People say to me “Wow, that must hard” when I tell them about my daughter ’s food allergies. “Eh,” I say with a shrug, “you just do what you have to do.” And I almost never cry about it. (You can read about the last time I cried).

But last night, I read an article about a 30 year old guy who collapsed in anaphylactic shock and died after taking a bite out of a cookie that contained peanuts. He had 2 previous reactions in his life, according to the article: when he was 3 months old, he had a rash and blistering after peanut oil got on his skin, and when he was a little older, he had blistering in his mouth after eating a chocolate. Then, 29 years later, a fatal reaction.

After reading the article I suddenly felt sick to my stomach and my whole body tensed up. I went to talk to my father, a retired pediatrician, about the article (I was visiting my parents) and as I spoke, I began to cry. I’m not sure why this particular story affected me so much, but I think it was because of what Gina at Allergy Moms said about this story: “This is a tragic reminder that past reactions cannot predict the severity of future reactions…”

When my daughter was tested for cashews, her scratch test indicated she was allergic, but according to the allergist, the test is not a reliable indicator of the severity of the allergy. Then, her lips swelled one time after kissing someone who ate cashews. I asked the allergist about the need for an epi-pen, and he thought that I was being overly cautious. He didn’t think it was necessary because since she hadn’t had a systemic reaction, meaning that her blood pressure didn’t drop the first time, then she most likely is not at risk for anaphylactic shock. Most likely. Well, unless that doctor could tell me that there was a 100% certainty that my daughter is not at risk, I was getting that epi-pen prescription. My father and my daughter’s pediatrician agreed with me. Why not carry one? Plus, I don’t know what would happen if she actually ate a cashew. So I am erring (in the allergist’s mind I guess) on the side of caution.

One of the things that I uttered to my father through my my tears was “I feel like I’ve done everything that I can do for her, but then it’s out of my control.” There is a feeling of powerlessness that parents of food-allergic children have. We can control our immediate environment, but beyond that we have to hope that our children really understand the seriousness of their allergies, we have to rely on other people to remember the dangers, we have to trust that schools are prepared for an emergency, we have to have faith in grandparents and friends that they will not take it lightly, and then, after all that, we just have to pray that everything is going to be all right. (Breathe.)

I think we are allowed a little cry now and then, don’t you?

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Peanuts/Nuts Allergy, Symptoms, Emotions | 5 Comments »

The 4th of July is near. This makes me think of freedom… which makes me think of being allergy-free! Believe it or not, thinking of freedom from food allergies makes me joyous. Even though at times I feel a loss of freedom when I have to avoid gluten, or when my daughter can’t partake in the dessert being offered at a party, I prefer to think of the freedom from all the health problems we experienced before being allergy-free:

for me, it means freedom from stomach pain, fatigue, leg cramps, asthma (and lots more)

for my husband, it means freedom from migraines (dating back to junior high), burning stomach, and acid reflux

for my daughter, it means freedom from hives, rashes, a bad tummy and sudden tantrums

Now go celebrate your freedom with a good ol’ allergy-free barbecue! Here are some tips to make your summer BBQ a hit:

Barbecue sauces
If you like your meat saucy, just be sure to read labels for allergens — manufacturers are required to list the top 8 allergens in plain English on their labels (and Kraft brand will also list if there is barley, rye or oats for gluten-free people). My personal favorite barbecue sauces are

• Daddy Sam’s (gluten-free and free of all top allergens) — spicy and delicious
• Bone Suckin’ Sauce (gluten-free and free of all top allergens) — it’s got a sweetness along with a spiciness that is so good. Go ahead and buy some!

Gluten-free hamburger and hot dog buns
I can’t say I have found any pre-made buns that I think are very good (please enlighten me if you have). My favorite buns I have made out of Pamela’s Amazing Wheat-Free Bread Mix. If you have English Muffin rings, you can use those for hamburger buns. If you don’t, just use tin foil to make a ring to fill with the bread dough.

I made hot dog bun molds out of aluminum foil and they turned out great. My advice is to make them skinny — mine turned out a little too big. I followed the bread directions, filled my molds and let them rise. I sprinkled sesame seeds on before baking and baked until they were done (normally this bread takes 60 minutes, so I think I baked them for 30 or 40, but it depends on the size of the buns). The result was a soft, not crumbly, bread-y bun.

Side dishes
For a refreshing and unique side dish try making a quinoa salad – it’s easy, delicious, and nutritious! Check out a quinoa salad recipe.

Roasted potatoes are a satisfying gluten-free side dish that everyone loves.

Gluten-free cornbread or biscuits also make a great accompaniment to the meal. Here are some I recommend:

• 1-2-3 Gluten Free Biscuit Mix
• gluten-free biscuits recipe using Bob’s Red Mill flour
• “Bisquick-type drop biscuits” from Pamela’s recipe pages
• The Really Great Food Company’s Cornbread Muffin Mix
• Gluten-Free Pantry Yankee Cornbread and Muffin Mix

Dessert
Don’t forget the gluten-free apple pie!

Have a happy 4th!

Filed under: Food Ideas, Recipes and Cooking Tips, Gluten Intolerance, Symptoms, Holidays/Special Events, Emotions | 7 Comments »

Knowing that I helped someone keeps me motivated to keep raising awareness about the effects of food on people’s health and happiness. Yesterday I received an email from a friend of mine thanking me. Here is what she said:

Now you’re probably wondering what I’m thanking you for. Well, in the last 2 weeks, my son has been an absolute angel. He is like a different child. Last night, he slept 8 hours and he’s not even 8 weeks old yet. After cutting dairy out of my diet, he was still a little bit fussy, so I experimented a little more and cut out soy & nuts (I was eating a lot of both) too and it’s been a miracle AND I would have never done any of that if it weren’t for you. He’s not congested anymore either. It makes me so happy that my little guy isn’t uncomfortable anymore. So that is why I’m thanking you.”

That makes me so happy! And confirms why I don’t believe in colic or that some babies are just really “fussy” (I never liked that word!)

Colic is a term that describes a set of symptoms in an infant with no apparent cause.

Characteristics of colic:

• episodes of uncontrollable, extended, shrieking crying often after a feeding
• episodes occur at a predictable time of day, usually late afternoon or evening (”the witching hour”)
• physical changes during the episodes such as a distended belly, clenched fists, curled up legs or arched back
• passing of gas after an episode
• difficulty falling and/or staying asleep

Hmmm… what could it be? Nothing, nothing, nothing comes to mind… oh, wait, could it be something the baby is eating?? No, that’s silly. It’s probably just NOTHING. You just need to jiggle the baby for a few more hours and he’ll be fine.

Why doesn’t every new mother get some forewarning: if your baby has excessive or uncomfortable gas, or reflux, or excessive spitting up, has congestion, or is cranky or crying all the time or not sleeping well, you may think about the possibility that something in your diet is affecting your baby.

I don’t expect the pediatrician to have the time or the ability to work with the mother on identifying the problem foods and changing her diet, but rather than automatically switching from breastmilk to formula (which often doesn’t solve the problem), or telling the mother that it’ll all get better eventually, how about at least giving a heads-up, and then handing out a list of resources, either for local dietitians, breastfeeding experts, or even websites that offer help in this area.

Being a mother for the first time is hard enough as it is, and then you are left to think that you and your baby being completely miserable is normal, expected and incurable! Don’t believe it!

Thanks, Beth, for the inspiration for this post!

Related reading:
Gluten Free Babies & Kids
Four Hidden Medical Causes of Colic by Dr. Sears

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Food Allergies, Symptoms, Emotions | 2 Comments »

Nobody wants to have a food allergy or gluten intolerance and have to eliminate something from their diet. But what I find interesting is the reaction that people have if it is suggested that their or their children’s health problems (like rashes, eczema, asthma, stomachaches, gas, colic, reflux, headaches — the list goes on) or behavioral/developmental problems in kids (clinginess, tantrums, excessive, crying, delayed speech, attention deficit disorder, and more) or emotional/psychological problems in adults (depression, anxiety, obsessive-compulsiveness, addiction) could be due to a food sensitivity.

I have observed people having the following three types of reactions:

Reaction #1: “No way, not me”

For most people, believing that food could cause the above symptoms is difficult. Why is it so hard to believe that what we put into our bodies could actually affect our whole bodies, including our brains (last time I checked, this was part of the body)? Food is our nourishment — we need it to survive — so surely it can’t be harmful. I have heard people argue, “but food is natural.” OK, I say, but some mushrooms are poisonous — go ahead, I dare ya!

Sometimes a person tells me about a problem and how it is affecting his/her life or the life of the child. When I gently suggest gluten intolerance or food allergy, suddenly the problem is “not that bad.” Let’s see, so the problem is bad enough to go to a doctor, it’s bad enough to take medicine for it, it’s bad enough to see a specialist, it’s bad enough to make someone miserable, but it can’t be bad enough to have to change one’s diet… that would be AWFUL!

When I have suggested to someone that they might be gluten intolerant, I have heard the no-way-not-me variation of “Well, I don’t really eat that much wheat anyway.” I challenge anyone to see if they are not eating wheat at least 3 times a day, including snacks. People eat so much wheat! And dairy! And now soy because it’s in everything. Most people are simply not aware of what they are eating. Before I was diagnosed with celiac disease and had to begin to carefully read labels, I thought I ate a very healthy diet. I now realize that I didn’t really know what I was buying or eating.

Some no-way-not-me people do come around after a while and begin to have Reaction #2 below. Many do not (and continue to be miserable).

Reaction #2: “Hmm… I’ll think about that.”

These people know that something is not right and once food allergy is suggested, they are open to considering it as a cause. They may sit with it a while, observe, talk about it some more, read about it, and/or plan it out, and then they may get testing done or do their own elimination diet. However they approach it, sometimes a change is made and ultimately, hopefully, an answer is found. Most people with the I’ll-think-about-it type of reaction feel that changing the diet is a sacrifice that they are willing to make for their own, or their children’s, health.

I’ll-think-about-it people often end up having Reaction #3 below, although some waffle between Reactions #1 and #3.

Reaction #3: “I’ll do it!”

I am always surprised by the people who are willing right away to try eliminating something from their diet. They just do it. They don’t make a big deal about it, they don’t stress over it, they just do it. I don’t know why I am surprised, since I was one of those people. Once I knew that celiac disease and gluten existed (from reading about it on the web), I began eating gluten-free that very minute. When my doctor told me not to go gluten-free until I took a blood test (because it could affect the test results), I cried. I didn’t want to eat gluten ever again!

Still, I am impressed by the mother who stops eating dairy while breastfeeding to see if her infant becomes less colicky, the guy who stops eating gluten to see if his eczema goes away, the mother who stops feeding her baby gluten and dairy in hopes that it will help with seizures, and the many others who removed something from their diet in an attempt to feel better. They decided it was worth a try — if it worked, then hooray! If it didn’t, they were no worse off than before.

Why these reactions?

I have wondered, does the severity of the problem determine a person’s reaction? In my experience, not necessarily. Yes, some people with very serious health problems may be more willing to try a change in diet because they haven’t found answers elsewhere. But I know parents with sick children — and I mean very sick — and people who are suffering with undiagnosed health problems who will not try a gluten-free diet, will not try eliminating dairy, will not make any dietary change to see if it makes a difference.

What drives these reactions, I think, is whether one believes or not. This is also true of doctors — if they themselves don’t believe that food can cause ill health, then they don’t suggest it to patients, and in many cases make patients feel silly (stupid) for asking about it.

So what’s your reaction?

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Food Allergies, Gluten Intolerance, Symptoms, Emotions | 6 Comments »

According to a recent news article, research out of Illinois and Madrid shows that fermenting soybeans reduces the allergenicity of the beans by breaking down the proteins into small pieces so that they don’t provoke an allergic reaction. This research suggests that soy products in the future could be made to be hypoallergenic, allowing allergic individuals to eat them.

What is not clear from the article is if the fermentation process has to be done with specific bacteria (the bacteria that was used in the study) in order to break down the proteins, or any bacteria. There are already soy products that are fermented — soy sauce, miso, tempeh — but to my knowledge soy allergic or intolerant people cannot eat these things.

So, while this study seems promising, the reality is that food producers would have to change their manufacturing processes to include a fermentation step, and perhaps a very specific one. This of course means more time and more money on the part of the manufacturers… and therefore, we probably will not see this change come about anytime soon, if ever.

Sorry to be seeing half-empty, but I would rather (in the long meantime) see manufacturers take the soy out of their products. It is unbelievable to me how many products contain soy! My daughter has, and I believe I do also, an intolerance to soy, and while it is avoidable, it is just plain annoying how many foods contain soy for no reason (except that it’s cheap). I think it’s time that food manufacturers take responsibility for their ingredients and stop feeding people crap. Seriously. It’s disgusting. Am I right people?

Related reading: Soy Allergy Basics

Filed under: News & Research, Soy Allergy, Emotions | 5 Comments »

Sometimes I just want to shake people (no one in particular) and say “DUH!” I know I see things differently with my gluten-free vision (yes, I am a superhero), and things seem obvious to me. So I get frustrated. Let me explain…

An article came out on the newswire yesterday about a study conducted in Norway to assess the association between headaches and gastrointestinal complaints. The article began like this: “The prevalence of headache is higher in people with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms such as nausea, acid reflux, diarrhea, and constipation, than in people who don’t have these bothersome symptoms.”

Immediately I think about the fact that headaches and migraines can be symptoms of celiac disease or gluten intolerance. The gastrointestinal symptoms stated in the news article are also commonly caused by celiac disease or gluten intolerance. So it is clear to me that the people with the GI symptoms also have headaches because they are reacting to gluten in many ways, which is usually the case with people who cannot tolerate gluten. I was sure that the doctors who performed the study would draw the same conclusion, and probably also suggest that anyone with headaches be tested for celiac disease.

Alas, no. The conclusion of the study was simply that “headache sufferers generally are predisposed to GI complaints.” And at the end of the article one of the doctors from the study states, “It is important to consider the total burden of discomfort in these patients and to avoid headache medication with adverse gastrointestinal effects in those with much gastrointestinal discomfort.”

Huh? Those are the big conclusions? Oh, those poor headache people also have stomach problems. Boy did they get a bad deal! Well, let’s just be sure we don’t give them any drugs that could make their stomachs feel even worse.

It shouldn’t take a gluten-free superhero to see this gluten connection. It was concluded in a 2003 Italian study that “a significant proportion of patients with migraine may have celiac disease, and that a gluten free diet may lead to a improvement in the migraine in these patients.” I know people whose headaches went away once they cut out gluten. My husband is one of those people — he went from having frequent headaches and monthly migraines to having none since he started a gluten-free diet. No more Excedrin!

The bottom line of this post is that I know that many people suffer from headaches and migraines. If you are one of them, pleeease consider gluten as a possible cause.

Learn more:

Symptoms of celiac disease
Testing for celiac disease
Blood tests are not the final say
Gluten-Free Guide

Filed under: News & Research, Celiac Disease, Gluten Intolerance, Symptoms, Emotions | 5 Comments »

Last week I wrote about Martha Stewart’s competition that could potentially launch a magazine for people with food sensitivities.

The allergy-free magazine idea won 57% of the popular vote, but they declared a tie between it and a pet-centered magazine and pet products. On TV Martha practically brushed off the allergy-free idea (see the video), saying that they will include allergy-free recipes in their current publications, so clearly no new publication will be launched. Oh, except the pet one. With pet products. I guess we food-allergic and intolerant people aren’t viewed as marketable.

We are marketable, Martha and everybody else, we are! We pay more for our special foods, we buy allergy-free cookbooks, we buy online, we would gladly pay more for a special meal at a restaurant if it were offered. Do you have something we need? We’ll buy it! C’mon, Martha, you can think of some way to make money off of us, can’t you??

Martha chose the idea that would make more money — I suppose there are more pets than food-allergic people, and think about all those color-coordinated monogrammed dog collars that will sell like hotcakes! But I really wish, given her status in our society, that she had chosen instead to make a real difference in people’s lives.

But who needs Martha?

Filed under: News & Research, Emotions | 14 Comments »

It’s going to happen. You could be the most upbeat, glass-half-full, thankful-for-what-you’ve-got person, but it’s going to happen. Probably around the holidays. Probably at a party or a family event. It might sneak up on you at the buffet table or maybe it will hit you when you see the festive dessert tray.

It’s the Food Allergy Blues.

For people with food allergies, intolerance or celiac disease, the holidays are hard. Appetizers at parties are full of wheat and dairy. Dinner hosts might feel put out to accomodate one person’s special diet. And let’s not forget all the treats — cookies, candies, pies — laden with the most common food allergens. I suspect that this is the time when people with food intolerance (vs. a serious allergy) are tempted to cheat, and if they do, feel miserable. Other people avoid going to parties in the first place because it can make them feel down about their situation.

But here I am to give you a pep talk and tell you that we all feel this way at some point (even me, and I’m one of those people I described at the beginning!) I know it is really Polly-Anna of me to say this, but if food allergy/intolerance/celiac is the only thing you’ve got, think about how lucky you are that you don’t have something more serious.

Dr. Alessio Fasano, director of the Center for Celiac Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, was asked in a recent interview, “What do you tell your patients who are diagnosed with celiac disease?”

He answered: “I tell them, ‘I do understand your feelings, but let’s say I have the power to trade your celiac disease for any other autoimmune disease, which you would rather have? Cancer, diabetes, Crohn’s, cystic fibrosis?’ They say, ‘Well, I will keep the celiac disease.’”

So be strong, fellow food-sensitive people! The holiday season will pass, and while others are making New Year’s Resolutions about what not to eat, you will already have that one covered!

Filed under: Holidays/Special Events, Emotions | No Comments »

… when you have food allergies

A topic that sometimes pops up in conversation with my girlfriends is the Mother-In-Law (hereafter referred to as MIL). This relationship can be a tough one, and if you or your kids have celiac disease or food allergies, it can be even more difficult.

It is not anyone’s fault. It just requires some — well, a lot of extra effort on everyone’s part. Even my wonderful, caring, fabulous, super-duper (she’s reading this) MIL and I have had our challenges when it comes to what to feed my family. Our last visit went quite smoothly, and perhaps yours can too if you follow the tips below.
(I am focusing on Mother-In-Law rather than Father-In-Law because I am generalizing that the MIL is usually in charge of the shopping and cooking in her house, but go ahead and apply this to anyone you want!)

If you plan to visit the in-laws for a few days, or if you or your kids spend time at their house regularly, follow these tips:
1. Be patient.

Don’t expect your MIL to understand your special diet right away, especially if you rarely see her. There is a learning curve when it comes to eliminating gluten, or dairy, or anything from the diet. You may feel frustrated, but she may be just as frustrated as you. I didn’t realize that my MIL was frustrated by the whole thing until a sausage brand mixup inspired her to utter a curse word under her breath at me! At least we can laugh about it now.

2. Plan meals ahead of time.

My MIL likes to plan ahead (like buying plane tickets in August for Christmas), so if we discuss meal ideas on the phone the week before we arrive, she can get her grocery shopping out of the way and not have anxiety about the food situation. Telling her brand names that she can find easily also helps.

3. Do your own grocery shopping.

Right when I arrive at my in-laws’ house, I drop off the kids and head to a natural foods grocery store. I buy cereal, bread, snacks and whatever else I will need for the few days we are visiting. This is the deal my MIL and I have worked out - I go, she gives me the money to pay for it. (OK, I’ll admit it, I always throw in a few extra goodies for myself!)

4. Get in the kitchen.

Offer to help make the food. My MIL asks me to make my gluten-free bread and any special treats that may be needed, like cupcakes if there will be a party, or dessert for a holiday dinner. The last time I visited, she asked me to show her how to make bread so she could make it sometime - now that’s progress! Another reason to get in the kitchen is to check ingredients of things, like flavoring packets or canned soups - stuff that goes into those “old favorite” recipes. (Oh - also check the Father-In-Law’s secret seasoning he uses on the bbq!)

5. Bite your tongue.

Obviously you need to let your MIL know if there is something that you or your family cannot eat, but hold back on the criticism. One negative comment can dash all your MIL’s efforts, even if in your mind they didn’t amount to much. Remember tip #1!

Well, hope that helps someone out there. I feel very lucky to have the mother-in-law that I do! Good luck with yours!

Filed under: Food Allergies, Tips, Emotions | No Comments »

I had a hard day the other day. It was the end of the Labor Day weekend that we spent with family members in a shared vacation house. Because of my 3 year old daughter’s food allergies, which include cashews, I emailed everyone ahead of time and requested that no one bring nuts to the house. Everyone complied and it was a nut-free weekend. I didn’t really worry about her allergy to eggs or her sensitivity to gluten, dairy and soy, since these are not life-threatening for her.

The last morning there were eggs for breakfast. She didn’t have any, but everyone else did, so who knows where egg ended up - on counters, on people’s hands, etc. That same morning she ate gluten-free pretzels with soy flour in them because she found them in the cupboard before I realized it.

I don’t know whether it was the eggs or the soy, but my little girl all of a sudden turned into a monster. For a while I thought she was just having a tantrum and I kept battling her, trying to win because, well, I’m the mom. She said she was cold, but didn’t want clothes on, even to go outside. She became upset because her sandwich was not cut in half. Okay, I thought, she is having some 3 year old behavior. Because there was nothing I could do to satisfy her, I decided to ignore her - or at least stop trying to please her. She then became hysterical, kicking her legs like a maniac and screaming. It turned from a tantrum to something else - it was like she became possessed and like she was trying to get out of her own body. Something was not right and I knew she needed help.

When I laid her down on the bed, I asked her if anything hurt. No, she said. I then asked her if anything itched. She nodded and pointed to her tummy. When I lifted her shirt I saw hives dotting her torso. She also had a rash on her upper chest and upper back. I quickly gave her Benadryl, gave her a kiss and she fell asleep, exhausted.

And then I cried. I cried because in that moment I felt I had failed her as a mother - I didn’t keep her safe and I didn’t respond quickly enough to spare her the agony that she felt but couldn’t explain. I hardly ever cry about my own celiac disease or my daughter’s many food allergies and intolerances. I try to stay positive because I know that despite our food sensitivities, my family is happy and healthy and enjoying life. I know that I am doing a pretty darn good job at managing all the food challenges and that I shouldn’t beat myself up about this one time. I know that, but I couldn’t help it - I cried.

Filed under: Babies & Kids, Symptoms, Emotions | 9 Comments »