If your world is all concrete and steel, could be more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, as well as other health problems. Dutch researchers studied more than 300,000 Dutch adults and children, and discovered that those living close to more green spaces had slightly lower rates of different health conditions like asthma, heart disease, migraine, diabetes, and chronic neck and back pain.

The strongest health association was between lack of green spaces and people suffering from depression and anxiety. Researchers found that people living in areas with less green space were more likely to suffer from depression, suggesting that green space is very important in urban life. The research findings have been published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

If you live in a big city, how often do you seek out green spaces?

(Image via stock.xchng)

Post from: Blisstree

Green Spaces May Improve Health

“People with severe asthma often take high doses of glucocorticoids that can suppress their immune system, placing them at greater risk for infection and possibly serious disease caused by 2009 H1N1 influenza virus,” says NIAID Director Anthony S. Fauci, M.D. “We need to determine the optimal dose of 2009 H1N1 influenza vaccine that can be safely administered to this at-risk population and whether one or two doses are needed to produce an immune response that is predictive of protection.”

It’s thought that people who have asthma and have to take steroids to keep the disease under control may be at higher risk of developing the H1N1 influenza and for developing complications. Earlier findings showed that those with asthma had a four times higher risk than those without asthma. Therefore, a vaccine for those with asthma is important.

The researchers are looking to test the vaccine on 350 people with asthma, whether it is mild, moderate or severe. They will be given one of two different doses and three weeks later, a repeat dose. A blood test done will let researchers know how effective the vaccine is.

The trial will be conducted at the following locations:

• Cleveland Clinic, Ohio
• Emory University, Atlanta
• University of Pittsburgh Asthma Institute
• University of Virginia, Charlottesville
• University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, N.C.
• Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis

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Image: Newscom.com

Post from: Blisstree

H1N1 Vaccine Trial for Asthmatics

Some places around the world and here in North America are worse than others for people with asthma. Smog and pollution is a number one enemy to an asthmatic. But where is it worse in the United States?

The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America compiles an annual list of the top 10 worst cities for asthma, called Allergy Capitals. For 2009, they are:

1.   St. Louis, MO
2.   Milwaukee, WI
3.   Birmingham, AL
4.   Chattanooga, TN
5.   Charlotte, NC
6.   Memphis, TN
7.   Knoxville, TN
8.   McAllen, TX
9.   Atlanta, GA
10. Little Rock, AR

There are some changes from 2008, when St. Louis was at number nine. This year, it’s leading the pack. According to the Asthma Capital site,

Up from number nine in 2008, St. Louis has been ranked as the No. 1 Asthma Capital due to a number of factors including a higher than average pollen score, continued poor air quality, a lack of “100% smoke-free” laws and others.

Is your city here?

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Image: StockXchng.com

Post from: Blisstree

10 Worst U.S. Cities for Asthma

As a pet lover, I know how important our animal friends are, but how safe is this for people with respiratory problems and/or severe allergies to the animals?

Air Canada has said that there would be a limit to the number of animals allowed on each flight, the number depending on the size of the plane, and that the animals would all be in the same section. But for someone with a bad allergy to animals, that still could result in a horrible situation – particularly for long-haul flights.

Traveling by air is very different than any other way – the air in the airplane cabins is not fresh; it’s recycled. This is why many airlines took away the right to have animals in cabins – it was affecting too many customers. So, why did they change their policy now?

Of course, they don’t want to lose clients. But, if someone with allergies checks in and finds out there’s an animal on board (that is *if* they find out ahead of time), what can he or she do? Technically, say Air Canada officials, people who are allergic to animals can request and be granted a later flight. BUT – the flight may be too late to make arranged connections, it could be the next day, it could be full and, most importantly, that flight may have animals on board as well.

The Canadian Lung Association is not happy about this new policy. They issued this statement earlier today:

“We are very disappointed by the decision of both Air Canada and WestJet to allow passengers to bring their pets in airplane cabins. This decision, while understandable in its desire to enhance customer service, unnecessarily puts at risk many individuals who suffer from respiratory diseases such as asthma and COPD.

Air inside airplane cabins re-circulates- it gets recycled through the vents. And airplane cabins are small spaces. This means that even a small amount of allergen- like the hair, saliva or dander of a pet- can spread quickly throughout the airplane cabin. The allergen in the air can reach every passenger on the plane, even people sitting far away from the pet. For people with allergies who have asthma or COPD, pet allergens can trigger wheezing, coughing, and swelling in the airways – otherwise known as an asthma flare-up (asthma attack) or a COPD flare-up. These reactions can be serious and even life-threatening.

The Lung Association is calling on the House of Commons Standing Committee on Health to examine this issue when the Committee resumes sitting in the fall. We believe that the risks posed to passengers warrants the Committee’s review of this policy decision by the airlines.

The Lung Association would be most willing to appear before the Committee on this topic of importance to the millions of Canadians who suffer from asthma, COPD, allergies and other respiratory diseases.

In the interim, The Lung Association urges all Canadians with asthma or other respiratory diseases that may be exacerbated by allergic reaction to animals, to ensure their disease is properly managed every day – including when they are planning to travel, and to bring their quick-relief medicine (usually in a blue puffer) in their carry-on luggage”.

For a list of ways to manage your lung disease, please visit www.lung.ca.

I’m a passionate advocate for animals – but I also believe that human health, particularly while flying high above the ground without any means of alternatives, comes first.

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Images: AirCanada.ca, PhotoXpress.com

Post from: Blisstree

Air Canada’s Pet Policy Not Lung-Friendly

Under the assumption that intake of olive oil in the dose provided here was inert, our results support that increasing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in late pregnancy may carry an important prophylactic potential in relation to offspring asthma.”

In fact, the hazard rate for children of mothers consuming fish oil supplements during the third trimester to suffer from asthma in general was reduced by an impressive 63%. The relative risk for the offspring to be affected by allergic asthma was even further reduced to 87%.

“Our finding of lower occurrences of asthma in children of mothers who received supplements of marine omega-3 fatty acids in pregnancy is in line with 2 retrospective and 3 prospective studies. It is biologically plausible that increasing the intake of marine omega-3 PUFAs in the third trimester of pregnancy could have a preventive effect against asthma in the offspring. The marine omega-3 PUFAs, EPA and DHA, may affect fetal immune function through many different mechanisms.”

I just don’t understand why they would assume that olive oil is inert, when numerous studies have already demonstrated that olive oil exert various health benefits, although perhaps not in asthma or  allergies. If you’d like to read the manuscript yourself, you may refer to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Image Credit: sofijab

Post from: Blisstree

Fish Oil During Pregnancy Prevent Asthma in Children

To be eligible to participate, you must be:

• male or female
• 18 to 55 years of age
• non-smoker
• taking asthma medications and requiring bronchodilator medication for periodic symptom relief and/or to protect against exercise-induced asthma symptoms

Eligible participants will undergo:

• comprehensive assessment of asthma and assessment of the effects of your current therapy
• blood samples are required for cholesterol testing
• provided with dietary supplementation of omega-3 fatty acid capsules for two three-week periods
• requires four two-hour visits to the Firestone Institute for Respiratory Health research clinic in Hamilton over a nine-week period.

If you’re interested and think you’re eligible to participate in the study, please contact John Brannan at 905-522-1155, ext. 33584 or e-mail brannan@mcmaster.ca for more information. Participants will receive remuneration for their time and participation.

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Participants Needed for Asthma Study Involving Omega-3 Fatty Acid

Kids who have had bronchiolitis may be more likely to develop asthma later in life, but it’s unclear whether the illness causes or triggers asthma, or whether children who eventually develop asthma were simply more prone to developing bronchiolitis as infants. Studies are being done to clarify the relationship between bronchiolitis and the later development of asthma.

Although not conclusive, there have been several studies indicating that omega-3 fish oil supplements can help prevent or reduce the degree of asthma and allergies. Fish oil consumption during pregnancy has also been reported to protect infants against asthma, and I can only hope that the omega-3 supplements I am currently taking (which she gets as well since I’m breastfeeding) helps, too, to spare her from asthma and other allergies later on.

Post from: Blisstree

Can Fish Oil Consumption Protect Against Asthma?

Although I find this article to be a bit too negative on the use of antibiotics, it does explain well how probiotics can put our body microflora into balance, particularly after a long treatment regimen with antibiotics.

“It’s important to remember that the other half of the therapy is to replant the forest with the good bacteria,” Huffnagle says. And while scientists are still trying to determine exactly how the microflora in the digestive tract affect the immune system, he says, studies have shown that probiotics can be a powerful tool to help strengthen immune systems and reduce the effects of allergies.

Probiotics, found in foods like yogurt and aged cheeses, “are eventually eliminated after a couple of days,” he says. “But they straighten up the house while they’re there, making an effort to create a more normal flora and to get the ratios right by the time they’ve disappeared.”

Post from: Blisstree

Probiotics May Reduce Allergies, Stengthen Immune System

A new study of 1924 children, published in the early online edition of Thorax, indicate that mothers who eat apples and fish during pregnancy may protect their children from developing asthma and allergies later in life.

According to the research, “The present study suggests beneficial associations between maternal apple intake during pregnancy and wheeze and asthma at age five years.” They add that their findings “suggest an apple specific effect, possibly because of its phytochemical content, such as flavonoids.” The research paper cites other related studies on apples, including those which found that “intake of apples as a significant source of flavonoids and other polyphenols has been beneficially associated with asthma, bronchial hypersensitivity, and lung function in adults.”

So, for the moms-to-be out there, snack on apples and do incorporate fish in your diet. While it’s true that there are fish types you should better stay away from, if you choose the right ones, the benefits outweigh the risks.

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Apples and Fish Consumption During Pregnancy Reduce Childhood Asthma and Allergies

After adjusting the results for possible confounding factors, [snip] Tabak reports that high intakes of whole grains and fish were associated with a 54 and 66 per cent reduction in the probability of being asthmatic, respectively. The probability of having asthma with bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR), defined as having an increased sensitivity to factors that cause narrowing of the airways, was reduced by 72 and 88 per cent when children had a high-intake of whole grains and fish, respectively.

Interestingly, the same study showed that the intake of fruits, vegetables, and dairy products were not associated with asthma, which contradicted previous studies linking antioxidant intake, particularly vitamins C and E, to the incidence of asthma.

For further reading, you may want to refer to the article describing the above results, published at the journal, Thorax, doi:10.1136/thx.2005.043034.

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Consumption of Fish and Whole Grains May Prevent Asthma