Conscious Choice: Body Talk

August 2007 | Healthy Living

Body Talk

By Liz Barker

Fruit for the womb

Moms-to-be might want to load up on those shiny red apples and fatty fish. In a new study from the UK’s University of Aberdeen, researchers found that children whose mothers ate the most apples and dined on fish at least once a week while pregnant were less likely to develop asthma or eczema.

During pregnancy, mothers of the study’s 1,212 participants filled out food questionnaires. After turning five, the kids were given lung function and allergy tests, while their moms filled out questionnaires about the children’s respiratory symptoms and allergies. Although the researchers found no link between reduced asthma and eczema risk and intake of citrus fruit, veggies, and whole grains, study results suggested that apples may guard against asthma and fish may help prevent eczema. Fish’s health benefits are likely due to their high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, while apples’ protective effects may come from their antioxidant content, notes lead study author Saskia Willers.

A feast for the eyes

The leading cause of blindness among older adults in the U.S., age-related macular degeneration affects millions of Americans over 40. There’s no cure for the disease, but two new studies from the Archives of Ophthalmology suggest that choosing the right foods may protect your peepers.

The first study looked at data on 7,752 people, finding that those who consumed the most vitamin D had a 40 percent lower risk of early AMD than those who had the lowest vitamin D intake. The study’s authors speculate that vitamin D—available in fortified foods, eggs, and fish and produced by the body during sun exposure—may prevent early AMD by curbing inflammation or by inhibiting the growth of new blood vessels in the retina.

In the second study, researchers assessed 4,519 adults ages 60 to 80 and discovered that those who ate more than two four-ounce servings of fish weekly had the lowest risk for advanced AMD. Rich in inflammation-taming omega-3 fatty acids, fish may promote proper blood vessel function, the study’s authors note.

Tame inflammation, halt Alzheimer’s

Inflammation may up your chances of developing Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study from the journal Neurology. Researchers tested 691 older adults for their blood levels of cytokines (protein messengers that trigger inflammation), determining that those with the highest amount of cytokines in their blood were more than twice as likely to develop Alzheimer’s as those with the lowest amount.

The body’s natural response to injury or infection, inflammation may increase your risk for heart disease and cancer when it occurs chronically. Previous studies suggest that getting regular moderate exercise, cutting back on pro-inflammatory foods (including refined carbs, red meat, and sugary drinks), and increasing your intake of anti-inflammatory eats (such as berries, veggies, walnuts, and beans) can help lower inflammation.

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