Prebiotics may help cope with stress

Taking foods rich in prebiotics — such as asparagus, oatmeal and legumes — may promote good gut bacteria and help restore normal sleep patterns after a stressful episode, scientists have found. Probiotics are well known to benefit digestive health, but prebiotics are less well understood. Prebiotics are certain types of non-digestible fibres that probiotic bacteria feed on, such as the fibres found in many plant sources like asparagus, oatmeal, and legumes. Certain bacteria also feed on non-fibres such as the protein lactoferrin, which also acts like a prebiotic and is found in breast milk. “Acute stress can disrupt the gut microbiome,” said an expert at the University of Colorado, Boulder, US. In this experiment, test rats received prebiotic diets for several weeks prior to a stressful test condition and compared with control rats that did not receive the prebiotic-enriched diet. Rats that ate prebiotics prior to the stressful event did not experience stress-induced disruption in their gut microbiota and also recovered healthier sleep patterns sooner than controls.

Baby’s gender may affect mom’s immunity

Immunity of mothers-to-be maybe affected by the gender of the baby, say scientists who found that women carrying female foetuses show a heightened inflammatory response. Researchers followed 80 pregnant women and examined whether women exhibited different levels of immune markers called cytokines based on foetal sex. Analyses were conducted on levels of cytokines in the blood and levels produced by a sample of immune cells that were exposed to bacteria in the lab. “While women didn’t exhibit differences in blood cytokine levels based on foetal sex, we did find that the immune cells of women carrying female foetuses produced more pro-inflammatory cytokines when exposed to bacteria,” said a postdoctoral researcher at Ohio State University, US. “This means that women carrying female foetuses exhibited a heightened inflammatory response when their immune system was challenged, compared to women carrying male foetuses,” said Mitchell. Inflammation is a critical part of the immune response involved in wound healing and responses to viruses, bacteria and chronic illnesses. However, excessive inflammation is stressful to the body and can contribute to sickness-related symptoms, such as achiness and fatigue. Heightened inflammation among women carrying female foetuses could play a role in why women tend to experience exacerbated symptoms of some medical conditions, including asthma, when carrying a female versus a male foetus. Maternal inflammation can affect outcomes related to the foetus, like timing of birth, but more research is necessary to understand how foetal sex is associated with maternal inflammation. The study was published in the journal Brain, Behaviour and Immunity.

Fruits, veggies up mental wellbeing

A lot has been said about the health benefits of inculcating fruits and vegetables in our daily diet but the researchers have now proved the psychological benefits of a balanced meal. They have found that naturally-grown food can potentially tackle depression in as little as two weeks. Researchers studied 171 adults ( 18 -25 yrs) their dietary habits. They were split into three groups to investigate the effects of having a diet high in fruit and vegetables. Over a fortnight, they either continued eating as normal, or were encouraged by text reminders and pre-paid vouchers to eat more fruit and vegetables. Or they were personally given two extra daily servings of fresh produce (carrots, kiwifruit, apples and oranges). Those in the last group reported significant improvements to their psychological well-being, with boosts in vitality and motivation.However, those reminded by text and given $10 vouchers did not show a similar improvement, according to the study published in PLOS ONE. And, when surveyed, were found more likely to have eaten cooked vegetables in casseroles or mixed in with other meals. The message from this study is we should be giving people more fruits and vegetables to eat, not simply reminding people to eat their 5+ a day.  — Agencies