Everyone wants to have a happy, healthy, well behaved, and smart kid. I don’t think there is a single person on this planet that would disagree with me.
A recent study that followed hundreds of European families over the course of 5 years links children’s behavior and intelligence during early years with the Mother’s diet during pregnancy.
You can read an article about the study here.
Highlights from the Study
- Folate taken during the first 3 months of pregnancy reduces behavioral problems.
- Eating oily fish throughout pregnancy is important for the child’s brain development and has a positive effect on reading ability.
- Breast feeding could have a positive effect on the child’s mental performance later in life.
- Other factors that can play a role in child’s mental performance include the parent’s educational level, socio-economic status, age, and genetic background.
Reference
University of Granada (2013, September 13). Diet during pregnancy and early life may affect children’s behavior and intelligence. ScienceDaily. Retrieved September 15, 2013 /releases/2013/09/130913101815.htm
About Dr. Dawna Ara, DACM
Dawna is an acupuncturist, herbalist, functional medicine practitioner, a mom, wife, writer, nature lover, chef and whole foods advocate. She teaches her patients how to live a healthy lifestyle.