Pre-Natal Vitamins : What They Do For New Moms

Pregnancy Portraiture,
originally uploaded by typealice.

By: Tc Yeap

Pre-natal vitamins are very important for mothers and their babies. These vitamins are specially formulated multivitamins that help to make up for any deficiencies that the mother may be lacking her diet. While the supplements contain many vitamins and minerals, the most important components of pre-natal vitamins including folic acid, calcium and iron. All of which are very important for the healthy development of a baby.

Pregnant women need a substantial amount of folic acid in their diets. Folic acid helps to reduce the risk of birth defects in the baby, particularly in the brain and spinal cord. A baby that is born with spina bifida most likely lacked in the folic acid they needed while developing. In spina bifida, the baby is born with nerve damage because the spine is not closed. This can cause a number of issues from nerve damage and paralysis to mental retardation.

These types of defects often occur within the first 28 days after conception. Unfortunately, this is before many women even realize that they are pregnant. Because of this and because half of pregnancies are unplanned, it is recommended that all women old enough to have children take 400 micrograms of folic acid on a daily basis. The FDA also requires that certain food items be fortified with folic acid to help women get the necessary amounts of folic acid that they require through their diets. All foods that are made of flour, such as bagels and breads, these are fortified with folic acid.

In addition to these fortified foods, women can get folic acid from the following sources:

* Green Leafy Vegetables

* Nuts

* Beans

* Citrus Fruits

Calcium is also particularly important in women and a pre-natal vitamin can assist her in getting the recommended amounts of calcium she needs. Women who receive ample amounts of calcium in their diet are able to prevent their own bone loss while the body builds bones for the baby.

Iron helps both the mother and the baby's blood carry enough oxygen for proper function.

It is important to realize that not all pre-natal vitamins are built the same. A woman's doctor is able to advise her on the brands that are best suitable for her.

TC Yeap is the CEO of Singaporean company Sainhall Nutrihealth . Founded in 1990, Sainhall Nutrihealth is a leading distributor for health products in South East Asia.

How Healthy Are You

tai chi in beijing parc,
originally uploaded by sjeele.

By: John Callaghan

WELL BEING AND HOW TO RECOGNISE IT!

It seems to me that most individuals are preoccupied with ill health rather than with well being, it appears that our predilection is towards ill health rather than towards health.

Practitioners of Tai Chi Qigong however put their emphasis upon taking responsibility for our health and understanding what well-being means, this means being aware of what good health consist of.

At the foundation level lifestyles that lead to good health include eating organic whole food in season, exercise, adequate sleep, healthy environment, and adequate intake of water, but there is much more to well-being than this.

So what are the signs of good health, to the harmony of body, mind and spirit?

PHYSICAL

a. A continued feeling of well being, from rising in the morning to retiring in the evening;

b. How quick is your recovery rate, how adaptable are you to change? The quicker you recover the healthier you are;

c. Are feelings of lethargy a distant memory, if they are then you are healthy;

d. Are all our joints, muscles, tendons and ligaments supple and flexible, free from pain, if so then you are healthy;

e. Can you walk, run, sustain some physical exercise for a while for a while, without being out of breath, then you are in good health;

f. Is the flesh on your skin firm, free of wrinkles, healthy tissue is firm tissue;

g. Does your sense of sight, smell, hearing remain acute, then you are healthy;

h. When you retire do you go to sleep when your head touches the pillow, to relax and fall asleep is a sign of good health;

EMOTIONAL

a. Once more the recovery rate is important, if you are injured emotionally how quickly you return to an optimistic outlook reflects your emotional health;

b. How quickly can you forgive yourself, a healthy individual learns from their mistakes, and moves on;

c. How able are you to socialize, and accepting of those with whom you come into contact, without judging, the less you judge the more emotionally balanced you are;

d. Are you able to commit to the things that you consider to be important in your life, commitment without obsession is a sign of good mental health;

e. How happy are you with the idea of the security of insecurity, the ability to embrace life from moment to moment is an indication of good emotional well being;

f. Do you express your joy and delight with life on a daily basis, can you express your frustration and anger in a positive manner that supports your ability to be tolerant of all;

g. Can you laugh and smile freely, for this is a sign of the love of life;

h. Are you happy? For happiness is the definition of radiant well being;

i. Are you accepting of yourself, with all your strengths and weaknesses? Good mental health is found in the person who accepts their truth, being highly critical of oneself or others is indicative of conflict within ourselves;

How healthy are you?

Where do you stand in the well being stakes?

Healthy individuals have the capacity to rise above their own self-importance and become filled with love and compassion towards all creation.