Title: 
Folic Acid for a Healthy Self

Word Count:
529

Summary:
Folic acid is found in many foods and multivitamin supplements. It is considered especially important for women who could become pregnant because folic acid can help prevent birth defects.


Keywords:
Vitamins,Folic Acid,Vitamin B,Spina bifida, fertility, Vitamin A, mothers, Birth Defects


Article Body:
Everyone knows about vitamins. There are many common vitamins that we are familiar with, and their functions. Vitamin C is known to be good for the skin, while Vitamin A is good the for the eyes. Vitamin D is often called the "sun vitamin". These are the ones that many people think of when they think of vitamins. However, there is one important one that many people don't know of. This vitamin is folic acid, and helps create healthy, new cells. 

Most people have found themselves staring at the ingredients list on the cereal box during breakfast. The words printed on the back like riboflavin, folic acid, and pyridoxine, are just words to those who don't know much about vitamins. Your mother has probably advised you to make sure you eat your vegetables, and your doctor to maintain a healthy diet. Both your mother and your doctor, along with the cereal box, are talking about Vitamin B, and a specific group, folic acid.

You can find folic acid in many food groups, and also vitamin supplements. It is advised for women who are pregnant, or could become pregnant take folic acid because it can help prevent birth defects.

You can get enough folic acid in three ways. First off you can choose to take supplements. Must of these vitamin supplements contain 400 micrograms of folic acid. This is a good way because you don't have to worry about getting enough folic acid into your diet; it was all given to you in a supplement. 

Another way is to begin your day with folic acid. Choose to eat a breakfast cereal that is full of folic acids. The label will say it contains 100% of recommended daily about of folic acid, which is 400 micrograms.

Lastly, you can also increase your consumption of foods that are rich with folic acids. These foods include enriched cereal, bread pasta, and other grains. Also, adding orange juice and more green vegetables to your diet is suggested. 

No matter how old you are foods that are rich in folic acid are good for you. Not only should mothers or mothers to be take folic acid, but also young girls. This way, when the young girls grown up, folic acid will already be a part of their diet. Folic acid is best known as the acid that helps prevents birth defects. One of the concerns in today's maternity environment is the large percentage of children born with neural tube defects or NTDs. NTDs happen when the spinal chord of the fetus doesn't close properly.

Spina bifida is the most common NTD. Spina bifida occurs when a part of the baby's spinal chord remains outside of the body. This birth defect can cause paralysis. The baby could be paralyzed in the legs, and have problems controlling the bladder or bowel movements. Anencephaly is another defect that occurs among babies.  This is considered the most serious NTD. Anencephaly causes a baby to be born lacking parts in it's skull and the brain eventually dies. Folic acid can help prevent these defects and can help keep the baby healthy from the first month of pregnancy, to the time of giving birth.