Food Allergy Issues One of Top Restaurant Trends in 2010

The National Restaurant Association lists gluten-free and food allergy-conscious meals within their top ten list of trends for 2010.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to walk into a restaurant and ask to see the dairy, egg and nut-free menu? Then wouldn't it be even more wonderful to know that whatever is ordered will be prepared by a specially trained staff to avoid cross-contamination and accidental allergens?

This is a trend that I hope sticks and spreads.

Here's the complete list of restaurant trends.

Food Allergy Reactions

Do you carry more than one dose of epinephrine in the event of an allergic reaction?

A recent study shows certain risk factors associated with the need for more than one dose. One surprise...a history of asthma does not appear to be one of those risk factors.

People requiring more than one dose tend to be younger and tend to present with wheezing, cyanosis (bluish/purplish tinge to the skin), arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms), nausea, vomiting and shock. Those who present with hives are less likely to require a second dose.

Check out the full abstract and think about whether more than one dose of epinephrine is right for you or your child.

Food Allergy Assistant Wishes Everyone a Merry Christmas!

Photo Credit

Curing Food Allergies in the Allergist's Office

I spoke to our allergist last week. She told me of research to take what has been learned through desensitization studies at hospitals like Boston Hospital and transfer those procedures to doctor's offices. This would mean going to the allergist's office every day (perhaps this is done over summer break or every day after school) for increasing amounts of the offending food. The patient would be monitored for an allergic reaction before being sent home.

The original hope was to be able to desensitize at home like we currently can do with allergy drops for environmental allergies. There are concerns about the risks, though, which is why plans are moving forward for instead desensitizing in the physician's office. Our allergist was optimistic that this would be available in the next 2-3 years.

How great would this be. While I realize desensitization hasn't worked for everyone, it does work for many and offers a real solution for a cure.

A cure...that continues to be my Christmas wish and I'm more hopeful than ever.

New Epi Injector?

Have you heard that there's talk of a new method of injecting epinephrine to combat an allergic reaction? The long tubular injectors may be replaced with a device that resembles more of a card.

While I'd personally like to see no need for any type of epinephrine injector, a smaller unit that is easy to conceal would be better- especially for tweens and teens who need to carry their medication.

Stay tuned for more information.

Food Allergies and Travel Abroad

I like free stuff.

Anyone traveling in another country with food allergies should know about food allergy cards. Allerglobal lets you create your own personalized card. For free. Simply check off the allergens from the list and choose from over 25 different languages.

Even if you're not traveling, it's pretty cool to learn how to say or read your allergens in common languages. "Amendoim" is "peanut" in Portuguese.

Go ahead, play around with it!

Food Allergy and Stuttering

Have you ever heard of this?

There may be a link between stuttering and food allergies. Some researchers think that certain foods, such as gluten, peanut butter and sugar may cause speech disfluency. They advise stutterers to consult a gastroenterologist to try to determine if food may be causing the stutter.

I don't know...

Here's the article. See what you think. Any personal stories to share?

Food Allergy Knowledge Found Lacking in Doctors

So, a study to be published in January 2010, has found that primary care physicians have knowledge gaps when it comes to diagnosis and management of food allergies. Many incorrectly identified symptoms of food allergy and few knew the appropriate dosage of epinephrine for children experiencing a reaction.

Okay, I know we expect a lot from our overworked primary care physicians and their staffs, but I do expect some basic knowledge. I've talked before about how our doctor's office, with full knowledge of my child's allergies, has given us medicine that contain his allergens or has recommended shots for him that would be unsafe. We've had a few really close calls in our own doctor's office. I don't believe we're alone.

Anyone have any stories they'd like to share?

One good action plan to come out of the study, which will be published in Pediatrics next month, is the creation of a food allergy module that can easily be used by doctors' offices.

YEAH!

Food Allergy Ball

Emeril was there. So were some of the Kennedys. Dr. Hugh Sampson attended the event as well.

Last night, the 12th annual Food Allergy Ball was held at The Waldorf Astoria in New York City. This is a benefit to raise money for Food Allergy Initiative (FAI). Tables were available for $50,000, $25,000 and $15,000, with individual tickets going for $5,000, $2,500 and $1,500. A little too rich for my wallet, but I hope they raised a boatload of money!

FAI, founded in 1998 by a group of concerned parents, is the largest private source of funding for food allergy research in the United States. Their goal is to fund research that seeks a cure. They also put money toward improving diagnosis and treatment and keeping patients safe through education and advocacy.

The FAI site is filled with lots of helpful information. It's worth checking out.

Food Allergy Resource

I wanted to make you aware of a new food allergy site, AllAboutFoods. The site was co-founded by a mom after her child was diagnosed with food allergies. She gathered information and enlisted the help of a computer programmer friend. Together, they created AllAboutFoods.

I visited the site. I really find the tab marked "Allergy Charts" to be helpful as it lists well-known restaurants and the food allergen information for their products. Gotta love one-stop shopping!

From the home page, you can link to information about common allergens to learn how to avoid the foods as well as substitutions for it.

While on the dairy page, I learned something new. Apparently, some vaccines contain casamino acid, which is derived from casein, which is dairy. I know the FDA does not require allergen labeling on vaccines and medications- makes sense to me. Here's another example of something to question when our dairy allergic kids need a vaccine.

We wonder why our kids are not outgrowing their dairy allergies! But I digress...

Head on over to AllboutFoods and let the rest of us know what you learn there.

Food Allergy Twitter Party Tonight

A Twitter party is an opportunity to mix it up with others over a specific topic. Jennifer of FAB and Ruth of Best Allergy Sites, are hosting another food allergy party from 8:30-9:30 pm Eastern time today. Expert panelists from Allergic Living Magazine will be on hand to answer questions and address issues.

Not sure how to join in? First, RSVP.

Then, at the start of the party, go to Summize and type in "#foodallergy". Click the search button and you'll be there like magic.

Here's the important step, during the party, use the hashtag, "#foodallergy", whenever you type something. That ensures your comments will be seen by others in the party.

Food Allergy Cookbooks

Linda Coss's first food allergy book was a bright light in my dark kitchen when we discovered my child's multiple food allergies. When the allergist told me to avoid all foods containing dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, oats and wheat, my mind played an internal video reel. Plates of macaroni and cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, french toast, omelets and chicken nuggets flashed by- all with big red "x's" over their images. I truly didn't know where to begin.

Fortunately, I discovered Linda's "What's to Eat" food allergy cookbook. It is possible to cook and bake successfully avoiding dairy, eggs, peanuts and tree nuts. I was able to find a wheat flour substitute and tailor Linda's recipes to my child's needs.

I have since added her second food allergy cookbook, "What Else is to Eat" (just made the yummy barbecue sauce on page 101 for dinner last night) and her helpful book "How to Manage Your Child's Life-Threatening Food Allergies".

The great news is that Linda is offering her annual holiday sale. Order by December 31, 2009 and get FREE Priority Mail shipping. There's no minimum order or coupons required. You can also save up to 26% when you order the books in sets. Plus, those who would like their books personally autographed or need a gift card, can get those by typing a note in the "special instructions" section of the order form.

So, if you deal with food allergies in your family, I highly recommend these books. Honestly, some of our favorite family recipes, like Meatball Soup and Wheat Germ Baking Powder Biscuits, are in Linda's books. Order a copy for grandparents or others who cook and bake for the food allergic person in your life. The cookbooks contain easy to follow recipes with easy to find ingredients.

Go to Food Allergy Books for more information and to place an order.

Food Allergy Website Gets an Update

It's colorful, trendy and sleek.

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) has launched a brand new website. It's much more user friendly for those of us who have been at this food allergy thing for awhile. I also think the links for the top eight allergens listed across the top will be more helpful for people who are new to food allergy.

Check it out. What do you think?

Food Allergies and Thanksgiving

Well, my food allergic child ate chicken on Thanksgiving. He was fine with it, but I really wasn't.

When I picked up my "free turkey" (translation: spend $300 in our grocery store and we'll give you a Thanksgiving turkey), I noticed that the ingredients listed an "8% basting solution". I made a note to myself to call the 800 number on the back. My question was simple:

What is in the turkey broth and the flavorings in the basting solution?

Okay, I shouldn't have waited until the morning before Thanksgiving. But, I've called dozens of manufacturers in the past and always got a quick response to my allergen questions.

I started with the phone number listed on the label. It lead me to a recording about directory assistance and charging me $3.79 for a call. I hung up. Then I contacted the corporate office of the grocery store as it was a store brand product. A nice lady said she would connect me to their nutritionist. Wonderful! I got dumped into her voice mail which alerted me she was out of the office for the holiday.

I called the corporate office again and asked to be connected to Customer Service. The customer service rep said, "I don't have that kind of information. I can file a report for you, though."

I asked to speak to whomever she would be sending the report to. Not possible I was told. I asked to speak to a supervisor. No one is available I was told.

Now, mind you, I was hosting Thanksgiving dinner the following day. I had pies to bake and silver to polish and a house to clean. I needed to talk to someone in the know- NOW!

I gave her the information to "file her report".

"You do understand that I need this information today?" I asked. Okay- I was getting a bit snippy at this point.

"I can't guarantee anything" I was told.

Great. I wanted to brine the turkey, so I removed the packaging with the incorrect phone number. "Giblets included" the label said. Hmmm....a neck, but no giblets. "Pop-up timer" the back of the label proclaimed. Not a timer in sight.

I contacted the local office of the store. A nice woman there told me that she didn't have that information, but she'd walk over to the meat area and ask a manager there and would call me back. Never heard from the nice lady again.

Thanksgiving Eve- I called my local store and asked to talk to the meat department manager. "We'd get in big trouble if we didn't list the big allergens on the label" he said. "If it doesn't say "milk" or "egg' on the label, it's not in there. Trust the label."

Oh, the label with the incorrect phone number and the wrong information regarding giblets and a pop-up timer? Trust that label?

So, I served the turkey and a safe chicken breast. It was still a wonderful dinner. We have much to be thankful for.

Food Allergies in the Hospital

Those of us with asthmatic and allergic children know that our kids may have a greater chance of hospitalization than others.

Their systems are already compromised and viral and bacterial infections can cause more and greater illnesses. When my food allergic child faced a tonsillectomy this summer, I was very nervous about the foods and medicines he would be given. I checked everything in advance to ensure he wouldn't come in contact with his allergens. I also worried about contact issues. Some of the nurses were eating and drinking in the nurses station. They did wash their hands when they came into the room, but I hoped it was thorough enough. And what about people who have an allergic reaction from proteins on the breath?

Kimberly Clark has developed a program that is set out to educate others about "Healthcare Associated Infection". It's devoted to teaching patients and medical professionals about causes of infections gotten in the hospital. It covers MRSA, Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, Surgical Site Infections and Cross Contamination.

It was the "Cross Contamination" section that caught my eye. It will help raise awareness and benefit those who deal with food allergy.

Sometimes, though, ignorance is bliss. When my child had surgery, I didn't give much thought to MRSA or other infections as I was so busy making sure he wouldn't be given a pain medication that contained lactose or a popsicle with dairy.

Nearly 1.4 million people at any given time, suffer from an infection they got while in the hospital. Unacceptable. Awareness and protocols are critical in fighting this issue.

Check here for more information.

Food Allergies on the Rise

I couldn't help but run into the headlines throughout the medical community last week.

"Food Allergies on the Rise"

"20% Increase in Food Allergy in Past 10 Years"

So, the news is what many of us already know as we look around our kids' classrooms and schools. More children are carrying EpiPens® and Benadryl® wherever they go. The latest study gives information gathered from 1997-2007.

I'm frustrated to find the numbers increasing with no answers about why.

Here's just one of the many news articles to report the increase.

Novelist Named Food Allergy Walk Chairperson

I first reviewed Kristy Kiernan's novel in May 2009. Matters of Faith centers around the Tobias family, the youngest of whom has a peanut allergy. Kiernan, who had no previous experience with food allergies, suddenly found herself in the spotlight of the food allergy community.

This fall, Kristy Kiernan, was named the Honorary Chairperson of the Tampa Florida FAAN Walk. Read about her experience to find out how a woman "who didn't set out to write a book about food allergies" has become so important to so many families.

I must also say that Matters of Faith would make a wonderful holiday gift for the people in your life who "just don't get food allergies". Kiernan's empathy and realism capture the daily life of many of us who deal with the fear and anxiety of food allergies.

Food Allergy From a Tick Bite?

Hmmm....here's a strange one...

Some adults who have previously eaten red meat without any problems, suddenly develop an anaphylactic reaction to red meat. They literally suddenly become allergic to meat. What do these adults have in common? They've experienced a tick bite recently.

"It has changed our thinking," said allergist Saju Eapen, of Roanoke, Va. "This was not something we looked for in the past."

While not common, it has some fascinating implications into the study of how food allergies develop. Check out the full story.

Diagnose Food Allergies: New Tools

New tools are available to allergists in the diagnosis of food allergies.

Yes, it still involves a blood test, but results allow for diagnosis at the molecular level.

Allergists will be able to identify precisely those patients in danger of severe allergic reaction to allergens such as peanut, wheat, or egg and many others. The exciting news is that personalized allergy management plans can be created with this information. The plan will be uniquely specific to each person.

I think this new technology will become extremely important as it will give families, doctors and food allergic patients a specific profile of their reactivity. Right now, we receive a bunch of confusing numbers and statements. To know your child is "higher than 100 for milk" or is "really allergic to peanuts, but not as allergic to tree nuts" is difficult information to use. This new technology will help everyone know more precisely how allergic the individual is.

Check out the full press release for more information.

As the search goes on for a food allergy cure, at least we're coming up with better tools for diagnosis.

Alternative to Flu Vaccine?

For those of us concerned about the seasonal and H1N1 vaccines, there may be an alternative.

A recent study finds that the immune system can be stimulated with a combination of Vitamins C and D and the minerals selenium, zinc and silver. Check out this new choice which can be taken as a daily supplement throughout the pandemic of swine flu and for the duration of the seasonal flu.

This may be a good fit for egg allergic children and adults who can not get the vaccine. I do like the idea of natural substances stimulating the body's own immune system.

Reporting a Mislabeled Food

We depend on food labels. If the label has incorrect information, someone with food allergies could have a severe, even fatal, reaction.

Quick thinking on the part of Crystal Johnson, who discovered chocolate covered peanuts in her pecan ice cream, may have saved lives. Peanuts were not listed on the label and should not have been in the ice cream. She has a friend with a peanut allergy and knew this could cause a serious reaction. Ms. Johnson contacted FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) and the FDA (Food and Drug Association) as well as Mars, the parent company for Dove who manufactured the ice cream product. She saved the container and the FDA sent someone to her home to test it. The product did indeed contain peanuts and was recalled.

That's how it's done.

By the way, Ms. Johnson did get a letter of apology from Mar's and coupons for free ice cream. Here's the entire article.

Food Allergy Blog Carnival: November 12, 2009

Welcome to the November 12, 2009 edition of the Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival.

Karen Blue presents
Interview with The No Biggie Bunch a series of books for kids with allergies"


Kim, The Food Allergy Coach presents
Allergen Free Baking: Baked treats for all occasions
"This is a great book for parents of kids w/ food allergies!"


Lara DeHaven presents
A Wheat-Free ?Graham Cracker? Crust


OCMomActivities presents
Goodbye beloved oats...
"I hope this is the right tone of post. :) It's about my recent discovery of my allergy to Oats."

That concludes this edition. Thank you for stopping by.

Be sure to submit your blog article to the next edition of Living With Food Allergies Blog Carnival to be published November 25, 2009.

Have a great week-end!

New Food Allergy Studies

The American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology has just wrapped up their annual conference. Many studies related to food allergy were presented at the conference. Here are some interesting highlights:

"Use of Epinephrine for the Treatment of Anaphylaxis by US Emergency Medical Service(EMS)Personnel in the Pre-Hospital Setting"- Only 17 states require EMS-Basics to have epinephrine available, and 15 states do not require any level of EMS to carry epinephrine for anaphylaxis treatment.


"Proactive Egg Ingestion in High-risk Patients with Severe Egg Allergy" Twenty-nine severely egg allergic patients were introduced to egg in carefully controlled increments. Eighty-six percent were able to eat one fourth of cooked whole egg within 10 months.

"What Does a Patient with Anaphylaxis Do before Seeking Medical Attention?" Many people delay medical treatment of a food allergy reaction because they believe the symptoms will subside over time. Of those who sought medical care for a reaction, only 30% used self-injectable epinephrine prior to arrival for treatment. This study concluded that more education is needed as time is critical when treating an allergic reaction.

"The School Nurse's Perception of Food Allergy - A Statewide Survey" A survey conducted in Mississippi revealed that students were more likely to have food allergy action plans if the school nurse received information on food allergies from parents or a physician, or if the student attended a school in an urban area. The study showed that 97% of the nurses surveyed had at least one child with food allergy in the school. Only 30% of schools had action plans for children with food allergy.

Want more detail on any of these highlights? Read the summaries here.

The Heart of FAAN Ambassador Program

Do you know a child who should be the face of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network? Mine said, "no way", but I'm sure some of you may know a food allergic child who would be a perfect fit.

Seven-year-old Nadia DiNatale is one child who hopes to be the FAAN ambassador. She says, “It is also very important for all people to work together to help others to understand food allergies, and food allergy safety, so that people with food allergies can live safe and happy lives.”

Well said, Nadia!

If you want to nominate a child for this important role, check out the Heart of FAAN Ambassador Program page. Children need to be between the ages of 3-11 and a nomination requires a $100 tax deductible donation.

Anyone can vote for a child, with a $10 donation, through Feb. 14, 2010.

Food Allergy Community Up in Arms Over Nut Article

Chatelaine, a leading Canadian woman's magazine, recently published an article that has caused a backlash among those in the food allergy community. "It's Just Nuts", written by Patricia Pearson, makes comments like "carrying the lunch he is most likely to consume (she's talking peanut butter sandwiches here) into his elementary school is equivalent to showing up with a gun", are clearly intended to fuel anger.

The article is poorly researched and self-serving for the author who admits her child is a picky eater.

Come on, let's all play nice and be respectful to each other. It is obvious the author did not speak to school officials to find out the details of the peanut ban in her school. She did speak to one parent, who questioned whether or not her child really had a peanut allergy (diagnosed by an allergist) and whether he really needed an EpiPen® because "they are expensive", "expire" and "probably the daycare staff wouldn't know how to use it anyway".

That's the parent she chose to interview?

Over 190 comments have been written to the magazine about this article. Allergic Living magazine has also gone on the record and has sent a letter to the Chatelaine signed by 206 people who are angered over the piece.

Check out the article and feel free to leave your comments as well. The editor of Chatelaine needs to hear loud and clear that a sensational seeking article like this is unacceptable.

Egg-Free H1N1 Vaccine

FluGen, Inc. has announced a cell-based production of flu vaccine that doesn't use egg in any part of production. Great news for those with egg allergy.

Read all about it.

The company hopes to ramp up production and have vaccine ready, "in the very near future".

My questions:

Will it be FDA approved for use in the United States?

Will there be a method for getting it to people with egg allergy first as they are unable, or at risk to get, the egg-based vaccines?

I'll keep you posted on this.

Swine Flu: This Century's Scarlet Letter?

"You have H1N1," the doctor calmly told me last week.

"But I can't," I replied. "I don't feel that sick." Granted, I had just spent two days doing little more than lying on the sofa with my sore throat, cough and occasional low fever...but swine flu?

This couldn't be that. Plus, yuck. I didn't want to tell anyone I had swine flu. It would sound like I haven't been washing my hands or I've been allowing sick people to cough and sneeze in my face. I've been following every precaution. How could this happen to me?

But the doctor told me this is typical of what they are seeing. People are reporting cold symptoms of sore throat, congestion and cough. Then add low grade fevers between 100-101.5 degrees with fatigue and sometimes body aches. That's what I had.

She prescribed Tamiflu®. I rested, took my medicine and got better.

The rest of the family used Clorox Wipes® to wipe down surfaces, avoided sharing hand towels and stayed away from one another. Two of the four of us got the flu, the other two..not...or not yet.

So, it seems like this is what swine flu will look like for most of us. Common sense dictates that we need to listen to our bodies, take care of ourselves if we get sick and get appropriate medical care if symptoms get worse or can't be managed at home.

Yes, we need to take H1N1 seriously. Just like you I've heard about the deaths from this flu, particularly in children. It's scary, but for most families it's manageable. For those of us with kids with asthma or other health issues, we need to take special precautions if our kids get sick. Tamiflu® can be taken prophylactically for a period of time in the event of possible exposure to the flu. Plan ahead and talk to your doctor now about your concerns.

Dey Introduces New and Improved EpiPens®

The next-generation EpiPen® Auto-Injector is now available. It has some new features such as needle protection before and after use to eliminate accidental needle pricks. I like that. It also has a new color- orange- and a new shape- oval- with easier to read instructions. Sounds good. Check out the full press release.

Food Allergies at College

We're still years away from dealing with food allergies at college. I have heard from friends, though, that many campuses have set up food allergy policies. This article, in the Miami Hurricane, student newspaper of the University of Miami, features food allergy issues.

FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) recently started a site where parents and students can find out how food allergy friendly campuses are. You enter the name of the university and search. The FAAN College Network seems to be fairly new with limited data at this time. But, check back as more campuses provide information. This could be a great tool for families. I love the concept.

Have any of you dealt with food allergies and colleges? What's it been like?

Getting Enough Vitamin D

A recent study out of Harvard reveals that one in five children between the ages of one and eleven, are not getting enough Vitamin D. We need vitamin D to help maintain calcium levels to keep our bones strong. It also turns out that this vitamin might help prevent serious diseases, including infections, osteoporosis, diabetes and even some cancers.

It's important.

For people with food allergies, getting enough vitamin D may be challenging. In the U.S., milk is fortified with Vitamin D. For the dairy allergic, getting vitamin D by drinking milk is not an option. Turns out, milk alone (even 8 glasses a day!) is not an adequate source. A glass of milk typically contains 50-100 IU. We may need between 1,000 to 2,000 IU per day of vitamin D. Research is ongoing to pinpoint the daily requirement of Vitamin D.

Good natural sources of Vitamin D can be found in fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and sardines. Sunlight is a source of the vitamin as well. Of course excessive sun exposure can cause other problems, so be sensible.

If you're concerned about Vitamin D, talk to your doctor and see if a supplement might be beneficial.

Miss Roben's, The Allergy Grocer, is Back

Oh, how I've missed you, Miss Roben's...

For those of us who have been buying allergy friendly foods for awhile, Miss Roben's was a one-stop shop. Only available through mail order, Miss Roben's and The Allergy Grocer, offered a wide variety of foods and helpful telephone advice.

Then came news that Miss Roben's was out of business. Many of us struggled to find substitutes for our favorite mixes and ingredients. Shopping several companies meant increased shipping and handling costs. It was a big loss to the food allergy community.

Then, finally a few months ago, brought news that Miss Roben's and The Allergy Grocer would be back- bigger and better.

Well, they're here. I just got off the phone with Seth. They've got an updated website and will offer live chat as well as online and telephone orders. The website will be involved in testing over the next few days, so it may go down from time to time. For this week, call in your orders (New Number: 1-888-476-3350) while they get the last few kinks ironed out. You can also sign up for their newsletter to receive special offers.

Go ahead, check it out.

Welcome back Miss Robens and The Allergy Grocer. You're looking good!

Food Allergies: A YouTube Sensation

Do you know there are over 2,000 YouTube videos devoted to food allergy? You can find everything from a mom conversation with Disney chefs about food allergies to recipes to back to school tips.

The ones I like the best are devoted to teaching children about food allergies. Look through the list and see if you can find a few that help your family deal with food allergy.

Flu Vaccine for Egg Allergic?

The Food Allergy Asssistant received many comments on the post related to HINI vaccine and egg allergy. There is much confusion and alarm for our children with egg allergies who are affected by the egg-based method for making flu vaccine. I've done more research and this is what I found:

There is much interest in a cell-based flu vaccine that would be safe for those with egg allergy.The technology currently used to make our chicken egg-based flu vaccine is over 50 years old.The new technology is animal cell based, rather than egg based. This process could save weeks in manufacture time and is less likely to become contaminated.

One company, Novartis, is close. They are building a plant in Holly Springs, NC with hopes of completion in 2010 or 2011. Novartis clinical trials of a cell based flu vaccine in the U.K. have been successful. The Wall Street Journal reports possible U.S. shipment of cell-based swine flu vaccine in December or January.

Let's keep in touch. We may be able to get cell-based flu vaccine this season. My hope would be that it goes to allergist offices first...

Check out this NY Times article regarding cell-based flu vaccine.

Food Allergy Survival Guide: Monday Review

The Food Allergy Assistant loves to learn something new from a food allergy book. I just learned that eating raw dough from a gluten-free batter can cause stomach upset. The batter contains uncooked bean flours which can lead to the tummy trouble. I learned this while reading "Food Allergy Survival Guide" by Vesanto Melina, Jo Stepaniak and Dina Aronson.

I was asked to review a copy of "Food Allergy Survival Guide", which boasts "living well without dairy, eggs, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, wheat, yeast and more". Quite a tall order!

The first half of the book is devoted to food sensitivities. There is a conversation about the differences between food allergies, food sensitivities and food intolerances. For the remainder of the book, the term "food sensitivity" is used. The authors share a wealth of information in the next several chapters about how to read labels and manage nutrition planning. An entire chapter is devoted to wheat sensitivities and Celiac disease.

The second half of the book consists of recipes that avoid the top eight allergens. All recipes are vegan as well, which is less clear until the reader peruses the recipe section. The recipes will be a godsend for those who have multiple food allergies, sensitivities and intolerances. If that same person follows a vegan lifestyle, this book is a complete match. Those with fewer dietary limitations, will be able to modify most of the recipes to bring in the foods safe for them and avoid those that aren't.

I found two pages in the back of the book to be of enormous help. They contain a chart listing vitamin and mineral needs at various ages and stages. This is so important when trying to meet nutritional needs in the midst of needing to eliminate major food groups.

So, does the Food Allergy Assistant recommend "Food Allergy Survival Guide"?

Yes. I believe this book should be one of the resource books for people dealing with food allergies. I don't view it as a beginner primer on food allergies. For those newly diagnosed, the interchangeable use of "allergy", "sensitivity" and "intolerance" may lead to some confusion. That said, I see it as a guidebook, in addition to other resources, to help those who deal with multiple food allergies.

Check out the book's website to learn more.

Homemade Candy Corn

Trying to find safe candy corn for your child with food allergies?

Good luck.

Nearly all of them contain labels like, "manufactured in a facility with peanuts, tree nuts, dairy and egg". So, when I came across Cafemom's recipe for making your own candy corn, I couldn't resist.

We did it last night. We only had green and pink food coloring in the house so they look like Easter candy corn, but they taste like the real thing. Honest! And they're jumbo size, which the kids love. You can cut them smaller if you like.

For those of us with dairy allergies, use dairy free margarine (like Fleischmann's Unsalted Sticks or Earth Balance) in place of the butter and Vance's non-dairymilk alternative for the powdered milk.

Let me know if you're adventurous enough to give this a try!


Photo: BOWL OF CANDY CORN
© Ingrid Perlstrom | Dreamstime.com

Milk Allergy Desensitization Study

So, this is it. The final installment of 11 year old Brett's video diary of his participation in Children's Hospital of Boston's milk allergy study. He's been participating in a desensitization study getting small amounts of milk over a period of time. Six months have passed since he started. This video tells the end. Has he been cured of his milk allergy, or must he continue to avoid milk?

So, go watch it. Then come back so we can chat.

Go on...

Tick Tock

I'll wait right here...

See, still here.

Okay, so you've seen it? Cause spoiler alert right here. The outcome is about to be revealed.

Amazing, right? This milk allergic boy is cured! He can drink milk and is eager to participate in more food allergy studies so he doesn't have to read labels any more.

This is incredible news for all of us who care about someone with a food allergy. We're getting there. Maybe our kids won't have to worry about their children being diagnosed with food allergies. Wouldn't that be wonderful?

What did you think of the video?

Update on the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act (S. 456)

Check out this article featuring the co-sponsor of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Management Act which will probably be brought to the floors of the Senate and House "after health care reform is settled".

Hmmm...when will that be!?!

Anyway, in a nut-shell (pun intended), here is what the act would do:

(1) Tell parents they need to give the school information about the child’s food allergy.

(2) Individual plans for food allergy management, tailored to the needs of each child, will be created and maintained.

(3) Strategies will be developed between schools and providers of emergency medical services.

(4) Strategies will be developed to reduce the risk of exposure to allergens .in classrooms and common school areas.

(5) Staff, parents, and children will receive general information on life-threatening food allergies

(6) School personnel who regularly come into contact with children with life-threatening food allergies will receive food allergy management training.

(7) School personnel who regularly come into contact with children with life-threatening food allergies will be trained how to administer epinephrine when the nurse is not immediately available.

(8) Food allergic children will have access to epinephrine.
*
(9) A plan will be created to address the appropriate response to an incident of anaphylaxis of a child while engaged in extracurricular programs of a school.

(10) When epinephrine is administered, information will be recorded and parents promptly notified.

We really need a law for this? Isn't most of it just plain common sense and the given right for any human being?

So, if passed the bill would provide grants of up to $50,000 to local educational agencies that choose to implement the guidelines in K-12 public schools. It's got bipartisan support in both Houses -- the Senate bill has 28 co-sponsors and the House bill has 44.

Silk Soy Milk: Monday Review

We first heard about Silk Soy Milk several years ago at the Cheesecake Factory...really. We brought little guy's food and explained to our server that he couldn't eat anything on the menu due to his food allergies. When she heard he had a milk allergy, she asked if we'd ever tried Silk's Very Vanilla Soy Milk. She said it tastes like a vanilla milkshake. You know what? She was right.

Since then, we've found Silk's regular vanilla flavor a great substitute for milk in the breakfast cereal. They now carry an organic brand too. I use Silk in any recipe that calls for milk. We love it in smoothies and it's great in my favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe.

Recently, representatives from Silk asked me if we would try their new Silk Heart Healthy. They sent me a coupon. Very tasty with the added benefit of phytosterols, a plant ingredient that helps the body reduce cholesterol. That's a great benefit for the moms and dads out there who have to lower cholesterol.

Check out Silk Soy Milks- dairy allergic or not. You can sign up for a 75 cent coupon from the homepage.

By the way, this is a photo of a shelf in my refrigerator! Any other Silk fans out there?

Friday Feature: mallergies

This week's Friday Feature is an interview with Marie-Ida, creator of a food allergy resource called mallergies. This interactive site focuses on the latest trends in food allergies. With their own food allergy apparel line, great recipes and tons of resources, you'll find a wealth of information. Join me for this interview with the creator of mallergies:

What is your food allergy background?

At the age of 6 months, I had my first anaphylactic shock. While my parents were away, my grandparents decided to introduce some new foods to my baby diet. My granddad gave me a pinch of jam, honey, caramel and finally peanut butter. Instantly, I stopped breathing and they had to carry me to the village doctor. That day, the doctor diagnosed my peanut allergy.

I am extremely cautious with everything that may contain traces of peanuts and/or nuts and always carry an EpiPen® with me. I believe I have managed my food allergies pretty well. I traveled, studied and worked for several years in England and Australia. I never felt different over those years, except sometimes when I am restricted with my food choices in restaurant, bakeries, cafés and bistros.

I realize that I eat healthier and avoid junk food or fast food as they often handle or contain peanuts and nuts.

What are you passionate about in the food allergy field?

I mostly like the exchanges with people who experience food allergies. By looking at blogs, forums, Facebook Groups, Twitter and websites, I see that food allergy is a topic concerning many parents, children, teachers, caretakers, medical staff, etc.

I also see companies trying to modify their production by asking manufacturers to apply allergen free measures. Science and medicine are collaborating and trying to find a cure and remedies. Environmentalists, nutritionists and dietetics are debating on several issues which may have caused the increase of food allergies in the last decades. Food allergies touch many fields and for those reasons, I am always passionate to read and learn more about this health issue and condition that I have.

What else are you working on in the food allergy area?

Recently, I started my own business and website about the latest trends on food allergies named mallergies. Mallergies’ approach is to prevent food allergies while offering reassurance to allergic people and informing their relatives and entourage.

By the intermediary of this e-business, I wish to reach more people who are connected directly or indirectly by food allergies, around the world. I know, by personal experience, that anyone affected with a food allergy condition can at some point, be frustrated about the restriction of eating out or finding allergen free foods. Dynamic, informative and complete, mallergies is the online resources to use and access daily from the comfort of your home.

To date, prevention is the only way to control food allergies; therefore, information must be accessible to everyone affected directly or indirectly by food allergies and intolerances. Allergic individuals will find information on a wide variety of topics : allergens, food labeling, news, product reviews, reactions, recipes, resources, symptoms, and much more.

What are your favorite food allergy friendly food staples?

I recently discovered a yummy cupcake store called Petits Gateax in Montreal. The chef is very aware of food allergies because he has peanut and nut allergies and guarantees that none of these allergens are presented in his pastries.

I also like to purchase foods through the CAC (Certified Allergen Control) (in Canada).

What are some of your other interests/hobbies?

My other interests in life are cooking, traveling, learning languages, writing (in French and English), reading and skiing. My friends and family are very important in my life and we love to get together for catching up, coffees or long dinners.

Thank you Marie-Ida for creating this valuable resource and for sharing your story.

Grill Charms vs The Shark Tank

Back in April I reviewed a product called Grill Charms®. The idea was to use a stainless steel charm to mark grill meats for different cooking preferences or specific food allergies or intolerances.

A great idea, I thought. Well, The Sharks thought so too.

ABC runs a show called "The Shark Tank". It gives entrepreneurs an opportunity to pitch their businesses to major investors. Leslie Haywood and her Grill Charms® were featured on the show on September 29, 2009. Check it out. Leslie's up first. See how she did.

Have any of you tried grill charms to deal with food allergies? Let me know.

Keeping a Food Allergy Friendly Kitchen

Children's Hospital of Boston brings us their latest video in the series, "A Cure for Food Allergies?". In this installment, Brett's mother shows how she keeps things safe in her kitchen with two food allergic children. Through labeling and color-coding items are kept separate for members of the family. They have a dairy drawer in their fridge like we do!

Do you have any tips for keeping a food allergy friendly kitchen?

Halloween Can Be Really Scary for Those With Food Allergy

Forget the ghosts and goblins. It's the candy bars and packaged sweets that cause the most fright in our house.

Our rules for trick-or-treating are:

No eating anything until it is checked at home.
Let the giver drop the candy into the trick-or-treat bag to avoid direct contact with the candy.

I have special treats on hand to substitute unsafe candy with safe items. Most of these special items need to be ordered. With only 24 days until Halloween, the time to order is now. Check out:

Premium Chocolatiers
Enjoy Life's boom CHOCO boom bars
Amanda's Own
Chocolate Emporium
Peanut Free Planet
Divvies
Nothin Nutty
Vermont Nut Free Chocolates

All the unsafe candy goes to a local homeless shelter, lest it wind up on my hips!

Food and Food Allergy Resources

One thing food allergies has brought to my life is a greater awareness of food in general. I'm constantly asking "What's in it?", "How's it made?", "Where was it manufactured?". Fortunately, the Internet has made answering these questions much easier. I tracked down some fascinating sites for anyone who eats food:

The International Food Information Council has a great section devoted to food allergies. Bounce around the site, though, for other areas of interest such as food safety and nutrition. They offer a free online newsletter.

I recently posted a list of Food Allergy resources at Suite 101. You can find support, books and other resources. Let me know if I missed any you love.

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) offers a wealth of info including a database of over 13,000 foods and their nutritional information. This is especially helpful when looking for substitutes if cutting out major food groups due to food allergy. Also check this site for laws and regulations related to food.

Food Safety.gov is another super source for tips to keep food safe and prevent illness. You can subscribe to alerts and get e-mail notification when the government makes a food advisory. Just last Friday, an alert came out warning about high levels of lead in certain dried fruits. Who knew?

Find the sites that are helpful to you and visit them regularly, or better yet- sign up for their automatic updates. We all need to eat and we all need timely information to eat safely.

Still Confused About Egg Allergy and Flu Shots?

Yes, I am too, but the most thorough recommendation I've read comes from my neighbors to the north. The Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has issued a complete report with their recommendations. It covers both seasonal flu and H1N1.

In a previous post, I linked to US guidelines.

I'm still researching this and I'm still on the fence about it. After a bad experience with an egg challenge several months ago, it is hard to imagine going through that again. I continue to research and weigh options...sigh...

Reality Show on Food Allergies

The next two videos from Children's Hospital in Boston are in. My heart skips a beat every time I watch one of these because I think "Oh, we're getting close. We're getting closer to finding a cure!"

In this video installment, Ming Tsai, chef and owner of Massachusetts restaurant, Blue Ginger, and father of a son with food allergies talks about life with food allergies at home and at work.

He talks about "what a pain in the rear it is to travel with food allergies".

Yup, we can relate.

He also talks about how eating in restaurants is an important part of every child's life and that's why he has made a committment to create a safe restaurant. "I have moms crying tears of happiness when they watch their food allergic children eat a safe meal in my restaurant," Tsai says.

I know, priceless...

The second video is a trip to Brett's school during Food Allergy Awareness week. Brett is the boy who is participating in the milk allergy study at Children's. He educated his classmates and raised money for food allergy research. What a great idea to hold a gum and hat day!

The big reveal is in an upcoming video. Was the milk study successful for Brett. Will this dairy allergic child be able to eat dairy? This is one reality show I don't want to miss.

Stay tuned...

Food Allergy Twitter Party This Friday

Have you attended a food allergy Twitter party yet? They're fast, furious and fun. The next event is this Friday, October 2, from 9:30-10:30 PM, Eastern time (EST). Friday night's theme is everything Halloween. Come with your questions and your favorite Halloween tips. Here's what you need to do to get into this social event of the year:

Sign up for a Twitter account if you don't have one. It's free.
Register for the party.
Friday night at 9:30 PM EST go to Summize and type in "#foodallergy". Then click the search button. This will take you right to the party. Another way in is through Tweetgrid or Tweetdeck. Tweetdeck needs some advance plannning as it needs to be downloaded.
During the party, use the hashtag "#foodallergy" whenever you type something. That ensures your comments will be seen by others in the party.

Got it? Any questions?

Thanks to Jennifer B. and Ruth for hosting the grand bash.

Hope to see you Friday night!

Anti-Viral Medications for the Flu

There are two anti-viral medications that are used to treat both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 strain. Relenza® is an inhaled medication that has caused issues in some people with asthma. Relenza® does contain lactose from dairy. Talk to your doctor if there is a dairy allergy diagnosis. Tamiflu is an oral medication used to treat the flu. It does contain corn starch and gelatin.

Check out the ingredients in both medications before you or your child may need them.

iPhone App for Gluten Free

I don't own an iPhone, but I can't help being amazed by all the useful apps users can get. There are applications for working out, traveling, making dinner and managing your money. We're talking thousands of apps.

Now, for those who need to avoid gluten, ZEER has announced the glutenScan app. For a monthly fee, subscribers can get help with grocery shopping, while grocery shopping. Simply by typing in a name or UPC number, users get information about whether a product contains gluten. It even recommends gluten-free alternatives.

Now, if they would only come up with an app that does my work-out, handles the grocery shopping and makes my meals...

I can dream.

Monday Review: Earth Balance

This Monday Review is sponsored by Earth Balance natural spreads.

Finding a "non-dairy butter" for baking and spreading is no easy feat. It was important to me to find something our entire family liked. As a matter of fact, I wanted a product that would fool everyone. My non-dairy chocolate chip cookies needed to taste just as good as anyone's cookies. The butter on my table for our dinner rolls needed to taste just like any other butter. Our non-dairy butter would be my little secret.

Well, I found the right product and I can't keep it a secret. I've used Earth Balance spread for years, ever since my son outgrew his soy allergy. Our local grocery store just recently began carrying Earth Balance sticks. This gives me another option in baking*. And now, Earth Balance has come out with a soy-free version of their spread. I've never been able to recommend a soy-free, dairy-free butter alternative. Until now. It's arrived and it tastes good. No wonder it got the 2009 Best Chef's Taste Award.

Check out all the Earth Balance products as well as some great recipes.

*Fleischman's Unsalted sticks are also dairy-free.

Guidelines for H1N1 Vaccine and Egg Allergy

Egg Allergy

The American Academy of Allergy Asthma and Immunology has come out with their guidelines regarding H1N1 vaccine and those with egg allergy.

I'm really torn about how to proceed with this. My son recently underwent an egg challenge in the allergist's office. It was not successful. Looking over the AAAAI guidelines, it appears that he would need several skin pricks (which he hates) and then if we proceed, he may require 5 vaccines at 15 minute intervals. If a medical issue arises, we face a shot of epinephrine and perhaps inhaled steroids. Ugh!

And that's just the H1N1 vaccine. This whole procedure is repeated for the seasonal flu vaccine. For the past few years, the rest of the family has received the seasonal flu vaccine. I get mine this afternoon. Our egg allergic son has not gotten the vaccine. Swine flu makes me more nervous.

What are the rest of you with egg allergies or egg allergic children doing? I know that I need to contact our allergist, but I'm not sure we want to go down the road that will be recommended...

Children's Hospital in Boston

I recently posted videos from Children's Hospital in Boston where they are conducting a milk desensitization study. The latest installment is a grocery shopping trip with the mother of 11 year old Brett who is participating in the study. Brett has 15 different food allergies, his brother has 16- Yikes! People often say to me, "How do make food without dairy, nuts and eggs?". I've gotten to the point where it's pretty easy to avoid those foods, but when I hear about people needing to avoiding beef, chicken, turkey, nuts, eggs, soy, and so on...well, wow! Where do you begin to find good protein sources with all those restrictions?

The shopping trip shown in the video takes place at a Whole Foods Market. Take a look, you may learn a few things. I learned that Rice Dream®, a non-dairy alternative to cow's milk, contains barley which would be unsafe for celiacs and others. Who knew?

Food Allergy Family Fun Event and Expo

North Wales, PA, just outside of Philadelphia was the location for a fantastic event for families with food allergies. Yesterday's Expo featured singer Kyle Dine along with vendors, raffles, coupons and lots of free allergy friendly food. The highlight of my experience was watching my food allergic son and his non-food allergic sister enjoying chocolate lollipops they got from Premium Chocolatiers. Priceless. It felt so freeing to move among vendors where our WHOLE family could enjoy the samplings.

Some of the vendors we visited yesterday:

Whole Foods

Enjoy Life

Cherrybrook Kitchens

AllergyFree Foods

Pamela's Products

Sunbutter

Cookies for Me?

So Delicious Frozen Desserts

Angels in the Kitchen (e-mail: angelsinthekitchen@hotmail.com)

I.M. Healthy Soynut Butter

EpiPen®

Twinject®


A HUGE congratulations to Kids With Food Allergies for putting this event together. Great job!

Food Allergy: Truths and Lies

A post on Food Allergy Buzz got me thinking about common misunderstandings about food allergies. It's up to the food allergy community to set the record straight. I wrote an article for Suite 101, Food Allergy Myths.

Did I get it right? Did I miss any?

We can work together to get the right messages out there.

Flu Vaccine- Get it or Not- That is the Question

The flu vaccines have hit doctor's offices in our area. This is the seasonal flu, not swine flu or H1N1. The H1N1 vaccine is expected in limited quantities in the US in mid-October with more vaccine available each week. There is still discussion about how many H1N1 shots will be recommended in the US.

It's a personal decision whether to get the vaccine- seasonal or H1N1. Parents will also need to decide what is best for their children. Remember that both vaccines are cultured in chicken egg. Those with egg allergies should talk to their allergist about the possibility of getting the flu vaccine in slowly increasing amounts to avoid an allergic reaction.

Kyle Dine Tour Dates

I've posted about Kyle Dine before. He wries music about food allergies. Seriously. Have you heard "Epi-Man"? Hilarious!

He's coming to Philly Sept. 13 and our family is going to his concert. Check out his other tour dates to see if he'll be near your hometown.

Kids With Food Allergies is sponsoring the Sept. 12 event. Should be great fun!

Use Expired Epi-Pens®

Show Grandma, new classroom teacher, soccer coach, or scout leader how to use an Epi-Pen®. Use those expired pens and demonstrate (or better yet, let someone else try) how to discharge the unit in a lemon, orange or grapefruit. After carefully inserting the Epi-Pen®- needle end first- into it's storage tube, drop it off at your allergist's or family doctor's office for proper disposal.

Do a little gratitude dance that the Epi-Pen® didn't have to be used to treat an allergic reaction and pat yourself on the back for teaching someone else to use it.

Milk Allergy Study in Boston

We've been hearing about peanut desensitization studies in the news recently. I'm thrilled to report that Children's Hospital in Boston is conducting the first ever milk desensitization study. Check out this video and follow along each week as 11 year-old Brett goes through the study.

This is great news!

Friday Fare: Caramel Popcorn

Plan a movie night this week-end and pop up some sweet delicious popcorn!

Caramel Popcorn

free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat and soy

4 quarts popped popcorn- use "natural" microwave popcorn or simply pop some kernels in a tablespoon of oil in a pan on your stove top.
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup margarine (I use Fleischmann's Unsalted sticks which are dairy-free but contain soy. Could use soy-free Earth Balance if soy allergic)
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Place the popped popcorn into a large brown paper bag. Set aside.

In a 2 quart microwave safe dish, combine the brown sugar, margarine, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Heat for 3 minutes in the microwave, then take out and stir until well blended. Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes. Remove from microwave, and stir in the baking soda.

Pour syrup over the popcorn in the bag. Roll down the top once or twice to close the bag, and shake to coat the corn. Place bag into the microwave, and cook for 1 minute and 10 seconds. Remove, shake, flip the bag over, and return it to the microwave. Cook for another 1 minute and 10 seconds.

Dump the popcorn out onto waxed paper, and let cool until coating is set.

Enjoy!

If there are any left-overs, store in an airtight container.

Friday Fare: Banana Crumb-Topped Muffins

Just made a batch of these delicious muffins!

Banana Crumb Muffins

free of dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts
contains wheat and soy

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon warm water, 1 1/2 tablespoon canola oil, 1 teaspoon baking powder mixed until bubbly

Topping:

1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon margarine (I use Fleischmann's Unsalted sticks)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare muffin cups.
In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, and water/oil/baking powder mixture. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened*. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.

Topping:
In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean. Makes 10- 12 muffins.

*Can add dairy-free chocolate chips to batter*

Philly's Holding 1st Annual Food Allergy Fair

On Thursday, Sept. 24 from 11 am to 2 pm, Philadelphia will hold its first Food Allergy Fair. The fair is being hosted by Allergy and Asthma Specialists and Prototype Advertising. I contacted the organizers to find out the purpose of the event. Here's what I was told:

"This is an educational experience for adults with food allergies or caring for someone with food allergies. The adult with food allergies or the adult caring for individuals is often overlooked. We are trying to give Moms the opportunity to explore food allergy options without the kids around. Also, we hope to offer grown up food options to food allergy sufferers."

Area chefs, nutritionists and doctors will be on-hand to talk to visitors.

I plan to attend. Anyone want to meet up?

Here's the website for the Food Allergy Fair.

Food Allergy Twitter Party

The third Food Allergy Twitter Party is scheduled for Friday, Oct. 2. If you've never participated in a Twitter party, they're fast, fun and filled with lots of great info. There are even prizes too!

Here's how to join us:
1. You'll need a Twitter account. Sign-up is free.
2. On Oct. 2 (time has not yet be decided- check back), you'll need to go to tweetgrid.com and type in #foodallergy.
3. You'll see the conversation on your screen. Jump in any time, but type #foodallergy in every message so everyone else can see it.

Hope to see you there!

Friday Fare: Granola Bars

We love these granola bars. As soon as the batch runs out, I make another. They're super easy to make and, believe me, after you eat these, you'll never go back to packaged granola bars filled with preservatives, chemicals, and lots of allergens again. Give them a try this week-end.

Granola Bars
free of dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts




Ingredients:

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup all-purpose flour (I use ¾ regular flour and ¼ whole wheat flour)
3/4 cup raisins, marshmallows, mini chocolate chips, or any other add-ins you prefer (check labels for allergens)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 tablespoon warm water, 1 1/2 tablespoon canola oil, 1 teaspoon baking powder mixed until bubbly (this is the substitute for one egg)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

How to Prepare:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, brown sugar, wheat germ, cinnamon, flour, raisins and salt.
Make a well in the center, and pour in the honey, water/oil/baking powder mixture, oil and vanilla. Mix well.
Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared pan.
Bake for 30 to 35 minutes in the preheated oven, until the bars begin to turn golden at the edges.
Cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bars while still warm.
Enjoy!

You Can Make Dairy Free Pudding

I've tried it, so don't bother...you cannot substitute a non-dairy milk for the milk called for on the box of Jell-O® pudding. It doesn't "set".

But here's a recipe to try using Silk Soymilk, a staple in our house.

Sure, it's not as easy as mixing up some pudding using the powder from the box, but those of us who cook allergy-friendly foods are used to that, right? Happy cooking!

Mothers of Food Allergic Children Speak Up

Check out this six-part series of four mothers who have food allergic children. Part of a roundtable discussion with ABCNews Health, the moms talk about warning signs, coping, convincing others, school and special events, guilt and hurt and the bright side.

Those of us who deal with food allergies every day will really relate to what these women talk about. There may be a section or two that you may want to forward to a grandparent, baby-sitter or teacher. It sometimes help to have others back up your message.

The Misconceptions of Food Allergy

In a news release from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, Dr. Ruchi S. Gupta revealed that an online survey of 2148 U.S. adults shows many misconceptions about food allergy.

More than 66% of those surveyed believe that a daily medicine can be taken to prevent a food allergy reaction.
Nearly half of the respondents said there is a cure for food allergy.
Over 40% said that food allergy reactions could be prevented by means other than strict avoidance.

Hmmm...we're not doing a very good job of educating others about food allergy. These people are our teachers, principals, nurses, grandparents, bus drivers, neighbors, babysitters, coaches, scout leaders. Many of them are not getting it and that can be dangerous to our children.

Take every opportunity to inform others of the facts:

There is no cure for food allergy.
There are no medicines available to prevent a food allergy reaction.
Avoidance of the food is the only way to prevent a reaction.

Read the full news article here.

Back to School With Food Allergies

Back to school is on my mind as we enter the final month of summer vacation. I plan to request a 504 plan for my FA 4th grader as I was unhappy with the communication (lack of) related to the Healthcare Plan we used last year. Anyone have any experience with 504 Plans for food allergy?

Also, take a look at Alison's all-inclusiveBack to School Tips for Gluten-Free and Allergy -Free Kids. It's a great checklist, especially if you're sending your FA child to school for the first time.

Food Allergy Quiz

Check out this true/false quiz from ACAAI (American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology). My readers may find it fairly elementary, but I think it would make for some great talking points with grandparents and older food allergic children.

Did any of the questions stump you? I got number 6 wrong. I knew that exercise could lead to anaphylaxis, but I didn't realize the food allergy link. Always learning...

Lessening the Impact of Severe Allergic Reaction

Anyone who cares for someone with a life threatening allergy, whether to food, insect stings, latex, etc., carries a fear of a fatal anaphylactic reaction. When I send my food allergic child on the school bus each day or drop him off for a play date, I always have the thought, "Please let him be safe". Living with anxiety over a mix up with a cup or a snack is exhausting. Knowing that one wrong sip or bite could lead to a rapid onset of symptoms that may lead to death is terrifying.

I'm encouraged by a new discovery at the University of Glasgow. They've discovered that an immune hormone, IL-33, plays a key role in the development of anaphylaxis. Patients with high levels of IL-33 had more severe anaphylactic reactions. The researchers believe that a decrease or elimination of IL-33 will greatly reduce anaphylactic symptoms. The reaction would be less severe and thereby less chance it would be fatal.

The team was successful in proving this in a mouse model and plans to continue with their research. Check out the article here.

Woo-Hoo: A $433,100 grant to Study Food Allergy Causes

I love this kind of news!

The University of Chicago and Northwestern University will share a grant of $433,100 to try to pinpoint the key immune factors that lead to food allergies. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) funded this study through their Science to Achieve Results program (STAR).

Check out the article here and read the description and approach of the study here.

I'll keep an eye on this and report the results when they become available. I'm intrigued with the idea that researchers plan to assess whether pesticides produced in genetically engineered plants can trigger food allergies. There's got to be something causing this spike in food allergies. Could pesticides be the key?

Are You Walking for Food Allergy?

Check out FAAN's calendar and find the closest food allergy walk. Click on the link which will take you to the associated web page. Even if you can't walkwith a group, consider the virtual walk listed under Dec. 5, 2009. Tell grandparents, aunts, uncles, schools, sports teams, doctors affices about this easy way to help a great cause!

Bagel Day

We love to make bagels. This is what they look like after boiling them for 30 seconds and just before baking them for 20 minutes. The smell of hot bagels as they're pulled out of the oven...Yum!

This recipe is safe for those with allergies to dairy, egg (no need for the egg glaze the recipe calls for), peanut, tree nut and sesame seed. It does contain wheat.

We first saw the bagel recipe in Family Fun magazine. Give it a try this week-end!

Have You Taken The Food Allergy Survey?

If you're a FAAN member (and if not, why not?), be sure to take their survey. It's 56 questions long, but many of those are "yes" or "no" answers or responding to a question on a number scale. It appears that FAAN is gathering info about how their members use them as a resource, as well as what other ways members get food allergy information.

I hope to see the results at some point. I think that for many years, FAAN was the only game in town for food allergy information. Now there is a great deal of information on the web. FAAN remains one of my most trusted sources, though.

Great Site for Young People with Food Allergies

Studies have shown that young people with food allergies may take unnecessary risks so they aren't viewed as "different" by their peers. They just want to fit in. Perfectly understandable, but this is something that strikes terror in the heart of parents of food allergic kids everywhere.

That's why I love this new Canadain site: Why Risk It. Sponsored by Anaphylaxis Canada, the site allows teens and young adults to share their stories about life with food allergy. Covering everything from school to dating to dining out and more, people share their stories and learn from one another. It appears to be quite appropriate for younger kids as well.

Well done, Anaphylaxis Canada!

Asthma and Food Allergy Camps

Since 1988, the Consortium for Children's Asthma Camps has actively coordinated the activities of asthma camps across the US. Through these camps, children have a typical camp experience with the added benefits of quality medical care and asthma education as part of the camp routine.

What a wonderful opportunity for kids to be surrounded by other kids who deal with the same specific issues they face every day. How comforting for parents to send their child with asthma to a safe environment.

That got me thinking. Is there a similar opportunity for kids with food allergies?

I did find a "Family Session" available at the Center for Courageous Kids, in Kentucky. Specifically, they are offering a Family Fall Retreat week-end Sept. 11-13, 2009.

I'd love to see a consortium of camps nationwide for kids with food allergies. Imagine sending your child with food allergies to a camp where every child carried an Epi-pen and where there was food allergy education along with swimming and zip line activities.

Does anyone know of any such camps? Let me know!

Food Allergy Movie

Are there people in your life who just don't get food allergies?

Check out this 83 minute documentary all about food allergies. Produced, directed, and edited by Kevin J. Lindenmuth, "I'm Not Nuts: Living With Food Allergies", clarifies the misinformation people commonly have about food allergies. Interviews with medical professionals and families bring a realistic viewpoint to dealing with food that can be dangerous to those allergic to it.

It would make a perfect gift for grandparents, teachers, doctors, child care workers and others who need to hear about food allergy issues from someone other than you.

Youth Raises Money for Food Allergy Research

A 12-year-old food allergic Pennsylvania girl is raising money for food allergies by selling singing e-mail grams. Emily Z. created www.ezgreetings.org, as a bat mitzvah project. Through the site, customers can order a $5 singing email gram for any occasion. When an order comes in, Emily records a singing gram and sends it to the designated recipient with a personal message from the customer.

"EZgreetings combines my love of singing and graphic arts into my project, and it supports a cause that matters tremendously to me, food allergy research," says Emily.

Her site, has raised over $1000.

You go, girl!

Why not give it a try? Just a note...the links didn't work in Firefox. Go to Internet Explorer to check it out. Also, it only works on PC's, not Macs.

Food Allergy Death: Camp Held Liable

It's such a sad story...A 13-year old Australian boy died from anaphylactic shock after eating a food pouch that contained peanuts.

The boy was a cadet on a 3-day training camp. His parents had informed the appropriate authorities about their son's peanut allergy. As a matter of fact, SEVEN of the cadets were known to have a peanut allergy. The medical information provided by the parents was not distributed to those who handed out food to the cadets.

So what can we learn from this experience?

Never worry that you are being too over-protective.
Make sure you've spoken to every adult who will have direct contact with your child.
Insist that your child wear a medical bracelet or other identifier at all times. Consider providing safe food and instructing your child to eat only provided food.
Ensure that epinephrine is easily available to your allergic child.

We must allow our children to experience normal life. Take proper precautions and always listen to your gut.

Here's the whole news article about this tragedy.

ZEER: The Easy Way to Find Better Food

Have you heard about ZEER? Created in early 2008 by Mike Putnam, ZEER is a continually updated food information resource for people who want to know ingredient and nutrition information in the foods they eat. Perfect for those who deal with food allergies and/or intolerances.

This week, ZEER launched ZEER Select, a gluten free database full of information for those who need to avoid gluten. The company plans to offer a similar experience for other food allergies and intolerances in the future. In the meantime, with over 30,000 food items (and 500 products added or updated every week) it's easy to search for a wide variety of foods.

I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek into ZEER Select, which is offered by subscription at $14.95 per month. Users can search foods by name, category or UPC code. Detailed ingredient and nutrition information as well as a "gluten safety status" is given for each product.

I think one of the best features is that the site is constantly updated and reviewed by a medical advisory board of doctors and nutritionists. No worries about outdated or incorrect information. Another great feature of ZEER Select is the ability to maintain a grocery list and then share the list with family and friends. ZEER also has an iPhone application giving users the ability to get detailed product information when it's most needed- at the grocery store.

There are many parts to ZEER that are free for anybody to use. Join one of the Communities such as food allergies, diet, lifestyle (organic, vegan, vegetarian), health (diabetes, cancer, etc.) and religious/cultural. Users can sign up with a community to learn more about foods and participate in a discussion board to ask questions or give information. You can also see food product reviews or post one of your own.

Take a tour and see what ZEER and ZEER Select can offer you.

Let me know what you think.

Update Food Allergy Bill

Below is a note I received about Pennsylvania's efforts to make schools safer for food allergic children. Thank you to all of you who wrote letters on behalf of this bill. I hope it continues forward through the PA House Appropriations committee and becomes law providing a model for other states and countries. We need to make schools everywhere safe for all children!


Please forward to your membership and friends who assisted with our efforts on HB 1148.
The bill was unanimously passed by the Education Committee.

Thank you one and all for your support of HB 1148!!

The bill will now move to the PA House Appropriations Committee. As the legislature is now engaged in producing a budget, we will wait for the budget to be passed before we begin our communications with the Appropriations Committee members.

I will communicate with you soon about our next steps to obtain support

Happy Fourth of July!

Bill Dixon
Legislative Aide
PA State Representative Thomas Murt's District Office
(215)674-3755

Swine Flu Vaccine Safe for Those with With Egg Allergy?

The swine flu vaccine has been on my mind.

A post I read originally on Life With Food Allergies Blog has given me hope. Reportedly, drug company Novartis, has created a swine flu vaccine that will be safe for those with egg allergy.

I stil have a bunch of questions, though. It seems that other companies will be manufacturing swine flu vaccine that wouldn't be safe for those with egg allergy. How will distribution be handled? People who can't have the egg-based vaccine should certainly be the top priority for the new vaccine. Also, will the FDA cause this vaccine to hang up in the US? If it is available in Europe, can we go there to get the vaccine for our egg allergic family members?

It seems there are no clear cut answers to these questions yet.

Does anyone else know anything about this?

Check out the article here.

Food Allergy TV Show

A TV Show called "You Won't Even Miss It" is cooking up some great recipes for those with food allergies.

You can check out their episodes online by clicking the link above and then clicking on "TV Show". Learn how to make allergy friendly dishes such as Mango Creamsicle Smoothies and Asian Chicken Salad.

My mouth is watering...

What do you think?

Help is Needed Again for Food Allergy Bill in PA

I wrote about house Bill 1148 last Monday. The bill was sent to PA Education Committee members Weds. June 24. It was tabled. Here's the latest information from Rep. Murt's office about the future of this important bill:

The PA House Education Committee met on 6/24/09 and discussed HB 1148 - Food Allergy Guidelines. This bill directs the Pennsylvania Department of Education to research and publish guidelines for the successful management of food allergies in our schools. The committee raised questions regarding how the legislation would impact existing laws and no bill vote was taken. Since last Wednesday, the legislation was re-written. We choose to clarify the impact on exiting school code by clearly illustrating the changes to the existing code. Changes to the Local Wellness Policy clause 1422.1 allowed us to identify Food Allergy Management as being as important as child health, nutrition, and physical education. Adding an additional dictate to Section 1422.3 allow us to outline the need for Food Allergy Guidelines and what they must accomplish.

The next meeting of the PA Education Committee where they will vote on HB 1148 is now this Wednesday, 7/01/09. Please forward this message to your membership and friends asking them to re-edit it to their liking and forward it to the following list of Education Committee members.

JRoebuck@pahouse.net, ksmith@pahouse.net, LCurry@pahouse.net, JYudicha@pahouse.net, bsmith@pahouse.net, mcarroll@pahouse.net, sconklin@pahouse.net, RGrucela@pahouse.net, pharkins@pahouse.net, mlongietti@pahouse.net, MOBrien@pahouse.net, JPallone@pahouse.net, cwagner@pahouse.net, JWheatle@pahouse.net, RYoungbl@pahouse.net, Pclymer@pahousegop.com, mfleck@pahousegop.com, Dmetcalf@pahousegop.com, dmilne@pahousegop.com, Boneill@pahousegop.com, Tquigley@pahousegop.com, Klrapp@pahousegop.com, MReese@pahousegop.com, trock@pahousegop.com, WTallman@pahousegop.com

Thank you again for your continued support.

Bill Dixon
Legislative Aide
PA State Representative Thomas Murt's District Office
(215)674-3755

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I have the document that will be presented to the committee. If you're interested in reading it, e-mail me and I'll send it to you.

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Help is needed- even if you don't live in PA. Please consider copying and pasting the e-mail addresses and letter into an e-mail and send it to our PA Reps. There is power in numbers and if all of us band together, no matter where we live, we can make all of our schools safer for those with food allergies.

Here's the letter I re-sent:

Dear Representative,

House Bill 1148 is a public health necessity. We have young students hiding their life-saving medications in backpacks because some schools require medications to be kept locked in the nurse's office. We have students exposed to potentially dangerous allergens because schools are reluctant to engage in dialogue with parents about food allergies. School buses and after-school activities are, at minimum challenging and sometimes not possible, for children with food allergies.

The incidence of food allergies has been growing exponentially in recent years and about seven percent of the student population is affected by food allergies. At present, many schools are managing these students on a case by case basis, and the results are mixed. As a result, families are forced to seek private or home schooling for their food allergic children to keep them safe.

Accommodations for food allergic students can be made easily and effectively in the classrooms and school communities. By law, all children are guaranteed an appropriate and free public education, and students with food allergies are legally entitled to appropriate protections. We just want to have the opportunity to talk with our schools about what is best for all children.

I am asking you to vote yes to HB 1148 on July 1, 2009.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE