We were hoping to test the boys this fall with blood work, but we were told by our BIE practitioner that there is a newly developed booster treatment that needed to be performed.  We went for that treatment last week. We should book blood work for the Spring.

So now we wait until the Spring.  I can say , that I continue to be able to eat dairy, as my Lactose Intolerance is now gone!  For my kids – anaphylaxis requires more patience and the extra booster.  Keeping fingers crossed for 4 more months…

As a food allergy dad, I can say honestly that this day is both exciting and fun but also conjures up some self-pity around my children having food allergies and living without.    The tips below are designed so that everyone can enjoy this day both at school and when the candy-grab begins…

1. Starting this weekend, talk to the kids about Halloween’s schedule…we come home, do homework have dinner and then set a time limit for trick or treating.  Set the expectation so they can process that they are coming in to bed, before other kids.
2. Buy candies to hand out that are sealed and labeled properly.  You may also want to buy candies that are allergy friendly.  If your kids have an allergic friend, you may want to consult their mom to find out what they typically buy (each retailer and region has different products so it’s best to ask a friend as they will know your area and what is available).
3. We take the candy our children collect and trade it for a toy or game and give them our own stash of candy to supplement.  Even for non-allergic families, this is a great way to trade out those calories and sugar for something that lasts longer.
4. If you have children that scare easily, you may want to avoid those really scary houses.  Our children have enough anxiety, no sense in having them up at night with nightmares.
5. Give your children some time to hand out candy at home too.  It’s great to always get candy, but giving is an important lesson.
6. When preparing your house for Halloween, you can really blow the bank on zombies, lights and bones.  Set a budget and stay within.  Each year, you can build on your display, but don’t get caught up in the hype.  It’s been a very tough 5 years…let’s be fiscally responsible and try to be creative with what you have.
7. Get the kids home, turn off the lights and get back to routine…the next day is a school day.
8. For allergy folks and non-allergy parents, the candy you give your children to take to school as a treat should still follow any allergy protocols set up by the school.  Allergy moms and dads – you might want to reach out to your child’s teacher to find out how the class is celebrating to ensure your child is not left out.

Have fun, be safe, wear the right clothes for the weather and to be seen in the dark.  Wishing you all a very enjoyable Halloween.

]]> http://allerdine.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=132 0 http://allerdine.com/blog/?p=123 http://allerdine.com/blog/?p=123#comments Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:55:20 +0000 steve http://allerdine.com/blog/?p=123 Thinking about summer vacation or camp…what foods do you bring? We have some very exciting offers coming from the following AllerDine.com partner companies that can help you prep for the season.

EnjoyLife Foods
Allergic Living
HomeFree Treats
Vermont Nut Free
WOW Butter
Divvies

The savings are only for June. Look for them next week on AllerDine.com or on Facebook or Twitter.

FOR STREITS: 

ALL FOODS BELOW MUST HAVE EXPIRATION DATE OF 2013 OR LATER (NOT 2012, as they prepared a Muesli cereal with almonds in the facility in previous years).

All foods NOT listed here made by Streits for Passover are either made by third parties or in Israel or other countries that we did not feel comfortable using.

MATZO & MATZO MEAL

Matzo 5 lb.

Matzo 1 lb.

Matzo 1 lb. – 18 minute

Egg Matzo

Whole Wheat

Spelt Passover Matzo

Organic Matzo

Whole Wheat Matzo Meal 1 lb.

Whole Wheat Matzo Farfel

Spelt Matzo Meal

Schmura Matzo

Meal 1 lb.

Meal 2 lb.

Farfel 1 lb.

Cake Meal

POTATO PRODUCTS

Low Sodium Potato Pancake Mix

Potato Pancake Mix (Two 3oz. Bags)

Vegetable Potato Pancake Mix (2 3oz. Bags)

Potato Kugel

Potato Starch

Instant Mashed Potato Mix (Parve)

Instant Mashed Potato with Garlic Mix (Parve)

Kishka

Vegetable Quiche

Macaroni and Cheese

COATING & STUFFING MIX

Bag n’ Bake

Bag n’ Bake – Honey

Bag n’ Bake – Barbecue

Stuffing Mix

Whole Wheat Stuffing Mix

Savory Herb Stuffing Mix

SOUP MIXES & SOUP BASES

Potato Dumplings with Vegetable Soup

Whole Wheat Matzo Ball and Onion Soup

Matzo Ball Soup Mix

Matzo Ball Only

Matzo Ball Soup Low Sodium

Whole Wheat Matzo Ball Mix

CAKE MIXES

Sponge Cake Mix

Honey Cake Mix

Chocolate Cake Mix/Pan

Coffee Cake Mix/Pan

Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake Mix

Choc. Chip Crumb Cake Mix

Chocolate Brownie Cake Mix/Pan

Chocolate Cupcake

Vanilla Cupcake

Blueberry Muffin

Griddle Mix

Blueberry Griddle Mix

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix

Fudge Cookie Mix

ALL NATURAL CAKE MIXES

Chocolate

Fudge Brownie

Honey

Coffee

FOR MANISCHEWITZ: 

We only will considered the items NOT crossed out.  We provide some explanation as to why we cross out or had further explanation. For example, the Matzo production line uses Sesame for the Tam Tams during non-passover, but the last time they ran this product was last May and the machines were thoroughly cleaned but not tested for proteins.  Any of the Matzoh line products could have been produced just after that May sesame run, as the shelf life of many of these products is 2 years, and therefore would be considered “produced on a line that has Sesame”.

Kosher For Passover and All Year Round

Matzo Ball Mix – no nuts, sesame – use common mixer with Almonds.

Matzo Ball & Soup Mix – use common mixer with Almonds

Matzo Meal -  Matzoh line (sesame on the line during regular year – last May)

Matzo Farfel – matzoh line (sesame on the line during regular year – last May)

Potato Kugel Mix – use common mixer with Almonds

Potato Pancake Mix   – – use common mixer with Almonds

Potato Starch – denmark – only make PS

Tomato & Mushroom Sauce – – spices use common mixer with Almonds

Kosher for Passover

Salt – approved

Grape Juice – outsourced – should be good

Potato Chips – SAFE

Cake Mixes (All) – – use common mixer with Almonds

Horseradish (All) – SAFE

Matzo Crackers (All) – matzoh line – sesame

Matzo (All) – matzo line – sesame months ago

Muffin Mixes (All) – – use common mixer with Almonds

Pancake Mixes – use common mixer with Almonds

Tam Tams (All) – on line with sesame (6 months ago)

Tiny Tams (All) – on line with sesame (6 months ago)

Notes:

The above products are peanut & nut free and made on a peanut and nut free production line.

- Passover cereals are made in a plant that is cleaned for Passover when nuts are not used, but nuts are used in the plant the rest of the year.

- Nuts are used in our Passover Macaroons And Cookies.

For your teacher...A note she can send to all parents

Once again, as parents of allergic children, we dread a day that once had such fond memories for us. It wasn’t so long ago that we, as children, looked forward to the candies and Be My Valentine cards. Now, as parents with allergic children, this day is a “HIGH ALERT” day. We have our cell phones charged, we don’t book any big meetings this day and are a little on edge until the children arrive back home safely.

Here are some thoughts around how we are going to handle this upcoming day to help reduce the risk for our children…

Communication: Early, this coming week, reach out to your child’s teacher and ask about the plan for Valentine’s Day. Will there be food allowed that day and if so, how are they going to monitor the situation with your child and their life-threatening food allergies. Discussing or sending a note to the school, Monday or Tuesday, will give you and the school time to plan for the most inclusive and safe approach.

Options for consideration: There are many non-food ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day, with cards or other small gifts. If food or treats is still on the agenda, maybe look for an allergy safe treat that everyone can have through working with the teacher and getting each child to donate, so you can buy the treat for the whole class.

Responsibility: Your child’s safety is a shared responsibility between you and your child’s teacher/school. I would strongly recommend that the teacher send a note home to all parents, reminding them about the food allergies present in the class, and that each child’s candy that is sent to school will be examined prior to allowing it in class (if candy is allowed).

Teaching: We should re-enforce with our children about the possibility of candies that day and explain once again that everyone’s candies may not be safe, so you should not eat them. Once you know the plan and if you feel comfortable with the teacher’s ability to execute the plan, you may change your approach.

The Back Up Plan: Instead of having your child live without treats, provide them with a safe alternate that is just as special a treat so they can be included in the fun, just in case. Also, use this time to check the expiration date of their EpiPens and ensure they take them with that day.

As for us parents, let’s take that forward step this coming week to get the teachers involvement in the plan. Without teacher support, it will be another very anxious day. Appreciate your child’s teacher’s efforts and possibly consider a small gift for them as a token of the thanks.

The electrical machine with the metal tray

Food allergy treatment update.

So taking a squeamish 6 year old for these treatments can be a challenge. We continued to treat him for peanuts 2 weeks ago. Today he is was also treated for molds, dust and other household sensitivities to allow his immune system to focus on the peanut allergy recovery. By eliminating other immune system issues, he will be stronger, have less mucus and be well on his way to the ultimate goal of an allergy cure.

For my older son, his immune system showed further issues too. He still faced some eczema on his face that we decided to treat today, as his treatment for dairy 2 weeks ago didn’t improve his eczema. Eggs, citrus and tomatoes were on his list as treatments today. We will get to his other severe allergy, peanut, next time.

The great news was that he didn’t get weakened by sesame when we muscle tested him…only 11 months to go before we really test him with blood work.

For myself, I can’t eat soy, coffee, chocolate, corn or barley for 3 days until my immune system accepts the information to not respond to these sensitivities…this experience is so enlightening. I am allowed to have all dairy! From being lactose intolerant for 24 years…now I can have any dairy…I’m nervous and curious. I’ll report my findings soon. More updates to come…

Saturday was very similar to the week before, however the children were much more accepting of the treatment, whereas last week they did not know that all they had to do was lie down and feel some slight pressure on their face, sides and feet.

I, on the other hand am now also going to join in on this experience and tackle my ailments (asthma, lactose etc…). My treatments will begin in a couple weeks and I will continue to share my personal experiences.

As for my kids, here are some photo’s of the experience. Next week is the last week for the their first allergens (Sesame for my oldest, Peanut for my younger guy). My oldest will then move on to treating Peanut, while the my younger boy will treat for Tree Nuts. A two-week break is required in between allergens to allow the body to adjust.

I have also gathered more specific information about BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination and will include later this week (forgot them at home and I’m on the road).

This is very exciting and we are so glad to bring this information to you as we experience it.

Next week…good-bye Sesame, good-bye Peanut…(we hope!)

Gentle Pressure

The electrical machine with the metal tray

Our "doctor"...or Quack as she calls herself

The allergens sit on the metal tray

The next day after my muscle test, my father-in-law tells me of a great way to cure food allergies. He talks about energy, muscle tests and how you reset the body to accept the allergen etc…

For 6 months, we did nothing, either too busy or too skeptical. On Saturday that all changed. We took our boys to this small office and began to understand the process even further. THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO INGESTION OF ANY ALLERGEN OR ANY FOOD AT ALL! This was the first point explained to us once again. The practitioner called herself a Quack! She understood that Western medicine is much easier for us to understand. When talking about energy, flow and meridians, most people think this is NUTS!

Step 1: A Bottle of YOUR Allergen

The practitioner took a glass jar of our allergen (Sesame) and put it on the electrical machine’s tray. She then took a tube filled with Sesame oil and placed it on the tray. Nothing was ever released out of the bottle or tube. They just sat their on a metal tray attached to this electrical current machine.

Step 2: Gentle Electrical Pulses

She explained that the same acupuncture pressure points that are used in acupuncture are the areas she also focuses on with her electrical impulse machine. She just touches the end of this metal wand, gently on these points of our body while we hold a metal rod in our hand. The treatment lasts 15 minutes and we require 3 treatments to cure each allergy. Some allergies like Tree Nuts can be combined (ie. Almond, cashew and pistachio) while others like Peanut or Sesame cannot be combined for us as they are most severe and we should focus on each individually.

We would then need to wait at least a year for the body to rid itself of the IgE antibodies, visit the allergist and test for the allergy – it sounded so crazy…could it actually be true? No more allergies…Don’t go their yet – I said to myself quietly!

The First Treatment:

Our older son went first, while the younger one sat there VERY concerned. He lay down on a massage table on his back. He held the metal rod in his left hand. The practitioner turned on the machine and began to touch his facial points. It tickled a bit but didn’t hurt at all and he was done in a jiffy!

My other son took more convincing but again the same process occurred but for his Peanut allergy first, as he isn’t allergic to sesame. No lingering effects after the treatment, except one…

We did the muscle test on both boys before and after the treatment. Before the treatment, we could easily separate their fingers. After the treatment it was much more difficult, both times they were holding the allergens (in jars) in their hands close to their chest. The bodies energy was not weakened by the allergen after the treatment….Hmmmm?

That was week one!

Next Week: Treatment 2 with pictures!

We have two children severely allergic to peanuts, tree nuts and sesame. Our hopes for a cure began this past Saturday…for the next year, we will share with you our journey into the unknown…curing my children’s food allergies.

Six months ago, I was at a health food store and one of the staff members performed a “muscle test” to show that I was not going get an upset stomach due to my lactose intolerance from my desired purchase of a Whey Protein powder where other brands of whey protein normally cause symptoms. For most of us, a Muscle Test sounds more like a fitness test than anything to do with allergies.

Here is what a muscle test is…and I do apologize if I don’t get it 100% accurate. Every object in our universe is made up of energy (protons, neutrons and electrons), and as a result, every object has an energy frequency. For example, colors of clothing or fabric, have different frequencies that reflect light to create a specific color. Peanuts, Tree Nuts and my Whey protein also have a specific frequency or energy that when held close to your body (ie against your chest), join your body’s natural energy frequency.

Objects that your body’s energy rejects will disrupt your energy flow and make you weaker. Objects that your body’s energy accepts will keep your energy whole and you remain strong.

When I held the bottle of protein, my body remained strong. When I was given another item (I can’t remember what it was), but it was clearly not good for me (and they knew this)…I became weaker. The test of strength was to separate two fingers (your thumb and finger next to your pinky). While holding the tips of these two fingers tight, if someone can easily open them apart, you are holding something that weakens you. If you remain strong and firm, the object is accepted by your body.

Needless to say, I have been enjoying my Whey Protein daily ever since…

Next Blog: The bigger challenge – my children’s allergies!  Pictures to come…

Having friends and family over during the holiday season? We just finished a take-out dinner for 12 from one of our preferred restaurants – Canyon Creek in Vaughan ON and the food was safe, tasty and with no work on our part. The cost was similar to cooking it your self and had no clean up.

Having severe food allergies can limit your social activities. By having our friends over for dinner, the younger kids could play while the adults talked. No worry about waiters, noisy ambience etc… Each person had an individually wrapped meal and we all shared the fries!  We ordered early (3pm) and picked up the food at 5.  Canyon Creek baked the french fries, grilled steaks on silver foil and prepared the pastas in a fresh pot of water.  Thanks Canyon Creek!

Over the Holidays, give yourself a break and take-out from your favorite restaurant.