#BeReady: My New E-Book for College Students with Food Allergies

Are you ready?  Well, #BeReady.  That's the name of my new e-book/handbook for college students with food allergies.  I am happy to announce that this is the culminating project of my Master’s Degree Thesis (I am so excited that I wanted to write that with capital letters!).  In my study, I looked at the information needs and information preferences of college students with food allergies.  Here is a short overview of the findings.  Students wanted:

 

·       more information on how to prepare food for themselves

·       nutrition

·       recipes

·       knowing where to shop

·       how to inform the college and their friends about their food allergies

·       navigating social scenarios

·       understanding their available dining options on-campus and off-campus

 
The majority of students prefer to receive food allergy information from websites and brochures.  They would love to use apps if there were more developed for their needs. Hint Hint for you app developers out there!  Participatory design is the thing right now, have the students help you design the app!

If you would like more information about my study, please email me (shandaaguirre@yahoo.com) and I can provide detailed stats, academic style!

I decided to give the students what they wanted.  I wrote a handbook with basic nutrition advice, recipes that can be made in the dorm, shopping tips, traveling tips, and resources on where to find more information.  I am also going to be working with FARE (Food Allergy Research & Education) to help them develop more education material for college students with food allergies.  Check out their website, they are doing great things!

Without further delay, here it is:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/232363472/BeReady-Handbook-for-College-Students-with-Food-Allergies


I hope this handbook helps!  Feedback is welcome!  Enjoy the holidays everyone!

Good Wishes,
Shanda

Image: courtesy of google images.

Please Take My Survey and Pass It On To Others!

Hello Everyone!

I am working on my graduate school thesis and I would love if you have 15 minutes to take my survey.  I will share the results on my blog when I have collected and analyzed all of the data.  What has been found through all of my research is that college students with food allergies need more information to manage their food allergies.  The purpose of this study is to find out what information they need so those materials can be produced.  If you are currently a college student with food allergies or know someone who is, please follow this link to the survey and pass it on!

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PFF3GRN

 

Thank You!

Outgrown Egg Allergy- Watch This Powerful Video Of Her Eating Eggs For The 1st Time!

 

 

 

Disclaimer:  Do NOT try this at home.  My child's doctor approved us to feed her eggs at home based on her allergy tests.  Feeding your child something they may be allergic to can cause serious reactions or even death.  Always speak to your doctor before doing anything like this.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am so happy to announce that my daughter has OUTGROWN HER EGG ALLERGY!  The journey that led us to the moment that you see in the video was a long one.  She tested positive to an egg allergy at 2 years old, started to show signs that it was going away at 5 years old, started eating eggs in baked goods at 6 years old, and now can eat them at 8 years old. 

Note:  Some of the stuff I tell her during the video is just to ease her fears and may not be purely factual.  We sat there for about half an hour before the video started rolling.  She was very scared, even starting to cry at one point.  This is what children with food allergies go through every day, living in a world where everything is about food, and fearing the very thing that gives humans life.  I share this because its real.  It shows the struggle.  It shows the fear.  It shows how strong kids with food allergies are.  Imagine eating something, for the first time, that you were told could kill you......... 

I hope this will motivate people to spread awareness of the huge, growing food allergy epidemic.  We need to keep fighting to find a cause and then a cure!

uKnow Peanut Molecular Allergy Test: We Took The Test!

The results are in!  But before I tell you the results, let me tell you the story.  My daughter has NEVER had a severe allergic reaction.  If you read our story, you will know that she was diagnosed with severe allergies to nuts, and a whole list of other foods, when she was 2 years old through skin-prick and regular blood testing.  Yes, we are lucky to have never experienced a severe reaction like so many of you, but I was always left to wonder if the allergy was true.

Have you heard of the uKnow Peanut Molecular Allergy Test?  According to the company website (https://www.uknowpeanut.com/Default.aspx), the uknow Peanut Test looks at component-specific IgE blood test which look at a person’s level of risk of a severe reaction. 

While I waited for the test date to arrive, and then waited for the test results, I have to admit that I really started to believe, in my mind, that she had outgrown her allergy or that we had been dealing with an allergy that never was.  I started letting loose.   I was like a college girl who just moved out of her parent’s house for the first time.  I went wild-crazy.   I stopped discussing her allergies and only telling people when necessary, like when ordering food at a restaurant.  I stopped blogging about food allergies.  I pretty much started pretending that we live a “normal” allergy free life.  I started shopping for food and buying even when the label said “made in a factory that processes nuts”.  I got a small glimpse of what my life was like before her food allergy diagnosis.  I yearned so badly for that life that I created it my mind, even before we got the results.

So, drumroll please........

 

 

 

Well, here are the results:  Severely allergic, high risk of anaphylaxis.  It was like someone punched me in the face.  Somehow in these last few months of living with the idea that we may be an allergy free home, I lost site of the blessings that have come along with this diagnosis:

1.  We are a family that is aware of what we put in our mouths.  I learned so much about processed food and being forced to avoid it has taught me to look for healthy alternatives.

2.  I learned to cook.  I mean I always had marginal cooking skills but I am improving my skills all the time.  Making and eating homemade, healthy meals is so satisfying.

3.  By changing our eating habits, many of our friends and family have done the same.  It’s had the “Tipping Point” effect on the health of our loved ones and people we encounter on a daily basis.

And let this be a reminder to all of us with food allergies in our family:  We can’t let our guard down, we have to keep fighting.  Fighting to keep our family members safe and healthy.  Fighting to educate people on food allergies.  Fight for awareness.  I thought I didn’t have to fight anymore.  But I am back and I am here to fight for the greatest little gift I have ever been given, my daughter Brooklyn.

Supplemental Vitamin E is derived from SOY!

WHAT?  How in the world did this tid-bit of information manage to get past me until now?  As the mother of a food allergy child, I immediately wondered if people with food allergies will react to supplemental Vitamin E derived from soy.  Here is a forum on the topic:

http://www.allergicliving.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=622

This is just a reminder to all of us that deal with food allergies that allergens lark in secret places.  With all the fancy names that scientists are coming up with to disguise the ingredients, we have to be on our A game so we don't have accidental exposures. 

Here is a great link to a list of ingredient names to be aware of for specific food allergies:

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/resourcetopic.php?topic=food-allergens

And here is a review on how to read a food label.  This is a good review for everyone!

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/nutrition-facts/NU00293

And here is a good guide for reading labels for people with food allergies:

http://foodallergies.about.com/od/signsandsymptoms/ht/labelreading101.htm


I use the motto "If you don't know whats in the food, then don't eat it."

Brooklyn’s Food Allergy Skin Testing Update:

I promised Brooklyn over a year ago that I would never make her go through skin testing for food allergies ever again.  Last week, I reluctantly broke that promise.  We had a scheduled appointment with her allergist to see if she has out-grown any of her food allergies.  Bad news:  The doctor talked me into doing this skin test.  Good News:  She outgrew some allergies! 

Looking at the picture, the two big welts in the center of her back are peanut and walnut.  Her levels on the blood tests and on the skin tests are still very high, so it's suspected that she is still extremely allergic to those nuts.  But….she has tested negative on both blood and skin tests for almonds, cashews, coconuts, and pistachios.  This is great news since she once tested positive to all tree nuts.  Eggs are still the big unknown.  Her levels have slowly decreased with eggs but they are still registering as an allergic response during testing.  We are used to eating vegan baked goods now and having an egg allergy, in a way, protects her from accidentally eating nuts in baked goods.  That is the most common way that nuts are accidentally eaten, baked goods. 

So, I wanted to post this experience since many of you are going through the same thing.  The testing is horrible on Brooklyn but put in perspective, it’s a little thing that can change our life for the better.  We are starting with coconut as the first re-introduction.  I bought a coconut but have yet to talk Brooklyn into eating some.  My years of pounding the idea into her that she can’t eat coconut is making it hard and scary for her to try something new.  She is old enough to be aware of how huge this step is in her life.  I will let you know how it goes with the re-introduction of these new foods.

Now, I am on a mission to find almonds that are NOT processed with peanuts or other tree nuts.  If anyone has information on where I could find those, please share.  I am thinking I will have to go straight to the farmer, but it will be worth it to add those into her diet. 

Skin Issues 101

Skin is a huge issue for many people.  Acne, eczema, psoriasis, and chronic dry skin are all problems that can really affect daily life.  Skin is a big deal.    In some countries Brazilian tan skin is popular, and in some countries people bleach their skin because light skin is seen as beautiful.  We put makeup on our skin; use all kinds of skin care regimens and lotions.   Skin is a great indicator of our body’s inner health.  It’s the largest organ of the body and responds to anything that functioning wrong internally. 

 I remember staying up all night, watching Brooklyn sleep and stopping her every time she started itching (or rather scratching, I’m always told that you can’t itch an itch) her eczema.  At night, she wasn’t aware of the scratching and if I didn’t stop her, she would wake up in the morning bleeding.  I tried gloves on her hands, she would take them off.  I tried numerous creams.  I think about 15 different ones.  The steroid creams started to depigment her skin.  She started getting white patches all over her olive skin.  Only now, after not using creams for 5 years, is she starting to get an even skin tone back.  At one point, I threw the creams in the garbage and searched for natural fixes to help her.  Of course, the diet change helped greatly.  But, that is what got me started on learning to make soaps, lotions, and body care products. 

About Topical Medicines: Not one that I tried for Brooklyn actually worked.  It worked temporarily but the problem always came back.  That is because skin issues are an internal problem, not external.  So the problem will always come back.  Most of these topicals are either steroid based, which is terrible for children and teenagers, or they do more harm than good in the long run.  The fluctuation in how well the skin is doing is because the skin takes 30-60 days to heal a problem.  So if you start something today, then the true results won’t be seen for 30-60 days.  We Americans have come to have ideals that we can just pop a pill, put some cream on, and we will be fixed without changing anything else in our lives.  That's why these things only work temporarily and why you have to remain on the medicine, because the true problem isn't getting fixed.  Finding the real cause of the skin issue and fixing the diet are going to be the best and most permanent options.

Finding The Cause of the skin problem is probably the most difficult part.  If its eczema, then the cause is probably allergies to something (foods, skin care products, laundry soap, animals).  If it psoriasis then stress or vitamin D deficiency may be making outbreaks more frequent.  If you have acne, then a hormone imbalance is most likely the cause.  Some tips to help narrow down what the cause might be are:

**Keep a food journal.  Simply write down whatever you eat and the time you ate it.

**Keep a skin journal.  Be specific in this journal.  Write down times when your skin broke out, time of day, time of month, and what your skin looked like.

**Be aware of the products you are using.  It took me the longest time to figure out that the laundry soap I was using was causing allergic symptoms for me.  Products include, skin care products, cleaning products, craft and art products.  Its best to look at everything you put ON or IN your body because something that you never would have thought of may be causing the problem. 

After a few weeks of doing this, you may be able to see a common denominator when you are comparing the 2 journals.  Or you may notice a product that every time you use it, you get stuffy and irritated. 

Here is a great resource for looking up what is in the products that you put on your body.  It’s called “A Consumer’s Dictionary of Cosmetic Ingredients” by Ruth Winter M.S…  This book helped me to make the decision to start making my own body products after I read what was really in the lotions and soaps I was using.

http://www.amazon.com/Consumers-Dictionary-Cosmetic-Ingredients-Cosmeceuticals/dp/0307451119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323115265&sr=8-1

Plus she has a book about Food Additives that may be helpful:

http://www.amazon.com/Consumers-Dictionary-Food-Additives-7th/dp/0307408922/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1323115265&sr=8-2

If you are having a hard time finding the cause, I would recommend helping your liver function better in the meantime.  The liver is so important in cleaning toxins out of the body and the skin.  The skin is the body’s biggest organ and is the place where problems with our insides are shown, such as acne, hives, and eczema.  These skin issues are caused by something internal, whether it’s an allergy or the body’s lack of being able to effectively clear out toxins or hormones and stress.  If the liver is being damaged then how is it supposed to help clear up the skin?  I run across this problem all the time with medicine.  Medicine is hard on the liver, yet the liver needs to be functioning properly to help clear up the problem with the skin.  It’s contradicting. 

Here are some interesting things about liver cleansing:

http://www.healingdaily.com/liver-detoxification.htm

Also, if you see a Naturopath, then they can recommend a therapeutic liver cleanse.  I also drink liver detoxifying tea once in awhile that I found at the local herb store. 

Here are some things that may help your particular skin issue.

Eczema

Possible food allergy

Important to get enough essential fatty acids.  Flax seed oil, fish oil, ground flaxseed are all good options.

Zinc

Quercetin- blocks histamines

Evening Primrose oil- reduces inflammation

Caledula – can be found in salves for easy application

Most of the special eczema creams I tried on Brooklyn did not work.  I started my 5 ingredient rule.  If it had more than 5 ingredients, then I didn’t use it.  Most “soaps” found in the store are not actually soap.  They are more of a detergent.  If the “soap” says “Body Wash” then that’s because it’s not a soap.  Its federal law that they can’t call it soap unless it really is soap.  Well, detergent is very drying and causes allergic reactions on the skin.  The best soap that I have found to be most available is either Dr. Bronners Soaps or Kiss My Face soaps. 

Think:  The simpler the better when it comes to products for eczema.

Acne

Lemon Juice diluted in water can be applied topically

Vitamin B6 cream can be applied topically

Sun is very important (UV rays)

Sulfur ointment (3%-10%) topical

Tea Tree oil applies directly to infected pores

Calendula helps the skin

Aloe has been known to help

Oregon and Burdock root are great and an herb store can help you find a great combination

Zinc

Vitamin A

Selenium

Vitamin E

Brewer’s Yeast

Eat Raw Nuts

Hormone Imbalance

Eliminate milk products

Dark Chocolate can actually be good.  No milk chocolate.

Dry Skin

Check out my lotion recipe that is divine

Psoriasis

Stress Induced

Vitamin D deficient

Acupuncture has been known to help

Remember:  Getting plenty of Vitamin D is very important to skin health.  And drink plenty of WATER.  WATER, WATER, WATER is so important in the removal of toxins and proper bodily function.  Following a strict diet will be the biggest help for your skin issue, no matter what it is.  Getting enough Essential Fatty acids, vitamins A, E, and D, zinc, selenium are all very important.  Limiting meat and dairy products can also be very beneficial.  Cutting out the fried food and getting your fats from nuts and seeds is better.  Cutting out soda is huge.  The sugar and other ingredients in soda are damaging to the skin, plus it has no nutritional value.  Try some green tea or other kind of cleansing teas that are high in antioxidants.

Here is a simple example of a Skin Issue and Allergy Elimination diet:

Breakfast:

Non-citrus fruit, non-fat or skim yogurt, whole grain cereal (no sugar) with a milk alternative (which you can find a list of those on my blog), eggs, whole wheat toast (no butter, try some sunbutter or a tiny tiny bit of peanut butter)

Lunch:

Salads with vegetable.  Vegetables are going to be the best for your skin.  Some good salad ingredients are:  spinach, arugula, celery, dried cranberries, walnuts, pecans, sprouts, watercress, onions, broccoli, and shredded beets.  I make a good salad dressing by using olive oil and a flavored vinegar.

Or soups (lentil and bean soups would be filling).     For soups, I went and got a crock pot cook book.  So you could make up some soup quickly, then freeze or refrigerate whatever you don't eat.

Dinner

Baked or steamed veggies, chicken or fish, and a whole grain like brown rice, or soups, chili.  Stir fry’s are always good and versatile because you can use different ingredients. 

Think simple whole foods.  Those will be the best.  I call it the "Eat like Great-Grandma Ate" diet.  No salad in a bag and dinner in a box type of meals.  Whole foods will produce the best results. 

If you are having trouble clearing up the skin issue, I highly recommend seeing a Naturopathic Doctor.  They listen to your issues better and don’t just write you a prescription that will most likely make the problem worse.  Here is a website for locating Naturopathic Doctors in your area:

http://naturopathic.org/

I am proud to say that Brooklyn no longer has eczema.  Diet and product changes cured her.  Once in awhile she will get a patch that looks like it may turn into eczema, so I just put on some of my homemade lotion and she is good as new in the morning.  If you have any specific questions about my journey with Brooklyn’s eczema or products we use, please email me.  I would be glad to help offer suggestions in any way I can. 

“Beauty, to me, is about being comfortable in your own SKIN.  That or a kick-a$$ red lipstick.”  Gwyneth Paltrow.

Allergy Free Pumpkin Pie Recipe

Here is a link to the pumpkin pie I am going to try this year:

http://www.kidswithfoodallergies.org/egg_free_pumpkin_pie_recipe.php

Follow up from BOOK IT! Pizza Hut Reading Program

Guess What?  The BOOK IT!  program actually responded to my email about rewarding kids who have food allergies with something other than food.  Here is the casual email I wrote to them:

" My child is rewarded for the books she reads, through the book it program, every month, with a gift certificate to Pizza Hut for a personal pan pizza.  My children along with many other children in the country, has a food allergy.  Many food allergy children also can not eat at Pizza Hut.  My question is:  Have you ever thought of having an incentive or reward that is non food related for the many children who can not eat pizza ( gluten, dairy, nut, egg allergies)?  My child does her reading work just like the other kids but doesn't get to enjoy the reward as the other kids do."

And here is the response from BOOK IT!:

Thank you for your email.  Pizza Hut founded the BOOK IT! Program in 1985 and is the sole supporter.  Substitutions may be made at the restaurant, however, not all restaurants serve exactly the same thing.  Please visit with your local Pizza Hut restaurant manager to find out exactly what they can offer.  We would love to send your child some special BOOK IT! goodie items just so that she knows that we appreciate her meeting her reading goals!  We will mail them today.

Thanks!


WOW!  I will let you all know what they send Brooklyn.  I thought that it is nice that they recognize that reading is the main goal here, and they are willing to reward kids whatever way will work for the kid.  I am happy and impressed. 

Along those lines, I had asked in the same post if anyone had ideas for non-food rewards.  I had a good friend from my past respond with some suggestions I thought are great.  She is a 1st grade teacher and I would like to share her ideas so that we (parents) can bring some of these ideas to school boards:

*Some of their favorites are extra recess

*Being in charge of something for the day

*Using the microphone in class to tell a story

*Letting a stuffed animal sit at their desk

*Eating lunch with a friend and the teacher-me

*Extra center time

*Possible their most favorite of all is getting to use my chair!!!( I'll switch them chairs for the day and they go nuts over it!)

GREAT IDEAS!!! Thanks!

 

Amaranth- The History and Nutritional Value

Amaranth today is considered a “Supergrain” but it's technically not a grain.  It’s really an annual herb that grows like a weed.  The history of Amaranth is pretty cool.  “The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods” by Michael Murray N.D. says:

“Originating in what is now Central and South America, amaranth’s history began as a staple in the diets of pre-Columbian Aztecs, who believed the plant was endowed with supernatural powers and would give them amazing strength.  Because of this belief, amaranth was one of the primary foods eaten by Aztec royalty and was incorporated into Aztec religious rituals…”

One of the religious rituals where they used amaranth was human sacrifice.  The blood of a human was mixed with cooked amaranth and made into a paste; which was then used for religious ceremonies.  In the 1500’s, with the Spanish conquest, every amaranth plant was destroyed because Spaniards were horrified by this behavior.  The plants were burned and the Aztecs were not allowed to grow or posses Amaranth.  If an Aztec was caught with an amaranth plant, then their hand was cut off.  Because of this, amaranth was almost lost forever.  It was still grown in some remote areas, so that is why we even have it to eat today. 

It would have been sad if we had lost it forever.  The nutritional benefits of amaranth are nothing short of amazing.  It has an amazingly high protein content, which includes the amino acids lysine and methionine, which other grains lack.  So, if you combine amaranth with rice, corn, barley, or wheat then a complete protein is made available.  Plus, amaranth protein is well absorbed.  Besides protein, amaranth is high in fiber, it contains essential fatty-acids, vitamin C, B2, B3,B5, B6, folic acid, and the minerals calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, and zinc.   Amaranth also contains phytosterols that have recently been studied and shown to prevent chronic degenerative disease.  It has always shown to lower LDL cholesterol.   

Amaranth is gluten-free and can be used in combination with other gluten free grains to produce very nutritious bread.  Here is a link to a recipe:

http://www.versagrain.com/amaranth-bread.html

Other ideas for incorporating Amaranth into your diet:

*Add to soups or stews and it will act as a thickener

*Eat it instead of oatmeal in the morning.  Add some maple syrup, honey, raisins, or nuts.

*Pop it like popcorn (put in a covered pan, constantly moving pan around so the seeds don’t burn, (they will pop like pop corn) add honey and it’s a nutritious snack for kids. Or a kid at heart, like me!

*Pop it and eat it like a cereal in milk, add honey if you want.

*Pop it and put it into your favorite granola mix

*Cook and eat it as a side dish.  Spice to taste.

Amaranth should always be cooked before eaten.  If it’s not cooked, it will interfere with the absorption of other nutrients. 

If you store amaranth seeds in an air-tight container, in a cool and dark place, then the seeds will keep for up to a year.  But once the seeds are ground into flour, because of the fatty oils, the flour will go rancid quickly. 

Food In Schools- Allergies and Making Our Kids King Sized

It seems like food is the center of everything in this world.  Maybe I just pay more attention to it because Brooklyn can’t just eat food freely without knowing every ingredient.  Next week they are having a Thanksgiving Pot Luck for the first graders at her school.  They are doing it after lunch.  I have 2 issues with this, #1 - It’s another thing that Brooklyn can’t participate in because its food related and # 2-  Why are they feeding the kids more food right after they just ate lunch?

There are other programs at school that are all based on food.  The “Box Tops” program is a fundraiser for the schools.  But most of products that you find Box Tops on are highly processed, full of sugar, not good for your kid, food like substances.  They pressure the kids to collect these Box Tops and even turn it into a contest.

Here is the contest going on at Brooklyn's school.  She is constantly on me about collecting them because the school is on her about it.

  Another school program is “Book It” by Pizza Hut.  The kids record what they read and at the end of the month they get a coupon for a free Personal Pan Pizza, if they read enough books.  I wrote a letter to the “Book It” program asking them if they ever thought about alternative rewards for children with food allergies, so I will post the letter and response when or if I get one.

Why does everything have to have a food reward?  It’s not a surprise to me that the US has one of the highest rates of OBESITY in children.  Everything is food, food, food.  And processed food at that.  Check out this list of food events in schools on a food allergy forum called “Food Allergy Support”.  The list is called:  Food in Schools-Working List Eye-opener.  It is an eye-opener for sure!    

http://foodallergysupport.olicentral.com/index.php/topic,1007.msg10956.html#msg10956

Again, here is the link to that food allergy forum.  Lets come together to come up with solutions!

http://foodallergysupport.olicentral.com/index.php

Can you think of other ways to reward our children other than food?  And does anyone have suggestions about introducing non-food reward programs into our schools?

Air Fresheners and Candles Causing Allergy Symptoms?

Sure your house smells like you just pulled a savory pumpkin or apple pie out of the oven, but your sinuses may be suffering.  In case you missed this in the news, all of your allergy symptoms could be caused by those air fresheners or scented candles you are burning.  Check out this short article:

http://news.yahoo.com/air-fresheners-scented-candles-linked-allergies-153937907.html

  I recently bought some popular brand air fresheners and Brooklyn was immediately bothered.  She was sneezy and stuffy.  She was rubbing her eyes.   It made me wonder; What are the actual ingredients in these smell good devises?  My research led me to this website:

http://www.epa.gov/kidshometour/products/airf.htm

Wow.  Formaldehyde is a main ingredient in air fresheners.  That is an extremely toxic substance to humans.   Check out what formaldehyde does to humans, go down to number 3 and 4 to take a look at the short term and long term effects of formaldehyde:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/Risk/formaldehyde


Just in case you never want to buy another air freshener after reading all of this, I came up with a list of ways to make your house smell great without the toxic air freshener or scented candle:

1.   Put your favorite essential oil or pure vanilla extract on a cotton ball then place in a small dish out of reach of children and pets.

2.  Buy some plants.  Plants help clean the air.

3.  Place orange peels in stinky places for a few hours.  It really works well in cars.

4.  Or dry some orange peels, lemon peels, and cinnamon sticks, then simmer in a pot of hot water.  Your house will smell delicious.

5. Really bake an apple or pumpkin pie so your house will smell that way.  Then BONUS:  You get to eat it!

If you have any more ideas to get our houses smelling fabulous then please share your idea in the comment section!

I Found A Great Food Allergy Forum

Here is the link to the best food allergy forum I have found so far.  Sometimes it feel good to talk to other people that are floating in the same life boat as you.  I signed up to be a member.  Check it out:

http://foodallergysupport.olicentral.com/index.php

Flu Vaccine Recall

Here is an article on NaturalNews.com about a flu vaccine that was made for children with egg allergies.  Now it's being recalled because of "adverse reactions"..Scary.

http://www.naturalnews.com/034112_Baxter_flu_vaccines.html

The Peanut Allergy Epidemic and Vaccinations- Are They Related?

The case keeps getting more and more convincing that peanut allergies and vaccinations are related somehow.  Please read this article about a study project done by a teenager with a peanut allergy.  I think this relationship needs to be studied more and not overlooked as a possible cause to the peanut allergy epidemic:

http://www.avoidingmilkprotein.com/vacandpea.htm

Also, there is book that looks at this issue.  I found it well worth the read.  Here is the link on Amazon:

The Peanut Allergy Epidemic: What’s Causing It and How to Stop It by Heather Fraser

http://www.amazon.com/Peanut-Allergy-Epidemic-Whats-Causing/dp/1616082739/ref=sr_1_sc_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1321032319&sr=8-1-spell

Check out my paper on vaccinations that is located up above on the tabs titled "Vaccinate: Yes or No"

WARNING: Some Medications May Have Undeclared Allergens

This is very scary since most doctors cannot keep up on all the ingredients and side effects of medications.  It’s best to be very vigilant with your health care provider about you or your child’s allergies.  Maybe even double checking with a pharmacist or searching information on the web before taking the medication can save you a trip to the E.R...  The Institute for Safe Medicine Practices (ISMP) is a good place to search.  Their website is:  http://www.ismp.org/default.asp

Here is one medication that many people are not aware should not be given to people with Soy or Peanut allergies.  Atrovent: It is used to treat bronchitis, emphysema, or COPD.

Please check out this article about Atrovent and Peanut Allergies:
http://www.ismp.org/newsletters/acutecare/articles/19981021.asp

No Peanut Allergies in Most of Africa

Have you ever heard of “Plumpy’nut”?  It is a wonderful innovation, created by a French pediatric nutritionist, used to treat children with acute malnutrition (almost starved to death).  Plumpy’nut is a peanut- based, vitamin packed, ready-to-eat, therapeutic food.  Its claim to fame is that it doesn’t have to be refrigerated.  Because of that, it can be widely distributed as food aid and is used by WHO ( World Health Organization) in disaster stricken areas.  It definitely works and has saved many children.

I first learned about Plumpy’nut when I took a class called  "Determinants of Global Health" which was taught by an Emergency Room physician.  He also worked as a physician for Doctors without Borders. He passed around a packet of this Plump’nut stuff so the class could observe it.  My reaction was panic, just like it is whenever I see anything with nuts.

 I asked, “ How can they give these children a peanut based food?  Wont many of them suffer major allergic reactions?”

 His response was, “ I have handed out thousands of these in third world countries and my colleagues and I have never seen a peanut allergy or reaction in any of these children.” 

Wow!  That got my wheels turning. I wanted to know how the poorest countries in the world were not dealing with the huge peanut allergy epidemic that the US and the industrialized countries are dealing with.  Our medicine and technology is so advanced and we have access to anything we want.  How could this even make sense?   My 1^st grader has 4 kids with a peanut allergy in her class and these doctors have handed out “thousands” of packets of Plumpy’nut, and no peanut allergy.  My search for the answer to why the US is dealing with this epidemic is ongoing.  I have some theories, but I will hold off on presenting those until I have some hard evidence research to back it up.  In the meantime, here is a little article for some food for thought.

 http://plumpynutpress.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/peanut-allergies/

Do you have a theory about the peanut allergy epidemic?  What do you think is causing it?

Nutritional Comparison of Milk Alternatives

More people are looking to find an alternative to cow’s milk.  Some people may have lactose intolerance, dairy allergies, or eat vegan.  Whatever the reason for omitting cow’s milk, its best to make an informed decision about what milk alternative will provide the nutrients that you or your child needs.  Note that not all brands contain the same nutrients so it’s best to read the nutrition label to see which alternative best fits your nutritional needs.  I compared two different brands of Hemp Milk to illustrate the difference in nutrients that different brands can have.  Here is chart that I put together to compare some of the most popular brands of milk alternatives on the market:

 

*** Click on Chart to Enlarge***

* "?" means it depends on the brand

% based on 2000 calorie/per day diet

 

Soy Milk- I purposely did not include soy milk in my comparison.  Soy milk is so processed and synthetic that it’s not a good choice for substitution.  Also, soy is the one of the major genetically modified crops of America.  Through my research, I have found that soy and nut allergies are getting much more prevalent because of this genetically modified crop.  The protein is changed through genetic modification, and protein that is recognized as foreign is the culprit for most food allergic reactions.   

Goat Milk- First of all, goats milk is not lactose free and it may not be suitable for children with dairy allergy.  Speak to your doctor or allergist before trying goat’s milk if you have either one of those conditions.  Goat’s milk is consumed more than cow’s milk in many parts of the world.  Goats need fewer resources and provide sweet milk with many nutrients.  However, it does lack iron and some other essential nutrients that infants need so it’s not advised for infants under 1 year old.   Goat milk can sour quickly and easily so if you had a bad experience with goat’s milk, then this was probably the case.  Its best kept cold at all times, that includes not storing it in the door of the refrigerator so it’s not exposed to warm air when the door is opened.  

*Here is a great website that also compares different components of milk alternatives:

http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/nutrition_articles.asp?id=1555

*Here is a great website that compares taste and cooking differences of milk alternatives:

http://maija-haavisto.suite101.com/comparison-of-non-dairy-milk-alternatives-a344619

*Here is a great paper that compares Cow Milk and Goat Milk:

http://www.healthnews-nz.com/goatcow.html

**Look for the blogs I will post this week on synthetic vs. natural vitamins and fortified vs. enriched food products.  These blogs will help with understanding and making informed decisions about what milk alternative and food product is best for you or your child.

**Also, check out my blog about Calcium to see other ways, besides milk, to add Calcium to your diet.

Sources:

http://www.livingharvest.com/products/

http://www.pacificfoods.com/our-foods/nut-grain-beverages

http://www.tastethedream.com/products/rice_dream.php

http://www.tastethedream.com/products/category/772.php

http://manitobaharvest.com/category/19/Hemp-Bliss.html#trail

Pumpkin Seeds

It’s time to get those hands dirty digging into the pumpkin and getting out all those seeds.  Who would have known that cute pumpkins contain a little seed that is considered a super-food with many medicinal benefits?  Are you ready for the list?  Pumpkin seeds are shown to help with urinary problems, kidney inflammation and stones, parasites (especially tapeworm), prostrate health and cancer, seasickness and nausea, and they also exhibit antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.  Plus they are packed with vitamins and minerals.

For those families who can’t easily grab a handful of nuts to munch on, pumpkin seeds offer a great alternative.  The seeds, called pepitas, can be ground up just like flaxseed and added to cereals, yogurts, cookies, salads, or to a homemade granola recipe.  My favorite is roasting them in the oven at a temperature of 300 degrees for about 30 minutes; add a little bit of olive oil and sea salt to taste.    According to The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D., in 1/3 cup of pumpkin seeds there are 4 grams of protein, 4 grams of fat, and 11 grams of carbohydrates.  Murray states they are a great source of vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, phytosterols (phytosterols studies have shown may reduce cholesterol) and minerals including zinc, manganese, copper, magnesium, iron, and phosphorous.    Store the pumpkin seeds in an air-tight container, and keep in the refrigerator for about 2 months.  Or they can be frozen for up to a year.  And, Wha-laa!  A healthy snack on-the-go!  See, even the pumpkin is happy about that!

Don’t forget about pumpkin seed oil which is rich in all the nutrients as the seeds, plus Vitamin E, alpha-linolenic acid (Omega-3 family), and linoleic acid ( Omega-6 family), which can add Essential Fatty Acids to peoples diets that don’t get them from nuts .  Alpha-linolenic acid has shown in studies to reduce stress, depression, and anxiety, and vastly improve cardiovascular function.  Add the oil to salad dressing or use it as a dip for bread.  Spread pumpkin butter on bread and add jelly instead of peanut butter.  Or put cream cheese and pumpkin butter on bagel.  It’s also great to use as a thickener in soups and casseroles.