Fetal Development

Your Baby’s Brain Needs Omega 3s!!

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A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a typical North American’s red meat based diet is deficient in Omega 3 Fatty Acids. We don’t need a study to tell us that news. Omega 3 Fatty Acids have been all over the news in the last decade. The vast majority of people are aware that they need more Omega 3s in their diet but are not willing to make the trade off from poultry and red meat to fish or other natural sources of Omega 3s.

“The researchers found that the women who ate lots of meat and little fish were deficient in omega-3 fatty acids, and their babies didn’t do as well on eye tests as babies from mothers who weren’t deficient. The results were noticeable as early as two months of age. The study is ongoing as the researchers intend to follow the children’s development until four years of age.

For the study, the researchers recruited 135 pregnant women and randomly assigned them to either a group that took an omega-3 fatty acid supplement or one that took a placebo. All the women continued eating their regular diets. The supplement added the equivalent of two fatty fish meals per week, an amount that the researchers estimated would prevent deficiency.”
Medical News Today

Whether or not you choose to get enough Omega 3s in your diet is naturally a personal choice until you become pregnant. While it is still a personal choice, that choice is now affecting the health, wellbeing and development of your unborn child. If you are like most pregnant women, you know now is the time to stop dinking around with your diet and get serious about nutrition if you want your baby to have the best start in life.

Omega 3s are absolutely vital for the brain and eye development of a developing fetus and breastfed infant. This is one of many reasons that breastfed babies are more intelligent than formula fed babies.

There are a number of great sources of Omega 3. If you are a meat eater, the easiest and first thing you should do is eat more fish. Since mercury and other toxins are also a concern while pregnant, try to obtain Wild Alaskan Salmon which provides all the Omega 3s with none of the heavy metals. A wonderful option is the mom/baby packages available at Vital Choice Seafood which comes with Salmon fillets, burgers, halibut fillets and organic berries. There are also plenty of Omega 3 supplements available and many foods are now fortified with Omega 3s. You can also find Omega 3s in many plant sources if you are vegetarian or vegan such as:

• Flaxseed Oil
• Ground Flaxseeds
• Walnuts
• Hemp Seeds and Oil
• Marine Algaes

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/spcummings/2569503808/

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