“Women who are expecting can benefit greatly from exercise, especially
yoga — they just need to be aware of their limitations,” orthopaedic
surgeon and mom-to-be Dr. Rachel Rohde said in a news release issued by
the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS).

“A pregnant woman’s body goes through a lot of changes that will alter
the way she practices yoga, whether she is a veteran or a beginner,” Rohde
added.

As a fitness alternative, yoga allows pregnant women to maintain an
exercise program without harming their baby or their heart, according to
the AAOS and, overall, the benefits of such a low-impact regimen outweigh
the risks.

However, maintaining correct yoga positioning is critical to ensuring
general safety and avoiding muscle or joint injury, the organization
pointed out. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission noted that more
than 5,500 Americans were treated for yoga-related injuries in 2008.

Nevertheless, the AAOS says that if performed properly, yoga affords
expectant mothers a good opportunity to build strength and flexibility,
while achieving a measure of relaxation and breath control.

“One of the best aspects of yoga is being in control of your body and
having the ability to do each movement at your own pace,” said Rodhe.
“Poses like ‘downward dog‘ that require a lot of pressure on the palm can
increase carpal tunnel symptoms by pressing on a major nerve; if you get
numbness in your fingers while in one of these positions, move so that the
weight is not resting on your hands. If you are unable to move into a
difficult position, you always have the option to get into a resting pose
if experiencing pain.”

The AAOS recommends that those interested in practicing yoga should
consult their physician first and make sure they work with a qualified
instructor. Proper warm-ups and attire are important as well, and pregnant
women should take care to remain properly hydrated and avoid forms of yoga
such as Birkam — also called “hot” yoga — that can unduly raise their
body temperature.

More information

For more on yoga, visit the U.S. National Center for Complementary and Alternative
Medicine.

Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York
found that eliminating two things from children’s diets — gluten, which
is found in wheat, and casein, found in milk products — didn’t affect how
they behaved or slept, nor did it change their digestive habits.

The study authors noted that their research is more rigorous than
previous ones.

“It would have been wonderful for children with autism and their
families” if the non-gluten and non-casein diet worked, lead investigator
Dr. Susan Hyman, an associate professor of pediatrics at Golisano
Children’s Hospital at the University of Rochester, stated in a university
news release. “But this small study didn’t show significant benefits.”

Hyman did caution that “the study didn’t include children with
significant gastrointestinal disease. It’s possible those children and
other specific groups might see a benefit.”

The investigators enrolled 22 children aged 2.5 to 5.5 years, and 14
completed the 18-week intervention in which their families eliminated
wheat, rye, barley and milk proteins from their diets.

After at least four weeks, the researchers “challenged” the children
with food products that included gluten, casein, both or a placebo.

The study authors found that the children’s attention, activity, sleep
and bowel patterns didn’t change after they consumed the products in the
food challenge.

“This is really just the tip of the iceberg. There are many possible
effects of diet including over- and under-nutrition on behavior in
children with [autism] that need to be scientifically investigated so
families can make informed decisions about the therapies they choose for
their children,” Hyman said.

The findings are scheduled to be presented Saturday at the
International Meeting for Autism Research in Philadelphia.

More information

The Autism Society has more about dietary interventions.

The global recommendations on marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children are guidelines to the 193 member states of the World Health Organization (WHO).

Diets containing large amounts of fat, sugar or salt contribute to chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and cancers, which cause 60 percent of all deaths worldwide, the United Nations agency says.

“Childhood obesity is increasing globally now. The rate of increase in the developing world is greatest because of a rapid change in diet and physical activity patterns,” Timothy Armstrong of WHO’s department of chronic disease and health promotion told Reuters.

An estimated 42 million children under the age of five are overweight, 35 million of them in developing countries, according to the WHO. Overweight is one category below obese.

“The risks presented by unhealthy diets start in childhood and build up throughout life,” the WHO guidelines say.

Armstrong credited the United States with ringing the alarm bell. “The global attention to child obesity has changed significantly, with the new U.S. administration taking it on as a major issue.”

U.S. Surgeon-General Regina Benjamin endorsed the plan at the WHO’s annual ministerial meeting.

“The set of recommendations on marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages to children should play a significant role in helping member states promote healthier patterns of eating as part of efforts to reduce the growing epidemic of childhood obesity,” Benjamin said in a speech.

“This is a priority for the Obama administration, in particular for the First Lady, who has raised awareness of childhood obesity and the importance of healthy eating.”

Michelle Obama this month unveiled a 70-point plan for reducing childhood obesity within a generation, including a call for marketing healthier food, but stopping short of recommending regulatory action or a federal tax on sugary sodas.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say two thirds of American adults and 15 percent of American children are overweight or obese.

“Since 1980, our obesity rates have doubled for adults and tripled for children,” Benjamin told a news briefing on Tuesday. “The problem is even worse for blacks, Hispanics and native American children.”

The WHO recommendations include limiting children’s exposure to television advertising and making schools and playgrounds free from all forms of marketing of junk food and sugary drinks.

WHO adopted a global strategy on diet and physical activity in 2004, a year after clinching a treaty controlling tobacco.

On Thursday, ministers also agreed to curb binge drinking and other growing forms of excessive alcohol use through higher taxes on alcoholic drinks and tighter marketing regulations.

(Editing by Jonathan Lynn)