NC150 PREGNANCY FORMULA
A specialist food supplement sourced from only the finest quality ingredients that have been demonstrated to support women during preconception, pregnancy, and post pregnancy.
SUPPORTING PREGNANCY THROUGH OPTIMUM NUTRITION
These days the need to understand what is good or bad for us nutritionally has never been more at the forefront of our minds with such mixed messages coming from the mainstream media, how are we meant to know what is good for us? Even the Nanny State seems to be telling us more than ever how we should or shouldn’t be living our lives and yet there always seems to be so much controversy and hesitation when it comes to implementing these changes to our lives. When it comes to taking nutrients this hesitation may well be due to the fact that all too often when you take a supplement to help maintain a healthy heart and never actually develop this problem, how do you know if it really had the desired effect?. Even though we are surrounded by high quality research papers, to support our thoughts in this area, so often people with no interest or little knowledge of nutrition simply dismiss these ideas as “old wives tales”. Even in today’s climate where everyone approaches fertility, preconception, and pregnancy care with extreme caution most of us naturally recognise the importance of good nutrition, which has been successfully used for many years in this area of health. Even the Government acknowledge the need to increase the intake of key nutrients like folic acid (with their recommendation of 400mcg of folic acid / three months before pregnancy and for the first three months of pregnancy) and most of us are more than aware of the need for the mother to have good levels of omega 3 during her pregnancy, normally supplied as fish oils. However, we feel that there are other nutrients that are equally important to these processes, like the minerals magnesium and zinc etc. In truth most practitioners that apply nutritional changes at this stage understand that our nutritional standards should not only be good to give us the very best chance, they need to be really excellent from the moment when a pregnancy is first contemplated. More often than not it’s advisable not to wait until conception has occurred to introduce these changes, but to have a period of careful preparation to elevate the levels of the key nutrients that are considered important in these processes like the micro nutrient zinc or essential fatty acids before attempting conception. The reason for this is that one’s nutritional status at the moment of conception is critically important in deciding the prospective mother’s fertility, her health and the health of the foetus. There is really strong evidence to suggest that good nutrition plays an important role in supporting a healthy pregnancy. A good pregnancy requires a reasonable freedom from heavy metals and other toxins while also having the luxury of a regular supply of a broad spectrum of key related natural vitamins and minerals before, throughout and immediately after the pregnancy. The essential minerals include magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, chromium and molybdenum. Sodium and potassium are vitally important too but these are bulky and best adapted through the diet. Among the vitamins we should consider are; Vitamin A (although very controversial, if delivered as a straight Vitamin A -often in the form of Vitamin A acetate). However, you can deliver this Vitamin A as a natural source beta carotene, which is non toxic and does not share the health concerns of normal Vitamin A acetate. The other groups we should consider at this time are the B vitamin group and vitamins C, D, E and K. The physiological and developmental functions of these extend over the widest possible range, touching upon growth, the maintenance of the blood, the oxygen supply to the tissues, and the development of the brain and the reproductive organs. It is so important to consider this wide range of micronutrients. When people are pregnant they will often ask, “should I take a certain nutrient to support the pregnancy, for example 400mcg of folic acid”. The simple answer to this question is yes, it can be helpful for three months before and for the first three months of pregnancy. However we should bear in mind that almost all the cells and tissues of the body require the same wide range of nutrients. These may be in different ratios in different tissues and some tissues have special needs, like the thyroid’s requirement for iodine. But if we focus upon the mother’s overall supply of the key vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids (mainly Omega 3), we would be offering the mother and unborn child a truly comprehensive nutritional regime. It is a rather small proportion of mothers today who apply anything like the fullest measures to ensure healthy pregnancy and healthy babies. Ideally diet, detoxification and exercise should all be applied for 6 months before conception and should all be maintained afterwards. The Pregnancy Formula is designed to provide the necessary input of micronutrients. Note that the prospective father also requires nutritional attention to optimise his fertility.
NC150 Pregnancy Formula (120 Vegetarian capsules) 2 – 4 capsules daily
Optional extras you could consider to accompany the pregnancy support formula are:
NC008 (60 capsules) / NC072 (120 capsules) EPA Marine Fish Oils 1 – 2 capsules daily (fish oils in vegetarian capsule shells)... or NC130 OmegaSmart (non vegetarian capsules) 1 - 3 capsules daily These deliver a full range of Omega 3,6 & 9 in an emulsified form with lipase. (See page 20-21 of our catalogue for full details)
*Folic acid 400mcg/μg *(for three months before and the first three months of pregnancy) 1 capsule daily
A GREAT OPTIONAL EXTRA, TO AID DIGESTION AND NUTRIENT ABSORPTION:
NC090 / NC003 Pro-otic 1 – 2 capsules daily (this can be taken throughout pregnancy and during breast feeding).
NC054 Iron 25mg vegetarian and vegan capsules (as needed or recommended)
Dietary Suggestions:
Where appropriate reduce your intake of tea, coffee,soft drinks, alcohol and do not add salt to your cooking or food. Do try and drink at least three pints of purified or bottled water daily, this should be consumed slightly warn, not cold and do not drink more than one pint in any one hour.
For more help call 01395 227850 (9.00am - 5.30pm Monday - Thursday) (U.K time).
