Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Tuesday, August 03, 2010
Why are food allergies on the rise?
August 3, 2010 1:39 p.m. EDT
Ethan Wily, center, is allergic to certain nuts. His parents, Preston and Jen, are concerned about their next child.
But he started coughing up mucus, and then gasping for air. His parents gave him an antihistamine, but it didn't stop the reaction. By the time the boy's parents brought him to their local hospital, he could barely breathe.
"His face was really swollen. He looked like an alien," said Ethan's father, Preston Wily of Lehi, Utah. "We didn't have any idea an allergy could be so bad."
He said the child had shown only a somewhat mild reaction to peanuts before this.
It seems like more and more children in the U.S. are developing food allergies, and there's data to back that up. The number of kids with food allergies went up 18 percent from 1997 to 2007, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 3 million children younger than 18 had a food or digestive allergy in 2007, the CDC said.
Scientists are still trying to figure out why food allergies seem to be on the rise, especially in industrialized countries such as the United States. Are children not getting exposed to enough bacteria? Should they eat common allergens such as nuts and shellfish at an earlier age?
Video: Guarding against food allergies
A recent study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology found that visits to the emergency room at Children's Hospital Boston for allergic reactions more than doubled from 2001 to 2006. Although this is just one hospital, the findings reflect a rise in food allergies seen in national reports, said Dr. Susan Rudders, lead author and pediatric allergist-immunologist in Providence, Rhode Island.
Researchers took a look at thousands of cases in the emergency department. They did not rely on the diagnosis given at that time, but made their own determination about whether an allergic reaction had occurred based on symptoms such as hives. That means the rise in reactions probably did not have to do with an increased awareness among doctors, Rudders said.
This also suggests that previous reported numbers of allergy-related hospital visits are underestimates, Rudders said. For all adults and children in the U.S., there are 30,000 ER visits because of food allergies each year. But that is based on a report that is about 10 years old, and this figure is likely higher now, Rudders said.
Doctors in other parts of the country have also noticed an increase in children coming in with severe food allergies. Dr. Ronald Ferdman at the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles said his hospital has seen a rise of these cases, based on anecdotal evidence.
Dr. Joseph Zorc at the Children's Hospital at Philadelphia cautioned that there may have been situational factors that influenced the Boston hospital's experience -- for example, if another hospital in the area stopped taking cases, resulting in more people at Children's Hospital Boston. But he agreed that food allergies are causing more significant reactions in U.S. emergency departments in general.
One theory is that the Western diet has made people more susceptible to developing allergies and other illnesses.
A study in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences compared the gut bacteria from 15 children in Florence, Italy, with gut bacteria in 14 children in a rural African village in Burkina Faso. They found that the variety of flora in these two groups was substantially different.
The children in the African village live in a community that produces its own food. The study authors say this is closer to how humans ate 10,000 years ago. Their diet is mostly vegetarian. By contrast, the local diet of European children contains more sugar, animal fat and calorie-dense foods. The study authors posit that these factors result in less biodiversity in the organisms found inside the gut of European children.
The decrease in richness of gut bacteria in Westerners may have something to do with the rise in allergies in industrialized countries, said Dr. Paolo Lionetti of the department of pediatrics at Meyer Children Hospital at the University of Florence. Sanitation measures and vaccines in the West may have controlled infectious disease, but they decreased exposure to a variety of bacteria may have opened the door to these other ailments.
"In a place where you can die [from] infectious diseases, but you don't get allergy, obesity, asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, autoimmune disease, the flora is different," Lionetti said.
This study only looked at a small number of children, but the findings support the widespread notion of the "hygiene hypothesis" -- the idea that cases of allergies are increasing in number and severity because children grow up in environments that are simply too clean.
"That our immune system is skewed away from fighting infections, and toward fight things that it's not supposed to be fighting, like things in the environment or foods -- that's one thing that people think may be in play," Rudders said.
Still, this is only speculation.
Another theory is that children need to get exposed to common allergens, such as nuts and shellfish, from a much earlier age, to avoid developing allergies. Some doctors have been recommending waiting until 2 or 3, but Ferdman at Children's Hospital Los Angeles is a proponent of giving kids nuts very early.
An oft-cited 2008 study in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology compared peanut allergies among Jewish children living in Israel and the United Kingdom. Peanut allergies were more common among the children in the U.K. than in Israel. This was associated with the fact that 69 percent of the Israeli children received peanuts by 9 months of age, compared with 10 percent of the infants in the U.K.
This pitfall, however, is that it was not a controlled experiment, and other factors may have influenced the allergies. More research needs to be done to support giving peanuts and other common allergens to infants. But according to Ferdman, more doctors are questioning recommendations to delay these foods.
These issues about when to introduce allergens are crucial for Preston Wily and his wife, Jen, who are expecting a second child next month. The parents are planning to wait on introducing nuts until their daughter is old enough to get tested for allergens, Preston said.
But hearing about recent research does make the father wonder whether delaying nuts could have influenced Ethan's allergies.
The boy isn't the only one in his peer group with allergies. Ethan goes to a nursery program at church where there's a wall of children's photos with each kid's personal list of food allergies. The teacher has been trained in how to use an epinephrine auto-injector in case of emergency.
Ethan's father knows now to administer an epinephrine injection as soon as the child begins to have a sign of anaphylaxis.
"There are a lot of kids here with allergies -- everywhere. It just seems more common now than when I was little," Wily said.
Monday, August 02, 2010
4 Proven Ways to Stop Stress Eating
It's common to respond to stress by distracting yourself with your
favorite comfort foods. But now that you're following the South Beach
Diet lifestyle, you know that turning to common comfort foods (processed
chips, white potatoes, sugary sweets, etc.) may cause swings in your
blood sugar that could cause cravings and lead to weight gain. Here are
some healthier ways to cope:
-
Stick with the program. If you follow the
guidelines set forth by the South Beach Diet, you'll be less likely to
have cravings and, as a result, you'll be less likely to turn to food
when you face stress. Plus, snacks are encouraged on the plan, so you
won't feel deprived.
-
Keep your hands busy. Find something else to do
with your hands besides eat. Keep the daily crossword nearby, knock off
some chores, or distract yourself by calling your friends or family.
(Don't use the kitchen phone!)
-
Be ready for stress snack-attacks. It's worth
repeating that snacks are encouraged on the South Beach Diet, so keep
the right foods on hand. Make sure you've got a supply of crunchy
vegetables like celery sticks, green and red pepper strips, cauliflower
buds, and broccoli florets — you can even cut them up and stash them in
resealable bags in your veggie drawer. Feel the urge to dip? Try hummus
or eggplant dip, or a bit of spreadable, low-fat cheese (six grams of
fat or less per ounce). Also, stock your cupboards and desk drawers with
nonperishable South Beach Diet–friendly items like nuts; high-fiber,
whole-grain crackers and cereals; dried apricots; and even cans or
pouches of water-packed tuna.
- Work out. Exercise is not only a great way to stay fit and manage your weight, it's also a fantastic stress reliever. If going to the gym isn't your thing, clear your mind with a brisk walk around the neighborhood.
Copyright © 2010 Waterfront Media, Inc.
http://www.southbeachdiet.com/sbd/publicsite/dailydish/dd_20090511.aspx
In American Idol news... (Part 2)
As
covered by entertainment news programs over the course of the last few
weeks in ascending order (oldest post first, newest post last).
"Extra's" Terri Seymour caught up with former "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul, who stepped out with Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi at VH1's "Do Something Awards." The judges' reunion sparked rumors of Paula possibly returning to "Idol" to take over for Simon Cowell. Read more @ Extra
July 21, 2010
The search for a new "American Idol" judge has been heating up, with the latest report saying that singer Chris Isaak might be up for Simon Cowell's vacated chair. Read more @ Extra
July 29, 2010
Sean “Diddy” Combs wants Simon Cowell’s job – but only if he gets the same paycheck.
The hip-hop mogul admitted on Wednesday’s episode of “Lopez Tonight” that he became interested in becoming Simon’s replacement on “American Idol” after he heard how much the British star made as a judge on the singing competition. Read more @ Access Hollywood
The hip-hop mogul admitted on Wednesday’s episode of “Lopez Tonight” that he became interested in becoming Simon’s replacement on “American Idol” after he heard how much the British star made as a judge on the singing competition. Read more @ Access Hollywood
"Extra"
has learned that daytime superstar Ellen DeGeneres is leaving "American
Idol." Ellen released this statement on her website: "A couple months
ago, I let FOX and the "American Idol" producers know that this didn't
feel like the right fit for me..." Read more @ Extra or visit Ellen's twitter
July 30, 2010
So
long Ellen DeGeneres. Hello Jennifer Lopez? J.Lo has been tapped as the
newest judge on “American Idol,” according to various online reports. Deadline
was the first to report the newest addition to the “Idol” judges’
table, noting that negotiations have been going on for over a month to
bring Jennifer on board, after her manager, Benny Medina, initiated the
meeting with “Idol” producers. The news broke just hours after Ellen
announced she was leaving the hit FOX program after just one season as a
judge. Read more @ Access Hollywood
It seems the "Idol" panel is in for a reboot. "America Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi has been fired from the FOX series, reports TMZ. Read more @ Extra
The paparazzi caught up with Steven Tyler, as he walked
into a restaurant in L.A. See what the Aerosmith frontman had to say
about all those "American Idol" judge rumors, courtesy of PopTV.com! Read more @ Extra
What a day for "American Idol" news! Ellen DeGeneres is leaving, Kara DioGuardi has reportedly been axed, and now Jennifer Lopez's deal as an "American Idol" judge replacement is reportedly imminent. Read more @ Extra
With names like Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Justin Timberlake, Elton John, Jessica Simpson and Harry Connick Jr. being considered to join lone holdover Randy Jackson on "American Idol," "Extra" and PopEater want to know who you'd pick! Read more @ Extra
Following Ellen DeGeneres' announcement on Thursday that she was leaving the judges' table on "American Idol," host Ryan Seacreast cleared up any confusion about her departure.
"Let’s start with the big news that happened yesterday," Ryan said Friday morning on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest" on LA’s KIIS FM. "Ellen has left the show…She decided to leave herself." Read more @ Access Hollywood
Nigel Lythgoe is keeping mum on his rumored
return to “American Idol,” but one thing which the “So You Think You Can
Dance” judge and executive producer is buzzing about is National Dance
Day. Read more @ Access Hollywood
Paige
Miles understands how difficult it was for Ellen DeGeneres to dole out
criticism to "American Idol" contestants. "I know it was hard for her to
be hard on us because she knows what
it’s like to be on the other side, to be booed and to be cheered on to
an encore," said Miles, who finished 11th last season on "Idol." Read more on CNN
Country singer Terri Clark
posted this status update to Facebook at 9:24pm via Ping.fm: Ellen is quitting American idol ??? I never knew she could sing!!!! (well said!:)
FOX Could End ‘American Idol’ Guessing Game. Here come the new judges on “American Idol,” maybe. With Simon Cowell and Ellen DeGeneres out of FOX’s hit singing contest, the network could announce their replacements Monday to the Television Critics Association. The network is presenting its 2010-2011 shows to the association’s summer meeting in Beverly Hills. Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler were the reported front-runners for the vacancies. Meanwhile, the fate of judge Kara DioGuardi remained uncertain. Read more @ Access Hollywood
FOX has not yet announced who will be seated at
the “American Idol” judge’s table next season, but Aerosmith frontman
Steven Tyler reportedly told his fans he has the job – “probably.” Read more @ Access Hollywood
No ‘Idol’ Action At FOX. Despite reports that Jennifer Lopez would be
the newest “American Idol” judge, FOX Entertainment Chairman Peter Rice
announced on Monday that nothing is set in stone. "There are no
signed deals with anybody,” Rice told reporters at the Television
Critics Association Summer Session in Beverly Hills on Monday. “There
has been tremendous speculation." Read more @ Access Hollywood
For
more on the American Idol controversy- i mean story, check out these
entertainment shows' websites (search "American Idol") and/or follow
them on facebook and twitter.
Access Hollywood
Daily 10
Entertainment Tonight
Extra
Inside Edition
Showbiz Tonight
The Insider
TMZ
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