Babies born to mothers exposed to air pollution from traffic during pregnancy have an increased risk of developing asthma before the age of six, according to new UBC research. "Our study results highlight the danger of exposure to pollution while babies are still in the womb," said lead author Hind Sbihi, research associate in UBC's School of Population and Public Health. "Air pollution from traffic sources increased the risk of developing asthma during early years before children reach school age, even in an urban area like Vancouver with relatively low levels of air pollution." Over 65,000 children in Metro Vancouver were included in the study, one of the largest of its kind, and followed
LONDON: Researchers in Spain have found that children whose mothers ate three to four servings of fish a week during pregnancy had higher IQ scores than those whose mothers ate less amount of fish. The research also showed that consuming fish during pregnancy may help reduce offspring's risk of developing autism. "Consumption of large fatty fish during pregnancy presents moderate child neuropsychological benefits, including improvements in cognitive functioning and some protectionfrom autism-spectrum traits," the study said. What surprised the researchers was that certain fish, such as tuna or tilefish, which pregnant women have been discouraged from eating because of their higher levels
Yoga enthusiasts link the practice to a long list of health benefits, including greater flexibility and range of motion, stronger muscles, better posture and balance, reduced emotional and physical stress, and increased self-awareness and self-esteem. But definitively proving these benefits is challenging, requiring years of costly research. A pharmaceutical company is unlikely to fund a study that doesn’t involve a drug, and in any event, the research requires a large group of volunteers tracked over a very long time. The subjects must provide health measurements at the outset, learn the proper poses, continue to do them regularly for years and be regularly evaluated. No one knows these cha
