Science has proved that genetics only participates in 20-40% of children’s intelligence. Whether a child will be intelligent or not will depend very much on child’s diet, educational care environment, and learning efforts.
Note nutrition from pregnancy
As a mother if you want a smart children, then you should pay attention to the right nutritions from starting of your pregnancy, even from the intention to become pregnant. Mothers need adequate energy sources to gain weight during pregnancy, ensure adequate and balanced supply of essential nutrients (protein, fat, sugar powder, vitamins and minerals) and pay attention to strengthening those Essential nutrients for brain development of children (DHA, iron, zinc, iodine, vitamin B group etc.).
Protein (always found in meat, fish, egg, milk, shrimp, crab, eel, beans, mushrooms …) plays an important role in creating body tissue structure, is the source of Amino acids act as neurotransmitters and are also the source of enzymes and hormones for the body.
Fat (oil, butter …) is an another energy source, involved in building cell membrane structure, especially the nerve cells because fat accounts for 50% of brain structure. It is necessary for brain development, especially good fats are better such as omega 3, omega 6, phospholipid, cholin, DHA, ARA. These are found in fatty fish (mackerel, herring, salmon …), fish liver, fish oil, oil seeds (peanuts, walnuts, almonds …), egg yolks and avocados.
Sugar powder like (rice, brown rice, noodles, bread, vermicelli, noodles, potatoes, corn, oats …) are the main energy source, especially providing glucose is an important energy source for operation and development of the brain.
Vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B, especially vitamin B9 or folic acid (found in Rice, dark green vegetables, broccoli, beans, grains, orange …) helps to prevent heterosexuals or Neural tube defects in children.
Vitamin A and beta carotene (found in Eggs, Milk, Animal liver, red orange or yellow, vegetables …) need for the retina. Iodine (found in iodized salt or spices with iodine, seaweed, seafoods) is required for the synthesis of thyroid hormones, helping children to develop intelligence.
Iron (found in red meat, liver, blood, eggs, dark green vegetables …) helps to increase blood production for the brain. Zinc (found in chicken, oysters, oysters, seafood …) helps to provide ingredients to create metabolic enzymes and hormones to regulate body activity.
Vitamin C (orange, grapefruit, apple, strawberry …) helps to increase the absorption of minerals and participates in metabolism.
Monitor maternal weight gain
Science has proven to have a relationship between eating enough food and developing children’s intelligence. According to the study, the child’s nervous system begins to form right from conception and will develop rapidly from the 8th week of pregnancy. When born, the young brain is equal to 25% of the adult brain weight.
By 1 year old, the young brain reaches 70-75%, up to 2 years old it reaches upto 80% and up to 6 years almost it reaches 100% of the adult brain weight. Therefore, the period from pregnancy to the first 6 years of childs life is the golden stage of the child’s brain development. Proper diets or proper nutrition during this period is needed to provide enough energy and adequate nutrients.
To know if your body has received enough energy or not, you need to monitor your monthly or quarterly weight gain regularly. Need to increase 10-12 kg during pregnancy with reasonable weight gain: 1-2kg for Q1, 4-5kg for 2nd and 5-6kg for the third quarter.
If the mother is malnourished, she needs to gain more weight, or if she is obese, she needs to loose weight.
After birth, children need to continue to be well nourished, monitor their weight and length / height every month so that at the age of 1 year they must gain 3 times more compared to the birth weight. When 2 years old, 4 times more. After that, the child needs to continue to increase 2-3kg / year and 5-6cm / year higher until puberty.
In addition to the above intelligent nutrients, parents are also important agents to help for children develop and improve their cognitive and thinking abilities. Children learn from the outside world through their eyes, ears, and touch. so mothers should facilitate early contact, experience activities to stimulate the brain and help their senses develop.
Train your mind and emotions as soon as possible
Start with the habit of telling stories to children, singing to them and listening to music from the womb, especially in the last 3 months of pregnancy.
After giving birth, buy your child the appropriate toys according to the age with difficulty from low to high to train the ability of the child to observe and think. Sing a lullaby with poems, communicate, interact with children every day through emotional stories, interesting games to inspire their potential.
Give your baby the love to explore the world around
Love is the foundation of parent-child relationships. This love is natural, unconditional with unlimited space and time. Children need to be cared for, comforted and received this love anytime, anywhere.
Let your child explore the world with his rich imagination. Do not stop your child just because that he will ruin his belongings. Do not be afraid that he will get dirty and make him sit in one place.
Find ways to understand your baby, do not intimidate or get angry but shape your baby with love. Teach your child to learn, teach your child to learn to speak. Teach your children to love people and nature around them. Teach your child to self-serve, to know how to clean up depending on the age. Teach different skills through games, pictures, story telling, singing …
Interact with children, encouraging children to talk in all forms. Playing and talking with children is the best mental food for children’s brain development because it will stimulate the development of all their senses.
