the effects of food often go undone. Second, most foods we consume are very complex at the molecular
level (wines can have more than 300 ingredients). It is often tough to discern what part of a food product is actually giving the benefit—or doing the harm.
The way our bodies handle food is even more complex. We don’t all metabolize food exactly the same way. Some people can suck calories out of a piece of paper; some people wouldn’t gain weight if they inhaled milkshakes. Some people use peanut butter as their primary source of protein; others will die of an allergic reaction if they smell it on an airplane. To the eternal frustration of just about every researcher in the field, no single diet is going to work the same way for all people, and that’s because of this extraordinary individuality. This is especially true if you’re pregnant.
Neurons need omega-3s
So you can see why, so far, only two supplements have enough data behind them to support an influence on brain development in utero. One is the folic acid taken around conception. The other: omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are critical components of the membranes that make up a neuron; without it, they don’t function very well. Humans have a hard time making omega-3s, so we have to out-source the materials to get them into our nerves. Eating fish, especially oily ones, is a good way to do it. If you don’t get enough omega-3, studies show, you are at much greater risk for dyslexia, attention-deficit disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, even schizophrenia. Most of us get enough of the fatty acids in our regular diet, so it’s generally not a problem. But the data underscore a central fact: The brain needs omega-3 fatty acids for its neurons to function properly. Apparently, the Three Stooges knew this decades ago! (Larry: “You know, fish is great brain food.” Moe: “You know, you should fish for a whale.”)
So, if a moderate amount of omega-3 keeps you from being mentally disabled, does a whale-sized helping of it increase brain power, especially for the baby? Here the evidence is decidedly mixed, but a few studies indicate the question warrants further research. One
Harvard study looked at 135 infants and the eating habits of their mothers during pregnancy. The researchers determined that mothers who ate more fish starting in the second trimester had smarter babies than those who didn’t. By smarter, I mean babies who performed better on cognitive tests that measure memory, recognition, and attention at six months post-birth. The effects weren’t large, but they existed. As a result, researchers recommend that pregnant women eat at least 12 ounces of fish per week.
What about the mercury in fish, which can hurt cognition? It appears that the benefits outweigh the harm. Researchers recommend that pregnant women eat those 12 ounces from sources possessing less concentrated mercury (salmon, cod, haddock, sardines, and canned light tuna) as opposed to longer-lived predatory fish (sword-fish, mackerel, and albacore tuna).
I certainly know that eating properly is tough, whether you are trying to control how much you eat, what you eat, or both. There’s Goldilocks again: You need enough, but not too much, of the right types of food. And the third factor usually doesn’t help.
3. Avoid too much stress
It was not a good idea to be in Quebec and pregnant around January 4, 1998. For more than 80 hours, freezing rain and drizzle fell relentlessly all over eastern Canada—immediately followed by a steep drop in surface temperature. This meteorological one-two punch turned eastern Canada into ice hell. Under the weight of the freeze, more than a thousand towering metal power-line structures toppled like dominoes. Tunnels collapsed. Thirty people died. A state of emergency was soon declared; the army was called up. Even so, thousands of residents were without power for weeks. And in freezing temperatures. If you were pregnant and could not get to a
level (wines can have more than 300 ingredients). It is often tough to discern what part of a food product is actually giving the benefit—or doing the harm.
The way our bodies handle food is even more complex. We don’t all metabolize food exactly the same way. Some people can suck calories out of a piece of paper; some people wouldn’t gain weight if they inhaled milkshakes. Some people use peanut butter as their primary source of protein; others will die of an allergic reaction if they smell it on an airplane. To the eternal frustration of just about every researcher in the field, no single diet is going to work the same way for all people, and that’s because of this extraordinary individuality. This is especially true if you’re pregnant.
Neurons need omega-3s
So you can see why, so far, only two supplements have enough data behind them to support an influence on brain development in utero. One is the folic acid taken around conception. The other: omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3s are critical components of the membranes that make up a neuron; without it, they don’t function very well. Humans have a hard time making omega-3s, so we have to out-source the materials to get them into our nerves. Eating fish, especially oily ones, is a good way to do it. If you don’t get enough omega-3, studies show, you are at much greater risk for dyslexia, attention-deficit disorders, depression, bipolar disorder, even schizophrenia. Most of us get enough of the fatty acids in our regular diet, so it’s generally not a problem. But the data underscore a central fact: The brain needs omega-3 fatty acids for its neurons to function properly. Apparently, the Three Stooges knew this decades ago! (Larry: “You know, fish is great brain food.” Moe: “You know, you should fish for a whale.”)
So, if a moderate amount of omega-3 keeps you from being mentally disabled, does a whale-sized helping of it increase brain power, especially for the baby? Here the evidence is decidedly mixed, but a few studies indicate the question warrants further research. One
Harvard study looked at 135 infants and the eating habits of their mothers during pregnancy. The researchers determined that mothers who ate more fish starting in the second trimester had smarter babies than those who didn’t. By smarter, I mean babies who performed better on cognitive tests that measure memory, recognition, and attention at six months post-birth. The effects weren’t large, but they existed. As a result, researchers recommend that pregnant women eat at least 12 ounces of fish per week.
What about the mercury in fish, which can hurt cognition? It appears that the benefits outweigh the harm. Researchers recommend that pregnant women eat those 12 ounces from sources possessing less concentrated mercury (salmon, cod, haddock, sardines, and canned light tuna) as opposed to longer-lived predatory fish (sword-fish, mackerel, and albacore tuna).
I certainly know that eating properly is tough, whether you are trying to control how much you eat, what you eat, or both. There’s Goldilocks again: You need enough, but not too much, of the right types of food. And the third factor usually doesn’t help.
3. Avoid too much stress
It was not a good idea to be in Quebec and pregnant around January 4, 1998. For more than 80 hours, freezing rain and drizzle fell relentlessly all over eastern Canada—immediately followed by a steep drop in surface temperature. This meteorological one-two punch turned eastern Canada into ice hell. Under the weight of the freeze, more than a thousand towering metal power-line structures toppled like dominoes. Tunnels collapsed. Thirty people died. A state of emergency was soon declared; the army was called up. Even so, thousands of residents were without power for weeks. And in freezing temperatures. If you were pregnant and could not get to a
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