The 2012 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) is currently in progress in Orlando, Florida.
Just like last year, Sakina Bajowala, MD, aka The Allergist Mommy (an allergist, pediatrician, and mother of allergic children), is keeping us all updated via Twitter. You can follow her tweets here.
For more tweets from other participants, type #AAAAI in the Twitter search window or simply follow this link.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Library Update: "The Princess and the Peanut" and "The Intolerant Gourmet: Glorious Food Without Gluten&Lactose"
We have recently added two titles to our lending library.
"The Princess and the Peanut", by Sue Ganz-Schmitt, is a charming children's book inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's classic, "The Princess and the Pea". The main difference is that, instead of merely getting a poor night's sleep, the princess has to deal with, you guessed it, an allergic reaction. When that happens, the entire royal court has to learn how to read labels and eliminate every peanut product in the castle.The book is a wonderful tool to teach little ones about symptoms of an allergic reaction and ways to prevent it.
"The Intolerant Gourmet: Glorious Food Without Gluten&Lactose" is a new cookbook by Barbara Kafka, award-wining author, food journalist, and consultant. The book has 300 recipes for all tastes and all levels of cooking skills, ranging from hot quinoa for breakfast to duck stew with black figs, from spring vegetables with pasta to Moroccan lamb stew. There are also chapters describing various cooking techniques, suggesting a pantry list, and teaching how to cook safe starches, basic sauces, purees, and bases.
Both books will be available for review at the next support group meeting.
We thank the authors for kindly providing us with a copy.
"The Princess and the Peanut", by Sue Ganz-Schmitt, is a charming children's book inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's classic, "The Princess and the Pea". The main difference is that, instead of merely getting a poor night's sleep, the princess has to deal with, you guessed it, an allergic reaction. When that happens, the entire royal court has to learn how to read labels and eliminate every peanut product in the castle.The book is a wonderful tool to teach little ones about symptoms of an allergic reaction and ways to prevent it.
"The Intolerant Gourmet: Glorious Food Without Gluten&Lactose" is a new cookbook by Barbara Kafka, award-wining author, food journalist, and consultant. The book has 300 recipes for all tastes and all levels of cooking skills, ranging from hot quinoa for breakfast to duck stew with black figs, from spring vegetables with pasta to Moroccan lamb stew. There are also chapters describing various cooking techniques, suggesting a pantry list, and teaching how to cook safe starches, basic sauces, purees, and bases.
Both books will be available for review at the next support group meeting.
We thank the authors for kindly providing us with a copy.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act
On November 14, US Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) announced a new bill that they plan to introduce in the Senate this week: The School Access to Emergency Epinephrine Act.
Inspired by an Illinois law that was passed earlier this year, the bill will encourage all states to improve school access to life-saving epinephrine auto-injectors.
Please take a moment to contact your state representatives and ask them to support this bill.
Contact Max Baucus (D-MT)
Contact Jon Tester (D-MT)
Inspired by an Illinois law that was passed earlier this year, the bill will encourage all states to improve school access to life-saving epinephrine auto-injectors.
Please take a moment to contact your state representatives and ask them to support this bill.
Contact Max Baucus (D-MT)
Contact Jon Tester (D-MT)
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
We Survived Halloween with Gummy Bears
We dressed up as Japanese samurais.
We did not go out, but we welcomed kids to our home.
We did not touch the candy, but we handed it out to others who could enjoy it.
We were not the Halloween Grinches after all (although mom was very inclined to be one, just so she could keep us out of trouble).
We stayed safe and had fun.
At the end of the evening, we had our own treat: a couple of these yummy Gummy Bears. And these. And these.
And we were just fine.
We did not go out, but we welcomed kids to our home.
We did not touch the candy, but we handed it out to others who could enjoy it.
We were not the Halloween Grinches after all (although mom was very inclined to be one, just so she could keep us out of trouble).
We stayed safe and had fun.
At the end of the evening, we had our own treat: a couple of these yummy Gummy Bears. And these. And these.
And we were just fine.
Monday, October 24, 2011
What Is BHT and Why Should You Care?
Today, in honor of Food Day, I took a hard look at all the things in my pantry that come in a box. Crackers. Kids' cereal. Popcorn. Cookies. Pasta. I've read these labels so many times, I should know them by heart already. Allergy-wise, they are safe. Nutritionally, some are better than others, I'll admit. There is one thing I see on the nutritional label that I don't know much about, though. It is called BHT and it is added to packages "to preserve freshness". Since I have no idea what BHT is, I turn to the internet to find out.
Here is what Wikipedia says: Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), also known as butylhydroxytoluene, is a lipophilic (fat-soluble) organic compound that is primarily used as an antioxidant food additive (E number E321) as well as an antioxidant additive in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, jet fuels, rubber, petroleum products, electrical transformer oil,[2] and embalming fluid.
Hmmm....an additive in embalming fluid? And in jet fuel? In a cereal box???
I'd like to know more, so after some research I find out that BHT (like its close relative BHA) is commonly used in the food industry as an anti-oxidant, preventing fats from becoming rancid and preserving food color, odor and taste. Not only it is added to packaging, but it can also be mixed directly in cereals, meats, butter, chewing gum, baked goods, shortening, dehydrated potatoes (chips), and even beer.
As unappealing as it already sounds, it begs the question: how safe is it? Does it cause allergic reactions? Well, yes, it can. Both BHA and BHT are suspected of causing urticaria and angioedema, although this is a rare occurrence, according to AAFA. Nevertheless, the Center for Science in the Public Interest does recommend to avoid BHT when possible, due to potentially causing cancer in animals. BHA, on the other hand, is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" by the US Department of Health and Human Services and therefore should be avoided.
I guess I'll toss the Chex and the Wheat Thins and go on yet another wild goose chase at the supermarket, trying to find nut-free, soy-free, egg-free, sesame and sunflower seed-free, and now BHT-free cereal and crackers. Wish me luck.
Here is what Wikipedia says: Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), also known as butylhydroxytoluene, is a lipophilic (fat-soluble) organic compound that is primarily used as an antioxidant food additive (E number E321) as well as an antioxidant additive in cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, jet fuels, rubber, petroleum products, electrical transformer oil,[2] and embalming fluid.
Hmmm....an additive in embalming fluid? And in jet fuel? In a cereal box???
I'd like to know more, so after some research I find out that BHT (like its close relative BHA) is commonly used in the food industry as an anti-oxidant, preventing fats from becoming rancid and preserving food color, odor and taste. Not only it is added to packaging, but it can also be mixed directly in cereals, meats, butter, chewing gum, baked goods, shortening, dehydrated potatoes (chips), and even beer.
As unappealing as it already sounds, it begs the question: how safe is it? Does it cause allergic reactions? Well, yes, it can. Both BHA and BHT are suspected of causing urticaria and angioedema, although this is a rare occurrence, according to AAFA. Nevertheless, the Center for Science in the Public Interest does recommend to avoid BHT when possible, due to potentially causing cancer in animals. BHA, on the other hand, is "reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen" by the US Department of Health and Human Services and therefore should be avoided.
I guess I'll toss the Chex and the Wheat Thins and go on yet another wild goose chase at the supermarket, trying to find nut-free, soy-free, egg-free, sesame and sunflower seed-free, and now BHT-free cereal and crackers. Wish me luck.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Food Allergy Study
Amy Hahn, a graduate student at UMBC, is conducting a research study on food allergy knowledge. Mothers of children (0-18) are invited to participate.
"The measure we are developing", Hahn says, "will be among the first of its kind. The results of this study will help pediatricians and allergists determine how best to supplement the information that parents are typically given when receiving a food allergy diagnosis. The development of this food allergy knowledge test will also allow parents to examine their own knowledge and determine whether they would like additional information regarding diagnosis, treatment, responses to allergen exposure, or other aspects of managing their child’s food allergies."
If you are interested and would like to participate, read more about it here.
"The measure we are developing", Hahn says, "will be among the first of its kind. The results of this study will help pediatricians and allergists determine how best to supplement the information that parents are typically given when receiving a food allergy diagnosis. The development of this food allergy knowledge test will also allow parents to examine their own knowledge and determine whether they would like additional information regarding diagnosis, treatment, responses to allergen exposure, or other aspects of managing their child’s food allergies."
If you are interested and would like to participate, read more about it here.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Groupon Ridicules Kids With Food Allergies
Another unbelievable story of ignorance and callousness in regard to food allergies.
Groupon, a deal-of-the-day website that started in Chicago and went on to expand in hundreds of location worldwide, just isolated itself from the food allergy community by allowing this ridiculous post on their website:
Speechless? So am I.
I was first made aware of its existence yesterday via Jodie Hommer, founder and leader of Spokane Food Allergy and Support Network. She contacted Groupon and requested that the offensive post be taken down. Groupon replied a few hours later, apologizing and claiming that the feature has been changed. I followed this link and apparently the post is still up. What do YOU think of it?
Update: the post is still up and some of the comments on it are downright insulting. Apparently, parents of kids with peanut allergies don't have much of a sense of humor?!?! We're "taking it all wrong"? If only it were that simple.
Groupon, a deal-of-the-day website that started in Chicago and went on to expand in hundreds of location worldwide, just isolated itself from the food allergy community by allowing this ridiculous post on their website:
The Groupon Kidz Quorner: Your Ultimate Tree House
Hey, kids who have unlocked the awesome secret of reading! Here's your guide to building the ultimate tree house, tree fort, or awkward tree duplex you share with your former best friend who changed during summer camp. Let's get started!
- Find a tree in the backyard that can support your ambitious plans and the growth spurt your lying mother insists is coming "any day now."
- A well-armed tree fort needs plenty of ammunition. Fill your tin buckets with as many collected chestnuts, pine cones, dog bones, unseasonal snowballs, and dad tools as you can find lying around.
- A good fort layout is still available in the 1952 Dennis The Menace story arc entitled A Few Good Menace, where noted terrible boy Dennis the Menace starts a counterfeit money ring.
- Ditch that outdated "No girls allowed" sign in favor of the modern "No peanut allergies allowed."
- Why go up into a tree, when you could go down into a well and become a TV star?!
Speechless? So am I.
I was first made aware of its existence yesterday via Jodie Hommer, founder and leader of Spokane Food Allergy and Support Network. She contacted Groupon and requested that the offensive post be taken down. Groupon replied a few hours later, apologizing and claiming that the feature has been changed. I followed this link and apparently the post is still up. What do YOU think of it?
Update: the post is still up and some of the comments on it are downright insulting. Apparently, parents of kids with peanut allergies don't have much of a sense of humor?!?! We're "taking it all wrong"? If only it were that simple.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)