Nursing mothers who stick to foods that cause food allergies such as milk, eggs, peanut, tree nuts, soy, wheat, fish and shellfish during pregnancy can help combat food allergies in newborns, claim studies.
The mouse study assisted by the University of Michigan revealed that when an expectant mother/pregnant woman is exposed to protein-rich foods, it basically blends with her antibodies, which is easily transferred to the infant through breastfeeding, explained the study.
While nursing mother sticks to protein-rich foods, food-protein antibody complexes are transferred straight to the offspring. In doing so, it highly triggers the production of T immune cells in the baby that help combat and suppress the allergic reaction to the food in them.
Protective T immune cells in infant persist longer even after the mother's antibodies are gone. Wherefore, these protective cells remain as long-term resistance to the allergic food.
However, the findings in this study reject previous suggestions that persuade pregnant mother to avoid allergic foods while breastfeeding.
"This controlled study shows that mothers should feel free to eat a healthy and diverse diet throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding," said James R. Baker, Professor at the University of Michigan.
"Eating a range of nutritious foods during pregnancy and breastfeeding will not promote food allergies in developing babies, and may protect them from the food allergy," said Baker.
The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, exhibited that baby consuming breast milk from a mother who has eaten a surplus of allergenic foods prevents food allergy in offsprings.It also helps boost the infant's immune system and help combat anaphylaxis as well as the production of immunoglobulin E and growth of mast cells.
Breastmilk was found to be the best preventive beverage even for unrelated offspring who are not exposed to food allergens in utero. It also helps remove a lot of other allergic reactions and boost the child's health.
.
