Fish oil supplementation in pregnancy and food allergy

Fish oil supplementation in pregnancy and lactation may decrease the risk of infant allergy

The reported increase in the incidence of allergic diseases over the last decade has prompted a number of research studies aimed at identifying treatments and potential strategies of prevention. Now, a new study published in Acta Pediatrica by researchers from the Linkoping University (Sweden), suggests that Maternal intake of omega-3 (through fish iol supplementation) may decrease the risk of food allergy and eczemas during the first year of life in infants with a family history of allergic disease.

To conduct the study, the swedish researchers recruited one hundred and forty-five pregnant women, affected by allergy themselves or having a husband or previous child with allergies. Half of the women received the supplementation (omega-3 fatty acid, corresponds to a meal of approximately 100 g salmon daily) during pregancy (25th week of gestation onwards) and lactation (first 3-4 months of breastfeeding), whereas the other half received placebo (a daily capsule  for the same period.

Their results showed that the risk of developing food allergy in the first year of life was reduced 10 times in the children whose mother received the supplements. The prevalence of eczemas was also lower for the children whose mothers received the supplements. These results highlight the importance of an appropriate nutrient intake of omega-3 during pregnancy, but please not that you should never take any dietary supplements and undergo dietary changes – especially during pregnancy and lactation – without consulting a health professional.

For more information: Furuhjelm C, Warstedt K, Larsson J, Fredriksson M, Böttcher MF, Fälth-Magnusson K, Duchén K . 2009. Fish oil supplementation in pregnancy and lactation may decrease the risk of infant allergy. Acta Paediatr.

Complete adherece to gluten-free diet still low

The proportion of celiacs following a strict gluten-free diet is still low, a new study reports Read more

GFCF Cranberry Oatmeal Bars

This is a grea recipe from Jennifer, from the Gluten-free Expo Blog (and the Founder of the Gluten-free Cooking Expo), who kindly gave us the permission to publish it here. The recipe is a gluten-free, casein-free modified version of a recipe from Cooking Light Magazine (November 2008 edition).

They make a very yummy treat. As a special tip, Jennifer says that, after cooled, she cuts them up into squares and individually freezes them.  When frozen, they don’t crumble.

 

 

 

Ingredients

Crust
1 cup GF flour blend (Bob’s or Better Batter Flour work well)
1 cup GF oats (Gifts of Nature work well)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoons margarine, melted
3 tablespoons orange juice

Filling
1 1/2 cups dried cranberries
3/4 cup soy sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons gluten free flour blend
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon grated orange rind
1 large egg white, beaten 

 Preparation

Preheat the oven to 325. Combine the flour and next five ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix in the butter and juice and stir until moistened slightly. Reserve 1/2 cup of the oat mixture for the toppiing. Press the remaining mixture into a 11×7 baking pan, coated with cooking spray.

Combine the cranberries, sour cream, sugar and remaining ingredients in a bowl. Stir well. Spread the cranberry mixture over the crust. Sprinkle the remaining oat mixture over the cranberries. Bake at 325 for 40 minutes or until the edges are golden. Cool completely in pan.

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr, Jan Gautro, Leigh Ann Ross

A new social network for Celiacs

GlutenFreeFaces.com: A new social network for Celiacs and individuals living gluten-free

A new social network – GlutenFreeFaces.com - dedicated exclusively for Celiacs and the gluten-free lifestyle has just been launched. It is similar to Facebook, with the important difference that everything on the network is gluten-free! There you can share recipes, stories, information, search gluten-free blogs, create your own groups, upload photos and videos, join discussion groups, connect with Celiacs in your area and even chat live with other gluten-free individuals from around the globe. The social network was launched less than a month ago and is growing really quickly. Chad Hines, the founder of GlutenFreeFaces.com, explains, “after living with Celiac for almost 20 years, and visiting a seemingly infinite number of doctors, I understand the frustration and confusion that happens upon being diagnosed with Celiac. Therefore, I wanted to create an online community where gluten-free individuals from around the world could gather to share information, stories and recipes with one another.”

If you would like to find out a little more information about this great online community before you become a member (it’s free to join), there is a quick 1:23 minute video on the home page.

Research status of the GFCF diet in the treatment of autism

The current research status of the gluten-free, casein-free diet in the treatment of autism Read more

Gluten-free Cooking Expo

If you are a celiac, a parent of an autistic child, or living the gluten-free lifestyle for other reasons, don’t miss the 2009 Gluten Free Cooking Expo!

Read more

Gluten-free diet may help complications of type I diabetes

Children with type 1 diabetes are at a higher risk of developing celiac disease, with approximately 4-8% of diabetic children being also diagnosed as celiacs. Celiac disease requires a completely gluten-free diet, so modern management practices include elimination of gluten from the diet in diabetic children.
A recent study by Dr. Malalasekera and collaborators (from the Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia) has shown that, while this is effective in reducing the symptoms and long-term complications of celiac disease, a gluten-free diet can also have a positive impact on diabetic complications.

Hyperglycemia is still considered the main cause of major diabetes complications. When excess glucose settles into the cells it forms sugar-derived substances called AGEs (advanced glycation end products), which can play a role in diabetic kidney disease. The formation of AGEs is accelerated in diabetes due to the higher availability of glucose, but AGEs also seem to be acquired from the diet.

Dr. Malalasekera and his collaborators then hypothesized that – since the gluten-free diet is low in high-temperature processed foods and in flour-based items (which are high in AGEs) – a gluten-free diet could lead to lower levels of AGEs in children with celiac disease and reduced kidney damage compared with matched diabetic patients without celiac disease.

Their analysis – which included 21 children with type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, and 38 individuals with diabetes alone – indeed showed that those diabetic children who also had celiac disease indeed had significantly lower blood levels of circulating AGEs, independently of metabolic control, diabetes management and other potentially confounding variables.

Replication of these findings, as well as their confirmation involving non-celiac diabetic patients following a gluten-free diet is required to determine whether the diet could be beneficial to non-celiac diabetics. Still, the results of this new study suggest that adherence to a gluten-free diet may provide additional benefits for diabetic children with celiac disease.

More information:  Malalasekera V, Cameron F, Grixti E, Thomas MC. 2009. Potential reno-protective effects of a gluten-free diet in type 1 diabetes. Diabetologia. 52(5):798-800.