The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has updated its 1996 recommendation that all women planning or capable of pregnancy take a daily supplement containing 0.4 to 0.8 mg (400 to 800 µg) of folic acid. (A recommendation) The USPSTF reviewed the evidence on folic acid supplementation in women of childbearing age published since its previous review. The USPSTF did not review evidence on folic acid food fortification, counseling to increase dietary intake or screening for neural tube defects.

The recommendation is published in the May 5 issue of Annals of Internal Medicine and is available on the AHRQ Web site at http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf/uspsnrfol.htm.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force is the leading independent panel of experts in prevention and primary care.  The Task Force, which is supported by AHRQ, conducts rigorous, impartial assessments of the scientific evidence for the effectiveness of a broad range of clinical preventive services, including screening, counseling, and preventive medications.  Its recommendations are considered the gold standard for clinical preventive services.

Also, go to Emax Health to learn the results of a study conducted by the CDC on pregnant women drinking alcohol

Natural remedies

Natural remedies can also help you to maintain a balanced emotional state throughout your pregnancy, especially when you may be feeling apprehensive, overwhelmed or fearful. Flower essences are gentle and safe to use during pregnancy without any harmful side effects.  Natural remedies with folic acid also promote brain health.

There is a direct relation between what you eat and how you conduct yourself.  For example:

• Your irritable and restless mood may change after you have eaten.
• Some people are more productive after a cup of coffee and a sandwich.
• If you consistently eat less food, your energy is bound to become depleted, and you are liable to lose interest in work.

Depletion in energy and lack of essential nutrients can adversely affect the chemistry of your brain by disturbing the balance of neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitters are fundamental to the movement of nerve impulses from one cell to another. They are a crucial part of all human capabilities and responses. Lack of nutrition can impair nerves and vitiate brain functioning by disturbing concentration and reducing cognition abilities, such as problem solving.

Your brain is the most dynamic part of the body. It is metabolically very active, and consumes almost a third of the body’s energy even while at rest. While fats, carbohydrates and proteins provide energy, vitamins are essential for proper metabolism. Energy is related to the calorie content of the diet, which provides substances that are metabolized by hormones, vitamins and minerals in the body. For maintaining brain health, it is imperative that the food ingested strikes an almost perfect balance of all these nutrients.

There are many vegetables and fruits, whole foods, that supply folate.  Dietary supplements can also supply folic acid to help improve brain functioning.
Learn more about the Native Remedies range of homeopathic, herbal remedies.