From First Foods to Optimum Health

Food allergies and sensitivities are a growing concern, not just for infant’s but for adults as well.  In a recent British Medical Journal article, researchers were alarmed at the dramatic increase in the number of people admitted to hospital suffering from allergy related disease.  Unfortunately, most of those hospital admissions were children. 
            Allergies to food, including sensitivities and intolerances can have a dramatic effect on the health of an individual, especially an infant: recurrent ear infections can be painful and lead to hearing challenges, eczema can eventually be followed by asthma and chronic colic may develop into digestive problems. 
            Fortunately, there are positive things you can do as a parent to prevent these conditions.  Breast feeding of course is one of the best food’s available for your baby and ideal for helping your child’s immune system deal with allergens.  If however, you choose not to breastfeed or are unable to nurse this information is still pertinent and can help your child grow strong and healthy.

Your Infant’s Digestive System

          As a new born your baby does not have the well developed digestive system that you do.  His salivary glands do not contain the necessary secretions to initiate starch breakdown and even his little tummy isn’t producing the enzymes needed to convert starch to fuel.  Unfortunately, one of the first foods given babies is pablum or cereal, a starch, that given your infant’s inability to digest carbohydrates, can decompose in their stomachs and cause one or more of the following complaints: colic, irritability, insomnia, constipation or diarrhea, bloating and gas, skin rashes or eczemas, recurrent upper respiratory infections, allergies and asthma. 
          However, your child’s digestive system is capable of breaking down the protein found in mother’s milk.  In addition, their pancreatic enzymes can process both fat and protein and the carbohydrates babies are best able to digest, milk sugar or lactose.
         When solid foods are introduced to infant’s too early their ill-equipped systems cannot break down the food completely.  This allows undigested proteins to be taken into the blood stream.  These proteins, called antigens, can cause an infant’s delicate immune system to respond by creating antibodies, substances that seek out and eliminate antigens.  When that same food is consumed the bodies release of antibodies causes the immune system to produce powerful anti-inflammatory substances such as histamines and leukotrienes which can provoke the host of symptoms mentioned earlier.

Taking Action

            There are solutions!  The first step is in taking the time to educate yourself in infant nutrition.  The second step is in taking action!
            The first action taken should be to remove harmful foods from your babies diet.  The second is to introduce health-building foods appropriate for his age and development.  Harmful foods are those your babies undeveloped system cannot handle properly.   Health-building foods are those that promote wellness and continued good health.
           Cow’s milk is a staple for many families.  Unfortunately, it is may not be a good first choice for babies.  It’s protein content is far higher than breast milk and whereas breast milk contains valuable essential fatty acids vital for protecting against inflammation and certain disease, cow’s milk contains nutrients appropriate to its young.  Cow’s milk has ten times less vitamin E than human milk as well as denatured immune enhancing compounds through excessive processing.  In essence cow’s milk is for calves not human infants.  If you are not able to nurse or give your child breast milk a satisfactory alternative to mother’s milk is a pre-digested formula recommended by your health care provider.
            Once your baby hits six months of age things rapidly begin to change.  He is more alert and interested in his surroundings and more than likely trying to grab some of the food you’re trying to eat.  If he is healthy and thriving it is fine to continue with only breast milk, especially if the biological parents are dealing with food sensitivities (the longer a baby is breastfed the less likely he is to develop food allergies later on in life.)  If possible continue to nurse as much as possible, with solid foods as a secondary treat as long as your baby is content, up to 12 to 16 months (if your baby is gaining about 1 to 1.5 pounds per month.)

Concerned about food allergies in your child? Do you want to find out what foods should be introduced first to minimize her chances of developing allergies or sensitivities to food? BABY BABY: From First Foods to Optimum Health answers your questions.

Here is a list of the headings in BABY BABY: From First Foods to Optimum Health by Beth Yim

You can have this ebook FREE! Check below for details

The Perfect Food
Your Infant's Digestive System

• Probiotics and Your Baby
  Taking Action
  Is Your Baby Suffering From Colic

• Introducing First Foods to Minimize Sensitivities and Allergies
  Baby's Second Food
  Nutritional Deficiencies in Children
  Next Please!
  Introducing Grains

• Gluten Grains
  What is it with Wheat?
  Items to Avoid
  Choking Hazard
  Foods to Grow up on
  Creating Good Eating Habits in your One Year Old and Toddler

• Environmental Allergies
      checklist of possibilities
      Avoiding Allergens
  What about Mom's Best Food

•  Fatigue Factor
      Energy Builders
      Energy Drainers
  RDA's for Mom

• Baby and the Special Diet
      Vegetarian
      Vegan
      Raw
  Snacking Ideas
  Organic of Course
  More Statistics
  To Vaccinate or Not?

• Resources You Can Use
   

 

To order a copy of the sixty seven page e-book Oh Baby: From First Foods to Optimum Health by Beth Hendry-Yim, and pay only $5.00, please click on the Paypal Buy Now button below and follow the download instructions. If you are concerned about the health of your child don't delay! Order Now.