Fruits and vegetables help ward off asthm and allergies

Momma was on to something when she made you sit at the table until you finished your vegetables. A recent study by Greek researchers revealed that children of women who eat a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits and vegetables while pregnant are much less likely to develop asthma or allergies later in life.

The diet emphasizes vegetables, fish and healty fats such as olive and canola oil over red meat. Mediterranean people use olive oil with every meal including breakfast. Eating vegtables more than eight times a week, fish more than three times a week and legumes more than once a week seems to boost the protection.

The researchers based their findings on 468 pregnant women tracked for 6 1/2 years after giving birth using questionnaires on diet.

The women provided details on respiratory and allergic symptoms of their children, who were also tested for persistent wheezing and allergies. The children of mothers who followed the diet were 80 percent less likely to have persistent wheezing, the most common symptom of childhood asthma. They were also 45 percent less likely to develop allergies.

At the same time, children of women who consumed more red meat seemed to be at higher risk of developing these problems.

But we really don't need to hear what researchers say do we? We just have to do what momma said, "you are going to sit there until you eat those vegetables"