The Link Between Diet And Allergies Discovered
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brad
By brad
Published on 05/16/2007
The Mediterranean diet, high in fruits and vegetables, healthy oils, and low in saturated fat has long been touted as the heart healthy, long life diet Now, new research from Britain concludes that the diet also helps to lower rates of allergy symptoms in children
The Link Between Diet And Allergies Discovered
The Mediterranean diet, high in fruits and vegetables, healthy oils, and low in saturated fat has long been touted as the heart healthy, long life diet. Now, new research from Britain concludes that the diet also helps to lower rates of allergy symptoms in children.
The study, conducted at Britain's Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute enrolled nearly 700 children between the ages of 7 and 18 years of age. The children were all from the Mediterranean island Crete.
Each child answered a comprehensive questionnaire concerning dietary intake, with specific regards to those foods common to the Mediterranean diet. Then each child was interviewed about occurrence of wheezing, asthma, skin rashes (eczema), and runny noses.
They found that specific foods in the Mediterranean diet, such as nuts and fruits and vegetables, caused a significant decrease in respiratory allergy symptoms.
The results were published in the journal Thorax this month.
Children who consumed at least 2 servings of fruits and/or vegetables per day had decreased risk of wheeze and runny nose or rhinorrhea. More than 80 percent of those enrolled in the study ate 2 servings of fruits and more than 68 percent ate 2 servings of vegetables per day.
The authors believe that the high content of bioflavonoids in fruits and vegetables may be the reason for lower allergy symptoms. Bioflavonoids are potent antioxidants but also help to stabilize the cells that release histamine, thereby functioning as natural anti-histamine.
Children who ate higher amounts of nuts daily had decreased incidence of wheeze. The authors believe this may be due to the high omega 3 and 6 fatty acids present in nuts which help to lower the production of inflammatory mediators involved in the development of wheeze and asthma.
The Mediterranean diet or any of its components did not have any effect on the incidence of allergic skin rashes or eczema.
The researchers also noted that high dietary intake of margarine was associated with increased incidence of both respiratory and skin allergy symptoms.
The study, conducted at Britain's Royal Brompton Hospital and National Heart and Lung Institute enrolled nearly 700 children between the ages of 7 and 18 years of age. The children were all from the Mediterranean island Crete.
Each child answered a comprehensive questionnaire concerning dietary intake, with specific regards to those foods common to the Mediterranean diet. Then each child was interviewed about occurrence of wheezing, asthma, skin rashes (eczema), and runny noses.
They found that specific foods in the Mediterranean diet, such as nuts and fruits and vegetables, caused a significant decrease in respiratory allergy symptoms.
The results were published in the journal Thorax this month.
Children who consumed at least 2 servings of fruits and/or vegetables per day had decreased risk of wheeze and runny nose or rhinorrhea. More than 80 percent of those enrolled in the study ate 2 servings of fruits and more than 68 percent ate 2 servings of vegetables per day.
The authors believe that the high content of bioflavonoids in fruits and vegetables may be the reason for lower allergy symptoms. Bioflavonoids are potent antioxidants but also help to stabilize the cells that release histamine, thereby functioning as natural anti-histamine.
Children who ate higher amounts of nuts daily had decreased incidence of wheeze. The authors believe this may be due to the high omega 3 and 6 fatty acids present in nuts which help to lower the production of inflammatory mediators involved in the development of wheeze and asthma.
The Mediterranean diet or any of its components did not have any effect on the incidence of allergic skin rashes or eczema.
The researchers also noted that high dietary intake of margarine was associated with increased incidence of both respiratory and skin allergy symptoms.