Myth: Pregnant Mothers Over 35 Have Higher Risk Of Giving Birth To Down Syndrome Babies

We have always been told (or may still think) that pregnant mothers over 35 have higher risk of giving birth to Down Syndrome babies. How far from the truth this really is!

Down Syndrome, or Mongolism, is a chromosomal disorder caused by the presence of all or part of an extra 21st chromosome. It is named after John Langdon Down, the British doctor who described the syndrome in 1866.

The condition is associated with some impairment of cognitive ability and physical growth as well as facial appearance. It is also characterized by mental retardation, stunted growth, a small skull, coarse and scanty hair, flat face with a depressed bridge of the nose, with short and thick limbs.

Mongolism is so named because of the upward slant of their eyes that somewhat resemble that of Mongolians.

Although it has always been said that first-time mothers over the age of 35 have a higher risk of giving birth to a Down Syndrome baby. However, most Down Syndrome babies have increasingly been found to be born to mothers under the age of 30!

What’s even more wrong with the orthodox so-called healthcare, amniocentesis is recommended for first-time mothers above 35 years old. This procedure can tell whether the baby will have Down Syndrome, and if so may lead to a decision by the parents to abort the child !!!

A new study has shown that mothers of Down Syndrome babies cannot efficiently metabolize folic acid (or folate) that is so important in the development of the fetus. Folic acid deficiency during pregnancy may result in serious brain and spinal cord damage as the fetus develops. It may also cause neural tube defects and now it has been discovered that a deficiency can lead to a dreaded Down Syndrome in babies.

However, note that folic acid is not just essential for childbearing females but also is necessary for men and women of all ages. Sufficient supply of folic acid prevents heart diseases, strokes, tumor growth, spinal cord degeneration, kidney disease and cancer.

So, what causes pregnant mothers to have trouble metabolizing folic acid? A faulty diet--eating too much processed, refined, and overcooked foods and a dietary that is deficient also in all essential vitamins, minerals and fibers.

Civilization has been refining grains and turning wholemeal flour to white flour, polishing brown rice to white rice, etc. After removing all the essential vitamins and minerals from grains, man-made folic acid are added into this flour when making bread, and branded as “Fortified with Folic Acid”. Do not be deceived, be wise! Avoid these fortified foods at all cost!

If the mother is healthy, eats plenty of raw fruits and vegetables and drinks green juices, there is no risk at all in her giving birth to a Down Syndrome baby, no matter how old she is. A woman is always advised to prepare her body at least six months before she conceives her baby so that she is well nourished in anticipation of conceiving a healthy and perfect baby.

I do not suggest folic acid supplements, as taking the wrong type of folic acid may prove fatal. The wrong type are synthetic (man-made) folic acid that our body cannot assimilate, thus will turn toxic in our body. Fresh green juices are best.

Here’s a list of excellent sources of folic acid:
Beans: Black-eyed peas, pinto beans, chickpeas, lima beans, black beans, kidney beans.
Fruits: Avocado, orange, cantaloupe, pineapple
Vegetables: Asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, okra.
Others: Brewers yeast

Read also: Holistic nutrients, Vegetable juicing and Nutrition guide for pregnancy. SD

Myth: Iodized Salt Prevents Goiter

Yesterday, as I was doing my weekly grocery shopping, my eyes caught something and I cringed. This elderly lady was pushing her trolley next to me and in her trolley were three big packets of iodized salt. What would anyone do with three packets of iodized salt? And this is an elderly lady, certainly doesn’t look as though she was running a restaurant.

Kay-poh as I am, I stopped beside this lady and asked her why was she buying so many packets of iodized salt. She told me that she has hypothyroidism and her doctor had advised her that she should take more iodized salt !!!

It bothered me because I know the harm that iodized salt could cause. I tried to advise the aunty against taking iodized salt and explained the harm of table salt to her. I get so angry when doctors prescribed harmful stuff to unknowing patients, and this is certainly nothing new.

I can understand why the doctor recommended iodized salt, which was “supposed” to contain iodine to prevent iodine deficiency that causes swelling of the thyroid gland. This theory has been taught in medical schools for decades but many studies had shown that the iodine in iodized salt are inorganic and our body cannot properly assimilate it.

Moreover, in U.S., out of a study of 88 iodized salt samples, 47 were found to contain less than the FDA’s recommended level of 150mcg, while there are others that far exceeded the allowable amount. Our body really needs only a very minute amount of iodine to prevent goiter but in most commercialized iodized salt, the distribution of iodine amount is uneven. They were either too little or too much which makes it harmful either way.

Iodized salt is simply table salt with added inorganic potassium iodide. Table salt is totally harmful to the body as our body cannot assimilate this type of commercial (table) salt.

Table salt is really just sodium chloride which is inorganic and void of any minerals or nutrients. It is extremely toxic to the body and causes the body to retain fluid. High intake of this substance thickens and stiffens arteries and increases the risks of strokes, and cardiac failure. It accelerates the rate of renal functional deterioration.

Sodium chloride draws calcium from your bones, which is excreted in your urine. This leads to early and painful osteoporosis, or the thinning and fracturing of bones.

Good and safe sources of iodine to prevent goiter are sea vegetables, sea algae like kelp (best), yogurt, and eggs.

See this page for the harm that table salt can cause.

Celtic sea salt is a good alternative for table salt but it doesn’t contain enough iodine that is required for our body. SD