PREVENTING ECZEMA IN UNBORN BABIES

Transcription

1 PREVENTING ECZEMA IN UNBORN BABIES A Special Report For Cure Child Eczema Buyers Only Specially written by Lucie Nunez

2 A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eczema has been my faithful companion since the tender age of three weeks. As I was growing up, I learned the insides and outs of this unbearably itchy condition. The numerous hydrocortisone creams I got prescribed as a child caused a lot of damage and needless to say the results were only temporary. It was not until I started taking interest in the various natural ways of healing that I finally managed to reverse my eczema completely. One of the biggest lessons I have learnt was when my baby daughter developed eczema shortly after she was born. I was determined not to use any hydrocortisone creams or antihistamines because of my adverse experience from childhood. I believed that there was a natural and much gentler way of curing her eczema. I was well aware that treating infant eczema was quite different from that of an adult since babies system is delicate and still immature. It took hours of research and experimenting to finally free my baby of eczema by natural means. Thanks to this process though, I gained a completely new perspective as to the primary cause of infant eczema and discovered what could be done to prevent this condition from developing before a baby is even born. The whole experience turned into a blessing since it ignited my passion for alternative medicine. After successful completion of a Diploma in Holistic Nutritional Practice, I began to pursue a professional career in nutritional therapy. Since then, I have successfully helped many people on their way to recovery. The health of your baby rests in your hands so do not only read but apply the guidelines in this article and let your baby enjoy a happy, eczema-free childhood! Lucie N unez D N H P

3 Preventing eczema in unborn babies Every mum-to-be dreams of a chubby baby with a healthy, soft looking skin. Sadly, the growing reality for many parents is such that their child is born with dry skin which precedes an onset of eczema. Experts often argue about the best ways of preventing eczema before a baby is even born. However all they seem to agree upon is that a family history of allergies (eczema, asthma, hay fever) is the most important determining factor. Even though genetic predisposition plays a role in allergic conditions, there is a lot parents can do to reduce the likelihood of their child developing eczema. Parents who are generally in a good state of health at the time of conception produce strong healthy babies. Therefore prior to conception, parents should take care of their bodies by eating nourishing foods (as opposed to the standard diet of junk food) as well as practising internal cleansing to rid their bodies of toxins. If one or both parents suffer from an atopic condition it is advisable to follow a more thorough detoxification programme focusing on deep tissue cleansing. Allergies usually indicate a congested liver function so eating liver cleansing foods and herbs will alleviate most of the symptoms associated with the atopic condition thus lowering the overall cellular toxic load. During pregnancy, it is advisable to continue with a healthy lifestyle by eating a balanced diet comprising of organic fruits and vegetables, wholegrain, good quality protein and foods rich in essential fatty acids. Artificial stimulants such as alcohol and caffeine should be strictly avoided since they have a negative impact on the healthy development of the baby s immune system.

4 Because the maternal diet during the last three months of pregnancy has the biggest impact on the infant s potential for allergies, minimizing the consumption of allergy provoking foods such as peanuts, tree nuts and sesame seeds may reduce the risk of eczema. In fact, it is always better to err on the side of caution and avoid peanuts altogether since research shows that babies may become more vulnerable to allergies if their mum consumed peanuts during pregnancy. High intake of margarine and vegetable oils towards the end of pregnancy may also increase the risk of allergies since excessive intake of omega-6 fatty acids in one s diet has been linked to the development of inflammatory disorders. If the ratio between the intake of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids gets out of balance (which seems increasingly prevalent in today s modern diet), the immune system will start to malfunction. This in turn may affect the foetal immune responses associated with food allergies in early childhood. In order to correct the imbalance, mum will need to include plenty of foods rich in omega-3s into her diet such as oily fish, green leafy vegetables, algae, hempseeds, etc. Supplementing with Fish Oil during pregnancy and lactation will also significantly benefit the baby s healthy development whilst at the same time decreasing the risk of eczema in childhood. This is because fish oil is abundant in Omega-3 fatty acids which have potent anti-inflammatory and immune-boosting properties. Flaxseeds are another good source of omega-3s so eating ground flax meal or taking one tablespoon of flax oil a day will ensure a sufficient intake. Foods containing active cultures (e.g. yogurt, kefir, miso, fermented vegetables, etc.) should also form a prominent part of mum s diet especially during the last trimester. If mum is allergic to dairy or does not like eating cultured products, good quality probiotic supplement will easily do the job. Beneficial bacteria do not only improve the assimilation of vital nutrients but also enhance the protective barrier of the digestive tract and help establish healthy gut microflora thus reducing the occurrence

5 of allergies. It is also interesting to note that natural birth greatly contributes to the establishment of good gut bacteria. As the baby travels down the birth canal, it is exposed to the beneficial bacteria that will eventually take up residence in the infant s gut (colostrum and breast milk will then provide a continual supply of friendly bacteria when the baby is born). High doses of antibiotics negatively affect the delicate balance between the good and bad bacteria ratio. Probiotic supplementation after a course of antibiotics should therefore be considered mandatory. Pregnant women should avoid their exposure to cigarette smoke and volatile organic compounds found in paints (beware when decorating the nursery), new carpets and soft furnishing, etc as these substances contribute to the toxic load thus increasing the chances of allergies. As for skin care, pregnant women should only use organic natural products and cosmetics since everything they put on their skin gets absorbed into their bloodstream which can potentially affect their baby. The safest and most effective moisturisers are often made up of edible ingredients such as pure unrefined shea butter, coconut oil or aloe vera gel. When the baby is born, exclusive breastfeeding for a minimum of four months will provide the best protection against allergies since it provides the optimum nutrition and immune protection. The breastfeeding mother will need to keep in mind, however, that her baby may react adversely to some food components in her diet since everything she eats is passed through her breast milk which could lead to allergic sensitization in her baby. Careful attention should be paid to the most allergy provoking foods such as dairy, eggs, wheat, seafood, soy and peanuts. Offering solid foods before the baby is at least six months old has also been linked to food allergies. In addition, delaying the introduction of dairy and wheat until the baby

6 is a year old greatly minimizes the potential of sensitization to these food groups. Nuts should not be introduces before three years of age and peanuts before five. As the baby grows older however, their digestive and immune systems gradually mature so they are better equipped to deal with allergens. To conclude, even though it is undeniable that a genetic tendency towards allergies plays its part, the occurrence of eczema can be significantly reduced by following the above guidelines that incorporate simple changes in the diet and lifestyle of any mum-to-be.