Food allergies in children

What is food allergy?

It is a reaction by your immune system to a normal amount of a particular food. This reaction happens every time that food is eaten.
Although food allergies are rare, they are most common in children under the age of four.
The most frequent food allergies are to:

• milk
• eggs
• fish
• nuts
• citrus fruit
• tomatoes.

What are the symptoms?

Children with food allergies often have several different symptoms. These include:

• severe  skin rash
• vomitting and diarrhoea for no apparent reason
• asthmatic bronchitis or asthma
• allergic cold (itchy, streaming eyes and nose).

How do food allergies begin?

A hypersensitive reaction towards food is usually a type 1 allergic reaction to something in the diet.
This means your child's immune system produces a class of antibodies called IgE in response to a particular food. These antibodies cause the allergic symptoms.
Almost one third of the population omit certain foods from their diet or their children's diet because they believe they cause an allergic reaction.
In fact, only about 3 per cent of children suffer allergic reactions towards food, and most will outgrow them before they reach the age of three.

Who's at risk?

Type 1 allergic diseases are to some extent inherited. For this reason you may want to talk to your GP or allergy specialist before you get pregnant if there is a family history of allergy, hay fever, eczema or asthma.

What should I do if I suspect my child has a food allergy?

• Contact your doctor first.
• Do not put your child on a strange restricted diet that could result in malnutrition.
• A change in your child's bowel movements is not a sign of food allergy.
• It is completely normal for a child's bowel movements to change if their diet is changed.
• Most importantly: relax. Don't assume that your child is suffering from a food allergy until this has been confirmed by an allergy specialist.

How are food allergies treated?

A diet that eliminates the food is the main treatment for this type of allergy.
In rare cases, eating even a small amount of the food can cause anaphylactic shock (severe difficulty breathing and heart malfunction), leading to collapse.
Anaphylactic shock needs immediate treatment with adrenaline, so seek medical help straight away if your child suddenly begins to have difficulty breathing.

Can a Statin Neutralize the Cardiovascular Risk of Unhealthy Dietary Choices?

The title of this post is the exact title of a recent editorial in the American Journal of Cardiology (1). Investigators calculated the "risk for cardiovascular disease associated with the total fat and trans fat content of fast foods", and compared it to the "risk decrease provided by daily statin consumption". Here's what they found:

The risk reduction associated with the daily consumption of most statins, with the exception of pravastatin, is more powerful than the risk increase caused by the daily extra fat intake associated with a 7-oz hamburger (Quarter Pounder®) with cheese and a small milkshake. In conclusion, statin therapy can neutralize the cardiovascular risk caused by harmful diet choices.

Routine accessibility of statins in establishments providing unhealthy food might be a rational modern means to offset the cardiovascular risk. Fast food outlets already offer free condiments to supplement meals. A free statin-containing accompaniment would offer cardiovascular benefits, opposite to the effects of equally available salt, sugar, and high-fat condiments. Although no substitute for systematic lifestyle improvements, including healthy diet, regular exercise, weight loss, and smoking cessation, complimentary statin packets would add, at little cost, 1 positive choice to a panoply of negative ones.

Wow. Later in the editorial, they recommend "a new and protective packet, “MacStatin,” which could be sprinkled onto a Quarter Pounder or into a milkshake." I'm not making this up!

I can't be sure, but I think there's a pretty good chance the authors were being facetious in this editorial, in which case I think a) it's hilarious, b) most people aren't going to get the joke. If they are joking, the editorial is designed to shine a light on the sad state of mainstream preventive healthcare. Rather than trying to educate people and change the deadly industrial food system, which is at the root of a constellation of health problems, many people think it's acceptable to partially correct one health risk by tinkering with the human metabolism using drugs. To be fair, most people aren't willing to change their diet and lifestyle habits (and perhaps for some it's even too late), so frustrated physicians prescribe drugs to mitigate the risk. I accept that. But if our society is really committed to its own health and well-being, we'll remove the artificial incentives that favor industrial food, and educate children from a young age on how to eat well.

I think one of the main challenges we face is that our current system is immensely lucrative for powerful financial interests. Industrial agriculture lines the pockets of a few large farmers and executives (while smaller farmers go broke and get bought out), industrial food processing concentrates profit among a handful of mega-manufacturers, and then people who are made ill by the resulting food spend an exorbitant amount of money on increasingly sophisticated (and expensive) healthcare. It's a system that effectively milks US citizens for a huge amount of money, and keeps the economy rolling at the expense of the average person's well-being. All of these groups have powerful lobbies that ensure the continuity of the current system. Litigation isn't the main reason our healthcare is so expensive in the US; high levels of chronic disease, expensive new technology, a "kitchen sink" treatment approach, and inefficient private companies are the real reasons.

If the editorial is serious, there are so many things wrong with it I don't even know where to begin. Here are a few problems:

1. They assume the risk of heart attack conveyed by eating fast food is due to its total and trans fat content, which is simplistic. To support that supposition, they cite one study: the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (2). This is one of the best diet-health observational studies conducted to date. The authors of the editorial appear not to have read the study carefully, because it found no association between total or saturated fat intake and heart attack risk, when adjusted for confounding variables. The number they quoted (relative risk = 1.23) was before adjustment for fiber intake (relative risk = 1.02 after adjustment), and in any case, it was not statistically significant even before adjustment. How did that get past peer review? Answer: reviewers aren't critical of hypotheses they like.
   
2. Statins mostly work in middle-aged men, and reduce the risk of heart attack by about one quarter. The authors excluded several recent unsupportive trials from their analysis. Dr. Michel de Lorgeril reviewed these trials recently (3). For these reasons, adding a statin to fast food would probably have a negligible effect on the heart attack risk of the general population.
   
3. "Statins rarely cause negative side effects." BS. Of the half dozen people I know who have gone on statins, all of them have had some kind of negative side effect, two of them unpleasant enough that they discontinued treatment against their doctor's wishes. Several of them who remained on statins are unlikely to benefit because of their demographic, yet they remain on statins on their doctors' advice.
   
4. Industrial food is probably the main contributor to heart attack risk. Cultures that don't eat industrial food are almost totally free of heart attacks, as demonstrated by a variety of high-quality studies (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9). No drug can replicate that, not even close.
   

I have an alternative proposal. Rather than giving people statins along with their Big Mac, why don't we change the incentive structure that artificially favors the Big Mac, french fries and soft drink? If it weren't for corn, soybean and wheat subsidies, fast food wouldn't be so cheap. Neither would any other processed food. Fresh, whole food would be price competitive with industrial food, particularly if we applied the grain subsidies to more wholesome foods. Grass-fed beef and dairy would cost the same as grain-fed. I'm no economist, so I don't know how realistic this really is. However, my central point still stands: we can change the incentive structure so that it no longer artificially favors industrial food. That will require that the American public get fed up and finally butt heads with special interest groups.

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

Cardiovascular risk factors
There are many risk factors associated with coronary heart disease and stroke. The major risk factors, tobacco use, alcohol use, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol, obesity, physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, have a high prevalence across the world.

Of particular significance in developing countries is the fact that while they are grappling with increasing rates of cardiovascular disease, they still face the scourges of poor nutrition and infectious disease.  Nevertheless, with the exception of sub-Saharan Africa, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the developing world.

You will not necessarily develop cardiovascular disease if you have a risk factor.  But the more risk factors you have the greater is the likelihood that you will, unless you take action to modify your risk factors and work to prevent them compromising your heart health.

Modifiable risk factors
Hypertension is the single biggest risk factor for stroke. It also plays a significant role in heart attacks. It can be prevented and successfully treated but only if you have it diagnosed and stick to your recommended management plan.

Abnormal blood lipid levels, that is high total cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides, high levels of low-density lipoprotein or low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol all increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Changing to a healthy diet, exercise and medication can modify your blood lipid profile.

Tobacco use, whether it is smoking or chewing tobacco, increases risks of cardiovascular disease.  The risk is especially high if you started smoking when young, smoke heavily or are a woman. Passive smoking is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.  Stopping tobacco use can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease significantly, no matter how long you have smoked.

Physical inactivity increases the risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%.  Obesity is a major risk for cardiovascular disease and predisposes you to diabetes. Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease

Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Having diabetes makes you twice as likely as someone who does not to develop cardiovascular disease. If you do not control diabetes then you are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease at an earlier age than other people and it will be more devastating. If you are a pre-menopausal woman, your diabetes cancels out the protective effect of estrogen and your risk of heart disease rises significantly.

A diet high in saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.  It is estimated to cause about 31% of coronary heart disease and 11% of stroke worldwide.

Being poor, no matter where in the globe, increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. A chronically stressful life, social isolation, anxiety and depression increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Having one to two alcohol drinks a day may lead to a 30% reduction in heart disease, but above this level alcohol consumption will damage the heart muscle.

Certain medicines may increase the risk of heart disease such as the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
 
Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a risk factor for cardiovascular mortality.

Non-modifiable risk factors
Simply getting old is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease; risk of stroke doubles every decade after age 55.

Your family’s history of cardiovascular disease indicates your risk. If a first-degree blood relative has had coronary heart disease or stroke before the age of 55 years (for a male relative) or 65 years (for a female relative) your risk increases.

Your gender is significant: as a man you are at greater risk of heart disease than a pre-menopausal woman.  But once past the menopause, a woman’s risk is similar to a man’s. Risk of stroke is similar for men and women.

Your ethnic origin plays a role.  People with African or Asian ancestry are at higher risks of developing cardiovascular disease than other racial groups.

Tips to Get Healthy Nutritions Every Day

No doubt, many things we do in life without us timethink about it . All this was done automatically and flow just like that, so that it becomes routine and habit. Activities eat and drink everyday for example, must be done continuously because we need the nutrients to the body.

But unfortunately, we often do not have great attention on this one activity. What often happens, eat or drink it just becomes a formality. As a result, bad habits also appear to affect the quality of nutritional intake. In fact, eating or drinking obviously very important to growth, maintain health and fitness.

Although you can not change those bad habits at once, you can start doing the little things that would be beneficial for your health. Here are important tips to do if you want to get healthy nutrients every day.

- Do not delay meal, planned to eat on a regular basis three times a day
- Get used to reading food labels, you will know and be aware of the food intake in your body.
- Plan to bring a healthy snack to the place of work.
- In between lunch and dinner, get used to eating five servings of fruits and vegetables.
- Stop your habit of adding salt to food.
- Do not eat anything after 8 pm
- Try to eat a new food every week. It helps you identify the variety of food
- Eat less meat to reduce fat and cholesterol
- Make sure the bread, cereal, pasta, and crackers are made from wheat
- Choose one from the list and combine these tips with your healthy habits. Write, and do within 30 days.  
-  Do not try to change more than one habit at the same time.

Saturated Fat Consumption Still isn't Associated with Heart Attack Risk

The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition just published the results of a major Japanese study on saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease (1). Investigators measured dietary habits, then followed 58,453 men and women for 14.1 years. They found that people who ate the most saturated fat had the same heart attack risk as those who ate the least*. Furthermore, people who ate the most saturated fat had a lower risk of stroke than those who ate the least. It's notable that stroke is a larger public health threat in Japan than heart attacks.

This is broadly consistent with the rest of the observational studies examining saturated fat intake and cardiovascular disease risk. A recent review paper by Dr. Ronald Krauss's group summed up what is obvious to any unbiased person who is familiar with the literature, that saturated fat consumption doesn't associate with heart attack risk (2). In a series of editorials, some of his colleagues attempted to discredit and intimidate him after its publication (3, 4). No meta-analysis is perfect, but their criticisms were largely unfounded (5, 6).


*Actually, people who ate the most saturated fat had a lower risk but it wasn't statistically significant.

10 Simple Steps to Healthy Heart

1. Healthy food intake - Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day and avoid saturated fat. Beware of processed foods, which often contain high levels of salt.

2. Get active & take heart - Even 30 minutes of activity can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes and your work will benefit too.

3. Say no to tobacco - Your risk of coronary heart disease will be halved within a year and will return to a normal level over time.

4. Maintain a healthy weight - Weight loss, especially together with lower ed salt intake, leads to lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major factor for approximately half of all heart disease and stroke.


5. Know your numbers - Visit a healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, together with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (bmi). Once you know your overall risk,you can develop a specific plan of action to improve your heart health.

6. Limit your alcohol intake - Restrict the amount of alcoholic drinks that you consume. Excessive alcohol intake can cause your blood pressure to rise and your weight to increase.

7. Insist on a smoke-free environmentDemand a tobacco ban - ensure your workplace is 100% smoke-free
Support the adoption of smoking - cessation services encourage your employer to provide help to those wanting to quit tobacco

8. Bring exercise to the workplace - Include physical activity in your working schedule - cycle to work if this is possible, take the stairs, exercise or go for a walk during your lunch breaks, and encourage others to do so too

9. Choose healthy food options- Ask for healthy food at your work canteen, or find nearby cafes or restaurants that serve healthy meals

10. Encourage stress-free moments -whilst stress has not been shown to be a direct risk fact or for heart disease and stroke, it is related to smoking, excessive drinking and unhealthy eating, which are risk factors for heart disease.

The Most Necessary Nutrients

More than 75% of women are not adequate daily needs of vitamins or minerals. Consuming a multivitamin is fine, but it still will not replace the real nutrition. Raw foods contain vitamins and minerals will help reduce the risk of various diseases such as cancer and heart attacks. Below you can see what types of vitamins and minerals that you need:

Vitamin D
Why needed: Vitamin D helps you maintain strong bones, boosting immunity, and prevent cancer cells grow. A panel of experts stated that women under age 50 require 10 times more than the recommended every day.

How to get it: Drink two glasses of milk with vitamin D every day. In addition, bask under the UV light also triggers the skin to produce vitamin D. Sit up to 15 minutes in the open air between 11.00-14.00 o'clock twice a week. Use a sun cream with SPF 8 or below, but do not over do it, especially if your family has a history of skin cancer.

Magnesium
Why needed: Low magnesium levels can cause menstrual migraines, and headaches when under stress, and increase the risk of diabetes.

How to get it: For starters, eating alone as usual. In the latter study, adults who always breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks, more potential to meet the recommended dietary limits (recommended dietary allowance, or RDA) for magnesium. The amount of magnesium in the diet is not much, so eating more would increase the difference. The most recommended food ingredients: nuts. A ounce of nuts of any kind to offer 20% RDA (320 mg for women over 30 years).

Iron
Why needed: Lack of iron levels can increase the risk of anemia and lead to fatigue and hair loss.

How to get it: Hold a barbecue! Three ounces of beef provides 20% RDA (18 mg for women under 50 years). Similarly, if you eat soy, tofu, spinach, although iron from plant materials are not easily absorbed by the body. Add the tomato salad or a piece of orange into a vegetarian menu. Vitamin C it will help your body utilize iron.

Calcium
Why needed: Calcium is often referred to as a bone builder, but these minerals also reduce symptoms of PMS, such as mood changes and abdominal cramps, about half way. People who consume enough calcium to have a lower risk (31%) of premenopausal breast cancer, as well as reduce the risk by 11% to high blood pressure.

How to get it: Complete your breakfast with cereal or milk, then you already meet your calcium needs by 51% than who skip breakfast or eat other foods. Choose a cereal with 10% or more of the RDA (1,000 mg), eating one or two foods made from milk every day, and consumption of multivitamins that contain calcium.

Folic Acid
Why needed: Usually, we just heard that folic acid is needed by pregnant women. Research shows that folic acid deficiency increases the risk of heart attacks and colon cancer.

How to get it: Consumption of salads. Women who eat a salad every day will meet the RDA of folic acid was 41% (400 mcg). If you are pregnant, taking folic acid supplements with 100% RDA