A research team at The Hospital for Sick Children (HSC) and the University of Toronto (U of T) has shown that folic acid food fortification has resulted in a 60% reduction in the incidence of neuroblastoma, a deadly childhood cancer. “Our research indicates that this...
pregnancy
Pregnant Pause: Study suggests caution with ginseng use while pregnant
Researchers from Hong Kong have warned that women should be cautious about using the herbal remedy ginseng in the early stages of pregnancy after a study found abnormalities in rat embryos. They found that embryos exposed to more than 30 micrograms per millilitre of...
Avoiding Pregnancy Blues: Experts advise more omega-3
A woman’s risk for depression is higher during pregnancy, but this risk may be lowered by ensuring an adequate intake of omega-3 essential fatty acids, report researchers. Omega-3s are found in cold water fish, such as salmon and mackerel, as well as flax seeds....
Folic Acid and Childhood Cancer: Study finds B-vitamin protective against leukemia
Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research have shown that there may be a link between levels of folic acid available to the baby in the womb and leukemia in children. Women are already advised to take supplements of folic acid while trying to conceive and...
Calcium lowers lead levels in pregnant & nursing women
Women taking a calcium supplement could reduce the amount of lead passed to their fetus or nursing baby, according to a new study. Researchers found that lead levels in the blood were reduced by 16% in those women taking a calcium supplement. The research stems from a...
Think Zinc! Many Canadians may be low, say researchers
One out of every four Canadians eat diets that are low in the mineral zinc, according to researchers from McGill University who analyzed data from the Food Habits of Canadians Study. Zinc plays a key role in immune function where it is needed for the body to develop...
Vitamin C may help boost fertility
Women that are having trouble conceiving due to luteal phase defect may be helped by supplementing with vitamin C, according to researchers. Luteal phase defect is marked by insufficient progesterone levels during the luteal phase, the time between ovulation and the...
B-vitamin beating kids’ cancer
A Canadian research team has shown that folic acid food fortification has resulted in a 60% reduction in neuroblastoma, a deadly childhood cancer. “Our research indicates that this is the first pediatric cancer that can be prevented through maternal diet,” said Dr...
EFAs give boost to kids’ brains
Attention all moms-to-be: Did you know that supplementing with essential fatty acids (EFAs) during the last trimester of pregnancy can increase your child’s IQ? At the Institute for Nutrition Research at the University of Oslo in Norway, a study with 262 pregnant...
Magnesium intake critical in pregnancy
Pre-eclampsia is a condition that causes pregnant women to retain water and swell at their ankles, hands, feet and face. Other symptoms include high blood pressure, headaches and light sensitivity. If left untreated, pre-eclampsia may result in vomiting, convulsions...