There are a plethora of studies showing the benefits of probiotics during second and third trimesters of pregnancy. One of the supplements I always recommend during pregnancy are probiotics. Research has shown they are particularly important in the latter stages of pregnancy. Read the rest of this entry
I get frustrated and sad when I hear a friends kid is on antibiotics, especially if they are under 2 years of age. There is little doubt that antibiotics cause stress to the gut mucosa lining. There is also clear indication that antibiotics may not be useful for the common infant/toddler ear and sinus infections. The good news is that many pediatricians are cautious to only use antibiotics as a last resort. There are other options such as dietary changes (often sugar or cow’s dairy can be a culprit), increasing vitamin D levels and using essential oils. Chinese Medicine has a 2000+ year history of treating common infant/toddler issues that existed a millennium ago as they exist today. There are many alternatives before one subjects their child to antibiotics. Read the rest of this entry
For many years I’ve strongly recommended to my perinatal patients that they take a high dose DHA fish oil supplement. DHA is docosahexaenoic acid found in fatty fish which is one of the beneficial longer chain fatty acids we get from fish – the other being EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid). I’m not sure where I first learned of the benefits of DHA for the brain and using it during pregnancy, but it makes sense given the plethora of research on its neurological benefits.
I had my wife take a high DHA fish oil throughout pregnancy and 2 years of breast feeding. The proof is in the pudding as our child will be attending Harvard next fall. He is only 2 years old.
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For a few years now I’ve always taken Vitamin D during the winter and felt it helped reduce the incidence and severity of colds I would get. Now a study just published shows that giving vitamin D to school children reduced the incidence of influenza. We should all be having our Vitamin D levels checked, especially if we are one to get a lot of colds each year. Taking 1000-2000IU/day through the winter may be your best bet if you cannot get your blood tested. There is almost no risk of developing any toxicity at 2000IU/day, unless you already had high levels of D in your blood.
There are several studies showing that maternal diet plays an important role in the health of offspring:
An interesting study was just published to determine if a particular strain of probiotic supplementation can reduce the incidence of eczema in infants that are born into a family history of allergies and eczema. There were 68 infant/mother pairs separated into a study group receiving the probiotic and a control group receiving a placebo. Read the rest of this entry
Maternal intake of omega-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) during pregnancy has decreased, possibly contributing to a current increased risk of childhood allergy. Aim: To describe the effects of maternal omega-3 long-chain PUFA supplementation during pregnancy and lactation on the incidence of allergic disease in infancy. Methods: One hundred and forty-five pregnant women, affected by allergy themselves or having a husband or previous child with allergies, were included in a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Daily maternal supplementation with either 1.6 g eicosapentaenoic acid and 1.1 g docosahexaenoic acid or placebo was given from the 25(th) gestational week to average 3-4 months of breastfeeding. Skin prick tests, detection of circulating specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies and clinical examinations of the infants were performed. Results: The period prevalence of food allergy was lower in the omega-3 group (1/52, 2%) compared to the placebo group (10/65, 15%, p < 0.05) as well as the incidence of IgE-associated eczema (omega-3 group: 4/52, 8%; placebo group: 15/63, 24%, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Maternal omega-3 fatty acid supplementation may decrease the risk of food allergy and IgE-associated eczema during the first year of life in infants with a family history of allergic disease.
In a placebo-controlled study of 180 healthy Thai schoolchildren, results indicate that supplementation with fish oil may reduce the frequency and duration of illness, particularly those involving the upper respiratory tract. The children received fish oil (200 mg EPA and 1 g DHA per day) or placebo, five days per week for a period of 6 months. At intervention end, children in the fish oil-supplemented group showed fewer episodes and shorter duration of illness (mainly upper respiratory tract) than the placebo group. Additionally, plasma transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 concentrations were lower in the fish oil group, compared with the placebo group. Thus, the authors of this study conclude, “Very long-chain omega-3 PUFAs reduce illness, mainly infections, in healthy Thai schoolchildren.”
“Fish Oil N-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Selectively Affect Plasma Cytokines and Decrease Illness in Thai Schoolchildren: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Intervention Trial,” Thienprasert A, Calder PC, et al, J Pediatr, 2008 Oct;
Source: http://www.vitasearch.com/get-clp-summary/37818
In a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial involving 1,062 children under the age of 5 years, supplementation with Lactobacillus casei rhamnosus (200 million colony forming units/d) was found to control bacterial, viral (18% reduction), and respiratory infections (17% reduction), a probiotic containing multiple species (12 bacterial strains, including 7 species of Lactobacillus, 3 types of bifidobacteria, 1 type of Streptococcus, 1 type of Enterococcus) significantly reduced gastrointestinal disease (42% decrease in short-term and 44% decrease in long-term), and long-term consumption of L.rhamnosus T cell-1 (10 billion cfu) decreased the incidence of bacterial infection.
Source: Vitasearch.com
Many studies have shown that breastfeeding appears to reduce the chance of children developing asthma. But a newly published study led by a University of Alberta professor has found that eating fast food more than once or twice a week negated the beneficial effects that breastfeeding has in protecting children from the respiratory disease.
The article appears online in the international journal Clinical and Experimental Allergy based in London, England. A number of different findings led the researchers to their conclusion – showing links between fast food and asthma, breastfeeding and asthma, and all three together. Read the rest of this entry
In a mother-infant cohort study involving mothers and 787 infants, results indicate a beneficial effect of maternal vegetable consumption during pregnancy on fetal growth. Fruit and vegetable consumption during pregnancy was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Women who ate the fewest vegetables were significantly more likely to have infants who are small for gestational age (SGA). Women who ate the most vegetables had significantly more babies who were at least normal weight. Read the rest of this entry
