tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6686813139656065292024-03-12T21:33:24.695-06:00Food Allergy FeastKelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.comBlogger368125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-35283373794017633772021-04-10T09:28:00.001-06:002021-04-10T09:28:56.160-06:00A Few Last Words<p>Hi! If you’re visiting this page, you’ve probably noticed I
stopped updating this blog a few years ago. Life became very complicated as I
went through the “sandwich generation” phase of my life, lost both parents to
forms of dementia, and moved with my husband to Colorado. Even though I'm not actively updating this Food Allergy Feast blog now, I’m keeping it up and running, because people are still finding many
of the blog posts helpful.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">A quick update: My son, now in his early 20s and at college,
successfully underwent OIT for both peanuts and hazelnuts while he was in
junior high. However, by the time he got to college, he was so sick of eating
peanuts and hazelnuts every day (which he hated) that he finally opted to quit
the OIT maintenance. This meant his allergies returned just as strong as ever,
and he is now back to full avoidance. For him, avoidance was easier than daily maintenance
with two foods he detested, and it was a conscious decision on his part.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">So my recommendation is: If you’re contemplating OIT, consider
the life-long commitment (at least for now), and whether you or your child has
the personality that can commit to it. Some do, some don’t. Every person is unique
and must make their own decision. For our family, we’re back to avoiding all
products with nuts or nut contamination. We’ve been living that way for two
decades now, so it’s just our normal routine. We hope your family’s path is safe,
smooth, and workable for you.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Meanwhile, I hope you find helpful information on this blog.
While I am no longer maintaining this food allergy blog, I am actively blogging
about writing on my website, <a href="http://www.KelleyLindberg.com">www.KelleyLindberg.com</a>.
Please hop over there to visit me, to learn about writing craft and the writer’s
life, and to see where I’ll be speaking or to join my bimonthly newsletter. See
you there!</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Be safe,</p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Kelley<o:p></o:p></p>Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-88401405109687109762015-10-31T09:41:00.000-06:002015-10-31T09:41:32.224-06:00Allergy-Free Halloween Candy Round-Up 2015<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KWfXk5ERSq4/VjTf12X4NhI/AAAAAAAAAzM/LPU4t4KAg2s/s1600/Small%2BIMG_5315.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KWfXk5ERSq4/VjTf12X4NhI/AAAAAAAAAzM/LPU4t4KAg2s/s320/Small%2BIMG_5315.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Go Teal! The teal pumpkin means we<br />have non-food treats available!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Every year I
hit the stores looking for Halloween candy, and I share a list of common
candies and the allergens they list. This year, I have been burning the candle
at both ends and in the middle and haven’t had a chance to do that. But I’m
going to post last year’s list, because I don’t usually see much variation year
to year, so last year’s list will at least give you a starting point as you help
your little trick-or-treaters sort through their candy loot.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bb5hCwXNvhM/VjTf1yW4uPI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/X03eFfahem8/s1600/Small%2BIMG_5316.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bb5hCwXNvhM/VjTf1yW4uPI/AAAAAAAAAzQ/X03eFfahem8/s200/Small%2BIMG_5316.jpg" width="150" /></a></div>
<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you still
need to find candies free from all of the Top 8 allergens or free from corn,
Target had a large supply of YumEarth Gummy Bears, Gummy Worms, and Lollipops
yesterday when I was there (each $3.14 bag contains 10 individually wrapped
packets). Dollar Tree always has a surprising amount of safe “icky” choices,
like gummy skeletons and lollipops shaped like skulls, so if you’re looking for
something fun and gross to put on top of cupcakes, for example, try Dollar Tree.
They also carry the best peanut-free and tree nut-free candy corn I’ve found,
from Crystal Bay. (I think Crystal Bay candy corn tastes better than Brach’s,
anyway!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPX4ADMawz4/VjTdox4tWrI/AAAAAAAAAy8/5QPpOGd3fvg/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WPX4ADMawz4/VjTdox4tWrI/AAAAAAAAAy8/5QPpOGd3fvg/s200/Small%2BIMG_3810.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A BIG
WARNING: CHECK EVERY PIECE, EVERY TIME.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Large
companies use multiple factories. That means the same candy may be produced in
different places, with different allergens present. So CHECK LABELS on every
single piece of candy. Wonka is one of the worst companies for producing the
same candy in different packages containing different allergen warnings, but
they are one of the best at individually labeling their candies so you can
verify its safety before every bite. A few candies may have changed their
ingredients and moved to other places in my list from last year -- a good
reminder to check old favorites. When in doubt, call the manufacturer for
clarification (most list a phone number right on their package).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">First I’ll
list candies that don’t list corn as an ingredient (because there aren’t very
many of them). Then I’ll list the candies and treats that do contain corn, but
are free from some or all of the Top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk,
egg, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By the way, EVERYTHING on this
entire list is <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">nut-free</span> and <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">peanut-free</span>. That's where I started,
then I broke them down by the other allergens. I hope it helps simplify your
Halloween!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Corn-free as well as free from
Top 8:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pe4ty8E_j2Y/VjTdo3cdWnI/AAAAAAAAAy4/h_2Eart84s4/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pe4ty8E_j2Y/VjTdo3cdWnI/AAAAAAAAAy4/h_2Eart84s4/s200/Small%2BIMG_3577.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">YumEarth is at Target, and<br />this year they're even cheaper!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bob’s Sweet
Stripes Soft Mint Candies (red & white peppermints) (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cotton Candy
(Parade brand, Sam’s Club, 8 tubs per package)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cotton Candy
in Candy Corn and Boo-Berry flavors (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cotton
Candy, Hello Kitty (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">YumEarth
Gummy Bears and Gummy Worms (in Target!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">YumEarth
Organic Pops (in Target!)</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: uppercase;">Everything
from here on down contains corn ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Free from Top 8 (Wheat, Peanut,
Tree Nut, Milk, Egg, Soy, Fish, Shellfish):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Baby Bottle
Pops (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Betty
Crocker Halloween Fruit Snacks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bubble
Babies Gum Balls (contains coconut, Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Candy
Jewelry (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dots</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dum-Dums</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Giant
Lollipop (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Grave
Gummies (contains coconut) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gummy Body
Parts (contains coconut oil) (Dollar Tree – coffins and bags) [Note: 2 years
ago, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Walmart sold
Frankford Candy Body Parts that contained peanuts, nuts, milk, soy, beef, and
corn, so read company name and ingredients carefully]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gummy Turtle
Power Candy Pizza (contains beef gelatin, Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Halloween
Pops (contain gelatin, Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Haribo Gummy
Bears (contains coconut)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hello Kitty
Family Favorites Candy Mix (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hot Tamales</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hubba Bubba
bubble gum</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jelly Belly
trick-or-treat-sized packets of jelly beans (Target)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Life Savers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Life Savers
Lollipops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Life Savers
Gummies (contains gelatin, possibly pork-derived, although I can’t verify)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Market
Pantry Spooky Shapes fruit snacks (Target – contains pork gelatin)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mike &
Ike</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Pixy Stix,
regular and giant (Sam’s Club carries a package of 50 Giant Pixy Stix)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Push Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Ring Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Skittles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Skulls &
Bones Hard Candy (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Smarties</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sour Patch
Kids (but be careful—the Sour Patch Twists contain wheat, so read labels
carefully)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spiderman
Villains Candy Sticks (contains beef gelatin) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spongebob
Gummy Krabby Patties (beef gelatin) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spooky
Lollipop Rings (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Starbursts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Swedish Fish</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tic Tacs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Trolli Sour
Brite Crawlers (gummi worms) (Sam’s Club – contains gelatin)</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Soy or Soy Warning (but
free from other 7 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bon Bon Boom
Lollipops (Dollard Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cry Baby
Extra Sour Bubble Gum (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hubba Bubba
Bubble Tape</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher Crunch ‘n’ Chew (last year, these had soy listed, but I didn’t find any
this year, so I can’t verify ingredients. Call the company at 800-468-1714)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher Fruit Chews (last year, these had soy listed, but I didn’t find any
this year, so I can’t verify ingredients. Call the company at 800-468-1714)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher Lollipops (last year, these had soy listed, but I didn’t find any this
year, so I can’t verify ingredients. Call the company at 800-468-1714)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Laffy Taffy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Laffy Taffy
Ropes (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Lollipop
Skulls (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Market Pantry
Candy Corn Flavored Kettle-Cooked Popcorn (Target)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Scary
Eyeballs Bubble Gum (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts
Chews (check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment, and SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts,
milk, soy, and wheat!!!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gum:
Dentyne, Trident, Orbit, Eclipse, Wrigley’s (Doublemint, Winterfresh, Big Red,
Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, etc.)</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Wheat or Wheat warning (but
free from other 7 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Red Vines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Scooby-Doo
Sour Straws (beef) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sour Punch Twists</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzler’s
Pull ‘n’ Peel (these don’t list soy, although regular Twizzlers do, so read
carefully)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzler’s
Strawberry Twists (these don’t list soy, although regular Twizzlers do, so read
carefully)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzler’s
Rainbow Twists (these don’t list soy, although regular Twizzlers do, so read
carefully)</span></li>
</ul>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Milk or Milk warning
(but free from other 7 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Pop Rocks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Popping
Candy (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Pumpkin Face
Bubble Gum in Jar (Target)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Egg or Egg warning (but
free from other 7 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bottlecaps
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment – some have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gobstoppers
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment –
some have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds
Ropes(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spree (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment, and
SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts, milk, soy, and
wheat!!!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts
Mini (check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment, and SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts,
milk, soy, and wheat!!!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTart
Twists (check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment, and SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts,
milk, soy, and wheat!!!)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Soy and Wheat or
warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Airheads</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzlers</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Milk and Soy or warnings
(but free from other 6 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Charms Blow
Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Double
Bubble gum (check every individual Double Bubble candy label because
ingredients vary by assortment and store)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hershey’s
Chocolate bars, the 1.55 ounce size ONLY (the S’mores size) (all other sizes
contain nut warnings)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Kraft
Caramels</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sixlets candy-coated
chocolate drops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tootsie Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tootsie
Rolls</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tootsie
Fruit Rolls</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Wheat and Egg or
warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bottlecaps
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment – some don’t have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment –
some don’t have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds Ropes
(Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Shockers
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary) (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment – some don’t have wheat warning)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Wheat and Milk or
warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Utz
Halloween Pretzel Treats (contains sesame warning, too)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Soy, Milk, and Egg or
warnings (but free from other 5 top allergens):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sugar
Daddies (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Non-Candy Ideas (can find packs
of individual serving sizes at warehouse stores like Sam’s Club):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Boom Chicka
Pop Sea Salt Popcorn (Target – 16 individual bags per container)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Chex Mix (contains
wheat, soy, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">David’s
Sunflower seeds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Funyuns
Onion Flavored Rings (contains milk, soy, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jack Link’s
beef jerky (contains beef, free from Top 8)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Keebler
Crème-Filled Sugar Wafer Cookies (contains soy, wheat, and cornstarch)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Lay’s Potato
Chips (free from Top 8)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nabisco
Lorna Doone cookies (contains wheat, corn, and soy)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Oberto Beef
Jerky (contains beef, free from the Top 8)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Oreos (contains
soy, wheat, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Slim Jim
Meat Sticks (contains beef, chicken, soy, wheat, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Zoo Animals
crackers (Sam’s Club, contains wheat, corn, soy, milk)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Drinks, like
Kool-Aid Jammers or Capri Suns, or sodas in mini-cans – check ingredients</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Watch Out for These:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">The
following candies may land in your child’s trick-or-treat bags, and they may
not have ingredients labels, so watch out for them:</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bazooka
Gum-Filled Pops – lists only corn, but comes in an assortment listing all
allergens in a factory warning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Banana
Splits (sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains soy and egg, and has
factory warning for peanuts, tree nuts, and milk)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Brachs –
everything this manufacturer seems to make has peanut and nut warnings, plus
some of the other allergens, depending on the product.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Columbina
candies – all have a factory warning for peanuts, egg, tree nuts, soy, milk,
and wheat</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Goetze’s
Caramel Creams (sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains wheat, milk, and
soy.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hershey’s:
All mini and fun-sized Hershey’s chocolates contain nut warnings and should be
avoided. Plain milk-chocolate and dark-chocolate Hershey’s kisses are nut-free,
but contain milk. Most flavored Hershey’s kisses (caramel, cherry-filled, etc.)
list nut contamination. The only nut-free size of Hershey bars is the 1.55
ounce size (the type commonly sold alongside graham crackers and marshmallows
for S’Mores.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">IBC Root
Beer Barrels (sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Has factory warning for
peanuts, tree nuts, milk, soy)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jawbreakers
contain only sucrose, but packaged in an assortment that lists all the
allergens in a factory warning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Lemonheads
contain only corn, but are usually found in assortment bags that include
warnings for all the allergens on the overall packaging</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mary Janes
(sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains peanuts and soy, and has factory
warning for tree nuts, wheat, milk, and egg)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Slo Poke
(sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains soy and milk, and has factory
warning for peanuts, tree nuts, and milk)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Taffy: For
the first time this year, there are 2 taffy brands that are nut free. One is
made by Taffy Town, and local company, but theirs do contain eggs, milk, and
soy. </span><a href="http://www.taffytown.com/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">http://www.taffytown.com/</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> The
other is by an online store called Sweet Pete’s </span><a href="http://www.sweetpetescandy.com/search?x=0&y=0&q=taffy" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">http://www.sweetpetescandy.com/search?x=0&y=0&q=taffy</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">
, which advertises that their taffy is made in a nut-free, dairy-free, and
gluten-free facility. Other than those two sources, I have not found any other taffy
that is nut-free, so assume most taffy in your child’s trick-or-treat bucket contains
nut contamination.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tiger Pops –
packaging lists all allergens</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Warheads –
various packaging lists some or all Top 8 allergens in factory warnings</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-74452371495414047482015-08-24T18:03:00.000-06:002015-08-24T18:03:42.907-06:00Back to School with Food Allergiesby Kelley Lindberg<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Rjh7876iTg/VduwH8U_TcI/AAAAAAAAAx8/0FZFq6Oje9w/s1600/School%2Blunch%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Rjh7876iTg/VduwH8U_TcI/AAAAAAAAAx8/0FZFq6Oje9w/s320/School%2Blunch%2Bsmall.jpg" width="320" /></a>About this time every year I post my back-to-school tips. So I’ll repeat
them again this year, in the hopes that they help smooth the way for other
parents over the next few weeks. Good luck, and here’s looking forward to a successful
and safe year at school!<br />
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
(For those of you tuning in to see how my son did this week with his OIT, he
did great. No reactions, and he’s now at 10 mg of peanut flour, which contains
4.1 mg of peanut protein, in a liquid solution. This week’s Kool-Aid flavor: grape!)
<o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333;">Now, back to school. Remember, there are links
to several school-related resources on the <a href="http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/">Utah Food Allergy Network</a>'s website,
so be sure to check those out. And last year I posted my <a href="http://www.foodallergyfeast.blogspot.com/2013/08/back-to-school-shopping-list-for.html">Back-To-School
Food Allergy Shopping List</a>, so you might want to look at that, as well.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<ol start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">Ask the principal if there
are other food-allergic kids in the same grade, and if they can be
assigned to the same teacher. That makes it easier for the parents of the
allergic kids to trade off field-trip and party chaperone duties, reminds
the teacher to keep the classroom allergen-free for multiple kids, and
gives you some backup in food issues. (It's nice to NOT be the only one.)
Statistically, about one in twenty kids has a food allergy, so chances are
good there will be several food-allergic kids in your school.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Make several copies of your <a href="http://www.foodallergy.org/document.doc?id=125">Food Allergy Action
Plan</a> (available on FARE’s website) and ask to hang one in the office,
the cafeteria kitchen, and the classroom, so that your child's photo and
"What to do in case of a reaction" instructions are handy no
matter where he is.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Practice with your child what
he should do if he "feels funny." Role-play and pretend you're
the teacher, and have him come up and tell you what's wrong. Often our
kids are too shy about asking for help, so have him practice with you, and
with the teacher if possible. Not only does that give your child words to
use if something happens, but it helps impress upon the teacher how
important it is. If he or she has a friend in class that can help, ask
them to role-play, too. Our boys have a friend who was very vocal in supporting
and helping speak up for them when they were shy. (Girls are especially
awesome as allies!)<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">I get on my principal's staff
meeting agenda at the first of the year and give a 15-minute talk about
allergies and demonstrate the <a href="http://www.epipen.com/">EpiPen</a>
or <a href="http://www.auvi-q.com/">Auvi-Q</a>. When my son was in
elementary school, I also gave a presentation to my son's class and all
the teachers and aides he comes into contact with. If you're not
comfortable doing this, ask if there are other allergic parents that you
can contact. Talk to them about ways to teach the teachers -- maybe
another mom would be willing to give the presentation if you make the
photocopies. It's easier when there are two of you involved! There are
also DVDs made for elementary school presentations, so you can let the DVD
do the talking! “<a href="http://shop.pbskids.org/binky-goes-nuts-dvd">Binky Goes Nuts</a>” is an Arthur cartoon from PBS. “Alexander the Elephant Who Couldn’t Eat
Peanuts Goes to School” used to be available from FAAN before they became
FARE, but now I can only find used copies on places like Amazon.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Remember, In Utah, your child
can legally carry his <a href="http://www.epipen.com/">EpiPen</a> or <a href="http://www.auvi-q.com/">Auvi-Q</a>. But he probably is not capable
of administering it to himself in an emergency, so make sure the teachers
and everyone else know where it is and how to use it. Because both EpiPen
and Auvi-Q are available right now for $0 copay, get a pair for the school
office, and a second pair to keep with the child (in his backpack or lunch
bag, usually). You might also attach a luggage tag with his photo on it to
his backpack, so the teacher can tell which backpack is his quickly.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">If he's going to be having
lunch at school, talk to the Lunch Lady and cafeteria monitor. Introduce
your child, tell her what your child is allergic to, and let your child
know that the Lunch Lady is a friend that will help keep him safe. Then
remember the Lunch Lady and the cafeteria monitor on holidays with little
thank you cards or gifts to show you appreciate them. Few people do that.
But it will help keep your child's food issues fresh in their mind, and
they'll get to know him well.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Ask about setting up a food
table just for allergic kids. All that’s required is a table with a sign
that says allergies only, and the cafeteria monitors clean it with a
separate marked bucket and cloth. Don’t let them make your child eat in a
separate room or the principal’s office. He shouldn’t be punished or
isolated just because he’s allergic to some foods! Ask the principal to
mention the allergy table in a newsletter or other information that goes
home with kids at the beginning of the year. You may find other kids with
allergies expressing an interest in sitting at the table if they know it’s
available.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Ask the parents of your
child’s friends to send safe lunches with them every once in a while, so
they can eat with your child. Make it a fun place to be!<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Most peanut-allergic kids
don’t react to the smell of peanut butter in the air, but a few do. If you
are worried if your child will react to the air in the cafeteria, ask to
take him in for a “practice run.” Sit in the cafeteria for half an hour
and see if he reacts. If he doesn’t, cross that worry off your list.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Eat lunch with him for the
first few days. That will reassure both of you that you can both handle
this!<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Talk to the teacher about
which cafeteria door your child should use to avoid peanut butter contact
(usually the one furthest from the playground), where to put his lunch bag
after lunch, and where his EpiPens will be.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Remind your child NOT to
throw away his lunch trash. Tell him to bring it home in his lunch bag, so
that he can avoid using the trash can. If another kid slam-dunks a
half-full milk carton in the trash can, you don’t want your milk-allergic
child to get splashed.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Medical alert jewelry can
help remind teachers and other staff about your child’s allergy. Lots of
companies now provide medical alert jewelry in styles ranging from classic
metal bracelets to fashionable plastic jewelry or even cool fabric sports
bands (like at <span style="color: #940f04;"><a href="http://www.americanmedical-id.com/category/medical-ID-bracelets-for-kids-17">American Medical ID</a></span>).
Use your favorite search engine to find a style your child will enjoy
wearing.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">If your schedule allows,
volunteer a lot, so the staff knows you and counts on you (not just for
allergy issues). If the only time they see you is when there's a food
allergy issue, then you may start feeling like they're whispering "Oh
no, here she comes again." But if they see you as a "Gosh, what
would we do without her" kind of volunteer, then the occasional food
issue will be coming from a great mom who's making a reasonable request.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">If someone else is already
the class mom, or you can't volunteer for that position, tell the teacher
you really need to attend all parties and field trips because of the food
allergy. The teacher may want to let the other parents know that you'll be
selected for all the special events because of the food allergy, so that
they don't think the teacher is playing favorites.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Volunteer to shop for all the
snacks or food materials for classroom parties or food educational units
(like making noodle necklaces or gingerbread houses, etc.). Tell the
teacher if she'll collect money donations, you'll go buy all the
ingredients. They're usually delighted to get out of having to shop, and
it lets you ensure the ingredients are safe.<o:p></o:p></li>
<li class="MsoNormal">Be aware and be prepared, but
don't panic! School is going to be a lot of fun, and your child will do
just fine. And believe it or not, so will you!<o:p></o:p></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-51514216516232313272015-08-17T14:20:00.000-06:002015-08-17T14:20:20.173-06:006 Reasons Why I Almost Didn’t Pursue OIT for My Son’s Food Allergies<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CdHYkPX3I3E/VdI8-iB7zVI/AAAAAAAAAvY/OSWRZshmWlg/s1600/IMG_5072%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CdHYkPX3I3E/VdI8-iB7zVI/AAAAAAAAAvY/OSWRZshmWlg/s320/IMG_5072%2Bsmall.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Because of some discussions that took place
on FaceBook after my first OIT post, today I will share the concerns I had going
into this new treatment for my son’s food allergies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My first
post two weeks ago about my son’s journey with Oral Immunotherapy (OIT) for his
food allergy to peanuts sparked a lot of interest </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">(“<a href="http://www.foodallergyfeast.blogspot.com/2015/08/searching-for-food-allergy-treatmentour.html">Searching for a Food Allergy Treatment—Our OIT Journey Begins</a>.”</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">)</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> Of course people are
interested—this is a new therapy for food allergy that might represent a
possible way to reduce a person’s reactions to a food allergen. Since experts
estimate that 1 out of every 12-20 kids in American has a severe food allergy,
a treatment that would lessen or eliminate the threat of a life-endangering
reaction to food would benefit millions of people.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, as I
mentioned in that first post, I’ve been watching medical studies for years. As
my son approaches his college years, I’ve been hoping one of the many possible
therapies currently being developed makes it through trials and gets far enough
along in its progress to offer me some hope for him before he’s off on his own,
eating in college dorms and living with roommates. So when my allergist began
offering OIT in his office, I was interested.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I was not,
however, quick to jump on the bandwagon. In fact, even though I’d been begging
our allergist for years to keep my son in mind if he ever began implementing a
treatment protocol, when he finally approached me, I said “No, thank you.” I
felt that the treatment was still too new and that there were too many
unanswered questions and risks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now more
than a year has passed, and although I still have questions and worries, my son
and I decided enough data is being accumulated and enough patients have been
through the process nationwide that we were willing to consider it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I want to
share my concerns, however. My goal with blogging about our journey is NOT to
become an evangelist for OIT. It is to share our unique experience, adding our
personal observations, successes, setbacks, worries, and other personal views
to the growing body of information out there, so that others who are interested
can see one more perspective.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To start
with, I thought I should share my concerns, which explain why we waited over a
year before we signed up for OIT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I am very
cautious when it comes to my son’s life. (Go figure, right?) While peanuts and
tree nuts represent life-threatening dangers to him, we’ve also become REALLY
good at managing those allergies by <u>strict avoidance</u>. In 16 years, he
has had only 2 minor reactions as a toddler (which were how we discovered his
allergies) and one minor reaction on an airplane two years ago. We’ve never had
to use an emergency epinephrine auto-injector (EpiPen). We’ve been far more
vigilant than some might think is necessary, but it’s worked for us almost
perfectly. We’ve avoided foods with “made in a factory with” warnings. We’ve
talked to every teacher, soccer coach, and friend. We carry EpiPens everywhere
we go. We’ve used an abundance of caution, and we’ve been very lucky so far.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f36M7CfRiIM/VdI90H6j89I/AAAAAAAAAvg/Xs98lzdGrzc/s1600/myepipen%2Bimage%2B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="77" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f36M7CfRiIM/VdI90H6j89I/AAAAAAAAAvg/Xs98lzdGrzc/s200/myepipen%2Bimage%2B3.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Of course,
accidents happen, and while the temptation to say “We’ve been doing fine so
far, why change things” is strong, I know a big change is on our
horizon—college. When he goes to college, I won’t be there to remind him, cook
for him, or notice those first signs of a reaction that only moms can see. So
“the way we’ve always done it” is going to change, and I won’t have any control
over that.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So I want
reassurance that my son’s life will be safe when I’m not around. But that
doesn’t mean I’m convinced OIT will be the answer. I’m hopeful, but not blindly
so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yW-TqxEKuYk/VdI_YMNIPbI/AAAAAAAAAvs/jmnocTD6Y8c/s1600/Microscope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yW-TqxEKuYk/VdI_YMNIPbI/AAAAAAAAAvs/jmnocTD6Y8c/s200/Microscope.jpg" width="136" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The first
caution to note is that OIT is currently not recommended by official medical
associations. A growing number of individual physicians are offering this
treatment in their offices, but make no mistake—it is NOT an officially
sanctioned treatment. That carries a lot of weight. I had to do my own research
to reassure myself that enough doctors are doing this now, and have been doing
it long enough to show documented success, that I feel comfortable with the
practice. Medical associations will take a much longer time and require even
more well-documented and tightly managed studies before they approve of it. I
had to be comfortable with moving forward without that reassurance, and let me
tell you, that’s WAAAAAYYYY out of my comfort zone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Next, this
treatment doesn’t prove successful for everyone. Our allergist and others like
him who are sharing information and protocols with each other are claiming a
success rate of 85 – 90%. That’s very encouraging, but it still means 10 – 15%
of the people who try it won’t make it to the end of the treatment cycle and
therefore won’t be protected from their food allergen. That’s a lot of time, effort,
and money to risk on a gamble, even with pretty good odds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A third big
hurdle for me was a study that linked OIT to the development of possible
eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) disorders. EoE disorders are a different type of
allergic reaction in the esophagus and digestive tract that can cause
significant health issues. I didn’t want to trade my son’s known allergies,
which we know how to manage, for a potentially worse disease. But I also learned
about a study that shows a small percentage of kids who naturally outgrow their
food allergies can develop EoE to that same food years later. (See the article “<a href="http://allergicliving.com/2014/03/18/those-who-outgrow-food-allergy-can-risk-eoe/">Those Who Outgrow Food Allergy Can Risk EoE</a>” on <i>Allergic
Living</i> magazine’s website.</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">) The study’s researchers
speculate that the kids who develop EoE (10-15% of the kids who outgrew their
allergies) may have had EoE to begin with, and the disease was hidden because
they were avoiding the food. When they outgrew the allergy and began to eat it
again, perhaps that’s when the EoE symptoms were triggered. So even if my son
outgrew his peanut and tree nut allergies on his own, he might still run the
risk of developing EoE. Also, my allergist explained that in talking with other
allergists about these possible links between OIT and EoE, the allergist are
occasionally seeing EoE symptoms begin to emerge, but they immediately stop the
OIT treatment and the EoE symptoms disappear. As he explained it to me, their
observations show that when they stop the OIT, the patient reverts to their
original allergies, and the EoE symptoms go away and do NOT progress into
full-blown EoE disease. So the patient is ultimately no worse, albeit no
better, than when they started. However, this is only anecdotal experience, and
only large-scale, long-term studies will definitively illuminate the link
between eliminating food allergies (whether through OIT, SLIT, a future
treatment we don’t even know about yet, or by naturally out-growing them) and
EoE. Those studies may be on the horizon, but they’re not here yet. So we’re
flying a little bit in the dark as far as this risk goes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ylViGwyaKbo/VdI_8wrt1PI/AAAAAAAAAv0/6uocpBRhMyc/s1600/Dollar%2Bsigns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ylViGwyaKbo/VdI_8wrt1PI/AAAAAAAAAv0/6uocpBRhMyc/s200/Dollar%2Bsigns.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fourth, OIT
is an expensive and lengthy process. We have to realize going in that we’ll be
committed to this process for a minimum of 6 months of weekly appointments,
probably more. And the dosing is twice a day, every day. We are very fortunate
that our allergist is in our health insurance network, so we pay the specialist
co-pay for every weekly appointment, plus additional fees for the peanut
solution and any other tests or expenses we incur. Many people aren’t so lucky.
Either they don’t have health insurance at all, or their chosen allergist is
out-of-network, meaning they must pay a higher percentage of their medical
bills for the weekly appointments. We’re talking thousands of dollars here for
some folks. And that doesn’t include the costs some people incur when they live
far from their allergist and choose to either relocate or fly or drive round-trip
to their appointments every week.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fifth, the
treatment process requires us to adhere to a very regimented schedule. We’re
not a highly regimented family. We like to be spontaneous. Dinnertime can be
anywhere from 5:30 to 9:00, depending on what we’ve got going on that day. And
my son is right in the middle of that social whirlwind called “the teenage
years.” As part of the treatment, he must be dosed with peanut solution after
breakfast and after dinner every day. And he must refrain from physical
activity that can raise his body temperature (which increases his risk of a
reaction) for 30 minutes before and 2 hours after those doses. That means he
can’t inhale his breakfast and rush off to the swimming pool to clown around
with friends. He can’t wolf down dinner, then immediately long-board with
friends to the skatepark. And last weekend, only a week-and-a-half into his
treatment program, he had to miss out on a weekend with his best friends at a
lake cabin because I need to make sure he’s dosing at the right times and that
he’s close to emergency medical help if he needs it. He’s having to confine his
physical activity to the middle-of-the-day hours and curtail some of his social
activities, and that’s hard.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e2Ipj4QMKs4/VdJA5W1C0VI/AAAAAAAAAwE/b6wxON5VtsQ/s1600/m%2526m%2Bpeanut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-e2Ipj4QMKs4/VdJA5W1C0VI/AAAAAAAAAwE/b6wxON5VtsQ/s200/m%2526m%2Bpeanut.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sixth, after
we go through the 6+ months of treatment, we’re not finished. We’ll never be
finished. Right now, patients who complete OIT are committed to having to eat a
“maintenance” dose of their food allergen every day for, potentially, the rest
of their lives. So while for some of us, having to eat a handful of peanut
M&Ms every day for the rest of our lives doesn’t seem like a bad thing,
what if he hates peanuts? Being told you have to eat a food you hate every day
for the rest of your life, just so you don’t run the risk of becoming allergic
again and having a life-threatening reaction, can seem like a cure that’s
nearly as bad as the disease, right? Maybe someday there will be new data that
shows OIT conveys longer-term protection than it now appears, or maybe a new
treatment will cure these patients once and for all of their allergies, but
until then, my son will be eating a handful of peanuts (or peanut butter) every
day, whether he likes it or not. And currently, the recommendation is that
these “cured” patients continue to carry EpiPens, “just in case.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, was this
an easy decision for us? No, definitely not. So why did we choose to do OIT
despite all of these hefty concerns?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Because we
made the decision as a family—and my son had ultimate veto power—that the risks
and inconveniences were worth the possible outcome. To live his life unafraid
of that accidental exposure, to be able to kiss a girl without interrogating
her about her last 2 meals, to be able to go with friends to a Mexican or
Chinese restaurant without being left home, to go on a vacation without
worrying about how many hours away he’ll be from medical help if he goes into
anaphylaxis… all of those are goals we decided are worth pursuing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Only time
will tell if we made the right decision. But it feels right for us, for now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And for
those of you following along on our OIT journey, we had a wonderfully
uneventful week, with no reactions at all after his up-dosing last week (now at
5 mg of peanut flour, which contains 2 mg of actual peanut protein). And the
question I know is on everyone’s mind? This week’s Kool-Aid flavor for the peanut solution is Fruit
Punch!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-62117040228423732672015-08-12T16:22:00.000-06:002015-08-12T16:22:45.391-06:00OIT Food Allergy Treatment, Step 1: Yep, He’s Drinking the Kool-Aid<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dW1c1ZqRNzw/VcvBCElaxXI/AAAAAAAAAuk/U1MigooJsw0/s1600/IMG_5049%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dW1c1ZqRNzw/VcvBCElaxXI/AAAAAAAAAuk/U1MigooJsw0/s320/IMG_5049%2Bsmall.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My son swallows his first dose of<br />peanut flour mixed in Kool-Aid. This dose<br />equals about 1/100,000th of a peanut.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Last week I
announced that my teenage son will be undergoing a new treatment for food
allergies, called Oral Immunotherapy (OIT). (See “<a href="http://www.foodallergyfeast.blogspot.com/2015/08/searching-for-food-allergy-treatmentour.html">Searching for a Food Allergy Treatment—Our OIT Journey Begins</a>.”) While not yet recommended by official medical associations in the U.S., I feel
like OIT has also progressed beyond the purely experimental stage, with a small
but growing number of allergists in the country providing this treatment. While
the temptation to embrace this treatment as the miracle cure I’ve been hoping
for is strong, there are many significant reasons to be cautious, or even
downright wary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">However, I
know many of you want to know how my son is doing after his first two weeks of
treatment, so this week I’ll focus on telling you how the first two weeks of
treatment have gone. Next week I’ll step back and talk about the concerns I had
(and still have) going into this treatment, because I want the information I
post to be as fair and balanced as I can make it. Otherwise, it’s of little use
to anyone, in my opinion. Deal? Deal! (And I promise all my posts won’t be this
long, but there’s so much to share in these first couple of posts. Sorry!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Day 1, July
27:</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today was
our information kick-off meeting. We met with the allergist and his staff, and
we went over all the details, such as the dosing schedule and what to do if he
has a reaction to the dosing. Highlights:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">We’ll spend two
days introducing tiny amounts of peanut in a liquid solution, every 15 minutes
over a period of 3 or 4 hours, gradually increasing the dose until he reaches
the level just below where average patients begin to show reactions. (Or they
will stop sooner if he reacts sooner.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">After 2 days
of this in-office treatment, we’ll take home a bottle of the solution, and we’ll
administer it to him twice a day at home, every day, until next Thursday when
we return for our regular “up-dosing” appointment. Assuming he got through the
week without any major reactions, the office will administer an increased dose
to him and watch him for reactions for an hour before sending us home with a
bottle of that increased dose. We’ll dose him at home twice daily with that
until the next Thursday. We’ll repeat this cycle of returning to the office to
increase the dose (“up-dosing”) every week at the same time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">If he has a
small reaction, such as a few hives in a localized spot, we can treat with
liquid Zantac, liquid Zyrtec or Allegra, and if necessary, a liquid steroid.
For larger reactions, we should call the doctor immediately and be prepared to
administer epinephrine. Larger reactions, including anaphylaxis are less
common, but they do occur.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">He must take
the peanut dose on a fairly set schedule—once after breakfast, and once after
dinner, but not later than 9:00pm (so that he has a good two hours of being
awake and alert before going to bed, because those two hours are the most
likely time to have a reaction, and they don’t want him falling asleep during
that time). The doses should be between 9 and 15 hours apart, so there is some flexibility,
which is good for our family.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">He must
refrain from physical activities that might raise his body temperature for 30
minutes before and 2 hours after each dose. For an active teenager, this could
be inconvenient.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">He will
start on a liquid peanut solution, then after a few weeks graduate to peanut
flour mixed into a soft food (like pudding or applesauce), then finally
graduate to actual whole peanuts. At every step, the peanut proteins are
carefully measured and controlled. You definitely can’t do this at home (unless
you have a measuring cup that can accurately measure 1/100,000th of a peanut!).</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">To enhance
the treatment, the doctor recommends taking a probiotic daily. Some studies indicate
that food allergies may be linked to the reduction of beneficial bacteria in
the gut due to antibiotic use, so our allergist includes probiotic use in his
protocol.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">After
hearing all of this information, my son and I went home to talk about it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">And my son
balked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">He had been
the one who first wanted to do this, for the obvious reasons: he wanted to be
free from the danger of accidental exposure, and he wanted to stop worrying
about peanuts everywhere he went. I hadn’t been sure about it in the beginning,
but because he wanted to do it, I was now on-board.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">But now that
the treatment was only hours away, he suddenly realized it’s scary. He’s never
had to use an EpiPen, and now the doctor was telling him he might have to
BECAUSE of the treatment. Plus, he fixated on the “no physical activity for 2
hours after dosing” rule, and he became very upset about that. Never mind that
he no longer plays soccer or runs track, and he primarily spends his time on
the computer, playing his guitar, or watching movies with his girlfriend. In
his mind, this was a sudden, insurmountable problem that no one warned him
about.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">He went to
his room, I started texting my friend Kim for advice, and we each stewed for an
hour. Then I went to his room, shoved the pile of clean laundry off onto the
floor so I could sit beside him (See? We’re just like every other family!), and
started to talk to him. I talked about the reasons we had originally looked
into this process, and the ultimate goals that he longed for. We talked
honestly about pros and cons. Finally, I realized I was talking myself into
quitting the process. But much to my surprise, he had talked himself back into
it! When he calmed down from his initial panic, he realized that his goals to
become as peanut-worry-free as possible outweighed his concerns. Then he just
had to talk me back into it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Finally, we
both agreed to go ahead and start the OIT procedures the next day, as planned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">It was a
mentally exhausting discussion, but one I think we both needed to work through
in order to feel good about what we are doing.</span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Day 2, July
28:</span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">8:30am: We get
to the doctor’s office bright and early, ready to start (despite yesterday’s
hiccup).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">8:45am: Our allergist
meets with us privately to answer last-minute questions and brief us again on
what to expect. We ask about probiotic brands and dosages, but otherwise we are
as ready as we are going to be.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:00am: We’re
taken to the Food Allergy waiting room, where other patients and parents are
gathered. There are 5 patients starting this OIT cycle with us: three teens (my
son is the oldest at 16) and two younger kids (the youngest is 4). My son has
brought his laptop and I’ve brought a book to read.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rhbTKRu2tK8/VcvBAz2el2I/AAAAAAAAAuc/Ko6ZKFBiLWk/s1600/IMG_5048%2Bcropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rhbTKRu2tK8/VcvBAz2el2I/AAAAAAAAAuc/Ko6ZKFBiLWk/s320/IMG_5048%2Bcropped.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">It looks like a syringe, but the solution is not<br />injected--it's squirted into the mouth and<br />swallowed. The syringe is an accurate way<br />to measure and deliver the liquid orally.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:20am:
First dose! The nurse gives my son an oral syringe filled with 5 mcg of peanut
flour mixed in a liquid, which he squirted into his mouth. Then he has to
“swish and swallow” with water to make sure none of the solution gets stuck in
his mouth, and that he swallows all of it. (Spoiler alert: The “secret liquid
ingredient” into which the peanut protein is mixed is cherry Kool-Aid!) He
breathes deeply a few times, and again every few minutes, to “test” himself for
any reaction. He wasn’t told to do this, so I know he’s just nervous and
worried that he’s going to start wheezing. He doesn’t.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:35am:
Second dose, same quantity (5 mcg).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:50am: The
dose is doubled, so this time he ingests 10 mcg. After a few minutes, I think
his face starts to look faintly reddish, but after a few seconds, it fades and
I can’t decide if it’s my imagination or not. I ask the nurse, but by then his
color looks normal and she doesn’t see anything either. He doesn’t feel
anything, and he continues working on his laptop. I have a hard time focusing
on my book.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">10:05am:
Same dose again (10 mcg). People in the waiting room are starting to talk to
each other and share “when did you find out he/she was allergic” stories.
Everyone’s nerves are starting to calm down a little.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">10:20am: Increased
dose—now he’s at 25 mcg.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">10:45am:
Increased dose again—now he’s at 50 mcg. Again, I think maybe he seems a tiny bit
flushed, but it only lasts a few seconds, and then it’s gone again. It could be
my imagination. I am so worried that something wrong is going to happen, I know
I’m conjuring up demons. But he says he feels totally normal, he’s stopped
taking deep breaths, and he’s totally relaxed about the whole thing. I’m trying
to relax. Honest.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">11:05am:
Same dose (50 mcg).</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">11:20am:
Increase to 100 mcg. All is good. No flushing.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">11:35am:
Last dose of the morning, and it’s 100 mcg again.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">11:45am: The
doctor comes in and gives us a refresher talk about dosing at home and what to
do if he gets sick. Then the nurse gives us an oral syringe filled with a
single dose (half of the amount in the last dose he just took, so 50 mcg of
peanut flour), which he will take at home after dinner tonight.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">7:40pm: We
finish dinner, then give my son his evening dose of 50 mcg.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:00pm: My
son is annoyed with me because he just asked if he could go long-boarding with
his friends. I told him he needed to stay home so I can watch him for
reactions. Maybe eventually I will be more comfortable with him going out in
the evenings, but for the immediate future, I need him nearby.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w4An0J9OgI/VcvBBLL5nzI/AAAAAAAAAug/uYjU8gISBF0/s1600/IMG_5053%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5w4An0J9OgI/VcvBBLL5nzI/AAAAAAAAAug/uYjU8gISBF0/s320/IMG_5053%2Bsmall.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">A hive!!!! (On his lower cheek.)<br />Despite my initial maternal panic, it<br />went away after we treated him with<br />oral antihistamines.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:15pm:
We’re watching TV, and my son says “Mom, I have three hives.” WHAT??? Sure
enough, he has one on his cheek, and a couple on his right side. I grab the
paper that says what to do in a reaction, and I line up the 3 liquid
medications I’m supposed to give him. My son calmly says, “Really? All three?”
Suddenly I’m questioning myself. Did the doctor say to give all 3? Or one at a
time? Or…? Crap, I don’t know! I dial the phone number on the “home dosing
instructions” sheet and the doctor answers. I tell him what’s going on, and he
calms me down and says to administer Zantac and Allegra, but to hold off on the
steroid. He says if the reaction gets worse to call him back. I make my son
hang up his phone (for some reason he thinks a girlfriend conversation is more
important, but I insist) and I give him the 2 medications. The hives disappear
in a few minutes. Yes, I watch my son like a hawk for the next several hours.
No, he doesn’t get any other hives. No, he doesn’t ask about going
long-boarding again. I can’t help making one snarky little “See why I wouldn’t
let you go long-boarding tonight?” comment, but prevent myself from repeating
it ad nauseam. I’m proud of my restraint. I’m not sure he appreciates it,
though.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Midnight: It’s
been 3 hours, drama-free. We each head for bed peacefully, our first day over
and our first crisis minimal and handled. Whew. I can do this, right?</span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Day 3, July
29:</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">8:30am: We
arrive at the office and get checked in.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mK6YKHnK7lA/VcvBdoR7_DI/AAAAAAAAAvA/df0E3tLayNg/s1600/class-hypersensitivity-6-728.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mK6YKHnK7lA/VcvBdoR7_DI/AAAAAAAAAvA/df0E3tLayNg/s320/class-hypersensitivity-6-728.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span style="text-align: start;">Graphic found on<br /><a href="http://www.slideshare.net/MMASSY/class-hypersensitivity">Bruno Thadeus’s Hypersensitivity Slideshow</a></span><span style="text-align: start;"> </span></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:00am: The
allergist comes to talk with us privately to see how we’re doing. My son is
fine. I’m still nervous and a little embarrassed about calling the doc last
night. He assures me that’s normal, then says from now on, when there’s a small
reaction like that, we should hold off and watch it for a few minutes to give
the body a chance to resolve it on its own. He admits that this is exactly the
opposite of how we’ve been trained to act all along, but because these are
minute quantities and his reaction last night was so small and immediately
cleared up with the medication, we want to give the process time to work on
building up his immunity. He also spent some time explaining the science of
what we're doing. In overly simplified terms (which I am probably explaining
poorly), a reaction happens when a single allergen protein molecule lands on
two IgE receptors on a mast cell at the same time. If an allergen protein
molecule only lands on one IgE receptor, there’s no reaction. It has to connect
two receptors for a reaction to happen. So what we’re trying to do by
introducing minute amounts of the allergen protein (in this case, peanut
protein) is slowly saturate individual mast cell receptors with their own protein
molecules until all the receptors are eventually “occupied” by a single peanut
protein molecule, so that there aren’t any lonely IgE receptors hanging out trying
to make a pesky threesome. (Okay, I’m positive that’s not how the doc explained
it, but you get the idea.) {Photo from </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">} The doctor also said that the OIT process may also increase the IgG4 in the
body, and if the amount of IgG4 eventually dominates over the amount of IgE,
that may add additional protection against allergic reactions. Yeah, I’m going
to need to do some more research before I fully understand all of that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:30am:
First dose of the day. Because my son had a minor reaction after last night’s
dose, we dropped back to a lower dose this morning. So while the other patients
began with a higher dose of peanut (1 mg, I think), my son started back at 25
mcg. The doc recommended being conservative today, which frankly makes me happy!
This means we may extend his treatment by a few weeks overall, but I’m okay
with that.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:43am: I
think my son looks faintly reddish again, but it goes away quickly.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">9:45am: The
red is gone, and he is given the next dose with no problems. This dose is 50
mcg.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">10:00am: 50
mcg. No red color, no problems at all.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">10:15 and
10:30am: These two doses are at 100 mcg, which is the dose we finished at
yesterday in the office. There are a lot of people in the Food Allergy waiting
room today—the same people who started this cycle with us yesterday, and
additional patients who are farther along in their treatment and are coming in
for their weekly “up-dosing” appointment. Several chat with us about how happy
they are with their treatment so far.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">10:45 and
11:00am: Both of these doses are 250 mcg each! This is the highest he’s done so
far. No problems.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">11:15 and
11:30am: 500 mcg… still going strong!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">11:45 and
12:00: His last two doses for the morning are both 1000 mcg each (1 mg)! This
is where the rest of the kids started this morning, but like I said, I’m okay
with being conservative and taking it slow. We will go home with a bottle of the
Kool-Aid solution. He will take a half-dose tonight (500 mcg), then starting
tomorrow morning he will take a full dose (1 mg) twice a day until we return
next week. The other patients are doing doses of 5 mg now, so my son is behind
their level, but I still feel good about taking it a little slower.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Midnight: It's been an uneventful evening, which is just the way I like it! No hives, no worries after his evening dose.</span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Day 6, Aug
2:</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My son finds
an itchy bump on his torso about three hours after his morning dose. It doesn’t
really look like a hive, and it could be a bug bite. Hmmm. We watch it for a
half-hour, and it doesn’t get any worse and no others pop up. We don’t
administer any medication, and eventually it starts to fade and finally goes
away on its own.</span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Day 10, Aug
6:</span></h2>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1i5DPNs5YOw/VcvBOrRGGnI/AAAAAAAAAu4/skDHTmn9GVk/s1600/IMG_5062%2Bcropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1i5DPNs5YOw/VcvBOrRGGnI/AAAAAAAAAu4/skDHTmn9GVk/s320/IMG_5062%2Bcropped.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">This is the bottle of peanut solution<br />we use at home. Grape Kool-Aid. Mmmm!<br />(My son says he'll never be able to<br />drink Kool-Aid again without chasing it<br />with water for the "swish and swallow" step.)</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Today is our
first “up-dosing” appointment. We tell the doctor about the one mystery
hive/bug-bite/bump last Sunday, and he says it probably wasn’t a hive since it
happened so long after the dosing, and says we did the right thing to watch it.
My son is given a single dose of the new increased amount (2.5 mg), then we sit
in the waiting room for an hour to make sure he has no reaction. This time, the
peanut flour is mixed in grape Kool-Aid, and for the first time, we can
actually see the peanut flour floating in the solution. It’s strange to know
that he’s ingesting this, on purpose, after so many years of strict avoidance.
Life is weird.</span></div>
<h2>
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Day 16, Aug
12:</span></h2>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I am finally
getting all these notes written up for my blog. He’s been doing great all week—no
reactions, no hives, no problems. Tomorrow is our next up-dosing day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">If you’re
still reading, I’m sorry this was so long, but I hope this has been
informative. Next week, I’ll post about some of the concerns/cautions related
to OIT. (Plus, I’ll provide an update on how he does after tomorrow’s up-dose,
of course!) See you then!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-66591739827614561872015-08-03T12:50:00.000-06:002015-08-03T12:50:17.600-06:00Searching for a Food Allergy Treatment—Our OIT Journey Begins<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Ih1XcNA36U/Vb-yTy9mgtI/AAAAAAAAAt0/tCRP_NsZThQ/s1600/IMG_5047.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--Ih1XcNA36U/Vb-yTy9mgtI/AAAAAAAAAt0/tCRP_NsZThQ/s320/IMG_5047.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">That's my goal: Stay calm while we try to<br />re-train my son's body to tolerate peanuts.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My son is
two years away from starting college. When he was first diagnosed with
allergies to peanuts and tree nuts 15 years ago, there was very little
information available out there, and almost no support for parents of newly
diagnosed kids. Fortunately for me, I immediately found a friend in the same
boat, whose child had also just been diagnosed. (Quick aside: If I could grant
the world a wish, it would be that everyone had a wonderful friend like Kim by their side!)
Then together we discovered the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (now called <a href="http://www.foodallergy.org/">Food Allergy Research & Education, or FARE</a>), and that was our first lifeline to
information we could use to make life more “normal” for our kids. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">As the years
went by, awareness, resources, and information began to proliferate. Now there
are hundreds of cookbooks, a bazillion websites and blogs, educational programs
for teachers and caregivers, support groups in every state, restaurants that “get
it,” and online and real-world communities where we can share our stories and
help each other navigate the world of food allergies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The one
thing there hasn’t been is a scientifically vetted treatment for food allergies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There have
been lots of studies, lots of possibilities pursued, lots of theories, and lots
of attempts. Several are still ongoing. Many more have been abandoned because
they just didn’t work the way researchers hoped. But as all this research has
been discussed over the years, my one hope was that some kind of treatment would
finally be available to patients before my son went away to college.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For 15
years, we’ve managed his food allergies by the only method available—strict
avoidance of the allergens. And we’ve worked hard at it. We avoid foods that
say “made in the same factory as foods containing nut products.” We read every
label. We carry EpiPens at all times. We train teachers, soccer coaches,
friends, and relatives. We work with the schools to raise awareness and
minimize risk for not just my son, but for all the other students with
allergies, too. I’ve maintained this blog for years, and I was on the board of
the <a href="http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/">Utah Food Allergy Network (UFAN)</a> for 5 years (and I’m still an active member!), sharing
information to make other families’ lives easier.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And still I
hoped for a treatment that would protect him when he goes away to college. But
every year, college got closer and treatments seemed to get farther away.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But then a
spark of hope. My son’s allergist told us he’s part of a nationwide network of providers offering an early program of
Oral Immunotherapy (OIT), where the allergen is introduced in a tightly
controlled, carefully measured manner over a period of many months, in an
effort to slowly desensitize the body to that allergen. I’ve been reading about
this treatment for years, watching to see if it fulfills the promise shown
early on. After helping develop a protocol for this treatment and after a year
of conducting this treatment on patients in his office, my son’s allergist says
he’s seeing success rates of 85-90%. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I wasn’t an
easy sell. I’ve also been watching the research concerning various other treatments,
including one derived from a Chinese herbal remedy (Food Allergy Herbal
Formula-2, called FAHF-2), a desensitization treatment that introduces peanut proteins
through a patch on the skin, and a desensitization treatment where the protein
is administered under the tongue (sublingual immunotherapy, SLIT). And I’ve
been watching the side effects and failure rates of different treatments. So
far, while not a perfect solution, OIT research seems to be showing strong
success rates and is closer to wide-spread use than some of the other
treatments. So as my self-imposed college deadline looms, I asked my son if he
was willing to do OIT.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">After many
conversations and much soul-searching, we decided this felt like the right time
and the right decision for our family. If he were younger, I might have held
off, waiting for more of the other treatments to become more established. But
those may remain options for the future if OIT doesn’t work for him. And there’s
no guarantee it will work. He could be in the 10-15% for whom it doesn’t work.
But if we don’t try, we’ll never know. And we’ve decided the end-goal of being
able to eat in a university cafeteria, hang out with friends, and live with roommates
without the constant worry of accidental exposure is worth the risk.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So we
decided to go for it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Last week,
we started the treatment. I’ve been taking notes as we go, and starting next
week, I plan to post my observations and thoughts so that others can see what our
OIT journey is like for us, and what’s involved at each step.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you’re interested,
I hope you’ll join us on our journey. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-57333083917622526732015-07-20T06:00:00.000-06:002015-07-20T06:00:00.463-06:00Allergy-Free Pasta Salad Recipe Round-Up<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Last week,
we looked at potato salad recipes that are free from the Top 8 allergens
(peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, soy, wheat, fish, and shellfish). This week, I
stalked the web for the best-looking pasta salads I could find. To make my
list, recipes have to eliminate the most common allergens, but definitely keep
the flavor! As always, I look for recipes that taste great, look wonderful, and
won’t have a single person at your barbecue or potluck party even noticing milk
and egg aren’t part of your creation!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Note: If you
must avoid wheat or gluten, you’ll want to use gluten-free pasta for these
recipes, of course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let’s get
started. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U4Vak4NFC3c/VaAmugiHMNI/AAAAAAAAAtM/z-bVWYL20ig/s1600/Ranch%2BDip%2BMix_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-U4Vak4NFC3c/VaAmugiHMNI/AAAAAAAAAtM/z-bVWYL20ig/s320/Ranch%2BDip%2BMix_edited-1.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">First, I
have to share a Ranch Dressing tip or two. Ranch dressing mix is a tasty
addition to pasta salads, but finding a milk-free version is tricky. My local
Smith’s grocery store (which is part of the Kroger brand of grocery stores)
carries an envelope of mix called “Kroger Party Dip – Ranch,” which is
milk-free. I have used it to make ranch dip by mixing it with <a href="http://www.tofutti.com/dairy-free-cheeses/sour-cream/better-than-sour-cream/">Tofutti “BetterThan Sour Cream”</a> soy-based non-dairy sour cream—a huge hit at parties. I also mixed it with <a href="http://followyourheart.com/products/original-3/">Vegenaise</a> (egg-free mayonnaise substitute) to make a sauce for a pasta salad the
other day. My son declared it was “the best pasta salad you’ve ever made, Mom!”
So if you live near a Kroger store (such as Smith’s, King Soopers, or Fred
Meyer), check to see if they carry the “Kroger Party Dip-Ranch” mix. (Don’t
confuse it with the Kroger Salad Magic Ranch Dressing mix, which contains milk.
Sheesh. Don’t these people know they’re just making our lives complicated with
all these different versions?)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">If you can’t
find the Kroger mix in your local store, you’re still in luck. I found a recipe
online to make your own <b><a href="http://thesethingsilove.com/2013/08/homemade-ranch-mix/">Homemade Ranch Seasoning & Dressing Mix</a></b></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">, and it’s super
easy! (I’m serious. Throw some spices in a blender or spice grinder. Voila!
You’re done!) We have Megan, over at her “<a href="http://thesethingsilove.com/">These Things I Love</a>” blog</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">, to thank
for this recipe.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Now, on to
some great-looking pasta salad recipes that will perk up that potluck table
like nobody’s business:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://vegetarian.about.com/od/pastasaladrecipes/r/pastasalad.htm">Italian Pasta Salad</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
In its simplest form, a good pasta salad consists of 3 things: cooked pasta,
some veggies, and a dressing. This recipe from About.com gives you the
step-by-steps. It uses a cup of your favorite safe bottled Italian salad
dressing, or you can substitute a favorite safe vinaigrette (like balsamic!
Yum!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://vegetarian.about.com/od/soupssalads/r/easypastasalad.htm">Easy Vegan Artichoke Pasta Salad</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
This recipe from About.com is even easier, because you use the oil from a jar
of marinated artichoke hearts instead of the salad dressing! Plus I think
artichoke hearts always add a little extra class to anything they’re in, don’t
you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/Vegan-Pasta-Salad-Recipe-30829668">Vegan Pasta Salad with Pickles,Vinegar, and Olive Oil</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
Love that hint of pickle/vinegar flavor? Then you’ll love cooling off with this
pasta salad from PopSugar.com that uses a dressing of vinegar, olive oil, and
Dijon mustard (and some diced dill pickles for a little extra kick).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQN5i061Vag/VaAjwliKlXI/AAAAAAAAAsw/fCNEvXDX-yI/s1600/Pasta%2BSalad%2BCookinBug%2BAllrecipes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cQN5i061Vag/VaAjwliKlXI/AAAAAAAAAsw/fCNEvXDX-yI/s1600/Pasta%2BSalad%2BCookinBug%2BAllrecipes.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Southwestern Pasta Salad<br />Photo credit: CookinBug at <a href="http://allrecipes.com/">AllRecipes.com</a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/southwestern-pasta-salad/">Southwestern Pasta Salad</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">:
I’m a fan of all things Southwestern flavored, so this recipe from
Allrecipes.com is right up my alley. Its dressing consists of vegetable oil,
fresh lime juice, and spices, and it will definitely spice up your picnic! You
could also turn this into a main dish by adding some diced grilled chicken or
taco chicken (shredded chicken cooked with taco seasoning).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/greek-goddess-pasta-salad/">Greek Goddess Pasta Salad</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: This recipe from AllRecipes.com calls for a bottle of pre-made Greek
vinaigrette, and it includes sun-dried tomatoes, avocados, Kalamata olives, a
jar of roasted peppers, and other tasty tidbits. If you can’t find a safe Greek vinaigrette
dressing, try this recipe to whip up your own: <b><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/absolutely-fabulous-greekhouse-dressing/">Absolutely Fabulous Greek/House Dressing</a></b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Kelley’s Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Okay, since my son loved this
one so much, I figured I’d better post it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZsDKwtUJnE/VaAmu4UIBAI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/Fv73_6x31Js/s1600/pasta%2Bsalad%2BFAF_edited-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VZsDKwtUJnE/VaAmu4UIBAI/AAAAAAAAAtQ/Fv73_6x31Js/s200/pasta%2Bsalad%2BFAF_edited-1.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kelley's Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17.3333339691162px;">Ingredients:</span></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">1 box of
pasta, any shape (I used 2 different shapes, to mix things up)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">2 c. total
veggies, such as halved cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes (drained), or
lightly steamed veggies such as broccoli, spinach, kale, carrots, zucchini, yellow
squash, snowpeas, cauliflower, red and yellow peppers, or edamame</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">6 strips
bacon</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Ranch dip/dressing
mix (1 envelope’s worth, or about 3 T)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">1 c. safe
mayo, such as </span><a href="http://followyourheart.com/products/original-3/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Vegenaise </a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">(there is a soy-free version, if that’s one of your allergens)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">1/4 tsp
garlic powder</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">1/4 c. rice or
soy milk (or other safe milk)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 17.3333339691162px;">Directions:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cook pasta
according to directions. If using veggies that you prefer to be lightly steamed,
go ahead and steam them. Dice bacon into small pieces and fry. When the bacon
is almost done, add the steamed veggies to the bacon so that the veggies take
on that bacon flavor, and continue to cook until bacon is crispy enough for
your taste. In a small bowl, mix the Ranch dressing mix, safe mayo or
<a href="http://followyourheart.com/products/original-3/">Vegenaise</a>, garlic powder, and rice milk. When the pasta is done, drain it and run
some cold water over it to stop it from continuing to cook. Then put the pasta
in a large serving bowl with the veggies and bacon. Gently stir in the ranch
dressing. Serve and enjoy!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">My son, who
is now an always-on-the-go 16-year-old with a hollow leg, is primarily a
carnivore. He thinks vegetables are a conspiracy by mothers world-wide to
punish their children for trumped-up grievances. Oh well. There are only a handful
of veggies he will willingly eat: artichoke leaves (not the hearts), fried okra
(he had to learn to like fried okra or he wasn’t allowed to continue living
under my roof), and edamame. I don’t know why edamame made the list, because he
refuses to touch any other legume, but I don’t question small victories. So when
I made this salad, the only veggie I added was shelled, steamed edamame. That
and the bacon made a great combination, and he was happy. So were the other
party-goers, so I call that a win.</span></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-75368439325717774942015-07-13T06:00:00.000-06:002015-07-13T06:00:05.794-06:00Allergy-Free Potato Salad Recipe Round-Up<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s
summertime, which means picnics and barbecues are in full swing. While the
focus is usually on whatever’s on the grill, everyone knows the perfect side
dish can make it all that much better! But the problem, of course, is that many
of those picnic go-to recipes are loaded with dairy and egg ingredients. If
your allergies include those, the ever-popular pasta and potato salads become
landmines on the table.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWW5RuLrum4/VaAC1YP3ohI/AAAAAAAAAsM/S8zHAvPceUo/s1600/potatosalad%2BEarthyFeast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NWW5RuLrum4/VaAC1YP3ohI/AAAAAAAAAsM/S8zHAvPceUo/s320/potatosalad%2BEarthyFeast.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This German Potato Salad is free from the Top 8 allergens,<br />
and it's vegan, too! Recipe and photo credit: <a href="http://earthyfeast.com/">EarthyFeast.com</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s why I
took to the web to find some allergy-friendly pasta salads and potato salads
that will be welcome additions to the picnic table. (And no one will notice
they’re free from milk, egg, and nuts!) This week I’ll spotlight some potato
salad recipes. Come back next week for some tasty pasta salads that will
brighten your potluck gathering!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;">German Potato Salad</span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt; line-height: 21px;">: Great news! German potato salad is ALREADY free from the Top 8 allergens. Throw together some potatoes, bacon, and onions, then dress it with some vinegar, sugar, mustard, and salt, and garnish with a little fresh parsley or chives. Ta-da! Here is a traditional recipe for the <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/german-potato-salad-recipe.html">Food Network's German Potato Salad</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt; line-height: 21px;">, but if you want a vegan version without the bacon, try this super-delicious <a href="http://www.earthyfeast.com/recipe/german-potato-salad-a-party/">German Potato Salad</a> recipe from Grace over at her EarthyFeast.com blog</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt; line-height: 21px;">.</span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;"><a href="http://withfoodandlove.com/roasted-potato-salad-with-mustard-old-bay-dressing/">Roasted Potato Salad with Mustardy Old Bay Dressing + Chive Blossoms</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt; line-height: 15.75pt;">: This recipe from the “With Food + Love”
website suggests roasting the potatoes (yum!), but boiling them would work just
fine for a more traditional potato salad texture.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rX7G4rFkjd4/VaAD0durHhI/AAAAAAAAAsY/gXAjaRUJkj4/s1600/Potato-Salad%2BEatingBirdFood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rX7G4rFkjd4/VaAD0durHhI/AAAAAAAAAsY/gXAjaRUJkj4/s320/Potato-Salad%2BEatingBirdFood.jpg" width="204" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roasted sweet potatoes and avocado take<br />
potato salad to a whole new level. Recipe<br />
and photo credit: <a href="http://eatingbirdfood.com/">EatingBirdFood.com</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;"><a href="http://www.eatingbirdfood.com/roasted-sweet-potato-salad/">Roasted Sweet Potato Salad</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;">: Holy cow, this recipe from Brittany and her EatingBirdFood.com blog looks amazing. This will take that old potato salad idea and
knock it clear out of the park. Roasted sweet potatoes, spinach, avocado, red
onion and dried cranberries are all dressed simply with a little apple cider
vinegar and lemon juice. What’s not to love?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;"><a href="http://www.forksoverknives.com/recipes/potato-salad-with-avocado-and-dill/">Potato Salad with Avocado and Dill</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt; line-height: 15.75pt;">: Over at “Forks Over Knives,” I found this creamy
potato salad recipe that gets its “creaminess” from mashed avocado. Even
traditional potato salad lovers will love this combination. What a great idea!</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;"><a href="http://vegetarian.about.com/od/potatoesandsweetpotatoes/r/potatosalad1.htm">Classic Potato Salad with Dijon and Vegetarian Bacon Bits</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;">: Of course, the easiest way to make an
allergy-friendly traditional creamy potato salad is as simple as swapping out
the regular mayo for an egg-free mayo, like <a href="http://followyourheart.com/products/original-3/">Vegenaise</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;">. While the original Vegenaise flavor contains
soy, they also make a soy-free version! This recipe from About.com adds
balsamic vinaigrette salad dressing for an extra kick that should add just
enough flavor interest to disguise the fact that you used Vegenaise instead of
regular mayo!</span></div>
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<b style="line-height: 15.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt;"><a href="http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/light-fresh-potato-salad">Light and Fresh Potato Salad</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; letter-spacing: 0.3pt; line-height: 15.75pt;">: If a traditional potato salad seems a little
blah to you, check out this version from MyRecipes.com, which adds a rainbow of
garden veggies and a light vinaigrette dressing instead of mayonnaise. </span></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-34774244224137257312015-07-07T15:36:00.000-06:002015-07-07T15:36:14.595-06:00My Vacation in Sicily, or “Almonds Gone Wild”<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Ah, Sicily.
Land of mythology, history, Godfather t-shirts, pasta, lemons, pistachios, and
almonds.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lots and
lots of almonds.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6nk5rOHQGDc/VZxAyDkDcvI/AAAAAAAAArs/r1CBIwrqQ0M/s1600/Sicily%2Bcookies%2Bcropped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6nk5rOHQGDc/VZxAyDkDcvI/AAAAAAAAArs/r1CBIwrqQ0M/s320/Sicily%2Bcookies%2Bcropped.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almond and pistachio cookies greeted us<br />in our hotel room in Sicily.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you’re
not allergic to almonds, pistachios, or lemons, you’ll love Sicily. If you’re
allergic to almonds, pistachios, or lemons, you might want to plan on doing a
lot of your own cooking if you go there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Almonds,
lemons, and pistachios are some of Sicily’s biggest crops, but stranglehold
trade restrictions from Sicily’s parent country, Italy, make it difficult (if not impossible) for Sicilian
farmers to sell them off-island. When you have a lot of something and you can’t
sell it, you use it in everything.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6nFxr1Snmyk/VZw_l4fstBI/AAAAAAAAArg/N2T119w5xcc/s1600/Sicily%2BGreek%2BTemple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6nFxr1Snmyk/VZw_l4fstBI/AAAAAAAAArg/N2T119w5xcc/s320/Sicily%2BGreek%2BTemple.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">My mother and I enjoy a day visiting</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Greek Temples in Italy.</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In May, my mother and I traveled to Sicily for a badly needed vacation. Truly, it’s a breathtaking
place. We were on the eastern coast of the island, in the town of Taormina.
From our beach-side hotel, we took day-trips to see the ancient and storied
town of Syracuse, the Straits of Messina (where Odysseus and his crew met with
scary monsters), the active volcano Mt Etna (which graciously did not erupt
until hours after we’d left its hillsides), an ancient Roman villa with
magnificently preserved mosaic floors, ancient Greek temples, and other
Sicilian marvels. Throughout history, the island, which is strategically
located off the “toe” of Italy, has been over-run by a steady parade of
better-armed empires, like Greece, the Byzantines, the Romans, the Spanish, the
Arabs, the French, and of course both sides of WWII. All that history and all
those conquering cultures have combined in Sicily to produce a land and a
people who seem to accept that “stuff happens” and you just have to roll with
it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That extends
to their cooking. With a plethora of almonds on the island, they’ve learned how
to incorporate them into almost every meal. I had almond cookies, almond
gelato, almonds sprinkled on my pasta, and fish breaded with crushed almonds.
When almonds were missing, pistachios took up the slack.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Because of
the constant presence of those tree nuts, I was often glad my son wasn’t with
me on this trip. Sure, it would have been possible to talk to chefs and waiters
and request special handling to make sure he was being served almond-free
foods, but the constant vigilance would have made this vacation more stressful
than most we’ve taken. Since my mother and I are not allergic to tree nuts, we
were able to enjoy the food without worrying. (Although I must admit, I felt a
pang of guilt every time another dish arrived in front of me with almonds
sprinkled liberally over it.) (And I guess I should also admit that those
almond cookies were DIVINE. Don’t hate me.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-15UYU92KgRQ/VZw_lrZBroI/AAAAAAAAArU/cfISZfSJTR0/s1600/Sicily%2BKelley%2Blemon%2Bgranita.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-15UYU92KgRQ/VZw_lrZBroI/AAAAAAAAArU/cfISZfSJTR0/s320/Sicily%2BKelley%2Blemon%2Bgranita.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I'm telling ya, lemon granita is a highly civilized way<br />to end a breakfast. I could get used to this!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">On the other
hand, if my son HAD been with me, he would have loved the lemons. There were jars
of lemon marmalade, lemon syrup, limoncello (a lemon-flavored liqueur—okay,
that would not have been for him, but definitely for me!), a lemon-cream pasta
sauce that was out of this world, and scoop after scoop after heavenly scoop of
lemon granita (Italian ice). Lemon granita was even served in the breakfast
buffet every morning at our hotel, which my mother and I agreed was a very
civilized way to face the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All of which
just goes to show… when life hands you almonds, make lemon ice!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R28gnoJWa28/VZw_mdFw4iI/AAAAAAAAArY/4btXjQK2o1Y/s1600/Sicily%2BMt%2BEtna%2Blemon%2Borchard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R28gnoJWa28/VZw_mdFw4iI/AAAAAAAAArY/4btXjQK2o1Y/s400/Sicily%2BMt%2BEtna%2Blemon%2Borchard.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">An iconic Sicilian view: the active volcano Mt. Etna<br />(notice the plume of smoke coming out of its vents),<br />seen from a path through a lemon orchard.</span></td></tr>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-30279303239671383302015-03-30T14:03:00.000-06:002015-03-30T14:03:33.879-06:00Make This an Allergy-Free Easter<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1rgTocsIJPE/VRmq2aQpaTI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/tGx462T9rRI/s1600/IMG_4344%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1rgTocsIJPE/VRmq2aQpaTI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/tGx462T9rRI/s1600/IMG_4344%2Bsmall.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Don’t look
now, but another food-oriented holiday is coming up this weekend. Yep, it’s time
for the Easter Bunny to make his once-yearly hop down the Bunny Trail with
baskets full of goodies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">For kids
with egg allergies, one of the first Easter hurdles is the tradition of dyeing
Easter eggs. If you’re wondering what to do, you have lots of options:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Some people
I know let their kids wear kitchen gloves to handle the eggs during the dyeing
process. For others, that’s just not worth the risk, so they opt for some of
the methods listed below.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Buy wooden,
plastic, ceramic or paper-mache eggs from the craft store, then decorate them using
paint, stickers, markers, and glitter.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Use your
favorite safe cookie recipe and some Easter-themed cookie cutters to bake
cookies, then decorate them. Wouldn’t you rather eat a cookie than a
hard-boiled egg anyway?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Make Jell-O
Jiggler eggs using Easter-shaped molds from the craft store, or make them in a
pan and use Easter-shaped cookie cutters to cut out shapes. (See the Jell-O box
for the recipe.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Make safe
chocolate shapes by melting safe chocolate chips and pouring the melted
chocolate into Easter-shaped plastic molds (available at craft stores). <a href="http://livepretty.com/2012/04/01/making-easter-candy/">This website</a> uses non-safe chocolate wafers, but you should be able to substitute safe
chocolate chips like Enjoy Life Foods’ chocolate chips instead with similar
results. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Make
hard-candy stained glass Easter eggs with some metal cookie cutters in Easter
egg shapes and a bag of safe hard candy. Here is a website with instructions
for making <a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_5620070_bake-candy-decorations.html">hard-candy stained-glass ornaments</a>.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Try making
<a href="http://www.makeandtakes.com/make-your-own-window-clings">Easter window clings</a>—just draw your own Easter egg design instead of the
rainbow, and you can display a fun Easter egg in your window. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Print Easter
coloring pages. Low on time, energy, and creativity? No problem. Print some
Easter Egg coloring pages from the internet, and let your kids color them while
you tackle Easter dinner. Just search for Easter Egg Coloring Pages, and you’ll
find more than enough to keep any kid busy for a while.</span></li>
</ul>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ft_KIyXaG0/VRmq0hMwU2I/AAAAAAAAAp4/1QLio9J-txY/s1600/IMG_4336%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8Ft_KIyXaG0/VRmq0hMwU2I/AAAAAAAAAp4/1QLio9J-txY/s1600/IMG_4336%2Bsmall.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">The next
hurdle is finding safe Easter candy. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Your best
bet for nut-free chocolate bunnies is always Hershey’s, and Target always
carries several nut-free Hershey’s candies. The safe bunnies are all 6-inch style
(Snapsy, Speedy Bunny, Princess Bunny, and Hollow Bunny), and they all contain
milk and soy lecithin, but they are peanut-free and tree-nut free. I also found
a package of 6 Hershey’s solid chocolate bunnies that are nut-free and contain
only milk and soy lecithin (but avoid the package of 6 “cookies and cream”
bunnies – they have additional allergens). Some flavors of Hershey’s kisses are
also nut-free, as well as Hershey’s mini foil-wrapped chocolate eggs. But
double-check labels – many Hershey’s products have nut warnings, so don’t
assume they’re safe until you check. And remember, all Hershey’s chocolate
includes milk and soy. Those Cadbury mini eggs are also nut-free, although they
contain milk, soy, and corn. But only the mini eggs are nut-free – the larger
sizes tend to have nut warnings. Target also has cones of Hershey’s chocolate
drops coated in white candy, sold in a cellophane cone (contains milk, corn,
and soy lecithin).</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3oR68Bc3Cw4/VRmq1kHV5RI/AAAAAAAAAqI/mXbyAhzCUXE/s1600/IMG_4340%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3oR68Bc3Cw4/VRmq1kHV5RI/AAAAAAAAAqI/mXbyAhzCUXE/s1600/IMG_4340%2Bsmall.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Looking for
a 6-inch bunny for the basket, but don’t want chocolate? Try a Strawberry or
Blue Raspberry gummy bunny, which I found at Target! (Contains soy and gelatin).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nsUGDTpFRFo/VRmmkH9H-mI/AAAAAAAAAps/hAy4bX9PkbM/s1600/IMG_4324%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nsUGDTpFRFo/VRmmkH9H-mI/AAAAAAAAAps/hAy4bX9PkbM/s1600/IMG_4324%2Bsmall.jpg" height="200" width="150" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Many of our
“tried and true” candy manufacturers are jumping on the jelly-bean band wagon,
which means more safe jelly beans for our kids. Look for jelly beans from Jolly
Rancher (contains soy lecithin), Jelly Belly (contains soy lecithin), Starburst,
Life Savers, and Swedish Fish Eggs (I found these at Target). Target also had green
“Easter grass candy” from Twizzlers (contains wheat).</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YNAfHLT0xIQ/VRmq0srOLiI/AAAAAAAAAqA/HBqfNvhNQGU/s1600/IMG_4327%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-YNAfHLT0xIQ/VRmq0srOLiI/AAAAAAAAAqA/HBqfNvhNQGU/s1600/IMG_4327%2Bsmall.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">And finally,
remember that you don’t have to fill those plastic eggs with candy. Kids love
to find small novelties like tattoos, money, dice, jacks, army parachute men,
Hot Wheels cars, Polly Pockets, bracelets and rings, whistles, bubbles, and
other toys in their eggs.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My son’s
favorite Easter tradition was when I would type up clues and hide them inside
eggs. Each clue led to another egg with another clue, until finally he was led
to his basket filled with toys or games. Less candy, more fun!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Easter is a
time of traditions, but that does NOT mean you have to stick with the old,
dangerous ones. In fact, it’s a wonderful experience to invent brand new
traditions for your family that are safe, fun, and meaningful to you. So enjoy
your holiday with the people you love best, and say “Hi” to the Easter Bunny
for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-70449610499376402842015-02-25T11:34:00.000-07:002015-02-25T11:34:14.080-07:00Raising Awareness of Rare Diseases This Saturday<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eF7Al1hjXwU/VO4Ujjg65GI/AAAAAAAAApI/QEilxzSiByE/s1600/Rare%2BDisease%2BDay%2Blogo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eF7Al1hjXwU/VO4Ujjg65GI/AAAAAAAAApI/QEilxzSiByE/s1600/Rare%2BDisease%2BDay%2Blogo.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There are
plenty of times in life when being rare or unique is good. Having a rare
artistic talent, for example, is a blessing. Having a rare skill that is in
high demand, such as being able to track down security breaches in high-risk
networks, provides lucrative prospects. Having a rare ability to choose winning
lottery numbers would be especially nice.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">But having a
rare disease can be a nightmare.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Neither regular
doctors nor specialists recognize your symptoms. Even if they do, there may not
be enough medical data to tell them how to treat you. You can waste precious years
trying to find out what’s wrong, steadily growing sicker as you try one false
lead after another. Drugs and treatments, if they exist, are often
astronomically expensive. Because it’s so rare, researchers don’t study it, and
pharmaceutical companies don’t want to invest the average $1.5 billion it takes
to bring a drug to market when they know only a handful of patients will ever
pay for it. You feel like a guinea pig that doctors are just throwing darts at,
day in and day out. And in some cases, you feel like you’re perched on the
ragged edge of disaster every day.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My
sister-in-law, Jennifer, has just such a disease. Hers is called MonoMAC, and doctors
only know of 25 other people who’ve ever had this disease. <a href="http://bonemarrow.org/financial-assistance/one-to-one-funds/participants/jennifer-price-pollard/">You can read more about her here.</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">That’s why I’m
happy to help spread the word about “</span><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/utah-rare-disease-day-symposium-tickets-15097718683" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Rare Disease Day</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">,” </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">which is the last day of February every year. That’s this Saturday, and the organization
called Utah Rare is holding a half-day </span><a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/utah-rare-disease-day-symposium-tickets-15097718683" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Rare Disease Day Symposium</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> in Salt Lake City (with a wonderful array of speakers) to help spread awareness
among the public as well as among policy makers, public authorities, industry
representatives, researchers, and health professionals. The Saturday symposium
is being modeled after the popular TED Talks, and it will be live-streamed and
recorded.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">In addition,
Utah Rare will be holding a </span><a href="http://utahrare.org/events/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Rare Disease Day State House Event </a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">at the State
Capitol Building Rotunda in Salt Lake City this Friday, from 3:00 – 5:00pm to
reach legislators, legislative staff, the public, and the media.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Rare Disease
Day isn’t just a Utah event—84 countries around the world participated in </span><a href="http://utahrare.org/what-is-rare-disease-day-2/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Rare Disease Day events</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> last year.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here are the
details for the Saturday event:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Utah Rare
Disease Day Symposium</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Saturday,
Feb 28, 2015</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">12:00pm – 5:00pm
(MST)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Eccles </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Health Services Education Building, 26 S. 2000
E, Salt Lake City, UT 84112</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tickets:
Free! But you need a ticket, so order them online at <a href="https://www.eventbrite.com/e/utah-rare-disease-day-symposium-tickets-15097718683">Utah Rare Disease Day Symposium</a></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Confirmed
speakers for the Saturday Symposium include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dr. Dean Li,
Associate Vice President for Research and Chief Scientific Officer for
University of Utah Health Sciences</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dr. Ed
Clark, Chief Medical Officer of Primary Children’s Hospital and Chair of
Pediatrics</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dr. Kevin
Jones, Professor and Author of “What Doctors Cannot Tell You”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dr. Gholson
Lyon, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and Utah Foundation for Biomedical Research</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dr. Reid
Robison, Chief Executive Officer of Tute Genomics</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dr. Robert
Selliah, Chief Executive Officer of American Med Chem</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dr.
Christopher Gibson, Chief Executive Officer of Recursion Pharmaceuticals</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Crystal
Shearman, producer of “Undiagnosed: Medical Refugees” film</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gina
Szjanuk, Founder of Rare and Undiagnosed Network</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Season
Atwater, Founder of Aware of Angels</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Come learn
about rare diseases and the impact they can have not just on individuals, but
on the community around them, and learn what’s being done to address these
heart-breaking issues.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And if you
happen to have a rare disease, know that events like this are going on all over
the world this Saturday, and we’re all standing beside you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-72157397115299644732015-02-09T21:12:00.000-07:002015-02-09T21:12:23.121-07:00Student Food Allergy Network<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">By
Kelley Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DSKtW3CI0s/VNmEoUns7QI/AAAAAAAAAn4/gq7jdE7DxU8/s1600/SFAN%2Blogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0DSKtW3CI0s/VNmEoUns7QI/AAAAAAAAAn4/gq7jdE7DxU8/s1600/SFAN%2Blogo.png" height="158" width="200" /></a><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I
recently learned about the Student Food Allergy Network, an organization
started by Nicholas Ditzler to help students—especially college students—learn
how to navigate student life with food allergies. I asked Nicholas to tell us
about his organization, and I’m so excited to share his story with our food
allergy community! Thank you, Nicholas, for helping students be safer at
school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin-left: 33.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -30.0pt;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">1.<span style="font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--></b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>When did you start the Student Food Allergy Network?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">Personally,
I have food allergies to wheat, dairy, egg, corn, soy, peanut, tree nut,
shellfish, melon, and citrus fruits. I am very passionate about allergies and
hope to pursue a career in allergy/immunology after undergrad. </span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica;">One of the main goals I
had when I started the Student Food Allergy Network was for the student
organization to serve as a resource for families who have kids that are at
different transition stages in life. Whether they are transitioning from middle
school to high school, or high school to college, food allergies can often make
this process stressful for both the parents and the child. All our members have
been in these families’ shoes and know just how difficult this process can be.
By showing parents of kids with food allergies that there are students who have
gone away to college and are actively living with and managing their food
allergies while still living a normal college life, we hope to relieve some of
the anxiety some of these parents face and serve as role models for the kids
who have food allergies.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> The mission of the Student Food Allergy Network is to </span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Tahoma;">promote awareness and
understanding of food allergies. Guided by this collective goal, and through
everyday actions, we hope to inspire SFAN members and members of the community
to go beyond the classroom, change the thoughts of others, and become agents of
change for the millions affected by food allergies.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>How many
campuses have a chapter?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The
Student Food Allergy Network has its headquarters at the University of Michigan,
where it was originally founded. Since our genesis in July 2014, we have opened
another chapter of the Student Food Allergy Network at Oregon State University
in Corvallis, Oregon, where it is also recognized as an official student
organization. We are always looking to continue spreading awareness of food
allergies and expanding the Student Food Allergy Network to other high schools
and college campuses nationwide. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>How does
each chapter work? Are there meetings, guest speakers, a Facebook page, etc.?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">At
both our University of Michigan and Oregon State University locations, we hold
bi-weekly meetings. During this time, we do everything from working on projects
for organizations such as the Asthma and Allergy Foundation and Anaphylaxis Canada
to sharing recipes and alternatives for common allergens, to having guest
speakers. One of our past events that was a great success was having the
program coordinator of the University of Michigan Food Allergy Center come and
advise our members on how to correctly use an epinephrine auto-injector. We
also have a Facebook page where we keep everyone posted on what we are
currently doing on campus.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/studentfoodallergynetwork?ref=bookmarks">https://www.facebook.com/studentfoodallergynetwork?ref=bookmarks</a></span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>How many
members do you have so far?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">We
currently have over 50 members at our University of Michigan and Oregon State
locations. We are continuing to expand and reach out to more individuals who
want to get involved.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">What are the
main reasons students join your network? What can you offer these kids and
families?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">There
are many reasons why students join the Student Food Allergy Network. However, I would say that the single greatest
reason is that SFAN provides a support network for those of us with food
allergies. The Student Food Allergy
Network is a great way for students to network with other kids on campus who
also have food allergies. Many of our members enjoy trading recipes as well as
recommending restaurants on campus that are able to accommodate for food
allergies. The Student Food Allergy Network also serves as a great resource for
students if they have any concerns regarding food allergies on campus. Many of our
members know who to contact regarding specific concerns on campus and are able
to help out. For families who have kids with food allergies, we also serve as a
team of college-aged individuals who have grown up with food allergies and have
been able to successfully transition into college life. We encourage families with
questions, whether related to children with food allergies in elementary school
or transitioning into college, to send us a message and we can give perspective
and advice from someone who has walked in their shoes. Organization Email: </span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt;"><a href="mailto:SFANexecutiveboard2014-15@umich.edu">SFANexecutiveboard2014-15@umich.edu</a></span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>What are
your plans for the network after you graduate?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">The
Student Food Allergy Network could not have been as successful as it has been
in the recent past if it was not for its passionate and dedicated members
towards making a difference in the community and spreading awareness of food
allergies. Each chapter has a qualified executive board and comprises all grade
levels. After graduation, I plan on passing the torch to another passionate
member who I’m sure will strive to promote awareness of food allergies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>If someone
wants to start a chapter at their own school, what should they do?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">If
someone wants to start a chapter of the Student Food Allergy Network at their
own high school or university, we recommend they contact us either on Facebook
or via email. We have all the information needed to start a chapter at their
school, and we would greatly enjoy working with new individuals on spreading
awareness of food allergies nationwide.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">8.</span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">
</span></b><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><b>What is the
most common advice you give to incoming college freshman and their parents?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;">One
of the common questions we receive from parents of high school seniors and
college freshmen is how to find out if the University Dining Services can
accommodate for their food allergies. One of the things I noticed when I was
transitioning from high school to college was that the University was very
accommodating and made sure I was set up with a chef who knew the severity of
all my allergies. However, it does take some initiative on your part to make
sure the University knows you have food allergies and need special accommodations.
It is very important when you arrive on campus to contact dining services and
see if they are able to accommodate your needs. </span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Helvetica Neue";">I can personally say, after
reaching out to dining services they have been very helpful and set me up with
chefs who could make my meals properly without any of the foods I am allergic
to. There are some students in our organization who did not contact anyone
within the university about their food allergies and have had a difficult time
making sure their needs are met. So I would recommend letting the University
know of your allergies and need for special accommodations. Going through
college with food allergies can be stressful, so knowing some hints like this
beforehand can make the process proceed smoothly. Like Chef Martin told me, “If you don’t tell
me, I can’t do anything about it. Actively communicating is the only way we can
make this work.” And a piece of advice
for parents: teach your child how to cook for themselves at an early age. This will serve them well as they transition
to living on their own. </span><span style="font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-26612045962107995522015-01-19T18:25:00.000-07:002015-01-19T18:25:11.602-07:00Valentine’s Candy for Lovers with Food Allergies!<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here it
comes… another candy-orie</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">nted holiday. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Since the day after Christmas, the
grocery stores have been stocking all things pink and red, in anticipation of
Valentine’s Day. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 17px;">It's still a month away, so that means there's time to plan ahead for a safe Valentine's Day.</span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RT-e6sj8s78/VL2r0PIJgUI/AAAAAAAAAnA/Eh3ar3kpdno/s1600/IMG_4115%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RT-e6sj8s78/VL2r0PIJgUI/AAAAAAAAAnA/Eh3ar3kpdno/s1600/IMG_4115%2Bsmall.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Gimbal's heart-shaped jelly beans were a huge<br />hit with the teenage crowd at my house!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">The go-to gift is often candy – especially chocolate and those
little conversation hearts (you know, the chalky little hearts with words
stamped on them). </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">But if you or
your sweetie has food allergies, candy may not be an easy choice. After all,
nothing says “I love you” like anaphylactic shock, right? While you can sometimes
find allergy-safe chocolate online and in stores, most is simply a no-no. And
those conversation hearts? Both Brach’s and Necco’s hearts carry allergen warnings
for </span><span class="lactose"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; padding: 0in;">milk, egg, wheat, peanut, tree nuts, and soy, so
they’re just not an option for most allergic folks.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And it’s not
just receiving candy that’s a problem. What if you think you’re being romantic
and you give your non-allergic sweetie some traditional Valentine’s candy, and
then she wants to kiss you, and you just happen to be allergic to an ingredient
in that chocolate? “Will you be my Valentine? Great, now whatever you do, don’t
kiss me,” isn’t really the kind of dialogue romantic movies are known for, is
it?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And then
there’s the whole school Valentine exchange thing, where all the kids take in
Valentine’s cards to drop in each other’s elaborately decorated Valentine
holders, and parents seem to just love all the little candy add-ons. But if you
know a kid in your classroom has allergies, what can you do to keep that child
safe while still making your own child’s Valentines a little extra-special?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Well, first
off, if you’re the super-ambitious type, you could make your own <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/blog/2014/02/how-to-makeconversation-hearts/">Homemade Conversation Hearts</a>, using this recipe that calls for </span><span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">unflavored
gelatin, light corn syrup and confectioner’s sugar, plus food colorings and
food coloring markers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Helvetica; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Yeah, okay, now that we’ve all had a good laugh (I
mean, really, who has time for THAT?), let’s look at some other options:</span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHgbuFEILAw/VL2r0B9C-5I/AAAAAAAAAm8/ApRabEqrErc/s1600/IMG_4111%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OHgbuFEILAw/VL2r0B9C-5I/AAAAAAAAAm8/ApRabEqrErc/s1600/IMG_4111%2Bsmall.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
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<li><span style="background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><b><u>Heart-shaped jelly beans</u></b>, anyone? <a href="http://www.gimbalscandy.com/index.html">Gimbal’s Fine Candies</a> has some really tasty heart-shaped jelly beans in a huge variety of flavors. I had
a half-dozen teenagers in my kitchen the other day, and I set out bowls of <a href="http://www.gimbalscandy.com/cherry-lovers.html">Gimbal’s Cherry Lovers</a> (9 different cherry flavors!), <a href="http://www.gimbalscandy.com/sour-lovers.html">Sour Lovers</a> (12 sour flavors, coated with sugar like gum drops or Sour Patch Kids), and
<a href="http://www.gimbalscandy.com/cinnamon-lovers.html">Cinnamon Lovers</a> (red-hot cinnamon goodness!). As you can imagine, all 3 bags disappeared in a
heartbeat (ha! pun intended). My favorite is the Cherry Lovers, but judging by
how fast the bowl emptied, the teens’ favorite was the Sour Lovers (“These are way
better than Sour Patch Kids” was the final verdict), with the other two varieties
coming in close behind. The best thing about Gimbal’s Fine Candies is that <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uatFVE-dAbY/VL2r1CTpRDI/AAAAAAAAAnM/ikT_6ycbEX8/s1600/IMG_4118%2Bsmall.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uatFVE-dAbY/VL2r1CTpRDI/AAAAAAAAAnM/ikT_6ycbEX8/s1600/IMG_4118%2Bsmall.JPG" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
they’re allergy
free and proud of it! Their candy is produced in an allergy-free factory, and
all of their packaging says: “Peanut free, tree nut free, dairy free, gluten
free, soy free, and egg free.” They’re also Kosher pareve. (If you think living
with food allergies is complicated, try living with food allergies and keeping
kosher, too.) Read <a href="http://www.gimbalscandy.com/allergen-free.html">Gimbal’s Allergy Statement here</a>.</span> <span style="background: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">These are so much better than those
chalky conversation hearts, it’s ridiculous.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><u><b><a href="http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/">Peanut Free Planet</a></b></u> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: One of my
favorite online grocery stores for allergy-aware treats, Peanut Free Planet offers candy from
many allergy-friendly brands. They also carry candy from Canadian
manufacturers, who manage to make nut-free versions of popular chocolate candy
bars that you just can’t find from American factories (my son’s favorites are
the nut-free Kit-Kat bars and the Wagon Wheels, both made in Canada).</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><b><u>Local grocery stores</u></b> have options, too: Every year,
I manage to find a few Valentine’s candy options that are free from the Big 8.
Look for hard candy lollipops, and candies from those reliable standbys like Starburst,
Skittles, and Jolly Rancher. I generally have the best luck finding safe candy
at Dollar Tree, followed by Smith’s (Kroger brand is getting better and better
at safe manufacturing), and Target. On the other hand, I have a much harder
time finding safe candy at Walmart.</span></li>
<li><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><b>Non-food treats</b>: For school, of course, I highly
recommend avoiding food altogether. The last thing any of those kids need,
allergies or not, is more candy. So hit the party aisle at your local discount
store or dollar store, order from <a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/">www.OrientalTrading.com</a>, or check out these
adorable ideas from <a href="http://www.popsugar.com/">www.PopSugar.com</a>’s “<a href="http://www.popsugar.com/moms/DIY-Noncandy-Printable-Valentine-Day-Cards-Kids-13791428#photo-13791428">The 48 Best Noncandy Valentine Ideas for Kids</a>.” </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">(Just remember, Play-Doh contains wheat, so it’s not safe for
wheat/gluten-allergic kids.)</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 17px;">Whatever you choose to do for Valentine's Day, I hope it's a day full of love, hugs, and lots of giggles. </span></span></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-9037931654891412292015-01-05T11:03:00.000-07:002015-01-05T11:07:34.007-07:0010 Silver Linings of Living with Food Allergies<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SbOc0gOJ5Pk/VKrQWHXw0lI/AAAAAAAAAmM/QnoudeXWB_A/s1600/Silver%2BLinings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SbOc0gOJ5Pk/VKrQWHXw0lI/AAAAAAAAAmM/QnoudeXWB_A/s1600/Silver%2BLinings.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Many of my
friends and I are relieved to see 2014 pack up its bags and hit the road. While
it wasn’t all bad, there were some pretty rough challenges last year that we’re
ready to put behind us. Of course, that doesn’t mean we don’t appreciate the
good things that happened. We just hope there are a few more of those in 2015.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But as they
say, it’s not what life throws at you that matters. It’s how you handle it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Attitude
really is everything. I believe that. I try to live by it. (I get points for
trying, right?) And with each new year, I remind myself that when I’m faced
with challenges, I need to stop whining and start acting to change it, find
ways to turn it into a positive experience, or at the very least, learn from it
so that it doesn’t happen again (or isn’t as difficult if it does).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In that
spirit, I decided that with the new year still fresh and shiny, today would be
a good day to consider the silver linings of living with food allergies. Sure,
there are a myriad of challenges that come with food allergies, and every one
of us can rattle off a list of those challenges as long as your arm at a moment’s
notice. But focusing on the challenges makes every day darker, every
relationship a little more strained, every moment a little poorer. It’s harder
to see those silver linings, and that’s exactly why I think we should take a minute
(or a year) to think about them. So here are some of my silver linings, in no
particular order. What are yours?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">With food
allergies:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">You learn to
cook from scratch, and it turns out it’s not as hard as you thought. And it
usually tastes better. Who knew?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">By cooking
from scratch, you eliminate many/most of the chemical preservatives,
petroleum-based food colorings, sugar substitutes, overly processed ingredients,
and other less-desirable elements from your family’s diet, which is a long-term
health gain for every family member.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">You have a
supportive online community that totally understands you.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">You always
have an antihistamine and an epinephrine auto-injector with you, which can come in handy if a
stranger needs help. (During a parade a couple of years ago in Salt Lake City,
someone riding a horse in the parade began experiencing an anaphylactic
reaction. Luckily for them, they were right behind a group of <a href="http://www.utahfoodallergy.org/">Utah Food Allergy Network</a> members who were also marching in the parade, and who immediately
provided an Epi-Pen. If you’re going to have an allergic reaction, it’s excellent
planning to have it near a group of food allergy mamas.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Your child’s
teachers get to know you really, really well. And that bond/partnership can be
a very good thing when your child needs a little extra help in the classroom or
on the playground.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">You learn to
celebrate tiny victories. (“Woohoo! Kroger’s envelope of Ranch Dressing Mix is
free from dairy, egg, nuts, and seafood! It’s HAPPY DANCE time!”)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">By talking
about food allergies with other people, even just casually, whether it’s online,
on the train, or on the sidelines of your kid’s soccer game, you spread
awareness, which makes the world a little bit safer for all food-allergic
people everywhere. (And that mom you met whose kid has horrible eczema and is
miserable all the time? When you mentioned that most eczema is an allergic
reaction, and common culprits are egg and milk, and many pediatricians don’t
seem to know it, that mom may have gone home and made an appointment with a board-certified
allergist, meaning you may have just given that child their first chance at relief
in years.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">You learn who your real friends are, and you learn that most people are, in fact, genuinely kind and good and helpful. They more than make up for the occasional jerk.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">In a country
where obesity is epidemic, childhood diabetes is rising, and chemical additives
appear to be altering our immune systems, you can instill in your kids a
healthier perspective on food’s role in our lives. Instead of focusing on food
as a reward, as the main feature of every activity, and as a cure for boredom,
your kids will grow up with lifelong healthy-eating habits, because you showed
them that food is a fuel, to be used carefully, safely, and responsibly, and
that fun doesn’t always have to equal pizza.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">That dinner
you made the other night that your family loved? When you post that recipe online,
you make a dozen (or more) other families super happy. You’re spreading happiness,
baby!</span></li>
</ol>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">And
spreading happiness, good health, and safety is an excellent way to welcome in
the new year, don’t you think?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you have
more silver linings you’d like to share, post them in the Comments or email me,
and I’ll add them to our list.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Have a happy,
safe 2015, everyone!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-10826987755260313082014-12-29T11:54:00.000-07:002014-12-29T11:54:17.381-07:00It’s Not New Year’s Without Black-Eyed Peas (Allergy-Free!)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">By Kelley
Lindberg</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My
grandmother always said, “Be careful what you do on New Year’s Day, because
that’s what you’ll be doing all year long.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I don’t know
if she was right or not, but I always try to do things on New Year’s Day that I
wouldn’t be ashamed/annoyed/mad/tired of doing all year. So I generally avoid
cleaning house, and I try to avoid arguing with my son. On the positive side, I
always try to do some writing (even if it’s just a sentence or two), and have a
nice day with my family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUQL9mym02Q/VKGiYE2swwI/AAAAAAAAAl8/aXhG_uRAXuE/s1600/black-eyed%2Bpeas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TUQL9mym02Q/VKGiYE2swwI/AAAAAAAAAl8/aXhG_uRAXuE/s1600/black-eyed%2Bpeas.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The other
thing I have to do every New Year’s Day is eat black-eyed peas. My family is
all originally from Texas, so eating black-eyed peas for good luck on New Year’s
Day is mandatory. No questions. No resistance. You WILL eat black-eyed peas.
You WILL have good luck whether you want it or not. Fortunately, I happen to
love black-eyed peas!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I know other
parts of the South also like collard greens (for money), but in my house, it
was always about the black-eyed peas. Sometimes called Hoppin’ John when they’re
served with rice, black-eyed peas are easy to make, and they’re delicious
topped with chopped onions and jalapenos, and served over rice or cornbread. (The
non-sweet kind – here’s my favorite recipe for <a href="http://www.alberscorn.com/recipes/cornmeal/AlbersCornBread.aspx">Albers® Corn Bread</a>.
Just use soy or rice milk and your favorite egg substitute like Ener-G, and
leave out the sugar). Black-eyed peas go great with ham, a beef brisket, chicken,
seafood, or just about any main dish, really. And if you like the idea of
greens representing money, saute some collard greens, Swiss chard, spinach, or
kale in a little olive oil and safe margarine, along with some chopped garlic
and salt and a bit of water to steam them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So if you’re
in the mood to have a really lucky year, be sure you put some black-eyed peas
on the table. Just please don’t used the mushy, flavorless canned ones. Yuck. They’re so easy to
make from scratch, so try my grandmother’s recipe instead (below)! <o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">(Of course,
they’re even better if you use fresh peas, but frozen works fine this time of
year.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">My son hates
peas and beans of all types, but he learned early on that he wasn’t allowed to
leave the table on New Year’s Day until he’d eaten at least one—count ‘em, one—black-eyed
pea. That’s all I ask. Now he eats it without complaining (mostly), so I know
he’s going to be okay for another year. Somewhere up there, my grandmother is
looking down on him and smiling.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Have a Happy and Lucky New Year!</span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Black-Eyed
Peas</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">3 slices
bacon, diced (or you can use diced smoked pork or ham)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1 bag frozen
black-eyed peas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1/2 tsp salt
(or to taste)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Chopped
onion and/or jalapenos (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Fry bacon in
pan. Pour off grease. Add black-eyed peas and enough water to cover about 1
inch above peas. Add salt. Bring to boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 1
1/2 hours. Serve over rice or cornbread, and top with chopped onion and/or
jalapenos.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-80981329123660373102014-12-23T10:58:00.000-07:002014-12-23T10:58:10.572-07:00Food Allergy Survival Tips for Holiday Parties<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5l9kBpO4PB0/VJms9CZ5ulI/AAAAAAAAAls/QffO0hAIRIs/s1600/Xmas%2Bcookies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5l9kBpO4PB0/VJms9CZ5ulI/AAAAAAAAAls/QffO0hAIRIs/s1600/Xmas%2Bcookies.jpg" height="133" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Christmas is
this week (just in case you missed those subtle signs, commercials, wish lists,
non-stop music, mall Santas, and frenzied looks in everyone’s eyes). If your
holiday celebrations include visits with family and friends, you may be worried
about the kind of food you’ll be surrounded by, and whether those celebrations
will be safe for the food-allergic members of your family. Here are some tips
I’ve found that might help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1. If you’re
going to a pot-luck, volunteer to bring a dessert. Those are usually the most
likely to contain all the things you’re allergic to (nuts, dairy, etc.), so if
you bring the dessert, you can control it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">2. Call the
hostess and mention your food allergy. It’s not rude – trust me, most hostesses
would rather serve something everyone can eat than spend a lot of time making
something and THEN discovering that you can’t eat it. That’s more rude, if you
think about it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">3. If it’s
your child that’s allergic, take a lunch sack of safe food for him or her. No
one wants to have a child suddenly get sick at a family event – or worse, have
to be rushed to the ER. So don’t be embarrassed. Pack and take a simple meal
for your child to eat, so you and your hostess don’t have to worry. I used to
make up a package of sliced turkey, safe crackers, grapes, and other cold
finger foods for my son, and I called them “Mom’s Lunchables,” like those
prepackaged things at the store (but safer!). My son liked it just fine, and
hostesses completely understood.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">4. Of
course, keep your epinephrine auto-injectors and Benadryl or Claritin within
reach, just in case.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">5. Remind
other parents to make sure their kids wash their hands after eating unsafe
foods “to keep Johnny safe.” Most kids are much better than adults at
understanding and wanting to keep a food-allergic buddy safe, so if you remind
them to wash their hands, they usually will willingly. Don’t be shy. Shy never
helped anyone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">6. Make a
deal with your kid. Before going to a party, I would promise my son that if he
couldn’t eat some of the treats there, that we’d have a special treat when we
got home instead. He’s not big on delayed gratification, but he was still able
to process in his mind that Mommy would make up for it later, and he has always
been okay with skipping foods at a party.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">7. Make a
big show of thanking people who bring safe food to the party. It will make them
happy and more determined to bring safe things again to the next party, and it
might make those who didn’t bring safe foods think twice the next time. You
never want to shame anyone, but positive reinforcement really does work!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">8. Understand that people forget,
they get spacey, they make mistakes. They don't usually do things to be mean on
purpose. So don't be nasty if someone brings something unsafe. But you don't
have to stay in an unsafe environment, either. You can always say, "We
didn't want to miss the opportunity to stop in and say hi, but we can't
stay." Then leave. It's okay. You've made an appearance, you've
fulfilled your obligation. It's your holiday. You have the right to spend
it in ways that make you happy, not in ways that make you nervous or upset.
Then go drive around and look at Christmas lights. Spend time with your
children. Watch a movie together. Remember what Christmas is all about. Relax.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Got any
other tips for surviving holiday gatherings? Be sure you share them with us!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Merry
Christmas, Happy Solstice, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Boxing Day, and a Wonderful
Everything! (Hanukkah is just ending, but I hope you had a great one of those,
too!)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
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<br /></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-39550357965511064912014-12-01T13:20:00.002-07:002014-12-01T13:20:26.414-07:00An E-Book for Parents of Food-Allergic Kids<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you or your
child has just been diagnosed with food allergies, you probably headed straight
for the internet to find out how to eat, cook, and live with this new challenge
in your life. Fortunately, there is a massive amount of information about food
allergies out there.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IAMLqAvFo1A/VHzMtiadjyI/AAAAAAAAAlc/Z0miF2h1RQ8/s1600/Book-Cover-300-x-200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IAMLqAvFo1A/VHzMtiadjyI/AAAAAAAAAlc/Z0miF2h1RQ8/s1600/Book-Cover-300-x-200.jpg" height="149" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This new 28-page e-book is a nice intro<br />to food allergies</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unfortunately,
there is so much information it can feel overwhelming, like trying to drink
from that proverbial fire-hose. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s why
it’s always nice to find a resource that distills all that information down
into a nice, easy-to-understand overview to get you started.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That’s why I
was happy to learn about a new e-book from Kathy Penrod and Mary Ellen Ellis,
called <i><a href="http://www.mykidsfoodallergies.com/new-free-e-book-a-parents-guide-to-food-allergies/">An Overview of Food Allergies for Parents in Need of Answers</a></i>. It’s short (just 28 pages), easy to read, and covers a lot of territory without
getting too technical. As an introduction for the newly diagnosed, it hits all
the crucial topics, such as what food allergies are, how they’re diagnosed, current
and experimental treatments, how to avoid reactions, and tips for living in
today’s world with food allergies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The best
part? It’s free!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This e-book
would also be a great resource to share with family members, babysitters, or
other people in your life who need to understand just how serious food
allergies are and how to keep you or your food-allergic child safe. (It might
be just the thing to finally convince that one family member to stop serving her
nut-filled casserole at every family party. I’m just sayin’.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">The e-book
is in .pdf format, so you can read it on your computer or tablet using a pdf-reader
like Adobe Acrobat, or you can load it onto an e-reader (like Kindle or Nook). To
download your free e-book, go to </span><a href="http://www.mykidsfoodallergies.com/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">www.MyKidsFoodAllergies.com</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">,
then enter your first name and email address. They’ll send you a confirmation
email (which you click on to verify you’re a real human), then they’ll send you
another email with a link to the e-book, which will automatically download to
your “downloads” folder. It’s fast, easy, and free, so check it out! </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-15947988132963886652014-11-17T11:21:00.000-07:002014-11-17T11:21:25.908-07:00Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes, 2014<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thanksgiving
is rapidly approaching, and if you have food allergies in your family, you’re <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eb37nxCbQLo/VGo7_G5iOpI/AAAAAAAAAlM/YhCR09t7x_M/s1600/Thanksgiving%2Bdinner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eb37nxCbQLo/VGo7_G5iOpI/AAAAAAAAAlM/YhCR09t7x_M/s1600/Thanksgiving%2Bdinner.jpg" height="246" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes, it's possible to have an allergy-safe Thanksgiving dinner!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
probably
already wondering how to make the traditional meal safer. Every year I look for
new recipes that are free from the Top 8 allergens, or can be made that way
with simple substitutions. So here are some recipes I’ve found this year. (And
by the way, when I’m listing all the things I’m thankful for, the internet will
be on that list. I can’t imagine how much harder dealing with allergies would be
without the internet as a source of support, education, and recipes!) I hope
this recipe round-up helps simplify your holiday cooking!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Looking for
more allergy-safe Thanksgiving recipes? Check out my earlier posts: <a href="http://www.foodallergyfeast.blogspot.com/2013/11/allergy-free-thanksgiving-recipes-2013.html">Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes 2013</a> and <a href="http://www.foodallergyfeast.blogspot.com/2012/11/allergy-free-thanksgiving-recipes.html">Allergy-Free Thanksgiving Recipes 2012</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Turkey:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">First
on the menu? The turkey, of course. Turkeys, especially the self-basting kinds,
are injected with solutions that make them tender. However, those solutions can
harbor allergens like milk, wheat, soy, or corn. So check labels before you
buy. Read the very helpful article at about.com called “</span><a href="http://foodallergies.about.com/od/signsandsymptoms/bb/turkeyallergies.htm" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Before You Buy a Thanksgiving Turkey</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">” for some great advice.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Stuffing: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/vegan-stuffing.php" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Traditional Sage Stuffing</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: For all you traditionalists, this version uses olive oil
instead of butter and skips the eggs. Use your favorite type of bread (sandwich,
French, or gluten-free bread would all work just fine). </span></li>
<li><a href="http://vegetarian.about.com/od/sidevegetabledishes/r/cornbreadstuff.htm" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cornbread Stuffing</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: I come from a long line of Texans, so I love cornbread stuffing. This
recipe mixes cornbread and white or whole wheat bread, but you can substitute
your favorite gluten-free bread for the white/whole wheat. (My grandmother always
used crumbled white biscuits—heaven!) </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">If you need a good cornbread recipe to use in your cornbread stuffing, try this
one for </span><a href="http://www.alberscorn.com/recipes/cornmeal/AlbersCornBread.aspx" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Albers® Corn Bread</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">, which I’ve been using for years. However, skip the
sugar (unless you like sweet cornbread—but I prefer savory, especially for
stuffing). Also, you have to make two or three substitutions: replace the egg
with Ener-G egg replacer or other egg substitute, replace the milk with a safe
milk, like soy or rice (I use rice milk, and it works great), and you can
replace the white flour with your favorite gluten-free blend. </span></li>
<li><a href="http://tasty-yummies.com/2012/11/08/quinoa-sage-stuffing-gluten-free-vegan-guest-post-by-living-simply-gluten-free/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Quinoa Sage Stuffing (Gluten-free and Vegan)</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: Dressing without bread? You bet. This one
uses quinoa instead, along with olive oil, vegetable broth, and plenty of
savory herbs.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sweet
potatoes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-casserole-ii-2/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sweet Potato Marshmallow Casserole</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: The popular way to make them is to mash them with safe margarine and
spices, then top them with marshmallows. This recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole
II </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">adds 3 T of orange juice for an extra little bit of flavor.</span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.popsugar.com/food/Easy-Sweet-Potatoes-Recipe-Thanksgiving-35834841" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Roasted Sweet Potatoes</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: Not
a fan of marshmallows? Try these Twice-Cooked Sweet Potatoes—the recipe is much
easier than it sounds! Just fry sweet potato cubes in safe margarine, then
roast them in the oven with some brown sugar, salt, and sage leaves.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Potatoes:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mashed
Potatoes: Use any basic mashed potato recipe and replace the butter with a safe
margarine and replace the milk or cream with rice milk or soy milk. Or, ditch
the whole butter-and-cream idea completely and use chicken broth instead to
flavor them. Here is the super-simple recipe from Campbell’s Kitchen for </span><a href="http://www.campbellskitchen.com/recipes/recipedetails?recipeid=23866." style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Skinny Mashed Potatoes</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">. </span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/garlic-roasted-potatoes-recipe.html)" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Garlic Roasted Potatoes</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: Simple and flavorful! </span></li>
<li><a href="http://vegetarian.about.com/od/sidevegetabledishes/r/scallopedpotato.htm" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Vegan Scalloped Potatoes</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: This recipe calls for flour and soy milk. I wonder if it would work with
a gluten-free flour blend and another type of safe milk. If you try it, let me
know!</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Gravy:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.eatingwithfoodallergies.com/allergyfreegravy.html">Allergy Free Gravy</a>: I
post this recipe from EatingWithFoodAllergies.com every year because it’s
simple and it works.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> It explains the steps well and you can use either regular flour or gluten-free flour.
YouTube has lots of videos showing how to make turkey gravy if you’re not sure
of the process.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cranberry Sauce:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sure, you
can dump it out of the can. (And let’s be honest, we like it that way!) Or you
can try these versions:</span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.oceanspray.com/Recipes/Corporate/Sauces,-Sides-Salads/Fresh-Cranberry-Sauce.aspx" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Traditional Cranberry Sauce</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">:
The easiest recipe is the one printed on the bag of Ocean Spray cranberries you
pick up in the produce section. Water, sugar, cranberries. Boil for ten
minutes, and voila! Cook it up a day ahead and refrigerate it. Perfection! </span></li>
<li><a href="http://www.food.com/recipe/cranberry-strawberry-relish-106814" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cranberry Strawberry Relish</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: Add in some frozen strawberries, and you’ve got something a
little bit different and even more delicious. </span></li>
</ul>
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Green Beans:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">There are a
gazillion delicious ways to make green beans that don’t involve cream soups and
French-fried onions. Here are a few:</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bacon-smothered Green Beans: I mean, really. Bacon-smothered. What more do you want? </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Green Beans with Ham: Okay, ham is good, too. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Green Beanswith Caramelized Onions and Tarragon: Can’t do pork? Here’s a meatless version
that looks lovely and elegant on a platter.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Pumpkin Pie:</span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">It’s just not Thanksgiving without a pumpkin pie on the table. So here’s a
recipe for </span><a href="http://thegreenforks.com/vegan-pumpkin-pie" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Vegan Pumpkin Pie</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> that looks delicious! You can use a regular pastry pie crust, but I like a graham cracker pie crust for my pumpkin pies.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/11/gluten-free-pastry-crust.html">Gluten-free Pastry Pie Crust</a>: If you need a gluten-free pie crust, try this recipe. </span></li>
</ul>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-10209327682554868752014-10-27T10:28:00.000-06:002014-10-27T10:28:13.683-06:00Allergy-Safe Trick-or-Treating Tips<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvqwFiGFOzI/VE5yFiwpw1I/AAAAAAAAAj0/LCNjIStD3Co/s1600/DSC01902%2Bsmall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QvqwFiGFOzI/VE5yFiwpw1I/AAAAAAAAAj0/LCNjIStD3Co/s1600/DSC01902%2Bsmall.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's all about the adventure, not the candy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Trick-or-treating
can be one of the scariest aspects of Halloween for parents of food-allergic
children. But for the kids, it’s one of the most fun parts. So what should the parent
of a food-allergic child do? For most of us, our first instinct is to keep them
home, period. But our second instinct is often to find safe ways to help our
child experience life the way “normal” kids do, rather than letting food
allergies define or limit them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So is it
possible to make trick-or-treating a safer activity? You bet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">First,
remember that for kids, while they get excited about all the candy, it’s really
the adventure of dressing up and going door-to-door that’s important. So help
them focus on the “adventure” part of the night, not the candy, and realize
that you CAN make trick-or-treating safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Here are some
tips for safe trick-or-treating:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tip #1: No
nibbling until you're home!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before going
out, remind everyone that no one eats anything until everyone gets home and the
parent reads the label on every piece of candy. That way, no one is eating
unidentified foods and having a reaction while you’re out in the dark a block
away from home. Make sure the kids agree, understand, and agree again. No one
sneaks anything (not even Dad).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tip #2: Wear
gloves.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If your
child is super-sensitive to an ingredient, have them wear gloves with their
costume, so that any allergenic candy that touches their hand on the way into
the bag doesn’t cause a skin reaction. Toss the glove in the wash or in the
trash when you get home. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tip #3: Only
eat candy with labels!<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Unlabeled
candy is assumed to be unsafe. Period. The only exceptions are brand-name
candies that you are already very familiar with and know are safe. (For example,
I know Starbursts and Skittles are okay for my son, so I’ll let him keep
those.) If there is a type of candy that he’s particularly interested in, I
might promise to look for it at the store the next day, and read the
ingredients there. But it goes into a separate container until we’ve seen it at
the store and verified its safety. See my post from Oct 20, “<a href="http://www.foodallergyfeast.blogspot.com/2014/10/allergy-free-halloween-candy-round-up_20.html">Allergy-Free Halloween Candy Round-Up 2014, Part 2 (Local Stores)</a>,” for a list of many Halloween candies and their ingredients – it might help you
sort through what isn’t safe.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tip #4: Plan
a few “safe houses.”<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A day or two
before Halloween, try setting up a network of “safe houses”—families in your
neighborhood who will agree to have some “safe” candy or non-food treats to
give to your child. (You can even give them the safe treats to give to your
child!) Most neighbors would be more than happy to accommodate your child if
they know ahead of time. No one wants to think they’re ruining a child’s big
night. You’d be surprised how willing most people are to help. And with this
year’s Teal Pumpkin Project going strong, look for those teal pumpkins that
indicate they have non-food treats available. See <a href="http://www.foodallergy.org/">FARE’s</a> website for more info
about the <a href="https://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project#.VE5nGfnF-So">Teal Pumpkin Project</a>. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tip #5: Take epinephrine
autoinjectors with you.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Not only do
you need to make sure you’ve got your EpiPens or Auvi-Qs immediately available
for obvious reasons, but making sure your child realizes he has to have them
with him while trick-or-treating may remind him of how important it is not to
cheat and sneak a bite of candy before you get home and read the label.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Tip #6: Make
a plan for unsafe candy ahead of time.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Before you
head out on your adventure (preferably several days before, so that the kids
aren’t overly excited and can actually hear you), talk about what you’re going
to do with any unsafe candy when the night is over. Here are some ideas:</span></div>
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</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Go
trick-or-treating with a friend or sibling, and at the end of the night, sort
through both kids’ candy together, making two piles—a “safe” pile for the
allergic kid, and another pile for the non-allergic kid. If they both know
about this plan beforehand, they are usually more than willing to do this. (My
son used to trick-or-treat with a friend who had braces—there were plenty of
candies the friend couldn’t eat because of the braces, and plenty that my son couldn’t
eat because of allergies, and it’s amazing how generous they both were about
handing over “safe for you” loot.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Buy a bag
of safe candy ahead of time, and at the end of the night, let your child
“trade” you for all the unsafe candy he brought home.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">A big
trend this year is “Switch Witches.” While many people have purchased an “official”
</span><a href="http://www.switch-witch.com/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Switch Witch book and doll</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">, you can use your own witch doll or rely on those invisible Switch Witches
(who hang out with the Tooth Fairy when the Halloween season is over). On
Halloween night while the kids are sleeping, kids set out their candy stash for
the Switch Witch, who takes it away and leaves a fun gift in return.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">“Buy” the
unsafe candy from your child, but establish a price ahead of time, such as a
nickel a piece, a dollar a pound, or the whole kit and caboodle for a new DVD,
a new toy, a trip to the movies, a night out with Dad, a visit to the dollar
store, or other such treat.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Look for
a dentist or other business in your area that buys candy from kids on the day
after Halloween. You can search the internet to find one in your area. The
website </span><a href="http://www.halloweencandybuyback.com/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Halloween Candy Buy Back</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> lets you type in your zip code and find
dentists who have registered for the buy-back program in your area.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">The kids get money, and dentists often
donate the candy to places like children’s hospitals or soldiers serving overseas.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Let the
child “donate” the unsafe candy to Mom or Dad, so they can take it to work and
share it with their coworkers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Let the child
donate the unsafe candy to a local women’s shelter, food bank, homeless shelter,
or family of a soldier. Or send your candy to </span><a href="http://opgrat.wordpress.com/2013/07/18/halloween-candy-for-the-troops/" style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Operation Gratitude</a><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">, an
organization that will send your candy to our soldiers for you (just send it to
them before November 15). Soldiers always seem to appreciate candy that they
can share with friends or give to children in war zones.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Got any more
trick-or-treating tips? Post a comment and share! </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Whatever
your family chooses to do for Halloween this year, I hope it’s spooktacular!</span></div>
Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-35859491456732576092014-10-20T21:47:00.001-06:002014-10-21T14:34:30.742-06:00Allergy-Free Halloween Candy Round-Up 2014, Part 2 (Local Stores)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
(Update 10/21/14: I added SurfSweets gummy candies/fruit snacks, which are free from the Top 8 plus sesame and sulfites, and can be found at Harmon's, Whole Foods, and online. Love 'em!)<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5D_ucgPkJyI/VEXVbdU-lTI/AAAAAAAAAjM/_q21BcAPZXI/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5D_ucgPkJyI/VEXVbdU-lTI/AAAAAAAAAjM/_q21BcAPZXI/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3539.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Last week, I
shared some online sources for ordering allergen-free Halloween candy. This
week, I’ll tell you about the candy I found in stores locally. You can use this
list to shop for candy, and you can use it on Halloween night to help your
little trick-or-treaters sort through their candy loot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Most of the
common brands can be found just about anywhere, like grocery stores, Sam’s
Club, Costco, Walmart, and Target. (If I only saw a product in one store, I’ll
list the store where I found it.) Dollar Tree has a surprising amount of safe “icky”
choices, like gummy skeletons and lollipops shaped like skulls, so if you’re
looking for something fun and gross to put on top of cupcakes, for example, try
Dollar Tree!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A BIG
WARNING: CHECK EVERY PIECE, EVERY TIME.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Large
companies use multiple factories. That means the same candy may be produced in
different places, with different allergens present. So CHECK LABELS on every
single piece of candy. Wonka is one of the worst companies for producing the
same candy in different packages containing different allergen warnings, but
they are one of the best at individually labeling their candies so you can
verify its safety before every bite. A few candies have changed their
ingredients and moved to other places in my list from last year -- a good
reminder to check old favorites. When in doubt, call the manufacturer for clarification
(most list a phone number right on their package).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If I missed
something or made mistakes as I scribbled my notes while standing in the aisles,
let me know. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">First I’ll
list candies that don’t list corn as an ingredient (because there aren’t very
many of them). Then I’ll list the candies and treats that do contain corn, but
are free from some or all of the Top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk,
egg, soy, wheat, fish, shellfish).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By the way, EVERYTHING on this
entire list is <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">nut-free</span> and <span style="text-transform: uppercase;">peanut-free</span>. That's where I started,
then I broke them down by the other allergens. I hope it helps simplify your
Halloween season!<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Corn-free as well as free from
Top 8:<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n0S-m0QLqFM/VEXVoN8SXfI/AAAAAAAAAjU/7p07a26d3N4/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3577.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n0S-m0QLqFM/VEXVoN8SXfI/AAAAAAAAAjU/7p07a26d3N4/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3577.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bob’s Sweet
Stripes Soft Mint Candies (red & white peppermints) (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cotton Candy
(Parade brand, Sam’s Club, 8 tubs per package)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cotton Candy
in Candy Corn and Boo-Berry flavors (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cotton
Candy, Hello Kitty (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">YumEarth
Gummy Bears (in Target!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">YumEarth
Organic Pops (in Target!)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; text-transform: uppercase;">Everything
from here on down contains corn ingredients:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Free from Top 8 (Wheat, Peanut,
Tree Nut, Milk, Egg, Soy, Fish, Shellfish):<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Baby Bottle
Pops (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Betty
Crocker Halloween Fruit Snacks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bubble
Babies Gum Balls (contains coconut, Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Candy Jewelry
(Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dots</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Dum-Dums</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Giant
Lollipop (Dollar Tree)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eKnNzwZ3wts/VEXV4G-6OYI/AAAAAAAAAjg/6DqkIQcEUNE/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3811.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-eKnNzwZ3wts/VEXV4G-6OYI/AAAAAAAAAjg/6DqkIQcEUNE/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3811.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Grave Gummies
(contains coconut) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gummy Body
Parts (contains coconut oil) (Dollar Tree – coffins and bags) [Note: 2 years
ago, </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Walmart sold
Frankford Candy Body Parts that contained peanuts, nuts, milk, soy, beef, and
corn, so read company name and ingredients carefully]</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gummy Turtle
Power Candy Pizza (contains beef gelatin, Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Halloween
Pops (contain gelatin, Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Haribo Gummy
Bears (contains coconut)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hello Kitty
Family Favorites Candy Mix (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hot Tamales</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hubba Bubba
bubble gum</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jelly Belly trick-or-treat-sized
packets of jelly beans (Target)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Life Savers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Life Savers
Lollipops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Life Savers Gummies
(contains gelatin, possibly pork-derived, although I can’t verify)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Market
Pantry Spooky Shapes fruit snacks (Target – contains pork gelatin)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mike &
Ike</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Pixy Stix,
regular and giant (Sam’s Club carries a package of 50 Giant Pixy Stix)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Push Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Ring Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Skittles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Skulls &
Bones Hard Candy (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Smarties</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sour Patch
Kids (but be careful—the Sour Patch Twists contain wheat, so read labels
carefully)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spiderman
Villains Candy Sticks (contains beef gelatin) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spongebob
Gummy Krabby Patties (beef gelatin) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spooky
Lollipop Rings (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Starbursts</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SurfSweets gummy worms, gummy spooky spiders, jelly beans (Harmon's, Whole Foods)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Swedish Fish</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tic Tacs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Trolli Sour
Brite Crawlers (gummi worms) (Sam’s Club – contains gelatin)</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Soy or Soy Warning (but
free from other 7 top allergens):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bon Bon Boom
Lollipops (Dollard Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Cry Baby
Extra Sour Bubble Gum (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hubba Bubba
Bubble Tape</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher Crunch ‘n’ Chew (last year, these had soy listed, but I didn’t find any
this year, so I can’t verify ingredients. Call the company at 800-468-1714)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher Fruit Chews (last year, these had soy listed, but I didn’t find any
this year, so I can’t verify ingredients. Call the company at 800-468-1714)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jolly
Rancher Lollipops (last year, these had soy listed, but I didn’t find any this
year, so I can’t verify ingredients. Call the company at 800-468-1714)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Laffy Taffy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Laffy Taffy
Ropes (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Lollipop
Skulls (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Market
Pantry Candy Corn Flavored Kettle-Cooked Popcorn (Target)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Scary
Eyeballs Bubble Gum (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts
Chews (check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment, and SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts,
milk, soy, and wheat!!!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gum:
Dentyne, Trident, Orbit, Eclipse, Wrigley’s (Doublemint, Winterfresh, Big Red,
Juicy Fruit, Spearmint, etc.)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Wheat or Wheat warning (but
free from other 7 top allergens):</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Red Vines</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Scooby-Doo
Sour Straws (beef) (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sour Punch Twists</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzler’s
Pull ‘n’ Peel (these don’t list soy, although regular Twizzlers do, so read
carefully)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzler’s
Strawberry Twists (these don’t list soy, although regular Twizzlers do, so read
carefully)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzler’s
Rainbow Twists (these don’t list soy, although regular Twizzlers do, so read
carefully)</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Milk or Milk warning
(but free from other 7 top allergens):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Pop Rocks</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Popping
Candy (Dollar Tree)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Pumpkin Face
Bubble Gum in Jar (Target)</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Egg or Egg warning (but
free from other 7 top allergens):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bottlecaps
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment – some have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Gobstoppers
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment –
some have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds Ropes(check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Spree (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment, and
SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts, milk, soy, and
wheat!!!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts
Mini (check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment, and SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts,
milk, soy, and wheat!!!)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTart
Twists (check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment, and SweeTarts GUMMIES contain a warning for peanuts, tree nuts,
milk, soy, and wheat!!!)</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Soy and Wheat or
warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Airheads</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Twizzlers</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Milk and Soy or warnings
(but free from other 6 top allergens):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Charms Blow
Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Double
Bubble gum (check every individual Double Bubble candy label because
ingredients vary by assortment and store)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hershey’s
Chocolate bars, the 1.55 ounce size ONLY (the S’mores size) (all other sizes
contain nut warnings)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Kraft
Caramels</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sixlets
candy-coated chocolate drops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tootsie Pops</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tootsie
Rolls</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tootsie
Fruit Rolls</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Wheat and Egg or
warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bottlecaps
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment – some don’t have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds (check
every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by assortment –
some don’t have wheat warning)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nerds Ropes
(Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Shockers
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary) (Sam’s Club)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">SweeTarts
(check every individual Wonka candy label because ingredients vary by
assortment – some don’t have wheat warning)</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Wheat and Milk or
warnings (but free from other 6 top allergens):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Utz
Halloween Pretzel Treats (contains sesame warning, too)</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Contains Soy, Milk, and Egg or
warnings (but free from other 5 top allergens):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Sugar Daddies
(Dollar Tree)</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Non-Candy Ideas (can find packs
of individual serving sizes at warehouse stores like Sam’s Club):</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PldXw7I175M/VEXV4M9yPsI/AAAAAAAAAjc/UStnSl4bmao/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PldXw7I175M/VEXV4M9yPsI/AAAAAAAAAjc/UStnSl4bmao/s1600/Small%2BIMG_3546.jpg" height="150" width="200" /></a></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Boom Chicka Pop Sea Salt Popcorn (Target – 16 individual bags per container)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Chex Mix (contains
wheat, soy, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">David’s
Sunflower seeds</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Funyuns
Onion Flavored Rings (contains milk, soy, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jack Link’s
beef jerky (contains beef, free from Top 8)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Keebler
Crème-Filled Sugar Wafer Cookies (contains soy, wheat, and cornstarch)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Lay’s Potato
Chips (free from Top 8)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Nabisco
Lorna Doone cookies (contains wheat, corn, and soy)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Oberto Beef
Jerky (contains beef, free from the Top 8)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Oreos (contains
soy, wheat, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Slim Jim
Meat Sticks (contains beef, chicken, soy, wheat, and corn)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Zoo Animals
crackers (Sam’s Club, contains wheat, corn, soy, milk)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Drinks, like
Kool-Aid Jammers or Capri Suns, or sodas in mini-cans – check ingredients</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Non-Food Ideas:</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Don’t forget,
you don’t have to hand out candy to your trick-or-treaters. Walmart, Target,
Dollar Tree, and party stores like Zurchers, as well as Oriental Trading
Company’s website have plenty of Halloween-themed novelties you can hand out,
such as:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bat or
Spider Rings</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Plastic bugs
and creepy crawlies</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Halloween
bouncy balls</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Vampire
teeth</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Halloween-colored
bracelets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Halloween pencils
or erasers</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Glow Sticks
or bracelets</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Drinking
Straws with Halloween figures on them</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tattoos</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Coins</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Friendship Bracelets</span></li>
</ul>
<b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Watch Out for These:</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The
following candies may land in your child’s trick-or-treat bags, and they may
not have ingredients labels, so watch out for them:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Bazooka
Gum-Filled Pops – lists only corn, but comes in an assortment listing all
allergens in a factory warning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Banana
Splits (sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains soy and egg, and has
factory warning for peanuts, tree nuts, and milk)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Columbina
candies – all have a factory warning for peanuts, egg, tree nuts, soy, milk,
and wheat</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Goetze’s
Caramel Creams (sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains wheat, milk, and soy.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Hershey’s:
All mini and fun-sized Hershey’s chocolates contain nut warnings and should be
avoided. Plain milk-chocolate and dark-chocolate Hershey’s kisses are nut-free,
but contain milk. Most flavored Hershey’s kisses (caramel, cherry-filled, etc.)
list nut contamination. The only nut-free size of Hershey bars is the 1.55
ounce size (the type commonly sold alongside graham crackers and marshmallows
for S’Mores.)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">IBC Root
Beer Barrels (sold at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Has factory warning for
peanuts, tree nuts, milk, soy)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Jawbreakers
contain only sucrose, but packaged in an assortment that lists all the
allergens in a factory warning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Lemonheads
contain only corn, but are usually found in assortment bags that include
warnings for all the allergens on the overall packaging</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Mary Janes (sold
at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains peanuts and soy, and has factory
warning for tree nuts, wheat, milk, and egg)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Slo Poke (sold
at Sam’s Club in an assortment. Contains soy and milk, and has factory warning
for peanuts, tree nuts, and milk)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Taffy: For
the first time this year, there are 2 taffy brands that are nut free. One is
made by <a href="http://www.taffytown.com/">Taffy Town</a>, and local company, but theirs do contain eggs, milk, and
soy. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">The
other is by an online store called <a href="http://www.sweetpetescandy.com/search?x=0&y=0&q=taffy">Sweet Pete’s</a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">, which advertises that their taffy is made in a nut-free, dairy-free, and
gluten-free facility. Other than those two sources, I have not found any other taffy
that is nut-free, so assume most taffy in your child’s trick-or-treat bucket contains
nut contamination.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Tiger Pops –
packaging lists all allergens</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">Warheads –
various packaging lists some or all Top 8 allergens in factory warnings</span></li>
</ul>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-7594483388870356212014-10-13T11:45:00.000-06:002014-10-21T14:53:14.922-06:00Allergy-Free Halloween Candy Round-Up 2014, Part 1 (Online Sources)<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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(Update 10/21/14: Added TruJoy website.)<br />
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s time
for my annual Allergy-Free Halloween Candy Round-Up!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzA88yzen1w/VDvwlomOmRI/AAAAAAAAAig/pnSAF_dThz0/s1600/gummy%2Bbrains%2BIndie%2BCandy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wzA88yzen1w/VDvwlomOmRI/AAAAAAAAAig/pnSAF_dThz0/s1600/gummy%2Bbrains%2BIndie%2BCandy.jpg" height="198" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Edible Gummy Brains from <a href="http://www.indiecandy.com/">Indie Candy</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Parents of
food-allergic kids worry more about Halloween than just about any other
holiday. Many are tempted to skip trick-or-treating all together, but I think
there are many ways to make it a safe and fun activity. So for the next 3 weeks,
my blog will focus on how to make Halloween and trick-or-treating a happy
holiday for your children. This week, I’ll talk about online sources for
allergy-safe candy and <a href="https://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project">FARE’s Teal Pumpkin Project</a>. Next week, I’ll write about safe candy I find in local stores. Then on the
27th, I’ll post tips for safe trick-or-treating (and what to do with all that
non-safe candy they bring home).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGm67tIqvmc/VDvtbo5hj9I/AAAAAAAAAhs/di_v9Xj16nI/s1600/The-Teal-Pumpkin-Project-2.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGm67tIqvmc/VDvtbo5hj9I/AAAAAAAAAhs/di_v9Xj16nI/s1600/The-Teal-Pumpkin-Project-2.png" height="200" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">First, though,
let’s talk about the Teal Pumpkin Project: FARE (Food Allergy Research &
Education) is encouraging us to hand out non-food treats this year (or at least
make some non-food treats available in addition to candy) to make
trick-or-treating more fun for food-allergic kids—as well as kids with
diabetes, kids who are fighting obesity, kids with religious dietary restrictions,
kids whose parents are sick of paying dentist bills, etc.! You paint a pumpkin
teal and put it on your porch, download a free sign from FARE explaining that
you have non-food treats available, and then you make kids happy when they come
to your door! Super easy, super fun, super awesome! Visit <a href="https://www.foodallergy.org/teal-pumpkin-project">FARE’s Teal Pumpkin Project</a> for details. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BOQ2UHCTDFg/VDvteH96c-I/AAAAAAAAAiM/582JsQEyh_s/s1600/cinnamon-brain-organic-lollipop-500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BOQ2UHCTDFg/VDvteH96c-I/AAAAAAAAAiM/582JsQEyh_s/s1600/cinnamon-brain-organic-lollipop-500.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More brains! Find this lollipop and more<br />
at the <a href="http://www.naturalcandystore.com/">Natural Candy Store</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you
decide you want to get some Halloween candy for your kidlets anyway, I’ve been
doing some research for you. Most of the candies I’ve been finding locally
contain corn syrup and food colorings, if those are your issues, your best bet
may be to order your candy online. If that’s the case, you’ll want to order
candy this week so that it arrives in plenty of time for Halloween parties and
trick-or-treating. Online sources are also great for finding allergy-free
chocolate, as well as unusual treats, like allergy-free brain-shaped lollipops,
and of course, those non-food treats! That’s why this week I’ll write about
some online sources that offer great allergy-free Halloween goodies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.indiecandy.com/">Indie Candy</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: This site is a
great place to go for all-natural candy with no dyes or any of the Top 8
allergens at all! Most of their candy also appears to be corn-free, too. They
have a large selection of confections including gorgeous crystal lollipops,
chocolate, and gummis, all in fun Halloween shapes, and you can search by your
specific allergy needs. You can even get a "lifesize edible gummy brain" (in your choice of alien or human). Too gruesome? Check out their beautiful Candy Apples, too!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gvN59X7URQ/VDvteI9hEeI/AAAAAAAAAiE/ROkTpIipefc/s1600/ScottieDogs_Bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9gvN59X7URQ/VDvteI9hEeI/AAAAAAAAAiE/ROkTpIipefc/s1600/ScottieDogs_Bag.jpg" height="114" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Allergy-free licorice can be hard to<br />
find. But these Scottie dogs from<br />
<a href="http://www.gimbalscandy.com/">Gimbal's Fine Candies</a> are safe<br />
and adorable!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.gimbalscandy.com/">Gimbal’s Fine Candies</a>:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> They offer jelly beans in 41
flavors, as well as fiery LavaBalls and licorice Scottie Dogs, all free from
the Top 8 allergens. While they do contain some corn products, they contain NO high-fructose corn syrup!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;"><a href="http://www.naturalcandystore.com/">Natural Candy Store</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt;">: Looking for lollipops shaped like brains, bats, or jack-o-lanterns? Found them! This site focuses on natural ingredients, but they also let you search for candy that’s free from all Top 8 allergens. Even better, you can search for candy free from single allergens, like milk or soy. They carry hard candy, Glee gum, Enjoy Life chocolate, organic chocolate syrup, breath mints, and licorice, among others! You can also search by Feingold-safe candy and other special diets.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.yummyearth.com/">YumEarth</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">. Formerly
called Yummy Earth, but now called YumEarth, this company makes candies
(lollipops, drops, gummy bears, gummy worms, and fruit snacks) that are free
from the Top 8, and they use natural colorings and flavorings. Some of their
candies are also corn-free, kosher parve, and vegan (but not all, so check the
list carefully). You can buy them online at <a href="http://www.yummyearth.com/">www.YummyEarth.com</a> and on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dgrocery&field-keywords=yummyearth">Amazon</a>.
They may also be available at a store near you—check the list of <a href="http://www.yummyearth.com/stores.html">YumEarth retailers</a> to see.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><b><a href="http://www.trujoysweets.com/index.php">TruJoy Sweets</a></b>. They offer 3 candies that are corn free as well as free from the Top 8: a chocolate chewy candy, a fruit-flavored chewy candy, and candy canes (remember, Christmas is just around the corner!). They're organic, gluten-free, kosher, and vegan, and they don't use artificial colors or flavors.</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;"> <a href="http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/">
</a></span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.peanutfreeplanet.com/">Peanut Free Planet</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: This allergy-friendly grocery site sells a ton of different candy from lots of
different manufacturers, including Vermont Nut Free, Enjoy Life Foods, and
Amanda’s Own. You’ll find chocolate, jelly beans, and all sorts of
allergen-friendly groceries. They also sell KitKats, Mars bars, and Nestle Aero
Milk chocolate bars that are made in a Canadian factory, and therefore nut-free
(unlike their American versions). They also carry nut-free candy corn from A
and J Bakery (but it contains egg whites and soy), as well as <a href="http://www.surfsweets.com/">Surf Sweets</a> jelly beans
and spooky spider gummies, which are organic, natural, gluten-free, and free
from the Top 8 allergens.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.amandasown.com/">Amanda’s Own Confections</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: They offer
chocolate in some fun Halloween shapes, as well as jelly beans and other
candies, all dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, gluten-free, sesame-free, and
soy-free (except for the sunflower cups)! The jelly beans contain a corn
product, but the chocolate does not. In fact, their chocolate ingredients are simply
cane sugar, unsweetened chocolate, and cocoa butter. (They also have turkey and
scarecrow chocolate lollipops, as well as chocolate acorns and leaves, if
you’re thinking ahead to Thanksgiving.)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.divvies.com/">Divvies</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Nut-free,
dairy-free, and egg-free chocolate ghosts, chocolate bats, jelly beans, gummy
stars, and chocolate chips! (Chocolate contains soya lecithin.) Check out their
chocolate dinosaur, too. It might not be Halloweenish, but it would be great
for a birthday party or stocking stuffer. And new this year is their gourmet
popcorn in 3 flavors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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</span></span><b style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.vermontnutfree.com/">Vermont Nut Free</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 13pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">: Their
chocolates are peanut-free and nut-free, but they do have milk and egg warnings
on them. Their huge selection of nut-free chocolates includes caramel- and marshmallow-filled
pumpkins, chocolate-covered marshmallows on a stick, pretzel caramel bark, and
foil-wrapped chocolate shapes (like bats, witches, and ghosts). They also sell
skippers, which are similar to M&Ms, but nut-free, of course.</span></div>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.choclat.com/">Chocolate Emporium</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Read the ingredients
carefully on this website, but they do offer a lot of allergen-friendly goodies.
All Halloween items are dairy-free, nut-free, gluten-free, and certified parve
by the Star-K. Call before you order to ensure you get what you need.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ywubmrtp0F8/VDvzKYnCgMI/AAAAAAAAAis/lEVUw_n1628/s1600/Oriental%2BTrading%2BHalloween%2Btoys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ywubmrtp0F8/VDvzKYnCgMI/AAAAAAAAAis/lEVUw_n1628/s1600/Oriental%2BTrading%2BHalloween%2Btoys.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Find tons of non-food options at<br />
<a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/">Oriental Trading Co</a>.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: Wingdings; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;">§<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.orientaltrading.com/">Oriental Trading Co.</a></span></b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">: Remember,
trick-or-treats bags don’t have to be filled with candy. Oriental Trading
Company offers a bazillion (I counted them) super-cheap novelty toys, many that
you can buy in quantities of 50, 144, or more. I have filled countless pinatas and
goodie bags with Oriental Trading novelties over the years, and I love ‘em. If
you need non-food novelties in a hurry, you can often find similar (or
sometimes identical) items at dollar stores, discount stores, craft stores
(like Michael’s), and party stores (like Zurchers). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 13.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If you know
of a great online source for allergy-free candies, post it in the Comments. And
remember, next week I’ll post a list of what I found in local stores and where
I found it, so check back next Monday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-10407542731815156682014-10-07T16:24:00.000-06:002014-10-07T16:24:02.419-06:00Allergy-Free Breakfast Recipe Round-Up<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">By Kelley
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<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Lately I’ve
been looking for breakfast ideas that are higher in protein than my usual <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4NIDo2wSq-0/VDRfHziGZTI/AAAAAAAAAhU/ocYdUJ0e6eI/s1600/pancakes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4NIDo2wSq-0/VDRfHziGZTI/AAAAAAAAAhU/ocYdUJ0e6eI/s1600/pancakes.jpg" height="200" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Protein Pancakes from<br /><a href="http://memeinge.com/blog/protein-pancakes/">Meme Inge's Living Well Kitchen</a></td></tr>
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high-carb
routine of cereal, granola, milk, and fruit. So I put on my Stetson, my boots,
and my bandana, and I went out into the wilds of the internet, lassoing up some
new breakfast ideas that go beyond the usual eggs and bacon, and avoid most (if
not all) of the Top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, milk, eggs, soy, wheat,
fish, and shellfish). I haven’t tried any of these recipes yet, but I’m a-fixin’
to give ‘em a whirl soon! If you try one, let us know how it worked for you!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://memeinge.com/blog/sweet-potato-and-bacon-hash/">Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – Although Meme Inge’s Living
Well Kitchen blog isn’t geared towards food allergies at all, but more towards
healthy recipes in general, she actually has a few recipes that fit allergy
needs and sound good, like this recipe for Sweet Potato and Bacon Hash. She
tops it with a fried egg, but of course you can leave that off. Other than the
egg, it’s free from the Top 8. </span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://memeinge.com/blog/protein-pancakes/">Protein Pancakes</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – Here’s another one from Meme
Inge. I love to make pancakes on the weekend, but I know I need to find
healthier versions. So this one looks good, plus it packs more protein in than
my usual recipe. It’s only free from 7 of the Top 8 (it uses cottage cheese, so
it’s not suitable for milk allergies). I can’t wait to try the pumpkin variation
next weekend! </span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2013/01/08/breakfast-oatmeal-cupcakes-to-go/">Breakfast Oatmeal Cupcakes To Go</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – So what do you get when you
cross a cookie with a cupcake? These! Another make-ahead, enjoy-all-week
option, and you can make it free from the Top 8. </span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2013/10/sausage-flavored-breakfast-beans-and-grits.html">Sausage-Flavored Breakfast Beans and Grits</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – Surprise!
They don’t have any sausage. It just uses the herbs and spices usually found in
sausage to flavor cannellini beans. She suggests cooking the beans in a
crockpot overnight, but I don’t see why you couldn’t use canned beans and cut
out that step. Anyway, she ladles the beans over grits in the morning, and
voila! A savory breakfast that’s free from the Top 8, and it’s vegan, too.</span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://eatingcleanrecipes.com/2011/04/recipe-instant-breakfast-quinoa/">Almost Instant Breakfast Quinoa</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"><a href="http://eatingcleanrecipes.com/2011/04/recipe-instant-breakfast-quinoa/"> </a>– Now here’s something I hadn’t
thought of. Instead of oatmeal or cream of wheat, try quinoa for breakfast! The
recipe recommends making up a batch of quinoa the night before, so you can just
microwave it with your choice of safe milk (rice, soy, etc.), sweeten it with some
maple syrup, honey, or brown sugar, then top it with your favorite fruit, spices,
etc. Of course the recipe recommends topping it with nuts and seeds to add more
protein, but you can certainly leave those off, or use something like Sunbutter
or soy butter if that works for you. </span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://www.allysonkramer.com/2011/07/loaded-blueberry-muffins/">Loaded Blueberry Muffins</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – These muffins are packed with
blueberries, zucchini, and bananas, elevating them from “cupcake” to “health
food” in my opinion! This recipe is gluten-free, as well as free from the Top
8. Bake up a batch on the weekend, then grab one and go on those weekday
mornings! </span></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><a href="http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/06/20/breakfast-banana-pops/">Breakfast Banana Pops</a></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 14pt;"> – Okay, this is NOT a
high-protein breakfast. But I just had to include this one because it looks so fun
for kids! If you use a safe granola (like Enjoy Life Foods brand or your own
recipe) and you have a safe yogurt you can use, freeze up some of these pops
for a totally unique way to get your kids to eat their breakfast! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EjQ4wTO25SM/VDRfO-iJ1FI/AAAAAAAAAhc/ol2QaAukLRY/s1600/banana-pop_thumb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EjQ4wTO25SM/VDRfO-iJ1FI/AAAAAAAAAhc/ol2QaAukLRY/s1600/banana-pop_thumb.jpg" height="320" width="259" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Breakfast Banana Pops from<br /><a href="http://www.chocolatecoveredkatie.com/">www.ChocolateCoveredKatie.com</a></td></tr>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-26531064842995707052014-09-22T10:49:00.000-06:002014-09-22T10:49:32.379-06:00Presenting Food Allergy Information to Teachers<div class="MsoNormal">
By Kelley Lindberg<o:p></o:p></div>
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My son just entered high school this year. Talk about big
changes for him – new responsibilities, new friends, new social events, new
teachers, new principal… the list goes on and on.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V5vbFtL92FY/VCBSlNbAtHI/AAAAAAAAAhE/YmYJRZZyUhA/s1600/blackboard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V5vbFtL92FY/VCBSlNbAtHI/AAAAAAAAAhE/YmYJRZZyUhA/s1600/blackboard.jpg" height="142" width="200" /></a>There’s been a big change for me, too. My safety net of
familiar teachers and administration has vanished. I have to start my “educating
the educators” efforts all over again, with teachers who don’t already have an
attachment to my son and who may not have had allergic kids in their classroom
before (since he’s old enough that we always seem to be paving the way).</div>
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Fortunately, when I asked the vice principal if he thought I
could present food allergy information to all the teachers at a staff meeting,
he said it sounded like a good idea. He asked the principal, who also said it
was a good idea. So last week, I found myself in front of about 25 teachers,
trying to accomplish three things:</div>
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<li>Educate them about food allergies and how to keep all
allergic kids (not just my son) safe.</li>
<li>Keep from embarrassing my son.</li>
<li>Keep them from thinking I am going to be one of those
“trouble-making mothers.”</li>
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I think it worked. Even though I’ve given this presentation
nearly every year to my son’s school, other schools, and even other
organizations, I was still incredibly nervous. It’s nerve-wracking knowing that
you could, with a single slip-up, sour your son’s teachers on him. Or worse,
upset his burgeoning social life. But I was able to keep a sense of humor,
answer a lot of questions, hopefully reassure them that they can handle a
reaction if it happens, and get them thinking about ways to prevent
contamination in their classrooms. Not only will this help my son, but it will
lay groundwork for the growing number of allergy kids that will be coming along
in the next few years.<o:p></o:p></div>
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As scary as it is, I highly recommend asking your school’s
principal if you can “educate the educators” about food allergies, too. To help
you out, here is a link to the handout I give to all the teachers and staff: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1RViA0R1Vm0MExmaWo4ZGh1YnM/edit?usp=sharing">School Staff Presentation</a>. I
just go over what’s on this handout, then answer any questions (there are
always a lot!). Good luck. Just channel your mama bear (or papa bear), know
that you’re helping your child as well as many other children, and feel the
love from all the rest of us mama/papa bears out here in allergy-land!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-67496933544861467382014-09-08T10:46:00.000-06:002014-09-08T10:46:53.242-06:00New Food Allergy Treatment on the Horizon?<div class="MsoNormal">
By Kelley Lindberg<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6wl0GFuPXQ/VA3c8H-te2I/AAAAAAAAAg0/BcHKrLiTXtw/s1600/finkelman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W6wl0GFuPXQ/VA3c8H-te2I/AAAAAAAAAg0/BcHKrLiTXtw/s1600/finkelman.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dr. Fred Finkelman<br />(photo courtesy of FARE)</td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.foodallergy.org/">FARE (Food Allergy Research and Education)</a> is reporting today
that they’re awarding a $734,986 research grant to leading immunologist Fred
Finkelman, M.D., at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine/Cincinnati
Children’s Hospital Medical Center, in his efforts to suppress anaphylaxis. Dr.
Finkelman is developing a therapy that may be able to desensitize a patient to
ALL of their food allergies at the same time, and potentially in as short a
time period as 24 hours.<o:p></o:p></div>
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With this therapy, a patient would probably be injected with
a unique antibody that Finkelman and his team have developed in their lab. The
antibody would then target mast cells and remove the IgE and IgE receptors on
those mast cells, which are responsible for releasing the chemicals that cause the
symptoms of an allergic reaction. In a previous study, Dr. Finkelman injected
mice with this antibody, and the treatment prevented anaphylaxis.<o:p></o:p></div>
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In plain English, this means that after being injected with
this new antibody, the patient’s body will stop reacting to food allergens!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Right now, Dr. Finkelman and his team are still working with
mice, so human trials are still years away. And their therapy in mice has taken
weeks to build up a resistance, so they are hoping to shorten that timeframe
significantly with their future study. Dr. Finkelman emphasizes that his
process would not cure allergies, but would suppress allergies. He believes it
has the potential to suppress food allergies, skin allergies, and even asthma
and environmental allergies (hay fever). But this is the type of therapy that
so many of us are desperately hoping for, so I am thrilled and grateful to FARE
for supporting Dr. Finkelman’s research with this significant grant.<o:p></o:p></div>
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To read more about this grant and Dr. Finkelman’s work,
check out these links:</div>
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<li>“<a href="https://www.foodallergy.org/press-room/2014/090814">New Study Aims for Quick Suppression of Food Allergies</a>”</li>
<li>“<a href="http://blog.foodallergy.org/2014/09/08/a-conversation-with-fare-grant-recipient-fred-finkelman-md/">A Conversation with FARE Grant Recipient Fred Finkelman,MD</a>”</li>
<li>“<a href="http://healthnews.uc.edu/news/?/25120/">Suppressing Food Allergies Quickly Is the Goal of UC Research Team</a>”</li>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-668681313965606529.post-16564022310865940232014-08-18T13:13:00.001-06:002014-08-18T13:13:21.920-06:00A Food-Allergy Mom Speaks Out About Back-To-School<div style="background: white; line-height: 14.5pt; margin-bottom: 4.5pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">By Kelley Lindberg<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3v1IcYd0CgA/U_JPkezP_kI/AAAAAAAAAfw/9O-1XPptuJ4/s1600/school%2Bsupplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3v1IcYd0CgA/U_JPkezP_kI/AAAAAAAAAfw/9O-1XPptuJ4/s1600/school%2Bsupplies.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">This FaceBook post from Vivian Fulton appeared
today, and it was so heartfelt I knew I had to share it. As we’re all getting
ready to send our kids to school (some for the first time), it’s a great time
to remind everyone – even those without food allergies – that simple kindnesses
are not only kind, but they can save a life. Thank you for giving us permission
to share your story, Vivian. Good luck, and fingers crossed for the new school year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">***************<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">This is a message that I'm sharing on
my facebook page:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Have you ever watched your child dying in the backseat? I have.
I have watched David's breathing and his heart slow down significantly. I have
known that if I didn't get to the ER in time, that he would be dead.
Completely, irreversibly, dead. Do you know what did it? An accidental bite of
Cheetos in nursery. David has been to the Emergency Room several times in his
short 5 years of life. Every time because of food that<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><span class="textexposedshow">'normal'
people eat everyday. Peanuts and milk products can kill my sweet David. Even if
he does not eat them, he can still have a reaction.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Have you ever gotten into poison ivy?
Imagine your skin itching and burning all over with great big hives. That is
what can happen to David if he comes into contact with his food allergies, by
touching a pair of scissors or a desk, crayon, door knob, etc. that another
child has touched who has eaten peanut or milk products and who hasn't washed
their hands or used a wipe to wipe down their hands/face & any contaminated
surfaces. He can also go into anaphylactic shock if he touches these things.
Anaphylactic shock is what I mentioned above when your body stops functioning
and you can die without prompt & proper medical attention. Sometimes, even
with medical attention your body can't get better and you die.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Do you want to know what
you can do to help children like my David stay safe? Ask your child's teacher
what food allergies children who meet in your child's classroom have, not only
for their class, but for any other class that might meet in their
classroom--both morning & afternoon classes like preschool &
kindergarten. Commit right then and there that you will not send your child to
class with these foods as snacks or treats. Tell your child's teacher your
decision. Also, make sure your child's hands are clean when they arrive at
school. Peanut butter or milk from 2 hours ago at breakfast without washing up
afterwards is still on their skin or clothes and can still cause an allergic
reaction. Inform your friends via social media and/or your blog about your
commitment to doing your part to insure that no child will have to go through
the pain and sheer terror of having his body stop working.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Thank you for reading. You
are more than welcome to share this post. The safety of innocent children rests
in you. You can be a powerful advocate for change and safety.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">~Vivian<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #141823; font-family: "Helvetica","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">---Hopefully, some of my
non food allergies friends will be more compassionate and become advocates for
people with food allergies. I'm off to allergist today. Wish us luck!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Kelley J. P. Lindberghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16035519922785239330noreply@blogger.com2