Health Awareness Campaigns, How Effective Are They?

I ended my last post by saying that the impact of Folic Acid on the developing child is not even half of the story about the important role this essential B vitamin plays in our health. Why don't we hear the whole story? I think the primary reason is because the story of folic acid is still being researched. The story of folic acid is much like the story of health and life itself; it is multifaceted, comprehensive and still being discovered.

When it comes to campaigns like the National Folic Acid Awareness Week, my thoughts are much the same as the actor Morgan Freeman's recent statement on a CBS 60 Minutes Interview. He says he finds Black History Month "ridiculous." "You're going to relegate my history to a month?" asks Freeman. "I don't want a Black History Month. Black History is American history," he says, noting that there are no white or Jewish history months. I think Mr. Freeman is right. History is a comprehensive subject and should be handled in that manner.

The subject of health and nutrition is very much like that of history. For best results, these subjects must be studied in a comprehensive manner.Therefore, I think campaigns like the National Folic Acid Awareness Month, though well intentioned, are largely ineffective for two reasons. They try to highlight just one aspect of a comprehensive whole, like the fact that folic acid is important for the pregnant woman and her child. But there is mounting evidence that folic acid is essential for everyone, not just developing children. And why focus on just one vitamin when optimal health is dependent on providing 90 plus nutrients on a daily basis. Nutrition is a comprehensive subject and should be approached in that way.

The second reason I think campaigns like the National Folic Acid Awareness Week are largely ineffective is that too many of us are apathetic about our health. Just how interested are most of us when it comes to such topics as nutrition, good lifestyle choices and prevention? From my view of the world, it seems that most of us rarely notice or even care about such matters; that is, until such time as when we lose our health or the health of a loved one is lost. But by that time, it is often too late to do anything but undergo some extreme medical intervention to try and save our lives. Why does it take a crisis to motivate us to make positive lifestyle choices? Prevention never seems to cross our minds beforehand. How sad that is, but from my perspective that's reality for most of us.

Why do we take for granted this wonderful gift of good health that most are born with? I will cover that in my next post. So that you don't miss the next installment in this four-part series, I invite you to subscribe to my RSS Feed. You'll find it on the Sidebar. Also, please take a moment and check out my web page. Until then, here's to your good health.

David's Web Page

Health Notes

Folic Acid | Health | Essential Nutrition | Pregnancy | Black History Month | Morgan Freeman

National Folic Acid Awareness Week - What Did We Learn?

The week of January 9-15, 2006 marked the National Folic Acid Awareness Week. Did anyone take notice of this National Health Observance? Are we now better educated as to our need for this B vitamin in our diets? Is anyone more aware of how the body uses a micronutrient like Folic Acid? And what are the possible consequences for our health if we should be deficient in this important vitamin? Did you learn, that it is estimated that 88% of North Americans suffer from a folic acid deficiency?

If you missed it, then let me try and begin to catch you up on the important and necessary nature of this B vitamin. Folic acid is essential for proper cell growth in every cell of our body. However, it is most generally promoted to pregnant women for the healthy development of their children. When the pregnant woman's diet is deficient in this particular B vitamin birth defects can result. These birth defects are commonly known by the name "neural tube defects" and spina bifida is an example of such a defect. Spina Bifida is a condition where the backbone and spinal cord do not close before birth. It is a catastrophic defect with lifelong consequences.

As if to highlight and bring further attention for the need of folic acid for the developing child, you may have seen the news story about the three month old Iraqi infant known as Baby Noor who received surgical help in this country for her spina bifida condition. It is firmly established that by taking sufficient folic acid through either our food or by a supplement both before and during early pregnancy such defects like what Baby Noor suffers from can be prevented.

Also during this same week of the National Folic Acid Awareness Week, Angelina Jolie confirmed her pregnancy. I wonder if the expectant Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are aware of the benefit of folic acid nutrition for their developing child. Someone should tell them. A few pennies worth of nutrition could avoid a world of hurt.

Folic Acid's impact on a developing child is not even half of the story about the important role this essential B vitamin plays in our health. Why don't we hear the whole story? I think the primary reason is because the story of folic acid is still being researched. The story of folic acid is much like the story of health and life itself; it is multifaceted, comprehensive and still being discovered.

Please join me for my next post, the second in a four-part series, when I will continue this study of folic acid and it's importance to our health. To be sure you catch this next post and those that follow, why not subscribe to my RSS Feed. You will find the RSS Feed on the side bar of the Blog under Feed Frenzy.

Until then, to your good health; after all, isn't it all about making the most of your life and your health?

David's Web-Page

Health Notes

Folic Acid | Health | Essential Nutrition | Pregnancy | Baby Noor | Angelina Jolie