Living Well In Yalobusha County
By Pamela Redwine
County Coordinator
MSU Extension Agent III
Our bodies produce small amounts of choline, but not enough to prevent deficiency and promote health. Choline is crucial for the liver, muscle, and brain and it plays important roles in memory, mood, muscle control and preventing atherosclerosis.
Healthy men and women who are fed a choline-deficient diet develop fatty liver disease and increased levels of creatine phosphokinase that indicates muscle damage; when choline is added back to their diets, these situations resolve.
Choline is even more important during pregnancy, lactation, and early childhood because fetal and infant needs for choline are so high that maternal choline stores are easily depleted. Low choline intake during pregnancy increases the risk of both neural tube defects and cleft palate. In addition, optimal development and functioning of the placenta during pregnancy relies on adequate amounts of choline.
Impairments to the placenta can result in preeclampsia and poor fetal growth. Women who are pregnant need 450 mg of choline per day, and women who are breastfeeding need 550 mg of choline per day. A small randomized study showed that higher maternal choline intake during pregnancy resulted in positive effects on the children’s attention, memory and problem-solving skills into the school-age years. Only about 10 percent of Americans and 8 percent of pregnant women currently meet their gender-and life-stage-specific adequate intake for choline
Article Source: Communicating Food for Health Newsletter, May 2019
SAVE THE DATE
Join Mrs. Pat Rodrigue on May 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Extension Office for 4-H Art Workshops. She will be working with 4-Hers on art entries for several upcoming contest. This will be our last Art Workshop. If you plan to come please let us know at the Extension office so that Mrs. Pat will know how many to prepare for.
The Looped with Love Crochet MHV Club will meet on Thursday, May 2, at 10 a.m. If you have been wanting to learn a new hobby, this is a great place to start. This club is open to the public and meets twice a month. This will be the six-year anniversary of the club and they will have a potluck lunch. Please call Mrs. Karol Jarmon to sign up to bring something.
Sewing for Service will meet on Monday, May 6, from 10 a.m. until noon. at the Extension office. We have the equipment, we just need volunteers to help sew.
The Healthy You exercise class has launched a Beginners Zumba class! The class meets every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 a.m. at the Multi- Purpose Building in Coffeeville. The class is free, just make sure to wear cool, comfortable clothes, good walking shoes and bring water to drink.
The Create MHV Club will meet on Wednesday, May 15th at 10 a.m. at the Extension Office. Participants will be painting a church. The program leader is Jo Davis. All supplies will be provided for a cost of $4. Please call the Extension office by Monday, May 13, to reserve your spot.
