Do you, or any of your close relatives, get asthma?

If yes, the research on asthma and its links to the gut microbiome might interest you…

If you are thinking of having a baby any time in the future, this information will be particularly interesting to you!

First up though, a bit of background…

What is Asthma?
Asthma, an inflammatory disease that restricts the airways and causes breathlessness, is a major global public health concern. Poorly managed asthma negatively impacts quality of life and increases the risk of premature death, particularly in children and adolescents.

Where Does Asthma Come From?
Current thought associates the development of asthma with numerous environmental exposures, which spark immune responses that are, themselves, shaped by both internal and external factors, including the microbes that live within the gut.

Ultimately, asthma development is incredibly complex and multifactorial, and is not caused by just one thing…

There is, however, an increasing field of research looking into the impact that the health of the infant gut microbiome may have on the development of asthma in children…and it’s very interesting!

The Gut Microbiome
The gut microbiome composition shifts dramatically and rapidly in the first months and years of life… During this time lifestyle and environmental factors influence the composition in various ways and can affect the balance of microbes and, therefore, also the immune system…

Any disturbance of the gut microbiome during this time, for example, through antibiotic use, may result in an ‘immature’ gut microbiome, and this has been linked with an increase in asthma later on…

IMPORTANT!
We are absolutely not (and never will be) suggesting that if your child develops asthma, it’s your fault! (I am a nutritionist, knew all this info when I had babies, and still ended up with one asthmatic/allergic child!). Our goal is purely to empower you with knowledge so that you can take steps to reduce the risks of your child developing asthma (as proven by science) in the hope that you might ‘push the needle’ far enough in the opposite direction and avoid asthma all together (especially for those with a family history)!!

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