FOLIC ACID CORN FORTIFICATION. Gruma, one of the world’s largest producers of corn flour and tortillas, announced its plans to offer enriched corn products in the US by the end of 2006. Members of the National Council on Folic Acid were instrumental in making this happen. Fortification efforts have been extremely successful in reducing neural tube birth defects over the past several years. It is expected that the availability of these products will result in a significant reduction in birth defects among babies born to Spanish-speaking women, currently at the highest risk for having a child with spina bifida and anencephaly. - Judy Meehan, Executive Director, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies.

Commercial COW'S MILK increases uterine size in young ovariectomized and sexually immature rats, according the May 1st issue of the International Journal of Cancer. The weights of uteri were significantly higher in the rats that received commercial cows' milk than in those that received hormone-free artificial milk, the author Dr. Sato from the Medical University of Yamanasshi in Japan report. He concludes that milk and dairy product consumption should be kept to a minimum. These products "contain sex steroid hormones, which promote the development of hormone-dependent cancers (prostate cancer in men, and breast and ovarian cancers in women)." Dr. Sato also does not recommend milk for prepubertal children.

SUMMER FRUITS are your best disease fighters and immune boosters to remain healthy through your pregnancy. Here's how much "total antioxidant capacity or TAC, you'll find in a piece or a cup of: wild blueberries-13,427, farmed blueberries-9,019, blackberries-7,701, raspberries-6,058, strawberries-5,938, cherries-4,873, black plums-4,844, plums-4,118.

Another great summer fruit is the AVOCADO. Dont be afraid of avocados. They are heart healthy and contain fiber, vitamin B, E, lutein, and folic acid - all vital for a healthy baby. It even has more postassium than a banana to help elleviate those nasty calf cramps..

DAIRY JUNK SCIENCE earlier this year claimed that milk prevents diabetes. The study replaced soft drink sodas with milk...Well, if you replace anything for soda (like water), you will see a lower risk for diabetes. The dairy industry in various ads, also falsy claims that milk helps weight loss, through studies that reduced participants total caloric intake by 500 calories....while still including 3 glasses of milk. Any reduction in calories will result in weight loss! The dairy industry has also had us all believe that that milk is good for our bones and for pregnant moms, even though we are barely able to absorb much calcium from milk (it's made for really big cow bones, not for us). A Harvard study years ago showed that women drinking milk have more osteoperosis than women who don't. Another case in point; Sweden who has the highest per capity intake of dairy, has the highest level of osteoperosis and breast cancer in the world. The reason lies in that milk protein prevents absorbtion of nutrients (just like milk protein prevents our body from absorbing poison, alcohol and antibiotics.... ), and therefore hampers our immune system. Much better sources of of easier to absorb calcium are all whole grains, green vegetables and all beans like soy etc... If you are pregnant and concerned with giving your baby optimum nutrition and immune system reconsider that "milk doesn't do a body or a baby good".

Vitamin C and Preeclampsia. According to a new study from the University of Washington, vitamin C may help prevent preeclampsia - a complication that causes high blood pressure which occurs in 10 percent of pregnant women and can lead to fetal distress or premature labor. Dr. Cuilin Zhang writes, "[Increased] intake of fruits and vegetable rich in vitamin C and other antioxidants may reduce the risk of preeclampsia." The recommended daily dose of vitamin C is 85 milligrams. More that that can cause stomach cramps, diarrhea and negative effects on your baby's metabolism.

Folic Acid and Iron. Folic acid and iron supplements taken during pregnancy doesn't just prevent spina bifida birthdefects, but may help reduce the risk of your offspring developing the most common childhood cancer, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, reports The Lancet. New research also shows that Folate cuts Alzheimer's risk. An individual's daily pregnancy vitamin should have 800 micrograms of folic acid and 27 milligrams of iron.

Strawberries - Healthy Pregnancy Snack Eight medium-sized strawberries provide 20% of your daily folic acid intake. They also are a great source of fiber, Vitamin C, and Potassium. All of these are essential to an easier, healthier pregnancy.

Fishy fish.  Most fish is safe but FDA recommends that pregnant women avoid shark and swordfish, that contains high levels of mercury and/or PCB's, which can cause brain damage (learning delays, cerebral palsy, seizures, and retardation).  The Environmental Working Group is also suspicious about all tuna.  Other fish with possible contamination: striped bass, and trout.

Soft Cheeses and Ready-to-Eat meat pose risks.  Salmonella, listeriosis (food poisoning) causing miscarriage, defects, or stillbirth can be attributed to soft cheeses (brie, camembert, bleu, etc.), ready-to-eat meats (hot dogs, deli meat/cold cuts), unpasteurized milk, raw and undercooked meat, eggs, poultry, and fish, alfalfa sprouts, unwashed fruits, and vegetables.
Liver and Vitamin A.  Vitamin A is important for normal fetal growth but liver may contain too much A, which could cause defects such as cleft lip, heart and brain defects.  Your prenatal vitamin should never contain more than 5000 iu's of vitamin A.  3 oz. of liver can contain from 16,000 - 35,000 iu's of A.  Paté has 724 iu's.

Vegetarian diets during pregnancy.  According to British researchers, vegetarian diets during pregnancy increases the risk five fold of giving birth to a boy with hypospadias, a birth defect of the penis.

Fatty acids in pregnancy and infancy = higher intelligence. "Omega n-3 fatty acids" from fish and breast milk don't just prevent heart disease, auto immune disorders, cancers, and arthritis - it is important for proper vision and brain development in the fetus and infants during pregnancy and nursing, according to a study by Nutrition Health Reports.

More on fatty acids.  Research by OmegaTech, Inc. shows that when Omega fatty acids are consumed by pregnant women, it may prevent premature labor.

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