A High Fiber Diet Can Help You Avoid Asthma
20 Jan, 2014 | Labroots
In a study where mice were fed a diet rich in fiber, they became more resistant to allergy-induced airway inflammation. This came as a result of the production of fatty acids by gut bacteria that cause a calming of the immune system. According to a recent article in Scientific American, the food you eat can have an impact on the entire body. The specific study on which the article is based showed that when mice were given lots of fiber, they developed a stronger resistance to asthma-like attacks.
For the study, mice were given one of three diets. These included a diet low in fiber, an average diet, and a diet in which food was supplemented with fiber-rich pectin. Afterwards, the mice were exposed to dust mites that induce allergies. Those mice that had eaten a low-fiber diet had an increase in airway inflammation. Those fed a high-fiber diet experienced less asthmatic response to the dust mites.
The results were obtained because of the support fiber provides to gut bacteria, which produce anti-inflammatory molecules that are called short chain fatty acids. These fatty acids calm the immune response. When mice were injected with short-chain fatty acid, a similar effect occurred. The findings of the study suggest a high fiber diet might be an effective way to reduce asthma responses in children and adults for a less invasive approach than taking shots. The entire results from this study were published in the scientific journal, Nature Medicine.RECENT POSTS
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