Dr. Ruxandra Pleșea, specialist in diabetes, nutrition and metabolic diseases, was invited by Elena Zagaican, on last Sunday’s LifeStyle show, and offered advice on preconception, diet and vitamins needed during pregnancy.
A healthy lifestyle is preferable for everyone, and even more so for women who want to become mothers.
“If you haven’t become a parent yet, you have to start at least 3 months before to make sure you get everything you need from a diet and if you don’t succeed with a healthy diet, you can think about supplements. They are helpers of vitamins, minerals, nutrients that you should find in the ideal diet.”
Hormonal balance is all about vitamins and minerals and studies say that if you want to boost fertility you need to supplement in particular with certain key nutrients such as vitamin D, vitamin B12, coenzyme Q10, there are many nutrients you need to ensure when you hit the road.
“Let me give an example, just one of many examples. Polycystic ovary syndrome is known to be a major impediment to fertility. Or, if you do not have reserves and good levels of vitamin D, Zinc, Selenium, you can experience the unpleasant effects of this polycystic ovary syndrome. Then, oxidative stress is again a big hindrance in fertility. In order to get pregnant, you have to fight free radicals, because that way, if you fight with antioxidants, you also have a better chance of ovulation and implantation and the development of the fetus and how it is created.
So, this fight against oxidative stress is done by providing antioxidants, or, these are vitamins A, C, E, coenzyme Q10, they all work together, they all form a complex. A vitamin never works and it does everything from one end to the other. And then the benefit is certain that by having healthy food and a supplement complex suitable for this period, you increase your chances of getting pregnant. And, I repeat, it applies to both parents.”
Doctor Ruxandra Pleșea highlighted the benefits of vitamins also after birth, during the breastfeeding period and mentioned that there is potential for deficiencies in overweight mothers.
“Obesity is actually a poor quality, nutrient-poor diet. Or it is very easy to get vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Oftentimes, gynecologists are wary of prescribing these supplements specifically to overweight patients, on the grounds that there is enough of it, but that is not the case at all. That’s where there can be gaps. As I said, the most frequent deficiencies are vitamins D, B12, folic acid, because they are not brought from the diet or they are not absorbed correctly because the intestinal flora has been destroyed with many sweets, and this is how we got to obesity.”
