Clearing Up Eczema: Eat Whole Grains

I admit over the years as I have tried to eat healthier, the one area I could not seem to change was eating more whole grains. I simply thought "brown bread" tasted disgusting. I tried several brands and always came away with the "eating cardboard" feeling with each one.

Since this was my only expermentation into the life of eating whole grains, I always stopped. I didn't investigate much further so I didn't know how many more options I had and how incredibly good it all could be. I also never considered what an impact my own stubborness was having on Tyler's ongoing battle with eczema.

Why Are Whole Grains Healthier?

Seems like a silly question, I know. But in the "white bread, white rice" culture that we live in, I should probably put a little bit of this in just to remind those of us who are stubborn about this sort of thing (i.e. "me") in.

Whole grains are just that: "whole." They still have the bran and germ intact. They are bursting with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They have more protein. While it is true that some refined grains have some vitamins and minerals added back in after the milling process of removing them, they are still lacking a lot. A whole lot.

How Do Whole Grains Help Eczema?

It goes without saying that whole grains are just healthier. This is true for everyone. For someone who has eczema (which is really an over-reaction of the immune system), making sure they get as many vitamins and minerals that occur naturally in food is vital. It is like going to war without body armor.

According to Tori Hudosn, N.D., eczema is caused by nutritional deficiencies.

"Skin problems...are common in people who do not get enough essential fatty acids or have an imbalance of EFAs in their diet...Vitamin C and other antioxidants such as vitamin E, A and selenium, as well as vitamin D."

While a supplement can be given to try to compensate for this deficiency, nutrients are best utilized by the body if they are in their whole food and enzymatically active state. That means things like whole grains, as well as other whole foods like fresh frutis & veggies. Therefore whole food concentrates are the best solution to address nutrient deficiencies.

Once again, many of the dietary changes I have talked about and will talk about in future posts focus on getting whole foods are not widely written about. Oftentimes our docotrs prescribe a cream or an oral medication and send us on our way. That is actually putting a Band-aid on the problem. Sure, we might not see the eczema but the root cause is still there. That is why diet and other changes in lifestyle I have or will mention in this series are important.

A Lot to Digest

This post is a lot to digest (pun intended!). It is possible to eat whole grains without gagging. I promise! I have done a considerable amount of research on safe brands and ways to prepare food that is very tasty.

Don't believe me? I have always been a white bread girl. When I started experiementing on ways to get Tyler as healthy as possible, I never thought I would say this phrase: "I like whole grains better than their refined counterparts." But its true.

To keep this post from being too long, on Thursday, I will share some safe brands I have found (including some quotes I got in email from company reps). I will go in depth about how I prepare many of these foods and offer plenty of resources to help you make some positive whole grain changes.

And, if you know me very well, you know I will also show you a way to buy several of the things that I recommend at a discoutned price. I love healthy and cheap!

photo courtesy of flickr

Due to some health issues, I will not be posting for the next couple of days. Stay tuned next week when I return with my "Getting Rid of Eczema" posts on Monday. Thanks for your patience!!

Free Shipping at N-Style ID

One thing that was very important to me when Tyler started preschool last year was a medical alert bracelet. This helped remind people about his allergy and it also was a way for him to remember. Plus, he loves having something that makes him "special."

N-StyleID is a great company that has a wonderful selection of cute, kid-friendly medical alert bracelets. Right now they are offering free first class shipping during the month of August.

Use the coupon code: FREESHP during checkout to claim your $5 shipping credit. This makes first class shipping free and Priority shipping only $2.50! Offer is only valid on new orders only until August 31.

If you have never checked out their bracelets, take a look!!

Hooray Pizza Hut!!

A reader of this blog and member of the Facebook group emailed me last night some excellent news!! Pizza Hut recently switched over to a nut free facility with for their sauces and meats! Yeah!! (see edited note below)

Check their new allergen information here.

My post last year on Pizza Hut not being safe has been an amazingly popular post. Most readers were as shocked as I was to find out that something that appeared as innocent as pizza might not be safe.

Is anyone else as ready to do the "Happy Dance" as I am??

Edited to add: After a closer look, there are still a couple of things that have a tree nut warning. The pizzas do not have this warning, however. There is also a note that said nuts may be used in common manufacturing plants. This puts a damper on this news but it still may be in the comfort zone of some readers.

As a special treat, here are some coupons (just enter your zip code)in case you decided this just might be dinner tonight!

Getting Rid of Eczema: Air Purifier

At the very beginning of my quest to get rid of Tyler's eczema in early spring, a friend of mine surprised me with an air purifier for his room. She is a mom with a teenage son who has tree nut allergies, eczema, and asthma. She certainly knows a thing or two about my struggles.

I admit at first I wondered how much it would help. We don't deal with asthma like her son so I wondered if cleaning the air up in Tyler's room really would make much of a difference. A few weeks later we had a check up with our allergist where he did more allergy testing. One of his allergies was found to be dust. The allergist recommended an air purifier for his room and I told him it was already done!

Prior to this I had been going on our pediatrician's advice to use a humidifier at night to keep his skin moist. It had not worked a bit. In fact, it was worse after using that. (We also have a mold allergy and humidifiers are terrible for mold allergies. Ooppps, didn't know that! We're selling it in our next garage sale since I don't want the thing in the house anymore.)

Within a few weeks of using the air purifier (as well as making other changes I have talked about and will be talking about), I noticed it seemed to be working. The filter was regularly full of dust so it was removing an allergen from his room.

Tyler loves the air purifier and turns it on when he is simply in playing in his room. I estimate that he is in his room with it on about 14 hours (sleep time and play time). We have not purchased one for other rooms of the house but I am holding off a bit to see if it truly is necessary.

Here is the one that Tyler has in his room that I highly recommend:

Since the Honeywell brand is the only brand I have experience with, they are the only ones I can personally recommend. Amazon carriers a lot of different varities, as well as larger room models. You check their selection out here.

This post is the first in a series of posts on getting rid of eczema. If you missed the others, click here.

Sunday Links

This Week Last Year on PA Kid:

Ice Cream Processed on Lines Containing Nuts
What Ice Cream is Safe?
A Scary Moment for the PA Kid
Preschool & a Peanut Allergy
What About Halloween?

Other Notable Links This Week:
An Auburn student with PA will be on Capitol Hill participating in the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network Kids Congress where he will speak with Senators about his experience with PA. I didn't realize this program existed (although I was familiar with the law it is trying to get passed). Pretty cool!

Weekend Discussion: What's Your Comfort Zone?

I have really missed our weekend discussions in the past couple of months! What better time to get back to it after our post yesterday on "Comfort Zones"

Here's my question: What' Your Comfort Zone??

Please let us hear you in the comments!!

If you missed mine, you can read it here.

photo courtesy flickr

Comfort Zones

What is a "Comfort Zone?"

When it comes to food allergies, we all have a level of comfort of what we will allow and won't allow our children to eat. There are a variety of factors that go into this. It will also be determined by the severity of your child's allergy and how difficult it is to avoid.

For me, this is my "safety net" for Tyler. Sure, I don't allow him to eat any type of nuts. But I do my very best to avoid any cross contamination reactions. When he gets older, he will have to develop his own. My husband was recently diagnosed with tree nut allergies and is working this out for himself, as well.

Obviously if your child has a reaction, you might need to re-examine your comfort zone. Or, maybe not since some things are completely out of our control. Although my comfort zones have varied over the last three and a half years Tyler has never had a reaction (except for his allergist's failed food challenge).

How Do You Develop a Comfort Zone?

Research, research, research!! I always tell people educating themselves is the best thing they can do for their child's allergy. If the research causes you lots and lots of anxiety, just take it slow. A comfort zone does not have to be set in stone either. As you will see, we have loosened ours a little to accommodate Tyler's recently discovered chemical sensitivities.

What Has Our Comfort Zone Been in the Past?

When we were first diagnosed I thought it was law to label for cross contamination. It wasn't until last year that I discovered this was not the case. After he was hospitalized when his former allergist mistakenly gave him peanut butter, I did a lot of research and had a very, very tight comfort zone. In the beginning, I was nervous if he got around other children if I didn't know what they ate!

What Is Our Current Comfort Zone?

I have refined it a bit in recent months. While I used to never allow Tyler eat anything processed in a facility with peanuts, I have revised this a little bit to allow him to eat healthier grains. This was not without an absolute ton of research and prayer.

I always contact the company if I have any question about a food's safety. If they have peanuts in their facility but have very strict procedures in place to thoroughly clean their lines or, even better, process peanuts on different lines, I allow him to eat a few things . I would not have felt comfortable doing this a year ago but, in a few cases, I am allowing it.

Why? The companies that have the healthiest, organic grains sometimes have nuts in the facility. (Nuts are healthy, after all!). As I will mention in a future post on eczema, organic whole grains have greatly helped his eczema problems. They are also just healthier. In the long run, I believe this will help his overall health tremendously.

This exception is only made for a few select products (a few organic flours and an organic oatmeal). I will not even bother to call on unhealthy foods like candy. Not worth even investigating.

Everyone is Different

There are as many comfort zones as their are children with a peanut allergy! Everyone has their own idea. I often joke that if something is out of my comfort zone that I will have a reaction if Tyler doesn't. Developing something that keeps your child safe is essential when managing a peanut allergy is essential.

Fear Not! I Have an Epi Pen!

If you follow me on Facebook, you might have seen I had a little unfortunate incident on Monday morning. It had to do with this ferocious creature:

To be fair, this is not the actual yellow jacket wasp that stung the bottom of my foot. No, that pesky little guy is buried in our trash can. But this must surely be his cousin because he was just as ugly and scary looking.

Somehow a nest of wasps has found a way to get into our house. Somewhere, yet to be determined, in the frame of our backyard sliding glass door is a hole. On that hole (I'm assuming) someone put a "Enter" sign. These guys have found a way to get into the house through this little "door." Since I have been so paranoid about chemicals and Tyler's eczema, I wanted to find a chemical free way to get rid of these pesky little guys.

Until Monday morning at 10am. That is the moment I was going to get Tyler a pencil and I stepped on one of these and felt pain reminiscent of child birth (thankfully in my foot, though).

The first time I ever heard of someone having a life-threatening allergic reaction to anything was in 1990. My next door neighbor was forced to carry a shot with her after a bad reaction to a wasp. I'm sure it was an Epi Pen.

Every since then I have been terrified of being stung by a wasp. I had no reason to think I was allergic. I just wasn't interested in the sting or the "do I need one of those shots Kathy had?" moment. Not one bit.

So when I got stung and I was shrieking in pain (yep, and poor Tyler came to my aid) all of that came back to me. Would I have a life-threatening reaction?

I ran to get the ice (OK, "ran" might be too strong of a word here, "hobbled" maybe) I had to chuckle a little (a very, very little!).

In our home we have 2 Epi Pen Jr's and an adult Epi Pen (courtesy of my husband's recent tree nut allergy diagnosis). So, if there was a life-threatening reaction, I was safe.

And there wasn't.

What did happen was me calling my mom. I seriously wanted my mommy. Too bad I'm in Michigan and she's in Oklahoma.

Apparently my uncle has developed a life-threatening reaction to wasps in the last few years. That was news to me. My mom was naturally worried if something like that might happen to me. I assured I am trained to recognize an allergic reaction, even in myself.

We still have not totally rid ourselves of these pests. Raid seems to have only decreased the number. I admit I am terribly worried about one of my boys getting stung. They have more restrictions on what rooms they can play in now (i.e. not the room where I got stung) and I am trying to make them wear shoes in the house. That's something I don't even do in the winter!

But, if someone else does get stung and the worse case scenario happens, I know I am prepared with my nifty stash of Epi pens. What I am not prepared for is the pain that will occur!

Back to School: Creating a 504 Plan

This post is the second in a series of posts on going back to school with food allergies. If you missed last week's, click here.

While we have not had to get a 504 plan for Tyler's schooling at this point, I thought a discussion on this topic was still warranted.

What is a 504 plan?

The "504" in "504 plan" refers to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act, which specifies that no one with a disability can be excluded from participating in federally funded programs or activities, including elementary, secondary or postsecondary schooling.

"Disability" in this context refers to a "physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities." This can include physical impairments; illnesses or injuries; communicable diseases; chronic conditions like asthma, allergies and diabetes; and learning problems.

A 504 plan spells out the modifications and accommodations that will be needed for these students to have an opportunity perform at the same level as their peers, and might include such things as wheelchair ramps, blood sugar monitoring, an extra set of textbooks, a peanut-free lunch environment, home instruction, or a tape recorder or keyboard for taking notes.

(taken from "Needs for Special Children")

What does this mean for a peanut allergic child?
The 504 plan is something a peanut allergic child might (or might not) need at school. Food allergies fall under the classification of the Rehabilitation Act if it "substantially limits one or more major life activities." This would be a child who is unable to properly care for themselves. It would probably include a young child who cannot administer their own Epi Pen but might not include a high school senior.

Do I Need One?
Not necessarily. If you are happy with the way your child's school is handling the peanut allergy there may be no need for one. Deciding whether your child needs one is ultimately up to you. If this is all new to you, do some research on the topic and evaluate your situation.

If you determine a 504 plan might be best for your situation, here are a few things to help you know what to consider. This list is not exhaustive but just offers a few things to help you develop your own unique plan:

Talking Points for a 504 Plan (taken from Circle of Food Allergic Families in metro Detroit, reprinted with permission).

Transportation
*Will the child ride the ride the bus? If so, where
*Has bus driver been trained?
*Copy of forms to transportation department?
*Medications given to transportation department? Where will they be stored? Who will carry on bus?

Medication
*Forms required?
*Self-Carry/Self-Administration authorized?
*If not, who will carry medication? Or where will it be stored?
*Who will be trained?
*Emergency Action Plan on file

Classroom *Awareness lesson plan
*Allergen-free zone? Signs posted?
*Hand washing protocol? What soap? Which wipes?

Table Washing Protocol
*What cleaner?
*When cleaned?
*Who cleans?

Snack policy
*Allergen free? How monitored?
*No snacks?
*Outside food?

Field Trips
*What's acceptable?
*Who will handle if parent can't attend?
*Who will carry medication? Who will administer medication?
*How will meals outside school be handled?
*How many meals outside school will be handled?
*How will you call 911?

I don't normally like to write a post that I don't have first-hand experience with. However, this topic really needed to be covered as I know many of my readers are dealing with 504 plans.

This post is short and serves as more of a starting point than something with all the answers.

Those of you who have prepared a 504 plan: What am I missing? What advice would give readers who are considering creating one?

Peanut Allergy Confrontations ...Without Being Rude

Do any of these statements sound familiar? "There were no peanut allergies when I was a kid." Or this, "I think you are overreacting, its just food." And, even well-meaning statements like, "But there are not any peanuts in the cookie. Why can't he eat it?"

If you haven't heard these statements by now in your food allergy journey, you most certainly will. And it can be very frustrating!

When you already feel like you are working like the KGB to discern where each minuscule portion of a peanut might be and you feel like other people are your enemy, it can be one of the most frustrating part of managing a child's peanut allergy.

While our first inclination is probably to hit someone over the head who does not fully understand peanut allergies, there are a few strategies we can use to try to help others understand without being the rude, obnoxious food allergy parent.

*Focus on educating. Not only will this help the person understand, it may help another food allergic child in the future. If you are dealing with someone who is uninformed on food allergies, they (and you) will be a lot less "on edge" if the focus is on educating, instead of berating.

*Plan your conversation NOW. My husband and I have a few standard lines we use to try to help people understand Tyler's allergy. When a "new" situation is coming up, I try to mentally think of each aspect of the situation that could be a problem. I plan out (in my head) how I will handle each situations if it arises. I don't think well on my feet so this helps me not get upset with the person and frustrated with myself.

*Don't expect others to understand if they don't live your reality. I remind myself that before I met my niece and nephew with tree nut allergies, and then had Tyler, I had no inkling of how dangerous food allergies can be. It seems there is something in all of our brains that that tells us food is safe no matter what. When we learn differently, then we really "get it." Until then, think how "lucky" these people are that they don't lie in bed at night and worry about their child accidentally ingesting something fatal. (Yes, I said "lucky!")

*Always have backup food or a backup plan to avoid stress. I've written before how I always have safe snacks in my purse. Plus, since we trust McDonald's, there seems to always be one nearby that serves as a great alternative meal. Whatever situation your child is in, they do not have to eat if the food is not safe. They do not have to play with the PB&J kids. There is always another option. Plan ahead to make sure you know what it is!

*Make a mental note. If I find someone that is rude or genuinely doesn't understand food allergies, I remind myself they are not a "safe person" for Tyler. They may (or not) be acceptable to be around Tyler when I am supervising, but I will not let Tyler out of my sight when they are around.

Remember: you are setting an example of how your child will deal with their food allergy when they get older. If they see you yell and scream and be downright rude to others, they will, too. How else would they think they are supposed to handle the situation?

Lots and lots of grace is always my motto. Even when I encounter someone that seems to have no clue. Even when someone is rude and demeaning to me. I give grace. I give understanding. How will I expect anything else in return?

Getting Rid of Eczema: Eliminate High Fructose Corn Syrup

Anyone that knows me personally and has talked to me lately has heard me talk about eliminating high fructose corn syrup from our diet. Once they pick their jaw up of the floor, I tell them how this has actually helped clear up Tyler's eczema. They usually stop looking at me like I am crazy and are open to hearing how easy it was.

Then, when I tell them how much less we eat now and how I've lost weight with the change, they are usually all ears!!

If you know how to read a food label (and I'm guessing you do!), this step to eliminating is eczema is very doable. It will not happen overnight, however. Its a big undertaking. It took me a while to find suitable alternatives for some of our food. But I have now and we are all much healthier!!

What is High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)?

According to everydiet.com HFCS is:

Derived from cornstarch, usually a combination of 55 percent fructose and 45 percent sucrose. Treated with an enzyme that converts glucose to fructose, which results in a sweeter product. Used in soft drinks, baked goods, jelly, syrups, fruits and desserts.

Huh? A chemical process to create sugar? What about...I don't know...sugar cane? Well, that's more expensive to harvest so many, many companies have found a way to give us sweetness that's cheap. Most candy, soft drinks (including many juices), baked goods, condiments, cereal and many other things have resorted to this as a sweetener.

Why Is This Bad?

I'm no doctor, nutritionist or chemist. I just have a few theories I have developed from lots and lots of research. Since it has helped Tyler's eczema, I'm pretty sure I'm onto something here!

We all know sugar of any kind isn't good for you, right? It adds nothing nutritionally. But some say HFCS goes a step further. It actually takes nutrients out of your body! That is a BIG problem in my eyes when you are dealing with eczema.

After all, eczema is an abnormal function of the immune system. It is attacking things unnecessarily. The result of this is the visible rash we see. So, if HFCS is taking nutrients out of the body and the body is already in overdrive fighting eczema, now its fighting with with a lack of nutrients (the very thing it needs to fight!) . This starts a vicious cycle of chronic eczema.

Worth noting is the fact that cutting HFCS out of your diet means you eat and drink less sugar. This, plain and simple, this makes you healthier. That is a great thing, particularly when it comes to eczema.

There are a TON of other health problems that are linked to consuming HFCS that I won't list because I'm trying to write a post and not a book! I encourage you to do your own research and make an informed decision if this is safe for someone with eczema or anyone else in your family. (You can start here.)

Elimination or Reduction?

So, is a complete elimination necessary? First, let me say this is not like managing a nut allergy. Avoiding any trace of it is not necessary. Really, any step you can take to reduce it is a positive one. Avoiding things that have it as one of the fist 3 or 4 ingredients is one thing you can do.

For our family, I simply do not buy it anymore. This means no pop, candy, boxed cereal, salad dressing to name a few. If, however Tyler is away from home and presented with something that is safe for his nut allergy and everyone else is eating it but it has HFCS, I do allow him to eat it in small doses. (I think trying to give him as much of a "normal" social upbringing is important). I just get him back on track when we get home.

So What Do We Eat?

I admit when I discovered this helped Tyler's eczema and we would be adopting this diet change, I felt overwhelmed. EVERYTHING seemed to have it!!

Here is a glimpse of how we manage:

Soft Drinks: We just don't do them! I don't like artificial sweeteners so those are not an option either! My kids drink organic skim milk, 100% juice and water. That's it!

Candy: We just eat don't much of it. Its one of Tyler's splurges on rare occasions. Hershey's candy bars are safe on both fronts so he does occasionally get a couple squares of that without any HFCS fears.

Boxed Cereal: We do eat Cheerios since they are whole grain and don't have HFCS. (They are one of the very few cereals that don't.) I also make whole grain muffins and breakfast breads from scratch (blueberry muffins, banana bread, etc), oatmeal, plain yogurt (with raw honey or stevia added), scrambled eggs, fruit, homemade whole wheat toast, etc to avoid HFCS boxed cereal.

Condiments: Ketchup was one HFCS that stressed me out. But I tried an organic ketchup and it tasted the same. Then I discovered Meijer stores in the Midwest carry a natural brand that specifically states no HFCS; for BBQ sauce, I use this recipe to make my own (it's super easy and keeps well); for salad dressing I look up a suitable recipe to try on allrecipes.com. So far we've thought they are great!

Breads: We do still eat store bought on occasion because my husband is having a hard time giving up store bought white bread. But, I make whole wheat bread from scratch for the boys and myself for sandwiches and toast. I know homemade bread is not ideal for every family but its working for us right now. Its not a big deal once you make a few loaves and get the hang of it.) Plus, it saves money!

If you have a larger food budget than us, you can buy things listed as "organic" and know you are safe. If you like something, check out Amazon.

Has This Worked?

In a word, "YES!" I admit, at first, I wondered if Tyler outgrew the eczema when I started making all of the changes we will discuss in this series. But, when he starts eating too much of something with HFCS away from home, guess what comes back? Yep! Eczema! Its happened too many times for me to consider it a coincidence.

In Conclusion

During my research I could not find anything that talked about the HFCS connection and eczema. But I have witnessed the benefits first-hand. Maybe I am one of the first ones to write on this topic? I don't know. But it needs to said for those dealing with eczema so they can at least try this elimination to see if it helps their eczema.

The whole issue of HFCS being bad for you is highly controversial. Remember: You are reading my opinion and my experiences. Nothing more, nothing less. Take it for what it's worth. If you don't agree with it, that is fine. I don't want this to be a debated post, rather one that helps you make informed decisions about your child's eczema and your family's health as a whole.

********

Here are some sources I used for preparing this that I encourage you to read for your own study:

World Evolved, "The Plague of High Fructose Corn Syrup in Processed Foods", Medicine Net. Much of this I have just learned through reserach in the last few months. I can't really cite "my brain" as a source, can I?

Please, please do your own research so you understand this topic much more in-depth. Here is a list of google links on the dangers of HFCS.


picture courtesy of flickr

Back to School: Things to Consider Now

Each Wednesday for the next several weeks we will be talking about going back to school and all of that it involves when you have a child with a peanut allergy.

Today's post seems a little mundane as a kick of post but it offers some tips of things you should be doing right now to get ready for school, if you have not already. (Don't worry, it doesn't involve any "Back to School" shopping!)

School can be a scary place for a peanut allergic child and their parent. The key as in all things involving a peanut allergy is be fully prepared.

*Complete and return any forms that the school requires. (If you don't have any yet, call the school and inquire about the forms they require.)

For our 4 year old preschool this year, I need a form filled out by our allergist, authorizing the school school staff to administer an Epi Pen or Benadryl if the need should arise. It's on my "To Do" list this week.

*Set up meeting with your child's teacher and principal (if possible) to discuss things like severity of the allergy, "safe" foods, etc.

The principal at Tyler's school wants to be involved in this meeting, which makes me feel much better. We will discuss how I will bring his snacks, attend field trips, and anything else that warrants discussion to keep Tyler safe.

*Complete a 504 plan, if needed.

I am not doing one of these these yet, but we will discuss a 504 plan more in detail next week. If you are not familiar with a 504 plan, it helps the school develop a plan that can accommodate the needs of your child. These are not always necessary if the school is already doing this.

*Provide any medications to the school that your child might need. (Epi Pens, Benadryl, inhalers, etc)

Have you ever noticed how stressful the first day of school is? That is not the day you want to throw life saving medication at the staff. This should be there before the first day so everyone's head is a little more sane and there won't be any mistakes made. For me, this will be at my meeting with the principal and teacher.

*Make sure staff is properly trained on how to use emergency medications.

I admit, if they are not, I would probably run in the other direction! Hopefully they have "been there, done that" before. You and I both know that if they look at you like you have three heads when you pull the Epi Pen out, lots and lots of training is in order. (And possibly a few anxiety pills for you!)

*Determine what foods will be served, where your child will eat, and if there is a peanut free table.

These are usually cross contamination concerns but you should know what your child is getting into TODAY so everyone (including your child) can be fully prepared.

*Develop some sort of plan of action in case of an emergency.

There are many templates out there. FAAN has a great one. I also developed one you can use. You can check it out here.

*Sign up to be a homeroom parent, go on field trips, etc.

Anything out of the norm where food is involved, it is a good idea for you to be present, if at all possible. If you work outside of the home, by getting a heads up now, will allow you to arrange your schedule and possibly the child's other parent can do the same.

*****

OK, you seasoned veterans. Please share more tips for those who are new to this!

Recipe of the Month: Chicken Teriyaki w/ Fried Rice & Stir Fry Vegetables

One request I have received many times from this blog is for recipes!

There are so many things that are not usually "safe" but can be made "safe" and even yummier at home. I have so many things that I make like this that the "Recipe of the Month" will be a regular monthly tradition here for the next several months.

This month and next I will be focusing on Chinese food. I love Chinese food but there are peanuts, cashews, and many other nuts in Asian dishes. Cross contamination seems nearly inevitable. So, we never eat this type of food out any more. This was a little hard for me to give up.

But, really, I don't have to!

One of our favorite dishes is Chicken Teriyaki with Fried Rice & Stir Fry Vegetables. Its not hard at all and its pretty healthy. One great bonus of this is that it can easily be both milk and egg free. We ate it monthly when we dealt with those allergies.

Here's What You Need:

Chicken cut into bite size pieces (I use 3-4 chicken breasts but any type will do)
1/2 bottle of KC Masterpiece Honey Teriyaki sauce or the ingredeints for this marinade recipe.
2-3 bags of boil in bag rice (I use Wal-Mart's brand)
2-3 TB of soy sauce
1-2 eggs (omit if you deal with an egg allergy)
1 bag of stir fry vegetables
2 TB extra virgin olive oil

For the chicken: Marinate chicken for a few hours (or overnight). Then drain marinade off and cook chicken on medium heat in a medium size pot for 5 to 7 minutes.



For the rice:
Cook rice in pot of boiling water for recommneded time. Chill for 3-4 hours (to prevent clumps). Once chillled, warm 1 TB of olive oil over medium heat. Then add the chilled rice. Stir in 1-2 TB of soy sauce as rice warms. Once warmed, beat eggs in a separate bowl. Once beaten, move rice over to side and pour eggs into pan. Allow eggs to set. Looks like this:

Once the eggs are set, stir eggs and rice together.

For the stir fry vegetables:
In a separate pan , heat 1 TB of olive oil. Once warm, add the stir fry veggies. Add 1 TB of soy sauce. Cook until veggies are tender.

There you have it! Chinese food that is super good and safe for anyone with a nut allergy!!

Next month's recipe: Homemade Fortune Cookies!

Getting Rid of Eczema: Clean Up Those Cleaners

I rarely meet people that deal with food allergies that don't deal with eczema, too. If you are one of the lucky ones who does not, you have no idea how blessed you are! I honestly thought Tyler would suffer with some degree of eczema nearly everyday of his life. But, thankfully, I was wrong!

One of the first things I did this past spring started out as more of an attempt to be frugal than anything else. The response I saw from it, however, inspired me to do tons of research and eventually led to us being eczema free.

So, what did I do? Made my own cleaning products!



Yes, I know it sounds crazy. But I was tired of paying an arm and a leg for cleaners that made me cringe each time I used them near my children. They were, after all, chemicals.

I also had an idea in the back of my mind that these chemicals might be aggravating Tyler's eczema.

Laundry Detergent

The first cleaner I experimented with was laundry detergent. I had used All Free & Clear
since Tyler's birth. This, it turns out, is what is recommended for those with eczema. Funny how I had this step in place while he was still in the womb!

But, I wondered if this really was best. I did a lot of research to find a cheaper alternative. I also read that homemade detergents were easier on eczema. Great!

While there are many recipes out there with basically the same ingredients, I found mine in this ebook I purchased.

Here is the recipe:

1 cup of Ivory soap flakes

1/2 cup washing soda (not baking soda but also made by Arm & Hammer. Look for it with laundry detergents (runs about $3) or buy it on Amazon here.

1/2 cup borax (same place as the washing soda for another $3 or Amazon again.)

What works best for me: I run the bars of Ivory soap over the cheese grater to make the flakes. Then I throw all three ingredients in my food processor. After about a minute of food processor magic, I have a nice fine powder. The supplies listed above will make a ton of this stuff so it is very cost effective, even if you have to buy the pricier Amazon version.

Abrasive Cleaner

I admit that until I started looking at my household cleaners in a different light, I always used Comet or Soft Scrub to clean my bathtub (and sinks). Ever notice how foul and "chemically" that stuff smells? Even though I tried to get the residue out when I cleaned, I tried to make sure my husband or I took a shower before Tyler took his bath just to make double sure the reside was gone.



Then I discovered that baking soda has that same scouring power only is less harmful to the skin. Yes, I'm talking about that stuff that sits in your cupboard that you cook with. Did you know some people use it as soap, shampoo and even toothpaste? That says a lot about how gentle it is.

What works for me: Sometimes I just sprinkle the baking soda alone and scrub away. (I keep it in an old Parmesan cheese container.) If I have a really dirty job, I squirt a little dish detergent on it. (I'm currently looking for a gentler coconut-free version of this but for now I use Palmolive)

Where to buy: I get a 12lb bag of baking soda for about $4 at Sam's. I'm sure many of other wholesale clubs sell it. You can also buy the little boxes used for cooking. Amazon carries the larger boxes, too.

All Purpose Cleaner

OK, I didn't have as much luck here with homemade in this but I found an alternative I am truly happy with. The recipe I tried (and failed with) was also from the ebook. My issue was the baking soda leaving a film. There are other recipes out there but they all pretty much use baking soda.

So, I gave up and bought something organic and non-toxic. While I wouldn't advocate eating it, of course, if something is non-toxic, I feel like it will be gentler and safer for our eating surfaces and Tyler's skin.

One caution for this, if you avoid coconut like we do, read labels very, very carefully. (I have a feeling you already do that, right?) Many products that are non-toxic contain this allergen.

Here is what I selected: Shaklee Get Clean: Basic H2 Organic Super Cleaning Concentrate. This bottle will last me for YEARS.

Floor Cleaner


Most the hard floors in my home are wood laminate so that impacted the recipe I chose. I think I combined a few recipes so I'm not even sure who to credit. But here is the recipe I use:

1/4 cup vinegar (you can buy half gallons at most grocery stores)
1 quart of water
a few drops of Basic H2 (see above)

What works for me: I put this little concoction in a spray bottle and spritz on the floor. Then, I take a terry cloth mop and wipe. If needed, I dry it with a towel. (You do not need to rinse this.)

Sometimes I use a little essential oil to cover the vinegar smell. If you don't, the vinegar smell disappears when the floor dries...I promise! :)

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So what is the gist of this step (and many of the future posts) to clearing up eczema? Avoid a multitude of chemicals whenever possible!! They are not good for your skin or your health!!

You don't have to use the recipes I suggest here. Google homemade cleaners. Find a recipe or two to try. Allow yourself to fail and try something else. This is an excellent step in the right direction. If you have any questions about this step, don't hesitate to leave a comment or email me!!

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Join me next Monday when we look at another way to clear up eczema.

photo credits: heatherlynch, grrlscout224, fluffball, tpappi, shaklee

Our Eczema Story

In anticipation of a series of posts starting tomorrow on eczema, I thought I would share our story.

Tyler's eczema at 5 months

When Tyler was 6 weeks old, he developed a strange "crusty" rash on his face. At first I just thought it was normal baby stuff. After all, he was my first child and I was clueless on so many things. After a week or so, I finally called the pediatrician. They told me I did not need to come in, only to put A&D ointment on it.

Still, the rash persisted. By the time he was 3 or 4 months old, the rash had only worsened. We had a pediatrician that did not take it very seriously. By 6 months of age, it had spread all over his head and his scalp was frequently infected. When antibiotics stopped clearing up the infection, we sought out the second opinion of a dermatologist.

Finally, I had someone who seemed to think a bleeding, oozing scalp was not normal on a baby! She also said he was on the road to a staph infection. (That one really freaked me out!) She gave us topical steroids and sent us on our way. Within 48 hours of using the drugs, Tyler looked like a different child. I am not exaggerating a bit when I say this. For the first time since he was a newborn, his face was not dealing with some sort of inflammation. He looked "normal" for the first time.

I asked the dermatologist about the cause of the rash on the re-check. I asked if food allergies might be behind it. She told me not to worry, just use the steroids. I went back to our unconcerned pediatrician. He told me not to worry about the cause or to even use the steroids! So, I continued to treat him with the steroids (since they did work).

The cause continued to linger in the back of my mind so it was no surprise when we discovered he had 3 food allergies (milk, eggs & peanuts) when he turned a year old. When we eliminated the milk and eggs from his diet, the eczema did improve some. (He had recently stopped nursing so he was no longer receiving peanuts from my diet. *gasp*)

At that time he was put on Zyrtec. This drug helped the lingering eczema that the dietary changes did not clear up. It also allowed us to not use quite as many steroids. These, thankfully, were only reserved for the bad flare ups.

This was in February 2006. And really not much changed. We had flare ups. I would struggle to get it under control. Until I made more changes this summer, we were still using Zyrtec and the topical steroids. Zyrtec was daily and steroids averaged a few times every week or two.

I often wondered how long Tyler would be forced to take a medication daily. I asked our allergist at our last appointment about alternatives. He did point me in the direction of a few things that were drug free. That began my quest to find a more natural alternative to not only "treat" his eczema but clear it up entirely.

Check back tomorrow to find out one of the first steps I took that I saw immediate results.

New Series on "Clearing Up Eczema"

On Monday I will be starting a new series called "Clearing Up Eczema." As a prelude, I will share our own struggle with eczema tomorrow. This will be a regular series over the next couple of months every Monday morning. It is still a work in progress for me so I will still be learning and writing along the way.

As many of you know, I have had my own health struggles and made some dietary changes. Tyler's eczema was terrible this past spring and I had to ask for an increase in his dosage of Zyrtec. Before my own health struggles, I was already on a mission to get to the bottom of this issue that has plagued him his whole life. So it is no short of a miracle in our eyes that with some simple changes (many of them dietary) Tyler's eczema is gone!!

With that said, we had company a couple of weeks ago who I did not want to force to follow some of our healthier eating habits. Guess what. The eczema came back. I immediately went back to the plan I have been following and it disappeared again. Hmmm....I think I truly am onto something here.

Please remember this series is what worked for our family. Everyone's body chemistry is different. If you follow some of my suggestions, the worst thing that could happen is that your home is a healthier place to be. Not bad, even if a little eczema does still linger.

I'm a mom like most of my readers. Eczema and desperation have been two emotions that are closely related for me. If you are in an all out war with eczema right now, please email me. I don't want you to be forced to wait several weeks to know the entire scope of what I have done. Email me and I can give you a "sneak peek" into Tyler's plan.

If, however, you struggle from time to time with small patches of eczema or flare ups, check in each Monday to see what new suggestions I offer. It has taken us several months to get to where we are. It is not an overnight process. I can almost promise you that if you see our plan all at once you will be overwhelmed. When I'm overwhelmed, I tend to give up. I don't want that to happen to you.

I have listed out about 8 weeks worth of posts so far (remember this is still a learning process for me.) But, in the first few weeks, I have tried to cover what I think are the most important steps. For me, these have been crucial and I have seen almost immediate results.

Don't worry, there are no crazy remedies. They are very doable, normal things. I will try to list sources for further reading so you are well equipped to make a very informed decision. Its possible you might only need to do the first two things and see results. If so, you might just ignore everything else!

Please join me on my journey. I will see you tomorrow when I share Tyler's own struggle with eczema.

photo courtesy of flickr