Current News
About Allergy Free
and Sugar Free Snacks

Through reading current news, new research and development, continuous trial and error and because of man's insatiable desire to "cure" the unknown, this industry is constantly evolving with new information and current updates that will affect the health and well-being of you and your family.

This page will inform you of important news releases as they happen world-wide. Check back as these may help you to live a more comfortable and knowledgeable allergy free life

February 1, 2012
Information Source: Allergy Watchdog Group "Allergyeats"

New Fast Food Changes Can Affect People With Allergies

Wendy's has added a new burger. The bun itself is now buttered and then toasted. Anyone with a dairy allergy can not eat this. But the difficulty though arises because of cross-contamination, even if you do order a former "safe food", your food could now be cooked on the same equipment which toasted that buttered bun.

Ask questions before ordering.

Burger King has now changed their french fries. All of the top eight major allergens (dairy, eggs, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, soy, fish and shellfish) has still been eliminated but still there has been an ingredient change for some lesser known allergens. If you have food sensitivities, ask questions before ordering.

January 31, 2012 Allergies
Information Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Food Recall from Jelly Belly Candy Company

Recently though, the 9oz/255g packages of Christmas Deluxe Mix with an expiration date of 12/1/12 have been tested out as containing high levels of gluten and some dairy ingredients.All of the product has been recalled back to the factory but prior sales to customers can still be out there from this past 2011 christmas sales.

If you have problems with any gluten or dairy products, double check your expiration dates on the package. If you have one of the affected bags in your possession, please contact the company with the information right on the package itself.

January 27,2012 Allergies
Information Source: Dove's Farm Buckwheat Flour

Allergen Alert: Doves Farm Buckwheat Flour

All other products and date codes are shown to be safe.

Currently the company has pulled all the affected product but if you, the consumer, have any of this batch code in your possession, please contact the company for recommendations how to receive your refund. Company contact information is available on each bag of product itself.

January 20,2012
Information Source: Ezine author site owner

Sensitive To Milk - Or Maybe Not

So, are you having a laundry list of adverse symptoms in your body from the stiff joints, increased breathing difficulties, digestive upsets, exacerbated allergic reactions or any other host of symptoms some people can be unlucky enough to be "floored by"?

Sometimes, because of some of the common pitfalls of milk and milk production in an industrialized society, pasteurization, homogenization, packaging and processing plus many other factors which can be what's causing your sensitivity - it never was the actual milk at all.

Some people have actually found a good source of raw milk, where the farmer truly cares for his herd, his equipment and the safety and sanitary conditions of both his equipment and animals. Speak to the farmer themselves directly and be sure to verify his concern before arbitrarily buying any raw milk products for you and your family's own safety.

January 17, 2012
Information Source: Ezine Author - Site owner

Gluten Free Oats: Do They Exist?

But, let's be honest, if there's just one more thing I'm allowed to have in my diet, why do I need to avoid it? For these answers, and the reason your doctor is still concerned about gluten free oats, check out the newest research findings and be sure you fit into the "safe to eat category" before going out on your own and diving right into those fresh baked cookies or a bowl of hot and steaming oatmeal.

January 15, 2012
Information Source: Site owner

The Pitfalls Of Recovery

But here's when the trouble does start - again! Most people feel so much better that the inclusion of a few "cheat foods" every once in a while doesn't seem to be affecting anything much so time often lures many celiacs back into old habits, even unwittingly.

Celiac disease is a disease of 100% compliance and willpower for the rest of your life. Any deviation from this, however small, is causing you further difficulties even though you may not be aware of the problems.

January 8, 2012
Information Sources: Bloch's Best Inc and Food and Drug Administration

Laromme Brand Vanilla Rugelach In Recall

The ingredient label on this lot was incorrectly labeled not declaring the use of eggs as an ingredient. All necessary changes have been made and subsequent product has been changed and labeled correctly.

The customer may receive a full refund by returning their container to the store of purchase. If there is any questions please call Sam Bloch at (845) 352-8811.

December 30, 2011
Information Source:Prevention Magazine

When It's Put This Way -
Now You Know Why You Should Run

One 20 oz bottle of Coke is the equivalent of walking up to a sugar bowl and filling a cereal spoon and placing a filled spoon into your mouth 17 times.

Now just how many times a day do you wish to do that?

If you are actually trying to reduce the amount of sugars in the foods that you eat, try this easy formula every time you pick up the package. All of this information can be found on the nutrition label.

• Locate the grams of sugar and divide that by 4.2 to get the number of teaspoons in that product. An easy example: if your 8 oz container of yogurt has 49.5 grams of sugar divided by 4.2=11.79 or almost 12 teaspoons of sugar in that one container.

You can do this with everything you purchase and soon you will learn which items are lower in sugar and which you should run from, as fast as you can go!

December 29, 2011
Information Source: General Information

A Better Tuna Salad?

Well, I just tried this version last night and it is actually very good. Instead of the mayo, substitute a jar of chopped pickled beets and stir some into the tuna itself. Add your diced onion and celery if you desire and just add enough beets to moisten.

There is no need for a salad dressing or mayo when making it this way. Also, skip the added pickles (some people enjoy pickle relish) because they aren't needed because you get the tang from the beets themselves.

December 23, 2011
Information Source: Distributor of EpiPen and Epipen Jr.,Pfizer Canada

Epipen Safety Alert!

• First, actually have one in your possession. This doesn't mean sitting at home in a drawer, in the car's glove compartment while you are in the mall, or in your purse while you are in the other end of the house. An epipen can only do its job when it is in your possession.

• Second, ask your doctor for a demonstration how it works(and pay close attention to those instructions). It has been noticed many people are taking the pen and twisting the cap or trying to bend it off. This action will render the pen incapable of injecting the life-saving medication.

  The correct procedure, hold the pen vertical with the tip facing down. Grasp the cap and pull it off, STRAIGHT UP! Once the cap is off, then the tip can be placed against the side of the upper leg and the medication from the epipen can be injected.

December 20, 2011
Information Source: Rodale News, US Dept. of Agriculture and Tyson Foods

Deadly Bacteria Prompts Huge Recall

Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

If you have purchased any ground beef sold under the Tyson Foods label, return this product to the store of purchase for a refund. Do not under any circumstances use it as the high heats of cooking will not necessarily be able to destroy all of this type of bacteria. December 9, 2011
Information Source: Site Owner and Kim Wilson, author of Good and Easy Eats

Tomorrow It's Here!!

The greatest part here - sure we can call it a reference manual but actually it will be the only "go to" cookbook you will need in your recipe collection for a long, long time.

Why am I so inspired by this book? Because it's not just a book of recipes. It is a book of basic training, how to learn how to navigate your way through a kitchen which requires the preparation of a special diet.

Good and Easy Eats will be your go to recipe collection to teach yourself how to cook safely for most major allergens, diabetes, vegetarianism, weight control or just plain and simple good digestion.

Take the time to check out this important addition (at a very low, affordable $4.99 per collection) to your own reference library. You will be so very glad you did it!

December 8, 2011
Information Source: Site Owner

Review - Good & Easy Eats

Does this sound too good to be true? Especially if you're on an allergen-free diet? Check out this list:

• corn free
• dairy free
• dye free
• egg free
• gluten free (can be wheat free also)
• peanut free
• soy free
• many tree nut free or possible with substitutions
• sugar free
• yeast free
• suitable for Vegans

Is it actually possible to find good food WITHOUT all of these allergens? The answer is YES!

Being introduced this weekend, on December 10th, author and noted kitchen specialist Kim Wilson is releasing her next cookbook for the average person in all homes. This book isn't fancy foods, funny foods or stuff we've never heard of. It's just the plain old simple stuff real people eat every day. I have seen a copy of the new book. Think biscuits and gravy, caramel corn, chili, macaroni and cheese, chocolate meltaway candies, pizza or pasta's with homemade sauces (in minutes) plus on and on. All of it though is suitable for most allergens, diabetes, weight loss, vegetarians and just plain and simple good nutrition.

Whether you are thinking of eating healthy for one meal a week, one meal a day or for the rest of your life... give yourself the opportunity to examine this book (it's also priced fantastic so we can all afford it). I can easily tell you there is something in there for everybody!

November 23, 2011
Information Source: Living Without Magazine

The Hardest Part...

So when a company comes along and makes a product which is generally allergen safe for most people, I believe it's important to let as many people know as is possible. Soy sauce is one of those ingredients which is hard to replicate that flavor in the gluten free diet. Enter the San-J soy sauce or some Bragg's Liquid Aminos which can be used on any gluten free diet. If you happen to be soy free and are looking for the same consideration, pick up a New product by Coconut Secret which is named Coconut Aminos.

Both of these gives excellent flavor to any finished meal.

November 22, 2011
Information Source: General Knowledge

Reputable Source For Medication Information

Number one rule, do not ever rely on your doctor to know what's safe. Sure, they are the doctor, but they also in no way know the ingredients of everything they prescribe.

Every physician's office though has a book called the PDR, the Physician's Desk Reference. It is a complete listing of every drug available on the market with all the details about each. Every pharmacy usually has a copy of this manual also. Have them check in there for you first. If there is still further questions, contact the manufacturer.

November 18, 2011
Information Source: Health Day News Report

Are You Allergic To Alcohol?

Do you think you are allergic to alcoholic beverages?

It is very rare but usually the offending culprits are not the alcohol itself but one of the ingredients of the finished product. Common ingredients are malt, barley, hops, grapes, ethanol, wheat, yeast or even naturally-occurring sulfites or added sulfites (often added to wines as a preservative).

What is showing up more and more often though, a slight sensitivity to any of these can trigger increased symptoms on any other allergy or sensitivity your body has. Thus environmental, food or pharmaceutical allergies (plus anything else) can all be escalated just by your love of alcohol.

November 13, 2011
Information Source: Gluten Free Club

An Autumn Classic

Pick up some of those Fall classics - the Pumpkin - and make some of these toasted pumpkin seeds as a special treat for you and the family tonight.

November 7, 2011
Information Source: General Knowledge

Inventive Substitutions to Aid In Sugar and Allergy Control

• Losing cream for cream-based soups is hard for many people so try this instead with excellent results - use coconut milk or cashew cream as a direct substitute instead.

  To make fresh cashew cream: refrigerate 2 cups of whole raw cashews in water overnight or for 8 hours. Drain and then rinse in COLD water. Drain again. Process to a fine puree, adding water to blend until desired consistency. Store leftovers refrigerated for no more than 3-5 days.

• Puree soft cooked cauliflower and replace this as your dairy. Most people never figure out the difference. Many even remark this is the best soup yet because of the added flavor.

• If you don't normally use fresh spices but like the flavor, purchase whole spices instead from the grocery store aisle and grind your own in a small coffee grinder (reserve the unit for spices only). Grind only as much as needed with each use.

November 4, 2011
Information Source: Ayurvedic (type of alternative medicine) medicine staple food source for good health and nutrition

Easiest Recipe You'll Ever Make:
All-Natural Fruit Butter

As long as certain fruits are not your allergy triggers, try this recipe and save yourself a mint from purchasing it at the store. Pretty much every kid, or other family members will love it as long as you all like fruit. Pick up your favorite organic fruits (or even better use up the odds and ends left in the fruit bowl) and prepare a batch within mere minutes at your stove.

Use fruits separately or experiment and combine a few flavors to find your family's preferences:

Wash, peel, remove any pits and chop into pieces your choice of fruit. Place in a saucepan and just cover with cold water. Cook until desired consistency. Strain through a sieve to remove excess moisture. Serve with pancakes, toast, waffles, scones or muffins, yogurt or puddings.

This recipe is best if the fruits are not over-cooked as they will lose their flavor and color if left too long. Add a few pinches of sweetener only if desired.

October 26, 2011
Information Source: General Topic of Information

Some New Sources For Specific Allergen Goods

More and more, the allergen community is getting new and consistent product offerings made specifically for their circumstances also. Now understand though, this doesn't mean the rest of the family can not use them also.

Some new selections are shown below:

• Flaxmilk from Flax USA, Inc.
  This is a dairy-free, lactose-free version made of cold-pressed flaxseed oil (means it has no added chemical additives or preservatives in processing). High in omega 3's, low calorie with a generous assortment of daily vitamins and minerals all from one source.

• Mindfulmayo Dressing and Sandwich Spread takes care of the sandwich and salad doldrums with a new offering from Earth Balance. Egg free and dairy free, it can be used anywhere regular mayonnaise was used.

• Organic Coconut Spread is another Earth Balance offering used to replace butter in baking and eating right from the jar. This egg free variety joins their current soybean oil variety already available on the market.

• Snyder's of Hanover and the EatSmart Natural line both from Snyder's of Hanover, is once again adding to their gluten free line of snack foods with the addition of more pretzel varieties and snacking chips.

Check your local grocer for these different varieties.

October 21, 2011
Information Source: Angela @ Gluten Free Club.com

If You Accidentally Eat Gluten

As soon as possible after the meal or snack try these. Remember, the object here is to get the offending food through and out of your digestive system as soon as possible.

• use a fiber supplement or start eating some high fiber foods to aid quicker elimination
• Flush - flush - -flush. Start drinking water consistently for the next few hours.

Both of these will help dilute and increase the rate of flow through your system. Just don't panic if you feel a return of the pain and discomfort of the old symptoms. Keep flushing your system as often as possible for the fastest relief.

October 6, 2011
Information Source: Natural News.com

Toxic Foods On Your Grocery List

It's that time again when you need to go get your routine shopping list and the house's staples all filled back on your pantry shelves. Although a chore, you know it's getting harder and harder to feed the family from home. Every time you go for something, we're out of it already.

But have you noticed the family seems to be getting minor aches and pains more often, colds and the flu sets in easier, stomach aches and your bathroom habits are increasing due to digestive disturbances?

Most of us assume it's something we ate, but how come it is happening so much more often?

Take a look at this list of poisons you need to avoid when in a grocery store all sitting so innocently on those shelves beckoning you and your family. Sure, it's stuff you buy and take home all the time. But it is also stuff which is probably the reason for the increased digestive disturbances of the whole family.

Make a copy and take it with you to the store. There is no way you are ever going to remember all those funny sounding names, unless you happen to be a chemist or something.

October 5, 2011
Information Source: Independent news Rodale.com University of Research and Development For Safe Farm Practices

First Cantaloupes, Now Lettuce....Recall!!

Romaine lettuce is the next Listeria outbreak concern which may be found at your local grocer or restaurant. Check here for full details to get yourself and your family prepared.

October 2, 2011

Little Known Ingredients Causing An Egg Allergy Reaction

Some items like, egg, egg whites, egg solids etc. all sound normal to a shopper's ear so if you or a child has an egg allergy, these will obviously be avoided. But there is other terms that could show on the label which are components of eggs or partial ingredients are eggs. Any time you see these itemized on the ingredient label, these need to be avoided also.

• albumin
• globulin
• livetin
• lysozyme
• lecithin (must be clarified with the manufacturer because it could be from egg, soy or peanut)

September 27, 2011

Will I Ever Be Able To Have Milk Again?

The whey protein is often changed by high heat so some milk allergic individuals can eventually find out they can tolerate small amounts of evaporated milk, boiled or sterilized milk. This statement is true though ONLY if your sensitivity is to the whey protein.

The casein protein, the other majority protein in milk products, is heat stable though so casein can never be tolerated by an allergic individual. Being most common in the cheese assortments, the harder a cheese is - the higher the casein equivalent which it contains.

This information itself though is not a test-at-home program. It must be tested at a licensed allergists office to confirm safety protocols are in position.

September 26, 2011
Information Source: Common Knowledge

Giving Up Cheerios, How Can It Be Done?

Going gluten free automatically means Cheerios is out for that most popular children's finger food every parent finds their youngster loves to nibble on, usually to help settle them down or keep them quieter. But if the oats themselves are now out, usually because of cross-contamination, what else can be used?

Have you tried Corn pops or Quaker Oats Cocoa Blasts? Don't let the name fool you, it's made by the Quaker Oats company but it is still gluten free. No oats or cross-contamination concerns are present in the Cocoa Blasts for your child's detriment.

September 20, 2011
Information Source: Folk Remedy Encyclopedia of Health

Lactose Intolerant? Or Something Else

Next, be careful because maybe it's not really a sensitivity to lactose or milk proteins themselves.. Fructose (fruit sugar), sugar alcohols (used in many chewing gums, mints, candy and cookies), gluten or wheat sensitivities (often found in ice creams) can all be the culprit causing your problem. Keep a food dairy and give this information to your doctor so a food history can be used to determine where your difficulty seems to lie.

After deciding milk is the true offender, other than an allergy, an intolerance means many people can eat small portions of dairy without a show of symptoms. While milk might be out, yogurt might be OK. Often small amounts of some cheeses will be OK, but pudding might be too much. Experiment a little with an intolerance and find out where you threshold level is.

September 16,2011 Allergies and Diabetes
Information Source: Rodale Health Institute

URGENT:Toss Those Cantaloupes

Shipping previously from July 29 thru September 10, 2011 into the following states:

Arizona/Colorado/Illinois/Kansas/Minnesota/Missouri/Nebraska/New Jersey/New Mexico/New York/North Carolina/Oklahoma/ Pennsylvania/Tennessee/Texas/Utah/Wyoming

the Rocky Ford region of Colorado has distributed fresh cantaloupes which have been determined to be infected with the bacteria known as Listeria. The only method available to the general consumer to kill this bacteria is through cooking, which would not apply when eating fresh cantaloupe.

Listeria contamination is most common to the soil and water of meat and dairy operations. Somehow though, the produce when passing through the distribution channel has developed this possible fatal strain of bacteria.

Common symptoms include miscarriage in a pregnant woman, headaches, muscle and joint pains, stiff neck, mental confusion, loss of balance and possible convulsions.

The only effective therapy in this case to prevent infection is immediately dispose of any prior purchases made which have the following identifiable labels:

• a green and white sticker labeled "Product of USA-Frontera Produce-Colorado Fresh-Rocky Ford-Cantaloupe"
• a grey, yellow and green sticker which reads "Jensen Farms-Sweet Rocky Fords"
• If you reside in one of these states and the produce is not labeled, contact management and ask where their product was sourced.

August 24, 2011
Information Source: Rodale Health plus personal opinions

Parent Watch: Back To School Tips To Retain Your Child's Health

Going back to school for a child with a food allergy can feel like one of the most stressful situations any parent has to live through, especially if your child is newly diagnosed. Once that child is out of sight, your mind conjures up every possible scenario of what might happen during the day until they arrive back home.

Some "watches" you can position though in advance will help you, and your child, make the transition a little bit easier.

• Call and schedule a meeting with everybody in advance. This includes the school principal, the kitchen nutritionist or local school's nutritionist if one office services multiple schools, the homeroom teacher, the school nurse, each class's teacher (if your child has multiple instructors), the play yard supervisor and the gym class instructor. Check with your child's school principal and find out who's care your child is going to be left in and make sure each individual is aware of the situation - especially if this is a severe allergy.

  Initially, ask your child to accompany you to the school principal and the school nurse. After that, unless the principal requests it, try not to drag your child around to each meeting. The last thing you want is for your child to recognize the fear in your voice and your body movements because of your own highly-charged emotions.

• Start getting wise about breakfast, lunches, snacks or whatever meal which will be served while your child is away.If you pack a meal, buy organics. Many people do not realize but excess toxins, chemicals, GMO's are all toxic to our digestive system. Your child's is already stressed, why make it worse? Start feeding them healthy food to build up their immune system to its best possible resistance.

• Avoid packing it in plastic containers. If you know how to read the container labels and differentiate good plastics from bad plastics, you can rest assured your child will be safer.

• Avoid all anti-bacterial and anti-microbial soaps, lotions, towelettes or any container marked germ or odor-inhibiting. All of these use a chemical compound known as triclosan. Sure it's germ fighting capabilities are well-documented. It kills them all while it's also "killing you". Triclosan is so strong it leads to antibiotic resistance and hormonal dysfunctions in a child's young body. Regular soap and water will give excellent results without the chemical toxins needed.

• Be careful about some school supplies. Although they aren't food, when a child uses them and then licks their fingers, the proteins can be passed on from the supplies used in schools. Some glues and pastes, crayons and marking pens, paint kits, play-doh plus others do contain gluten, dyes and petro-chemicals.

• For the extremely sensitive child, think about purchasing all-natural clothing, backpacks, shoes, coats and hats etc.. Most of our everyday equipment we use, wear, carry etc. are also made with toxic ingredients.

These are just a few of the suggestions many people don't think of which can help make your child's life away from home just a little bit easier each and every day.

August 23, 2011
Information Source: Common Sense Knowledge

The Safety Of Refined and Processed Oils

While this may be true for some of the people not highly allergic, this is not true for everybody. Plus the label may not always notate this, but some oils prepared in other countries do not always use the same production methods as here in the USA. Before you go and start experimenting, talk to your doctor about the advisability of making this move.

August 20, 2011
Information Source: GIG (Gluten Intolerance Group)

Allowed/Not Allowed Flours

Need a short and sweet list of what you can and can not have in the grocery store in flours? Take this with...

• Allowed Flours
  1. Rice/Corn/Soy/Potato/Tapioca/Bean/Garfava/ Sorghum/Quinoa/Millet/Buckwheat/Arrowroot/ Amaranth/Teff/Montina/All Nut flours

• Not Allowed Flours Etc.
  1. Wheat (durum, graham, kamut, semolina, spelt)/Rye/Triticale/Barley plus malt vinegars/malt or malt flavorings

August 19, 2011
Information Source: Natural Healing Reference Material

Choosing The Right Yogurt For Your Situation

Are you allergic to dairy and you were hoping to find some kind of yogurt you could use in your home-cooking?

Most people count this one off automatically, assuming all yogurt is from milk, so basically it's off limits.

But the reality - that's just not true anymore. Look for some of the non-dairy yogurts, usually most contain a high percentage of probiotics which aid in digestion and will help balance your immune system. With these, you can still remain safe. But remember, you still have to read that label to make sure they haven't snuck one of milk's proteins into the formula anyway.

August 10, 2011
Information Source: Diabetic Living Informational Source

At-Home Gluten Testing

August 5, 2011
Information Source: Consumer Reports on Health

Allergic Asthma: Care and Treatment

Well, up to 90% of the people who have allergic asthma, also are extremely sensitive to dust mites.

The current treatment recommendation of continuous dusting, running the vacuum daily and washing all sheets and blankets on their bed at least once a week in very hot water doesn't do enough to help many of these people. So a recent study showed that when this individual's bedclothes were soaked (at least one hour) in a solution of 1 part detergent to 4 parts eucalyptus oil to one glass of water and then pour this into a full load of wash water, the kill rate of dust mites has increased to a whopping 95% rate of safety.

Pick up a bottle of eucalyptus oil, usually always found at any health food store, and mix up your own method of prevention to help your child or family member better manage their symptoms of asthma.

July 21, 2011 Allergies
Information Source: The Kitchen Collection, Dutch Valley Foods

Buying Plain Old Sugar Is Sure Getting Complicated These Days

More and more ingredient labels are starting to show organic evaporated cane juice and organic powdered evaporated cane juice as the sweetener of choice. This refers to the method of growing and processing. Both of these are minimally processed and did not go through the bleaching stage (natural sugar is tan at harvest, food processing bleaches it white before we buy it). So by changing to these two varieties in your daily use, you have retained many more of the vital vitamins and nutrients in raw sugar and completely avoid all the bleaching chemical agents used to make pretty white sugar.

July 19, 2011
Information Source :NIAID

Oral Allergy Syndrome

Most people susceptible always end up with the skin rash, breathing troubles, mouth and tongue swelling and intense itch upon contact. Often though, after cooking, most people find these exact same products raw which bother them have no effect on them at all when cooked. Cooking or baking seems to deactivate the proteins for anyone suffering from OAS.

July 19, 2011
Information Source: National Institute Of Allergy and Infectious Disease

Food Allergies Aren't The Only Reason For Anaphylaxis

Although these are common, they are by far not the only things which can induce a reaction. Care must be used with anything if you start to notice funny symptoms when using any product. If the thought goes through your head, well it can't be an allergy(sensitivity) because I have used it all my life, don't bet on it. An allergy can start at any time, even with an item you use repeatedly.

July 16, 2011
Information Source: Department Of Human Services

Cross Reactivity And Its Importance In An Allergen Free Life

If you currently have been diagnosed with a life-threatening allergy, chances are there is another group of food(s) you may be sensitive to also that are considered part of the same food family. For this reason, work closely with your doctor and allergist to confirm your safety.

An example of this situation may be, a tomato allergy is part of the nightshade family of fruits and vegetables so you may also be sensitive to potatoes, eggplants, green and red peppers etc. Check with your doctor to confirm what other products may lead to cross-reactive symptoms in your situation.

July 15, 2011
Information Source: CDC (Center For Disease Control, USA)

A Reminder: Food Borne Illness And Summer's Extra Cautions

But being outside also ends up meaning sometimes in there you will be eating out there also. And for anyone, a food-borne illness is no laughing matter. But for the immune compromised person (from an allergy), the slightest little problem can lead to major difficulties.

The safest way to protect yourself is to remember 2 little rules:

• Wash your hands repeatedly, but especially before you eat anything

• Keep cold foods cold, hot foods hot. If you, your vendor you are purchasing from, or the selections you have been handed can not be satisfactorily guaranteed that these circumstances were followed, pass it up and find something else.

Enjoy your summer, but remember safety's always first!

July 9, 2011
Information Source: National Institute Of Allergy and Infectious Disease

Odds For Developing A Food Allergy

Unfortunately, to date, there is no clear cut answer to these two questions. The only thing which does seem to be true, is if any other member of your family has allergies, the odds are greater your child will also. Remember though, this does not automatically mean it will be a food allergy. It could be an environmental allergy, insects, latex or even asthma or eczema. All of these also fall into the category as allergies.

July 1, 2011
Information Source: Dr. Andrew Weil, leading researched, teacher, trainer and doctor of alternative and conventional medicine techniques

The Controversy Wages On

By now, I believe everyone has heard about the controversy over high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), whether it is as good or worse than regular sugar. This is one of those constantly tested components, and depending who the originator of the test, the test results often seem to be skewed to get the answers the tester ultimately wants.

Independent labs though usually always say the same thing. HFCS does have a slightly higher concentration of fructose but the body processes both HFCS and cane or beet sugars a similar way. So using one or the other really makes very little difference, as far as the body is concerned.

The problem with HFCS though is it is so inexpensive to use as a sweetener, a preservative or additive etc. that many companies put it in almost everything. Take a trip to the store and read labels, HFCS shows up all over the shelves. So it pretty much doesn't matter if your food came from a box, a bag or a can - there's a good chance it includes HFCS.

All of this added sweeteners therefore to the diet has built up a world full of overweight and diabetic patients.

June 27, 2011
Information Source: Rodale Farm News Agency

Is That Food Truly Gluten Free?

Some people truly have no choice in the matter for their health. They absolutely must eat foods that are truly gluten free without the risk of cross-contamination.

But in our current manufacturing environment, the food industry realizes the "fad" gluten free label is a gold-mine. And to many of them, they didn't put any gluten stuff in it so put it on the label. The risk of this scenario though - what happens if those oats (which can be gluten free if grown in a safe environment) which when grown, were picked, harvested, processed, milled or baked right beside a field of wheat products. Now, every square inch of that oat field is no longer gluten free because of cross contamination. This information though may not be on that label. Some companies which don't even specialize in gluten free foods might not even realize what they are doing wrong. But to the health of a celiac, they trusted their health to that food label.

Coming this Fall of 2011, the US Organic Certification Agency Quality Assurance Program is partnering with the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness to develop a new gluten-free certification program to provide those following a gluten-free diet with more safer choices. No longer will the vague terms like "natural flavorings" be allowed to be used as a catch-all term for anything else that might have ended up in that product.

So for a company to be able to display this seal, the product, its ingredients, the manufacturing facility, the products sources and everything within the chain will be checked, verified and positively have passed the entire chain of inspections.

June 18, 2011
Information Source: NIAID - National Institute Allergies and Infectious Disease

Creating A Tolerance To Milk Products At An Earlier Age

Exhibiting signs of a milk allergy is often very normal in many children from newborn to up to 5 years of age. But some kids don't seem to have as much of a problem with milk as others.

A recent NIAID-supported study has shown if small amounts of milk goods are ingested infrequently only within baked goods, many children have shown a tolerance to the milk protein has been built up. This group of kids all seemed to be able to accept milk at an earlier age than the standard 3-5 years.

Warning though, this is not an at home treatment or testing program without the aid and advice from your child's doctor.

June 15,2011
Information Source: Consumer Reports On Health

Can Inflammation Be Worsened By Food

But other times, when your body is just showing signs of joint pain, muscle weakness etc. often this is in relation to many food products your body was not designed to ingest. Saturated fats, trans fat, foods high in starches and sugars, even the condition gluten intolerance or celiac disease is your bodies response to trying to digest gluten. Eliminating these substances from your diet often leads to a tremendous reduction in the severity of the symptoms.

June 3, 2011
Information Source: Healthy Eating, Healthy Directions

Buy It Fresh--Or Buy It Frozen

While buying fresh is always going to give you the best taste and texture, sometimes you just need to go to the freezer case for the item in question. Always check the ingredient label first, not all items are 100% the name on the bag, and verify no fillers or additives are in that package. If possible, even try to find an Organic version of the product in question.

There is very few exceptions, but please try to stay away from the canned version due to the large quantities of salts and added sugars which are used to extend shelf life. The few exceptions to this include canned tomato products, such as tomato sauce and paste plus the canned tomato itself. Also, canned beans, olives and green chiles are OK.

All of these though will include added salts so check the labels carefully and purchase the variety with the least amount of sodium. Then before use, dump the contents into a colander and rinse with running water also if possible.

May 18, 2011
Information Source: FYI Food Living, Good health revealed for the allergen community

Is Camel Milk An Answer To The Dairy Allergics Problem

A recent small study found that children allergic to cow's milk were able to tolerate the milk from a camel with no adverse side effects. The proteins in camel's milk are completely different than a cow so none of the test subjects were documented having any difficulties.

Even if you do have access to camel's milk, do not proceed on your own without speaking to your child's pediatrician first.

May 18, 2011
Information Source: "Eating Safely On A Gluten Free Diet"

Food Sources Of Vinegar

Vinegar has been used in culinary circles for more than 10 thousand years but controversy has surrounded its use in food allergy diets constantly.

The most common sources of foods used to make vinegars are apples, ethyl alcohol for distilled vinegar and malt. Occasionally fruits, berries or other grains can be used also.

Cider vinegar is made directly from the juice of apples

Distilled vinegar or grain vinegar sounds like it should be avoided by the gluten allergic but research has stated it is safe because the gluten peptide is too large to get through the screening during the fermentation process. Check with your doctor first before trying this one.

Malt vinegar uses malt barley (or possibly another grain) as its base ingredient during fermentation. Avoid this with a gluten allergy.

Balsamic vinegar comes directly from the juice of grapes. No grain products are used in this fermentation process.

Vinegar has been a touchy subject for so long with gluten free diets because

May 3, 2011
Information Source: Bay Valley of Pittsburgh, maker of Walmart canned soups

Recall on Walmart's Great Value Reduced Sodium Chicken Noodle Condensed Soup

A nationwide recall has been prompted because of incorrect packaging of this label of Walmart soup. Any person sensitive to milk or with a milk allergy could be affected because in some cases the product inside these cans has been determined to be Cream of Chicken soup, which does include milk but is not listed on the ingredient label.

Included in the recall are 10.5-ounce cans of the soup that have the establishment number P-51 and a "best by" date of "09 29 12" printed on the can's bottom. The soup was produced on Sept. 29, 2010, and shipped to Walmart stores.

If you are in possession of one of these cans please contact Bay Valley direct at (800) 983-0823 for more information.

May 1, 2011
Information Source: General Information

An Important Reminder,
Especially For The Long-Term Diagnosed

Maltodextrin and modified food starch in the United States are now a corn-based product bought and sold in the US. Any product produced and sold in the US now must use this product. If they do not, wheat products must be declared on the label.

Remember though, any product made outside the US does not necessarily have to follow these rules. Check with the manufacturer to confirm your safety.

April 25, 2011
Information Source: National GIG (Gluten Intolerance Group)Office

Gluten Free Online Radio

Special daily programming is also there to help the gluten free individual in their daily life. Check in at www.glutenfreeonlineradio.com for the weekly programming benefit and offering tips and advice on how to safely travel through the new trials of eating gluten free.

Questions and comments are welcome at cain@glutenfreeonlineradio.com if you have any suggestions or questions about something you would like to see or hear about on gluten free radio online.

April 2, 2011
Information Source: Calorie Lab.com as seen in the periodical National Post

The Dreams Of The Future

It has been observed before, and is now in testing, that individuals with medical procedures requiring transplantation have shown the onset of an allergy in a previous unafflicted person.

But it has gone the other way also. Some people with an allergy have lost their allergy after a transplant.

Much time and testing is needed before this will ever become a reality, but it is interesting how the possibility is there.

March 24, 2011
Information Source: Jelly Belly Candy Company

Select Jelly Belly Products Now Gone "Au Naturale'"

Their Sports Beans line, the Jelly Belly Superfruit Mix and the Jelly Belly Fruit Snacks are all derived from natural sources for those people trying to avoid many of the common allergens.

March 19, 2011 Food Allergy Recall Alert
Information Source: Stop & Shop Food Stores and Kashi, Inc.

Food Allergy Alert: Egg Allergy

Kashi Southwest Style Chicken, 10 oz. UPC Code 1862729292

If you are sensitive to eggs, please check at the this food allergy alert for complete instructions on how to handle the return of product.

March 19, 2011 Food Allergy Recall Alert
Information Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Food Allergy Recall Alert: Peanuts

Chocolately chocolate chip flavour Raw Organic Food Bar

Certain lots of these products have been checked and tested and do confirm positive for the presence of peanuts which are not disclosed on the ingredient label. Please check with the following site's Food Allergy Alert and be certain if one of these is in your possession you follow the instructions to guarantee the safety of you or a loved one.

March 8, 2011
Information Source: Unilever, Inc.

Limited Recall On Skippy Peanut Butter Products

Salmonella is an organism, when ingested can be fatal to the weak, immune system impaired and young children. Normal adults may show symptoms of gastro-intestinal distress such as diarrhea, bloating, cramps etc..

The following UPC codes only are affected by this recall:

• UPCs: 048001006812 and 048001006782 (located on the side of the jar’s label below the bar code.)

• Best-If-Used-By Dates: MAY1612LR1, MAY1712LR1, MAY1812LR1, MAY1912LR1, MAY2012LR1 and MAY2112LR1

All of these products are packed in a 16.3 oz. plastic jar. If you find a matching jar in your possession, please return the jar to the place of purchase.

February 27,2011
Information Source: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology

Research Is Showing A Strong Link Between Allergies
And Vitamin D Deficiencies

Multiple completed research studies is showing a correlation between the increased risk of food allergies in children when the birth mother is Vitamin D deficient or the children in their infant and toddler years are deficient.

To date, this same correlation does not seem to affect adults but more testing and research is being done to verify the authenticity of these findings.

February 19, 2011
Information Source: Internal Revenue Service

Breastfeeding Supplies Now Tax Deductible

Actually it is quite simple.

Many new mothers, because of the high costs of supplies, must avail themselves of an alternate method of feeding their newborn child. Many mothers, returning to work after maternity leave has expired, also find it impossible to continue breastfeeding because of the costs of those supplies.

And yet, it has been repeatedly proven that breastfeeding any newborn for the entire first year helps prevent many future health difficulties in children.

Chances are much greater obesity, ear and respiratory infections, diabetes, asthma, stomach disorders and food allergies can often be avoided just by allowing your child to not have to be dependent on formula for their early source of food.

February 10, 2011
Information Source: U.S. News and World Report

Children Prone To Skin Dermatitis Often Later Diagnosed With Food Allergy

After 5 years worth of testing and collating results, Dr. Jon M. Hanifin, a dermatologist and professor at Oregon Health & Amp; Science University has reported his results to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Dr. Hanifin has repeatedly shown children commonly showing signs of atopic dermatitis as young children often do later become diagnosed as a food allergic child.

The question therefore has risen is the skin condition itself a possible precursor to the allergy instead of the skin rash just being a symptom of food allergies.

From the material generated during the study, it actually looks like the skin rashes are first, even before the onset of the allergies. Time and more studies are needed to determine if there is any possible relationship.

January 13, 2011
Information Source: Health and Healing, monthly newsletter

Gluten Free Beer Varieties Still Available

There is several companies though that do make a gluten free version of beer. If you are an occasional beer drinker and do not wish to give it up, check out the following for your enjoyment.

• Bard's Tale Beer
• Lakefront Brewery
• Redbridge Beer
• Sprecher Brewery

January 13,2010
Information Source: Studies from the University of Cincinnati

Another Kink In High Fructose Corn Syrup's Reputation

But test after test has shown this to be otherwise.

Many researchers believe the process of preparing HFCS somehow changes the way our body digests this ingredient.

The change in question- we have a tendency to gain weight or be more susceptible to its damaging qualities in our system.

So for now, HFCS, high fructose corn syrup or its new name on an ingredient label corn sugar may be spelling trouble for you and your family members. Try to avoid it as much as possible.

January 4, 2011
Information Source: E-How.com

It's Tax Season Again - Are You Getting Money Back For Your Gluten Medical Expenses?

Check through this information and talk to your tax preparer to see if you and your family qualify.

December 24, 2010 Allergies, Diabetes, General Health
Information Source: Confectionery World.com and personal opinion

What Do We Have To Do To Get The Safe Version Here

The only hitch to date has been the European Union (EU) has a federal law that all GMO-foods are outlawed for growing, processing and any finished goods being marketed in their area. The Hershey Company currently uses a GMO sugar as its sweetening agent(s) and also a GMO version of soy in its soy lecithin. Due to the unbending policy, Hershey has agreed to change their formulation and produce product for this area only using the non-GMO raw materials.

I wonder what the rest of us in the world have to do to receive the luxury of being allowed to eat food which is actually "safer" for you from the "sweetest place on earth."

December 17, 2010
Information Source: Consumers Union, a safety advocate company for the concern of the general public

New Mercury Warnings: Pregnant Women And Children

After independent testing though of every type of tuna from a grocery store chain, the Consumers Union is saying EVERY package of tuna from the store, whether it was albacore or light tuna is showing levels much to high for the at risk group.

Mothers-to-be and parents trying to conceive are warned against any use of these products due to the risk of pre-natal difficulties with the newborn or un-born child.

Small children under 45 lbs. are also asked to refrain from eating more than 4 oz per month, again because of the risk of developmental risks.

December 15, 2010
Information Source: Herald Sun Weekly Times

Tired and Run Down After Eating?

Among a whole group of reasons, food allergies or a food intolerance can also instigate digestive problems leading to gassiness, bloating, diarrhea or constipation. Figuring out if that is what it is though needs a little detective work.

The easiest way to start, eliminate that item you believe may be the culprit from your diet for a couple of weeks to completely flush it from your system. Then add a little back for a few days and see if you start noticing symptoms again.

If you do, it's time to see your doctor and explain your findings.

November 29, 2010
Information Source: Reuters.com, an independent daily health and wellness news source

Many people have always been informed, with an allergy, there must be a first exposure to an allergen and then the body's adverse response will be noticeable the second time (or more) a person comes in contact again with this allergen.

But peanuts and eggs have such high allergenic properties that an allergic reaction can be staged and executed the first time someone comes in contact with the allergen.

This is especially important for very young children.

Therefore do not rule out an anaphylactic reaction in your baby or toddler just based on the rule of no prior contact was made.

November 25, 2010
Information Source: Quaker Canada, a division of US based Pepsico,Inc.

Incorrect Product In Incorrect Packaging May Lead To Peanut and Tree Nut Allergy Episodes

Quaker Canada has released a statement recommending anyone with a peanut or tree nut allergy to carefully check their store bought box of granola bars. The following directive was released:

The 14 count Quaker Chewy Granola Bars Value Pack," which should contain peanut-free Chewy Chocolate Chip and Chewy S'mores bars, was found on two occasions to instead contain Dipps Chocolate Chip and Dipps Caramel Nut bars, the company said in a statement late on Wednesday.

If anyone has a box of this product with a known peanut or tree nut allergen please double check the contents carefully and avoid both of these products. Anyone then with questions should call this toll-free phone number: 1-800-267-6287 to speak to a company representative.

November 24, 2010
Information Source: Reuters Daily Health Bulletin

Johnson & Johnson Once Again Hit By Recalls

Children's Benadryl Allergy Fastmelt tablets (cherry and grape flavors), Junior Strength Motrin Caplets and cherry-flavored Rolaids Softchews formula have all been recalled from the retail and wholesale sales outlets here in the United States and around the world.

According to a company spokesman, it is not necessary for the consumer to worry about a return or exchange.

November 9, 2010
Information Source: Rodale Daily Health Newsletter

Stopping That Junk Food Craving For Sweetened Beverages Fast

How, you say?

Take a tall glass, double the size of your drink and fill it with crushed ice. Now pour the drink over that and drink it. It will last you twice as long, you get double the amount of fluids to hydrate your body and you have reduced the impact of the sweetener or chemicals by half.

November 4, 2010
Information Source: Anita Khalek, health and wellness advocate for your dietary needs

The Truth About Those Tiny Baby Carrots

But it seems the food industry has decided, unknowing to the average consumer, that we are going to pay a high price with our good health for all that convenience.

Baby carrots are routinely washed in a chlorine solution before packaging for bacteria and food preservation purposes. Sure this makes the carrot de-bugged (it was grown in the dirt after all) and it makes that carrot stay cute and fresh looking longer on the store's shelves, but if that solution can kill off bacteria on that carrot it can also cause trouble in our digestive system also.

Isn't it time to re-think the advisability of going to organics?

October 21,2010
Information Source: Sherry Baker, freelance journalist

Toxin-Free Wood Adhesive: A Fixative For One Problem
But Creating Another

Wood adhesives, almost always being used in the furniture industry, has always been a formaldehyde-based glue product. This means the chemical compounds were always held together by a petroleum-based solvent.

The problem here though is many people were sensitive to the petroleum properties of these adhesives.

Enter a new adhesive - a natural compound extracted from tofu and soy milk has become a new development. What does this mean to the average consumer? Your furniture is now glued-together with a plant-based adhesive from the soy plant.

While this may be fantastic for the majority of the population - what about the soy allergic? What kinds of problems is this going to lead to for them?

Now when you go shopping for any type of wood products, are you going to have to be checking ingredient labels there also?

September 15,2010
Information Source: Associated Press

New Name For High Fructose Corn Syrup

Is a new name coming anytime soon for the controversial sweetener high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?

According to the Associated Press, public pressure and the receding use of HFCS in the food industry has prompted the Corn Refiners Assn in the United States to ask the Food and Drug Administration for the opportunity to change the name of high fructose corn syrup.

Coming soon therefore to your local grocery store, watch those ingredient labels and if the name "corn sugar" starts popping up--and you are trying to have you and your family members avoid HFCS-- the name corn sugar needs to be added to your foods to avoid list.

August 28,2010
Information Source: General Knowledge

Common Misconceptions Made By The Dairy Allergic

Two common misconceptions often made by an individual with a dairy allergy or lactose insensitivity are the following:

• Altered milk products such as evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, dry milk powder and any other version you run across in a store are not safe for the lactose intolerant or dairy allergic.

• Do not switch to soy milk or soy cheese either if dairy allergic and anticipate good results.

Both of the above scenarios do still have the casein protein in them so these are not going to be a solution to your problem. By switching to almond, rice, oat or hemp milk, though you can alleviate all of your adverse symptoms.

August 23,2010
Information Source: Kenneth Fine, MD and Aristo Vojdani,PhD - both practicing physicians and research groups for the aid and ease of treatment for the gluten sensitive individual

New Testing Methods Which Afford Better Allergy Results

A newly developed testing method by Kenneth Fine, MD has been approved and sanctioned by the Dept. of Health and Human Services to be used as a highly sensitive gluten test which can be checked from your own home using a stool sample, instead of the current blood sample which is done at the doctor's office.

Results to date show much better rates of an accurate diagnosis by means of this method. This testing kit can be observed and checked at the following website:

www.enterolab.com... Ask for "The Gluten Sensitivity Stool Panel Complete Kit" for further information.

Also, salivary testing also has been confirmed to show a favorable diagnosis when a type 1 diabetic is trying to determine whether their condition is a gluten sensitivity or an auto-immune condition from gluten.

Positive results are being received when a doctor is trying to determine celiac disease or diabetes. Doctors only may obtain this information for use with their patients from the following:

www.immunoscienceslab.com, Ask for the AGA and ATTA testing programs.

Each of these labs have been licensed and approved by the US Dept of Health and Human Services for the sale of these tests by direct to the consumer (or doctor) orders. The only exempt states from this practice is Maryland and New York which do not allow direct to consumer sales via interstate purchasing.

August 20,2010
Information Source: CSPI (Center for Science in the Public Interest)

Deceptive Labeling Can Lead To Allergic Reactions If You Are Not Careful

Ben & Jerry's Premium Ice Cream line, a division of Unilever, has been requested multiple times to clean up their labeling because of inaccurate information on their carton labels.

Touted as an "all natural" product on the label, up to 90% of the flavors do have one or more processed, artificial or chemically altered ingredient. The current product line includes such man-made ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup, maltodextrin, vanillin (artificial vanilla) and alkalized cocoa powder.

If you are not in the habit of reading the ingredient labels, many people could end up with an allergic reaction because they believed the information on the front label.

The consumer watchdog group, CSPI, is stating after numerous requests have been made, a lawsuit will most likely be the next step if Unilver and Ben & Jerry's do not show some kind of response.

July 21,2010
Information Source: Research findings from current national and internationally funded research groups on the possible link between allergy and obesity

Allergy and Obesity: A Possible Link

Childhood obesity rates especially are showing the IGe marker (immunoglobulin marker) commonly found in all food allergy patients seems to be occurring at a higher rate in obese children. Up to 26% of over-weight children which have been checked show high IGe markers in their system. Normal weight children show no prevalence of this marker at all.

Current research from both the Centers for Disease Control findings and a research group from Finland both conclude the link between allergy and obesity seems to be there, the question now is just in isolating the why's.

As a parent though of a young child in today's society, although too many people 26% may sound like low odds, think of the numbers this way instead. Just 1% of the population in the United States alone translates to millions of children. Multiply that now by 26 to understand how many children this can and may affect in the near distant future.

A good sound nutritional diet, exercise and the achievements from a good developing mind will all yield a happier, healthier child growing into teens and then the adult years. Teach your child and it becomes a way of life instead of one more chore Mom and Dad keep nagging me about.

July 19,2010
Information Source: My personal opinion

More and more, I am getting many requests from visitors about the confusion of trying to read ingredient labels when they go to a grocery store. Included on my site I do have rather extensive lists of information for each allergen, the nutrition label and the ingredient label.

Unfortunately, there just is no quick and easy way to learn how to protect your safety in a store unless you have these lists with you at all times. Some mention they don't have access to a printer. Almost all municipalities have a public library or I mentioned to one lady to call her local high school. Explain her dilemma and I am sure most schools would get her a copy of the necessary forms she needs off the internet.

Stress, anxiety and just the feelings of "I will never learn all this stuff" is one of the major contributing factors to poor health and reduced immune system function. Please don't sweat the small stuff in regards to your condition. If you feel overwhelmed by something, give me a short note on the contact us form and a lot of times, another voice to listen to can mean the difference in all the world.

July 11,2010
Information Source:TCB Medical Devices founder Thomas C. Beller, M.D.

New Design Of Epi-Pen : Easier To Use

The life-saving equipment needed in case of an emergency is called an epi-pen. Many people do not even bother keeping one in their possession because of the inconvenience of carrying the awkward device and the difficulty in using it correctly unless trained to its specific instructions.

Dr. Beller has developed a new and better way.

The new piece of equipment is small enough to be carried right along on your keychain with your car keys. It also is easy, quick and less cumbersome than its older counterpart.

Going through the process right now of getting FDA approval, all indicators look good that this new device will be able to be released to the market before the end of the year 2010.

July 11,2010
Information Source: The Orlando Sentinel daily newspaper

Red Lobster Restaurant Now Paving The Way
For Allergy Safety

If you happen to have food allergies and live or are vacationing in the Orlando, Fl. area, life just became a little bit easier.

The parent restaurant of the Red Lobster chain is now offering allergen menus, with a breakdown of each of their dishes and full allergen disclosure, in their Orlando location.

As of now, this is the only location which is offering this service but plans are underway to expand it through other parts of the chain in the future.

Stop by and avail yourself of this service so the owner's do realize your appreciation and ideally more locations will be added to the mix sooner.

July 6,2010
Information Source: David Gutierrez, staff writer for Truth Publishing

A New Name For MSG: Taste No. 5 Or Umami

Umami, named after the Japanese word savory, has the capability of increasing the satisfaction of food or "mouth feel" on the taste buds.

The chemical composition of glutamate is designed after the taste and texture which naturally occurs in many fermented foods such as meats, cheeses and condiments. This process has been duplicated and is rapidly spreading through the processed food industry.

If you have previously reported reactions to MSG or monosodium glutamate, watch the ingredient label now for its sister version Taste No.5 or umami.

June 16, 2010
Information Source: Truth Publishing, staff writer Ethan Huff

Sunflower Lecithin:A New Alternative To Soy Lecithin

Lecithin, exclusively soy lecithin, has been used in the production of food products as an emulsifier, meaning it allows the manufacturer to obtain the texture and consistency that the general buying public expects in the finished product.

Due to many people though having a food allergy or sensitivity to soy products, many shelf stable items are off-limits to the soy allergic.

With this new alternative, sunflower lecithin can and will open the doors for many more products to be readily available to the soy allergic.

May 25,2010
Information Source:Food and Drug Administration plus author's opinion

Is Coconut Truly Gluten Free

Yes, it is a saturated fat, but unlike the hydrogenated fats that man-kind has invented which is a complete artery-clogging substance, fresh coconut oil is an anti-viral and anti-fungal substance which is greater for your health.

Many people also ask then why is this substance not gluten free? The simple answer is it actually is but in processing many manufacturers add flour to keep the shreds from sticking together. Therefore always check the ingredient label to see just what it says.

May 24,2010
Information Source: General Knowledge about the gluten free lifestyle

What Else Do I Have To Worry About In Regards To Gluten Free?

Many people do not think about it, but everything you put in or near your mouth must be gluten free. This includes such items as chapstick, toothpaste, mouthwash, lipstick or lip gloss.

Some people recommend even going so far as bath powder or bubble bath, hand and body lotions etc.. Although you do not physically ingest these items the dust is in the air and you can breathe it in. Your hands could also rub across your face and lips and when licking your lips, it can get in.

Although these may seem like such minute quantities, they still count towards the deterioration of your health.

May 19.2010
Information Source: Thompson Reuters, an independent world-wide news source for major happenings around the globe

Common Rotavirus Vaccines Found Contaminated

After the problem came to light, the FDA immediately started a round of meetings to determine if the vaccines were safe for human use. Without any testing, or results from any possible testing being made available, doctor's have been given the OK to resume use of the vaccines.

It is being passed around that without any testing even being done, the advisory panel made the decision that no harm was evident so it is only a theoretical possibility that "any evidence of harm" will be shown available in the future.

Since the inception of this series of vaccines, although much good has seemingly been brought to light, the possibility still exists that whatever the difficulty is in the baby pig industry, that very same problem could exist in the future with your child.

To all you parents, before having your children vaccinated with their regular series of rotavirus vaccines, I would really think long and hard about having a conversation with your doctor about the advisability of your child actually receiving this vaccine.

Date: May 6,2010
Information Source: New England Candy And Confectionery Co.

Necco Candy Now Offering Dye-free, Old-Fashioned Favorites

Date: May 4, 2010
Information Source: The Washington Post, Lyndsay Layton, staff writer

Follow-Up On McNeil Consumer Recall

Obviously every parent out there with a child has been concerned about the information concerning the voluntary recall in regards to Tylenol, Motrin, Benadryl and Zyrtec liquid medications.

Questions abound from parents trying frantically to get answers to what and how they are supposed to handle this information. I have posted a link below which is a live question and answer session which is giving full disclosure about what should be a parents' priorities in this situation.

Many people are discouraged trying to get through on the help-line because of the very long waits. The company obviously has been inundated with calls.

Check out this link first and many of your initial questions may be answered.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/discussion/2010/05/03/DI2010050301988.html

For further information after this, email the company at http://www.mcneilproductrecall.com or telephone at1-888-222-6036.

Date: May 2,2010
Information Source: McNeil Consumer Healthcare (Division of McNeil-PPC Inc.)

Voluntary Recall On Many Over-The-Counter Children's Healthcare Products

Effective immediately, the company of McNeil Consumers Healthcare is pulling a large percentage of products from the shelf due to inconsistencies in product testing results.

This recall does affect some versions of Children's Tylenol or Tylenol Plus, Motrin, Zyrtec and Benadryl. Not all formulations of these medications are affected by this recall.

Working in conjunction with the US Food and Drug Administration, this recall has been initiated because of failing test results on some product lines because of overages or shortages on some of the active ingredients as listed on the label.

To date, there has been no reported medical emergencies relating to this recall.

The products in question have been distributed in the United States, Canada, Dominican Republic, Dubai(UAE), Fiji, Guam, Guatemala, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago and Kuwait.

For a complete listing of all affected products please visit the McNeil Consumers website at:

www.mcneilproductrecall.com

In addition,onsumers can contact the company at 1-888-222-6036 or also at www.mcneilproductrecall.com. Parents and caregivers who are not sure about alternative pediatric health treatment options should talk to their doctor or pharmacist and are reminded to never give drug products to infants and children that are not intended for those age groups as this could result in serious harm.

For additional information, including affected NDC numbers, consumers should visit our website www.mcneilproductrecall.com or call 1-888-222-6036 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Time, and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time). Any adverse reactions may also be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Program by fax at 1-800-FDA-0178, by mail at MedWatch, FDA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockville, MD 20852-9787, or on the MedWatch website at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

04/16/10
Information Source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency

Kraft Tartar Sauce Being Recalled Due To Undeclared Egg

Any person with an egg allergy has the potential of having a severe reaction due to these findings.

To date, all the affected bottles have been distributed somewhere in Canada.

04/07/10
Information Source: McCormick And Company

Fajitas Seasoning Mix Recall

A voluntary recall of a specific lot of packaged seasoning mix is being recalled due to undeclared wheat and milk allergens on this ingredient label.

Any package with a UPC code of 5210002121 with a best buy date of Jan 16 12AH or Jan 16 12CH have been packaged incorrectly. Any individual with milk or wheat allergies should not use this product. This recall pertains to the 1.12 oz package with the dates of Jan 16AH and CH only. All other product is safe as packaged.

Consumers have been asked to call 1-800-632-5847 weekdays from 9:30AM to 9PM(ET) and 11AM to 7PM(ET) weekends for replacements or a full refund. It is not necessary to return the product to the place of purchase.

04/02/10
Information Source: by David Gutierrez with Children's Hospital and Clinics of Minnesota

Curiosity About Alternative Medicine Reaches "Almost"
No Boundaries

Up to 90% of the respondents admitted they would be open to this form of medicine because of conventional medicines inability to give their child a suitable level of comfort and care. Yet only 12% have stated they have used it because of their unfamiliarity of the options and their doctor has not offered any of these treatments.

Many of the parents that did use it have admitted they did only because of their own research after conventional medicine did not give them satisfactory results.

Although alternative medicine is not a cure-all for every medical problem, there is situations out there where conventional medicine and alternative medicine could work together for the benefit of the patient. Unless you take the initiative though as the parent or caregiver, it is highly unlikely you will ever receive the information for you to make an informed decision.

04/02/10
Information Source: Deakin University, Australia

IPhone Application Being Developed That Will Bring
Reading Ingredient Labels Out Of The "Dark Ages"

Deakin University in Australia is working on a program with the international division of Nestle Foods and the IPhone to make reading an ingredient label at the store much simpler for the typical shopper.

By scanning the bar code on each package, a shopper will get the benefit of reading all pertinent data in regards to that product right from their phone. Ingredients, nutritional information, allergy information, etc. all will be included allowing the consumer to understand in simple language the effects that product will have during ingestion.

If and when this program is fully developed and hopefully will make it worldwide and across the board with most major food suppliers, any person suffering from an allergy should be able to easily understand if a product is safe for their consumption.

Keep your eyes and ears open for this one. Somebody, somewhere out there has come up with an excellent idea for the benefit of all concerned.

03/28/10
Information Source: Press Release 24/7 United

Harry London Candy Issues A Voluntary Recall

Harry London Candy has issued a recall on over 3300 packages of Chocolate Pecan Caramel Stars because of undeclared allergens on the ingredient label.

Both wheat ingredients and food dyes (#40 red, #1 blue and #5 yellow) were used in manufacturing and none are itemized on the ingredient label. If allergies are a concern, please return the package to the place of purchase.

03/17/10
Information Source: The Huffington Post with an interview with Dana Ullman: expert in the field of Homeopathic Medicine
plus a conclusion of this excerpt is my own personal opinion

Can Antibiotics Make People Fat?

Obesity is continuously in the news these days with doctors, hospitals and researchers etc. all trying to determine effective solutions to help control the ever-burgeoning size of the world's population.

Actually, evidence was presented and published as far back as 1955 that the over-use or extended use of antibiotics can be a factor leading to our national weight gain.

Although this information, and all on-going research has confirmed this hypothesis, very little discovery has ever been reported to the general public in the ensuing years.

Alternatives to the use of antibiotics have also been researched and have proven their effectiveness through alternative medicine. Numerous case studies all over the world have been finalized and have shown positive results and yet history has never deemed this information is important enough to have it released to the general public for review.

In my opinion, a lack of education on the part of conventional medicine's practitioners is no excuse to discount another entire field of medicine. Not being familiar with other possible options does not make one an expert on discounting already proven theories.

Why can conventional medicine and alternative medicine not learn to accept the fact that each form of medicine can have a rightful place in society by learning to accept the differences between each form of therapy for the greater good of the patient?

03/08/10
Information Source: Kathyrn Vercillo, freelance journalist based out of San Francisco

Possible Upcoming Cure For Peanut Allergies Available Through Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese medicine may have come up with a way to treat, or even prevent allergic reactions from the lowly peanut.

Although only a small percentage, approximately 1% of the United States population has difficulties with a peanut allergy, this translates into an average of 1.5 million people whose entire daily life must be on continuous "guard duty" because of the severity of this allergy.

A new treatment, known as FAHF-2 has been in clinical trials showing excellent results since the year 2005. Currently still being studied, it is not currently available on the market for widespread use. But by contacting a Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner or a licensed acupuncturist, they may be able to help you find a combination of herbal medications which can assist you in the control of your allergies.

03/08/10
Information Source: Food and Drug Administration

Food Recall:Foods Containing HVP or Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

The FDA has recently announced the recall of many food products found commonly on the grocery store shelves because a trace amount of salmonella bacteria has been found on the manufacturing equipment at one of the processing plants. Below is a link which gives a list of products and instructions to follow if you believe you may have purchased some of this product. My opinion is if you have any of the suspected product just return it to the place of purchase for a refund.

Copy and paste this link for further information:

http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/HVPCP/

03/02/10
Information Source: NBC News, John Hopkins Hospital, Duke University School of Medicine among many others worldwide

Oral Immunotherapy A Possible Cure For Children's Allergies

Many test-controlled studies are in practice all over the world showing promising results on children which allows them the opportunity to become accustomed or in some cases eliminate their food allergies. The process is called oral immunotherapy.

Conventional medicine seems to be taking sole credit for this rise in a possible breakthrough but alternative medicine has been using it for hundreds or thousands of years. Because of limited exposure to the public from censoring of medical material in the field of alternative medicine (by some of the major pharmaceutical companies and conventional medicine), this age old process known as neutralization therapy was only available to a select few that had taken the time and effort to find out what options, if any, are out there.

Although this process seems very straight-forward and simple, it is not a do-it-yourself program for at home. This testing must be done under a practitioner's care. There is a very grave risk of a fatal allergic reaction being the outcome without medical supervision.

03/01/10
Information Source: Natural News Editor: Mike Ranger plus my personal opinions

Can Fresh Coconut Oil Be A Possible Substitute
For The Failings Of Antibiotics?

Antibiotics are growing more and more resistant to pathogens in this world. Yet, the only arsenal an Allopathic (conventional) doctor has to prescribe is another antibiotic.

Nature has long provided us with resources to combat and fight many problems we encounter in our everyday life. The trick is just learning what is effective and what will be a waste of time. This is known as trial and error. It is the basis of every documented research study in this world.

Fresh virgin coconut oil is known as an anti-viral, anti-fungal and an anti-bacterial disease fighting compound fresh off the tree. No chemicals, preservatives, additives or any other compounds are blended with it to enhance its effectiveness. A 3-4 tablespoon dose of coconut oil per day can often eliminate many of the common viruses and bacteria that antibiotics have now grown resistant to.

For an extra dose of protection, if the severity of the condition warrants further help, add some natural tea tree oil to the coconut oil and rub into the skin. As the oils get drawn into the skin, often a positive chain reaction of healing will be noticed from your own immune systems' defenses.

Remember though, this is not a quick cure-all and relieve the symptoms immediately type of therapy. Time and patience is needed for your own body to work its magic by letting nature help cure itself.

2/19/10
Information Source: The Houston Chronicle with an interview with Dr. Robert Sears, author of "The Autism Book"

Autism is rapidly expanding at an ever-growing rate in today's society.

The parents of these children are searching for any possible practical answers. Stumbling blocks are in the way at many avenues but the biggest one happens to be impatience with the current medical establishment.

One of the current suggested possible treatments is a gluten free/dairy free diet. This process has frequently shown effective results but a treatment program from 6-12 months plus a supplement program including digestive enzymes, vitamins, minerals plus others are necessary under a practitioner's care to create and maintain the correct environment for the child's probable improvement.

1/21/10
Information Source:Food and Beverage Packaging

BPA's Findings (Released By The FDA) Are A Disappointment To Both Sides

Testing procedures and long-awaited findings which were released by the FDA earlier this week have both sides of the puzzle expecting a more conclusive result.

Although many have been fighting for a ban of the use of BPA anywhere near the food industry (baby bottles, food and beverage cans, plastic water bottles, etc), the FDA is stating they are not going to issue a ban but they are concerned and the issue does warrant further study.

Effectively, even though supposed case studies from both sides of the puzzle state either the safety or non-safety of this additive to our food industry packaging programs, the ultimate responsibility is going to be the responsibility of each and every consumer as to whether they wish to steer clear of this additive for their own family's health and protection.

1/19/10
Information Source: Daily Health Ranger Report

Should The Use of BPA Be Scrutinized More Closely In Our Current Food Packaging System

Currently, the linings of many soup, tuna and soda cans, baby bottles and water bottles and many types of food packaging materials use BPA as an additive during the manufacturing process.

Because of increasing pressure on the FDA from multiple sources, a closer look at the health effects from this additive are being promoted. Many of the FDA's own science advisors are stating published material is available to warrant a closer look at the possible risk this product is to human health.

1/7/2010
Information Source: US Food and Drug Administration

Harry London Candies Recalls Chocolate Pecan Caramel Stars

The merchandise in question has the lot code 9238-1 on each label. This is the only lot code affected by this recall.

If you are sensitive to any of this product, please contact the company at 330-494-0833 X193 during regular business hours Monday thru Friday for reimbursement instructions.

12/19/09
Information Source: Natural News Insider Alert

Safety Procedure For The Sensitive Individual To MSG

12/10/09
Information Source: American Academy of Pediatrics

Introduction Of Solid Foods To A Newborn

Up to this time, it has always been assumed early introduction during the first year may contribute to allergies. Now,after extensive testing of 994 children which participated in an ongoing study, the exact opposite seems to be true.

It is still recommended that the first six months of a newborn's life should be from breastfeeding, after this time though solid foods should be slowly introduced to prevent sensitization of allergens in a young child.

All of this is a new proposal to date and you must be consulting your child's pediatrician before any major dietary changes can be made.

11/24/09
Information Source:US Food and Drug Administration

Unilever Voluntarily Recalls Pre-Packaged Side Dish Products

The products involved include:

• Deluxe Cheddar Broccoli Rice: coded with best buy dates of Nov 29 09 to Jan 16 10. The UPC code is 027400218316. This item is packaged in a 21 oz tub.

• Deluxe Four Cheese Pasta: coded with best buy dates of Dec 05 09 through Jan 16 10. The UPC code is 027400230875. This item is packaged in a 20 oz tub.

These two items with this pertinent data are the only two items affected. All other product is OK.

Any person purchasing this merchandise that is sensitive to sulfites can destroy the product and call the company at 1-800-457-7088 for a refund of their purchase price.

11/16/09
Information Source: US Food and Drug Administration

Conagra Foods Recalls A Limited Number Of Blue Bonnet Light Spread

Anyone with a milk allergy is warned do not use this product. If you have any containers which state UPC 27000-00930 and batch code 2247923200 with a sell by date of March 18, 2010 you may please return this to the store of purchase for a complete refund.

11/10/09
Information Source:Reporter for "Daily Reveille"Kristen M'lissa Rowlett

Mars Foods Recalls Dove's Caramel Pecan Perfection Ice Cream

Any person having a severe peanut allergy must stay away from this flavor which was distributed in 19 states across the United States.

Return the carton to the store of purchase for a complete refund.

11/08/09
Information Source: Food and Drug Administration and Jelly Belly Candy Company

Food Recall: 49 Flavor Mix of Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

Any consumer which has purchased this product and has an existing peanut allergy is warned to avoid this container. All merchandise purchased may be returned for a complete refund.

Jelly Belly Candy Company
One Jelly Belly Lane
Fairfield, Ca. 94533
800-522-3267 Mon thru Fri 7AM to 5PM PST

10/25/09
Information Source: Unilever United States, Inc. parent company of Breyer's Ice Cream

Voluntary Recall On Limited Dates Of Breyer's Ice Cream

A limited number of Breyer's Cookies and Cream ice cream are packaged in 1.5 quart paperboard containers with the tops marked as Cookies and Cream but the bases are marked All Natural Mint Chocolate Chip. This product contains the Cookies and Cream flavor. Because of the switch in boxes, the ingredient label does not reflect the wheat product which is in Cookies and Cream.

Any tubs marked with the UPC#077567254245 and a date code of FEB1711GH, FEB1811GH or FEB1911GH are affected by this recall. All other product is not affected by this recall.

If you have purchased one of these mis-matched cartons with the correct UPC and date code (both must be on the package- any other combination is not affected), please dispose of the merchandise and call the company at 1-877-270-7402 for a complete refund. For any consumer outside of the United States, email Breyer's at comments.breyers@unilever.com for your refund.

10/09/2009
Information Source: "Natural News" Editor Mike Adams

Can the H1N1 Vaccines Be Stopped From Entering The Market

The lawsuit is being pursued by several practicing physicians and licensed health care workers that are worried about possible adverse reactions from this vaccination because of lack of "apparent testing for safety and efficiency results". Many health care workers feel this vaccination has not received the scrutiny needed for FDA approval this quickly.

Because of the apparent lack of documentation normally available during standard testing protocol, many health care workers being pressured into taking the vaccine are asking for an injunction to halt the mandatory vaccination requirement.

10/09/2009

Is It All Hype About Sports Drinks

Listen to any TV commercial, radio or print ad or just pick up a bottle from any shelf of the many major kinds of sports drinks, and the average active boy/girl or man/woman is inundated with advertising trying to convince us of the necessity to maintain our level of electrolytes in our bodies.

While it is important and our body does need electrolytes, these sports drinks are also full of sugars, artificial colors, dyes, flavors and possibly chemical sweeteners. This list is not a requirement for good health.

A simple and effective way to get your daily requirement of minerals is by switching to using a small amount of sea salt everyday. Eat the suggested 4-8 servings of organic vegetables(which are high in minerals) plus use a small amount of sea salt for seasoning and you will effectively replace any benefit that the sports drink could have gave you without all the sugars, colors and chemicals.

10/08/2009
Information Source: Private MD News

Affy Tapple

All of the packaging on this product did not reflect the allergen statement of being produced on equipment which also processes peanuts and tree nuts.

A concerned consumer has reported purchasing some product with a visible peanut on top.

Please return any product to the location of purchase for a refund.

9/15/09
Information Source: Natural News Health Newsletter- Mike Adams plus comments by the website owner

Would Patrick Swayze Still Be Alive With Alternative Medicine

But now the controversy pitted between alternative medicine and conventional medicine rears its ugly head again.

Conventional medicine (which practices under the philosophy of treating the symptoms to cure the disease) knows and freely admits there is no cure for cancer. All they can do is either hope for a miracle, give you a few extra years of quality life, or the philosophy "it's just too late, we couldn't do anything about it".

Many people believe this to be a false statement. Conventional medicine does have the capabilities they say- they just can't use them. It is the fastest way to put a business (medicine) out of business, by making all of your "customers well".

Alternative medicine, being they work by the philosophy "cure from within" does not adhere to this standard. An alternative practitioner does not believe curing a symptom will necessarily get rid of a disease. It may be just masking a symptom for a future outbreak again at a later date.

Therefore an entirely different plan of treatment is used in the cases of chronic degenerative disease.

An alternative practitioner will tell you right up front- this will be a hard road to travel. You are going to completely change your lifestyle, eating habits, work ethics, sleeping habits and almost everything you have ever known. If you value your life, in other words, you are going to have to fight for it. There will be no machines which may guarantee results, no pills to pop that can take everything away. You, with some instruction and guidance from a healthcare team, are going to be responsible for keeping yourself alive.

Many people can not handle that responsibility. It is up to each and every one of us to make that choice.

For now, the two sides are still saying his death was inevitable. One side is referring to the fact it was because he had such a debilitating form of cancer. The other side is saying it because his treatment method was not capable of bringing about a positive result.

But,for now, the world has still lost a good friend!

9/9/09
Information Source: UMDNJ(University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey) and the Mayor of Newark

Saving Our Kids, Healing Our Planet Green Expo

The main sponsors of this program, the New Jersey Medical School of Pediatrics, the Autism Center, the Institute For Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the city of Newark is offering this health expo featuring 25 plus organizations all detailing information on the preventative health issues and environmental issues affecting us today. Major emphasis is on children's issues such as ADHD, Autism, Allergies and Asthma, Childhood Cancer and Obesity, and Prenatal and Infant Care.

Also some of the scheduled activities include music, crafts, food and cooking demonstrations, yoga exercises for the beginner, "going green" exhibits featuring building, remodeling and landscaping plus many others.

Admission is free for children under 15 years of age plus all Newark residents with proper ID. All others, general admission is $15 at the door.

For more information and discounted rates on admission tickets, please visit SOKHOP.com for online registration.

8/22/09
Information Source: Van's International Foods

Recall: Frozen Breakfast Product

Because of an error in packaging on one shift, this product is not packaged in the correct carton. The carton is labeled as wheat, egg, gluten and milk free. The contents is incorrect.

The company is offering two types of return policy.