspartame and saccharin?
Answer
You will find sweeteners in many diet ready meals, snacks, drinks and also in chewable vitamin supplements. Although research indicates that sweeteners are safe, some research on sugar substitutes is inconclusive and many Mindful Mum’s avoid the use of artificial sweeteners completely during pregnancy. In the UK the use of sweeteners is controlled by the Food Standards Agency which allow five licensed artifiical sweeteners:
Continue reading “Can I take artificial sweeteners when pregnant?” →
Iron is an important nutrient for you during pregnancy because it is essential for the developing blood supply of your baby and for your own expanding blood supply. It’s easy for pregnant women to become deficient in iron during pregnancy so its important to eat plenty of iron rich food. Mindful Mum lists sources of iron for a healthy diet during pregnancy in the cut out list below.
Continue reading “Best Sources of Iron for Pregnancy” →
Question: When is the best time to paint the nursery? My sister says the fumes could harm the baby if I strip paint in my first trimester?
Answer
Pregnant women should be banned from the decorating. Many parents want to make their baby’s room safe and beautiful, they rush around in the last weeks stripping wall paper, sanding and painting. However, mums-to-be should stay away during decorating because pregnant women and their fetuses are vulnerable to toxins from plaster, old paint (which may contain lead) as well as VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) fumes from new paint.
Continue reading “When is it safe to decorate the nursery?” →
Whether you are pregnant, breast feeding, starting the weaning process or hiding vegetables in your toddlers meals, fruit and vegetables are paramount to raising a healthy child. In the UK we are advised to eat 5 portions a day from a wide range of fruit and vegetables, but should we be buying organic?
Mindful Mum has created the following guide to picking and choosing organic fruit and vegetables. The guide is based on ‘buying organic’ when the pesticide residues in a particular food are high. There is no need to go organic when the food does not contain high levels of pesticides.
Continue reading “Picking and Choosing Organic Fruit and Vegetables” →
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