Alkaline diet and food allergy

Having a child with multiple food allergies is at first daunting...it's like being at the entrance of a maze - not knowing which direction to go, whether it will lead to a dead end, back to square one or finally to some answers and freedom from the constant dilemma of what to prepare for their meals!!

There was a time when my son would react to everything I fed him, whether it was a simple mushroom soup, some fresh strawberries or a grilled chicken he would flare up with hives- red blotchy dry eczema all over his body requiring antihistamine and his steroid creams etc.

I was so confused...at this stage, I was not aware of the salicylate threshold diet {see my post Dining at Tony Roma's} and the acid vs alkaline diet!

After seeing a wonderful nutritionist in Australia I was enlightened and learnt that too many acidic foods can affect people with allergies and once the threshold is reached they can possible start developing a reaction to everything they eat!

I would notice the difference in my son's reactivity level and eczema, especially after attending a birthday party where he would eat chocolates, sandwiches, lollies, chips, cookies, pasta, pizza and drink multiple glasses of coke!!

The ideal pH level for the blood and internal cells of our body is around 7.3, once this decreases the body is placed under stress.

Acidic foods are high in sugar content (including fruits), high in fat, contain dairy, preservatives and are usually refined. These foods can cause a build up toxins in the body.

Read more about foods increasing acidity in the body.

Alkaline foods include green leafy vegetables, grasses, low sugar fruits which includes lemons and limes surprisingly! Lemons and limes have an alkalising effect on your body being high in water content, low in sugar and contain high amount of potassium (alkaline mineral). Other alkaline minerals include calcium, magnesium and sodium, foods containing  these mineral salts are all good for your blood, digestion and overall promote good health.

Read more

The nutritionist advised me to put my son on an alkaline diet or at least introduce more alkaline foods into his daily intake. Progressively my son's flare ups decreased and reactivity level slowed down. It was an amazing transformation. Of course, the acidic foods cannot be completely avoided, however reducing the intake was definitely beneficial to his overall health.

Today, his body craves for alkaline foods and he actually asks for a bowl of spinach or beetroot, homemade pumpkin, cauliflower  or potato and leek soup and of course his regular bowl of freshly cut up carrot, cucumber and celery.