A lovely review on asthma and allergies was recently published in Nature. Reviews are some of my favorite reads because they pull together research, talking about what matters and what needs more work.
Scientists begin by pointing out that allergic disease — like asthma, hay fever, and eczema — is on the rise. And a “western lifestyle” is the major force driving this increase. But what does a “western lifestyle” mean? Besides, the overuse of antibiotics, it can mean:
- Pollution
- Exposure to tobacco smoke
- Sedentary lifestyle
- Limited or zero breastfeeding
The review also suggests something we don’t hear enough, which is this: Exposure to allergens — in utero, through breast milk, and later when weaning—may actually protect against the development of allergies. The 1st and 2nd trimesters are particularly important. For example, while pregnant:
- Eating peanuts is associated with a lower risk of peanut allergy.
- Drinking milk is associated with a lower risk of asthma and hay fever.
- Eating wheat during the second trimester is linked to a lower risk of eczema.
Indeed, researchers say that avoiding allergens while pregnant or breastfeeding is “ineffective and unnecessary” in stopping the development of allergies. And when your baby is weaning, actually enriching his diet with common allergens during that first year can also lower his risk of developing asthma, hay fever, food allergies, and eczema.
Other things that may protect against the development of allergies include:
- A fish oil supplement while pregnant, breastfeeding, and later when weaning. I like this one.
- Vitamin A, which is best when sourced from whole foods like liver and cod liver oil.
- And — woot, woot — raw cow milk when weaning.
Environment Matters
Expect to see exciting things out of Canada. Scientists around the globe, although principally in Canada, just launched the CHILD study — CHILD, as in Canadian Healthy Infant Longitudinal Development. This study is large — over 3500 babies and their caregivers are involved. Researchers explain that,
Although family history of allergy or asthma is a risk factor, many children with asthma do not have a positive family history, suggesting that environmental influences are critical, acting either independently or by epigenetic mechanisms.
So. Environmental influences, such as:
- Indoor and outdoor air pollution
- Microbes
- Viral infection
- Prenatal nutrition
- Infant feeding (breast or bottle)
- Emotional stress
The CHILD study is specifically interested in the relationship between environment and genetics during pregnancy and early childhood.
Formula Use Within The First 24 Hours
One of the most common problems I hear about from breastfeeding mothers is low milk supply within the first few days of after birth. Low milk supply and babies loosing a small percentage of their birth weight.
While using formula during this time may be reassuring (and in some cases, unavoidable), researchers in Ireland point out that giving your baby formula within the first 24 hours is rarely necessary. And it’s strongly linked to an increase risk in cow milk allergy.
The Baby Microbiome And Food Allergies
The baby microbiome. I talk about it more than once in the Baby Wellness Essentials course because it is that important. And for babies, there are a few common practices that damage their microbiome:
- Limited or no breastfeeding
- Cesearean section
- Antibiotic use
As it turns out, milk or egg allergy is twice as likely to occur in babies born via C-section.
Researchers at the University of Alberta have found that a microbial wasteland — low diversity and less “good bacteria” — within the first few months of life is associated with the later development of eczema and food allergies. It looks like it’s early infancy that has the greatest impact on the baby microbiome.
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