Poor ecology, use of chemicalsgrowing plants, experimenting with various food additives, which are stuffed into almost all semi-finished products, and many other similar factors lead to the appearance of allergies. Moreover, both representatives of the weaker sex living in megacities and rural residents face this disease equally often. In all honesty, allergies can really be called a serious disease of the 21st century.
Diet for allergies: what to look for
First, we need to figure out what it isWhat is an allergy and why is it so scary? So, it is a reaction of your immune system to a foreign protein that gets inside the body. What is most interesting is that the first time your body may not react to the allergen at all. Only after the second or third contact with this substance may itching, runny nose, redness, etc. appear. Therefore, sometimes it is very difficult to determine what you are really allergic to: medicine, animals, weather conditions or food. Of course, after tests and diagnostics in each specific case, a certain course of treatment will be prescribed. Plus, to avoid relapse or deterioration, the patient will have to adhere to a strict diet. Usually, the menu is prescribed based on the patient's condition. Please note: a diet for allergies is prescribed only by the attending physician! Self-medication is prohibited under any circumstances. Therefore, before you start experimenting with dishes and products, first consult with your doctor about what you can cook at first. By the way, to quickly determine what the problem is, you can take a blood test. But, unfortunately, such procedures do not always give a 100% answer.
Nutrition for every day: what you should know about the patient
Your first priority is to get rid ofsymptoms (rash, itching, irritation) and cleanse the body of the allergen. In this case, dietary nutrition performs two main functions at the same time. The first is diagnostic, the second is therapeutic. By excluding or gradually introducing certain foods into your menu, you can easily identify the immediate cause. You should be careful when introducing a new ingredient into your diet. Trying even one strawberry or grape, you risk your health (especially if the allergy manifests itself very quickly and strongly). Therefore, you should always have a first aid kit near you so that your family or friends can provide first aid. Plus, do not experiment alone. A diet for allergies is a healthy, complete and proper diet that should not contain harmful substances. Do not buy semi-finished products and fast food. Do not be lazy to cut meat and fish yourself. Packaged fillets, canned goods, and prepared foods contain dyes, stabilizers, flavors and other additives that will ultimately provoke deterioration. Read the ingredients and ask for certificates. This will help you protect yourself from counterfeit products. Of course, there is still a chance that mayonnaise or ketchup may contain substances that are not listed on the packaging. But this way you will at least protect yourself a little, reducing the risk of purchasing a low-quality product to a minimum.
Diet during an exacerbation
To the person who discovered the first symptomsallergies, you must first of all switch to a non-specific hypoallergenic diet. At the same time, you cannot introduce prohibited products until there is complete improvement. But even if you feel great, it is better to wait a couple of weeks. Please note: a diet for allergies does not follow the law: "If you really want it, then a little is ok." In this case, you will provoke an exacerbation. So, exclude highly allergenic products from your diet, to which the body reacts sharply. These include:
- Some varieties of fish, seafood (black and red caviar, mussels, squids, rapans);
- any fresh and sour-milk products, eggs;
- canned and marinades, smoked, spicy, salty dishes, spices, condiments, sauces;
- pepper, pumpkin, tomatoes, beets, eggplants, carrots, sorrel, celery. Also, you can not eat berries and fruits, especially those that have a pronounced red and orange color, and absolutely all citrus;
- packaged juices and carbonated drinks, flavored yogurt with additives and chewing gum;
- dried fruits, for example, such as raisins, dried apricots,dates, figs, honey bees, absolutely all mushrooms and all kinds of nuts. Under the taboo of sweets like marmalade, caramel, chocolate and all products with its addition;
- home fruit juices, compotes and other drinks prepared with the addition of the above berries, fruits and vegetables, as well as coffee and cocoa, alcoholic beverages;
- all foods that have nutritional supplements (emulsifiers, preservatives, dyes, flavors);
- all exotic products brought fromeastern countries. The fact is that before transportation they are treated with chemistry or wax. So your favorite apples, peaches, bananas are stored much longer. But, unfortunately, you can not wash off all the aforementioned mucks with water.
The products that remain under great questionare in the category of medium activity. They can cause allergies, but such cases are very rare. Therefore, they should be excluded only on the prescription of your nutritionist. So, problems can be with some cereals (wheat, corn, buckwheat, rye), fatty meats (pork, horse meat, lamb, turkey and rabbit), fruits and berries (red and black currants, peaches, bananas, lingonberries, apricots, cranberries, watermelon). Also, such vegetables as green peppers, potatoes, peas, and some legumes can provoke a negative reaction in your body. The third category is low-allergenic products, which are exactly what you should eat during periods of exacerbation of allergies. You can eat certain types of fish (cod, sea bass), lean meat, fermented milk products, offal, rice, buckwheat and corn bread. It is also recommended to eat vegetables and greens, but only after you make sure that you are not allergic to them. Oatmeal, pearl barley, rice, semolina, butter, sunflower and olive oils, green apples and pears, gooseberries and white currants are considered safe. Some dried fruits are allowed (these can be dried apples, pears and prunes). As you already understood, a diet for allergies in adults and children necessarily begins with the exclusion of highly allergenic substances from your diet. You will also need to strictly limit the consumption of vegetables and fruits from the second category. Only in this way can you achieve complete recovery.
How to eat with allergy
You don't have to get rid of fruits and vegetables,to cope with allergies. You can eat a complete, balanced diet, without denying yourself small feasts on the stomach. The main thing is to observe moderation and not overeat. Do not eat more than you need, even if your body tolerates your favorite product normally. If you eat 2 strawberries at a time, nothing will happen to you. When you eat a kilogram of this delicious berry, the allergy will immediately manifest itself. Do not forget about variety. Do not get hung up on one thing. If you stop eating fruits, vegetables, fish, and sit on cereals alone, where will your body get vitamins and useful elements from? You should diversify your daily diet, of course, within the limits allowed by the diet. Experts recommend eating one type of food every three days. That is, if you ate broccoli on Monday, it is better to cook dishes from it the next time no earlier than Thursday. This requirement is explained by the fact that allergic reactions can occur when a certain amount of protein accumulates in the body. By choosing the right menu, you can soften and even completely prevent the harmful effects of allergens. For example, people who suffer from pollen from flowers and trees should categorically not include most stone fruits and berries in their diet. They will need to exclude nuts, celery, dill and carrots from their lives. Those who suffer from allergies to cereals or meadow grasses are strongly advised to limit their consumption of bread and various bakery products. Bread kvass, pasta, semolina, bread crumbs, ice cream, halva, all legumes, and sorrel are also prohibited. If you are allergic to composite plants (for example, wormwood or ragweed), you will need to exclude melons, watermelon, greens and hot spices from your daily diet. You should also be very careful with sunflower oil and its derivatives. Mayonnaise, mustard, and halva are completely prohibited. If you have an allergy to quinoa, it is strictly forbidden to eat spinach and beets, peaches and pears, exotic fruits, honey and some types of seasonings. By the way, alcohol can also provoke the development of a serious allergy. The reason lies in the composition of the drink you drink. Wine, cognac, low-alcohol drinks contain such a number of dyes, flavors, stabilizers and other additives that even the strongest body cannot always withstand such loads. Therefore, completely exclude all alcoholic drinks, especially vermouth and absinthe. Or choose expensive products, the quality of which you are one hundred percent sure of. Following such simple restrictions in food, you will easily endure an exacerbation and avoid relapse in the future. But even after you identify the cause, you should not return to your previous life. After all, it is unknown how your body will react to other allergens.
