Get yo' folate, mate!

For those of you that read this here blog but don't know me personally, you may not know that there is another side of me: the unashamed nerd. I'm particularly passionate about women's health and there has been a pressing issue on my mind today: folic acid. Also known as vitamin B9, or folate (as it occurs in the body), this vitamin is especially important in women of child-bearing age and commonly lacking in the American diet.

Folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects in a growing fetus. These neural tube defects affect the spinal cord and brain (as the neural tube becomes those structures) and can result in conditions like spina bifida and anencephaly (parts of the brain missing). It is important for all women to get enough folic acid in their diet, 400 mcg, even if they have no intention of being pregnant because the neural tube develops in the first few weeks of pregnancy, long before most women even know they are pregnant. So if you have working lady parts and those working lady parts may be around a working penis, you need to be taking folic acid! The CDC estimates that increasing folic acid intake to 400 mcg just one month prior to conception (and during pregnancy) reduces the risk of neural tube defects by 50-70%. This stuff is no joke, man... er, woman. Not a woman of child-bearing age? That's ok, folic acid is for you too! Folic acid helps makes new cells, particularly red blood cells; we all need it!

Surprisingly, studies have shown that our bodies absorb the synthetic version better. A daily multivitamin or supplement with 400 mcg (600 if you're pregnant or breastfeeding) of folic acid is recommended. However, heathy foods like spinach and citrus fruits are good sources of folic acid and one gets other benefits from consuming such foods than just the folic acid. Plus, I don't know about you, but I'd rather eat fresh produce than pop a pill! (Although, I do both, just to be safe.) Some good sources of folic acid include lentils and beans, fortified cereals, spinach, collard greens, broccoli, cauliflower, romaine lettuce, parsley, brussel sprouts, cabbage, bell peppers, tomatoes, leeks, strawberries, papaya... is anyone else getting hungry? What kind of delicious recipes can you come up with that are packed with folic acid?

Being healthy is for everyone, but folic acid intake is especially important for those who may become pregnant. If you're like me and the thought of being a mother makes you ill, you may not want to think about taking care of a baby that doesn't exist yet. However, if your vagina is near a penis, there is a chance you can become pregnant (real talk). A simple change can reduce the risk of a severe birth defect; so get yo' folate, mate!