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The National Center for Health Statistics reported recently that the number of children diagnosed with food allergies has spiked eighteen percent in the last ten years.

Braeden is one of those children, at age 5, we're having him tested for a lactose intolerance as per a script his GI Specialist gave us on Wednesday. But we're also taking him to an amazing allergist next week who will be able to test for actual allergies as opposed to an intolerance of lactose.

Symptoms associated with an allergic reaction include:

-hives
-wheezing and other lower respiratory problems
-vomiting
-nausea
-stomach cramps

Dr. Armen Ketchedjian, author of the book Will It Hurt? A Parent's Practical Guide to Children's Surgery, advises that most allergic reactions will express themselves in anywhere from the first minute following a meal to a few hours afterward.

It is estimated that between 6 and 7 million Americans suffer from food allergies, and the number of affected individuals is rising.

Milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, walnut, etc.), fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat are the most common allergens. Allergies to other foods are less common, but can be equally as serious.

There are approximately 30,000 emergency room visits and 150-200 deaths per year in the U.S. from severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis) to food alone.

Of course there are times when there will be false alarms and children CAN outgrow food allergies. So this is not something to panic about, it's just something to think about if your child is having trouble with upset stomachs and bowel issues and/or respiratory problems frequently. After all, there is no harm in paying attention to your child's diet and nutrition. Just always remember to deal with a trained doctor before restricting a ton of potential allergy foods.

The Food Allergy Initiative (www.faiusa.org)

Labels: diet, food allergies

In an article [PDF] published in the February 2009 issue of the HortScience Review, University of Texas researcher Donald R. Davis compiles evidence that points to declines in nutrition in vegetables and (to a lesser extent) fruits over the past few decades.

He points to another study in which researchers planted low- and high-yielding varieties of broccoli and grain side-by-side. The high-yielding varieties showed less protein and minerals.

The principle seems to be that when plants are nudged to produce as much as possible -- whether through lots of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides or through selective breeding -- they deliver fewer nutrients. It evidently isn't just the flavor that's become diluted in those bland supermarket tomatoes.

Over three billion of the world's population is malnourished in nutrient elements and vitamins (Welch and Graham, 2004), including in developed countries. Vegetables and fruits are among the richest sources of many nutrients.

I am sure you understand where this is going.

So it's not just pesticides and other sprays fighting our veggies. It's people focusing on yield and supply rather than quality and well that is probably because it's cheaper for the breeder and therefore would be cheaper for the consumer.

I guess you have to choose your health over your wallet. What a shame.

Labels: diet, vegetables

In the next couple of weeks we're hoping to find out for sure what is causing Braeden's digestive system to act so crazy.

One of the possible issues he could be experiencing is a gluten allergy. So this weekend I went shopping and was able to find gluten free flour, gluten free brownie mix and other gluten free items at Wal-Mart. I don't remember seeing those products there before, but this weekend they sure were.

This morning my co-worker Jim brought in MI-DEL gluten free chocolate chip cookies. How sweet of him! So I looked up this MI-DEL brand and found they are currently having a promotion where if you buy two packs of their cookies they will pay for a quart of milk for you.

Read more about the MI-DEL promo at their website.

If you're wondering about this gluten business, here's what I know so far. Gluten is the elastic protein in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten is also one of the big elements of MSG, which many of you probably are more familiar with.

And in the craziness of our bodies is an enzyme which has the sole job of breaking down this gluten protein. Well, some people are lacking the essential tools for their body to properly breakdown the gluten proteins. When this happens the person can become very sick or subtly so depending on their sensitivity. So from person to person there will be a variety of symptoms and degrees at which those symptoms are even noticed.

With Braeden he did have a hard time gaining weight but I thought it was because he is so active. And Braeden is sick a lot so I thought perhaps his splattering bowel movements were from being sick or from antibiotics (which still might be part of the problem) but it didn't cross my mind that he could have food allergies.

This is why it pays to be a great parent detective when it comes to finding out how to help your children. In my searches and readings I have learned a great deal about nutrition and just how important the nutritional role is in aiding your immune system.

Having a gluten allergy or intolerance plays a huge part in impairing your digestive system. It effects bowel movements, but it also effects the absorption of nutrients from everything else you eat. What you feel can range from being bloated, having indigestion, constipation or diarrhea, mouth ulcers, muscle cramps, stools that float and even skin issues. As you can see the range is wide and so many times people are diagnosed with something else entirely.

You can test for a gluten allergy with blood work, specifically an IgE test or Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay, (ELISA) testing which can give a doctor detailed information about specific allergies to foods such as eggs, peanuts, wheat, etc.

Here are some more links for where you can buy gluten-free foods.

Gluten Solutions

Gluten Free Gourmet

Jake Bakes

Double Dipped Sweets

Labels: children, diet, gluten free, MIDEL, nutrition

Without protein in the diet, our body would begin to cannibalize itself, slowly devouring the existing protein in muscles, bones and the brain. It's not a pleasant experience.

A tid bit or two about protein...

Protein is found throughout the body—in muscle, bone, skin, hair, and virtually every other body part or tissue. It makes up the enzymes that power many chemical reactions and the hemoglobin that carries oxygen in your blood. At least 10,000 different proteins make you what you are and keep you that way.

Because the body doesn't store amino acids, as it does fats or carbohydrates, it needs a daily supply of amino acids to make new protein.

The Harvard Nutrition Source says in terms of protein you should pay attention to what type of food you are relying on for the benefits. When choosing protein-rich foods, pay attention to what comes along with the protein. Vegetable sources of protein, such as beans, nuts, and whole grains, are excellent choices, and they offer healthy fiber, vitamins and minerals. The best animal protein choices are fish and poultry.

With all that being said it is also important to know there is a downside to eating TOO much protein. Digesting protein releases acids that the body usually neutralizes with calcium and other buffering agents in the blood. Eating lots of protein, such as the amounts recommended in the so-called low-carb or no-carb diets, takes lots of calcium. Some of this may be pulled from bone. Following a high-protein diet for a few weeks probably won't have much effect on bone strength. Doing it for a long time, though, could weaken bone.

Labels: bone strength, diet, protein

It seems that vegetarians are screwed on multiple levels, they get called hippies by me AND they might be at an increased risk of dementia in old age. The study recently published in the journal Dementias and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders focused on a number of elderly Indonesians who live across a wide range of areas in Java. They discovered that people who ate tofu at least once a day (which is classified as high consumption) had a statistically higher chance of showing dementia.

Soy products are rich in micronutrients called phytoestrogens, which mimic the impact of the female sex hormone oestrogen.

Soy products are NOT all bad though. You need to know the differences in what you are consuming. Unfermented soy products are the problem.

Unfermented soy products like tofu and soy milk and yogurt cause the following:

- Block absorption of essential minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron, and zinc. This results from a high content of phytic acid and phytates.
- Estrogenic effects from the isoflavones causing increasing estrogen levels higher than what's healthy
- Suppress thyroid function which is referred to as Goitrogenic effects and disrupt endocrine function
- Inhibit growth due to the trypsin inhibitors that it contains
- Can cause blood clots due to haemagglutinin

Some of the symptoms caused by soy include acne, canker sore, inflammation and infection of the mucous membrane lining of the eyelids and the exposed surface of the eyeball, dermatitis, diarrhea, eczema, hives, heart palpitation, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, panic attack and PMS like symptoms.

However, there are also many good reasons for eating soy products. If you have diabetes, soy products slow absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. They may also protect against damaging effects of glucose-induced oxidation, common in people with diabetes.

Soy protein is a complete protein. It is equal in quality to animal proteins, such as that found in milk and meat. Soy has been recognized as such in the new USDA food guidelines.

Studies indicate soy components may delay onset of tumor growth and decrease size of tumors present. As little as one serving of soy foods a day (ex: one cup soy milk or 1/2 cup tofu) may be enough to reduce the risk of developing cancer.

It is up to you what type of soy intake you bring into your diet. It is always important to way the options and research what you are putting into your body because in nearly all cases there will be positive and negative effects.

Labels: children healthcare, diet, nutrition, soy, tofu

Amino acids are nitrogen-containing compounds that occur naturally in the body and are essential to good health.

Eight of the 20 commonly known amino acids are needed to maintain a healthy metabolism, promote tissue repair and growth, protect nerves and synthesize the protein needed to build lean muscle. Unfortunately, your body doesn't produce the essential eight. You must obtain these through diet.

Figures, right?

So what do you need to eat to get the essential 8?

Animal foods will contain all eight essential amino acids, but most plant foods lack in one or more. Meat in general is a good source of protein, with a full mixture of all the essential amino acids. However, it can be high in fat. Try to select lean cuts such as top round and sirloin. Poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, seeds and legumes (dry beans or peas such as lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans) are also good sources of protein.

To give you an idea of the amount of protein you can find in certain foods, check out the following list:

1 cup milk…8 grams

1 ounce cheese…7 grams

1 ounce meat…7 grams

1 egg…6 grams

½ cup legumes…7 grams

2 tablespoons peanut butter…8 grams

¼ cup nuts…6 grams

½ cup cooked non-starchy vegetable…2 grams

1 serving of grain (1 slice bread, ½ bun, 1 c. dry cereal, 1 small muffin)…3 grams

And there's the lesson for the day. =o)

Labels: amino acid, diet, protein

Now that the Easter Egg hunting has commenced, I think it's only fair we talk about the candy which is now all over our houses.

Don't worry too much if your kids like the Peeps, star bursts or fruit snacks but let's face it those items are not necessarily the number one candy on kids' lists, right?

The chocolate bunnies whether hollow or solid are both high in fat and sugar. Other offenders in the candy world are jelly beans, peanut butter cups and the foil-packaged chocolate eggs. Don't believe me, well look at the facts; just one half of a solid chocolate bunny has 26 grams of fat, 460 calories and 42 grams of sugar. The recommended intake of sugar per day is only 40 grams. See the problem? While jelly beans are low in fat, they have a lot of sugar and calories. Just 13 jelly beans will put your sugar intake up at 27 grams. Just 13!

So if your kids crave chocolate and won't touch the marshmallows or fruit snacks, then try and give them a tootsie roll they are much lower in both fat and sugar. It's also filling because tootsie rolls require more chewing, it takes longer to eat them and kids think they have eaten more that way.

Of course it's all up to you. If you're like me you started throwing away some of the candy already. Braeden eats solid chocolate only, typically in the form of Hershey kisses. But he certainly has a variety of other goodies to choose from and that worries me. I want my boy to eat more, but I'd rather it be sweet corn than sweet jelly beans. =o)

SOURCE

Labels: candy, children, diet

Let me first explain, I don't think I'm overweight. I just think I could be more toned and it's something I really need to be more diligent about.

There are so many websites that claim they can help you lose weight. Diet pills, diet shakes, starving yourself...those things just aren't the way to go when you want to look more healthy and fit. Especially if you would like to maintain that look.

MyFitnessPal.com is a 100% free website that knows losing weight and staying fit is NOT easy. So they want to help you. They have a searchable food database of over 6,000 items to help you with calorie counting. And to make it even easier you can use their own calorie counter tool.

What ends up happening is you will build your own personalized diet profile by logging your snacks and meals and exercise. Plus, their free calorie counter will help you to know exactly how many calories you are burning depending on the type of exercise, your weight and how long you did the exercise. It's as easy as that!

AND they have a community forum where you can talk to other people using the same program. You can share recipes, give support, be supported and discuss nutrition with people who are in the same boat as you. So beaches and bikinis are your enemies, why don't you try out MyFitnessPal and make them your friends.

This post has been sponsored.

Labels: diet, fitness, health