Baby Food Allergies – All you Need to Know

January 12, 2010 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
In recent year we have seen an increase in the susceptibility of allergies. Baby food allergies are of particular concern as the source may be difficult to detect.

Baby food allergies are as common as adult food allergies.

If your baby appears distressed for no apparent reason or has unexplained areas of itchiness to the skin, then perhaps he or she has a baby food allergy.

What is an Allergy?

An allergy can be defined as an intolerance to a particular substance when touched, inhaled, injected or ingested.

When our body is exposed to a substance that causes an allergic reaction the response may be nasal or respiratory congestion, itchy or runny nose, watery eyes, diarrhea, or itchy rashes anywhere on the body.

Baby Food Allergies – Can My Allergies be Passed on to my Baby?

If you tend to have an allergic reaction then your baby may have a tendency to be allergic also.

However you and your baby may not share the same food allergies or be allergic to the same substances.

You may have asthma, while your child may develop hay fever.

Baby Food Allergies – How to detect them

It can sometimes be difficult detecting the cause of baby food allergies. If you think your infant has a baby food allergy, eliminating the following products from their diet may help.

• Milk and dairy products

• Eggs

• Nuts

• Shellfish

• Citrus Fruits

Once you have eliminated each of these food groups from your baby’s diet, you can begin to reintroduce them gradually one by one.

Wait a few days before the introduction of an additional food group and do not mix food groups.

If your baby has a baby food allergy you be able to detect it by monitoring his or her reaction to the introduction of these individual food groups.

Baby Food Allergies – Can they be prevented?

Breastfeeding your baby for the first six months of his or her life helps to reduce the incidence of allergies earlier on in life.

Try to avoid giving your baby pre-prepared foods that contain additives, or tinned or packaged foods.

Baby Food Allergies – When are they Most Likely to Occur?

Baby food allergies can occur at any time. Many babies are allergic to, or have an intolerance to cows milk and your baby may develop an allergy to other milk or wheat products, shellfish, nuts or citrus fruits.

If your baby has an allergic reaction after eating a particular food, you should see the signs within an hour.

Baby Food Allergy – Signs to Look For

The symptoms of a baby food allergy could include swelling or itchiness of the lips or tongue, wheezing or a skin rash.

Some babies may develop an intolerance to particular food groups.

If your baby has a food intolerance, symptoms might include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain, colic or wind.

Treating Baby Food Allergies

As long as you can find the cause, then the best way to treat a baby food allergy is to refrain from giving your baby that particular food.

If your baby is experiencing related symptoms then the allergy could be pollen related rather than a baby food allergy. Non food substances that could also cause an allergic reaction include pet hairs, tobacco smoke, feather pillows, perfume or dust mites.

Baby Food Allergies – Healthy Alternatives

If your results indicated that your infant is experiencing baby food allergies, here are some non allergic foods that you can try introducing into their diet.

• Mangoes, apples, grapes

• Barley, oats, rye

• Cauliflower, carrots, sweet potatoes

• Chicken, salmon

If in any doubt you should seek professional help to determine whether it is a baby food allergy or something more serious.

Baby food allergies are quote common and with a little work are fairly easy to detect. Once you have detected the source of your baby’s food allergy, the simplest way to eliminate the symptoms is to remove the cause.



By: Sacha Tarkovsky

About the Author:

MORE FREE INFO

On all aspects of health and more on babies visit our website for a huge resource of articles, features and downloads and at http://www.net-planet.org/index.html



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Diet That Works for Irritable Bowel Syndrome

January 10, 2010 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Irritable bowel syndrome is a condition that can be characterized with several symptoms. Hence, it is very important to reach to the root cause of the problem in order to determine better treatments to improve the condition.

First, it is very important to start on with a diet that’s meant to improve the condition. Understand that there are certain problematic foods that can trigger off symptoms such as bloating, constipation and diarrhea.

There is absolutely no standard diet that can be used by all those with irritable bowel syndrome. The problem and symptoms vary from person to person. Hence, the diet prescription varies accordingly.

However, there are certain common guidelines and food groups one needs to focus on in order to steer clear of irritable bowel syndrome. In case, a diet plan does not seem to work at all, you need to consult a health care practitioner.

Certain lifestyle change and the way one takes his or her meals should be altered. Usually people are accustomed to take three large meals in a day. This is where the problem arises.

Large meals have the tendency to cause strain and compaction inside the stomach. Hence, it is advisable to take 4-5 small meals in a day as compared to the traditional three regular meals. This habit will help in eliminating the root cause that’s responsible to trigger off irritable bowel syndrome.

One should also reduce the in take of fat-based foods. The fat is hard to digest. In fact, it gets digested in a slow pace. Poor digestion is one of the major causes of irritable bowel syndrome. When the food is not digested properly, it may cause gas inside the intestine. This results in the rise of many symptoms, thereby, aggravating the problem.

Dietary fat restricts the movement of gas slower from the stomach to small intestine. People may suffer from discomfort due to this interruption of a primary function of the body.

Doctors usually prescribe increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, wheat- based products and beans. All these food items work towards providing relief from gastrointestinal tract vices. Fiber intake improves the bulkiness of the stool. This further helps in easy and better removal of the stool.

An adequate fluid intake of at least 1.5 liters on a daily basis is very important. The major source of fluid intake must be derived from plain water. You may also opt for some amount of dilute tea or juices. One should steer clear of carbonated soft drinks and coffee.

Regular and light exercises are important for reducing symptoms. Here are certain food items you should avoid when on a diet for irritable bowel syndrome.

- Caffeinated drinks such as tea, coffee and soda

- Alcohol

- Wheat

- Carbonated drinks such as soda

- Dairy products

- Fried foods

- Citrus fruits

- Artificial sweetness

- Fatty food items

- Red meats

- Chocolate

- Gluten

You must take special care of including foods rich in fiber such as kidney, beans, lima beans, whole-grain breads and cereals

Also include a lot of fruits and vegetables in your irritable bowel syndrome diet.



By: Bertil Hjert

About the Author:

For more Articles, News, Information, Advice, and Resources about Irritable Bowel Syndrome please visit IRRITABLE BOWEL ADVICE and ACID REFLUX EXPERT



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How To Create An IBS Food Plan To Cure IBS Symptoms

July 31, 2009 by mbelcher · 1 Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Part of fighting IBS is eating the right food for IBS and excluding those that are not good for your condition. There are certain IBS food which promotes overall proper digestion. These IBS food are the ones you should include in your diet.

So which kinds of food are safe for you?

Fiber-Rich Foods and Plenty of Fluids

You can find fibers in grains particularly bran, cereals, fruits, whole-grain breads and vegetables. Similarly there are those that are rich in soluble fibers like peas, beans and oats that were also known to help avoid constipation and diarrhea.

You should always read food labels especially when purchasing cereals and breads. Make sure that they are made from whole-grain or whole-wheat. Similarly for meat dishes you can include fibers including kidney beans, oatmeal, bran pinto beans, black-eyed peas and kidney beans. If you will buy ready to eat cereals see to it that it has at least five grams of fibers.

Of course it is important to always drink lots of fluids. If you can consume the recommended eight glasses of liquid per day then so much the better. In terms of fluids you drink water and fruit juices.

To avoid eating more try to eat your food slowly to digest the food well. Try to enjoy your food. And also refrain from drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages since they may cause diarrhea.

IBS Food To Avoid

If there are foods that are safe, there are certain foods and drinks to avoid. Eliminate these foods from your diet:

- High fat

- Alcohol

- Caffeine

- Red meat

- Dairy

- Carbonated

As mentioned, include in your diet the right food groups for you and avoid the ones that trigger your condition. Be sure to follow your diet every day.



By: Juana Cruz

About the Author:

Learn more about a proper IBS food plan by visiting IBS Treatments, a comprehensive information source on IBS. Additionally, read our review on Great Taste, No Pain, to help treat your condition.



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Cure your Ibs Symptoms Through Ibs Diet

July 30, 2009 by mbelcher · Leave a Comment
Filed under: Irritable Bowel Syndrome IBS 
Irritable bowel syndrome or IBS is a disorder that didn’t become commonly known until 1992. Although IBS is still largely a mysterious disease, it is now more easily diagnosed by doctors because more symptoms have been identified. Some symptoms of IBS include stomach cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation and diarrhea. IBS is not a life threatening disease, but it can cause great discomfort, distress and embarrassment to people who suffer from it.

Many IBS sufferers claim that their IBS symptoms are exacerbated by certain foods. If you have IBS, you will need to do some trial and error before you can identify exactly which food trigger your IBS symptoms. Keep in mind that the foods that trigger IBS in other IBS sufferers may not trigger your IBS symptoms and vice versa. This is because IBS is a very individual disorder.

The first thing that most people do once they are diagnosed with IBS is get on a strict diet, avoiding most food groups. In general, this is not a good thing because it deprives the body of the necessary nutrients in order for it to function. If you have been diagnosed with IBS, the best thing you can do is start taking out the more common IBS trigger foods from your diet. These foods include the following:

* foods high in oil content such as cooking oil, butter, spread, sauce, salad dressing, fried food and fast food

* milk and dairy products

* solid chocolate

* alcoholic drinks

* caffeinated drinks like coffee and soda

* foods that contain MSG, preservatives, additives, and artificial flavoring and sweetener

* sugar alcohols, which cause diarrhea

* foods like broccoli, corn and cauliflower that can cause gas

* starchy foods like potatoes, pasta, pumpkin, noodles and rice

While there are foods that can trigger IBS symptoms, there are foods that are safe for people with IBS:

* foods that contain soluble fiber (e.g., oatmeal, rice, banana and white bread)

* foods that contain insoluble fiber (e.g., raw vegetables and fruits)

* tofu, which is a rich source of protein and is easily digestible

* probiotics, which provide good bacteria in the gut for strengthening the digestive system

If you are worried that you won’t be able to eat foods you like because of your disorder, there’s good news. You only really need to avoid IBS trigger foods for a while to give your digestive system time to stabilize. You can then slowly add back some foods into your diet. However, you need to do this one food at a time. If your digestive system accepts the food without triggering any IBS symptoms, you can continue consuming it. It can be very time consuming to identify the foods that are safe for you and the ones that can trigger your IBS symptoms, but there is no other way you’ll find out.



By: Jen Miller

About the Author:

Are you looking for an IBS Cure ?Then it is vital to first have a good knowledge of what IBS is and how to mange it. Symptoms Of IBS is a comprehensive resource with lots of information on Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Jen Miller is a health and fitness enthusiast. She currently runs a website at http://www.symptomsofibs.org to help people deal with IBS in their lives.



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