The risk of developing autism-spectrum disorders is determined by the mother's microbiome - the collection of microorganisms that naturally live inside us - during pregnancy, new research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine suggests. The work raises the possibility that preventing forms of autism could be as simple as an expectant mom modifying her diet or taking custom probiotics.
New studies suggest there are foods and nutrients that a nursing mother can eat to help build immune tolerance to help reduce the chance that the baby will develop an allergy.
Anyone lost in a desert hallucinating mirages knows that extreme dehydration discombobulates the mind. But just two hours of vigorous yard work in the summer sun without drinking fluids could be enough to blunt concentration, according to a new study.
A new, highly accurate MRI technique can monitor iron levels in the brains of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients and help identify those at a higher risk for developing physical disability, according to a study published in the journal Radiology.
These authors inspected the peer-reviewed literature looking at vitamin D levels in relation to the archetypal 'diet can affect health' autoimmune condition coeliac disease.
An experimental carbohydrate diet that restricted processed foods and most sugars has relieved symptoms in eight out of 10 children with inflammatory bowel disease – offering new hope for sufferers of the debilitating condition.
A new study has shown that people who regularly eat oranges are less likely to develop macular degeneration than people who do not eat oranges. Researchers interviewed more than 2,000 Australian adults aged over 50 and followed them over a 15-year period.
Enjoying full-fat milk, yogurt, cheese and butter is unlikely to send people to an early grave, according to new research.
Last week, the Toronto Star published the result of an investigation into organic milk, which included laboratory analysis, and found that “the product is no different than cheaper regular milk.” It was an attention-grabbing headline, and it was also completely wrong.
A recent review of studies on interventions with probiotics, prebiotics and omega-3s shows that there is promising data backing these ingredients’ effects on ameliorating anxiety, stress and depression. But much more research is needed to identify pathways, biomarkers and modes of action.
Scientists have gained a glimpse of how marks on our genes that could be linked to adverse health outcomes in later life behave differently in the first few days after conception, according to new research.
The case for a prebiotic approach as an alternative nutritional treatment against obesity has strengthened with the publication of a review that points to the food ingredient’s beneficial effects on metabolism.
Diets with better asthma outcomes are characterised by being healthier, with greater consumption of fruits, vegetables and whole grain cereals. Unhealthy diets, with high consumption of meat, salt and sugar, have the poorest outcomes.
Using answers from more than 7000 parents who took part in the Children of the 90s longitudinal study about their personality, mood and attitude during pregnancy; similar answers from their children at age of eight and the child's fat mass measurement up to the age of 17, researchers have assessed that a mother's psychological background during pregnancy is a factor associated with teenage weight gain.
Parents' genetic contributions to their offspring influence a child's propensity to obesity. But the steep run-up in child obesity seen in the span of fewer than two generations can't possibly be explained by genes alone. The rate has more than tripled since the 1970s.
People with multiple sclerosis (MS) can find an abundance of conflicting advice suggesting that special diets will ease their symptoms. But the evidence is scanty. A new trial evaluates whether drastically cutting calories twice a week can change the body's immune environment and the gut microbiome, and potentially change the course of the disease.
Nutritional compounds naturally present in green tea and red wine may obstruct the creation of toxic metabolites that contribute to the neurodegeneration seen in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.
UK children consume energy drinks at a higher rate than kids in any other country in Europe - with a fifth of three-10-year-olds having them regularly. Is this a health risk, or no worse than coffee?
A mother’s example could be instrumental in a child maintaining a healthy weight, suggests new research published in The BMJ. In a study of nearly 25,000 children, those whose mothers adhered to five healthy lifestyle factors carried a 75 percent lower risk of obesity than children whose mothers had none of those habits. The factors included a body mass index (BMI) below 25, a high-quality diet, regular exercise, no smoking and low alcohol consumption.
Low vitamin D levels can have serious repercussions for the bone health of both mother and child. Vitamin D is necessary for calcium to be taken up by the intestine. In pregnancy, this vitamin is crucial to ensure sufficient calcium to build the child's bone mass and maintain that of the mother.