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A true allergy is an abnormal immune reaction
to a generally innocuous substance. True food allergies only affect about 1-2%
of the population, and involve the release of IgE antibodies accompanied by
swelling, rash, hives, breathing difficulties, GI upset, &/or anaphylactic
shock occurring within 1 hour of ingestion or exposure to the food. Copy and
paste the following link from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) into
your browser to learn more: http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/labeti/allerg/nutnoie.shtml. What most people experience is not true food
allergy, but a delayed immune response (not involving IgE antibodies) from
eating a certain food. The reaction can take several days to surface, thus it
is difficult to pin-point the cause. Since we eat several times per day, and
food is in contact with the digestive tract for long periods of time, many
symptoms can occur. Common Symptoms linked to food allergy or
intolerance in children include: Colic & irritability, diaper rash &
eczema, ear infections, tonsillitis, respiratory problems & Asthma.
According to the CFIA, the nine priority food allergens are peanuts, tree nuts,
sesame seeds, milk, eggs, fish (including fish, crustaceans, shellfish), soy,
wheat and sulphites.
Many children have a self-limiting diet including several of these foods and
consume them throughout the day. Symptoms will develop when the child exceeds
the threshold of their tolerance level. Refined & heavily processed foods (for
example: crackers, most breads and snack foods) create imbalances because the
body uses it’s mineral & trace mineral stores to help digest these foods,
depleting enzymes, and allowing allergens into the blood stream. If the immune
system is over-burdened, it too will lack enzymes to break down complexes that
form when food allergens bind with human antibodies. A vicious cycle
created by allergens & enzyme deficiency follows. Often, children will
crave sugary foods and/or carbs…(since these affect serotonin release in the
brain)…however, these foods feed undesirable gut bacteria, fueling a dys-biosis
(imbalance of bacteria and yeast) in the gut, allowing more allergens in, and
perpetuating the cycle! Children have demanding, stressful schedules
these days. Research has shown that more allergy symptoms appear when people
are stressed, which can weaken one’s immune system overall. This effect is even
more evident during the spring and fall for hay fever sufferers. In my
practice, where I see many children, I have not seen any children with seasonal
allergies that do not also suffer from true food allergies or food
intolerances. Whole foods can help heal the immune system.
Making dietary changes can be fun, creative, and rewarding or…boring and
unproductive. It all depends on the educator and how the information is
presented. Empowering people with creative ideas, recipes and resources are
some of the keys to compliance and success with meal planning for kids. Proper food introduction for infants is also
essential.
Breastfeeding confers the best protection for a child, followed by the
introduction (sometime after six months of age) of hypo-allergenic vegetables,
fruits, grains, and then proteins. A big mistake many people make is
introducing cereal grains at 4 months of age…the digestive system is simply too
immature to handle this type of food! If the child has already developed allergies
or intolerances, there are ways to cope and strengthen the body. Obviously, in
the case of anaphylaxis, the food must be avoided. By keeping a record of the child’s food intake
and noting their reactions (physical, mental, emotional, digestive) throughout
the day for at least 1 week, we can learn a lot about what should be
eliminated. Careful elimination (for at least 3 weeks) and then slow
re-introduction of a suspected intolerant food will help determine if it is the
problem. Abstaining from the food for at least 6 weeks will usually allow the
digestive tract to recover, at which point, a challenge test can be done. This
should be done under careful supervision, and challenge tests with foods that
produce an anaphylactic (or true IgE) reaction, should not be attempted. The above
information is from www.healthysprouts.ca |
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