You’ve probably heard the old adage: “You are what you eat.” But can the foods you love cause the dry, scaly, itchy skin that signals an eczema outbreak? Yep. Our allergy experts explain the facts about diet and eczema.
A second study provided some remarkable information about the potential for a greatly reduced allergy risk in children who were breastfed for a period of at least four months after their birth. Researchers found that these children, who had been exclusively breastfed, were approximately 50 percent less likely to develop allergies than those who had been breastfed for a shorter period of time. They warn that these numbers did not apply evenly to high-risk children whose families have an established history of food allergies. Low-risk populations were much more prone to seeing a dramatic improvement.
Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that women breastfeed exclusively for six months, then use other foods to supplement the baby’s diet through at least the first birthday. With findings like these, which point to a much lower infection or allergy risk, it won’t be surprising to see more and more new moms pursuing the idea of breastfeeding for their little ones when it is possible.
