Children are our heritage

The lives of our children start 9 months before they are born and there is a lot we can do even before conception that can affect their lives in a positive way. This section will cover things you can do to prepare for pregnancy, the first few months of your child’s life, and what you can do as your child grows to give it the best foundation of optimal health and a long, disease-free life that you possibly can.

Pregnancy

1 in 4 couples have problems in conceiving. The average length of time to fall pregnant is 6 months, but 18 months is not unusual and if you have not fallen pregnant in this time, it still does not mean that you are infertile. The fertility of both men and women decreases with age. A couple’s chances of conceiving within 6 months, decreases by 2% for every year the man is over 24, regardless of how young his partner is. If the woman is in her 30’s, she can take twice as long to conceive as a woman in her 20’s. Yet despite these statistics, research has shown that if both partners are in good health and consuming optimum levels of the right nutrients, the effect of their age on their chances of conceiving and having a successful pregnancy can be reduced. Physical, psychological and nutritional factors all play a part in fertility and the speed of conception. For instance, the chances of falling pregnant on vacation are significantly greater, since stress, a major factor in infertility, is reduced. Abstaining from sex during non-fertile phases of the woman’s cycle has also been proven to increase chances of falling pregnant.

Nutrition for pregnancy

Optimum nutrition can greatly improve the chances of having a healthy pregnancy and even the slightest deficiencies of specific nutrients can have serious effects on the health of the fetus. The idea that birth defects are often caused by nutritional deficiencies in the mother is gaining wider acceptance. Even in preparing for pregnancy, the best odds for a healthy baby is accomplished when both partners optimize their nutrition, reduce their intake of anti-nutrients (especially alcohol) and reduce stress. The risk of spontaneous abortion during the first 3 months of pregnancy is reduced when both partners are eating highly nutritious food and taking the correct supplements. Certain studies have shown that giving optimum nutrition and supplements to both partners and resolving underlying health problems before conception has a success rate of around 80% for pregnancy. In contrast, IVF (in-vitro fertilization – out-of-womb fertilization of the woman’s egg with her partner’s sperm) has only a 22% success rate.

A common cause of miscarriage is a lack of progesterone, which is needed to maintain the pregnancy in the early weeks. A high homocysteine level (see chapter 17) has been implicated in both complications during pregnancy and a high level of birth defects. This can be easily rectified in about 3 months prior to conception, and is certainly worth checking before conception is even attempted. Deficiencies of vitamins B1, B2 and B6, folic acid (a lack of which has been linked to babies born with spina bifida), zinc, iron, calcium and magnesium have all been linked to birth abnormalities. So too is an excess of toxic metals like lead, cadmium and copper (tests for this can be done on hair samples prior to pregnancy). Severe deficiencies of any vitamin will cause birth abnormalities since a vitamin by definition is necessary for maintaining normal growth. A healthy pregnancy calls for greater supplies than usual of all essential nutrients, to accommodate the needs of the mother as well as her growing fetus.

For men, sperm count is the test of fertility – the higher the count, the more fertile he is (fertility and virility are NOT related). Studies have shown that vitamin C increases both sperm count as well as sperm mobility. On the other end of the spectrum, lack of vitamin E and EFA’s (see chapter 11) has been found to cause infertility in fertile men and women. A lack of sufficient vitamin A (essential for making male sex hormones) is also associated with lack of fertility. Vitamin A is dependent on the release of zinc from the liver. A high degree of both impotence and fertility has been found in men who suffer from zinc deficiency. Zinc is needed to make the outer layer of the sperm as well as being found in the male sex glands. According to Dr. Carl Pfeiffer, Director of the Princeton Biocenter, an adequate dosage of vitamin B6 and zinc should return the sexual ability and fertility of a normal, healthy male within a month or two. Zinc also helps women to maintain a smooth, elastic skin during pregnancy, thus reducing stretch marks. Good sources are nuts, fish, peas and raw egg yolks. Food cravings during pregnancy have been linked to mineral deficiencies and boosting levels of zinc often make these cravings disappear. Cravings for strange substances like chalk or coal are often removed by replenishing with iron.

Sub-optimal nutrition has also been linked to morning sickness. This affliction has been accepted as normal during the first 3 months of pregnancy and of course doesn’t only strike in the morning! It is probably due to increases in a hormone called HCG. Eating small, frequent amounts of fruit or complex carbohydrates like nuts, seeds or whole grains often helps. The best approach is to ensure optimum nutrition well before pregnancy. Supplementing with vitamins B6, B12, folic acid, iron and zinc has been known to stop even the worst cases of morning sickness.

A recommended daily supplement program for a woman, 3 months before conception as well as during the pregnancy, should include:

· Essential Fatty Acids (Omega-3 and -6), especially the Omega-3 fat DHA (but never supplement this in isolation), and choline (available as lecithin powder – sprinkle on cereal or salads), important for the development of your growing fetus’ brain. See chapter 11 for more information and sources.

• 400 mcg of folic acid
• 20mcg of vitamin B12, 50mg of B6
• 15mg zinc
• 300mg calcium
• 200mg magnesium
• 12mg iron
• Not more than 3000mcg of vitamin A

Probiotics (especially if there is a family history of allergies. Taking a probiotic can reduce the chances of the allergy being passed on to your baby by up to 50%). See chapter 15 for more information.