3 Tips for a Cheerful Holiday and ONE amazing gift the entire family will love!

'Tis the season to be jolly... at least that's what they say. However, for most, 'tis the season to go crazy and broke (or just crazy broke)! That's why I'm sharing three tips that may not keep you from going broke, but at least keep you from going crazy broke and keep you somewhat sane at the same time.

1. Don't Try To Do It All. - Really, don't even attempt it! If your hosting a get-together whether it be with family or friends, don't be afraid to assign a task. I have found that people usually enjoy helping out with the food, especially around the holidays when the food takes center stage. We've all got that signature holiday dish, or cocktail in my case, we wanna share. However, for the Martha Stewart's of the world, keep doin' what your doin' and more power to ya (you probably wouldn't like my dish anyways)!

2. Christmas Lists Aren't Just For Kids - They're not just for Christmas gifts either. Not only do I make a list of everyone I need to by gifts for, but I also make a list for holiday travel. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year and definitely not a good time to leave anything behind, though I have contemplated leaving the kids. I make a list of everything, down to how many pairs of socks and chonies we need to pack. Don't forget to check your list twice (Santa was on to something with this one) and you'll be on your way, knowing you've got everything you need to make your trip as smooth as possible.

3. Eggnog - Did somebody say Holiday Cheers? *wink, wink* Need I say more? Nothing spreads more holiday cheer then a glass of eggnog (except maybe Bailey's). Just remember to drink responsibly. :D

In the spirit of making the holidays easier, I have got a great gift idea for any little builder in your life. You can add this to your list. Hasbro's New KRE-O Building Sets are sure to be among the top gifts for kids age 6 and up this year. My son just received two of these great building kits for his birthday a few weeks ago and he just loves them. I love them too! We are talking about hours of entertainment here. Of course, feel free to jump in and help them build. We put together the BUMBLEBEE Construction Set one evening together and to my surprise, it was really a lot of fun!

Why We Love KRE-O Building Sets

• With KRE-O building sets your not only building, your playing! I was amazed at how well the sets stayed together when my son was done building. He drove his BUMBLEBEE sports car around for a week before transforming BUMBLEBEE into robot mode. They even come with KREON figures that fit inside the sports car for added fun!

• Not only are KRE-O building sets affordable (they start at a mere $7.99), but you get double the bang for your buck! Each set comes with two buiding options. Kids can create their Transformer into either vehicle mode or robot mode. With a deal like that you may even want to add one of their "basic" construction sets to your holiday packing list if your spending the holidays away from home this year. I know my sons OPTIMUS PRIME basic 90pc construction set will be coming with us. It's a small set that's easy to pack yet loads of fun!

• Maybe the best thing about KRE-O building sets is that they are compatible with other leading brand construction bricks so you can just add them to any collection your kids already own.

Get your KRE-O Transformer building sets in the construction isle of most major toy retailers nationwide or on HasbroToyShop.com and get building!


“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hasbro blogging program, for 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points and a KRE-O gift. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Hasbro. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Tax Breaks for Restricted Diets?

We all know avoiding certain foods can be very expensive. Most allergen free brands tend to be specialty brands and can cost significantly more then big brand or store brand products. There can also be shipping fee's included for items that require online orders. Now, I had no idea, but apparently you can claim gluten free foods on your tax returns. Check out this post from Gluten Free Society, How To Get a Tax Break With Gluten Free Foods. This leaves me to wonder if this works for other allergy safe foods? This could be very helpful to a lot of families dealing with food allergies. It would be nice to catch a break somewhere. After all, allergen free foods are just a small portion of the high cost of food allergies. I would love to know if any of you have tried this before or have any further information on this.

Real Moms Love To Eat... and boy do I know it!

As a real (notice the emphasis on real) housewife and mother I can honestly tell you, I love food! Really, who doesn't? Hell, even the real housewives on Bravo have to eat sometime right?... Though maybe not as much as the rest of us me. Luckily, there is a new book coming out this winter, written by certified health counselor Beth Aldrich called Real Moms Love To Eat; How to Conduct a Love Affair with Food, Lose Weight, and Feel Fabulous. Just in time for my New Years resolution, the title of this book says it all.

In Beth's book you'll learn a lot about the food you eat and how it impacts your body all while continuing your love affair with food. What really sets this book apart from other healthy lifestyle books, is that it was written with busy moms like me in mind. With an easy-to-follow 10 part plan, meal suggestions, recipes and tips you will finally be able to to gradually make the life-style changes needed to look and feel your best.

You can Pre-order your copy of Real Moms Love To Eat and be eligible to win some amazing prizes.

Also, check out the Food Affairiate program and register to receive a digital copy of Real Moms Love To Eat for review AND be entered to win even more amazing prizes including a Top of the Line Kitchen Blender.

“I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Beth Aldrich - Real Moms Love to Eat blogging program, for a chance to get 3,000 My SocialMoms Rewards points. For more information on how you can participate, click here.”

Voila! Limoncello.

Finally! I finished my limoncello this past weekend and cant wait to make another batch. Yes, it was that good!

After steeping for 40 days, you can read about that process here, I stirred together 1 3/4 Cups of water and 1 1/4 Cups of sugar in a saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolved. After cooling completely, I then pored the sugar syrup over my vodka mixture and let stand over night at room temperature.

The following day, I strained the limoncello through a coffee filter and discarded the lemon peels. Then it was finally ready to chill! I placed the bottle of limoncello in the freezer along with a couple of tall shot glasses (the closest thing to cordial glasses I had) and chilled for a couple hours.

Voila! Limoncello.

Well worth the wait!

Nerdy Sugar Cookies

That's right, Nerdy sugar cookies! I had a bunch of left over candy nerds from our movie night and thought it would be fun to use them in cookies. Positive this had to of been done before, I searched for a recipe only to find that nerds aren't exactly ideal for baking with. Turns out they melt in the process and create more of a rainbow mess then anything else. However, I was determined to make it work. I wanted nerd cookies damn it! So nerdy cookies is what I got.

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar

1 cup butter

3 egg yolks

1 tsp brandy (cause that's how I roll) or vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp vinegar or fresh lemon juice

additional sugar for rolling cookies

candy nerds

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Cream sugar and butter together then beat in egg yolks and brandy

3. Stir in flour, baking soda and vinegar or lemon juice

4. Form dough into balls and roll in sugar

5. Place 2 inches apart on lightly greased cookie sheets. Do not flatten.

6. Now there are two ways you can add the nerds -

If you dont want the sourness of the nerds in your cookies then (1) add the nerds before placing them into the oven. Lightly press 5-6 nerds on top of the dough balls being carefull not to flatten them. Otherwise, if you want to keep the sourness of the nerds, you can (2) add the nerds the same way during the last 2-3 minutes of baking. This keeps them from completely melting down.

7. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until tops are cracked and edges begain to brown.

8. ENJOY!

Too much protein is known to cause some chronic health issues, but food allergies?

Its no secret that food allergies have been on the rise for the last decade, but still no one seems to really know why. There are some theories, which I have discussed in earlier posts, however, none have yet to be proven causes. In fact, most of these theories have been widely debated by both medical professionals, scientist and the general public.

So, for whatever reason, I was thinking about these suspected theories the other night and it dawned on me, over the last 10 years our diets have drastically changed. People have been increasingly jumping on the high protein, low carb diet bandwagon over this time period. Could this have anything to do with the increase in food allergies?

My husband has been one of the millions to take on this new way of eating. This includes the use of protein bars and shakes throughout the day to complement work outs. I have always been skeptical of these bars and shakes loaded with extra protein as I am a firm believer in diets high in fruits and vegetables to achieve over all health and weight management. This would mean no processed foods right? Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a commercial protein bar considered to be a highly refined, processed food?

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm a sucker for a good filet mignon, but were we even created, or should I say designed as not to open a whole different debate, to eat meat period? Look at our teeth for example. For the most part, our teeth consist of incisors and molars. Then there are our four blunt, unsharpened canine teeth. Not exactly ideal for tearing through meat like those of  a carnivore, which can be defined as a flesh eating mammal comprising the cats, dogs, bears, seals and weasels.  Now Obviously, meat is just one example of protein, hence my issue with the additional proteins found in supplement bars and shakes. Actually, all foods grown in nature contain protein. So where am I going with all this?

If our bodies aren't set out for eating meat, then how could they be contrived for all that additional protein consumption? I should just say that I understand protein is an essential part of our diet and our bodies do depend on small amounts of dietary protein in order to survive. However, could this excessive intake of proteins be changing the make up of our bodies and the way they process foods all together? After all, too much protein can not only cause our cell's to become toxic, but it may also disrupt the osmotic balance of cells. Too much protein can also lead to kidney problems, low calcium, cancer, gout and other chronic health issues. So why not food allergies?

I am by no means an expert, but rather throwing the idea out there. Feel free to comment below and share your opinions and knowledge. Like I said, I am all for a good steak dinner so by all means, prove me wrong!

Related posts:
Do You Know What's Causing Your Childs Food Allergies?
The link between Food Allergies and Migraines
Food Allergies: Health and Healing Book Review

10 tips for de-cluttering and organizing your kids toys

As your searching aimlessly through the playroom for that missing game piece or the yellow hotwheel that your son is insisting he needs now or his world is going to come crashing down, you step on a pile of little green army men. Certain that one of them has pierced through the bottom of your foot and your pretty sure you'll never be able to walk again, or at least for the next five minutes while you cringe in pain, you think to yourself that's it! Something has to be done about this mess. Well let me tell you, Ive been there. My kids playroom was so unorganized that the kids didn't even play in it, which meant more toys scattered throughout the rest of the house. So together we took on, Mission: Playroom Clean-up.

Now that summer is over and your kids are bound to be spending more time in the house, it is the perfect time to de-clutter and organize those toys. Here are ten tips to get you started:

1. Out with the old to make way for the new.
We try and keep to the rule that for every new toy we get, an old toy has to go. This will not  only limit the number of toys your kids have, but it also teaches them the value of their toys. They will think twice about asking for a new toy when they understand that they have to choose an old one to get rid of in its place.

2. Get your kids involved.
Let your kids help, it is technically their space. They will take pride in the finished project knowing they had a say in it. Besides your kids love spending time with you and feeling needed.

3. Take advantage of the Holiday Season and Birthdays.
These is in my opinion are the best and easiest times of the year for clearing out old toys both for you and your kids. Make room for all the new gifts kids will receive during these times by allowing them to help determine what toys they no longer play with and have them accompany you to donate them. My kids are more then willing to get rid of old toys during these times knowing that we are making room for newer ones. Explain why and where you will be donating their old unused toys and take advantage of this great opportunity to teach your kids to appreciate what they have.

4. Storage is key.
Forget the big toy box and invest in a great shelving system. I love to use cubbies. My favorite is the expedit bookcase from Ikea. We use ours on it's side so that it doubles as a TV console as well. Its really a great and affordable bookcase that leads to my next tip:

5. Baskets, Bins and Buckets.
By using cubbies such as those in the Expedit bookcase you are able to use baskets, bins, and even buckets to store smaller toys. By storing toys in smaller compartments like these rather then in one big toy chest, it prevents your kids from emptying every toy they own out onto the floor at one time.

6. Divide, Conquer, and Label.
Divide toys into separate categories for each storage compartment you are using. For instance, we keep superheros and action figures in one basket and cars, planes and trains in another. This makes it so much easier when searching for a specific toy and eliminates having to empty every basket. Labeling each container will help your kids determine what goes where. Pictures can be used as a way of labeling if your child is too young to read.

7. Put those stuffed animals to use.
I hate stuffed animals! I'm just putting it out there. If your not careful, these things will take over your home. I have one small basket designated for stuffed animals and the rest go up in a stuffed animal hammock, but I recently discovered the coolest storage idea for all those stuffed animals. Behold the Animal Bag. This clever take on the traditional bean bag is pure genius!

8. Up, up, and away.
Some things just need to be put up, high up, and out of reach. I keep games, puzzles, and anything with multiple pieces up in the closet. These are the things that require permission to be played with. Of course permission to use these means all other toys must be put away where they belong first.

9. Display your kids art.
Eliminate piles of your kids art work by displaying their portraits in frames. Easily rotate their artwork using the Lil Davinci Art Gallery. Way cool!

10. Decorate with Fun!
Let the kids choose a theme for the room or even a color scheme. We have a Toy Story shelf where the kids place all their Toy Story figurines so that they double as decor for the room. A fun rug with roads for their cars or a hopscotch design are also fun ways of decorating while encouraging play.

Last but not least, be sure to set some ground rules and set up a routine for picking up toys in order to keep your new space organized and ready for play.

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Hot Wheels® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here

Get outdoors and Fall into Fun!

Fall is the perfect time of year to get outside and play with your kids. As the long summer days come to an end, the leaves Begin to change and milder temperatures set in, why not get the family outdoors for some last minute fun in the sun. I love this time of year!
Whether its at the park, the beach, or even our own backyard, I love to be outside! My kids drive me crazy when we're cooped up in the house all day. I try and take them to the playground at least once a week. This gives me a chance to do nothing but sit and relax. Bring a few snacks, a toy car (we don't go anywhere without toy cars in hand) and some sand toys and my kids could stay at the park all day. The best part is when we get home and they crash! There is always something about being outdoors and the fresh air that just knocks my kids out.

Now, I know that with school, soccer, errands and just keeping up with household chores, that spending the afternoon at the park isn't always feasible, but a few hours in your own backyard can be just as fun. Let your kids help out with some yard work. My kids love raking leaves and watering my flowers. If your fortunate enough like we are, the weather will be warm enough that after watering the flowers your kids can turn the hose on themselves or fill up the kiddie pool for some old fashioned fun.

Don't worry, if the cooler temperatures of fall prevent you from getting wet with your kids you can still pull out the kiddie pool. Just fill it up with balls, soft sided blocks or even sand. Who doesn't like a sandcastle? Team up and make a friendly sandcastle competition. Winner's choose what game to play next. Kick the soccer ball? Keep away with the Frisbee? Sidewalk chalk? We make hopscotch boards with ours and my 4 year old and I use the chalk for  practicing his letters.

By far our families favorite thing to do outdoors is picnics. Whether its lunch at the beach or dinner at the park, my kids love to eat outside! The greatest part is hearing my 4 year old say, "You wanna know why I like picnics so much?... Because, I get to be with my whole family!" Now if that's not reason enough to turn off the TV, put away the video games and leave your cell phones at home for a day, then I don't know what is.

Still need a little motivation to get your family outside for some fun? Take the Clorox2 Play 2Day pledge to play outside! September 24, 2011 marks the 8th annual Worldwide Day of Play which is the centerpiece of Nickelodeon's The Big Help, a program that supports health and wellness amongst kids and family. As a sponsor of Nickelodeon's Worldwide Day of Play, Clorox is encouraging families to to do just that, turn off the TV and get out and play! So visit http://clorox2play2day.com and take the challenge. Oh, and go ahead and get dirty! Clorox will get the tough stains out. ;)

Disclosure: “I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Clorox2® blogging program, for a gift card worth $40. For more information on how you can participate, click here.” (make sure you link to http://clorox2.socialmoms.com/about) 

How does your child's school handle classroom celebrations with food allergies?

I am so excited about the new birthday/food policy being created at my son's preschool this year! In years past they have allowed parents to bring in a nut-free treat to share with the class to celebrate their child's birthday. Last year they implemented a new policy allowing parents to only bring treats from a list of approved snacks handed out prior to each child's birthday, but of course as we food allergy parents know, there is always at least one parent who refuses to comply with these sorts of regulations. In addition to the occasional parent bringing in an unapproved snack for the classroom, there was also the issue of label reading. It is a nut-free school, but honestly, I don't expect parents without food allergic kids to fully understand and correctly read labels %100 of the time. On several occasions teachers where forced to send birthday treats back home due to allergens listed on the label that had been overlooked by parents, thus leaving the birthday boy or girl unable to share their treats with the class on what was meant to be their special day. As you can imagine, this didnt always go over very well.

This year they are currently in the process of finalizing a list of snacks that the kids will be able to prepare themselves for the class. The birthday boy or girl will choose a snack such as apple muffins or mac n' cheese from the list and then be given a seperate list of specific ingredients to bring for their cooking party. I think this is going to be so much fun! The child will have the opportunity to explain why they chose their special snack and lead the rest of the class, with their parent if they choose to particiapate, in cooking the dish. My kids love to cook with me! This is a great way to open discussions about our food and how it is prepared as well. Kids will feel special and empowered choosing and cooking their own special birthday treats. I love, love, LOVE this idea!

Other then birthdays there is a strict policy on no outside food being brought into the classrooms. Each parent donates $10 at the begaining of the school year to go towards snacks for other special occasions such as their Thanksgiving Feast and Jesus's Birthday Celebration. This way the staff can insure that only "safe" snacks for specific classroom allergies are brought in on these days.

How does your childs school handle outside food? Do they celebrate special occasions with food in the classroom? Share what works (or doesnt work so well) in your child's school in the comment section below.


Other related posts:

Finding an Allergy Aware school
Sarah Palin can have her cake and eat it too - Just don't do it around my kid!
The Cookie Monster - Sarah Palin Strikes Again

When life gives you lemons... Make Limoncello!

Life didn't exactly give me lemons, but my neighbor sure did. Lots of lemons!

What the hell am I gonna do with all these lemons? Well, my husband suggested making lemonade with the kids which sounded like a good idea, but momma had a better one. Big girl lemonade, Limoncello!

I've never actually tried limoncello before, but have seen it made several times and hell, I'm willing to try anything with vodka at least once. It's a popular Italian lemon liqueur usually consumed as an after dinner digestivo by the Italians. Love those Italians!

5 squeaky clean lemons.

I started by scrubbing my lemons (sounds dirty). I'm only making half a batch just in case. I don't wanna waste the vodka. ;)

Then came the tricky part, peeling the lemons without getting any of the plith. Probably would have helped had I owned a nicer vegetable peeler, but just pretend my peel came off in long beautiful strips. This ain't Top Chef people!

Note: Never loan out your good beverage dispenser with a lid, you may not get it back. Hence, the pitcher with cling wrap.

Finally, I added my long beautiful lemon peels to just over half a 750ml bottle of good vodka in a glass pitcher to steep for 40 long days. For you nit picky Italians, yes, I know I should be using Everclear, but remember I'm on a Yellow Tail budget and my husband happened to have a nice vodka up in the cupboard already so vodka it is! (Shhh! My husband doesn't know I'm Stealing his vodka.)

Now I wait......

....while the kids make their own damn lemonade!

Check out Viola! Limoncello. for the rest of the limoncello recipe and to see how it turned out.

Play-Doh Play-Dates website review

If your kids are anything like mine, then they love playing with Play-Doh! If your anything like me, you haven't the slightest idea what to make with their Play-Doh when they ask you to play with them. Problem solved! Hasbro and Play-Doh have developed a new exciting website to get those creative juices flowing. The Play-Doh Play-Dates activity website is full of engaging ideas for you, your kids and of course a few containers of Play-Doh. Best of all it's FREE!

I decided to set up a Play-Doh Play-Date with my kids this afternoon. We chose a few fresh ideas, a craft and of course a snack, all from the website. There are several themes to choose from including Beach Party, Back to School and Spring Picnic. Of course, my kids didn't want to stick to just one theme so we bounced around from theme to theme. Just another great aspect of the site, there are no rules!

While my oldest was at school, I chose a simple snack from the site that my 3 year old could prepare. He made Banana OJ Pops from the Beach Party theme. He was very excited to serve these to his brother when he got home from school who decided they tasted like banana fudgesicles. Yum!

While scrolling through the Craft sections, the maze and connect the dots in the Back to School theme Activity Book caught A's eye immediately and I had to print them.

We scrolled through all the different Fresh Ideas and found several things to create with our Play-Doh. Now, Usually I am a freak about mixing the colors so my Play-Doh creations are very limited, but this was so fun! My oldest loved picking out new things to create while my 3 year old lost interest pretty quick. Let's just say, following direction isn't one of his strongest suits.

I will admit it does take some skill. We stuck with the beginner ideas and even I, as if I'm some kind of Play-Doh expert, had a hard time. There are step-by-step photo instructions, however I think some written instruction may be helpful for those of us who are, let's say, creatively challenged.

Check out some of our work:

The "star" of the afternoon. A loved his starfish!

Never thought I would say this, but I am actually looking forward to getting out the Play-Doh again. This months Pizza Shop theme looks like a blast! Create your own Play-Doh pizza with all the toppings. Then create an in home pizza shop with printable menu's, pizza peel and even a pizza box perfect for serving English Muffin Pizza Snacks.

Play-Doh has made a new fan out of me!


*Disclosure: This post is part of a SocialMoms product evaluation, for which I’ve been selected. I’ve been compensated for my time with 8,000 My SocialMoms Rewards Points. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of SocialMoms or Play-Doh.

Update on A's allergy

As those of you who read my blog know, A's last visit to the allergist suggested that he had outgrown his tree nut allergy. As I explained in my previous post, his skin test showed no reaction to the nuts tested. However, before we start introducing him to nuts he will need to go back in and complete an oral challenge, which I still have not scheduled. Yes, I am procrastinating and coming up with excuses left and right. It has been a busy summer and to be honest, I am in no hurry.

Some of you may think I am insane. I may actually be insane, but the fact is, that as exciting as it all may sound to those who have longed for a similar visit to your child's allergist, it scares the heck out of me.

a) I don't want to put him through the oral challenge in fear of a reaction.

b) Call it selfish, but I am in no hurry to introduce nuts back into his diet. This may be an absurd analogy, but it's like having a convicted felon released from prison into your neighborhood after claims of rehabilitation. Would you feel safe? What if the allergy came back? What if I wasn't there when it did? We would have no epi-pen.

c) With school starting and now soccer, I would rather have teachers and parents start the year out on guard then with the assumption that its okay if little Timmy shares a piece of his cashew butter sandwich with A. I know, this is a really terrible excuse!

d) Finally, I've worked so hard at keeping him safe and involving other parents, teachers, family and so on, that I am afraid of the seriousness of food allergies that I drilled into everyone will now be disregarded. What if now, these individuals don't take the next child's food allergies as serious assuming that all kids outgrow them or that A's was never really an issue to begain with.

As crazy as I may be, I do know that it needs to be done. Once we get settled into the new school year and the caos of summer has passed, I will set up an appointment and prepare for our lives to once again be flipped upside down.

Allergies: Disease in Disguise - Review

(click on image to purchase)

Allergies: Disease in Disguise How to heal your allergic condition permanently and naturally by Carolee Bateson-Koch is, what I thought to be, a fascinating book. This was a very informative and easy to read book that gives great insight into the cause, symptoms and possible cures for not only allergies, but some very common and unexplained chronic health problems including, headache, arthritis, anemia, asthma, colitis, acne, and diabetes to name a few. According to the author, the problem lies within the gastrointestinal tract. When I read that, I knew there had to be some truth to this book given that my son's allergist has also touched on the importance of repairing and maintaining the lining of "the gut" as he put it.

The author, Carolee Bateson-Koch DC ND has had 25 years experience in successfully treating allergic disease. In her book she provides a clear understanding for what allergy is and why it is becoming so common. It also provides insight  into the five key concepts about allergy and it's relation to environment, diet, digestion, body chemistry and even addiction. The steps for obtaining better overall health and well-being are simply laid out in seven steps. I highly recommend this book to anyone suffering from not only allergic symptoms, but any one with a desire to live a healthier life.

I have to admit that when I first received the book from Books Alive publishing for review, I was a little skeptical. After all the subtitle reads "How to heal your allergic condition permanently and naturally." Who wouldn't be skeptical? However, once I started reading, I couldn't put it down. It all seems to make perfect sense. Though, still not totally convinced I have to ask the question, could a diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids and probiotics, as advised by my son's allergist, have lead to his possible outgrowing of his nut allergy or to the fact that my youngest son hasn't developed any allergies? I have to quote a sentence in the book  "We must always keep in mind that the greatest enemy of any science, or any discovery truth, is a closed mind"

*This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.

Other related posts:

Food Allergies: Health and Healing Book Review

Food Allergies - Could this really be the end?

Do You Know What's Causing Your Childs Food Allergies?

Allergy Safety Products by Onespot Allergy - Review

Food Allergies - Could this really be the end?

After recently switching my sons allergists, I had been putting off his annual testing, I know bad mom, but after a recent reaction to what we are now suspecting to be from either the new sunscreen we tried or the neighbors swimming pool he swam in on the 4th of July, I decided it was time to get him back into the allergist for his annual testing and I couldn't be happier!

I am thrilled to say that A's skin prick test produced no reaction to the tree nuts tested! Yes, I said NO REACTION! The test was done twice, once on each arm. This means we will be going back into the office to slowly introduce cashews and pistachios (his primary allergens) starting with a small amount placed on his cheek next to his mouth. If this produces no reaction we will continue by placing the nut oil on the inside of his bottom lip, then again if no reaction occurs he will be given a small amount to ingest until he shows that he his able to tolerate an entire tablespoon. I am so excited and very hopeful!

The best part was after we got in the car and I explained to A what just happened. He hadn't been paying much attention while in the office because his arms where extremely itchy. As it turns out he has developed an allergy to dust mites and cats. An extremely fair trade off if you ask me! So, after I told him that he may no longer be allergic to nuts the first thing he said was, "Yeah, that means on Halloween I get to eat all my candy!"

The strange thing is, this is the post I have been waiting and hoping for, yet somehow it has been the hardest for me to write. Though I am elated for A and our family, I cant help but feel a sense of guilt. Approximately 9% of kids will outgrow a tree nut allergy and A could be one of them, but why him? I just wish there was a larger percentage of families able to experience the relief we may be facing. Hearing his allergist say to me, "You can relax at bbq's and birthday parties now.....people will talk to you." was bittersweet. We have become so accustom to this way of life that it's a little overwhelming to take in. Its really hard to put into words the mix of emotions I'm experiencing right now. Really not how I had always pictured it.

Suppose I shouldn't get my hopes up just yet anyways, after all we still have not been given the official green light for nuts. Until then we will continue to read labels, take extra precautions while dining out or visiting friends and family. We will tote epi pens wherever we go and take along our own special treats to birthday parties as I try to adjust to the idea that A may soon be like all the "other kids".

A's mystery reaction - Now what?

The Tuesday following the 4th of July the kids were sitting on the couch watching cartoons after breakfast when A asked me why he had polka dots on his legs. I immediately panicked at the sight of several hives covering his thighs. After a dose of Benadryl I quickly re-read the label to the Cheerios he had eaten earlier. There was no sign of nuts on the Cheerios label and he had eaten them several times prior so I was fairly confident that this was not a reaction to food.

The "polka dots" as A calls them did not seem to bother him and he showed nor felt any other symptoms. At this point we just had to wait it out as I went over every possible cause for his reaction. My first thought went to the new fabric softener we had switched to. Duh! How did I not know to buy dye free, fragrance free softeners. I felt terrible! My first clue should have been the lack of ingredients on the label. You would think I'd know better. Lesson learned!

The hives remained unchanged for several hours and more Benadryl was given as I kept a close eye on A throughout the day and that night. Needless to say I didn't get much sleep. The following morning his hives had spread, now covering his entire legs, bottom, arms, arm pits, and behind his ears. The Doctor recommended a dose of steroids. This terrified me! I've heard the horror stories of steroids but the Dr reassured me that the low dose he was given wouldn't cause any side effects.

Poor little guy with his "polka dot" arms.

By the second day of using the steroids the hives where nearly all gone and A was finally comfortable. He was scheduled to see his allergist the following week. I hate not knowing what the cause of his reaction was. He had since worn a pair of shorts that I had somehow missed when re-washing his clothes in an attempt to rid them of the fabric softener. No reaction occurred. So we are now thinking the neighbors swimming pool that he had been in over the weekend may have caused the reaction.
The allergist agreed that the swimming pool could very well have caused the reaction. Unfortunately their is no accurate test other then to have him go into the pool again. The allergist also suggested testing the sunscreen he had used over the weekend on his arm. After having a reaction to Banana Boat sunscreen earlier this summer we had successfully switched to Blue Lizzard sunscreen as suggested by his allergist. Unfortunately Blue Lizzard can be difficult to find, so stock up when you do find it or order on-line. Another lesson learned!

Over the weekend I used a bottle of Aveeno sunscreen I had on hand. Though A showed no sign of an immediate reaction the allergist explained that chemical reactions can take several days to appear. So, do I risk another reaction and test the sunscreen on his arm as suggested by the allergist or not? I am fearfull of letting him swim again as well, but that can be a tough one to avoid. Ugh! What to do, what to do?

Related posts:
Whats in your sunscreen?
New Rules for Sunscreen Protection

True Life - Did it live up to the hype?

After watching 'True Life: I'm Allergic to Everything' last night on MTV, I was a little disappointed. Having watched 'True Life' before I'm not sure why, but I was expecting something different. I understand that they are looking for extreme situations, I was just hoping last nights episode would be a little more focused on the majority of those with food allergy. While trying to watch as an outsider not effected by food allergy, I was worried that it may have came across as exaggerated and unrealistic. My fear was that the show would portray those of us dealing with food allergies to be, for lack of a better word, "crazy". Not to say that I didn't feel for and understand what the teens on last nights episode where going through, it just may have been difficult to grasp for those who are not forced to live like we do and or lack any food allergy awareness and education. 

I would have liked to have seen some focus on what it is like to have to constantly read labels for everything you touch let alone put into your mouth. Maybe shed some light on the problems that exist with food labels such as the various names for one specific allergen or the lack of advisory labels that lead us to have to worry about cross contamination.

Speaking of cross contamination, how about the poor communication between the girl, Raelyn and her waitress while dining out? They made that look easy. Although it did show her having a reaction, it was hard to blame any of that on the miscommunication with the wait staff since she was suffering from idiopathic anaphylaxis. I do see where they may have been trying to get the message across about the difficulty and danger of eating out. However this message was failed in my opinion. Again, I was trying to watch as someone unaffected by food allergy.

I know a lot of you who watched voiced concern for Raelyn and her families poor  management of her food allergies. I was shocked to hear that she is on FAAN's teen council. I think the thing that sent me over the edge with her was after she realized she shouldn't have eaten the chinese food (that I thought her doctor made pretty clear was not a good idea earlier that day) her dad continued to praise her poor decision by telling her, "Yes you should [have eaten the chinese food] I think its so brave." What the hell?

Not to just pick on Raelyn or to say that we don't all make mistakes. After all there was Zeke's food challenge with the tuna that I disagreed with being done in the evening. Luckily he was still awake when his body ultimately reacted and it was treated. Was it treated correctly? I don't know. I think I would have used the epi after he started having stomach pain along with his rash or hives.

I did like that the show, though briefly, highlighted the situation between Zeke and one of his peers on the hockey rink picking fun at him for his food allergies. This is just another common and serious issue with food allergies that I was hoping to see a little more of, especially being that it is MTV and there is such a large young, or teen, audience.

In all, I do applaud their efforts in creating an awareness for food allergy and showing the dangers. I just think I was expecting something different and held my expectations of the show too high. What did you think? I'd love to hear your opinions on the show, though I fear some of my wording may have just set myself up for some lashings from some of you. Haha! Let me have it.

If you have not yet seen 'True Life: I'm Allergic to Everything' you can watch it this Saturday at 3:30pm on MTV or watch the entire episode here at mtv.com.

What's in your sunscreen?

This Memorial Day my son had a reaction to Banana Boat sunscreen. He broke out in a rash almost immediately after I applied the sunscreen. My first thought was of course tree nuts. However, after reading the label and calling Banana Boat I was assured that there was no use of tree nuts in the ingredients, BUT they still could not guarantee that the facility used to process and package their products was indeed a nut free facility. Based on his previous reactions I am almost certain though that this outbreak was from something other then tree nuts so I did some research and was shocked to find that most sunscreens, unfortunately, contain an active ingredient known to cause contact sensitivity such as an allergic response as well as several other potentially hazardous ingredients.

According to the European Journal of Dermatology the most common active ingredients in sunscreens reported to cause reactions are as follows:

Para aminobenzoic acid (PABA)

Benzophenones or Oxybenzone

Dibenzoylmethane derivatives

Cinnamates or *Octinoxate (octyl methoxycinnamate)

Octocrylene

*This was the chemical used in the Banana Boat sunscreen my son used. In Japan, use of octinoxate is limited in certain cosmetics.

Sunscreens containing zinc oxide and titanium dioxide are a good choice for people with allergy to sunscreen, concerns of developing allergy to sunscreen, and/or those who are looking for the best UVA protection without any sunscreen chemical considered to be a potential hormone disruptor such as those listed above.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG), has recently released its fifth annual Sunscreen Guide where the Banana Boat sunscreen used on my son received an overall score of 6 including a HIGH health concern. What's worse is that EWG can only recommend one in five of more than 600 sunscreens in its guide.

Also, Laura at Living Gluten and Grain Free, has compiled a great list of gluten-free sunscreens which also includes an Allergen Column, listing those sunscreens that contain grain and nut ingredients. Review Laura's Gluten-Free Sunscreen list.

As recommended by my sons allergist, we are now using Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen which I was very happy to see received a overall score of 2 on the EWG Sunscreen Guide. The Blue Lizard Australian Sunscreen, Sensitive, SPF 30+ and the Blue Lizard Baby Australian Sunscreen, SPF 30+ that we use both contain no Octinoxate which I believed to have caused my sons earlier reaction. I also happen to like that the bottle turns pink in UV light. Its the little things.

**The FDA hasn't issued any new sunscreen safety regulations for more than 30 years. EWG Action Fund is meeting with the FDA soon to tell them to finally do their job to protect the American people and  they need your help. 12,278 more signatures are needed by midnight tonight to take to the FDA. Visit the petition in the upper right hand side bar and sign today.

Food Allergies: Health and Healing Book Review

click on image to purchase

Food Allergies: Health and Healing 

By: Jo Stepaniak, MSEd
Vesanto Melina, MS, RD
Dina Aronson, MS, RD
Reviewed by Frank and Mary Hoffman

Review: I just finished reading Food Allergies: Health and Healing, a Natural Health Guide sent to me from Books Alive publishing for review. I found the book very informative and practical for those new to food allergies. With only 64 pages it is a quick afternoon or evening read covering the basics of food allergies including symptoms, causes, and diagnosing. I did find that the use of the terms "food allergy", "food intolerance" and "food sensitivity" used throughout the book to be a bit confusing for those new to food allergies although these terms where defined in the beginning of the book.

There is a section in the book that discusses a Do-It-Yourself Elimination Diet and Food Challenge that I felt to be misleading in that this self diagnosing approach should only be done if food intolerance is suspected or you are under strict orders from your physician. The severity of food allergy was, in my opinion, slightly downplayed.

I did like that the guide touched on the risk of cross-contamination and misleading labels. Dairy, egg, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, corn and wheat allergies where highlighted, while fish and shellfish, seeds, latex and other food culprits where briefly discussed.

Food Allergies: Health and Healing also provides a sampling of food allergy safe recipes based on a plant-centered diet. I found that the Berry Delicious "Ice Cream", Choco-Currant Cranberry Squares, and the Black Bean Tostadas, which are more of a black bean taco, to be about the only kid friendly recipes out of the eight included in the book.

Overall I would recommend the Food Allergies: Health and Healing natural health guide to anyone who may be new to food allergies and looking for a quick overview until other in depth material and education can be provided. Given the length, only 64 pages, this would make a great read for relatives or friends who may not be directly affected by food allergies but require the education. It will provide the basic understanding of the difference between a food intolerance and a food allergy, the range of symptoms associated with food allergy and how to recognize them as well as some hidden sources of food allergens and how to avoid them while preparing food, traveling, and eating out. 

*This was not a paid post and honest opinions were used. The opinions are solely my own and may vary from others.

Other related posts:

Allergy Safety Products by Onespot Allergy - Review 

Shabtai Gourmet Gluten Free Review

The link between Food Allergies and Migraines

A family history of asthma, eczema, hives, hay fever, or any type allergy are said to possibly increase ones risk of developing a food allergy. So, while discussing our family history at a recent consultation with my sons new allergist, I was asked if any of us suffered from migraines. I found the question rather odd since it wasn't clear to me at the time how my migraines could be related to my sons food allergy.

Turns out, some scientists attribute the cause of migraines to food allergy leaving many experts to believe that foods can worsen migraines through an allergic process involving the immune system. Thus causing complexes in the blood in which food proteins clump together with antibodies directed against these proteins. Unfortunately, this type of allergic reaction cannot be detected by conventional allergy testing. However, if you choose, IgG food allergy testing can be done to determine possible "trigger foods"

Studies have reported a possible association between migraine and various allergic disorders. It was observed that parents with migraines had a greater chance of having children with asthma and allergies. All of this leads to the importance of the question, "Does anyone in your family suffer from migraines?"

Parental history of migraine and bronchial asthma in children F. Gürkan*, A. Ece*, K. Haspolat** and B. Dikici***

Having suffered from migraine headaches myself, this all resulted in a brief period of mommy guilt, as if I gave my son his allergy. Of course, I know better and I hope that this doesn't place any guilt upon any of you who also suffer from migraines and have a child with asthma and/or allergies. There are many different possible causes, other then our own family history, that play a role in the development of food allergies. See also: Is there a connection between Genetically Modified Food and Food Allergies?, Are We Really Too Clean?, and Is there a connection between Vaccines and Food Allergies?

My Little Rant on Steve Ells and America's Next Great Restaurant

I love that Chipotle Mexican Grill is very allergy friendly, but what good does it do when they're food is so spicy my son cant eat it anyways. I have been watching America's Next Great Restaurant and becoming continuously annoyed with Steve Ells, the founder of Chipotle. Does it bother anyone else to see him as a judge on this show? How can he critique a kids meal while he serves up chicken in Chipotle's kids Taco Kits that is too spicy for even some adults? Maybe its just me, but I also find the red onions a little odd for a kids meal as well.

My rant doesnt stop there. I am tired of hearing how healthy Chipotle is because of their ingredients. It doesn't really matter how fresh your food is when your eating enough to feed an army. Hello? What is up with their mammoth portion sizes? They make a burrito the size of a football! Whats healthy about that? It also bothers me to hear Steve Ells critisize the originality of someones concept. Maybe its just California, but a taco/burrito take out restaurant? Not original. That is my rant on Steve Ells and America's Next Great Restaurant. Bobby Flay what where you thinking?

You can agree to disagree, but either way, **sigh** I feel better now :)

You can watch America's Next Great Restaurant Sunday nights on NBC.

Miracle-gro potting soil contains peanuts, tree nuts & coconut.

Spring and gardening seem to go hand in hand, but if you or your child has a peanut or tree nut allergy be sure to take extra caution when choosing your potting soil. There was a post on the Spokane Food Allergy Support Network (SpokaneFASN) Facebook page recently by Kimberly S. who wrote, "VERY IMPORTATNT!! PLEASE READ - Miracle-gro potting soil contains peanuts, tree nuts & coconut. The packages are NOT labeled. I spent 45 minutes on the phone today w/ a customer service rep. to confirm, please pass this along." This is yet another great example of why it is so important to call the manufacturer when using a new product or trying a new food regardless of what the label says!

Kimberly continued her post stating, "I went to Home Depot today & checked out ALL the pkgs & found NOT 1 single one to have any allergy warning or any nut product listed on the pkgs. I called the 800 # while I was there so I could read any pkg info if needed. The rep said all the soils that contain a moisture control have peanuts & tree nuts in them. I was interested in the seed starting soil & questioned him on this. He said he could not find any PN/TN in that particular soil BUT it is made & packaged in the same facility & he could not get any answers if the 2 different types of soils were processed in different areas of the facility and/or if they share the same equipment. He did also state that nothing was sterilized or cleaned after each batch was packaged. Therefore - any package can have the cross contamination or possible containment of peanuts, tree nuts & coconuts." Visit the SpokaneFASN Facebook page to see Kimberly's post.

Also wanting to get something in writing from Scotts Miracle Gro, I sent them an email confirming the presence of peanuts/tree nuts in their potting soil and the absence of the allergens listed on their packaging. This was their response:

Thank you for your interest in Scotts and for the opportunity to help you with your lawn and garden endeavors.

I am sorry that you found the Miracle-Gro Potting Mix label misleading. Miracle-Gro makes every effort to provide clear and accurate information on every product label. I will forward this information to our Marketing Department so that they can review the label.

The Potting Mix is formulated regionally using various materials that may include peanut or tree nut by-products.

Some of the compost can contain animal manures (all are bovine). Organic Choice Potting Mix uses the poultry litter as a fertilizer. Below are the ingredients in our potting mixes:

Organic Choice Potting Mix: * 50-55% Composted bark * Sphagnum Peat Moss * Pasteurized Poultry Litter (Organic certified source) * Organic Wetting agent (helps soil absorb water) - OMRI Certified Yucca Plant Extract.

POTTING SOIL: **Peat moss (the major component that is harvested from natural peat bogs) **compost (the compost may contain animal manures, composted leaves, grass clippings, and/or composted bark). **perlite (white volcanic rocks used for drainage and soil texture) **Some contain 'Osmocote' fertilizer that looks like small clear fluid-filled balls.

MOISTURE CONTROL POTTING SOIL: **Peat moss (the major component that is harvested from natural peat bogs) **compost (the compost may contain animal manures, composted leaves, grass clippings, and/or composted bark). **perlite (white volcanic rocks used for drainage and soil texture) ***composted hulls of coconuts to help absorbed more water than regular potting soil. This is the Aqua Coir (pronounced "core") component of the soil. ** 'Osmocote' fertilizer that look like small clear fluid-filled balls.

TOPSOIL & GARDEN SOIL **contain actual soil from the earth as well as compost. Some of our topsoil, lawn soils, and gardening soils contain Osmocote fertilizer.Thank you for your interest in Miracle-Gro. Ms. Ramirez, have you tried the new Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed? It's an all new garden feeder that uses easy to attach liquid Miracle-Gro plant food bottles. LiquaFeed makes feeding your garden as easy as watering. No measuring, mixing, or guessing. To learn more about new Miracle-Gro LiquaFeed visit http://liquafeed.com/.

Additionally, to learn more about how to have a beautiful lawn, or spectacular garden, go to http://scotts.com and be sure to sign up for our free email reminder services.

Again, thank you for your interest in Scotts. Please feel free to contact our company anytime we may be of assistance.

Karen Rausch
Consumer Response Representative
The Scotts Company and Subsidiaries
14111 Scottslawn Road
Marysville, OH 43041
800-645-8166

Ref # 9355663 

Not exactly what I was looking for, but at least it was acknowledged that their is a possibility of peanuts and/or tree nuts in their product. I was however pleased to hear that this would be forwarded as a concern to their Marketing Department for review and am hopeful that they will see the importance and need for the proper labeling of these allergens on their packaging. 

Other related posts:  
Finally some answers from Silk
Food Allergens In Unexpected Places
Could your Duraflame be more then just a fire hazard?
Reminder in the midst of the Hostess recall
Energy/Enhancement Drinks and Milk Allergies 
Beware: The Maraschino Cherry

For more information on how to read labels with food allergies read Label Reading