MEDICINAL POWER FOR PREGNANT WOMEN

Complete Guide Health Nutrition by Gary Null, page 285Dr. Aesoph adds that chromium aids in stabilizing the erratic blood sugar seen in alcoholic hypoglycemia, while choline and folic acid are also commonly cited as important supplements to assist in the body's recovery from addiction. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 480Homocysteinemia: Persons with elevated levels of homocysteine are at risk for arteriosclerosis. This can and should be corrected with adequate amounts of folic acid, B 12, pyridoxine, and trimethylglycine. The only way you can be sure you are getting adequate amount of therapy is to regularly monitor blood levels of homocysteine. Current estimates are that 30 to 40% of arterial disease is related to high levels of homocysteine. A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 220Vitamin B may help for premenstrual or mid-menstrual cycle acne. Coexisting gum problems suggest the need for folic acid. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 988[For] pins and needles in the legs, take folic acid and B-12. Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 1100Take 5 grams Vitamin C, 1 gram Calcium. 1/2 gram Magnesium, 100 mg. B-Complex, extra B6, B-12. and folic acid (for severe depression, requires Vitamin C for absorption). Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 800Find relief in folic acid. One study found that women who experienced problems with constipation had low levels of the B vitamin folic acid in their blood. When the women began taking folic acid supplements, all of their symptoms subsided. Try taking up to 5,000 micrograms a day until the condition subsides, advises clinical nutritionist Shari Lieberman, Ph.D. But check with your doctor first, since dosages of folic acid over 1,000 micrograms should only be taken under medical supervision. Blended Medicine by Michael Castleman, page 11Herpes may be helped overnight by chewing folic acid with 500 mg. L-Lysine twice daily, and Zinc tablets. Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 455If agitation or hyperactivity is seen, it is recommended that folic acid should be given in the amount of two 800 microgram tablets for each 125 mg of DMG taken. Building Wellness with DMG by Roger V Kendall PhD, page 116Disease prevention with folic acidFolic acid, a B vitamin, is now known to prevent neural tube defects like spina bifida, a serious abnormality of early fetal development. Unfortunately, by the time most women learn they are pregnant, the critical period has already passed. A major source of folic acid is the cooked greens recommended in the program (another is orange juice). If you are contemplating pregnancy or think there is any possibility that you could get pregnant, for insurance take a daily B-complex vitamin supplement providing 400 micrograms of folic acid. 8 Weeks To Optimum Health By Andrew Weil MD, page 222Women taking 400 mg of folic acid also have a decreased risk of heart attack and protection against Alzheimer's Disease and stroke. After 15 years of 400 mg of folic acid there is a 75% reduction in the number of women who get colon cancer. A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 19According to University of Washington researchers, 13,500 to 50,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease could be prevented every year if everyone took folic acid (the supplement form of folate) every day. All you need is 200 micrograms a day. Anti-Aging Prescriptions by James Duke PhD, page 145SPINA BIFIDA. Failure of the spinal bones to close over nerves arising from the lower end of the spinal cord. May cause paralysis of the legs and incontinence. Associated with poverty, bad housing and is more common in Celtic races and among the sikhs. Most common cause is folic acid deficiency. Prevention only. A woman of childbearing age should increase her consumption of food rich in folic acid, such as Brussels sprouts, spinach, green beans, oranges, potatoes, wholemeal bread, yeast extract. New evidence suggests health is determined before birth by a mother's condition during pregnancy. The UK Department of Health advises 400 micrograms (0.4mg) folic acid until the twelfth week of pregnancy. Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine by Thomas Bartram, page 25Perhaps as much as 30 percent of all heart disease is directly caused by high homocysteine levels, he says. That's the bad news. The good news is that three B vitamins—folic acid, B6, and B12—can help convert homocysteine to methionine or cystine, thus protecting your heart. Dr. Baum recommends taking 800 to 1,000 micrograms of folic acid, 400 micrograms of vitamin B12, and 50 milligrams of vitamin B6 daily. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 337...Other nutrients may be equally critical to the prevention of osteoporosis. "Vitamin K, silicon, boron, folic acid, magnesium, and manganese all play a role in bone building and need to be consumed through diet or supplements," he says. To prevent osteoporosis, you must get sufficient levels and the proper ratio of these bone nutrients. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 840Sources of folic acidFolic acid, a B vitamin found in green leafy vegetables, nuts, and whole grains, can prevent neural tube defects in fetuses. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 866Greens are high in vitamins and minerals, including iron and calcium in forms that the body can absorb and use more readily than supplements. For example, they are a major source of folic acid (folate), a B vitamin that regulates protein metabolism and offers significant protection against coronary heart disease. ("Folate" and "foliage" share the same root.) 8 Weeks To Optimum Health By Andrew Weil MD, page 141Eat at least eight servings of fruits and vegetables each day. These high-fiber, low-fat foods are typically rich in folic acid and other B vitamins, which reduce the risk for heart disease by helping to prevent arterial blood clots. Bottom Line Yearbook 2002 by Bottom Line Personnel, page 331The leafy green that Popeye made famous is among the best plant sources of folate. All you need is 200 micrograms a day. You can get more than that from 1/2 cup of spinach (or lentils, pinto beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, or sunflower seeds) or a cup or two of spinach soup. What a pleasant way to stave off stroke and heart attack! Of course, spinach and beans aren't the only great sources of folate. Others include parsley, cabbage, asparagus, broccoli, brussels sprouts, endive, okra, avocado, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and orange juice. Anti-Aging Prescriptions by James Duke PhD, page 145A major source of folic acid is the cooked greens recommended in the program (another is orange juice). 8 Weeks To Optimum Health By Andrew Weil MD, page 222Beetroot is rich in potassium, folic acid, and the antioxidant glutathione. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 173Legumes: Peas and beans, such as kidney, lima, soybean, navy, black, and lentils, are loaded with protein, folic acid, and amino acids. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 192Diets rich in folic acid and B vitamins would turn out to have such powerful benefits for the heart that they could outweigh such "sins" as moderate red meat intake. Could the public be blamed for its confusion? Betrayal Of Trust By Laurie Garrett, page 394Folic acid—This substance protects against cervical cancer and is necessary for proper synthesis of RNA and DNA. It is found in beets, cabbage, dark leafy vegetables, eggs, dairy products, citrus fruits, and most fish. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 591Dietary folate sources include leafy and dark green vegetables, citrus fruits, cereals, beans, poultry, and egg yolks, but free folic acid occurs only in supplements. Britannica Encyclopedia Volume One, page 674Folic acid [is] found in whole grains, chickpeas, soybeans, spinach, broccoli, and cabbage)… Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 745Probiotics help suppress the growth of yeast, improve digestion by increasing the production of some enzymes, produce acids that fight bacteria, and manufacture nutrients such as vitamins K, Bi, B2, B3, B12, and folic acid. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 908Foods rich in folic acid include spinach and other dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, and whole wheat. Blended Medicine by Michael Castleman, page 10Many women have also long esteemed certain wild mushrooms, which some thought to be special gifts from Mother Earth. As we now know, naturally grown mushrooms (as opposed to commercial mushrooms grown in the dark) contain folic acid, which helps to prevent birth defects. These delicious and abundant choices, which do not have any poisonous look-alikes, can be eaten when they are underripe. American Indian Healing Arts by E.Barrie Kavasch and Karen Baar, page 146Folic acid deficienciesFolic acid may be the most common vitamin deficiency in the world, since more people are choosing animal foods (poor source of folic acid) over plant foods. The name, folic acid, comes from the Latin term "folium", meaning foliage, since dark green leafy vegetables are a rich source of folic acid. Other good sources of folic acid include brewer's yeast, legumes, asparagus, oranges, cabbage, root vegetables and whole grains. Since folic acid is essential for all new cell growth, disturbances in folic acid metabolism are far reaching, including heart disease (due to more homocysteine in the blood), birth defects, immune suppression, cancer, premature senility and a long list of other conditions. Without adequate folate in the diet, cell growth is like a drunk driver heading down the highway—more likely to do some harm than not. Beating Cancer With Nutrition by Patrick Quillin, page 180Birth Control Pills: These pills produce folic acid deficiency. Where there is a lack of folic acid, homocysteine blood levels rise and this is associated with osteoporosis. A Physicians Guide To Natural Health Products That Work By James Howenstine MD, page 130Men Need folic acid too. Low folic acid levels in men are associated with low sperm count. A recent study has led investigators to hypothesize that low folic acid could also damage the DNA that sperm carry—which could lead to chromosomal damage in a fetus. Self-defense: Eat plenty of folate-rich fruits and vegetables and fortified grain products. Bottom Line Yearbook 2004 by Bottom Line Personnel, page 334B12 anemia is often accompanied by folic acid anemia. One of the reasons folic acid is important is that it fosters healthy prenatal development: It aids in the prevention of birth defects, such as those of the neural tube, and is crucial for proper cell production in the growing fetus. Folic acid is easily consumed by heat; hence, diets that consist primarily of cooked foods, with few raw foods included, often result in this type of deficiency. In addition, young children may develop a folic acid deficiency if they are given goat's milk. (Although superior to cow's milk in many ways, goat's milk lacks folic acid.) Teenagers and adults who are vegetarians may also fall victim to this form of anemia if they do not carefully balance their diets. Finally, folic acid anemia can be induced by alcoholism, which completely drains the body of this nutrient, and by the consumption of certain prescription drugs, such as oral contraceptives and anticancer drugs. Complete Encyclopedia Of Natural Healing by Gary Null PhD, page 32Experts have estimated that up to 20% of all senility in older adults is merely a long term deficiency of folic acid and vitamin B-12. The RDA of folate is 200 meg for adults and 400 meg for pregnant women, although the Center for Disease Control has recommended that 800 meg of folic acid would prevent most cases of spinal bifida. Without adequate folic acid in the body, there is a buildup of homocysteine in the blood, which probably generates 10% or more of the 1 million cases of heart disease each year in the U.S. Beating Cancer With Nutrition by Patrick Quillin, page 180Deficiencies of folic acid and vitamin B12 may cause some cases of recurrent canker sores, says Flora Parsa Stay, D.D.S., a dentist in Oxnard, California. If you have recurrent sores, she recommends taking 400 micrograms of folic acid and 200 micrograms of vitamin B12 daily. Alternative Cures by Bill Gottlieb, page 142Persons with AIDS are often deficient in folic acid, selenium, zinc, and iron. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 497Deficiencies in vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid can trigger such neurological changes as a drop in alertness and memory ability as well as numbness and tingling in the legs. BioMarkers by Williams Evans PhD and Irwin H Rosenberg MD, page 250Reduced levels of certain vitamins, minerals, and amino acids have been tentatively linked with Alzheimer's, including folic acid, niacin (vitamin B3), thiamin (vitamin Bi), vitamins Be, B12, C, D, and E, magnesium, selenium, zinc, and tryptophan. Alternative Medicine by Burton Goldberg, page 524The elderly generally are deficient in Calories, Protein, Iron, Vitamins A and C, Calcium, the B-Complex, especially B-12 and folic acid, and that's with 70% of the elderly in institutions where the diets are carefully planned. Anti-Aging Manual by Joseph B Marion, page 315Low levels of folic acid, vitamin B12, pyridoxine, iron, and magnesium are some of the most commonly implicated nutritional influences on depression.