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Why Folic Acid is important for pregnant women?
Folic acid is a B Vitamin and is an especially important vitamin for pregnant women. It is absolutely important that women who are planning for a pregnancy consume recommended amount of Folic Acid before and during early pregnancy. Folic Acid is extremely critical in the development of a baby’s brain and spine. The baby’s brain and spine is formed at a very early stage in the pregnancy, when the woman does not even realise she is pregnant yet. Consuming recommended amounts of folic acid everyday can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain (known as anencephaly) and spine (known as spina bifida). Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which parts of a baby’s brain and skull do not form correctly. Babies born with anencephaly cannot survive. Spina bifida is a serious birth defect in which a baby’s spine does not develop correctly, and can result in some severe physical disabilities. All women, but especially those who want to become pregnant, need 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.Yes! Every woman needs to get enough folic acid each day, even if she does not plan to become pregnant. This is because our bodies make new cells every day—blood, skin, hair, nails and others. Folic acid is needed to make these new cells. Start a healthy habit today and get 400 mcg of folic acid every day.
Why vegetarians are prone to Vitamin B12 deficiency?
Research and studies suggest that a strict vegetarian diet — one that excludes all animal products — can lead to vitamin B-12 deficiency, and possibly heart disease. Now, new research suggests that even those who follow a more lenient vegetarian diet (those who consume milk and dairy products) are also at risk. Vitamin B12 is prominently found in animal based foods: meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy products. Most of the Indians who are vegetarians are deficient in Vitamin B12. While it is fairly easy to correct a Vitamin B12 deficiency through supplements, most of us are ignorant of our condition and do not go for a diagnosis. People who consume antacids are also at a risk of vitamin B12 deficiency since it interferes with the absorption. Vitamin B12 helps maintain healthy nerve and red blood cells and is also needed to make DNA, which is why it’s especially important that pregnant and nursing women consume enough. Vitamin B12 deficiency leads to anemia. Symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, which usually come on gradually, include fatigue, weakness, nausea, and constipation. Long-term and severe vitamin B12 deficiency can lead to nerve changes such as numbness, tingling in the hands and feet, balance and memory problems, and depression. A blood test is the best way to test for vitamin B12 deficiency, and Metropolis recommends that all vegetarians get tested every year.
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