Page 79 - Special Issue: Healthy Baby

transports vitamin E across the placenta con- of the mother and her offspring during labor; eye defects including the
ceive offspring that die within 11 to 15 days. complete absence of eyes; defects of the snout, dental arches and lips;
The nutritional transport system of the placenta displacement of internal organs including the kidneys, ovaries and testes;
is observably malformed by the ninth day. The and deafness due to degeneration of the nervous system. 15
human placenta makes the same protein, so the We now know that vitamin A is necessary for the differentiation and
role of vitamin E in constructing the nutritional patterning of all of the cells, tissues and organs within the developing
transport system of the human placenta is prob- body. It is especially important for the development of the communication
ably similar. Vitamin E, then—despite the lack systems between the sense organs and the brain. 16,17 Even mild vitamin A
of published proof—is almost certainly essential deficiency compromises the number of functional units called nephrons
to human reproduction. 11 in the kidneys, which could predispose a person to poor kidney function
Vegetable oils are high later in life. Vitamin A is
18
in vitamin E, but they are also necessary during fetal
also high in polyunsatu- development and through
rated fatty acids (PUFA), adult life to maintain the
which deplete the body of presence of cells lining the
this nutrient. Palm oil is a lungs that are covered in
12
much better source, having hair-like projections called
a vitamin Eto- PUFA ra- cilia. These hairs sweep
19
tio that is 8 times higher away debris and foreign
than that of soybean oil material, protecting the
and 13 times higher than lungs from pollutants and
that of safflower oil. The infectious diseases. During
13
vitamin E content of grass- and after the formation of
fed animal fats is four times all these systems, vitamin
higher than that of grain-fed A is necessary for their
animal fats. Nuts, seeds, continued growth.
14
fresh fruits and vegetables The RDA of vitamin
and freshly ground grains A for pregnant women is
also contain vitamin E. 2,600 IU—just 300 IU
more than the RDA for women who are not pregnant. There are several
VITAMIN A problems with this figure, described in the sidebar below. We do not have
In the years following the discovery of the exact figures for the vitamin A content of the preconception and pregnancy
role of vitamin E in rat fertility, researchers diets used by the groups that Price studied, but they were certainly higher
quickly began to realize that vitamin A was even than 2,600 IU per day. These groups prized organ meats, especially liver,
more important to reproduction. In Nutrition and and used them on a regular basis. Preconception and pregnancy diets added
Physical Degeneration, Price described the early additional foods rich in fat-soluble vitamins.
work on vitamin A deficiency during pregnancy The Weston A. Price Foundation recommends 20,000 IU per day
and the preconception period. In diverse species from cod liver oil and additional vitamin A from milk, butter, eggs
of laboratory animals, this deficiency produced and three to eight ounces of liver per week. Yet the medical profes-
spontaneous abortion; prolonged labor and death sion warns pregnant women that this quantity of vitamin A increases

FIGURE 2. COMPARISON OF COMMERCIAL U.S. MILK AVAILABLE IN 1970
TO MAASAI MILK IN DRY AND WET SEASONS IN NAROK DISTRICT OF KENYA
Nutrient American Maasai – Dry Maasai – Wet
Fat 3.8 g/100 mL 6.5 g/100 mL 10.4 g/100 mL
Cholesterol 11 mg/100 mL 16.4 mg/100 mL 24.2 mg/100 mL
Phospholipids 21 mg/100 mL 78 mg/100 mL 109 mg/100 mL
Sugar 4.9 g/100 mL 3.4 g/100 mL 3.4 g/100 mL

Wise Traditions 77