Pregnant Mother’s Diet Changes Genetic Switches In Baby’s Brain.
Researchers from the University of North Carolina fed two groups of pregnant mice different diets during the period when their baby’s memory, the hippocampus develops.
One group’s diet included choline while the other did not. Examining their brain cells researchers found the group that did not receive choline had epigenetic changes on the proteins that wrap genes in cells responsible for the creation of new brain cells. The two proteins (G9a and Calb1) responsible for new neuronal cell creation and maturation in the hippocampus were altered in the group that did not receive choline.
Gerald Weissmann, MD Editor-in Chief of the FASEB Journal said. “This is yet another example showing that good prenatal nutrition is vitally important throughout a child’s entire lifetime.”
Choline is found in meat, nuts and eggs.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/10010410113.htm
I read your book last year. I gave it and recommended it to pregnant friends. Like yourself, despite excellent eating habits, I had gestational diabetes with my son. Always a healthy eater, I could never blame a poor diet or lack of excercise. I had my own wheatgrass machine, I took spoonfuls of fish oil daily, I drank the juice of goji berries, I ate an organic, mostly plant based diet. My son was also, unfortunately, a c-section. He weighed 9 1/2 lbs at birth. When I got pregnant last July, I read your book, determined to do even more this time. It didn’t matter. I lost the pregnancy at seven weeks. Sometimes, Nature just knows better than we do. We are pregnant again…it’s still early (5 weeks)but I’m confident that things will be as they are supposed to be. Of course, I just re-read your book. I had been keeping my vigilance with nutrition during our four months of trying….and I just wanted to say,Thank You. You were the first one to talk about epigenetics, and the extreme importance of fetal nutrition.
I will continue to steer women in this direction. Thank you.
Hi Alisa, thank you for your sincere and kind comment it means a lot to me. I am very sorry you’ve lost your baby of a previous pregnancy. Good to hear you are pregnant again and wish you and your baby all the best
Jeanette
This implies that it is really important to eat foods that are rich in protein for the well development of the baby’s brain.
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