( Winston Vaughan )
Deciphering Labels
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
I was just reading how the food allergy industry is becoming a million dollar market. Food allergy grocery stores are popping up around the country, more and more companies are marketing food allergy safe lines, there are mail/internet order companies (of varying sizes) where you can find safe, custom food. Certain stores, like bakeries, suggest if you have certain allergies to not buy anything, or even come in the store (seems sort of rude, but better to be safe!). There have been new guidelines mandated for labeling foods, too. So with all this, you’d think it would be pretty easy to stay safe and confident when feeding yourself or your family with food allergies. On the contrary, it’s not. Continue reading…
Summer Allergies and Travel
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
People think of spring and fall as the worst time of the year for allergies. However, summer can be just as bad for some people. There are weed, grass and mold allergies that hit pretty hard. You have to be just as diligent during the summer as any other time of the year. Continue reading…
Swimmer’s Rash
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
Swim team has begun and the kids are in the pool a lot. The other night, my daughter said her legs were itching and it brought back memories of last year and itchy thighs. We tried to remember which daughter it was last year who suffered from itchy thighs, and finally remembered it was our other one. So this year it’s a different child, same ailment. My husband, who seems better at connecting the allergy causes than I am, said, “They’re back in the pool.” Continue reading…
Summer Mold and Mildew
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
Every spring I am happy to clear the winter coats out of out laundry room (otherwise known as our dumping ground) but then as summer hits, I remember I am just replacing the coats with wet towels and bathing suits. In an effort to save water and time, I usually try to hang the towels and bathing suits to dry. But every now and then something gets a little crumpled under something else, and I find it with the smell of…mold and mildew. Continue reading…
Spider Bites
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
I’ve noticed a few blogs and articles lately on insect bites and stings, as the onset of summer brings the onset of bugs, time outdoors and insects. So lo and behold, my daughter’s best friend just got a nasty spider bite. There is no real danger for her, just a welt on her leg that has lasted for over a week. Her mom is taking good care of it with Benadryl and Cortisone cream and it’s getting better. Continue reading…
How Accessible are Epipens?
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
I have often wondered what if someone has an anaphylactic allergic reaction and there is not an Epipen available. Perhaps it’s someone in a restaurant who ate something by accident and didn’t have their Epipen with her. Or maybe it happens in an elementary school to a child who has never had a reaction before but comes in contact with something new and goes into anaphylactic shock. Wouldn’t it be a good idea to have a few extra Epipens around? Continue reading…
Beware the Insects: AVOID Them!
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
It’s getting close to summer and most of us are spending a lot more time outdoors in the nice weather. Our activities take us outside, too, ball games, swimming pools, picnics, all kinds of events. However, there are certain guests we try to avoid while we are outside, the insects. For some of us they are just a nuisance, for others, they can be deadly. Anyone prefers to stay away from the insects, for those with allergies, it’s imperative that they avoid whatever it is they are allergic to; bees, wasps, ants, even mosquitoes. Since these insects have different habitats and characteristics, avoiding one is not always the same as avoiding the other. Here are some tips on avoiding a variety of insects: Continue reading…
Oral Allergy Syndrome vs. Food Allergies: Strawberries
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
There have been quite a few comments on this site regarding a past article on strawberry allergies. You don’t hear of fruit allergies near as much as allergies to the other “major” allergens, but obviously, strawberry and other fruit allergens are definitely a problem. Symptoms can range from itchy mouth or lips, to hives and rashes, to anaphylactic shock. Continue reading…
Some Cost Cutting Tips
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
It seems everywhere you look, prices are going up. We all know gas prices are super high right now, as well as groceries. I think everyone is looking for a way or two to cut costs wherever we can, and if you or someone in your family suffers from allergies, that is just another expenditure you are incurring. Here are some tips on some ways you may find plausible to help save a little here and there in the allergy category: Continue reading…
Allergy Free Food Areas in Parks
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
Yesterday my family went to a major league baseball game, the first one we took our kids to. Yes, we knew we’d spending a small down payment on a car there, but we went and had a fantastic time. It did make me think, though, what do families with peanut allergies do? Continue reading…
