Pregnancy and Baby Tips

Growing Baby

“You are what you eat”, “Your body is a temple”, we have all heard the terms. Now however, research has shown that a pregnant woman’s diet plays an even bigger role in the health of her unborn child than previously thought. Researchers have shown that pregnant women who stuck to a traditional Mediterranean diet while expecting dramatically reduced their child’s risks for both childhood asthma and allergies.

Now, considering that over 300 million people globally are afflicted with asthma, a natural remedy for asthma in the form of a pre-natal eating plan will be great news for those who have a family history of asthma or allergies.

The Mediterranean Diet Pregnancy Study.

This 6 1/2 year study was run by researchers from the University of Crete. The study started in 1997 and involved 507 pregnant women from the Spanish island of Menorca. 468 of these children were followed until they turned 6 1/2. (Some children did not finish the study.) The mothers completed questionnaires concerning their diet while pregnant, and points were allocated for following aspects of the Mediterranean diet.

Various aspects of the mother’s eating patterns were examined including both quality and quantity of Mediterranean foods, along with the inclusion of Western style foods, sweets, and fats.

Once born, the children were examined yearly for both clinical symptoms of asthma, and airborne allergens.

The Mediterranean Diet Study Found:

• the expectant mothers who followed a quality Mediterranean food plan had infants with reduced incidences of allergies and childhood asthma.

• the children of the mothers who ate red meat more than 3 or 4 times a week had higher risks for both allergies and asthma.

• the expectant mothers who ate vegetables more than 8 times per week reduced their children’s risks for allergies.

• the diet of the pregnant mothers had a much more critical impact on the prevention of asthma and allergies for the children than the diets of the children themselves.

The Mediterranean Diet for Pregnancy was Determined by the Researchers as:

• fish at least 3 times a week.

• vegetables at least 8 times a week.

• legumes at a minimum of once a week.

• generous amounts of grains, nuts, and olive oil.

What is the Mediterranean Diet?

The Mediterranean Diet encompasses both a way of eating and a lifestyle embraced by many regions surrounding the Mediterranean Ocean. While these many regions consume Mediterranean cuisine that can vary considerably, due to locally available produce, the basic philosophy behind the Mediterranean Diet remains the same.

The Mediterranean Diet is rich in fresh fruits and vegetables, along with olive oil, seeds, nuts, legumes, and unprocessed cereals. Chicken and fish (particularly oily fish such as salmon, herring, and mackerels) are eaten regularly, while red meat is eaten only infrequently. Dairy products such as yogurts, eggs, and feta cheese are eaten in moderate amounts.

In a traditional Mediterranean diet, red wine is allowed. However, as all pregnant women know, alcohol should not be consumed while expecting, unless with the explicit permission of your doctor or health care provider.

The Mediterranean Diet is high in fiber, naturally occurring antioxidants, and complex carbohydrates. The diet is also high in heart healthy monounsaturated fats, derived from the fish, nuts, and olive oil, but very low in the unhealthy saturated fats generally consumed in a Western diet, such as butter.

The researchers felt that the omegas found in the monounsaturated fats and the oily fish supplied the unborn baby with anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, the high amounts of naturally occurring antioxidants contained in the Mediterranean foods was a vital factor in providing the natural remedy for asthma. Antioxidants are also responsible for maintaining tissues in good health.

Other Health Benefits of Mediterranean Diet.

Apart from providing protection for the unborn child from childhood asthma and allergies, the Mediterranean diet has many other proven health benefits. Some of these are:

1. reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes type 2
2. reduces the risk of some forms of cancer.
3. has been proven to help reduce body fat and body weight, with the consumption of virgin olive oil. Additionally, it has been proven that those following the Mediterranean Diet have less problems sticking to their weight loss program, and suffer less from rebound weight gain.
4. lowers the risk of osteoporosis for women.

Conclusion.

Expectant women have even more incentive to carefully monitor their pregnancy diet with this proven link between the Mediterranean diet, asthma, and kids. Following a high quality Mediterranean Diet has the potential to significantly reduce a child’s risk for both childhood asthma and allergies. If you’re interested to learn more you can see more articles, videos and download the Mediterranean diet guide here.