The New Wellness » Pregnancy http://www.thenewwellness.com Fri, 20 Aug 2010 12:47:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 en hourly 1 C-Section Birth Raises Risk of Asthma in Newborns by 79 Percent http://www.thenewwellness.com/?p=1243 http://www.thenewwellness.com/?p=1243#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 02:57:17 +0000 Dr. Wegmann http://www.thenewwellness.com/?p=1243 Children delivered by cesarean section (c-section) are significantly more likely to develop asthma and allergies later in life than children delivered through natural, vaginal birth, according to a study conducted by researchers from National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, the Netherlands.]]> t-c

Children delivered by cesarean section (c-section) are significantly more likely to develop asthma and allergies later in life than children delivered through natural, vaginal birth, according to a study conducted by researchers from National Institute for Public Health and the Environment in Bilthoven, the Netherlands.

Researchers compared the rates of asthma and allergies among 2,917 eight-year-olds, comparing the rates between those who had been delivered vaginally and those who had been delivered by c-section. They found that the risk of asthma was 79 percent higher in those delivered by c-section compared with those delivered vaginally. The correlation between c-section and asthma risk was even higher among children born to one or more parents with allergies.

Source: Natural News

Dr. Wegmann

Dr. Michael Wegmann's Thoughts:

drmike

I was born from a C-section so naturally this article caught my eye. C-sections can be life saving for the baby and the mother, when used properly. Unfortunately many times the procedure is used barring medical necessity. The mothers I care for I educate about the importance of natural birth. Most mothers have no clue that the U.S. ranks 29th in the world for infant mortality. That means 7 out of every 1000 infants born in the U.S. don't see their first birthday.[1]

The following statistics about asthma come from the Better Health & Medical Network.

* Asthma has increased 46% from 1982-1993 with an 80% growth in children under 18.
* In the 5-17 age group, asthma causes an annual loss of more than 10 million school days per year.
* Asthma accounts for more childhood hospitalizations than any other childhood disease.
* Children with asthma spend approximately 7.3 million days per year restricted to bed rest.
* In 1990, there were 7.1 million physician visits for asthma.
* Health care costs for asthma were estimated to be $6.2 billion, which is almost 1% of the total US health care costs.
* More than 5,200 Americans died from asthma in 1991.

Public attention has recently focused on asthma because of its rapidly increasing prevalence, affecting up to one in four urban children.[2] Asthma rates are skyrocketing with millions of kids and adults suffering the affects of breathing difficulties. Asthma is a condition I know well. My father suffers from a mild to severe case of asthma, and my wife has developed asthma since giving birth to our first child.

Asthma appears to be more prevalent in athletes than in the general population. One survey of participants in the 1996 Summer Olympic Games, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., showed that 15% had been diagnosed with asthma, and that 10% were on asthma medication.[3]

One of the best natural choices you can make regarding your asthma is to find a wellness chiropractor trained to locate subluxations (interference to the nerve system). A research article in the JVSR (Journal of Vertebral Subluxation) showed significant improvement in children with asthma and chiropractic adjustments.[4] I see many children in my practice. I analyze the spine with a technique called neuro-functional breathing. What I look for is the proper breathing pattern which is a sequence of movements that occur in a precise order. If the breathing reflex is altered, I adjust the patient based on the neurological feedback I received from their exam. My patients see incredible improvements with their breathing and report marked changes in the ease of inhalation.



1. http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/news/20081015/infant-mortality-us-ranks-29thhttp://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/03_sec2_def.pdf Retrieved March 11, 2009

2. http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/asthma/03_sec2_def.pdf Retrieved March 11, 2009

3.Helenius I, Haahtela T (2000). "Allergy and asthma in elite summer sport athletes". J. Allergy
Clin. Immunol. 106 (3): 444ñ52.

4. http://www.jvsr.com/abstracts/index.asp?id=67

]]> http://www.thenewwellness.com/?feed=rss2&p=1243 0 Vitamin D Deficit May Trigger MS Risk Gene http://www.thenewwellness.com/?p=544 http://www.thenewwellness.com/?p=544#comments Fri, 06 Feb 2009 03:15:43 +0000 Dr. Wegmann http://www.thenewwellness.com/?p=544 THURSDAY, Feb. 5 (HealthDay News) -- A direct interaction between vitamin D and a common genetic variant may affect a person's risk of multiple sclerosis, according to British and Canadian researchers who also said that vitamin D deficiency while in the womb and early in life may increase the risk of MS later in life. Both genetic and environmental factors play a role in MS, a neurological condition that affects 2.5 million people worldwide. Vitamin D is a major environmental factor, and the largest genetic effect comes from the region on chromosome six containing a gene variant called DRB1*1501 and from adjacent DNA sequences.]]> sunset3

Written By: Robert Preidt

THURSDAY, Feb. 5 (HealthDay News) — A direct interaction between vitamin D and a common genetic variant may affect a person’s risk of multiple sclerosis, according to British and Canadian researchers who also said that vitamin D deficiency while in the womb and early in life may increase the risk of MS later in life.

In the general population, about one in 1,000 people will develop MS. But that increases to about one in 300 among people who have a single copy of the DRB1*1501 and about one in 100 among people with two copies of the variant.

The study found that proteins activated by vitamin D in the body bind to a particular DNA sequence lying next to the DRB1*1501 variant, which causes the gene to switch on.

“Our study implies that taking vitamin D supplements during pregnancy and the early years may reduce the risk of child developing MS in later life,” lead author Dr. Sreeram Ramagopalan said in the news release. “Vitamin D is a safe and relatively cheap supplement with substantial potential health benefits. There is accumulating evidence that it can reduce the risk of developing cancer and offer protection from other autoimmune diseases.”

Source: MSN

Dr. Wegmann

Dr. Michael Wegmann's Thoughts:

drmike Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is naturally present in very few foods, added to others, and available as a dietary supplement. It is also produced endogenously when ultraviolet rays from sunlight strike the skin and trigger vitamin D synthesis. Vitamin D is essential for promoting calcium absorption in the gut and maintaining adequate serum calcium and phosphate concentrations to enable normal mineralization of bone and prevent osteoprosis. It is also needed for bone growth and bone remodeling by osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Without sufficient vitamin D, bones can become thin, or brittle Vitamin D sufficiency prevents rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults. Together with calcium, vitamin D also helps protect older adults from osteoporosis. Vitamin D has other roles in human health, including modulation of neuromuscular and immune function and reduction of inflammation. A simple blood test can tell if your vitamin D levels are low. Supplementation is extremely important in norther states where sun exposure is limited in the winter. Vitamin D supplementation is vital in pregnant women.

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