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How to raise allergy-free kids

Convincing your child to eat their broccoli is hard enough, and it’s only worse if they have food-allergies!

A food allergy occurs when the immune system falsely communicates that a certain protein in a food is harmful. Once you have an allergy, an allergic reaction happens every time you eat that specific food. A baby’s chance of developing an allergy is increased if his siblings have also been diagnosed with an allergic condition like eczema, asthma, hay fever or a food allergy.

How does it work?

Food allergies are developed when a protein called Immunoglobulin E (IgE) and a mast cell interact. IgE moves around your blood and a mast cell is found in all body tissues, including common sites of allergic reactions like the nose, lungs, skin and gastrointestinal tract.

If a food allergen is eaten and the food is digested, IgE is produced in large amounts. IgE then attaches itself to the surface of the mast cells. The next time the food is eaten, it communicates with specific IgE on the mast cells to release chemicals called histamine. This causes different allergic reactions going forward.

Foods that cause allergies are called allergens. Common allergens are:

  • Eggs
  • Dairy products like milk
  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts (almonds, cashews, walnuts)
  • Soy
  • Seafood
  • Wheat
  • Sesame

But there is good news: it is possible for your child to outgrow certain allergies. And there is even better news: you could potentially prevent certain allergies, if you start early with the following practices:

Breastfeed your baby

If you’re able to breastfeed your baby, then do so. It’s the least likely source of nutrition that would cause an allergic reaction in your baby and breast milk easy to digest. It will also strengthen your baby’s immune system, making him less susceptible to infections and illnesses.

Offer possible food allergens regularly

Feed your baby common food allergens like dairy products, egg and nuts, a few times a week. This will help them maintain a tolerance to these foods and prevent food allergies from developing.

Feed your baby whole foods early

A recent study found that babies who are fed homemade whole foods developed fewer allergies than babies whose diets consisted of processed baby food. This is because eating whole macronutrients helps stimulate cells that work for the good of your immune system. So, if your baby can swallow whole foods (between four and six months), include fish, fruit, poultry and veggies in his diet.

Get rid of dust mites

Airborne substances like dust mites may trigger asthma and other allergy symptoms in your child which will increase the risk of him developing food allergies. Use allergen-impermeable covers on pillows and mattresses, and remove carpets and upholstered furniture from your child’s room.

Watch your diet when you’re pregnant

It’s tempting to eat whatever you want during your pregnancy, but it’s important to include wholegrains, vegetables, fish, white meat and fruit in your diet. Research has shown that pregnant women who have strong digestive tracts and healthy gut floras pass this down to their babies. Nuts and other common allergens during pregnancy have also been shown to help build up your baby’s tolerance to possible allergies.

Treat your baby’s eczema

Controlling your baby’s eczema will minimise the chance of developing allergies as healthy skin acts as a barrier to protect us from allergens. Talk to your doctor if you’re struggling to treat your baby’s skin. If necessary, your doctor may suggest a visit to a paediatric allergist or dermatologist.

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Are you allergic or are you intolerant?

You were all excited for that new gastronomic fusion cooking class, but alas, your stomach just doesn’t agree with the food. Which is strange, because you know you’re not allergic to any of the items.

So, what’s going on? Have you developed a recent food allergy, or is it intolerance? A food intolerance can manifest some of the same signs and symptoms as a food allergy, so it’s easy to confuse the two.

Food allergy

A food allergy means that your immune system is attacking what it thinks could be a harmful invader in your body. This causes immediate symptoms like a rash, itchiness and swelling. Sometimes, this reaction can be serious enough to be life-threatening. Unfortunately, food allergies can be complicated by other allergic conditions like asthma and atopic eczema.

The World Allergy Organization (WAO) warns that allergies are increasing at an alarming rate in developed and developing countries. This includes asthma in children and young adults.

Food intolerance

A food intolerance happens when certain foods can’t digest properly in your stomach, giving you aches and pains. In this case, your immune system isn’t involved – a food intolerance is solely about your digestive system.

Sorting out the problems

Skin prick tests or blood tests will help detect immunoglobin (IgE) antibodies to different foods in your blood, says the Allergy Foundation South Africa

A positive skin or blood test doesn’t necessarily mean you’re allergic; but rather “sensitised” to the food. You may be able to eat the food because other mechanisms in your body make them tolerable. If there aren’t clear results from the tests, your doctor may give you an oral food challenge or a feeding test. Here, you must eat food slowly in increasing amounts under supervision by your doctor.

It’s a bit risky, but sometimes it’s the only way to check if you’re truly allergic to a certain type of food.

8 common food allergens

  • Milk
  • Eggs
  • Peanuts
  • Tree nuts
  • Soy
  • Wheat
  • Fish
  • Shellfish

An anti-allergy diet

Identifying and removing allergies and sensitives is vital for your overall health. This way you know what to eat and completely avoid. You could be eating a healthy diet but still have reactions to certain foods because it takes one or two unidentified food allergens to start a problem. Try an elimination diet to help determine the culprits that cause your skin to flare up or create digestive issues. This short-term plan will eliminate the triggers; you can slowly reintroduce them one-by-one to see how they affect your system.

Start by eliminating all of these foods for 3 weeks, and then introducing one at a time. When you re-introduce the food, notice any symptoms you might have for a week or 2. If you have any of the symptoms when introducing the food, you know that you may have a sensitivity to it.

  • Dairy
  • Gluten
  • Refined sugars
  • Corn
  • Fast foods
  • Peanuts
  • Alcohol
  • Soy
  • Spices and condiments
  • Eggs

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