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I have always contended that asthma is a genetic and environmentally triggered disorder. In the New England Journal of Medicine from this year, Caliskun et. al. have brought new data to the forefront of this discussion.
They have found genes that are associated with asthma in families. If a child has one copy of these genes, their risk of wheezing with rhinovirus (common cold) and then developing asthma goes up to 60%. If the child has two copies of the gene, their risk is 90%.
Now combine this with the data that mothers who consume a mediterranean diet while pregnant have children with a reduced risk of developing asthma even with the genes. We also know that children exposed to farm animals have a reduced risk of developing allergic and asthmatic disease.
My conclusion from the compiled data is that we all have genes that help and hurt us. What we need to do is find ways to not turn on the genes that hurt us.
What to do?
1) Encourage all mothers to eat an anti inflammatory/non processed diet while pregnant and before they choose to carry a child to prep their body for conception.
2) Encourage all children to eat this way as well to help their genome.
3) Avoid chemicals that are associated with abnormal genetic activation, i.e. BPA, phthalates and others. See www.EWG.org4) Continue exercising before and during pregnancy.
5) Get adequate vitamin D daily through the sun and foods like fish.
Dr. M
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