Another website you may be interested in, www.basilandspice.com. Though this one isn’t solely dedicated to allergies, it has a lot of related information and just good healthy lifestyle information, which we always say, the healthier the body, the more it can fight against allergies and asthma.

What drew me to the site is a book review on “Flourishing with Food Allergies, Social Emotional and Practical Guidance for Families with Young Children”  by  A. Anderson. Anderson’s book has recently been selected as a resource by the European Union, listed in the USDA’s National Agricultural Library, and featured by the Asthma and Allergy Foundation. There is so much talk and so many questions on the social aspect of allergies, birthday parties, classrooms, friends’ houses, restaurants, that it’s nice to see this being addressed in a book. The numbers of food allergies, and increasing rapidly, though there isn’t a cure, we do need to know how to manage them.

The book also covers conditions believed to be related to allergies, including autism, ADHD and asthma. The author points out the detrimental effects of pesticides, antibiotics, and hormones in our food, citing several important studies. Written perspectives of pediatricians, allergists, a naturopath, and a clinical psychologist are included. Anderson adds research into cross-reactionary substances and the usefulness of probiotics in treating food allergy. I especially like the fact that experts with varying perspectives are utilized.

This type of resource can be extremely valuable, especially when dealing with small children or when an allergy is first diagnosed. A lot of allergy books touch on the same things, but I like the social aspect of this one. If nothing else, it can make a parent feel there is a support network out there. There’s always safety in numbers. You may find more information on the site along with these interesting and startling allergy facts listed on this site:

■ Peanut allergy has doubled in children between 1997 and 2002.
■ In 2007, 3.9% of children under age 18 had a food or digestive allergy.
■ Between 1997 and 2007, reported food allergy increased 18% among those under age 18.
■ Kids with food allergies are two to four times more likely to also have asthma and other related conditions.
■ Between 2004 and 2006, 9,500 children were sent to the hospital with a food allergy problem.
■ Each year in the United States, 150 people die of anaphylaxis.