Hello everyone. This is a guest post from the online supplement store Revital.co.uk.
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There are a lot of people who prefer well balanced diets over taking dietary supplements daily to substitute for the lack of certain vitamins and minerals. “My motto is always: food first,” says Rachel Berman, director of Nutrition for Calorie Count. However, food allergies are a stepping stone for most of these arguments. There are plenty of people out there nowadays who are allergic to gluten, dairy products, eggs, fish and so on – vital food products that are necessary for the healthy functioning of every person. What are they supposed to do?
The father of two school children with severe food allergies is concerned “about a lack of calcium in their diet in these formative years”, as school children require 1,000 mg of calcium a day. The most common recipe from dieticians and paediatricians is supplementation for such people, to ensure they are not missing out on vital nutrition.
The Roots Of Rejection
A recent study has shown that Omega-3 fish oil is not always effective in preventing heart problems in people. Even though supplements are not a panacea or intended to treat diseases, a lot of people not leading a healthy lifestyle keep using them instead of eating healthy and taking exercise. Omega-3 capsules can be the only way out for people allergic to fish and other marine products, but for the rest of the population the best way to get fish oil is from food on their table.
When Food Is Not An Option
Rachel Berman points out, “Foods found in nature are always more nutritious because our bodies are used to processing natural food”. But what if they are not? A lot of people with severe food allergies don’t think so.
Food allergies are an immune system response to certain foods that are believed to be harmful by the body. The eight foods that trigger 90% of food-allergic reactions are eggs, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, shellfish, fish, wheat, and soy. Needless to say that most of these products are important nutrition sources. Besides today, not all people can afford to eat fish even once a week.
Supplementation Is A Must
If you’re allergic to any food that is a main source of nutrients, taking health supplements is necessary to make up for nutrient deficiency. If you’re allergic to milk and soy, taking calcium and vitamin D supplements is important, while people with fish allergies need Omega-3 supplementation.
“Our results, together with previous findings, will likely help define a ‘window of opportunity’ for allergy intervention using fish oil supplements”, writes researcher Susan Prescott, PhD, MD, from the University of Western Australia.
Remember that it’s essential to consult your GP or dietician before using food supplements to do “a more formal analysis” of your needs, according to Michael Dickinson, MD. This will allow you to put together a diet plan that is the most efficient and takes all your allergy specifications into consideration. Being consistent and diligently following through with medical recommendations can help you be in top shape and lead a healthy lifestyle despite your allergies.
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Image 1 – Fish Oil
Image 2 – B Vitamin Supplements