Tag Archives: personal experience

Allergies and All-Inclusive Resorts

Beach toys

When thinking about all-inclusive resorts, the first thing that should come to mind is sheer serenity—things like a clear blue ocean, white sandy beaches, and flawless sunny weather.

Even though vacations to all-inclusive destinations do provide many people with a much needed breather from life’s obstacles and challenges, those with allergies actually end-up encountering a host of other potential challenges. These can transform a stress-free getaway into a stressful experience.

Therefore, for all who love to travel, I will offer-up my suggestions in the following two sections. These should help you to prepare for your next trip. I am drawing these from my own experiences.

Choosing a location:

Many all-inclusive destination resorts are located in the Caribbean; so my advice will be focused upon Caribbean destinations. Try choosing an Island where English is the native tongue or at least widely used (ie. Turks and Caicos, Barbados, the U.S. Virgin Islands, etcetera…). When I travelled to Turks and Caicos, I found this to be key in terms of communicating my allergies to the hotel staff. You should also look for Islands that have international-chain grocery stores. Turks and Caicos had an IGA steps away from the hotel, This reduced a lot of the stress when it came to eating and preparing food.  If you want to avoid the islands completely, another excellent option includes US-based destinations: Florida, California or Arizona. All of these states have great weather and high-standards when it comes to food quality and health-care. These factors should not be “be-all and end-all” determinants when it comes to looking for a destination; but keep them in mind.

Choosing your hotel:

When looking for hotels, always try to book a room with a kitchen, even if it is a bit pricier. When travelling to the Dominican Republic, a few years back, I found booking a room with a kitchen to be a big stress-reliever. There were no grocery stores around; so I just asked the chef in the hotel’s restaurant to provide me with a raw piece of veal or chicken that I would grill myself, in my room. Beware, however, that some hotels are not open to doing this. So be sure to call well in advance of your arrival. It is always good practice to call your hotel in advance to ask about the hotel’s allergy policies (if they exist), the nearest medical centre, and the room’s amenities. I can’t tell you how many times I have booked a room with a “fully equipped kitchen,” only to find a broken microwave and circa-1992 mini-bar fridge. ALWAYS call in advance. A lot of people I know “risk it” when on vacation and just eat food from the buffet. I would strongly advise against this. As alluring as the beach and buffet notion is, at all-inclusive resorts, eating at buffets puts you at an increased risk for eating cross-contaminated food. Tongs are not properly cleaned and people use their hands to pick-up food, etcetera. Always try to have as much control over your food as possible.

These are some tips from my experiences. As you travel more, you will begin to carve-out your own routines and form your own rules based upon your own experiences. The key things to keep in mind are to know your destination, know your hotel, and know yourself. You always have to feel comfortable in the situation that you are in; this will guarantee you a stress-free trip.

Saverio M. 

Always Packing: Carrying Your Auto-Injector  

Live_Main Auto Injector

It all started with a fanny-pack. It was a bright blue, yellow zippered, Tigger-themed fanny-pack to be exact. From the time I was five, to about twelve years old, this was the most important accessory I had. Why? It was the vehicle for carrying my auto-injector (my safety net and my security blanket).  Back in the 90’s, my bright blue fanny-pack was my ‘go-to’ item; but I quickly outgrew it and needed to find some other way to carry my auto-injector. Luckily, being a girl, I would eventually grow into carrying a purse with me everywhere. But, during my high school days, I hit those awkward preteen/ teen years. I was too young to carry a purse and too old for a fanny pack. I no longer had a permanent desk to put it in or one specific teacher to hold onto it for me. My locker was too far away and I wasn’t allowed to take a book bag with me everywhere. I needed to find another option to discretely and effectively transport my auto-injector while in school. Lucky for me, I had access to many carriers and tricks to help conceal my auto injector and keep it on me at all times.

I purchased a much smaller, stylish black case that I was able to put in my pencil case. But I also made sure I had one in my book bag in my locker at all times. Getting through those high school years was tough. Most people yearn to fit in. And I was much the same. So I refrained from telling many people about my auto-injector in my pencil case. The people I made aware were my teachers and a few close friends. Now I realize the importance of telling people about the location of my auto-injector and how to use it in case of an emergency.

As I grew up, I became more comfortable with my auto-injector and with my food allergies. I was able to find new ways to carry it around discretely. Being a girl, I was lucky to have the excuse of always having a purse with me. The problem I soon arrived at involved different sized purses and singular-sized auto-injectors. From small little clutches to extremely large purses, I was either fighting to find it or struggling to put it in. Luckily I’ve found a few tricks and discovered, through my male friends, that they also had some unique and creative ways to carry around their auto-injectors.  For me, I’ve always felt it is easier to carry my auto-injector in the side pocket of my purse. It’s easy to grab if there is an emergency and it’s easy to find if I can’t tell someone. There will be no more routing around in the deep caverns of my purse. With the new advancements in auto-injectors, it’s easier to carry them in pant pockets or in those pesky little clutches and purses I mentioned earlier. Some new auto-injectors are as small as a business card with a little width. They can be easily placed in most little bags. As for my male counterparts, carrying an auto-injector can be a little trickier as far as not drawing major attention. One the best ways I’ve seen them carried is in an ankle holster (a lá James Bond) that fits neatly under most pants. Those new auto-injectors I mentioned above are smaller and able to fit in most pockets discretely. There is also many companies offering carrying cases for various activities like belts for outdoor/upbeat activities from Waist Buddy () or the versatile brand Allergy Pack ( http://www.allergypack.com/) that offer many different styles to carry one or multiple auto-injectors. They even make carrying cases for asthma inhalers.

It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing, what kind of purse you’re sporting or what pants you may be in. It is always important to have your auto-injector with you when you go out.  It can be cumbersome and it can be awkward; but nothing is worse than needing it in an emergency and not having it. So remember to keep it with you. Tell someone you have it with you and where it is located. Think of it as the best and most practical fashion accessory you have; it also just so happens to go with any outfit.

Arianne K.

 

A Food Allergy Camper’s Guide to…Camping!

canoe 2

I wouldn’t call myself a seasoned camper; but I have definitely had my fair share of outdoor adventures and know how to handle my food allergy in the wild. The following is a collection of my best advice and tips for you to consider before setting out on your own big outdoor adventure.

  • Remember to pack extra auto-injectors with your first aid kit. Then, when you have your extra ones, pack another (just in case); and keep them on you at all times.
  • Train your group (if you’re travelling with one) about how to properly administer your auto-injector and make sure they feel confident with it before heading out.
  • FOOD! I would say this is the most important thing to remember to pack (not just because I love food). It is very important to pack food that you can feel safe eating when you go camping. If someone else in your group is in charge of buying the food, make sure they are well aware of the severity of your food allergy. If you are backpack camping in the wild, I would recommend accompanying that person or even volunteering to buy the food yourself. This will improve your safety and comfort when you hit the trails!
  • Wear your medical identification.
  • Pack appropriately. If you are aware that plants carrying your allergen are present in the area, it might be wise to pack long pants and shirts in case you go on a hike. This will help protect your skin from contact with your allergen.
  • Keep contact information with you or with your gear. It may also be useful to add some contact information for nearby establishments to get in contact should an emergency arise.
  • Bio-degradable soap. This is probably a step most people overlook when packing for a camping trip—especially when you have to travel light. Washing your hands with soap is the best way to rid your skin of allergens after contact. So, when the nearest hospital is nowhere close, this is an important item; and you should always wash before meals!
  • Have fun! Always keep safety in the back of your mind while camping; but remember that it is just as important to relax and have some fun!

Hopefully these tips help prepare you for your future adventures. Comment and tell me about your camping experiences. I definitely have a few great stories I’d love to share!

Dylan

 

Dining with Clients and Cayenne: Guest Post by Patricia J. Pawlak

Pat (dining with cayenne allergy)

 

I have been fortunate enough to have a career where I traveled the world and had to entertain. For me, there is something exhilarating about sitting down with clients for a culinary experience, getting to know them, and knowing you may have to close a deal. In that situation, you want to stay focused and be charming. Nothing zaps the energy out of a dining experience more then having the focus of the evening on your food allergy. I dread the drama of it all and my clients enduring the waiter/ kitchen sprint because of my food allergies.

I have developed such an intolerance to all capsicum, i.e. cayenne, paprika and cumin, that my throat closes up, I start to shake and then, within 10/15 minutes, I actually projectile vomit. It comes on so quickly, violently and unexpectedly that, even during a lunch, I was rushed to the hospital projectiling (as I ruined my new red silk suit).

After several of these rushed trips to the ER, I finally went to an allergy specialist who diagnosed my malaise as the worst possible allergic reaction one can suffer and still survive.

Thanks to Emeril, and the influx of some certain cuisines, most restaurants have infused, charged, and drilled their menus with chili, cayenne, and paprika and made it impossible for me to dine in many restaurants. I have discovered that even the nicest restaurants now marinate all their meat, fish, and chicken dishes with some form of capsicum. That means even a chicken salad is off limits and watch those candied pecans; they have chili on them now.  For some reason, many restaurant salad dressings have cayenne or paprika—even a simple Caesar dressing.  Deserts, from cheesecake to tiramisu, are now spiked with cayenne.  I have even been served strawberries with a “surprise.” Thankfully, I asked what the surprise was or the restaurant would have been surprised! I have gone to restaurants and not been able to have any dish on the menu.

My strategy now is to check out a menu first before I suggest a restaurant for business.  I ignored my own advice last week; I went to a good sushi restaurant thinking that I would not have to bring up my food allergy in front of my clients. To my chagrin, I opened the menu and the first sushi listed was “Jalapeño Sushi” and, along down the line of the menu, most had heat. I had no other choice but to have the proverbial conversation to make sure what dishes I could eat.

The frustration lies not only in its increase of use but in its use in dishes that historically never had any form of heat.  Even when I order a dish that couldn’t possibly have cayenne, Fettuccini Alfredo, I have had it come with cayenne sprinkled all over.  I have asked for plain poached fish (“nothing on it, plain, please”) trying to be discreet. And the fish came covered in chili flakes. When I explained finally that I had an allergy, I was told “You don’t know what good is!” This is not about taste, this is about health and, in my opinion, our taste buds are being hijacked by all this heat!

I am meeting more and more people daily who are developing this allergy due to the proliferation of this spice.  Hopefully, chefs will begin to take notice and will begin to create more interesting dishes instead of just throwing in the heat.
Patricia

Allergy Testing: An Important Part of Your Diagnosis

Doctor writing prescription

Any specific medical information that follows stems from the following article and is not intended to be taken as definitive or wholly sufficient information. Consult your physician or, in this case, an allergist regarding these topics:

James, T. (2002). Allergy testing.  American family physician. 

http://www.aafp.org/afp/2002/0815/p621.html

 

When living with food allergies, the irritable symptoms that certain foods can produce serve as a prominent indicator for identifying what foods need to be avoided.   That being said, also undergoing allergy testing is important to be fully diagnosed with a food allergy and to initiate effective management of food allergies.  An official food allergy diagnosis is described as consisting of a medical history, physical examination, as well as an allergy test.  Allergy testing is also a way to legitimately distinguish between food allergies and food intolerances.  Food allergies and food intolerances can easily be confused.  In basic terms, a food allergy is a reaction that is triggered by the immune system to a food allergen while food intolerance is related to issues with other body systems, such as digestive problems, which also trigger unpleasant symptoms.  Allergy testing works to identify the body’s immune reaction to specific allergens.
While many of us have gone through a variety of allergy testing, we also may have been fortunate to outgrow allergies or, less-fortunately, developed allergies later in life.  Both of these occurrences are good reasons to seek out allergy testing as adults.  Tests available include IgE skin tests, challenge tests, and blood tests. IgE skin tests (or immediate type hypersensitivity skin tests) are the most common form of allergy testing. This test involves exposing the skin to a small amount of allergen through making a small indentation or ‘pricking’ the surface of the skin.  A reaction should occur within 20 minutes and appears as a small red swollen bump on the skin (also known as the ‘wheal and flare’). If a test is negative, and there is still a suspicion of a food allergen, an intradermal injection can be performed injecting a small amount of the allergen just under the surface of the skin. The physician will again observe for a small red bump to form.  Challenge testing for allergies involves eating a small amount of the suspected allergen.  As I’m sure you would agree, this is a form of testing that should ONLY be performed with your allergist present.  Finally, blood tests involve drawing blood and performing an IgE assay to determine the IgE antibody levels present in the blood that correspond for certain allergens.

If preparing to undergo allergy testing, it can be beneficial to know the benefits and drawbacks of each test compared to one another.  Skin tests can be preferable because they give the fastest result and are relatively less expensive than blood tests.  A drawback to these tests includes the obvious annoying itching that is produced with a positive test.  As well, this test may not be appropriate for those on certain medications such as medications with antihistamine properties that include anticholinergic medications, phenothiazine, and tricyclic antidepressants. Skin testing may also be contraindicated in those with certain skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis. The risk of undergoing a severe reaction with skin testing is extremely low with one retrospective study in the USA finding that, out of 18,331 participants whom underwent skin testing over a period of five years, only 6 developed mild systemic reactions (James T.). In terms of the sensitivity and specificity of skin testing, this has been shown to vary with food versus environmental allergens.  Another study conducted found that, when percutaneous skin testing for an allergen was done as part of a two-part allergy test that included a challenge test, the sensitivity of the test ranged from 76-98% with a specificity of 29-57% depending on the food being tested for(James T.). For those unfamiliar with these terms, Sensitivity represents the accuracy the allergy test correctly identifying someone who is in fact allergic. Specificity represents how often someone who doesn’t have an allergy is correctly identified as not having an allergy.  Intradermal tests were found to have a higher sensitivity, but also have a lower specificity.  When comparing this to blood tests, which allow for a laboratory test called an IgE assay to be performed, the IgE has found to be more specific but less sensitive than skin testing(James T.).  It is still more common for skin tests to be performed and blood tests to be more useful only when there is some contraindication to a skin test.  In terms of a challenge test, this is usually performed for one of two reasons: the finding of another allergy test was inconclusive or suspicious OR there is reason to suspect an individual has outgrown a certain allergy.  In some cases, a ‘double blind’ challenge test may occur where the individual eating the food and the medical professional are aware whether the individual is eating the suspected allergen or a placebo.  This is to avoid the possibility of a reaction being triggered based on the idea of eating risky food.  As previously mentioned, this test should only be done under STRICT medical supervision.

Whether you are interested in having an allergy test performed in the near future or not, it never hurts to educate yourself on the ins-and-outs of the testing you may undergo. And it is be better educated on managing as well as understanding your allergies!

 

Caitlyn P.

 

 

 

 

 

 

No Eggs, No Problem: Egg Substitutes

Screen shot 2014-07-03 at 10.01.21 AM

Nothing says welcome home like the fresh smell of baked goods wafting from your kitchen. Cookies, pies, cakes, you name it, sound delicious.  But there is one sneaky ingredient lurking in all of those delicious baked goods that could cause major problems: eggs. Eggs are currently on the list of the most common food allergies in Canada; but that doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying delicious treats of every kind. For many treats, there are many alternatives to crunchy, chewy centers; but what about the very makeup of the treat? Eggs provide rise, moisture, and fill to many different kinds of recipes.  The following three items are my most sacred baking tips for the most delectable, unique baked goods you’ll find. These are recipes that your friends will beg you to tell them or demand you make when you bake.

1)  Yogurt

We all love chocolate chip cookies. They can be gooey and chewy or crunchy and satisfying. But what about those pesky eggs in the recipe?  Well, the purpose of the eggs in this particular recipe is to add moisture to the batter. To add a little kick to your already perfected chocolate chip cookies, try putting a table spoon of plain 1 percent yogurt for each egg called for in the recipe. The yogurt will supply the batter with enough moisture and add a delicious taste that will leave people wondering what that special ingredient is.

2)  Coconut Milk/Butter

It’s delicious, it’s sweet, it’s the perfect low-fat substitute for many baked goods. It provides excellent moisture to batters as well providing items like breads, cookies, and muffins, an extra sweet taste; so you can cut back on the sugar you add to your recipe. Coconut butter can be used in breads and muffins to add sweetness to things that also don’t require a lot of sugar. For each egg called for, use a tablespoon of butter or 1/3 cup of the milk. If you’re using the milk, make sure to add baking soda so your mixture isn’t too wet. If you feel like your batter is too wet, add some flour.

3) Baking Soda

Odorless, virtually-tasteless baking soda is a Godsend to those of us who bake without eggs. Why are they so great? It provides rise or lift to certain baked goods that need to stand to attention, like breads, cookies, muffins, cupcakes, and cakes. It has no taste (always make sure to check it so it hasn’t gone bad. If it has, it will have a very sour taste.) and it gives substantial lift without making your goods too dense or heavy. For each egg, add half a tablespoon of baking soda and a tablespoon of hot water together, mix separately, then add it to mixture.

Baking is fun, therapeutic, experimental, and has endless possibilities. Just because there are certain things we can’t put in our baked goods doesn’t mean we have to place limitations upon the things we bake. So get in the kitchen and see what you can create! Above is my favorite recipe for delicious chocolate-chip cookies. Enjoy, and happy baking!

Arianne K. 

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Lepidocolaptes_angustirostris_-Argentina-8

When it comes to bringing up allergies in the workplace, I think a lot of us get nervous, anxious, or even just simply forget because of all the new information we are trying to learn at a new job. From my personal experience, the sooner I let my co-workers know about my severe peanut and tree nut allergies, the safer I feel at work. A few different strategies have worked for me in the past. I will share them with you here.

1)      I had the unique opportunity during an interview to mention my allergies. The question had something to do with describing a time when I had to deal with a high pressure situation and what I did. I decided to step outside the box and share two experiences. One was a workplace experience and the other was an allergy experience. I explained how my brother was having an anaphylactic reaction and, being allergic to nuts myself, I knew how to use the auto-injector and the steps that needed to be taken to help my brother. This turned out to be a simple way of opening up a conversation about allergies with a company that I would end up working for. Sometimes explaining your allergies before you even get the job can be useful and insightful for both parties. Even if you do not get the job, at least you can walk away knowing that you advocated for others with allergies who may work for that company in the future!

2)      Another strategy that I have used to tell my co-workers about my allergies is, essentially, the same calm, cool strategy I use when meeting new people. I mention my allergies and their severity casually, such as before a team meeting where donuts are provided: “No thank you. I’m severely allergic to peanuts and tree nuts.” This is almost always followed up with questions about what I can eat, where I keep my auto-injector, how to use it, and the list goes on. This is a simple, yet quite effective strategy.

3)      I have never done this; but I have heard of people emailing their boss to explain their allergies. From the abundance of emails everyone seems to go through in a day, I’m not sure this is the best strategy; but it has worked for some and maybe it will work for you! Just be sure to keep the email optimistic and informative in case your boss has never had any experiences with allergies before.

4)      A final method I have used is very blunt. I went straight to my new boss (the owner of the company) and explained my allergies to her. After my initial explanation, I asked if she had any questions and we entered into an informative dialogue back and forth for nearly twenty minutes. When we concluded, she took it upon herself to endorse a “peanut/nut free” unwritten policy where no peanut or tree nut containing food was allowed to be eaten in the office. I never asked for this exceptionally kind gesture; but my boss understood the severity of the allergy and would not take any risks. Based on my experiences, I find this strategy to be the most effective.

It may seem scary and nerve-wracking to put yourself in a place of vulnerability by explaining your allergy to co-workers in the workplace. Yet your safety is paramount. Take a deep breath and spread the word! You may be surprised how well your workplace takes your allergy information.

 

Dylan