Tag Archives: ‘Just Say No’

Holidays and allegies

A Guide to A Safe Halloween: An Adult with Allergies

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Halloween is just around the corner (literally today actually) and that means a weekend of costumes, candy, and fun! Regardless of who you become for Halloween, you need to keep your allergies in mind to stay safe. Here are a few tips to have a safe and happy Halloween!

  1. Candy: In the last few years it has become much more manageable to find Halloween candy that is safe when you have allergies. Specifically when it comes to peanuts and nuts, many candy companies market their products with peanut/ nut-free symbols. There are still however many brands of treats that either contain nuts or may contain traces. Therefore its is very important to check the label every time. If a product does not have a label on the individual items, your safest option is to avoid it (just say no).
  1. Halloween Parties: Parties with friends can be a great way to spend your Halloween night. Talking to the host before the party can make your night easier by ensuring the environment will be safe for you. Bringing your own food can also make you feel more comfortable and take some worry away so you can have a relaxing night.
  1. Bars: If you’re making a trip to a bar for Halloween, keep in mind those ‘common sense’ rules of drinking. Knowing your limit is extra important when you have food allergies. When you loose control you can make decisions that you normally would not regarding consuming foods or beverages that may not be safe. When your at a bar, you have to be careful when ordering mixed drinks considering that various places will use different mixes (some of which may contain your allergens).

Regardless of where you go, always remember to bring your auto-injector with you. Halloween can be a blast as long as you remember to take care of yourself and your allergies. Happy Halloween!

Sara S.

Allergies and Anxiety, Allergies and Attitude, Allergies and Relationships, Eating and Drinking with Allergies

Allergies and Brunch

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breakfast picture

Sunday brunch has become a quintessential tradition for many families across Canada. Aside from providing a means of reconnecting with family and friends, brunch is usually a meal arranged at external venues and restaurants. Living with allergies usually limits the options you have when it comes to eating-out. One of the biggest problems with buffets, or meals that are prepared by someone other than yourself or your immediate family, is the risk of cross-contamination that arises when multiple different dishes are prepared at once. Here are some tips that you can follow:

  1. What to eat?

If you decide to eat-out, always do your homework. ALWAYS!  What I mean by that is be aware of where you are eating and how your food is being prepared. If the brunch is at an external venue or restaurant, call the venue a day or two in advance to see if the restaurant has an allergy policy in place. That way you will know whether or not the establishment is allergen friendly and what specific foods you should stay away from. If brunch is being served at a relative’s house, follow the same procedure – make sure you always ask and remind your relatives (if they already don’t know) about how severe your allergy is and about the risks of cross-contamination. Being at a relative’s house can actually work in your favour. You can ask to see the ingredients used and how the food was prepared. You have more control over the situation. In any event, opt to eat foods that are “simple” (no creams or fancy sauces). Typically, the simpler the food is the less ingredients you have to worry about. This can reduce the chances for cross-contamination.

  1. Seeking alternatives

What happens if you are sitting at your table but you just don’t feel comfortable eating any of the food prepared? This can be a tricky and uncomfortable situation (especially if you are at a relative’s house). They may think that you don’t trust them. The way to get around this is through compromise. If you are at a restaurant, and there is an omelette that you want, but you can’t have because there are too many ingredients to keep track of, ask the chef to prepare another omelette with less ingredients or just get a hard-boiled egg (this is the safest option). Make sure that the chef is aware of any cross-contamination issues. They should have a good idea about which ingredients are safe and which are not. Ultimately, it is up to you. Go with your gut intuition. If you don’t feel safe, do NOT feel forced to eat something. If you are at a family member’s house, and you just don’t feel safe eating the food prepared, politely pull whoever is cooking the food aside and explain how you feel. Explain that your allergy is a very serious matter and is potentially lethal. In most cases, your family should understand and accommodate you by preparing something that is completely safe. These cases can be sensitive. But your health and safety trumps everything else. You have the right to feel safe!

Overall, these are some simple tips you can follow.  Following these tips should eliminate some of the stress and uncertainty you may feel during your next brunch outing.

Saverio M.

Eating and Drinking with Allergies, Travel and Allergies

Risky Business—When to Say No to Foods

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It is my personal view that having food allergies is a 24/7 responsibility. The main person responsible for your own personal safety is you.  This is in no way a negative thing; but it can pose some added challenges in different everyday situations.  When opportunities to experiment with eating foods that you are unsure of arise, and if there is ever any doubt as to the safeness of the food, I find it is best to just say no.

Now I realize ‘just saying no’ is much more easily said than done.  One of the best examples I can think of is saying no to foods that ‘may contain’ different allergens.  Personally, I have peanut, tree nut, wheat, and egg allergies. I commonly find that many different food labels will ‘may contain’ one of these allergens. And, I will admit, at times I feeling frustrated with how this can limit food choices.  It’s important to take a step back when contemplating trying these ‘may contain’ items.  One must evaluate if the risk is actually worth the severe reaction that could be brought on.  I also find it helpful to determine if there are any other safe alternatives to what food I was looking to buy or any better safe food replacements.  One way of doing this is seeking out options at health food stores which have a lot of different great food alternatives for people with dietary restrictions; however, it still is important to make sure whatever item you are looking at is still safe—many may still contain various allergens.

I personally find eating out can be another situation when it can be difficult to ‘just say no’ to different foods.  When eating out with large groups, it can be easy to find yourself in a situation where friends might want to share and sample various dishes at the table. But this can be risky if you have food allergies.  When ordering your own meal, it’s important to inform the kitchen of your allergies and the importance of avoiding cross contamination. The same precautions, however, will not be taken with any of the other meals being served to that table aside from your own. It may be tempting to try someone else’s meal. Yet I find it best to always reevaluate the risk and acknowledge how having an allergic reaction during a night out would be a lot worst than missing out on a sample of food.

I find that always comparing the risks and (for lack of a better word) inconveniences of having an allergic reaction are helpful in making the decision to say ‘no’ to risky food choices.  A specific example I have of this includes when I was travelling to Europe for the first time.  My first day was in London, England. I will admit, while I was enjoying all the sight seeing and normal joys of travelling, when it came to find a place for lunch I found myself being overly cautious picking a safe food to eat. The last thing I wanted was to have an allergic reaction on my first day of holidays in a foreign country. I also found it hard since I was travelling with friends and they were very interested in experimenting with new foods at foreign restaurants I wasn’t familiar with.  I have travelled abroad since and each time I make sure to do research ahead of time on safe food choices abroad. I also never run short of safe snacks, which I bring along, that make it easier to avoid risky foods without having to go hungry! In the end, while it may be tempting at the time to experiment with different foods, it’s also important to take a very careful look at the risks that are involved and realize it’s okay to ‘just say no’.

Caitlyn