( Winston Vaughan )
A Time to Give Thanks
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
Managing a year, and a life, of allergies can be trying to say the least. It can be agonizing to worry every day when your child goes to school or a friend’s house, or college or summer camp to be left wondering and praying that he will be safe. It can be frustrating to not have others give the credibility that allergies are due, and not take them seriously enough. The campaigning and advocating can be exhausting, the note writing, the extra snacks, the daily medication, the pet hair, the personalized meals, the epipens….no one wants an allergy whether it’s food or environmental. Continue reading…
Substitutions for Creating Allergy Safe Foods
By Heather Legg | 1 Comment »
With the Holidays upon us, many hours will be spent in the kitchen, whether you are cooking for your family and friends to entertain, baking treats to give as gifts, or trying to put together a week night family dinner in the midst of a hectic season. Many of us want to try a new recipe or two, but ingredients can scare us if someone in our family is allergic to it. However, most of the high allergen foods have simple substitutions which barely change the integrity of the dish and make it safe to it. Continue reading…
Surviving a Candle/Scent Allergy
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
Have you ever gone into someone’s home, and though it smells great, you can’t stop sneezing, get a headache or maybe have trouble breathing? If they have candles burning, it could be that you are experiencing a candle allergy. Often it is the fragrance from the candle itself that leads to the sensitivity. Continue reading…
Confusing Allergies (Again!)
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
As has been said so many times before, food allergy diagnosis is really a complicated and confusing issue. Not only is the diagnosis itself confusing, but so is what you are supposed to do next, and also what everyone is supposed to do. Continue reading…
Allergies and Fatigue
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
Environmental allergy symptoms are more than sneezing and itchy eyes. They can manifest in headaches, stomach problems, and sleep disorders. People with upper respiratory allergies often suffer from not only sleepiness, but significant fatigue which can infringe on daily life. Continue reading…
Overly Restrictive Diets
By Heather Legg | 1 Comment »
There has been recent research to show that many people who have been told they have food allergies are on overly restrictive diets to avoid all substances that they are allergic to. However, with blood tests, as well as skin tests, often the results show false positives. When this becomes a problem is when people avoid food that they aren’t really allergic to and poor weight gain, even malnutrition ensues. Continue reading…
Peanuts While Pregnant?
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
When I was pregnant with my children, I ate a lot of peanut butter sandwiches. I didn’t eat meat so I needed protein, so at least two or three times a week, lunch was PB & J. There has been questions over the year, though, if pregnant women should eat peanuts. Though neither of my daughters is allergic to peanuts, one is allergic to tree nuts and they both are prone to skin allergies. Is this related to my peanut consumption? Continue reading…
Animal Allergies
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
My daughter has some signs of animal allergies to cats and hamsters. Around our dog she is fine, but does get the sniffles and itchy eyes around certain other animals. Her friend is the same way, but a pet lover, too, and has cats and a guinea pig herself. I think this is all proof that animals are beneficial to the effects of allergies. Continue reading…
Gluten Free Gravy Because the Holidays are Almost Here!
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
Now that Halloween is over, it seems the holidays will be hitting hard. The stores will be filled with holiday items for Christmas, Chanukah and Thanksgiving. Magazines and television will be showcasing beautiful recipes, traditional and decadent to be served at holiday get togethers. Continue reading…
Allergy Free Halloween Candy
By Heather Legg | No Comments »
It’s only a few days away – the big candy day of Halloween. Many schools will be having Halloween parties and festivals this weekend in addition to trick or treating. Candy will be everywhere. Most of us know what is safe for our allergy kids, but you never know when something new to us will pop up. In a post from a week or so ago, I mentioned a friend calling about Swedish Fish. She is a seasoned allergy mom but was unsure about this candy, so she did just the right thing – she called the number on the back of the candy to make sure it was safe. So if you are not sure – call or refrain from giving it to your child. Continue reading…
