Guest writer, Elissa Garr, talks about getting back to basics and healing our society through conscious efforts related to food and lifestyle choices.
I have always considered myself educated. I have been learning since I was a baby and have never stopped. I am by trade a teacher and counselor. I have always been extremely observant to the actions, words, and deeds of others and the motivations behind them.
Like many, I have started to notice a terrifying trend; the vast obesity of Americans. Not just the obesity of adults but the obesity of children, the children I teach every day.
If you are a member of this blog, you are not a stranger to the dangers of wheat, sugars, processed and man-made foods. My questions is……..
HOW DO WE STOP THIS TREND?
The information is out there, yet people blatantly ignore it. I have searched for research that supports the healthy benefits of wheat, I can find very few and it is obvious that the risks out weigh the benefits. Yet people still continue to gorge themselves with numerous servings of wheat daily. Our own government boasts at the benefits and daily recommendations of whole wheat and in the same breath conduct dangerous genetically modifying experiments and we the people are it’s test subjects. People see the negative effects of these ‘foods’ and yet fail to blame them or accept responsibly for their choices.
This is a guest post from our Organic Food Insider, Leslie. Here she shares a very touching, real story of what it’s like to have Celiac disease, how she discovered it, and what her journey entails.
I feel like I tell my story all of the time. I had stomach aches. I couldn’t figure them out. Doctor’s told me I had IBS. I read about gluten in a magazine. I cut it out. My life changed forever. Is it really this simple? No. But this is how simple my story has become when I share it with the masses. I’ve never gotten more personal than I will right now, but let’s begin.
I played soccer growing up. It was my passion, my addiction and all I ever wanted to do was play pro and be Mia Hamm. Yet, my long days of playing were always interrupted by stomach aches. I once ran 2 miles off the soccer field, during a game, just to use the restroom at my own house. I couldn’t breathe, my stomach was so wrecked. This is one of the first instances I remember of my life being interrupted by stomach problems.
Most of my memories are shameful bathroom excursions into the back of my grandmother’s house. We’d eat pasta dinners every Sunday and I’d always feel horrible afterwards. I’d sneak to the far bathroom and rock back in forth, in tears, as I silently tried to use the restroom. 30 minutes later I’d walk out, hoping no one noticed my long absence from the family gatherings. These were so frequent that they became normal. At least three times a week, I had bouts of stomach aches like that one.
The most embarrassing times were in high school, when my first boyfriend didn’t understand why I always spent hours in the bathroom. We’d eat donuts in the morning on the way to school and I’d spend first period crying my eyes out in one of the stalls, unable to function until I emerged. The memories of sitting in the journalism classroom, immediately feeling uncomfortable and having to rush out, are still so vivid. There’s something so alienating about having to quietly leave the room and go to the bathroom. It’s as though your life is being put on hold – you’re disappearing from reality.
The alienation became worse when I entered college. I met some new friends… who happened to be stupid friends… and we’d drink constantly on the weekends. Beer wouldn’t immediately get my stomach in a knot, it was only the aftermath which left me helpless. The morning after a party I’d be unable to move out of my bed. I’d make it to the bathroom only in helpless instances. I was told that it must be a bad case of a “hang-over”, even going so far as to think I had a bout of alcohol poisoning. Yet, it was worth it at that time to be able to drink and be accepted rather than stop and spend my nights at home in my dorm. After a bad experience one night out with friends, I finally woke up and realized that this wasn’t who I was…. but by this time my stomach issues had gone way beyond the gut.
There are many studies that have come out which point to women with undiagnosed Celiac Disease experiencing bouts of depression and anxiety. After reading these studies, I have no doubt that the constant depression I experienced in my life was a direct result of the high consumption of gluten throughout my entire life. The gut is so permeable that everything we put into it directly affects the rest of our bodies. There were days where I wouldn’t be able to get out of bed just because I didn’t feel life was worth anything. There were also days when I was so overcome by anxiety that I’d just eat anything in sight until I couldn’t fit anything else into my stomach. This continued into my Sophomore year, even after I’d cut back on drinking and junk food. I thought cutting out crap was enough – but it wasn’t! I traveled to Belgium in the summer of 2009 hoping the alone time and European tour would bring me enlightenment. Of course, the Belgian diet of cheese, bread and beer did nothing to help my cause. My anxiety worsened and I remember days where I ate at least 5,000 calories and still didn’t feel satisfied.
When I returned to the US, I transferred schools and immediately sought help. The first doctor I saw put me on a high dose of anti-depressants, which killed my appetite. The combination of every food hurting my stomach and my own anxiety issues made every aspect of my day revolve around food. I was obsessive and succumbed to the eating disorders that so many 20-year-old women can’t escape. This complicated many issues, as the nutritionist I saw who “just wanted me to eat a snickers bar” tried to tell me that eating chips and cookies wasn’t a bad thing, it was me that had the issues all in my head. I told her that everything I ate caused me stomach pain and that there were weeks at a time when I’d become so dehydrated and sick that I couldn’t eat anything at all. I’d vomit at least three times a day during those weeks, which many doctors labeled “Gastroenteritis.”
I finally began to read about the connection between food and the body. I was convinced that my mental issues weren’t caused by some chemical imbalance and that what was going on was not just a correlation between neurotransmitters and the brain. I remember picking up a magazine of my sister’s and reading a 30 word segment in the middle of the page – it described something called gluten-intolerance and how it’s a rare issue that is never diagnosed. That day I cut out gluten. Two weeks later I tried to tell my nutritionist that I hadn’t had a stomach ache all week! She told me that it was just me believing that the gluten had helped and it wasn’t truly an issue, but still wrote down some gluten-free options for me. (As I look back now, this woman was a damn idiot with her suggestions of potato bread and potato chips as options for a gluten-free diet. How the hell does she even have her degree!?!)
A few weeks later, I went and saw a GI doctor. They ran tests and gave me heartburn medication because I’d been off gluten for two weeks and didn’t show positive blood work for Celiac. I let them do an invasive procedure, and it showed what I’d read to be true – my Celiac was so severe and had gone undiagnosed for so long that my stomach lining was in horrible shape.
From that point on, my life didn’t get any easier. I was still struggling with anxiety and depression and had no guidance on how to go about eating gluten-free on a college campus. I didn’t know that gluten hides in certain sauces and foods. It’s in gum! It’s in salad dressings! It’s EVERYWHERE! I went stomach pain-free most of the time, but every so often I’d have an issue where I’d feel horrible. I’d back track to where I had eaten and I’d realized that I could have had cross-contamination or I’d actually eaten gluten without knowing.
Eating gluten-free on a college campus was the worst. I’d pack my lunch as much as possible, but many days I’d go for so long and only have an apple or some hummus or a LaraBar. Those were my staples. Over time, I was able to find other options – like when I walked into my gym one day and there were these really colorful bars sitting at the cafe. I had seen them being promoted around town and so I tried one. It was amazing and I would carry them with me on campus all of the time – eating at least 2 a day. I continued to try other energy bars, but these were the only ones that didn’t leave me with a headache or a stomach ache.
I appreciated the ingredient label and began to look more into all of the claims on the packaging. I didn’t know that soy-free was a good thing and I didn’t even know what agave syrup was! So I began to educate myself.
I discovered that more foods than gluten affected my body. I cut out soy and all dairy and any stomach cramps or slight issues that remained began to cease!! Who knew that you could have so many adverse reactions to foods? The more I read, the more I realized that eating REAL food, that isn’t processed, was the number one choice for me.
I began to cook all of my own meals, using raw food cookbooks for innovative ideas! As I became more of a real foodist, I regretted the times where I’d slip. As the gluten-free movement came under way, more options became available to me and it became easier to slip into a processed-yet-gluten-free-frenzy!
Eventually, I found my into working for a company that stands for everything that I believe in. While there can be a lot of drama over the true meaning of “natural” in the natural foods industry, it is a comforting place to work. Last week, I attended a Natural Products Expo, where companies were overjoyed to tout their labels of “gluten-free” and “dairy-free” and “nothing added.” No one asked me why I needed my food to be that way and every person was more than accommodating. Furthermore, it is blissful to be able to sit around a dinner table in the comfort of your bosses and co-workers and friends and enjoy a gluten-free meal of sweet potatoes and humanely-raised animals and deliciously-cooked veggies. There isn’t a moment in the past two-weeks where I’ve had to ask if any meal prepared for me was going to make me sick, and that’s a comfort that I’ve longed for since my diagnosis almost three years ago. For anyone who is currently struggling with the beginning stages of stomach issues or is in the middle and feels alienated by their choices, please reach out to someone whose been there. It’s not worth going in alone. I myself enjoy the comfort of the natural foods industry, but I believe that you can find understanding people everywhere.
We’re grateful to Leslie for sharing her story, so please share your comments below and let us know of your own journey. And remember: be cautious, and be your own health advocate. Only you know your body, and what you’re feeling, and it’s truly up to you to help discover the root of poor health.
Providing the proper accommodations for your child when they are at school can be quite frustrating. What you find to be completely reasonable, others (who do not have to go through the food allergy life) think is completely unreasonable. School staff tend to think a parent is overreacting most of the time; thinking we just want to put our child in a tiny little bubble and treat him like he is a porcelain doll. In reality, we are just trying to lower their chances of having a life changing allergic reaction.
Here are a few reasonable accommodations that school staff should NOT fight you on:
All school staff is to be trained to use the epi pen. (This includes cafeteria staff, teachers and office personnel)
Teachers will not use the allergen in classroom projects, behavior rewards or lesson plans.
*Student is permitted to carry epi pen. An additional epi pen will be kept in the main office.
**Student can sit with everyone else at lunch time, with cafeteria staff being informed of the allergy to avoid it going near student.
Notices will be sent home to classmates encouraging non-food celebrations (birthdays, holidays etc.) OR to inform them there is an allergic student and remind them of the foods that are NOT safe to bring in.
* If the student is allowed to self carry in the school district and if the parents feel comfortable with it.
** Ultimately up to the parents on the cafeteria conditions.
Here are a few negotiable accommodations that school staff and parents will need to find an agreement on:
allowing the child to have a safe snack bag in the classroom (most likely provided by parents)
notices sent home to the entire school notifying them of the allergy.
nut-free classroom
peanut-free zone at lunch time
You are the parent so you decide what is needed so your child can have a great educational experience and, most importantly, a safe experience at school.
If you have any questions about reasonable accommodations for your child, set up a meeting with the school’s principal and/or social worker. They can help you decide on what is absolutely needed. Remember to never let the school talk you out of an accommodation that you know your child needs.
Have a question regarding Peanut, Tree Nut or Other food allergies in school? Want to suggest a topic for me to discuss? Follow Me on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/ptomom or Contact me @ pto_mom@aol.com and follow my Inspiredeats column here.
Get “Schooled” on Food Allergies With PTO Mom!
*All information on this page is not to be taken instead of medical advice.*
I have received quite a bit of private messages regarding school activities and how to handle them when having food allergies. It’s normal for a parent to feel nervous, especially a parent of a food-allergic child. Will my child be safe? Will they know what to do if she has a reaction? Will they know what to avoid? These are just some of the questions that go through our minds on a daily basis.
When it comes to planning school events and activities, it make us even more nervous. Most of the time, food is a big part of school events. Every holiday there has to be a food related project or fundraiser. I know with my son’s school, Halloween is all about candy, Thanksgiving they have a “feast” at lunch time”, Christmas is about cookies, Valentines day is about candy, Easter is coloring eggs in class and of course candy; everything has to have food involved.
To ease the stress level, try to talk with the classroom teacher and explain your child’s allergies. If you don’t feel comfortable with your child doing “food projects”, ask if they can do non-food projects. It is best to research some non-food related projects off the internet to give the teacher some options when talking with him/her.
With St. Patrick’s Day fast approaching, here are some examples of non-food related school projects:
Teach an Irish step dance.
Decorate the room with shamrocks made from construction paper.
Plan a St. Patrick’s Day scavenger hunt that leads to a pot of gold filled with treasures,( pens, pencils, stickers and/or erasers).
Read about Irish history
For a pre-spring break activity:
Plan a nature walk to see plants re-awakening in
the spring weather.
Decorate plastic eggs with paints and stickers.
Decorate flowerpots for parents and plant a flower or seed.
Have parents donate plants that children can plant in the school yard or at a housing project, senior center, or other community site.
Another option is to ask to volunteer in the classroom on special days where you know food will be an issue. Days such as the last day of school before spring break. That day is usually all about Easter related activities. Egg painting, candy and Easter egg hunts are just some of the activities that you typically see. If you are there, you can monitor anything your child is exposed to, to make sure it is safe.
Good communication is the key to a successful allergy-free school year. If you communication on a regular basis with the ones who will be around your child the most, they can prepare themselves properly. Also, when communication is good, they all can feel comfortable with calling you anytime of the school day, if there is a question or concern.
School is about learning. Make sure you teach your child to be safe and understand what is safe and what isn’t. When in doubt, throw it out!
Have a question regarding Peanut, Tree Nut or Other food allergies in school? Want to suggest a topic for me to discuss? Follow Me on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/ptomom or Contact me @ pto_mom@aol.com and follow my Inspiredeats column here.
Get “Schooled” on Food Allergies With PTO Mom!
*All information on this page is not to be taken instead of medical advice.*
The day of the first reaction, we gave our son half of a peanut from the bag we received earlier that week. (We didn’t know he was allergic at that time.) Almost immediately, he started to act and look strange. Within seconds, his lips swelled up and started to turn blue. Then the vomiting began.
We were completely terrified and didn’t know what to do. We grabbed him and rushed him to the hospital. We didn’t know what was going on. They took him back, examined him and our worst fears were confirmed. Our son was diagnosed with a severe, life threatening allergy to peanuts; anaphylaxis, they called it.
He was later tested to find out if he had any other allergies. My son’s food allergies include: peanuts, cashews, and pistachios.
Here are some experiences from our readers:
“The epipen jr had to be used today on my pa/ta daughter. She is okay now, thankfully, but scared to go to school now because that is where it happened. A child brought in cupcakes for his birthday and the label was ripped off. The teacher said he checked them and they were okay. I got the container off of him after I got to school to take her to the e.r. and the label was ripped but you could see, “May conta”. I am assuming it said “may contain peanuts and/or tree nuts”. I am FURIOUS! However, that being said, I am glad she is okay. She is staying home tomorrow and I will be calling the school to speak with them about the importance of label reading. Thank you for letting me share.” – Meghan P.
To Meghan P:I am so very sorry your daughter had to have the epipen jr used on her today. Unfortunately, misunderstood label reading can be a major cause for allergic reactions. This is why reading, and sometimes, double reading the label is extremely important. To help your daughter feel better about being in school, try providing her with a bag or Tupperware box, of safe snacks to keep in her classroom. This way she can just go straight to her safe snacks when there is a celebration, if they are not sure about the foods. Even if they feel it is safe but there is no label, or in this case the label was ripped, having a safe snack bag as a back up will help her feel safer and still included in the celebration. I hope she is okay now and send her my best!
“My son has a life threatening allergy to dairy. We went to a trusted restaurant for my birthday. After being assured the bread was safe we allowed him to eat it. Bread in restaurants is always avoided. Within 15 minutes he was having a reaction. Not big but stomach cramps, minor hives. I spoke to our waiter to explain what was happening and that we may need to administer Epi’s and call 911. He brought our check. At the time we live in A North Shore Suburb of Chicago. The hospital was 5 minutes away so we raced to hospital. His reaction remained the same. Doctors gave him more antihistamine and watched him. An hour later they were releasing us. On our way out, I heard a wheeze when he was breathing. He was going into anaphylaxis full on. Epi and steroids were administered and we stayed a few more hours. He has had a bunch of reactions. This was the first one that was delayed.” – Tracie W. C.
To Tracie W.C. : Unfortunately, events like this can not be predicted. This is why we prepare ourselves by practicing using the epipens and educating ourselves on different scenarios. You can never be 100% prepared, but as long as you know what the signs and symptoms of an allergic reaction are, and you educated yourself on “safe” places to eat, you can prevent a reaction as much as possible. This being a restaurant that you frequented, it is shocking that it happened, however it is always a possibility when human error is at play. You did an excellent job at handling the situation, i must say! My advice to you is to avoid anything you think “may” have been contaminated by his allergen. Even if they say it is safe, if you don’t trust it, don’t eat it. Personally, I stick with the same foods for my son when we go to restaurants. It can never hurt to remind the staff every time you go there because staff changes and so does the menu. Good luck and I wish your son many years of happy restaurant experiences.
“This summer we went to an allergist who told us that my son’s skin tests scored lower than his initial diagnoses 3 years prior. This was our first time visiting this particular Dr. He also told us that since my son only broke out in hives with his first reaction that he probably wouldn’t have even prescribed us an epi-pen. He sent us home and had us do a food trial. Even though I saw red flags, we tried a food trial at home anyway. This Dr was very sure of himself. I was nervous. My son doesn’t even like peanut butter (thank God) so for the trial I made a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. He took the tiniest “mouse bite” and we waited. Within minutes, he had severe abdominal pain, then threw up. His face was blood red! You could see blood under the surface of his skin (like a strawberry) all over his entire face. His throat started to close. He was crying and saying “I can feel my throat on my tongue!!” We kept talking to him calmly and walked out of the house, got in the car, and sped to the hospital. (It took us 3 minutes we live VERY close, thank God!) He was given epinephrine, steroids, and pepcid to help if there was any left in his stomach. He was on oral steroids for about a week after this incident. I can tell you that there is NOTHING more horrifying than the PLEADING look in his eyes. He was so scared and so were my husband and I. I will NEVER forget the look in his eyes. EVER. Needless to say we do NOT go to that allergist anymore. I am extremely happy with the one we have now. I don’t ever want to experience this again. I hope and pray every day that my son never does.” – Cherie K. T.
Cherie K. T. : That had to have been extremely scary and definitely a traumatizing experience. For that doctor to have you do a food allergy at home may have been the most “unprofessional” thing I have ever heard of. Most doctors recommend food challenges in the office, or if you want to do it on your own, most recommend it be done near a hospital or in the hospital lobby. You explained this in so much deatil that I can almost see the events, step by step, of what happened. It is always a heartbreak, to say the least, when we see our child suffer and when it is from something like this, it is so much worse. You handled the situation with great restraint; trying to remain calm for your child. My advice to you is to always trust your gut. Even if a doctor tells you otherwise. If your gut is telling you something is wrong, then something probably is. You know better about your child. Keep yourself prepared with an epipen at all times. If by chance an allergist says he doesn’t need one, request one anyway. If they refuse, I would go to another doctor. Remember, if there is an emergency and the epipen you have is expired or a jr (and your child now uses the full strength), it is best to use something rather than nothing at all. They do not advise to use expired ones however, in the event of an emergency and your child can not breathe, it is best to try. It can’t hurt. Good luck to you and your child in the future. I wll keep my fingers crossed for no more reactions!
“This wasn’t a first reaction but it was one of the scariest for me because we were nowhere familiar. We were coming home from a trip and had just stopped to use the restroom. When we got back into the car, we gave the kids (daughter 8years old, son 5 years old) some Laffy Taffy. Both my husband and I read the ingredients and didn’t see any of their allergens (daughter ana to peanuts and treenuts, son ana to egg, peanuts and treenuts). Within 1 minute of beginning to eat my son starts screaming that the roof of his mouth was burning and he insisted that there was egg in it. We assured him that we checked and there was no egg. Within 3o seconds he began projectile vomiting. We pulled over on the side of interstate 80, jumped out and threw his door open. His eyes and mouth were swollen and he had ginormous hives all over and started wheezing. I got out epi pen and gave it to him. My husband pulled up the nearest hospital on GPS (thank the lord for GPS!!!) and we sped there. I called 911 and told them to call the hospital and have them waiting out side for him. I soothed him all the way (it was less than a 10 minute drive but felt like hours). He continued throwing up but his breathing seemed better. Finally got to hospital and medical personal were waiting. Told them as we were pushed into room his history and when I gave him the epi pen. They started IV of steroid and began checking his vitals. Said his lungs sounded good and they would keep him for 4 hours. 1/2 hour into our stay, he started wheezing and got more swollen. The doctor was wavering on giving him the second epi pen. I said he is getting worse and they had 5 seconds to give him the epi or I would because I wasn’t going to watch my son die. Well, they did and thankfully he got better. We stayed at the hospital 6 hours and drove 4 more to get home. The next day I researched and found out that Laffy Taffy in the size we had gotten has eggs, but neither myself or my husband saw it listed. Because we threw it away (with the vomit) we couldn’t prove to the company that it was miss labeled. Very thankful it ended well.” – Julie B. W.
Julie B. W. : I am very thankful it ended well too! Sounds like you were very prepared and handled everything so well. Under the circumstances, it is hard to remain calm and know how to keep the child calm too. You did a great job! Situations like this happen all of the time but we hardly ever hear about them. It is true that some of the “mini” packaging or the “king size” packaging are produced differently, this is why we as parents need to try to keep ourselves up to date with changes in the factories. Unfortunately, we can never know for sure sometimes, no matter how much “research” we do. You did what any mother would have done had they been in your situation. Pushing the hospital staff to administer the second epipen is NOT something your should have done, however sometimes the parent has to be the doctor. This is why it is so important to understand your child’s reactions. My advice for you is to keep being a great mom! You handled the situation the way you should have and that is awesome! If by chance, your child has another reaction, not necessarily from a Laffy Taffy because if could be from another food, save the wrapper to show to the hospital staff and to have as prof of what he ingested. I recommend keeping a Ziploc baggy with his epipen so if you have to save a wrapper, you can put it in there and there isn’t a risk of him coming in contact with the wrapper. Scary situations like this, unfortunately teach us how to handle stressful situations. Good luck and to your children!
Reading about other parent’s situations can help you learn what to do and how to handle it, if you ever have to deal with your child going through an allergic reaction. Sometimes, when an allergic reaction happens at school, it can seem so much worse because you are not there to REALLY know what happened. This this why it is important to have preventative measures put in place. Even those cant completely stop an allergic reaction, however it can prevent it most of the time.
All of you mothers, handled the situation extremely well, under the circumstances. I applaud you all!
Have a question regarding Peanut, Tree Nut or Other food allergies in school? Want to suggest a topic for me to discuss? Follow Me on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/ptomom or Contact me @ pto_mom@aol.com and follow my Inspiredeats column here.
Get “Schooled” on Food Allergies With PTO Mom!
*All information on this page is not to be taken instead of medical advise.*
Since we are meeting here at Inspired Eats, I can only assume that you are a savvy consumer of high-quality ingredients. Of course, I love that about you! I often spend at least some of my time with clients trying to convince them of the benefits of a cleaner diet anchored by protein, fiber and fat. The notion of a life with more energy, fewer allergies, less inflammation & perhaps better sleep and sex often gets their attention. So what could possibly be the down side you ask ??? The answer is often $$$.
That’s right. MONEY. It can be expensive to eat healthy. Depending on where you started in the first place, moving to a diet of whole foods can have a sizeable impact on your budget. I, personally, subscribe to the “Pay Now or Pay Later” philosophy. Tired of all those daily allergy meds? Well, cleaning up your diet can eliminate your need for them.
In the end, that’s where you’ll be: spending less on meds, enjoying more productivity, fewer visits to the doctor. But in the meantime, what to do about your new food budget today, this week, this month ?As you work hard to integrate your whole foods diet into your life, here are some ways you can save money on your very next visit to the market:
GO FROZEN
Fruit. My kids love fresh berries. They literally fight over a bowl of raspberries. While their fighting over fruit is a very proud moment for me (mostly), it’s also like watching 15 bucks disappear, poof. Gone, instantly, are the organic strawberries, blueberries and raspberries we just bought at the market. I can’t afford to do this each week so I’ve gone frozen. Not 100%, but now I’m consistently storing prepackaged organic fruits in our home freezer. The organic fruits are much cheaper than those we buy in the fresh produce section. Since most frozen fruits are picked at their peek of ripeness, they’re still filled with the phytonutrients that has me serving them up in the first place. We make popsicle treats, smoothies and nutty pancakes using these fruits.
Fish. Fish is another thing we try to rotate on to the family table at least weekly. Fresh fish, especially wild caught, can be prohibitive for the old pocketbook so often I’ll buy it frozen, which is definitely cheaper. Like fruit, fish is often flash frozen at its freshest (just out of the water) before any of that yummy omega-3 fat can degrade. When I come home with the fresh, unfrozen in hand, I often feel pressure to get it cooked as soon as possible. So on those nights when the soccer game goes late and all I really have time to do is scramble up a few omelettes, I feel obliged to grill up my fish before it turns on me. If its frozen, I can just leave it be for a more convenient night.
A few guidelines on keeping your fish fresh: don’t leave it unrefrigerated for more than 30 minutes and don’t leave it in your fridge for more than 3 days. Your nose will often tell you when your fish has gone bad, but since all fish smells a little, well, fishy – sometimes it can be hard to tell. A few other signs to look for: when your fillet’s color changes to yellow or grayish around the edges or takes on a mushy, slimy texture, it is time to toss it out.
GO BULK
Spices. When you are in the midst of transitioning away from processed, prepackaged ingredients to a whole foods diet, your taste buds are transitioning along with you. It can be difficult to retrain your buds when they are accustomed to the fake flavors that additives like aspartame and MSG serve up. The artful use of seasonings such as pumpkin pie spice, dill and curry will help keep things flavorful for you without the junk your body can’t recognize as food. Restocking your spice drawer for all of the new recipes you are trying is another added expense to your grocery bill, so as you sample your new recipes and some new flavors, buy your spices in the bulk section. They are cheaper there and you can buy them there in smaller amounts so they don’t lose their flavor after camping out in your cupboard for months.
A few guidelines on keeping your spices fresh: Make sure and transfer them from bulk bags to glass containers like these. Then store containers in a cool, dark place to prevent oxidation.
Meats. In the bulk section? Well, sort of. Think of it like this: often we’re buying chicken thighs one night for a crockpot recipe and breasts another night for fajitas. This “piece meal” (ha ha) approach to buying poultry – or any other meat – is more expensive than buying the whole bird. Purchase a good pair of game shears and you can trim your bird into the pieces you need for your nightly meals.
A few guidelines on choosing your best meat options: If free-range, organic birds are not in your budget, then stick with lean cuts of meat like the breast, advise authors Jayson and Mira Calton of Rich Food, Poor Food. Interesting fact: since toxins tend to take up residence in fat cells, the leaner the meat – the fewer the toxins. Another good option they suggest if organic is out of your family’s budget is to buy birds fed a 100% vegetarian diet because then you’re assured they were not fed any animal by-products. Animal by-products are parts of animals not intended for human consumption and include all, and I mean all, parts of animals: hooves, feathers and other more undesirable parts. Unfortunately, outbreaks in farm animals have been linked to these by-products. The most notorious, Mad Cow disease, is suspected to be the result of feeding meat and bone meal to cattle in the UK.
Come back tomorrow for more ways to stretch your organic dollar. I’ll be sharing my secret on a move that will save you money on your grocery bill AND get your kids eating more veggies. Like I said, I’m on a mission to make a whole foods diet possible for as many people as I can – so the more strategies, the better.
Have any ideas to share ? We’d love to hear how you make the most of your organic dollar when you shop.
Margaret can help you navigate the complexities of going allergy-free, including personalized nutrition plans, personal shopping lists, consultations and more. You can learn more about how the Wellness Pantry can help you by visiting her site here.
If you have a child with food allergies, you have heard of a “504 Plan” but don’t really know much about it. Some school districts have even said they don’t do 504 plans in their district. Abiding by Section 504, which is a federal law, is not optional.
I will answer some questions that some readers have asked, referring to Section 504 in public schools.
Q: How do you get a 504? What exactly is a 504 plan?-Kelly (unknown last name)
A: A “504 Plan” is a type of written agreement between you and the school providing information on the accommodations you feel your child needs so that he/she can have the same opportunities at school as everyone else. Accommodations can include: nut-free classroom, nut-free lunch table, non-food celebrations…etc. A student is considered eligible for a “504 Plan” if they have an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. According to Americans with Disabilities Act Amendment Act, if the impairment is episodic (the food allergic child is not always reacting just as an epileptic is not always seizing), it doesn’t dismiss eligibility if the impairment substantially limits one or more major life activities when active. With a food allergic child, during anaphylaxis, the major life activity that would be limited would be breathing and eating.
To get a 504 plan established for your child, first you should contact the school’s principal, with a written request. You can find sample letters online by google searching: sample letter requesting accommodations under section 504 or sample letter for 504 plan for food allergies. In the letter I would request that if your child is denied for some reason, you would like a written denial with reason why sent to you. This way you have it in writing, just in case you need to fight it. Personally, I would physically hand it to a staff member at the school’s office so you know the school received it. I would also, if you feel it is necessary, to email a copy to the principal too. The standard time to wait to receive a call back is 5 business days, so if you have not received a call back to schedule a meeting within 5 business days, call the school to speak to the principal. I would also send in the same letter to the school nurse and even the school councilor/social worker.
Q: What sort of accommodations should I request for at my child’s 504 meeting? – Hanna J.
A: You can ask for any accommodations that you feel are reasonable requests to help manage your child’s food allergies in school. Accommodations that you can include are:
nut-free classroom
nut-free lunch table
non-food celebrations
allowing a “safe snack” bag in the classroom
allowing your child to carry an Epipen (or Auvi-Q) in school and on field trips
request to be the first parent called to volunteer for classroom parties and/or field trips
table cleaned after each lunch… etc.
request all staff and drivers are Epipen (and/or Auvi-Q) trained
Q: My son, who is 6, is allergic to peanuts (not tree nuts). His school is peanut free. Should I get a written management plan for him even though the school is peanut free?– Samantha W.
A: Absolutely! Even though the school is peanut free, you still may need some accommodations such as:
self carrying an Epipen or Auvi-Q
request all staff and drivers are Epipen (and/or Auvi-Q) trained
request to be the first parent called to volunteer for field trips
A “504 Plan” doesn’t necessarily need to be your first choice for a written management plan. If the school is willing to work with you, a simple written management plan would work for you. The difference is, a “504 Plan” is a legal document that, once agreed upon, makes everyone held accountable for their part. A written management plan, is more like an agreement between you and the school. If it isn’t signed, they can say it never existed, because there is not paperwork to prove their accountability. “504 Plans” are better in that if the school staff changes, this legal binding document doesn’t.
It is ultimately up to the parents to decide what is best for managing their child’s food allergies in school.
You can understand more about managing food allergies in a school setting by taking a look at this guide:
Have a question regarding Peanut, Tree Nut or Other food allergies in school? Want to suggest a topic for me to discuss? Follow Me on Facebook @ www.facebook.com/ptomom or Contact me @ pto_mom@aol.com and follow my Inspiredeats column here.
Get “Schooled” on Food Allergies With PTO Mom!
*All information on this page is not to be taken instead of medical advise.*
This is a guest post from Rebecca Evans, who shares her own perspectives of living with food allergies. She hopes to help you better understand this journey you or your loved ones are on, and help and inspire you along the way.
Living with food allergies is a unique challenge that affects not only the individual dealing with said allergies, but also significant others. More than one might realize, actually.
When I first started dating my now ex-husband, I quickly learned about his allergy on the third date, as he asked the waitress what kind of oil the French fries were cooked in.
“I guess I should come clean now,” he admitted, as though he had done something wrong. “I have a peanut allergy.”
A few months later we moved in together, and I was beginning to understand what it meant live with a food allergy. I carried an epi-pen in my purse, just in case something happened while we were out. Any food that we purchased had to be checked and the ingredients list read thoroughly. If it said “Made in a facility that also handles peanuts and/or tree nuts”, back to the shelf it went. While consuming any kind of nut product would make him sick, peanuts could kill him, and he had to take extra precautions when we went out to eat.
One day I purchased a box dinner and, not seeing the special marking on the bottom that usually denotes “May contain tree nuts”, I assumed everything was fine. However, it was only after I got home and re-read the list that I saw a nut ingredient that had hid itself in the smaller print. Thankful I caught the problem before it started, I threw the food away and went to prepare something else for dinner. After that, reading each and every little item on the list of ingredients became a way of life for me.
Another time, I made the mistake of kissing my ex after eating a Reese’s peanut butter cup, thereby causing a breakout on his lips. He had to clean his face and I learned to brush my teeth and wash my hands after consuming any nut products. I also started to make do without peanut butter in the house, and forgo any cereals that had nuts, so I wouldn’t risk contaminating the dishes even after cleaning them.
I won’t lie, it wasn’t an easy adjustment to make for someone who had grown up eating PB&J her whole childhood. But not wanting to unintentionally poison the man I loved (at the time), I willingly gave it up.
In 2007, I decided to become vegetarian (after some protest from my ex), and took to shopping in the specialty frozen food aisle of my local grocery store. Following along behind me, my ex noticed that among the veggie burgers and vegan TV dinners, there were snack items called Kim and Scott’s, a brand made just for people with food allergies that boasted of being nut free and healthy for the whole family. Finally, a great compromise! He could have the food he wanted and buy it in confidence knowing it wouldn’t put him in the hospital later that night.
“And to think you gave me all that grief about changing my diet,” I teased him.
Today, those with nut allergies have it easier than ever. Brands like Kim and Scotts and Cherrybrook Farm build their products around those with allergies. Sunflower butter is a popular alternative to peanut butter. And in the majority of restaurants, peanut oil is a thing of the past.
For those of you dating a person with food allergies, here are a few things to keep in mind:
-Be mindful of what they cannot eat, no exceptions! That means if they cannot eat gluten, don’t try and make them.
-Don’t make them feel bad or guilty for having an allergy. It’s not something they can control.
-Check out specialty restaurants, including vegetarian and vegan restaurants, as these are usually sensitive to people with food allergies.
-Invest in a good food allergy cookbook and learn to make a few “alternative dishes” your partner can enjoy.
-If you do buy food at the store, read all the ingredients. Even if you think you don’t have to, do so anyway. Better safe than sorry.
Although nut allergies are no longer a part of my life since we are not together, thanks to my ex I am more conscious of what individuals with allergies deal with, and how their lives can be improved with better options, more variety, and public knowledge on food allergies-something many people are still unaware of. I happily look forward to the day when everyone can enjoy their own version of a Reese’s non-peanut butter cup!
Rebecca Evans is a freelance writer, and knows firsthand what it’s like to have a partner with food allergies. You can find her on Facebook, Twitter and her blog, Living the Hi Life.
When I launched Inspiredeats, I had a simple idea in mind; to help people (who are sick and lost along their healing journey) by connecting them with helpful information and medical professionals who could help them heal.
Over the last year I’ve shared hundreds of recipes, reviewed allergy-free products, shared tips on restaurants that are allergy-free and connected readers with helpful resources to answer their questions about how and why they just can’t feel better. I’ve shared what I’ve learned along my journey, and while I have a lot of helpful info swirling around in my head, I’m not a licensed practitioner, so I always hesitate to offer much advice. Rather, I share what my journey has entailed in the hopes that it helps you to know you’re not alone.
Why Nutrition?
I was sick, tired, spiritually broken and ready to give up, until someone came along who wanted to help me, and who had a pretty good idea of what was wrong with me. She changed my world forever, and along the way, I have met many other people like her who are devoted to this healing journey.
So today I’m excited to announce our partnership with The Wellness Pantry! Margaret Connor, founder of The Wellness Pantry, helps optimize your health through nutrition and lifestyle support so you can reduce daily stress, stop mealtime battles and bring healing foods & connection back to the family table.
Margaret offers consulting services that are suited to you, and your family’s, unique needs. Below are just a few of the many amazing services she offers, and these can all be done locally in Austin, or remotely via phone calls and/or Skype.
Note – be sure to tell Margaret you heard about her from us and she’ll give you a special bonus as a new client.
TO GET YOUR PANTRY GLUTEN-FREE WE PROVIDE:
A review of favorite foods and your personal/family diet to help customize the contents of your new, gluten-free pantry. We can incorporate additional dietary restrictions (to nuts, eggs, soy, etc.) if necessary.
A customized gluten-free shopping list to meet you or your family’s needs. You’ll get lots of options so you won’t get bored!
The Grocery guide: Where to buy everything on your list
A follow up phone-call to decide what is working, what isn’t and discuss further strategies to help you get through the tough time of transition! (30 minutes)
OTHER GLUTEN-FREE OPTIONS & RESOURCES:
Customized gluten-free recipes for you (easy and taste-tested!). These will be built around your favorite foods and/or additional dietary restrictions.
Gluten-free customized recipes that work for kids
A gluten-free grocery shopping trip/guide
Started off strong ? Needing some fresh ideas? Try a follow-up session
PERSONAL NUTRITION PLANS
Personal Nutrition Plans can include any combination of the following:
Cost-effective shopping guide at your favorite market
Customized shopping list to help you achieve your nutrition goals. Includes our list of “Best Brands”of your favorite foods
Home assessment of your pantry, fridge and freezer to pull out the foods that have the most harmful additives and preservatives. These are the foods that are making weight-loss impossible, lowering energy levels, and making your kids hyperactive.
Personal shopping service
Customized recipe suggestions incorporating your favorite foods
Follow-up support to keep your food choices fresh and exciting
For more information, please contact Margaret, and be sure you heard of her from InspiredEats for a SPECIAL OFFER!
GET IN TOUCH!
Mailing Address:
2700 West Anderson Ln. #205
Austin, TX 78757 (more…)
Recently I was introduced to a mom who launched a site called Corn Freedom, in an effort to help raise awareness to the dangers of a corn allergy, and spread the word on how powerful this allergy is, and (sadly) how prolific corn is in our everyday lives.
Nicole has launched an effort to spread the word about corn allergies on both her website here and her Facebook page. She’s calling it the “Write in Campaign” which is meant to raise the awareness about the severity of corn allergies and the struggles parents endure to protect their corn-allergic children through a word of mouth campaign. Her hope is to submit these letters to Dr. Oz and have him choose to publicize this very real, and very dangerous issue. And she needs our help!
If you or someone you know has a corn allergy, please help Nicole by contributing a letter to Corn Freedom so she can add it to the list of letters she already has for Dr. Oz. Hopefully we can help get Dr Oz to take this public, helping to expose the danger of corn allergies, and help to get proper labeling of corn ingredients to better protect our children, and adults, who suffer from corn allergies.
I was shocked by some of the symptoms of a corn allergy, and by how prevalent it is in our everyday lives. In fact, I was unaware that corn is used in cleaning supplies (which are also used by hospitals), in medicines, perfumes, detergents and more. Here are some excerpts from the letters on Nicole’s site so you can get a better understanding for what parents of corn allergic children endure.
Here’s a list from one of the letters on Corn Freedom of all the products this particular family has to avoid for their corn allergic child:
Shampoo
Soap
Toothpaste/ floss/ mouthwash
Lotion
Deodorant
Toilet paper/ other paper products
Make-up
Sunscreen
Cleaning supplies for the home
Dryer sheets/ liquid detergent/ powder detergent
Medications/ Band-Aids
And of course FOOD
In Nicole’s words:
Our son responds to corn neurologically. This is very common and there are many children who are diagnosed with sensory issues or Autism who actually have food intolerances. Our son becomes combative, depressed, anxious, Autistic-like, dyslexic, hyper and has been diagnosed with ADHD but only some times (which is confusing to a parent)…. Our son is 11 years old now, we still fight doctors and have to educate where ever we go so our son can be properly cared for. He cannot go to public school due to the level of environmental corn contaminants in the building, for example; the cleaning products, perfumes, detergents, fabric softeners, air fresheners, hair spray, tempera paint, finger paint, glues, dry erase markers, colored chalk, the cafeteria…the list is extensive….
And here’s an excerpt from one of her supporters. It’s truly an epidemic that must have better labeling!
Because Trevor is hypersensitive to corn, we have to buy special soap, lotion, laundry detergent and we have to be careful when going out in public. If someone has perfume on or if there is a popcorn machine around, we have to move him away quickly. I have to be prepared just to go to Target as they have a popcorn machine in the store. So I just bite the bullet. He has reacted to our local library and the Phoenix zoo due to cleaners and food smells that contain corn and soy.He is starting kindergarten in 2012. We have decided to homeschool him.
So please take a moment to head over to Nicole’s site and submit your letter if you or someone you know suffers from a corn allergy. Let’s join together to help Nicole fight to spread the word about corn allergies and get her cause known!
Good luck Nicole – we’re fighting for you too!
Sounds appetizing, right? Speaking first-hand, I can tell you that a Candida diagnosis is not one you’ll be thrilled to receive, nor will the diet that follows be one of your favorites, but I promise that if Candida overgrowth is an issue for you, and you follow this simple protocol, the end results (after the 7-8 week cleanse) will be well worth it!
So what is Candida, and why should you care?
Essentially, Candida is an overgrowth of yeast which is often the cause of many undesirable symptoms ranging from fatigue and weight gain, to joint pain, foggy brains and gas. It turns out that we all have some levels of Candida in our bodies; the issue arises when it’s allowed to grow, setting up shop in our intestines, and often times, throughout our bodies.
The cause could be anything from a few courses of antibiotics, a prolonged diet rich in carbohydrates and sugar, a lifetime of eating foods we’re allergic to, or even something as common as a lengthy period of stress at work.
Here’s a video of Ann Boroch, author of The Candida Cure explaining how Candida overgrowth is commonly misdiagnosed, and helps explain some of the more common symptoms and how they lead back to candida. She quite simply states how you clean up the fungus and help repair various auto-immune conditions, as well as MS, hyper or hypoglycemia, depression, anxiety and more. As she states, we don’t have a deficiency in prozac – we have a deficiency in nutrition.
Some of the common Endocrine System issues related to Candida Overgrowth:
You can download the full chart from Anne’s site here (it’s a quick review of how Candida literally takes over our bodies and upsets so many body functions!)
Speaking personally, I can tell you that I was having a terrible case of candida overgrowth, and had no signs of it (at least, none of the ones that I naturally thought of when I hear ‘yeast’). So after being diagnosed with a case of Candidia which had spread through much of my body, and successfully eliminating all food allergens that are present (due to leaky gut) I not only cleared up the brain fog and fatigue, but the joint pain & headaches are gone, and even more obscure, so is my asthma. Turns out it was most likely due to the presence of yeast in my lungs.
Pretty amazing, right?
Here are some of the common symptoms of a Candida overgrowth:
Cravings for carbohydrates
Digestive problems, including bloating, cramping
Depression
Mood fluctuations
Difficulty concentrating
Joint or muscle aching
General fatigue
Weakness
Urinary tract infections
Headache
Intolerance to certain food
Weight gain
Inability to lose weight
So as I always say, I’m not a healthcare professional – just a girl who suffered through a ton of health issues, and has stumbled her way through diagnoses and treatments, and come out ahead. So here’s where I recommend you contact a holistic practitioner or experienced dietician who can have you tested and help guide you on your next steps. But to make sure you’re armed with as much knowledge as possible, here are my tips:
1. Ask for a food allergy and leaky gut test – you will most likely have leaky gut if you have food allergies/sensitivities.
2. If you’re the kind of person who needs to see it in writing before you’ll tackle the cleanse, ask for both candida and leaky gut tests.
Remember – if you have food sensitivities, you probably have leaky gut. If you have those, you probably have Candida overgrowth. If so, you need to eliminate all foods which are showing up as allergens, not just the main ones which come up on a standard food allergy panel. For example, my food allergies are primarily gluten and cow’s dairy, however, the panel we ran in conjunction with leaky gut and candida exposed several more (leaky gut causes food particles to ‘leak’ into your bloodstream, which triggers your body to see it as a foreign object/allergen, and develop an allergy to it). So the foods which my body now thinks are allergens are the foods I tend to eat the most, as more of those foods were making their way into my bloodstream than any others.
3. Prepare for an elimination diet: you will need to remove all allergens from your diet, as well as foods which tend to promote Candida growth. Those include anything sugary and with a potential to mold, such as alcohol, chocolate, dairy, cheese, mushrooms, etc.
4. Take a strong Candiaa die-off supplement. This will help ensure the dietary changes you’re making are supported in their effort to kill the Candida. Your doctor, nutritionist or wellness clinic specialist should be able to prescribe one, and if you want to do some research beforehand, check out this site for Syntol which is the product I took.
Here Ann Boroch talks about the important supplements to take for Candida die-off as well as many other supplements that we can all use given the common, modern-day diseases many of us face.
So the lesson here? Find a holistic practitioner who gets it, or seek out one online who will work remotely. If you’re in Austin, these are the guys I trust completely (an ND shares the practice with 2 MDs: Center for Health & Wellness, Hill’s Medical Group. )
If not in the Austin area, you can reach Chris Kessler who takes clients remotely and is well-versed on food allergies, sensitivities and I’m sure on leaky gut and Candida as well.
A good rule of thumb – once the cleanse is completed, you will want to take between 20-40 billion Probiotics count for at least a month (post-cleanse). Transformation Enzymes makes one daily that is 42.5 billion, though I believe you need a medical professional’s help to get them.
As always, I hope this helps you! Please share your ocmments below and let us know what worked for you, how you felt before and after, etc. I love to hear other people who have made the journey to rid Candida – it’s not a fun cleanse period, but it’s SO nice to be on the other side of the symptoms!
I have to admit I was a happy girl when I saw the Today Show showcase allergen-free, low glycemic foods on their segment today. Too often, national TV shows feature allergen-laden foods that many of us can’t tolerate, so it’s encouraging to see an allergen-aware author have a moment to showcase her healthy recipes on national TV.
In her cookbook and nutrition guide “Must Have Been Something I Ate,” Peggy Kotsopoulos (a registered Holistic Nutritionist) shares mouthwatering recipes that help boost energy and satisfy cravings. Here, she shows how to transform zucchini into noodles, hide quinoa in chocolate chip cookies and sneak pumpkin into chocolate mousse. Peggy says there is a connection between what you eat and how you look. – no kidding! She offers healthy alternatives to pasta, cookies and chocolate cake, and spotlights some lesser-known ingredients that have healthy benefits, such as Savi seeds, kelp and sunflower seeds.
Below are her recipes and you can watch her video clip from the Today Show here. Let’s hope they keep up the good work on showcasing healthy and allergen-free friendly foods!
This pasta dish looks like pasta and satisfies your pasta craving, but without all the refined carbs! A kitchen-gadget spirooli slicer transforms your regular summer squash into zucchini noodles!
And since the zucchini is served raw, the vital nutrients are maintained.
Ingredients
2 medium zucchini or yellow summer squash
For the toppings:
1/2 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup black Kalamata olives
1/2 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup Savi seeds
1 teaspoon kelp granules
Sunflower sprouts
For the pesto:
1/2 cup Savi seeds (plain/sea salt)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 cups fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Squeeze 1/4 lemon
1 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
To prepare the noodles:
Add zucchini to spirooli and turn until noodles are formed.
Add noodles to a bowl, add sunflower sprouts and toss with pesto (recipe below).
Then top with the following: cherry tomatoes, sundried tomatoes, olives, Savi seeds and kelp granules.
To make the pesto:
Add all ingredients to food processor and process until well combined.
Add 2 tablespoons of pesto to 1 cup of zucchini linguini and mix until well combined.
Top with fresh cherry tomatoes, Kalamata olives and sundried tomatoes.
