Most women nowadays know that, when you get pregnant, you need to take certain vitamins to ensure the developmental health of your child. 

But did you know that women should start working on their nutrition well before they try to conceive?

Pre-Conception nutrition is nothing new. Nutritionists, Chiropractors, and even Obstetricians have been advising it for years, but it doesn't mean that everyone has paid much attention. In fact, even though most people know about the importance of Folic Acid in pregnancy, research shows that as many as two-thirds of mothers fail to supplement folic acid before they conceive.

Today, though, I would like to discuss the field of epigenetics, and what it means for women who are trying to conceive. Studies on the cutting edge of genetics research have shown that the physiological state of the mother before conception can affect not just the development, but also the genetic expression of her children. This includes the mother's nutrition, physical fitness level, neurological function, and mental health.

Researchers have looked at the diet of women in isolated tribes, and found dramatic genetic differences based on whether their child was conceived after the rainy season (abundant nutrition) or after the dry season.

So what does this mean for the women out there who are considering becoming pregnant in the future?

The health of your future children, and their genetic potential for health, could be determined NOW. If you have been putting off things like healthy eating, proper vitamin supplementation, exercise, or chiropractic care you need to act now.

Wondering where to start? Contact me today!

Reference: Maternal nutrition at conception modulates DNA methylation of human metastable epialleles. Paula Dominguez-Salas, Sophie E. Moore, Maria S. Baker, Andrew W. Bergen, Sharon E. Cox, Roger A. Dyer, Anthony J. Fulford, Yongtao Guan, Eleonora Laritsky, Matt Silver, Gary E. Swan, Steven H. Zeisel, Sheila M. Innis, Robert A. Waterland, Andrew M. Prentice & Branwen J. Hennig. Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms4746  View Article.