Talking Allergies

Hey everyone,

I'm Kim, one of the editors of Allergic Living. Wanted to let you know that our Winter issue is pretty much wrapped up and we are really excited about it. It's honestly one of our very best issues ever.

If you aren't currently subscribing and you want to get the Winter issue as part of your subscription, you'll have to subscribe right away. Today or tomorrow, ideally.

So what's so great about our Winter issue? Here's a taste:

Our cover is: “Throwing the Ultimate Party”. Why risk mystery foods at someone’s else’s place – let AL be your guide to hosting your own fabulous free-from party. Chef Simon has sensational recipes: From crispy duck breast to sweet and sour chicken balls, beef skewers, vegetable terrine and more – all AL’s recipes are free of top allergens and gluten.

- And now for dessert … Nut-free, dairy-free and gluten-free chocolate layer cake, plus elegant holiday cookie recipes, courtesy of the Gluten-Free Goddess.

- Sprucing up your home? Don’t miss our feature “The Home That Breathes”. Get out the bad toxins, while AL introduces you to the stylish furnishings that won’t off-gas VOCs.

- Gina Clowes, allergy life coach and creator of allergymoms.com, offers great advice for helping your family to “get” your food restrictions; other columns delve into how to keep safe at celebrations, and a look at how far we’ve come in food allergy research and awareness over the last 20 years.

- Food Allergy Features: We explore whether there could ever be a “safe level” of peanut in food and what your teen isn’t telling you about how he manages his food allergy.

- Allergy-Friendly Gift Guide: Perfect presents for your allergic child, courtesy of Jenny Kales, aka the Nut-Free Mom

- The Scoop: Our journalists bring you the latest, such as how scientists have figured out how to “turn off” peanut allergy in mice; the controversy over pets and the allergic on planes; and the wrenching story of a child tossed out of daycare – because of allergies.

There's tons more that I haven't even mentioned here, like lots of celiac disease and gluten-free info, and a touching story about a dad whose son's oral food challenge (allergic to peanuts) doesn't go *quite* as planned...

Subscribe today! http://www.allergicliving.com/subscribe. You won't find these stories anywhere else.

And to all our loyal subscribers who never let their subscriptions lapse: You should receive your mag by mid-December.

Thanks,

Kim

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Moderator
Daughter: asthma, allergies to egg, milk, peanuts, tree nuts, most legumes (not soy) & penicillin. Developing hayfever type allergies.
Husband: no allergies
Me: allergies to some tree that flowers in May
Cat: allergic to beef, pork and lamb

Got my winter issue today. AWESOME!!!

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

Can't wait to get mine!

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DD 2004 Allergy to peanuts, egg, sesame, and new: lentils and chick peas
DS 2006 Allergy to peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, kiwi fruit, eczema

Have you women in Ottawa cut a deal with the post office?
I can't get over how fast you got it. The ink was barely dry ...

Hope you like it! Gwen

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

My teen objected to phrasing on page 41. She said that "as your peanut allergic child lobs volleyballs in gym" makes the allergy sound like an adjective and that you wouldn't say "as your cancerous child". She prefers "child with a peanut allergy" since her allergies do not define her.

Initially she thought it was a silly question about the basketball until I reminded her of all the silly questions we had when we were new at this adventure!

As I went through the magazine looking for the basketball question I realized that she had read everything as she made comments on almost everything

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

Super that she's reading.

As a peanut-, shellfish- and soy-allergic person, I don't find the sentence offensive, though. (Other than the fact that, re-reading, it's roaming into a run-on.)

FYI, we do avoid: "those who suffer from food allergies". I think we only suffer if you feed us one of our allergens. Therefore, the rest of our time is living not suffering.

Always enjoy a usage debate.

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

Thanks Gwen. As an aspiring writer she will appreciate your feedback!

Agree on not using "suffering" which is why I really like the "Allergic Living" title!

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me: allergic to crustaceans plus environmental
teenager: allergic to hazelnuts, some other foods and environmental

I was reading through the winter issue last night again and something still doesn't sit right with me about the minimum level of peanut article. A big question came up, and I was wondering what others thought:

What if a product has a minimum tolerable level of peanut in it and someone allergic to peanut eats several of those items, thus bringing that level up beyond the minimum level? For instance, someone who decides to eat three servings of ice cream on a hot day; a teenager eating the WHOLE box of cereal, or even binging on otherwise 'safe' chocolate on Hallowe'en? All those minute doses could add up to a lethal dose in some people. For some reason, the article didn't address this, and it just hasn't sat right with me even after reading the article twice.

I have nothing against the research - hey, whatever makes our lives better - but think this big question went overlooked. Or is there more to the story?

Just curious...

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anaphylaxis to tree nuts and peanuts; asthmatic, dairy intolerant, vegan
other family members allergic to to dairy, egg, peanut, peach, banana, sesame, environmentals

Wow...good question!!!

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DD 12 yrs -no allergies
4 yr old DS - asthma/eczema Anaphylactic to Peanuts, all tree nuts, sesame , all pea/lentil legumes, gelatin.
Allergic to trees, grass,ragweed, feathers, dander, mold and dust.
Outgrew eggs, fish, shellfish

They do take extra portions into consideration in the research.

I'll have to go back to my notes to find the more specific answer. I'm up to my eyeballs this week, pls. re-raise if I forget...

Couldn't get into all of this due to space restrictions. This article was really Round 1 of just trying to tell our community that there might be a way to approach what's always been unthinkable: e.g. a safe level of peanut.

SpaceCanada, I think you've jumped ahead to the 303 class while most of us are still in 101.

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Allergic to soy, peanut, shellfish, penicillin

bumping... still wondering if you have more info for us!

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anaphylaxis to tree nuts and peanuts; asthmatic, dairy intolerant, vegan
other family members allergic to to dairy, egg, peanut, peach, banana, sesame, environmentals