The ABCs of Food Allergies

Approximately 8% of children and 2% of adults suffer from true food allergies. When the culprit food is eaten, most allergic reactions will occur within minutes. Skin symptoms (itching, urticaria, angioedema) are the most common, and occur during most food reactions. Other symptoms can include nasal (sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose and eyes), gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting, cramping, diarrhea), lung (shortness of breath, wheezing, coughing, chest tightness), and vascular (low blood pressure, light-headedness, rapid heart beat) symptoms. When severe, this reaction is called anaphylaxis, and can be life threatening.
Allergy or Intolerance?
Most reactions to food are probably not allergic in nature, but rather intolerance.
This means that there is no allergic antibody present against the food in the person. Intolerance can be classified as toxic and non-toxic. Toxic reactions would be expected to occur in most people if enough of the food was eaten, examples include alcohol, caffeine or in cases of food-poisoning. Non-toxic food intolerance occurs only in certain people, such as lactose intolerance, which is due to the deficiency of lactase, the enzyme which breaks down the sugar in milk and dairy foods. Patients with lactose intolerance experience bloating, cramping and diarrhea within minutes to hours after eating lactose-containing foods, but do not experience other symptoms of food allergies.
Non-allergic Immunologic Reactions
A less common form of non-allergic reactions to food involves the immune system, but there are no allergic antibodies present. This group includes celiac sprue and FPIES (food protein induced enteropathy syndromes). FPIES typically occurs in infants and young children, with gastrointestinal symptoms (vomiting, diarrhea, bloody stools, and weight loss) as the presenting signs. Milk, soy and cereal grains are the most common triggers in FPIES. Children typically outgrow FPIES by 2 to 3 years of age.

Common Childhood Food Allergies
Milk, soy, wheat, egg, peanut, tree nuts, fish and shellfish compromise more than 90 percent of food allergies in children. Allergy to milk and egg are by far the most common, and are usually outgrown by age 5 years. Peanut, tree nut, fish and shellfish allergies are typically the more severe and potentially life-threatening, and frequently persist into adulthood.
Cross-Reactivity and Cross-Contamination
Cross-reactivity refers to a person having allergies to similar foods within a food group. For example, all shellfish are closely related; if a person is allergic to one shellfish, there is a strong chance that person is allergic to other shellfish. The same holds true for tree-nuts, such as almonds, cashews and walnuts.
Cross-contamination refers to a food contaminating another, unrelated food leading to a "hidden allergy". For example, peanuts and tree nuts are not related foods. Peanuts are legumes, and related to the bean family, while tree nuts are true nuts. There is no cross-reactivity between the two, but both can be found in candy shops and in a can of mixed nuts, for instance.
Diagnosing Food Allergies
The diagnosis is made with an appropriate history of a reaction to a specific food, along with a positive test for the allergic antibody against that food. Testing for the allergic antibody is typically accomplished with skin testing, although can be done with a blood test as well.
The blood test, called a RAST test, is not quite as good of a test as skin testing, but can be helpful in predicting if a person has outgrown a food allergy. This is especially true since in many cases the skin test can still be positive in children who have actually outgrown the food allergy.
If the diagnosis of food allergy is in question despite testing, an allergist may decide to perform an oral food challenge for the patient. This involves having the person eat increasing amounts of food over many hours under medical supervision. Since the potential for life-threatening anaphylaxis exists, this procedure should only be performed by a physician experienced in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases. An oral food challenge is the only way to truly remove a diagnosis of food allergy in a patient.
Managing Food Allergies
Treat the reaction: If a reaction to the food is present, the person should seek immediate emergency medical care. Most patients with food allergies should carry a self-injectable form of epinephrine, or adrenaline (such as an Epi-pen®, with them at all times. These medications can be prescribed by a physician and the patient should know how to use this device before an allergic reaction occurs.

Avoid the food: This is the main way to prevent future reactions to the culprit foods, although can be difficult in cases of common foods such as milk, egg, soy, wheat and peanut. Organizations such as the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network offer help and support to patients and parents of children with food allergies.
Allergy physicians can also offer additional information and advice on avoidance.
Read food labels: Since accidental exposure to the allergic food is common, reading labels on foods and asking questions about ingredients at restaurants is important and recommended.
Be prepared: Patients with food allergies should always be prepared to recognize and treat their reaction, should one occur. Remember, since exposures to the allergic foods are frequently accidental, being prepared to treat the reaction with epinephrine is paramount. Emergency medical care should always be sought if an allergic reaction to food occurs, whether or not epinephrine is used.
Communicate with others: Communication with family members, friends, and school staff about the patient's medical condition and knowledge of how to administer epinephrine is also important. It is also recommended that the patient wear a medical alert bracelet (such as a Medic-Alert® bracelet) detailing their food allergies and use of injectable epinephrine, in the case the patient is unable to communicate during a reaction.

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Great Diet Tips For Your Toddler - Easy Steps To A Healthy Toddler

 

Toddlers can get very picky, refuse foods, eat the same thing every single day, and the most stressful is when they take forever to finish a meal. But this is all part of a normal toddlers behavior. So here are some tips in a healthy toddler's diet.
Usually after his first birthday a toddler's growth slows down so he needs less food. The quantity of food eaten will vary and so will his appetite since they are more concerned about everything that surrounds him and less interested in mealtime.
Toddler's don't need to eat large amounts of food, in fact you would be surprised at how little they need. 1 or 2 year old toddlers can only eat about 1/4 of an adult portion. A good healthy toddler diet tip is to serve tour child small portions and let him ask for more. Remember, your child can eat well at one meal and then terribly the next. They are usually good judges of the amount of food they need.

Keep in mind that their stomachs are small and might not be able to eat much at one time. What you need to do is give them 2 or 3 healthy snacks during the day along with their meals. But only when they're hungry or thirsty, not for fun. Milk and juice are usually good options but don't overdo it.
Don't worry if your child doesn't accept foods the first time, it usually takes about 10 tries for him to accept a new food. Children will eventually eat; they won't let themselves go hungry. Try introducing one new food at a time and serve it with something he already likes. Do this when your child is actually hungry and in a good mood.
Healthy toddler tips

o Give your child toddler-size portions. Let him ask for seconds.
o Offer finger foods sometimes
o Give him new foods with a food he's familiar with
o Go easy on seasonings and keep foods separate. Young children prefer simply prepared foods.
o Present a variety of foods from the four food groups. Let your child pick from what is available.
o Present food in a way your child can handle, in bite-size pieces for example.
o Encourage one bite to taste but don't overdo the coaxing. You can't force your child to eat anything.

o Don't bribe or reward with food. Present food in a neutral fashion.
o Keep the television off during mealtime.
o Have your child sit with the rest of the family, at least for part of the meal.
o Don't hurry your child. Remove the plate without comment after a reasonable length of time.
o Set a routine for eating. For example, foods are to be eaten at the table.
o Seat your child at a comfortable height to the table with feet supported.
o Eat with your child. Children learn how to eat by watching others and later you will enjoy your child's meals as well, thanks to healthy toddler diet tips.

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How to Be an Active Parent

When you think about active parenting, you may already think you are pretty active. You probably have all sorts of extracurricular activities going on and you know you have to cook dinner, do laundry and keep a roof over your child's head. These are all very active things that you do, but active parenting goes much deeper than this.
Parenting does take a lot of energy, but active parenting picks up where all your daily duties leave off. Active parenting involves instilling values and morals into your child as they grow up. An active parent in heavily involved in helping their children learn life skills and survival. They also focus on:

o Courage
o Responsibility
o Cooperation and
o Self-Esteem
Courage is a unique value that many parents may not think about on a regular basis. If children have courage they are able to keep trying to do succeed and even if they fail, they will be willing to keep trying. Courage gives children the motivation to keep trying. This is a very important component that all children should have in their characters.
Self-esteem and responsibility often go hand in hand. Responsibility is important and parents who act as leaders are able to encourage responsibility in their children. Active parents will ensure that their children know what they are responsible for and what happens if they fail not to take care of those responsibilities.
Cooperation is also very important. Children who are able to cooperate will grow up to be children and adults who can work in teams. Teamwork is vitally important in today's society and it is a characteristic that is highly sought by employers. By starting early in an active parenting program, you will be able to ensure that your children are able to cooperate and be good team members later in life.

The most important characteristic of an active parent is that they are there to parent their children. Life throws a variety of different challenges at parents in addition to the challenge of parenting. The amount of time that you spend with your children is not always what we would like it to be, but if you are able to make the most out of your time with your children you will see that an active parenting approach will pay off in the long run.

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Healthy Eating - How to Maintain Good Health During the Holidays

The holiday season is one of the best times of the year but it can also be the most taxing on our body. Nothing can put a damper on your holiday plans faster than getting sick. The best offense is a good defense. Don't let yourself get run down. In this article I will give you some simple tips for keeping healthy during the holiday season.
First, don't over commit yourself. This is one of the biggest mistakes we all make.You must learn to say no and balance your time correctly. Time management ks very important during the holiday season.

Secondly, don't be afraid to ask for help. This applies both to at home and work. At home make sure your family is sharing with the holiday burdens. If your spouse and kids won't help consider hiring some domestic help to share with the chores. At work consider hiring some part time help for the holidays. Many people will jump at the opportunity to earn a little extra cash at this time of the year.
Third, stick to your normal sleep schedule. It is essential you get at least 8 hours sleep during this busy time of the year.
Fourth, eat healthy, skipping meals and eating a lot of fast food meals is not the answer to staying healthy. It is essential you eat three good meals a day to maintain a good energy level.

Fifth, don't skip exercise or meditation or Yoga or whatever you do to keep you balanced. It is more important now at this stressful time of the year then during your normal day to day routine.
Lastly, if you feel that you maybe coming down with something take care of yourself.Get rest, eat properly and take some over the counter medication. If this is not working you may want to pay your doctor a visit so they can stop it before it gets worse.

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Pumpkin Ice Cream Dessert | Fall Treat Ideas

Easy Steps to Pre-Wedding Weight Loss - Diets For Brides

If you're getting married you want to look like a princess on your wedding day. After all, the pictures will be looked at by you forever and it's the day you get to be the most beautiful girl in a room full of people. If you're looking to fit better into your wedding gown, here are some tips to help you look your best before the 'big day'.
Hydration
Water will help your complexion and will help your metabolism work faster. Make sure you drink plenty of water every day and avoid diuretics like coffee and soda pop as much as possible.
Exercise
Even if you don't love exercise, doing a bit of it will help you get motivated and could be a good stress reliever for when you get flustered with seating plans, future in-laws and other pre-wedding worries. Exercise is addictive and once you get started, it releases natural endorphins to help you deal with wedding stress. It's practically therapeutic with some great results

Diet
If you're thinking about going on a diet and don't have months to get ready, there are some fast weight loss diets that can help you lose weight fast.
Consider:
The Calorie Shifting Diet
This diet (also known as the Idiot Proof Diet because of how easy it is to follow) which can help you lose up to 11 pounds in 9 days by tricking your metabolism into working overtime to melt away reserved fat while keeping you full.
Strip That Fat
This one works similar to the above diet and provides you with and automated menu generator with a required five meals a day that will help you lose weight. Great way to lose ten to twenty pounds quick without feeling hungry.
The Special K Diet
This cereal diet requires you to replace two meals a day with cereal and to add healthy fruits and vegetables to your diet for 2 weeks. The result can be a weight loss of about 5-6 pounds.

Sacred Heart Soup Diet
The Sacred Heart or Cabbage Soup diet is a detox and weight loss diet that you do for 7 days for an average ten pound weight loss. This diet feeds you a fat burning soup on a constant basis with an unlimited quantity of food for the seven days provided you follow the regimented daily requirements of what food is eaten on which day.

Look and Feel Your Best!
Every girl wants to look great on her wedding and with some of these quick and easy diet plans you can be on your way to a thinner, more glowing you!

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Top Tips For a Healthy Family

Well, how can you be sure you have a healthy family? How do you know if you have provided enough for your family to ensure good health and safety all the time? You may be having doubts at times as to whether or not you are secure enough in keeping a healthy family.
In today's busy society and struggling economy, we rarely see our family members everyday at home as we may have different schedules and concerns. You are lucky enough if you can have dinner together as a family for twice or thrice a week. But you could actually change things slowly and get them adapt to it and rather love it in different ways.
Set a rule about fast foods. A healthy family must never dwell on eating fast food as you can actually have a healthy meal at home and enjoy quality time together with the whole family. Let them get started by designing a weekly plan of cooking together. Assign each one a task in the kitchen on a particular day and let each one enjoy what he/she is doing by asking about each other's concerns and let the conversation flow spontaneously through dinner. You may not be able to do this daily but you can actually design this plan to make it work even bi-weekly to ensure they are not only eating healthy meals but also keeping up a healthy family relationship.

Develop the interest of engaging into an independent hobby. Each member must have its own and start by showing them a hobby that is fruitful for the whole family like sewing or painting for healthy family interactions.
Live green. Talk to your family about the importance of caring for the environment to live healthy. Show them how to recycle household materials not only to save money but to ensure a healthy family life.
Engage in exercise plans for the whole family to enjoy or any other activity that will let the whole family do things together to promote fitness for your family's health.
You also need to teach your kids the importance of self-defense. You can enroll them in classes of this kind so they may be aware and ready in cases where they may encounter a suspicious stranger and other bad guys. A healthy family is a secure family so remind them about not giving their trust fully to other people other than family members.

These top tips for great activities require greater flexibility and motherly talent to get everyone participate and perform well in all your activities for a healthy family life. Just be reminded always that a healthy family is a family that shares time together through good and tough times so set a day to let each one speak out whenever you feel resistance in each of your planned activities and rules so you can balance everything well for a happy and a totally healthy family.

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