Learn to Avoid Foods That Trigger Lupus Flares - With an Easy, at Home Food Allergy Testing Strategy

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A food allergy is an immune response to a particular food or beverage, similar to the immune response against the body itself in a lupus patient. Don't confuse food allergies with food intolerances; they are different. When you experience food intolerance, it is not caused by the immune system, and is simply an adverse response by your body to a particular food (like lactose intolerance).

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You've got to take care of yourself; having lupus or any auto-immune disease makes you especially susceptible to food allergies and these allergic reactions can instigate flares.

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There are many ways to determine food allergies and the symptoms they produce. According to the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, you should watch for the following 7 symptoms up to two hours of eating.

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Food allergy symptoms to watch out for:

o Tingling sensation in the mouth

o Swelling of the tongue and the throat

o Difficulty breathing

o Hives

o Vomiting, abdominal cramps, or diarrhea

o Sudden drop in blood pressure

o Loss of consciousness

If you suspect you have a food allergy, it is important to work with a health professional, because while simply cutting that food out of your diet may alleviate your symptoms, it won't address the potential allergy itself.

Allergy testing is easier than it sounds. You might be afraid of needles, but in most cases you don't even have to see them!

Common allergy testing methods:

Pin Prick allergy testing

In the pin prick skin test the doctor places a small drop of the substance (in this case food) that you may be allergic to on your skin and then pricks you with a tiny needle. He or she will then wait for a few minutes to see if you develop a reaction, which is usually localized in the form of redness and swelling.

RAST Allergy Test

The RAST test is another allergy test that requires a blood sample sent to a lab, where specialized tests are done to determine your allergies.

The At-Home Allergy Pulse Test

Another easy way to get an indication of a food allergy is by using the at-home allergy pulse test. This is done by checking your pulse rate before and after eating. When you maintain a close watch over your pulse rate while you challenge different foods, you can often determine possible food reactions. However, it is important that you do not use or rely on this test if you have a history of strong allergic reactions, especially anaphylaxis (a life-threatening allergic reason which results in swelling of the throat).

To perform the pulse test on yourself, simply take your pulse before eating a meal to establish your base (or control) pulse rate.

It's best to eat a single food, and then re-check your pulse rate at 15, 30 and 60 minutes afterwards. If you see an increase in elevation of more than 10 beats faster than your base pulse, it means you are likely allergic to that food.

An obvious problem is that you may want to eat more than one food at a time. Go ahead and eat that meal, and again do your pulse test before, and after your meal as above. In this way you'll be able to determine if the foods don't have any effect, or if there are foods creating a reaction with an elevated pulse rate.

To start testing your food reactions, a simple natural diet is the way to go. Stick with meals that don't require a lot of work and include just a few simple ingredients.

If you do find an increased pulse, it's a good idea to test each food separately in order to narrow down which food ingredient is the culprit from that meal.

Be sure to keep a diary with you at all times, so you can keep a proper record and learn to identify which foods, if any, are triggering a flare. Be cautioned though, food triggers and their reactions can change, therefore be tricky to catch. However, this test is a great start to taking control of unnecessary flares that result from food allergies.

It is best to work with an experienced wellness specialist to help you maintain your health program and get further support to answer your health questions when necessary.

90% of all food allergies are caused by only eight foods!

Yes, it's true. Only 8 common foods are the culprit for most food allergies. These are milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts (such as walnuts, cashews, and pistachios), fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat. You should also avoid spicy foods, processed foods (such as American cheese), alcohol, chocolate, and caffeine if you have Lupus. I know this sounds like no fun at all, but all of these have the potential to mess with your immune system and have unexpected effects on your body. That's the last thing you need to worry about with lupus!

One way to recall these foods is by remembering the term 'DONGS', which stands for:

Dairy: Cow's milk and related products, goats' milk and related products, eggs

Ocean: Fish, shellfish

Nuts: Peanuts, tree nuts

Grains: Soy, wheat, wheat, rye, oats, barley, anything referred to as "gluten"

Spices: Paprika, garlic, cinnamon, cloves, cola, liquorice, mustard, oregano, peppers, poppy seeds, and sage

Now that I've told you all the no-no's... we can go over some of the foods you can eat and enjoy without fear of stimulating your immune system. Foods like brown rice, sweet potatoes, and veggies can make up delicious dishes full of energy and carbs to keep you going through the day. For a refreshing drink, why not reach for some fresh fruits or veggies and make a nice juiced smoothie or drink that will support your immune system and energy as well (just avoid asparagus, eggplant, onion, zucchini, raw olives, and peppers).

It's important to keep your strength up so you can fight the lupus all day, not just after eating, so try and have several smaller meals throughout the day versus 2 or 3 heavy meals that will rob you of precious energy you don't have to waste.

To learn more about the essentials of a healthy Lupus diet, plus holistic approaches to reducing Lupus symptoms visit Healing-Lupus.com for a free mini course.

Learn to Avoid Foods That Trigger Lupus Flares - With an Easy, at Home Food Allergy Testing Strategy

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Allergic children - five common allergens that trigger allergies in children

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Allergies, or an overreaction of the body to a substance is considered hazardous to wrong views, can cause allergic reactions in children with mild to life threatening. Vary in a given protein is usually the root of the problem, even if the timer. Here are five common allergens to which the child is most at risk, and some suggestions for the administration.

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Food - A growing number of children with allergies, the food isContext and seem to be the most common foods as peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, eggs, milk, cheese, crabs, lobsters, fish and soy. With such a variety of possible products, one of the best ways to determine which foods lead to problems is to keep a food diary. An allergic reaction can happen, you have a record of what was consumed, and can better identify foods that can cause a problem for your child.

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Try to avoid foods and see if there is suspicionshots. If there is another event, continue on the other, eliminating the foods that may contain the allergen. Involve the pediatrician in the process, and advice to develop a business continuity plan in case of need.

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Hair - 80 million American households have pets in the family. Is it any wonder that the hair is a common trigger of allergy for children? Dander is invisible to the naked eye, the protein found in skin cells, it is also possibleanimal saliva and urine. Hair can also win dandruff, which is sticky, so do not rub a furry animal can cause a reaction.

If your pet from the time of their child, and there is a problem trying to get rid of bathing pet sheds skin, but ask your vet first. Creating space for your child out of reach for washing clothes and bedding often without animal hair, make their way has been found to remove in the room. Use a high efficiency particle arresting air purifier, which adds an extra layerProtection against flying hair, who often attacks other air pollutants in your home.

Environment - Seasonal allergies to trees, grass, grass pollen is difficult to avoid, especially during peak periods. Limit outdoor activity when pollen in the dry wind spread more capable. Plan outdoor activities for the days when pollen levels are low, and if possible to avoid the outdoors during the early morning hours, when pollen is usuallyhigher.

Stay informed of your child's school by allergies, write a note for those days when it is not advisable for your child to have outside, and if necessary get a note from a doctor on the file, you should questions arise. Followed to ensure that all carers of your child has emergency numbers and a clear, if an emergency occurs.

Insect stings - wasps, yellow jackets, hornets, black flies and other insects can be a serious threat toThose who are allergic. The symptoms are often an indication of the child's body to be extended to overdrive swelling, dizziness, weakness, vomiting and headache. If these symptoms occur, consult a physician immediately. Then make an appointment with your pediatrician and have a monitoring EpiPen, which could be used in case of emergency to counter the heavy life-threatening symptoms.

In fact, if your child has an allergy to stings, you will learn everything you can aboutInsects, when and where it is most common, and help your child avoid places and activities that your child may be exposed.

Families - pollutants such as spores, dust mites, mold, pollen, bacteria and viruses are present in the cleanest homes. It is a constant nuisance and irritation of an allergic child. Many of these irritants are too small to see, but the body of your child knows that there are and produce histamine as a reactionIt often turns out to be a runny nose, sneezing, coughing, dark patches under the eyes, and a general lack of energy.

To fight against one of the best ways to solve the invisible air, is to eliminate permanently with a high efficiency particle arrest (HEPA) air cleaners, the sub-micron particles, by definition, remove small as 0.3 microns. And while you might not be able to see the difference, the body of your child will feel the difference.

Allergic children - five common allergens that trigger allergies in children

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