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Friday, January 30, 2009

Great Gifts for Kids with Food Allergies

"As Far As I'm Concerned, the Cows Can Keep Their Milk. I'm Allergic to Dairy" and "Peanut Free Princess" are just some of the great slogans you'll find on Bjort (pronounced Bort) & Company's T-shirts, hats, pins and other accessories.

Kelly Harmsen, the founder of Bjort & Company, started the company when her son was diagnosed with a vision problem called Amblyopia(Lazy Eye). To help him wear his eye patch, Kelly created a DVD called "The Eye Patch Kids" with patched puppets singing and dancing to help encourage kids to put on their patches too.

"Soon after I started my company, my son was diagnosed with a peanut/tree nut allergy and since then my niece was diagnosed with a peanut/tree nut allergy too," says Kelly.

She began a line of t-shirts and accessories with food allergy slogans.

Kelly says, "My next project is to make a DVD for kids about food allergies. It's something I'm really passionate about because kids need to be informed."

Check out Kelly's full line.

Check out my website for more information: www.foodallergyassistant.com

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Time to Sign Up- Food Allergy Conference

It's that time of year. FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) is holding a conference in three different locations this spring. I highly recommend going to one, especially helpful for those who are new to food allergy. Take your food allergic child if they're over age 11. Take your food allergic child's grandparent because, trust me, they will "get it" after attending this conference. Send a brochure to your school nurse as they have a special break-out session pertaining to issues at school. For more information, check here.

Check out my website for more information: www.foodallergyassistant.com

Monday, January 26, 2009

Food Allergies in the Sky

Monday Review will return next Monday, Feb. 2, 2009 with a review of Go Picnic products.

In the meantime, having just returned from a family trip, I've got airlines and food allergy on my mind. There is a movement in Canada (a country that seems to be a step ahead of the US when it comes to food allergies) to request that Canada’s top airlines develop clear, consistent, communicated policies that include measures to prevent dangerous in-flight food allergy reactions. There is a quote about a U.S. study showing that 10 per cent of those with food allergies are having in-flight reactions. It can not be argued that an aircraft presents a unique environment. Medication from an Epi-Pen only lasts 15-20 minutes which would not allow enough time for a plane to land and for help to arrive.

We flew Southwest Airlines last week. They have always handled my son's allergies adequately, although only his peanut allergy is recognized, with no accommodation available for his other food allergies. When we arrive for our flight, we inform the attendant that we are flying with food allergies. We are given two "special passes" labeled peanut allergy- one to go to the flight attendant in the front of the plane and one to be handed to the flight attendant in the back. Peanut snacks are not served on our flight, although the airline is clear that they can not control what passengers bring on-board themselves. Clearly demonstrated when soon after take-off, the man in front of us asked his daughter if she wanted some peanut butter crackers. Ah well- the best laid plans...but, all was fine.

On our return flight, we were even given a pre-boarding pass so we could be first on the plane and could check and wipe down his seating area. Our deal with our son is that he doesn't eat anything on a flight unless it is an open package from which he has already eaten. Nothing new is opened. He's flown many times and we've not had a problem (I'm knocking on wood as I type). For those who are super-sensitive to peanut dust, flying probably wouldn't be an option.

Check this out for more info about the Canadian Airline initiative. They've had 920 people paticipate in their write-in campaign. I'll be the 921st as I believe in the foundation of this plan. Even if you don't live in Canada, consider writing in.

I'll keep you posted. Perhaps something similar in the US would make sense.

Check out my website for more information: www.foodallergyassistant.com

Friday, January 23, 2009

Planning a Disney World Vacation?

Having just returned from a trip to Orlando's Walt Disney World, I thought I'd pass along some of the ways those helpful Disney folks assist with food allergies:

Check out Frequently Asked Questions about bringing food, epi-pens and medications into the park.
Read this for more specific information about food allergies at Walt Disney World.

If you're planning to visit the parks, send an e-mail to SpecialDiets@DisneyWorld.com for more information about how to plan a stress-free vacation...although you're on your own with long lines and whiny kids!

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Magazines Dedicated to Food Allergy

If you have relatives or friends dealing with food allergies, a magazine subscription may be a welcome gift. There are several magazines on the market that are dedicated to food allergies and will keep those interested "in the know":

Living Without is aimed at people with food allergies and sensitivities. Their mission is to show people they don't need to feel deprived because of their "special lifestyle". This publication is packed with articles, recipes and inspiring stories. Go ahead, click on their two free issue button and send some copies to someone who needs it- maybe even you.

Coping with Allergies and Asthma is not exclusively about food allergies, but there are plenty of food allergy articles within its pages. As we know, many people with food allergies also deal with other allergies and asthma as well.

Allergic Living is also dedicated to those with food allergies, environmental allergies and asthma. Their website offers a forum for folks "to talk" and podcasts with topics ranging from managing your child's food allergy to anaphylaxis to maternal and infant diet and how they relate to food allergies.

And, since we're talking about subscriptions, membership to the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network provides a very helpful newsletter with the latest research and advocacy information as well as food re-calls and recipes. Consider giving a membership as a gift. They'll send a special kid's newsletter upon request.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Monday Review- Mary's Gone Crackers


This Monday Review is brought to you by Mary's Gone Crackers, a manufacturer of wheat and gluten free products. First, I must say, you gotta love the name of the company. Mary Walder created Mary's Gone Crackers when she and her son were forced into a gluten free diet. Having spent nearly a year baking wheat free for my wheat allergic son, I know it is no easy task to create breads, crackers and pretzels without wheat.

Mary began creating gluten and wheat free foods and has moved her business from her kitchen into a 54,000 square foot dedicated facility. That means there's no risk that wheat protein will find its way into your cracker. This is especially critical for those who deal with a serious wheat allergy.

I tried their "Sticks and Twigs" . They resemble a pretzel, but have a bolder flavor. They are nice and crispy and yummy paired with a dip. Mary is adding a cinnamon flavor to the "Sticks and Twigs" line which I think will be a big hit with children who may find the other flavors of chipotle tomato and curry too strong. You should also note that "Sticks & Twigs" are a great source of omega-3s at 550mg per serving. This may be beneficial to those allergic to fish and nuts who are looking to get omega-3's elsewhere.

I also tried several flavors of Mary's crackers which are shaped like a traditional cracker for cheese or other toppings. I tried the herb and caraway flavors and found them to be full of flavor with a crisp cracker texture. If you have friends or relatives who need to avoid wheat or gluten, these crackers make a great addition to your party table. Just keep in mind that for your wheat allergic friends, these crackers can't be mixed on a tray with wheat crackers. We don't want to risk cross-contamination.

You may appreciate, like I do, that Mary's products use organically grown ingredients with no added oils or fats. The company plans to roll out new foods in the near future. I hope to see more "children friendly" products as the current flavors such as onion, black pepper and curry may be a bit much for a young palette. According to a source at Mary's "we do not particularly have any “kid-friendly” products in the works, however we find that many kids like the Original and Onion flavor crackers and the Sea Salt Sticks & Twigs.

Wouldn't it be great if Mary's products would be an option in vending machines so people with food sensitivities or allergies have a safe alternative? I'll keep you posted.

Friday, January 16, 2009

No Laughing about Food Allergies

I like that Dr. Robert Wood. A favorite speaker at FAAN's (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network) annual conferences, Dr. Wood is professor of pediatrics and director of pediatric allergy and immunology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and a member of the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network's medical advisory board. Plus he's a nice man who can calmly and effectively talk about food allergies. In a recent opinion piece published in the LA Times, Dr. Wood invites Joel Stein to spend a day in his clinic. Stein, a NY Times columnist, recently angered many when he published an article calling nut allergies a "yuppie invention". Read both articles and the many comments here.

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Medical Wristbands

My son lost his medical wristband months ago. I've been feeling guilty that he hasn't been wearing one, and finally with a family trip on the horizon, I explored inexpensive, sensible options. Medical bracelets for girls are so cute and look like beautiful bracelets. For boys, options aren't so great.

We finally found what we were looking for at Sticky Jewelry. We choose the "make your own" option. He didn't want to have anything written on the front, so there is just a medical alert symbol visible. On the back, we wrote "Severe Food Allergies, Call"- followed by my cell phone number. We only ordered the bracelet plaque and I attached a black piece of elastic so that he could wear it on his wrist.

Find what works best for your child. It is important for our children with food allergies to wear something to alert adults about this invisible medical condition.

Monday, January 12, 2009

Monday Review- Hemp Products from Manitoba Harvest


Today's review is courtesy of Manitoba Harvest, a global leader in hemp foods and oils. I recently sampled their hemp oil, hemp seeds and hemp seed butter. For a little back-ground information, Manitoba Harvest is the largest farmer-owned vertically-integrated hemp food manufacturer in the world. They are kosher certified and a USDA organic certified facility. From a food allergy perspective, the facility is hemp only so there is no risk of cross contamination from other products such as soy or peanuts.

I was first impressed with the nutritional quality of hemp. For those with allergies to dairy, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts or fish, finding quality protein sources can be very difficult. Hemp provides a source of complete protein offering 17 different amino acids. Hemp is also a great source of omega-3 essential fats and essential fatty acids which people with allergies to nuts and fish often have trouble including in their diets.

So, how does it taste? I tried Manitoba Harvest's hemp oil in a homemade vinaigrette. I liked the taste and appreciated the nutritional punch I was getting from my dressing. I also mixed some hemp seeds in with my yogurt and found the texture and taste very pleasing. The green color of the hemp seed butter is a bit hard to get past (and my kids wouldn't even try it!). I spread some on a piece of toast. I don't know if it was mostly psychological, but I'll probably stick to the oil and seed form.

One of the first questions I had about hemp was its relationship to marijuana. Would I feed these products to my children? Obviously many people had the same question as it is the first one addressed in their website's FAQ. Check out their response here.

Manitobaharvest.com also offers tons of recipes. They list everything from hemp pizza crust to hemp banana bread. You may also want to read Meghan Atkinson's article about Manitoba Harvest and food allergies.

Check with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns. Hemp has been traced back to the Stone Age. Perhaps this old protein source can be helpful to those who are allergic to many of our modern sources of protein.

Friday, January 9, 2009

The Buzz on Bees and Food Allergy

"The bees are just missing" the radio announcer reported. Huh? Yes, it turns out that billions (yes, that's a "B") of honey bees have vanished- virtually into thin air. Now I've had my eye on bees ever since I visited some beekeepers at our local farmers market. They commented that many of their bees like to pollinate from walnut trees in the area. That got me wondering about cross contamination. Here I am making sure I use separate utensils in my kitchen and we've got a bunch of bees out there flitting from fruit tree to nut tree and back again. Is this dangerous for those with nut allergies? Can nut protein find its way into the honey I feed my nut allergic child? So, while scientists continue to look for the missing bees, I suggest some research into whether pollination is contributing to the rise in food allergies.

Read more about missing bees here.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Travolta Heartbreak

We've all heard the news stories surrounding the death of Jett Travolta at age 16. When I hear a story like this, I can't help thinking, "but they did everything right... how could this happen?"

The reports I heard talked about the precautions the family took to keep their son safe due to his seizures. Things like baby monitors, two nannies, chimes that rang if he walked through a doorway, were part of their lives. Just like Epi-pens, medical alert bracelets, school healthcare plans and special foods are part of our lives.

We do everything we can to protect our children so how can that still not be enough? A tragedy like this weighs heavy on my heart. I've been hugging my kids more this last week as though I can form a protective bubble around them. Since there is no magic bubble, I'll just keep talking and writing about what is needed to protect all children.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Monday Review- Home Free Products


Happy New Year! Best wishes for a successful 2009.

Today's Monday Review highlights Home Free, a company specializing in treats for food allergic kids. My family and I recently sampled some of Home Free's oatmeal, chocolate chip and mini chocolate chip cookies.

Beore I took my first bite, I noted Home Free's easy to read labels. I really felt a sense of confidence due to the specific labeling about what is, and what isn't, in the cookies. I knew from my research that the company was founded by a mom of a food allergic child who set up her company kitchen with the same standards she uses in her own kitchen. Love that! I also noticed that a portion of Home Free profits are donated to organizations that provide food allergy research and education. Really love that!


The cookies are free of peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and dairy. They are also free of soy (except for small amounts of soy lecithin) and free of wheat (although not gluten-free due to other flours used). See what I mean about their helpful and specific ingredient label?

So, on to taste...honestly, these are the best tasting "bought" food allergy friendly cookies we've tried. They look like "regular" cookies and have just the right texture- chewy for the oatmeal and the larger chocolate chip cookies, while crisp for the mini chocolate chip cookies.

Now, on to price...their prepared baked goods are very reasonably priced. You can also get baking ingredients such as dairy-free chocolate chips, flours and starches through their site at really good prices. I'll be trying out their bags of chocolate chips next time in my continuing effort to avoid paying $10/pound for chips in the future.

By the way, those of you who are familiar with Gak's Snacks, this is the same company transitioning to their new name, Home Free.

Check out Home Free and let me know what you think.

Friday, January 2, 2009

Food Allergy Blues?

Here's a guy who can make food allergies fun. Meet Kyle Kine of Ontario who made a CD of fun songs all related to food allergy. He also does school programs using songs and puppets to talk to others about food allergies. Listen to a few of his songs here.

Kyle is also the founder of Food Allergy Translation Cards which are chef cards that can be printed in any language. Visiting China, Turkey or Croatia? No problem. Just type in your food allergies and for $8 you can print off a chef card in the language you choose. Here's a link. Even if you're not visiting a far off land, it could be fun for kids to know the names of their not-safe foods in other languages.

Happy 2009!

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