Folic acid plays an important role in the prevention of serious birth defects.

     Folic acid is a B-vitamin that can be found in many vitamin pills or naturally as folate in foods such as orange juice and dark green and leafy vegetables. It can also be found in breakfast cereals labeled "fortified" or in rice and whole wheat bread labeled "enriched." This fortification marks the first time in our nation’s history that our food supply has been fortified to prevent birth defects.

     Medical findings have revealed that 400 micrograms of folic acid taken one month before conception and during the first few months of pregnancy can prevent serious birth defects of the spine and brain such as spina bifida and anencephaly.

     Women of childbearing age should know that taking a multivitamin containing 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before pregnancy, along with eating a diet rich in fortified foods and natural folates, can help reduce the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that all women who could become pregnant get 400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid every day. This could prevent up to 70 percent (approximately 133 affected pregnancies in Florida each year) of some types of serious birth defects.

    Using funds provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Florida Department of Health has implemented a birth defects prevention program directed at reducing the incidence of neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. Important aspects of the program include a statewide public-awareness campaign, professional education, a pilot surveillance program designed to actively ascertain cases of birth defects in selected counties, and appropriate counseling for families with a history of neural tube defects.

Good health is a goal toward which many of us strive. After all, we know that, in great measure, our physical well-being determines the quality of our life. But deciding which approach to a healthy life-style will best improve or maintain personal heal th is no easy task. It is virtually impossible to read a newspaper, watch television, listen to the radio, or browse in a book-store without being bombarded by information from experts and so-called experts on the art of staying healthy. It is no wonder t hat confusion abounds.

     Are vitamins the elixir of the Fountain of Youth? Will regular attendance at a spa, gym, or fitness center keep us in shape, or is jogging or running more sensible? Should we worry most about our weight, our cholesterol intake, the food we eat, or the air we breathe? If we give up that cocktail before dinner, eat organic foods, get regular medical checkups, and follow the advice in a best-selling exercise manual, are we guaranteed to live a longer, healthier life?

     Unfortunately, the answers we hear to these questions too often come from entrepreneurs, advertisers, or well-meaning, but ill-informed advisers rather than medical experts. The truth is that there is no secret or complex trick to optimizing your chances of living a long and healthy life. All it takes is following such simple health habits as avoiding smoking, drinking in moderation, eating a well-balanced diet, controlling weight, reducing stress, and exercising regularly. By under-standing the basic principles of healthy living and applying them with sense and moderation, people can vastly improve the quality-and may well increase the length-of their lives.