tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272905162914577099.post7045900395692556472..comments2023-06-24T07:01:51.675-07:00Comments on Food Allergy Bitch: The Dark Side Of Exaggerating Food AllergiesFood Allergy Bitchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10243380102426383939noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272905162914577099.post-46099337361963049092014-10-09T14:54:00.839-07:002014-10-09T14:54:00.839-07:00Thank you for your post. I've just now discov...Thank you for your post. I've just now discovered your blog and am so grateful. Our almost 1 year old has just been diagnosed with peanut and egg allergies and we are still trying to wrap our brains around it. I know information and education is power but sometimes it feels so awfully overwhelming and the pit in my stomach grows larger and my blood pressure skyrockets as I read articles, even those on the FARE website. I've tried to connect to other moms out there but I feel like the anxiety is multiplied in these forums. I almost cried in relief when my best friend offered to read the Peanut Allergy answer book so I would have someone (relatively even keeled) to discuss it with. I'm going to continue reading your archives and just wanted to say how much I appreciate your viewpoint. It's helpful to know that there can be a middle of the road approach to helping our little one manage her food allergies and that we will get there.Sharonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01017293573210912655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272905162914577099.post-66947210527359768112013-09-30T17:09:40.464-07:002013-09-30T17:09:40.464-07:00I know you wrote this a while ago. I just stumbled...I know you wrote this a while ago. I just stumbled on it and wanted to thank you. It was helpful to read, as I definitely err on the side of catastrophic thinking and my anxiety about my son's nut allergy can get overwhelming at times. I think your post does a great job of bringing perspective to the risks. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272905162914577099.post-63701425730728306142012-02-29T13:23:53.591-08:002012-02-29T13:23:53.591-08:00They have recently changed their recipe. 5 or so y...They have recently changed their recipe. 5 or so years ago, Lea and Perrins was soy based. My husband and I were delighted at the change :D A lot of condiments are changing. Now we can find canola based mayonaise as opposed to making it, varieties of spaghetti and other sauces. It's really kind of nice. Costco's brand of "Disney" chicken nuggets are also soy-free. It is amazing the changes that happen as increased awareness occurs.<br /><br />I mostly wanted to post that to reassure the parents that stress too much that that is ok. And that later on in life, your kids will thank you for your diligence.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05722701779862128597noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272905162914577099.post-78124724619871364112012-02-28T12:24:44.556-08:002012-02-28T12:24:44.556-08:00OMG, Katie, that's heartbreaking! I'm so s...OMG, Katie, that's heartbreaking! I'm so sorry you had to deal with that. And you're right - my blog is for parents who stress too much, but clearly there are parents out there who do not stress enough about food allergies. <br /><br />One note though: we use Lea and Perrins all the time. The ingredients declare fish but not soy:<br /><br />http://www.leaperrins.com/products/the-original-worcestershire-sauce/nutrition.aspx<br /><br />You might try this brand if you haven't before.Food Allergy Bitchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10243380102426383939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-272905162914577099.post-55181398499141661102012-02-28T09:52:37.021-08:002012-02-28T09:52:37.021-08:00My mom was the ultimate opposite of you. She const...My mom was the ultimate opposite of you. She constantly forgot completely about my allergies and would often hand me a raspberry lemonade with real berries in it, or make me a birthday cake I couldn't eat. We'd have an event to go to and she would promise me that a sandwich was safe when it wasn't. This even occurred when I was a minor and didn't always have an epipen because my mom didn't think it a big deal. Family dinners would almost always involve celery cooking (severe anaphylaxis for me) and Worcestershire sauce (soy based). It got to the point that I would just not come which would then inspire my mom to think that I was avoiding/hating her. By the time I was 21, I had enough. I sat down with her to tell her how often I was taking benadryl and a variety of other histamine controls and tell her how often I had been using my epi pens just so I could be around the family.<br /><br />Now my mom knew food allergies were real, the doctor had been stressing the importance since I was 13, she had seen my face blow up like a balloon, my airways constrict, etc (but would just tell me take a benadryl and then go happily on her way). I can't stress how many nights I'd be alone after having a reaction that she would see the beginning of and then head out with the rest of the kids, taking benadryl as much as I dared and walking so I wouldn't fall asleep because I was breathing through a straw (felt like) and didn't want to pass out/die. <br />She still doesn't get it and often forgets, but at least she tries to now include me on some of the meal planning. It's a step in the right direction. And my food allergies have calmed down a little (I can tolerate certain amounts of soy lecithin =which is in everything- and cooked berries/bananas/etc). But I don't tell her it has calmed down because I don't want her to fall back.<br /><br />I wish I had had helicopter parents who would take me to the ER when I was wheezy and in bad shape. I wish a lot of things. Yes, constantly emphasizing the death thing around your kids may stress them more or they may just know that mom is stressed which then makes them stressed. But if the fear of a bogey man reaction keeps your kids safe, I'm sure that later in life, your kids are gonna thank you for your diligence. I know I would have.Katiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05722701779862128597noreply@blogger.com