Researchers have discovered that linking specific enzymes in milk can change the proteins, leading to longer digestability. This research was part of changing how milk proteins work in food to increase the satiety of milk products but a side effect is the potential reduction of allergic reactions. Read more at The Food Navigator.
Archive for the ‘Allergy News’ category
Much has been written about oral immunotherapy over the last while and 2 of my favorite enewsletters, Kids with Food Allergies and Allergy Moms, have recently reported on different aspects of this food allergy treatment.
Kids with Food Allergies is asking for parents of food allergic kids to fill out their survey asking your opinions about various aspects of this treatment. If you’d like to fill out the survey, here is the link: www.surveymonkey.com/s/Y3G69JH
But before you start filling out the survey, you might want to know a little bit more about oral immunotherapy as it has been successfully practiced in several clinical studies. Unfortunately, it has also been practiced unsuccessfully in less controlled settings such as at home and by some naturopaths, one of who was sued for the death of a client in England.
Essentially, oral immunotherapy is giving controlled doses of the food allergen protein by mouth starting with miniscule amounts and gradually increasing as the immune system builds tolerance.
Properly done, in the right controlled setting including at Mount Sinai, approximately 50 to 75% of the patients in the study showed a tolerance to the allergic food. I know of 2 families that were enrolled in the Mount Sinai study. One child has outgrown one allergy and is working through another food allergy with successful results so far. The other family was forced to drop out of the study as their child was having very strong reactions to the food allergen (in this case, dairy), and was unable to continue for safety reasons.
Gina Clowes, founder of Allergy Moms, recently did an interview with Dr. Richard Wasserman, who is an allergist and uses oral immunotherapy in his practice. I found it very helpful in understanding the process and you can check it out on the Allergy Mom blog.
I have to admit that I don’t think oral immunotherapy is for us. Dr. Wasserman indicates that some patients have severe anxiety with this process and I believe that is how my allergic child would respond. She won’t even go for scratch tests to see if she’s outgrown any food allergies as her last scratch and blood tests were traumatic for her.
I am hopeful though. Even if not every person can be desensitized, oral immunotherapy is a potential link to solving the food allergy health concerns that just continue to grow. In any case, this is one therapy that must be left to the experts and not tried at home.
Oats have been cultivated for over 2000 years and are a staple in many diets worldwide. They are well known for their fiber content, B vitamins and iron plus their ability to slow the absorption of sugars. I’ve been a big fan of the nutritional value of oats for years and would not change Nonuttin’ granola products to be suitable for gluten free diets until pure/gluten free oats became available in 2007.
If you are not a Celiac or are one of the approximately 95% of Celiacs who can tolerate pure oats (be sure they say “Pure”/Wheat, Barley, Rye Free in Canada or Gluten Free in the US to ensure that they are not cross contaminated with gluten containing grains), oats are a fabulous way to add great nutrition to your diet. Need more convincing? Read the article about oats from The Healthy Shopper.
A news item from the European Union states that there has been a significant rise in undeclared food allergens, particularly with milk and sulfites. The EU created laws in 2003 requiring the declaration of the top food allergens, similar to the law passed in the USA that came into full effect in 2008. Canada has had a similar law in process for many years but has not yet passed it.
Why does it always feel like the new school season sneaks up on me, even when I’m thinking that I’d welcome the return to routine? Some of you have already gone back to school (either yourself or your kids), and some are heading back shortly. Even if you don’t have children and school is the furthest thing from your mind, it’s still a great opportunity to review the systems you have in place to control your special dietary and medication needs.
1. I know it is stressful to put your child’s life in someone else’s hands. But remember that this may be an educational journey for the staff you’re speaking to. It is imperative to work through the issues positively but firmly and recognize that it may take several meetings and contact on your part to implement an appropriate plan. Having all staff who will deal with your child present at the same meeting is helpful but also ensure that part-time staff or teacher substitutes are included in the staff plan. If you are in a workplace environment, take the time to educate your boss and co-workers. Don’t assume that because someone has dealt with your same medical concern before, they know everything about the condition and treatment.
2. As a former elementary teacher, I really appreciated having the parent of the child with medical concerns (food or otherwise) provide me with some helpful information and tips that I should be aware of. This could include suggestions for healthy lunch ideas for the class that don’t include the allergen, facts about the food allergy he or she will deal with, providing safe treats to keep in the classroom and perhaps offering to come in and speak to the class about your child’s allergy. Back to school is an incredibly busy time for teachers so taking away the burden of doing their own research about the allergy is appreciated and gives them something to refer to throughout the year.
3. If the school does not already do so, create a bright, colorful poster with a picture of your child on it, what they are allergic to and the steps to take if a suspected reaction occurs. Consider making several posters for the office, the staff room and any classroom your child will be in. This is one situation where it is okay for your child to stand out; it may save their life. Dorm rooms and offices where allergic adults are should be considered for this as well.
4. Now is the perfect time to ensure that your epi pens are up to date, any antihistamines required are stored with the epi pen and instructions have not worn off the side of your epi-pen.
5. If you do not yet have an alert bracelet or necklace for yourself or your child, now is the time to get one. If you don’t want to get a medic alert brand bracelet, you can find what you need at your local jewellery store and have it engraved as to your medical condition. If you already have a bracelet, check that any engraving has not worn down and is still readable by emergency personnel.
6. Do you have any old epi-pens or an epi-pen trainer? If not, get one. This is the time to refresh yourself on the use of the epi pen at the same time as teaching any new people in your or your child’s life from teachers to daycare providers and bosses to friends.
7. Make sure your child is well prepared. For us, this meant a lot of instruction on hand washing and setting ground rules for not sharing food, etc. Include them in their choices of safe treats that will be kept at the school so they always know they’ve got something yummy should an unexpected food event occur, like another child’s birthday.
8. Speaking of hand washing, make sure that your school has appropriate soap and towels (we had to get the school board to put up liquid soap dispensers) and that your child always has ready access to running water with ample supplies. Hand washing before eating is much easier to control then having all surfaces washing consistently.
9. Be prepared to be involved at school with everything from baking/bringing safe treats for parties to field trips and participating on the Parent Council. It’s time consuming but worth every second.
10. Finally… be good to yourself. Worry and sleepless nights take their toll on not only you but your allergic child. Take the time to spend extra time with your allergic child doing something fun just for the two of you; you’ll be glad you did.
Do you have some of your own tips? Be sure to add your comments.
When I’m at the grocery store I’ll pick up many different products for a variety of different reasons.
As the grocery shopper for a family with 6 different food allergies, I’m always reading the labels on products that I want to buy. I check out new products to see if they’re suitable and I review old favorites to be sure that nothing has changed since the last time I purchased them.
But as the owner of a food company, I’m also perusing the food aisles for a whole different set of reasons. I notice packages that I love the coloring or the artwork, perhaps the size or convenience of something makes me stop to take note or maybe a competitor has changed how they’re packaging their product.
Imagine my surprise when I picked up a new product at the grocery store last week simply because I liked its packaging and got quite a shock when I read the allergen information. Right off the bat, I’ll tell you it was a natural snack with nuts in it which I already knew was off limits for my family but I read the allergen information anyway and that’s when I saw it: “Contains nuts. May contain other allergens not listed.“ Huh? Read more »
Do you ever wonder why you never see the words allergy free on our products or website?
I began using the term allergy friendly about 6 years ago and ever since then have been correcting those who refer to Nonuttin’ products as allergy free. While I can understand that like “gluten free”, it’s a quick and easy way to refer to products that are designed for those with food allergies, it doesn’t communicate the true reality of food allergies. Read more »
Apr
14
Hello Martha!
While we’re saying goodbye to sesame, we’re saying “hello” to Martha. Martha who? Why, Martha Stewart, of course! Read more »
I had a friend who had an anaphylactic reaction to MRI dye last Monday. In for an MRI to determine answers for a health issue, she had never before had an anaphylactic reaction to anything and had no food allergies. Her only previous reaction to anything was a very swollen leg last year after a bee sting.
The scary part to me is what happened when she told the technician she was feeling funny and hit the panic button. To be fair, MRIs and CAT scans are rather tight spaces and more than one patient has been known to have panic attacks so this was how she was initially treated. A doctor was called in who took her vitals which appeared to be fine so she was led through breathing exercises to “calm down”. When she began to have difficulty talking due to a swelling throat and tongue, they then noticed that her back was covered in hives. This is when she asked, “Can’t you give me something to stop this?” Read more »
If you’re like me, there have been times when you wondered whether your child actually had a food allergy or whether they had outgrown the allergy. Both of our children outgrew dairy allergies which we didn’t know until we actually tried milk with them under our doctor’s guidance. Until recently, we thought Megan might have outgrown her kiwi allergy but she wasn’t willing to do an oral challenge. Unfortunately, as you may know from an earlier blog post and the Nonuttin’ News, we found out the hard way in December that kiwi is still very much one of her food allergies.
What if there was a blood test that was far more accurate than anything we have right now (skin or blood) that could give a definitive diagnosis without an oral challenge? Would you feel relieved? Read more »