The Body

BLOATING

What is bloating? 
It is when you have too much gas in your bowels. It is also a common symptom of constipation, fluid retention, irritable bowel syndrome, food intolerance, and not passing wind when required.

When does it occur? 
It tends to happen after meals and later on during the day. It may also be caused by poor digestion, resulting in over eating or consuming food too fast.

What foods are common in resulting in bloating?
Broccoli, cabbage, onions, cauliflower, beans and legumes. Also be aware of artificial sweeteners, and lactose, fructose and gluten, which are common sources of intolerances.

What can I do to combat bloating?
Reduce gas by eating more wholegrain foods, fruits and vegetables. Always consult a dietitian before changing your food intake. A teaspoon of apple cider before a meal may assist with digestion, and regular exercise will help your bowel muscles function effectively.

Food Allergies and Intolerances

What are they?

allergy: an immune response to certain triggers

Intolerance: a chemical reaction, not an immunologic reaction, sometimes causing symptoms like boating.

what are the symptoms?

allergy: 

they can range from mild to extreme reactions, from skin welts to anaphylaxis (where airways swell and blood vessels expand causing a drop in blood pressure). The main difference is in their potential to do damage. An intolerance can't kill you, but an allergy in it's worst form can. 

Intolerance: Intolerances can cause symptoms like sneezing, wheezing, watery eyes and headaches, or digestive issues like bloating and abdominal discomfort. 

What foods cause it?

allergy: common foods include nuts, dairy, eggs, seafood, soy, lupin and peanuts.

Intolerance: Lactose and sulfites are common. Lactose is the sugar in milk and can cause short - long term intolerances. Sulfites are preservatives found in wine and dried fruits. If you feel wheezy, get headaches or throw up after consuming these, you may have an intolerance. 

How quickly after eating the food does your body react?

allergy: within 30 minutes

Intolerance: can vary from 30 minutes to a few hours, even a day, depending on the person.

Hush a bye baby

We have all heard that while women are pregnant, there are certain foods that must be avoided; but what foods are they? Hopefully mentioned below can give not only  pregnant women, but also males some insight.

Cheese and dairy products

• Soft and semi-soft cheese should be avoided unless it is fully cooked and served hot. This includes ricotta, fetta, camembert, brie and blue cheeses. 
• Unpasteurised milk and dairy products made with unpasteurised milk are best avoided as they are more likely to carry bacteria that could give you food poisoning
• Avoid soft serve icecream and check to make sure that homemade icecream or gelati icecream has not been made with raw eggs.

Eggs

• You only need to avoid raw or undercooked eggs. Cook eggs until the yolk and white are not runny any more.
• Be careful about eating products such as chocolate mousse and fresh mayonnaise in delis, restaurants or in someone's home which may contain raw egg. All salad dressings that you buy in supermarkets, such as mayonnaise, will have been made using pasteurised egg and are therefore quite safe.

Meat

• It's fine to eat meat, but make sure it is cooked thoroughly and there are no pink or red bits and that the juices run clear, especially if it's cooked on a barbecue, or as part of a ready meal.
• All paté should be avoided, whether made from meat, fish or vegetables.
• Cured meat products, such as prosciutto and salami, also carry a risk and are best avoided.
• Avoid chicken that is cooked and served cold, such as in a salad or sandwich bar. If you buy a take-away cooked chicken make sure it is steaming hot and store leftovers in the fridge to eat within one day.

Seafood

• Fish is good for you and your baby but some types of fish can contain dangerous levels of mercury. If you eat Shark (Flake), Swordfish, Broadbill or Marlin you should eat only one serve and no other fish in that fortnight. If you eat (Orange Roughy) Deep Sea Perch or Catfish you should eat only one serve and no other fish in that week. You can safely eat two or three serves of canned or fresh tuna and salmon each week.
• Avoid fish in sushi as it is usually raw and not safe during pregnancy
• You should avoid raw oysters and shellfish or prawns that are ready-to-eat and chilled. Buy fresh prawns instead and cook them until they are piping hot.

Bean sprouts and salads

• Pre-prepared and packaged salads should be thoroughly washed before eating.
• All kinds of bean sprouts carry a risk of salmonella including snow pea sprouts, mung beans, alfalfa sprouts and sunflower sprouts.

Drinks

• Alcohol is a toxin and it does cross the placenta and reach your baby. Australian guidelines recommend that there is no known safe level that you can drink and alcohol should be avoided during pregnancy.
• You may want to reduce the amount of caffeine you have during pregnancy. It is generally recommended that 200mg of caffeine a day is safe which amounts to about two mugs of instant coffee, four cups of medium-strength tea or 6 cups of cola. Coffee from a café can amount to more than 200mg in one cup, depending on how it's made.

info about what foods to avoid during pregnancy was found at: http://www.babycenter.com.au