A New Craving: Taking Two Supplements During Pregnancy May Reduce Allergies In Future Generations
May 23, 2018
If you suffer from allergies, you know how aggravating and even debilitating they can be. Moreover, certain allergies pose very serious health risks. There are seasonal allergies to things like pollen, reactions to chemicals, produced materials like latex, and allergies to animals or food. Allergic reactions to nuts can be deadly for some and has forced many schools to become “nut-free” zones.
The list is enormous and can also include dust, smoke, and even down comforters and pillows. Allergy sufferers know all too well the symptoms that come with specific allergies. Reducing these allergies, and eventually eliminating them, if possible, would be quite amazing.
The Two Supplements To Crave
Taking care of your own health is essential. When you are pregnant, this becomes even more important, as you are taking care of at least one other person aside from yourself. Expecting parents tend to read a lot and do a good deal of research into the best ways to stay healthy during pregnancy. Especially for their first child. Exercise, eating right, and getting enough sleep are always at the top of the list, though this is not always easy to do.
We do have control over what we put into our bodies for the most part, and during pregnancy, this is at the forefront of our thoughts. Yes, we may crave ice cream and pickles, or bacon dipped in chocolate; but satisfying a health craving with two specific supplements may be a better way to go. The benefits of fish oil and probiotics have been well documented. What if taking these two supplements during pregnancy could reduce allergies in future generations? New research indicates that this is a very real possibility!
Robert Boyle and his team from the Imperial College London are excited with their findings. “Our research suggests probiotic, and fish oil supplements may reduce a child’s risk of developing an allergic condition, and these findings need to be considered when guidelines for pregnant women are updated.” They found that “a daily fish oil capsule taken after the twentieth week of pregnancy and for the first three to four months of breastfeeding cut the chances of a child developing an egg allergy by 30 percent. Eczema risk was 22 percent lower in children whose mothers took a probiotic supplement between 36 and 38 weeks of pregnancy.”
Immunity And Allergies
High bacterial diversity (Gut diversity) in the digestive system is a significant health factor. What happens in the gut microbiota affects digestion, immunity and overall health. Therefore, it is a concern that we are encountering a less diverse range of microbes. This is one theory that explains the rising number of allergies in Western countries.
In general, the typical American diet depletes the microbial ecosystems in the gut and causes an irreversible loss of diversity within those ecosystems. This was part of the findings of a Stanford University School of Medicine study that suggested low-fiber diets can result in health problems that can be passed along to future generations. This becomes more of a concern while pregnant.
According to the American Academy Of Pediatrics, a 2011 study found that 8% of children under 18 had a food allergy. That equals about 5.9 million children. Past studies have shown that the Omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may “calm down over-active immune systems” and reduce allergy risk. Boyle’s study shows that probiotics may also reduce the risk of those children developing an allergy.
Two supplements… one potentially amazing result. So crave away! Here’s to fish oil, pickles, and probiotics!
The post A New Craving: Taking Two Supplements During Pregnancy May Reduce Allergies In Future Generations appeared first on Natren Probiotics Blog.
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