Yesterday our local news station published a story on their website about bullying of children with food allergies. The newest report is showing 1 in 4 of our kids with allergies are bullied by their peers (and sometimes even teachers).
The sad thing is, I'm not at all shocked by this statistic. I'm not even shocked to hear that kids have gone so far as to taunt or chase children with their allergens, trying to force a contact. With three food-allergic children in our home, with all having different allergies, I have seen first hand how cruel the siblings can be to one another. So the problem is not, as one reader commented, a lack of education and understanding. It's a problem of children needing firm and immediate consequences when they are selfish and hurtful to other people.
What did shock me about the article is the attitudes of the readers who have commented so far. The extent of the ignorance was appalling. Comments ranged from the need to keep food allergic children at home in their glass bubbles, to the idea that food allergies are the creation of parents who are craving attention for themselves. If these are the opinions of the adults, it's no wonder so many children are expressing the same harsh attitudes.
The article and the reaction of the readers underscore my latest debate...what to do about Becca's celiac disease and peanut allergy as she moves into elementary school. The preschool she is in doesn't cook any food on site, so we aren't experiencing flour or other gluten ingredients being dispersed in the air. But kindergarten is unlikely to bring a similar reprieve. I am undertaking a search of city resources to see how we can prepare for this transition. I am hoping that there will be an alternative to home-schooling her, as she really seems to enjoy the school experience. But PB's safety cannot take a back seat as we plan for her future.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Desperate for Dairy Free Gluten Free Mac and Cheese
As the title states, my daughter misses nothing as badly as she misses her standby favorite--mac and cheese. Princess Becca (PB) has bravely tried more variations than I can count. And the latest attempt was the worst yet! It was so bad that it has become somewhat of a family joke that won't die. All I can say is that gluten-free tamari (soy) sauce and a little nutritional yeast do not combine to taste anything like cheddar.
We've come up with a few more ideas for a GFCF macaroni and cheese dish, but the attempts have reached a level of desperation. A friend on facebook has suggested a combination of applesauce and dairy-free cheddar popcorn flavoring. We'll try it and let you all know. Keep your fingers crossed, and please forward any other ideas!
We've come up with a few more ideas for a GFCF macaroni and cheese dish, but the attempts have reached a level of desperation. A friend on facebook has suggested a combination of applesauce and dairy-free cheddar popcorn flavoring. We'll try it and let you all know. Keep your fingers crossed, and please forward any other ideas!
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Taking Care of Mommy (and Daddy)
This past week sent me several little reminders that the adults need someone watching out for their health, too! Being the parents of children with celiac, food allergies, or other intolerances is more than a full-time job. It can consume your life.
After a full week of almost non-existent sleep, I caved in today and brought the girls to my parents'. Becca has been having nighttime leg and foot pain again, the baby is teething, and I am on my last ounce of stamina. So I went back to bed at 10am and didn't get up until after 2pm. I'm still dragging! But at least I can type in a fairly coherent manner (I'm hoping).
With accidental exposures, doctors visits, and random various symptoms of gluten intolerance/celiac disease being such a potential source of daily stress, please be kind to yourself. Our kids need us to be the healthiest, most optimistic and attentive parents that we can! That means getting a good support network, taking time to de-stress, and making sure our own diets are healthy, too.
God bless all GFCF moms and dads, and grant them a little extra sleep tonight.
After a full week of almost non-existent sleep, I caved in today and brought the girls to my parents'. Becca has been having nighttime leg and foot pain again, the baby is teething, and I am on my last ounce of stamina. So I went back to bed at 10am and didn't get up until after 2pm. I'm still dragging! But at least I can type in a fairly coherent manner (I'm hoping).
With accidental exposures, doctors visits, and random various symptoms of gluten intolerance/celiac disease being such a potential source of daily stress, please be kind to yourself. Our kids need us to be the healthiest, most optimistic and attentive parents that we can! That means getting a good support network, taking time to de-stress, and making sure our own diets are healthy, too.
God bless all GFCF moms and dads, and grant them a little extra sleep tonight.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Unexpected Benefits
Of course, our whole family is now trying plenty of new foods as we search out GFCF options for Becca. It also turns out the baby is allergic to caseine (they actually offered us an epi-pen for her!) So I'm on a self-imposed dairy-free diet until we decide to wean her, just so none of the caseine gets into her little system from me.
With all of the rice milk, almond milk, and gluten free cookies, noodles, and snack items, even my husband and step-son are consuming far less dairy and gluten than at any prior point in time. Some of the benefits we have noticed are as below:
1) Fewer gastric problems (ok, so what this means is far less GAS and tummy upsets)
2) Better sleeping habits
3) Less emotional/behavioral turmoil
Based on these observations, we plan to continue finding ways to include the whole family in GFCF food choices at home and at work/school. The upside is fewer cross-contamination risks for Becca, but the downside is the horrible cost of prepackaged gluten-free foods. We'll just have to continue pursuing budget friendly but more labor intensive homemade meals and snacks.
With all of the rice milk, almond milk, and gluten free cookies, noodles, and snack items, even my husband and step-son are consuming far less dairy and gluten than at any prior point in time. Some of the benefits we have noticed are as below:
1) Fewer gastric problems (ok, so what this means is far less GAS and tummy upsets)
2) Better sleeping habits
3) Less emotional/behavioral turmoil
Based on these observations, we plan to continue finding ways to include the whole family in GFCF food choices at home and at work/school. The upside is fewer cross-contamination risks for Becca, but the downside is the horrible cost of prepackaged gluten-free foods. We'll just have to continue pursuing budget friendly but more labor intensive homemade meals and snacks.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Hemp--My New Favorite Food Source
My husband gets a lot of mileage out of this, but I have discovered a new source of protein and fiber in a gluten and dairy free format. Hemp!
Despite his incessant joking about the new products in our fridge and freezer, my ultra-hippie new fad is reaping many benefits for my poor diet restricted household.
1st--I have found the solution to one of my last posts where I complained about the difficulty of finding a nutritional supplement drink to replace all of the Boost we used to give to PB (before we knew that dairy was a problem too). There are two really tasty hemp protein mixes, chocolate flavored of course, that I now mix into Becca's almond milk. And I recommend you ONLY use almond milk for this. Water, rice milk, and other alternatives simply will not dissolve the powders half as well. Of course, if you are allergic to nuts then you could try coconut or soy milk, which might work but I did not have on hand to use in my experiments.
2nd--I have found a dairy-free gluten-free ice cream that satisfies the worst of my cravings. It is creamy, rich, and very chocolatey! Also a hemp-based product, it is now a must-have on every shopping trip.
Before discussing the brands I think I'm now required to state that I have received NO compensation, correspondence, or offers from the makers of these foods. If I were making money off this blog, I wouldn't be keeping my day job! And I don't even get free samples. Instead I paid good money for the privilege of testing and reviewing the products. Hopefully that covers all my bases.
For the protein powders, I recommend Nutiva Hempshake (tm) and Manitoba Harvest Certified Organic Hemp Protein Powder (tm). While there are several flavor varieties, I get the chocolate versions of both and then mix them for a smooth, mocha-type flavor. You have to stir this stuff really well, or get a mini blender and whiz the liquid and the powders together for a good 20 seconds. But the result is well worth the effort.
As far as the hemp ice cream--I am in love with Living Harvest's Tempt (tm) Ice Cream in Chocolate Fudge flavor. I am just as likely to tear through a pint of the stuff in one sitting as I ever was with Ben and Jerry's. But when it's all said and done, I at least know I consumed enough omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to get me through a week.
And NO there are no detectable levels of anything naughtier than chocolate in any of these products. Enough already! *this last bit is mainly for my dh's benefit*
Despite his incessant joking about the new products in our fridge and freezer, my ultra-hippie new fad is reaping many benefits for my poor diet restricted household.
1st--I have found the solution to one of my last posts where I complained about the difficulty of finding a nutritional supplement drink to replace all of the Boost we used to give to PB (before we knew that dairy was a problem too). There are two really tasty hemp protein mixes, chocolate flavored of course, that I now mix into Becca's almond milk. And I recommend you ONLY use almond milk for this. Water, rice milk, and other alternatives simply will not dissolve the powders half as well. Of course, if you are allergic to nuts then you could try coconut or soy milk, which might work but I did not have on hand to use in my experiments.
2nd--I have found a dairy-free gluten-free ice cream that satisfies the worst of my cravings. It is creamy, rich, and very chocolatey! Also a hemp-based product, it is now a must-have on every shopping trip.
Before discussing the brands I think I'm now required to state that I have received NO compensation, correspondence, or offers from the makers of these foods. If I were making money off this blog, I wouldn't be keeping my day job! And I don't even get free samples. Instead I paid good money for the privilege of testing and reviewing the products. Hopefully that covers all my bases.
For the protein powders, I recommend Nutiva Hempshake (tm) and Manitoba Harvest Certified Organic Hemp Protein Powder (tm). While there are several flavor varieties, I get the chocolate versions of both and then mix them for a smooth, mocha-type flavor. You have to stir this stuff really well, or get a mini blender and whiz the liquid and the powders together for a good 20 seconds. But the result is well worth the effort.
As far as the hemp ice cream--I am in love with Living Harvest's Tempt (tm) Ice Cream in Chocolate Fudge flavor. I am just as likely to tear through a pint of the stuff in one sitting as I ever was with Ben and Jerry's. But when it's all said and done, I at least know I consumed enough omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids to get me through a week.
And NO there are no detectable levels of anything naughtier than chocolate in any of these products. Enough already! *this last bit is mainly for my dh's benefit*
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