My daughter Geneva is now 15, but back when she was a peanut-allergic kid in her prime trick-or-treat years, Halloween presented a tricky challenge. How were we to wrestle her hard-earned nutty goodies away without a pitched battle? Somehow, our heartfelt “it’s for your own good” speech was always lost on her, and tears would [...]

Urge the PM to keep the promise and pass the clear label law!

Media Release October 19, 2010 from the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center An estimated 2.5 percent of Americans – 7.5 million people – have at least one food allergy and young black children with asthma appear to be at the highest risk, according to findings from what is believed to be the largest food allergy study [...]

Background When you have food allergies, reading packaged goods labels becomes a way of life. But recognizing if your allergen is in the product isn’t always easy. Sometimes allergens can be hidden (e.g. as “natural flavours” or “spices” or “hydrolized protein”) or referred to in consumer-unfriendly scientific names. In Canada, the allergy and celiac communities [...]

The following is a news release from our friends at Niagara Anaphylaxis Support and Knowledge (NASK). Motion M-546 Let’s join together, and ask the federal government to develop a strategic plan to decrease the risks for Canadians living with anaphylaxis, and to educate the public. Write and visit your MP. Spread this message to your [...]

There is no cure for allergies to fish or shellfish, so people who develop allergies to seafood must avoid even small traces of the foods that cause them to react. It’s crucial that people with a severe allergy to seafood carry epinephrine (brands include EpiPen, Auvi-Q, Allerject) with them at all times, as well as [...]

It’s an experience that has puzzled thousands of seafood lovers across Canada and around the world: You’ve eaten fish and shellfish all of your life with no ill effects, and then one day, you’re eating some tasty tidbit from the sea – maybe some jumbo shrimp, some butter-drenched lobster, or some fresh-caught salmon – and [...]

One of the biggest questions people have is whether it’s possible to react to a food through inhalation. While allergists stress that severe reactions to airborne food particles are extremely uncommon, there are some instances in which allergenic food proteins can get into the air and potentially cause trouble. According to Dr. Scott Sicherer of [...]

Great Goblins! Head down to the nearest Halloween candy aisle or online candy retailer and you’ll see any increasing number of allergy-friendly or gluten-free treats. We’ve added some new favorites to our growing list this year. Trick or treat, everyone! – Allergic Living Staff New Raves Organic Lollipops from YummyEarth are free of gluten, dairy, [...]

Baking at Its Best Allergic Living gives two thumbs way up for Cybele Pascal’s The Allergen-Free Baker’s Handbook. Pascal had all the right ingredients take on her second cookbook: an accomplished home chef, she earned her stripes in restaurant kitchens, and she lives with multiple allergies in her family. Add two more to the mix: she’s [...]