Urticaria is a disease in which red inflammation and blisters appear on the skin, causing itching and burning. For recovery, the diet with urticaria is of great importance. The menu of a sick person should exclude all products that cause an allergic reaction. Only proper nutrition, along with taking medication prescribed by a doctor, can provide speedy relief from unpleasant symptoms. The diet for urticaria should contain only hypoallergenic products, but at the same time provide a balance of the substances necessary for the body.
Products prohibited for consumption with urticaria
The list of what you can not eat with urticaria, contains primarily allergens to which the body reacts. Products that cause an allergic reaction are divided into groups depending on the degree of risk.
First of all, a diet for urticaria should exclude consumption:
- eggs
- sweets (honey, chocolate, sweets, confectionery);
- smoked meats and other meat semi-finished products;
- carbonated and alcoholic drinks;
- coffee;
- canned foods;
- some vegetables (tomatoes, red pepper, eggplant, beets);
- citrus fruits and fruits of red and orange;
- flour products;
- nuts.
The second group of products includes less allergenic food, but requiring some caution in use. These products include potatoes, green peppers, peaches, corn, fatty meats.
Features of baby food for urticaria
The diet for urticaria in children is more stringent than for an adult disease, since the child’s immunity is weaker and prone to an allergic reaction. A set of prohibited foods depends on the severity of the disease and on the age of the baby. After recovery, a few weeks should exclude foods that can cause allergies.
The diet for urticaria in children consists of porridge, green vegetables, boiled or steamed. Many nutritionists are allowed to make dried fruit compotes. But first they must be thoroughly soaked and remember that dried apricots and raisins can cause an allergic reaction.
Sour-milk products with a low fat content and without artificial additives are allowed. Cooked lean meat is also on the menu of a sick child.
If the symptoms of urticaria appeared in the baby while breastfeeding, then it is necessary to exclude allergen products from the mother’s diet.
Diet for urticaria in adults
The list of permitted products for urticaria for adults and children is almost the same. The diet for urticaria in adults consists of boiled lean meat, porridge cooked on water, stewed vegetables, not included in the list of prohibited. Milk can not be added to food, but it is allowed to include kefir and other sour-milk products in the diet. Many nutritionists attribute fish to prohibited foods in hives, but others say low-fat varieties can be eaten.
It is allowed to drink juices, but only home-made from acceptable fruits and vegetables.
Instead of bread, it is better to buy diet bread or biscuits.
During illness, it is recommended that you drink as much pure non-carbonated water as possible, and refuse strong tea.
Some doctors in the acute phase of the disease recommend generally refuse food for several days. But prolonged fasting while taking medications that should not be taken on an empty stomach can lead to negative health consequences.
What is useful for urticaria
In cases of urticaria, it is useful to eat foods rich in antioxidants (berries, green tea). Whole grain bread and cereals (buckwheat, oatmeal, brown rice) due to the high content of B vitamins are also better to add to the diet.
For successful recovery, you need to include zinc-rich foods on the menu. Such products include: celery, dates, asparagus, beef, sesame seeds.
Omega-3 fatty acid foods are another element of a healthy nutrition system for urticaria. Sea fish, flax seeds, soy are products that not only contain Omega-3, but also many other substances important for the healthy functioning of the body, they will be useful to the patient.
Since a shortage of magnesium in the body can contribute to the appearance of urticaria, it is useful to add brown rice, avocado, beans and lentils to the menu. These foods are sources of magnesium and help the body cope with the infection.
Foods high in vitamin C will increase your body's resistance to infection and help you quickly deal with hives. Especially in large quantities, this vitamin is found in dark green vegetables.
How to make a menu for a patient with urticaria
When compiling a menu for a patient with urticaria, it is first necessary to identify the allergen. For this, a sick person can try to eat a specific product on an empty stomach in the morning and follow the reaction of the body. If within a few hours there are no allergic rashes, then the product can be added to the diet.
When planning a menu, it is necessary to take into account the body's need for trace elements and vitamins, while excluding prohibited foods. Also, the diet depends on the stage of the disease, with acute urticaria, food is limited to several types of products that do not cause an allergic reaction.
To create a menu, you can use the daily diet developed by dietitians. An example of such a medical nutrition system is table No. 5. Diet promotes recovery of the body in case of malfunctioning of internal organs and restores the body.
During the entire period of the disease, it is necessary to consult with the attending physician and coordinate with him a hypoallergenic menu, especially in the case of urticaria in a child.
Features of the diet (table number 5) for urticaria
Table No. 5 - a diet developed by a Soviet nutritionist, aimed at treating the body with diseases of the stomach, liver, biliary tract. The main purpose of the diet is to create a full-fledged diet that allows you to not overload the internal organs and restore their healthy functioning.
The basis of the diet is vegetable soups, boiled cereals, beef (lean), young turkey and chicken. Therefore, it will be useful to observe a diet with urticaria, eliminating some possible allergens. All products are steamed or boiled. The food that makes up such a diet is easily digested and has a beneficial effect on the body.
Nutrition Tips for Urticaria
Diet for urticaria should be based on food, steamed or boiled. Before cooking, cereals need to be soaked for 12-16 hours. Before eating, it is better to boil the meat twice.
In chronic urticaria, it is more convenient to have a food diary to record the name and amount of all foods consumed. Keeping such a diary helps to identify allergen products and gradually introduce new products that do not cause an allergic reaction.
During the acute phase of the disease, it is better to refuse to eat during the day and drink only non-carbonated water. In the future, with the onset of relief, it is recommended for some time to make a menu of light vegetable soups and cereals.
The intake of a complex of vitamins during the period of the disease is possible only with the agreement of the doctor.
Nutrition after recovery
After recovering for some time, you should adhere to the previous diet and introduce new products into the menu very carefully to avoid re-illness.
A strict diet is not required, but any contact, even mechanical, with the allergen product should be avoided. You should beware of any additives and dyes, choosing only natural products.
In the future, it is necessary to inform doctors about the transferred urticaria, since some medications can cause the reappearance of the disease.
When using cosmetics, it is better to choose hypoallergenic. It is also possible to limit contact with household chemicals or use natural cleaners.