http://www.epipen.co.uk/patient/how-to-use-video.html

As mentioned in the video, even if symptoms recede and you are feeling much better after an EpiPen shot, call emergency. In the US, that number would be ’911′.

Stay safe and always armed with an EpiPen…

Q. What’s one thing you’d like all moms to know about food allergies (either about your family’s specific allergies or in general)?

Answer:

The one thing that I would like all moms to know about food allergies in general is… despite the jocular twist given to it in many a sitcom – food allergies are not the result of an over protective mom’s fertile imagination or the defining trait of a nerd or a sign of weakness J A food allergy is real – it is very serious and has been increasing at an alarming rate. A person could potentially die of an anaphylactic shock within 5 minutes if they ingest/inhale/come in contact with something that they are extremely allergic to, if they do not get an epinephrine shot immediately. Anyone could be allergic to almost anything at any age – Keira Knightley (of Pirates of the Caribbean fame), Clay Aiken (one of American Idol’s most recognizable faces), Ray Romano, Drew Barrymore, Halle Berry, and even one of the most powerful sports icons Serena Williams – all have one thing in common…they all have life threatening food allergies. So, food allergies are extremely serious and there is no cure as of today but they do not come in the way of being super-successful in any field. A person just has to take care to avoid the things he/she is allergic to!

The only thing food allergy sufferers really need is a little bit of consideration. For example, the next time you have a party ask your guests if any of them has a food allergy and if there is anything you could offer them. With the growing incidence of allergies, chances are high that at least one of your guests has restrictions. The question in itself is so heart-warming that chances are many food-allergy sufferers will not ask for anything special. Just your consideration and sensitivity is enough to make them feel welcome and lay the groundwork for a more congenial and empathetic atmosphere.

Q. What’s one of your favorite recipes that’s safe for your family’s food allergies?

Answer:

Growing up, this was one of my all-time favorite breakfast or supper items. Who would have thought that years later, this naturally Allergy Friendly crepe or ‘dosa’ , as it is called, would continue to be my son’s favorite dish too?!

A ‘dosa’ is similar to a crepe and is prepared in almost every household in Southern India. A variety of dosas are made using different ingredients – red millet, rice, mung bean, black-eyed peas, chick peas to name a few. However, ‘Rice and Matpe Bean Crepes’ are the traditional, classic dosas. The best part of this dish is – the essential ingredients are just 2 and you have a gourmet, soul-satisifying, nutrien-rich and above all an AF (Allergy Friendly) dish on your plate.

If Matpe Bean is a hitherto unheard of ingredient, refer to a previous post where I have talked about ‘Matpe Bean’ amongst a plethora of other pulse and lentils, ‘Beyond Lentils: Allergy Friendly Vegetarian Proteins’.  

This dish calls for the use of parboiled rice. Parboiled rice is rice that has been partially boiled in the husk. The process of parboiling helps retain more of the nutrient content of the rice and makes it almost as healthy as brown rice. It is easily available in most South Asian stores and even in regular grocery and health food stores. You could use raw rice but the texture of the crepe will not be as good.

Ingredients:

1. Parboiled Rice – 3 cups
2. Hulled Matpe Bean - 1 cup
3. Fenugreek seeds – 1/2 teaspoon (optional)

Method:

1. Soak the rice and beans seperately for atleast 6 hours.
2. Grind the soaked rice with a little water until the batter is smooth. Rice flour will feel slightly gravely to touch even when ground completely but take care not to let it be too gravely. Pour it into a large container.
3. Now grind the soaked matpe beans to a smooth batter. This batter will feel silky smooth to touch.
4. Mix it with the ground rice batter thoroughly with the desired amount of salt. The batter should be slightly thicker than pancake batter.
5. Ensure that there is atleast 2 inches space in the vessel where the batter has been poured to allow space for the batter to rise during the fermentation process.
6. Cover and keep it in a warm, dry place  overnight. It can be kept it in a wooden cabinet or in an unheated oven.
7. Depending on how cold the weather is, the batter will ferment in about 8-12 hours. It will take less time if the weather is very warm. When the batter ferments, it will rise and become fluffly and airy.
8. With a large ladle mix the batter thoroughly. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or upto a month in the freezer section.
9. Place a large non-stick or cast iron griddle on medium heat. To test if pan is ready: place your hand about 6 inches above the pan and if you can feel the heat of the pan or if you sprinkle 1/2 a teaspoon of water in the center of the pan, it sizzles and evaporates almost instantly – the pan is ready
10. The first crepe should be a test one so use just a tablespoon of batter. For subsequent crepes use 1/3 cup of batter. Pour the batter in the center of the pan. Immediately with the back of the ladle, gently press the batter down and spread it out in a circular (clockwise or anticlockwise) fashion till the crepe is of desired thickness. As you spread it out the crepe will start cooking and drying out – so you wont be able to spread it any further.
11. Dot the edges of the crepe with any Allergy Friendly (AF) oil. Let it cook so that the top of the crepe is almost try.
12. With a flat spoon, gently pry the edges of the crepe free of the griddle and flip it over gently like you would a pancake or crepe.
13. Cook on the other side for about a minute approximately. Basically both sides should be cooked and you can cook it to the desired brown color and crispness.
14. If the small crepe comes out properly  without getting stuck to the pan- the pan is at the right temperature and you can make the next normal sized crepe with 1/3 cup of batter. Use about 1/2 – 1 teaspoon of oil when making a crepe this size. 

This batter is extremely versatile and the variety is just limited by our imagination…

• Mini Pancakes: If you own a mini pancake maker, use it to make mini, fluffy pancakes. Add grated vegetables like carrots, cabbage, green pepper and onions to rev up the nutrition quotient
• Rice and Bean Cakes: Pour the batter in small greased stainless steel containers. The size of the container should be no bigger than a 1 cup measure. Leave space above the batter for it to rise as it cooks. Place the cups in a steamer and steam for 12 – 15 minutes. Let it cool down before releasing it from the container.
• Stuffed Crepes: Similar to savory crepes, place 2 – 3 tablespoons of a stuffing of your choice – Daiya AF Cheese, chicken, ham, mushrooms, mashed potatoes (traditional stuffing), asparagus, turkey, spinach, bacon, sausage. Mix and match stuffings depending on the family favorite – like my little one love asparagus and chicken stuffed dosas

Q. What advice would you give to a mom who just found out her child has a food allergy?

Answer:

Here are my ‘golden dozen’ tips for any mom who has just found out her child has a food allergy

1) Give yourself time to get used to the idea: The feeling that the world is coming crashing down, the intense fear and the hopelessness that gripped me when the allergist called to say that my little one was allergic to all the top 8 food allergens plus peas, corn, sesame, chick peas and more – gosh, I never want to relive that moment. It is natural to feel overwhelmed when our most loved ones are suffering and we can do very little to help. Also, dealing with food allergies requires a lifestyle change which makes the hurdle feel insurmountable at first take. So, be kind to yourself and give yourself the time to absorb the diagnosis and heal. 

2) Consciously pull away from thinking too much into the future: When I first heard about my son’s multiple food allergies, my mind immediately raced to a future time when my 4 month old would be in college, be on the verge of his first kiss and more – wondering how he will keep himself safe. But, it does not serve any real purpose other than paralyzing us mentally and rendering us incapable of functioning sensibly. So, just learn to pull yourself out of the loop which has no exit. 

3) Look for a good allergist who will fit ‘your child’s’ needs: Any top allergist may not necessarily be the best one for you. Go with someone who has knowledge of your food preferences and with whom your child has a comfortable connect. The relationship with the allergist could potentially be life-long – so it should be someone you can easily discuss your issues without hesitation. My son loves visiting his allergist and so do I because he never makes me feel rushed despite my umpteen questions. 

4) Communicating with the allergist:

• Write down all your queries before visiting the allergist
• Do not expect that the doctor will remember to tell you everything even though that is what he makes the big bucks for.
• Irrespective of how scary a situation may be, never be too scared to do your own research when dealing with medical situations. The discussion with the allergist will be that much more fruitful if you are informed.
• Don’t hesitate to get a second opinion.

 5) Read the ingredient listing of every product you use: Each time, every time and even if it is a product you have used a million times before. Apart from food be alert with all other things too – vaccines and shots (For example, the flu shot is developed from an egg-based culture so those allergic to egg are often advised not to get this shot), bath care products (soaps, shampoos, creams etc.), house-cleaning products (detergents, dishwashing liquids etc.), toys, paints and more. 

6) Be wary when eating out: If possible avoid eating out until you have a reasonable grip of the situation. However – there are unavoidable circumstances and at such times:

• Do your homework: When possible, check out ingredient listings, menus and potential choices beforehand. Call the restaurant or the parent company if ingredient listing is not available. You will be surprised what things can go into the simplest of dishes! Even a techno-phobe like me switched to a blackberry so that I have instant access to online menus, nutritional information and ingredient listings.
• Stick to known and simple dishes: As a lifelong vegetarian, I had no clue that chicken could be marinated in yogurt.  Therein I made the mistake of giving baked chicken marinated in yogurt to my son who is allergic to dairy. So, when in doubt stick to the relatively simple and the known!
• Remind the server: Do not expect the server to remember that you have allergies when ordering dessert just because you had mentioned it an hour back when ordering entrees and appetizers.
• Be wary of every dish: Something as innocuous as a fries may have been deep-fried in peanut oil or a loaf of bread could have milk in it! Why have we stopped making simple dishes?!?  

7) Always keep medicines handy (Epinephrine shot and Antihistamine dose): One cannot repeat this often enough – we just cannot afford to forget the epinephrine auto injector (EpiPen being the most recognizable brand) for a serious allergic reaction and Antihistamine (Benadryl is the commonly used brand) for mild allergic reactions even once. Ensure that the medicines have not expired and they have been kept under temperature conditions specified on the packaging. Be armed with meds even if you are not planning to eat anything outside or are stepping out only for a short while. Also, keep medicines wherever it might potentially be required home, school, your pocket book, day care etc. 

8) Even safe is unsafe: Eating something that you have not been allergic to in the past does not mean that you will not have a reaction today. 

9)     Beware of generic terms in ingredient listings: An ingredient like ’spices’ may include allergenic items like sesame, mustard, sunflower seeds etc. The term ‘dry fruits’ could include one of the most dangerous food allergens – nuts…scary!!! 

10) Get into the research mode – for two reasons:

• There are a zillion alternative ingredients in the world that are Allergy Friendly. Just learning about them gives us hope that our children will be able to eat many things even if they can never eat a few. 7 years back I had no idea that nutritious and tasty alternatives like Lucuma, Camu Camu, Yacon, Maca, Buckwheat, Red Millet, Amaranth, Quinoa, Linseed, Millet, Sorghum and more existed. I know that my son’s life is that much more empowered and enriched because I know of so many alternatives. In fact, I would go a step further and say – my kid has healthier eating habits and is more will willing to try new foods because of his food allergies. So, in a way – it has become a blessing in disguise.
• Find out about every ingredient listed any label – guar gum, lecithin, colors, flavors, dyes, spices etc. One can never be too careful when dealing with food allergies. 

11)  Network: With other parents and caregivers – online and offline. Some parents shy away from telling others because they feel they don’t want others to know about their child’s weakness. However, the more you share – the more you can will learn and be able to keep your child safe. 

12) Mentally alert: Despite all these measures accidents may happen any time and that’s why it is good to be mentally prepared for the worst. I remember seeing on a TV show about self-defense that under moments of extreme stress people react at the lowest level of their training. So the more prepared we are, the more likely that we are to take quick and correct action.

 Wishing everyone happy and healthy Holidays and safe eating…

Q. What are your three favorite blog posts?

• There is hope – a personal story
• Uncommon Allergies – Flax Seed!
• Beyond lentils: allergy friendly ‘Vegetarian Proteins’

As some of you may have noticed, I have not blogged regularly in the past month. The past few weeks have been action-packed…my 4 year old son, Arjun started pre-K which was an exercise in ensuring that he, his teacher and the other school staff who came in contact with him were aware of his multiple food allergies. Then we did his annual blood work to see if he had overcome any allergies. But, I am getting ahead of myself here so, let me start at the beginning… 

My pride and joy, Arjun

When Arjun was just 4 months old, his whole body broke out into hives and his breathing  became laboured as he was ingesting less than 2 ounces of Enfamil (a dairy based baby formula). It was one of the most frightening and sad moments of my life. Arjun came into our lives after 3 miscarriages.  Seeing him squirm in pain, his lips swollen and his tiny hands reaching out to unsuccessfully relieve himself from the itchy hives was heart-rending. I did not need to be a doctor to realize that he was having an allergic reaction. Subsequent blood work showed that he was allergic to all the top 8 foods that cause a majority of the food allergies. Since he was so small, they did not test him for too many other foods. The bottom-line was…I could not give him anything new without the doc’s permission and even then it had to be introduced very slowly. The doctor told me to continue nursing him exclusively till he was at least 6 months old because studies have shown that nursing has a positive impact on how quickly children outgrow food allergies. Here the doc and I made our first big mistake! He did not tell me and I did not research because of the intense fear that had gripped me – I did not exclude the food items that Arjun was allergic to from my own diet.  So, Arjun continued getting exposed to the very food items that he was allergic to in tiny amounts…an absolute no-no!

Lessons learnt…

…never expect that the doctor will remember to tell you everything even though that is what he makes the big bucks for. 

…irrespective of how scary a situation may be,  never be too scared to do your own research when dealing with medical situations. 

At 6 months, all I dared give him was Beechnut rice cereal (www.beechnut.com) because it was the only one with no trace of allergens – not even the omnipresent soy lecithin. With a prayer on my lip and an epipen handy, I introduced a fruit or a vegetable every 6-8 weeks. At age 1 – he was not even 20 lbs despite his healthy birth weight. Friends and family tried to encourage me by saying that their kids were thin too but I knew that he needed a bigger variety of foods in his diet. However, his allergist at that point of time had scant knowledge about alternatives and was unable to help me. That is when I made my second mistake – I went by the doctor’s academic credentials alone and did not see if my son’s specific needs were being met. The only saving grace during those early months of struggle was having been raised in an Indian household; I knew how to prepare  a few tasty dishes that are rice-based. However, rice in itself is not very nutritious and Infant Neocate, a hypoallergenic baby formula (www.Neocate.com) continued to be his only source of nutrition despite its yucky flavor and taste.  Added to the problem…I have been a strict vegetarian all my life and had no clue about cooking meat nor did I even want my son to eat meat. Since he had tested positive to all beans  and lentils ( good sources of vegetable protein), I was left with no choice but to slowly introduce chicken, turkey, beef etc. to him. 4 years down the line – I still don’t cook meat at home. Friends send chicken dishes for Arjun once in a while and I have figured out a few frozen products that he can eat. However – I had to carefully manage the fiber in his diet. His hypoallergenic formula, Neocate is extremely constipating and so are all the meats and rice. My then allergist had a limited knowledge of vegetarian protein sources which would have higher fiber content. This struggle continued till Arjun was 1.5 years old.

Finally Arjun caught a break in the form of a very experienced and understanding allergist. Under his care, Arjun started eating a variety of lentils. Lentils are a wonderful way of including proteins, carbs and fiber in the diet. A common misconception in the US is that lentils are of just one type when in reality there is a wide variety of lentils. Hence, when the allergy blood work comes back positive for lentils a whole class of nutritious foods is eliminated. Thankfully, Arjun’s allergist knew better and by the time Arjun was 2.5 years old,  he was eating 3  of the most common type of lentils. In Arjun’s 3rd year,  the allergist slowly added the various beans – black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, white beans, lima beans etc. Now a good source of vegetable protein was no longer a challenge for me.

All these additions were very encouraging but did not help me much once we stepped out of the house. American food culture is extremely wheat based – even a seemingly harmless french fry often has wheat in it – go figure!!! Also, it is very difficult replicating the texture of wheat hence simple dishes like waffles, pancakes, cakes and bread was something that Arjun could initially look at other people enjoy and wonder! I was able to make my own flour blends to make dishes which need wheat using alternatives like buckwheat, white and brown rice flour, matpe bean flour, corn flour, sorghum flour, teff flour etc.  Some companies like Cravings Place (http://www.thecravingsplace.com) have excellent wheat free readymade mixes. 

Finally after almost 4 looooong years…Arjun’s annual blood work showed that his allergy numbers for wheat had dropped significantly and he was ready for a challenge. Armed with a packet of Ritz, a box of Graham crackers, a slice of wheat bread and a couple of homemade wheat flour tortillas, we landed in the allergist’s office for the challenge early in the morning. Arjun is well-trained to ask whether the food offered to him has any allergens that it took the doctor a while to convince him that he could have a bite of bread or cracker which made me cry and laugh at the same time.  Arjun seemed to be taking wheat well and the allergist seemed as relieved as us. The doc asked us to slowly increase the amount of wheat in Arjun’s diet over the period of a week. Now, Arjun has been eating a diet inclusive of wheat for over a month now. It seems like the world has opened up for him. Even he cannot believe the number of cereals and cookies he can have. He also believes me when I tell him that he will outgrow most of his allergies as he grows up For the first time in my life, I realized how much joy a single food item can bring in a person’s life.

Since then, I wrote a follow up post titled ‘And, the journey continues…’ on his encouraging progress

We still have a very long way to go but we have also overcome quite a few hurdles. Hear up, all food allergy-sufferers…’there is hope’ that one day you will overcome at least some of your allergies and will be able to appreciate food far more than those without allergies can ever imagine

Every year they hold the annual FAAN walk in different cities across the United States starting in May and going on till the end of year – http://www.foodallergywalk.org. The funds they raise is used to fund food allergy awareness, advocacy, education, and research programs. As they aptly put it, ‘We walk to save a life!’

That, for me is reason enough to take part in the walk and my family has done so for the past couple of years. Even my nieces take part and enjoy the festive atmosphere that accompanies these walks The upcoming walk is in Ridgewood, NJ on Oct 23rd – the location closest to me and I am sooooo going to be there, yayy!

Check out the place closest to you at http://www.foodallergywalk.org. Taking part in the walk is a fun way to network, raise funds for a worthy cause and a fun-filled healthy way to spend a few hours with your family. FAAN has made it so eay to be part of this walk:

• If there is no walk close to you and you would like to help organize one – FAAN has an option for that through its Be a PAL Walk Program.
• If you want to be a remote walker, there is an option to walk in Alexander’s Home Town. Alexander is the beloved peanut allergic elephant.. So, walk 2 miles in a mall, park or neighborhood on Dec 10th. Be a part of the FAAN walk in spirit
• Of course, you could just make a donation to FAAN  

There are different ways of signing up for the walk:

• Sign up as individual Walker.
• Create a team with family and friends.
• Join an existing team. 
• Or, donate to a walker

This time many of FAAN’s national sponsors have interesting giveaways for attendees and fundraisers apart from the usual FAAN T-shirts which in itself are pretty cool to own!

Enjoy Life Foods (the very same company that makes yummilicious allergy-friendly baked goods) is offering a $250 gift certificate to the top fundraisers in each location. The winning team also enters  a draw for an all-expenses paid 2- day trip for two to Enjoy Life’s headquarters

Dey Pharma (the company that manufactures EpiPen – the auto-epinephrine injector that keeps anaphylactic shock from a severe allergic reaction from becoming fatal) is offering an iPad giveaway at many of the walk locations. All the walk attendees need to show is an unexpired EpiPen in their posession. That’s pretty neat – aint it?!

Be a part of the movement that spreads awareness and keeps food allergy sufferers safe. Your support can potentially one day help anaphylactic shock due to food become a rarity.

Walk to save a Life…

1) My son has learnt to be careful without feeling that he has a severe disability. He has a very matter of fact attitude towards his food allergies though he is just 6

2) Other parents do not feel that their child’s enjoyment has been compromised because of my son’s allergies.

However, this does not mean that I am ever careless. I keep an epinephrine auto-injector everywhere – at home, my pocket book, at school, my husband’s laptop bag and more! My son though very young already knows all about it and how it will be used if he ever needs it! The reason is simple – an epinephrine auto-injector (brand names: EpiPen, EpiPen Jr., Adrenaclick, Twinject, Adrenaline, Epi E-Z Pen, Primatene) can reverse the severe side effects of a massive food allergy attack – most importantly anaphylaxis and save a person’s life!

Storing the epinephrine auto-injector carefully plays a big role in ensuring that it is effective when needed. it is very tempting to keep the injector in the car because we are most likely to be closest to it when needed and yet we should not. Loved a CNN blog post on this issue so, sharing the same…

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/04/can-i-store-an-allergy-auto-injector-in-my-car/?hpt=Sbin

Store Address:

New Fountain of Vitality
Pheasant Run Mall
100  Mountain Blvd. Ext.
Warren, NJ 07059
(732) 469-0088

That’s why the recent case of parents in a Florida school staging a protest because the school is taking the required measures to keep children with severe food allergies safe comes as no surprise. CNN has a very compelling report titled ‘Parents fight school’s peanut policy‘. I can only imagine the trauma kids with food allergies and their parents must be going through given such an environment. A must read for all allergy sufferes and care givers. Helps us understand that we not only have to be careful about what we eat, we also have to be prepared for a lot of resentment from some in the larger society.

Makes me wonder – what is the best approach when trying to keep kids with food allergies safe…a gentle, non-confrontational but firm approach or, a strict, up-in-arms approach. Or, does the answer lie somewhere along the curve?!

Kytriya, the force behind ‘Allergic Vegetarian’, has written a very informative article on rare food allergies. Thank you so much Kytriya for sharing your story with us because even people with allergies dont quite understand how some allergies may be very rare but even more dangerous because they are not taken as seriously. Apart from this article, her website is replete with useful information on being a vegetarian with food allergies. The number of recipes is just mind-boggling. Here is a reproduction of her article on rare food allergies:

“So your Doctor tells you that you can’t be allergic to Mustard because the Allergy is too rare! And, others tell you that you are more likely to be struck by lightning. Did you know that the truth is you can be allergic to anything? Did you know that they normally only test for the most common allergies? Did you know that many people with Rare Food Allergies only received that diagnosis after doing the Elimination Diet and Food Journal? Did you know that some Doctors still do not take Rare Food Allergies seriously?

The problem your doctor is having is the same problem society is having. They are both so focused on the stats that they have lost sight of the possible truth. The other problem is that lightening striking you in your lifetime is 1 in 6,250 according to NOAA, the national weather service. This far more rare then the
probability of you having a rare food allergy. How so? Let’s do the math. According to the U.S. Census Bureau’s population estimate for Feb 1, 2011 coupled with the Medical Science community tells us about percentages of
people with food allergies, we get this:

The Subject: The Stats:
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
U.S. Citizens                                                                  311,991,833
% with food allergies                                                 4%
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Sub-total                                                                         12,479,673
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Results: 1 in 25 US Citizens have a Food Allergy

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

% of those with allergies who have the most common ones 90%
Sub-total: # with common allergies             11,231,706
Sub-total: # with rare allergies                         1,247,967
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Results: 1 in 250 US Citizens have a Rare Food Allergy
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

What this chart is telling us is:
1) The odds are low that your Doctor is going to be looking at someone with a rare food allergy. Only 1 in 250 have a rare food allergy, but 1 in 25 have a common food allergy. This means that for every class in school meeting at the same time, 1 person is allergic to a common food – one of the top 10 foods. Sunflower and Sesame Seeds tie for number 9, so I’m calling it top 10 for now.

2) Truth is, when we look at 2 identical products to buy, we will choose the one labeled $2.99 over $3 every time because $2.99 appears to be a lot lower! Unfortunately, that’s how we tend to look at 4%. 4% just isn’t a very high number when we compare it to 96% of the population that doesn’t have
any food allergies at all. No, they may not have a food allergy, but still the fact remains that at least 1 in 250 people are having allergic reactions to rare foods. The other fact remains that you can still die from Anaphylactic shock. Whether that food you react is a “common” allergy is a moot point.

3) It is not practical to test for every single food, spice, drink, additive,  preservative, and so on, thats out there. The cost is just too prohibitive when we consider how many we would have to test for when  only 1 in 250 people even have a rare allergy. This is where the Elimination Diet comes in. This is also
where you advocating for you comes in. Thats because after you have successfully did the Elimination diet and found the foods you react to, you still have to convince your Doctor that a Allergy Test for those specific items is warranted. Furthermore, you may not react to the RAST or Skin Test even though you know that when you eat the food, you are definitely reacting. Yes it is possible to not react to the test even though you just got out of the hospital because the only thing you ate that day was the offending food and you did
go into shock.

4) What this chart also tells us how many people are affected each day by ignorant laws passed congress. Did you know that not every item in that food you buy is on the label? Take Veggie Broth for example, specifically the kind found in canned Tuna.

FDA: CFR Code of Regulations Title 21 concerns what is legal for canned Tuna. It was revised as of April 1, 2010. In short, Soy Broth must be listed if used, but that broth can also contain the following 13 items…
Beans, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Garlic, Onions, Parsley, Peas, Potatoes, Green Bell Peppers, Red Bell Peppers, Spinach and Tomatoes!

This means that those with Nightshade Allergies are out of luck. Fortunately for those with Legume allergies, soy is considered a legume and thus they are forewarned. I, on the other hand, react to 6 on that list, but not all of them am I anaphylactic too, thankfully!  Personally, I believe that every item for human use if ingested or used topically, should have on its label every single ingredient.

I’m allergic to the more rarer foods: Radishes, Horse Radish, Mustard, Cinnamon – just to name a few.  But, what is more important are the signs to look out for, as not everyone gets Hives. Faintenss, unconsciousness, swelling, food getting caught in the throat, asthma, vomiting or nausea, cramping, stomach pains, diarrhea, burning in the mouth, nose or throat, tingling sensation in the lips or mouth, extremely low blood pressure, itching sensations… are all possible signs of a true allergy.

When you do get tested, be sure you eat Wheat that week, and get tested for Celiac Disease as well. 1 in 30 people are estimated to have a Gluten Intolerance. This intolerance when undiagnosed can cause many health issues due to anemia from the gluten attacking the intestines, and creating holes in them.

Please allow me to put in a plug for EGID….
If you find food, pills, Vitamin tablets all seems to get stuck in your throat and acid-reducer meds don’t help you stop food from coming up, then do get tested for EGID. EGID is Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders, and causes Eosinophils to develop. However, EGID is still being studied and understood, so I recommend going to  APFED Org for more information.  You also may not react to histmamines when tested for food allergies. If you don’t react, ask the doctor to check your blood for an over abundance of white blood cells, specifically Eosinophils. This is a rare disorder, but for me, this was one of the signs. The other sign is reacting to too many foods, but not necessarily, anaphylactically.

With 1 in 250 people having a rare food allergy, you can be allergic to anything. Incidentally, there are approximately 6,897,688,139 people in the world. Of these, 27,590,752 have a rare food allergy.  That is still a lot of people with
Food Allergies that are said to be so rare, that they might not exist. The only one who is going to give you the care you deserve is you! If you don’t like the results of what one Doctor says, get another one! Only you can be your best Advocate.

Copyright by Kytriya, February 1st, 2011″

Gluten-Free Wonder Playdough recipe:

1/2 cup rice flour

1/2 cup corn starch

1/2 cup salt

2 tsp. cream of tartar

1 cup hot water

1 tsp. cooking oil

food coloring

1) Mix all ingredients together in saucepan, cook on low heat, stirring occassionally for at least 5 minutes or until it forms a ball.

2) Remove from heat, let cool for 10 minutes. Scoop into a large bowl, add at least 1/2 cup more rice flour, and 1/2 cup more corn starch, knead until well mixed and no longer sticky. Store in airtight container.

3) If it gets to dry, add a few drops of water, If it’s too sticky add more rice flour and corn starch in equal amounts.

If making gluten-free play dough is not your cup of tea, try ‘Coloration Wheat & Gluten-Free Dough’

Gluten-Free Play Dough (picture taken from www.discountschoolsupply.com)

Enjoy seeing your little ones discover the joys of pliant dough

Arjun’s birthday celebrations have transformed my kitchen into a fun cake bake lab – more power to all us moms who have taken on food allergies as a way to explore alterntives! As his 6th birthday draws close, I reflected on the many hits and misses with his birthday cakes through the years…from rock solid, hard to eat cakes to pretty darn amazing

 

1st Birthday: A cake that he could not eat but surrounded by the love of his grandparents and cousins in India. Lucky for me – he still thought his fingers tasted infinitely better

Regular White Cake with vanilla frosting and Winnie the Pooh

2nd Birthday: Now my little one was old enough to want a bite of his own birthday cake An “Allergy friendly Chocolate cake with strawberry filling and vanilla frosting” resulted.  It was CherryBrook Kitchen  that came to the rescue with their range of dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, gluten-free cake mixes! 2 layers of gluten free chocolate cake with a layer of strawberry jam in the center. Talk about taking the easy route but hey – it works! Now for the icing on the cake - frost it with store bought vanilla frosting like Duncan Hines vanilla frosting or Cherrybrook Kitchen vanilla frosting or an allergy-friendly home-grown recipe! For the extra touch to personalize the cake with your little one’s favorite theme – balls, cars, trains…fondant is the way to go! Fondant is essentially sugar and coloring hence, allergy friendly with a professional touch. I used readymade fondant made by Kitchen Krafts.

Remember: Even if you bake the cake a day earlier, do not refrigerate else the cake made from this mix becomes scarily hard and crumbly – eww!  Something that our guests and I discovered as we tried hard to cut through the cake

 Beautiful looking chocolate cake but tad too hard to slice through

3rd Birthday:  ”Allergy friendly Chocolate Brownie Train cake decorated with gummy bears and rolled fondant”. Thanks to The Cravings Place  Ooey Gooey Chocolatey Chewy Brownie Mix. Yummilcious and yes…dairy, egg, nut, soy and gluten-free Make it your own and very fancy by using an appropriate cake pan that your child loves – at 3, Arjun was all about freight trains. His birthday cake was complete with gummy bear freight and fondant tracks Allergies does not mean that food should look unappetizing!

 4th Birthday:  Vanilla and Chocolate Brownie sandwich cake with fresh strawberries and vanilla frosting – ‘Cars’. Yet again The Cravings Place create-your-own cake mix and Cherry Brook Kitchen gluten-free chocolate cake mix came to the rescue. Sprinkles and my little’s one’s favorite ‘Cars’ movie characters, McQueen and Sheriff completed the effect

Vanilla and Chcolate sandwich cake with fresh strawberries in the center!

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5th Birthday: This year wheat was included in his diet so he got to have a customized dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free, soy-free but made from regular wheat flour! Was he excited to have his very first store made birthday cake  just like other kids or what?! So much for homemade!!! All kids want is what other kids seem to be getting and not something unique So, it was a vanilla sponge cake with Spongebob plonked right in the center for good effect…

eggless, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free sponge cake

With his 6th birthday right around the corner wonder what surprises this year will bring…but, we are sure of one thing – it will be tasty, fun and exciting!