Dr. Howard Smith Oncall

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGV_wiRN_Uo/Feeding your infant a fiber-rich diet cuts the risk of later celiac disease by 40%.  Swedish gastroenterologists at Lund University followed 6,500 children with celiac disease family history tabulating their dietary intake and testing for the development of celiac-specific antibodies.The data shows that increasing fiber in a baby’s diet, particularly during the first 12 months but also before age 2, significantly reduces the risk of celiac disease development.  When it occurs, it does so usually by age 3 to 4 years.Interestingly, no one source of fiber in the diet, from fruits, vegetables, or grains, was more effective.  Rather, the total fiber content and the age of the child mattered the most.  Increasing fiber in the diet after age 2 did not produce this beneficial effect.The researchers speculate that early fiber consumption generates a beneficial cluster of gastrointestinal bacteria, a healthier lining, and better immunity.  More studies will better de