More Evidence Healthy Food Helps Prevent Asthma in Kids
Specifically, Mediterranean-type meals, heavy on the produce and fish and low on saturated fats. Let’s face it. That’s the kind of diet most people should eat, anyway, asthma risk or no, but anytime I post information like this I feel compelled to mention the following, if only to make sure it’s on record somewhere on the Internet:
This research does NOT mean people should start assuming all kids and adults with asthma necessarily poor nutrition. Sure, some of them might eat junk food all day, just like plenty of non-asthmatics do, too. But asthma is complicated and involves a broad range of risk factors, some of which we probably still don’t even know. My kids, for example, eat healthier than most other children we know, yet my 11 year-old has asthma.
Related:
Obesity and Asthma Linked (Again)
This study adds to the growing pile of evidence that we can probably prevent at least some cases of asthma by maintaining healthy weights, but same no-pointing-fingers rule applies here as above.
Chronicles of EMS Reality Series
Check out Kerri’s write-up, and then watch the show itself if you get a chance.
Ground-Level Ozone Pollution in Denver
This Denver Post article explains the smog problem where I live, and most (all?) other major U.S. cities face it, too. As for my contribution to air pollution? I hate driving, and if I could use public transportation all the time, I would. Unfortunately, the light rail system here doesn’t yet extend to my part of the metro area.
And now for some inspiration (the encouraging kind, not the breathing kind) to take you into the weekend
BuzzFeed’s 9 videos of people hearing for the first time after cochlear implants (which generate some controversy in the deaf Deaf community). (ETA: To understand the “deaf” vs. “Deaf” change in the previous parentheses, please see MC’s comment below.) This first video shows “Nikki,” who actually grew up hearing but then started going deaf when she was 18 years-old:
Wow. That cochlear implant video is awesomeeee. I do understand the controversy around it, but there’s controversy surrounding SO many things that really should just come down to personal choice. Science like this is a huge blessing for the people who choose to embrace it and make that choice, and for those who don’t, that’s their choice too.
And thanks for the CoEMS link! I’m super pumped about it–have you had a chance to watch it yet, Amy?
I always wonder what other factors they may or may not have accounted for, such as parental smoking, overall lifestyle, etc., with some of these. Furthermore, the “obesity & asthma” one doesn’t give any info on what came first: did the obesity dx come first or the asthma dx, or were they concurrent? Really, they need to do better at finding causal links, such as maybe more genetic testing? I know that obesity, poor diet, little/no exercise could very well be a trigger for some, but if asthma is more about triggers than genetics, my AG would not have it…
Oh, wow…. you hit a nerve among the Deaf community. Being a sign language major in college, I’ve gotten to hear more about this controversy. My sign language teacher in HS was deaf, but grew up hearing, and got a CI 5 years ago. I’ve seen the difference it’s made for her, but she’s also told me that you’re still deaf with a CI. As soon as the batteries are dead, your deaf. But it helps her tremendously, and I’m all for that for her. Other Deaf are totally against it, and others are neutral. Some schools for the Deaf are very for oralism, and CI’s, and others are vehemently opposed to them. It’s each person’s decision. Have you seen the movie “Sweet Nothing In My Ear”?
One brief note: there’s a distinction frequently made between Deaf and deaf. With a capital “D”, it refers to those who are a part of the Deaf community and use sign language as their primary means of communication. “deaf” with a lowercase “d” refers to those who associate themselves with the hearing community and use spoken language as their primary means of communication.
I eat a lot healthier than most people I know, and somehow I got asthma. I also eat more fish than most people I know (most of them hate fish but I love it… just not milkfish. The bones are too hard to get out)… mostly due to my food allergies and my mom hates super processed foods. I guess there are advantages to food allergies depending on how you look at it.
Kerri–Not yet. The girls finished up their last week of school Wednesday and managed to bring home a colds again, and we all got sick. I’m behind on everything. This year is the worst for illness we’ve had in a long time, and I’m convinced our bodies are adjusting to a new part of the country, new germs, etc.
Kelley–Good points, especially on the obesity link. I mean, if you can’t exercise without breathing problems, I’d imagine it’s a lot easier to put on weight.
MC–Thank you! I had no idea re: “deaf” vs. “Deaf” – so is this the correct usage, or should I capitalize it above?
Amy-from what I can tell in the sentence in question above, it seems like you’re referring to the culturally Deaf community who rely on ASL and don’t want to become hearing. So, I would say yes, it should be capitalized.
I very much agree with MC about the upside to a food allergy(ies). Since I have to read the ingredients in EVERYTHING that my allergic kid eats, I have discovered that there are many foods that are safe allergen-wise, but having discovered what is actually IN the item I don’t even want to eat it! Plus, I won’t eat something in front of him that he couldn’t eat, so that saves me from a bunch of extra calories that I didn’t need anyway.
MC–Thanks again. That’s what I was thinking, but I wanted to get your thoughts before I changed it.
Lesley–For me, it’s the upside to asthma. Although my daughter doesn’t have food allergies, I was desperate to eliminate as many potential triggers as possible and help boost her health any way I could, so I started reading labels more, cooking with whole foods, and adopting an overall healthier eating plan for the whole family. I won’t say I’m glad she has asthma, but I am glad her asthma opened my eyes to some important changes for all of us to make!
Woohoo for Mediteranian diets! Maybe that’s why we have less people with asthma here?