Sweethearts Candy Blog's

I'll admit I'm going to be a little lazy today (because it is my birthday) and let others do the blogging for me today. :)

Have you checked out FAAN's new blog? This week, in honor of Food Allergy Awareness Week, FAAN featured five bloggers who I am lucky to have met personally and/or communicated with online. Each of them shares their perspectives on living with food allergies, both from a parenting perspective and a personal one. You'll even find yummy recipes from Kelly Rudnicki of Food Allergy Mama and cookbook author Cybele Pascale!

You'll also hear from Sloane Miller of Allergic Girl, Gina Clowes of Allergy Moms and Jennifer B of Food Allergy Buzz.

I enjoyed each entry and I think you will, too.

I hope everyone has spread awareness in some way for FAAW and remember, it's something we do all year. So be proud of what you've accomplished in terms of educating your friends, family and communities about food allergies.

Next week, I've got a new product review from Enjoy Life Foods. I can give you one hint: Chocolate!

Happy Friday the 13th everybody!

Join me tonight, Monday, May 9 at 8 pm EST for a food allergy Twitter party! @AllergicLiving, @JenRoeder (of FAAN), @foodallergymamam, @allergicgirl, @cybelepascale, @ginaclowes and @foodallergybuzz will all be co-hosts of this fun, fast-paced and informative event. Come with your questions and comments!

Sometimes it may seem as if every week is Food Allergy Awareness Week at your house, but since May is also Allergy Awareness Month, let's take some extra time to spread the word about food allergy facts.

A recent study by the journal Pediatrics finds that 1 in 12 U.S. children have food allergies, with nearly half of those (and estimated 40%) classified as life-threatening. That's a huge increase, so clearly we need to educate, advocate and encourage those around us to respect food allergies and learn more about them.

One great way to do this? Just check out this terrific NBC segment that features Nicole Smith of Allergic Child and her teen son, Morgan. Nicole is also the author of "Ally the Allergic Elephant" which was the first food allergy book by daughter ever read. Since her name is Alexandra, we used to call her "Ally" and did this book ever help her when she was young. You can buy it here.
My daughter and I just met this dynamic duo at the FAAN conference in Chicago and in fact, Morgan helped to lead the teen/young adult session that my daughter attended. Alexandra is still talking about how much the "older kids" inspired her and gave her good advice for handling food allergies as she approaches middle school and finally, high school.

We will have much more on my blog this week and throughout the month to promote FA Awareness Week and Allergy Awareness Month!

My Twitter handle is nut_freemom--hope to see you tonight at the Twitter party!

After my previous post on food allergy and family fights I heard even more stories about family strife revolving around food. Some of you have shared that you feel a lack of respect from family. Many of you have experienced a lack of communication with family members with regard to food they are serving. Others find that family members get angry about food restrictions.

These are very common occurrences, unfortunately. However, I don't believe that most people want drama and bad feelings. The best way around this is to be clear, consistent and positive.

This is not always easy. As I've mentioned in other posts, food allergies can bring out bad feelings simmering below the surface that may have more to do with existing relationships and less about the food allergies themselves. For example, if you never really got along with one of your in-laws or they are critical of you to begin with, expect friction. Many people don't understand food allergies and love to imply in subtle and not-so-subtle ways that they don't respect your parenting. Ask yourself if food allergies are really the cause of the friction. If not, you may be better equipped to handle hegative comments and actions when they occur.

From my own personal experience, here are a few suggestions on coping with some common food allergy scenarios that may cause fights:

Provide concise factual information. I think the number one reason for trouble is lack of understanding. Please give your close relatives any relevant brochures or medical information that you have (perhaps provided by the doctor) and suggest web sites to them such as The FAAN website for more information. Be honest about the seriousness of food allergies and keep it simple. Explain that you must protect your child and that they need to do certain things to protect your child as well. This is not an opinion; it's a fact. So be factual and businesslike when explaining the situation.

Describe the allergic reaction. Many of us have the "moment" when we first witnessed our child in the throes of a serious allergic reaction. If others (such as grandparents or siblings-in-law) weren't present for this, give them the details. Likely, they will be appalled. Explain that no allergic reaction is predictable and that you must do what you can to avoid one in order to avoid a life-threatening scenario. A lot of people mistakenly believe that food allergies result in a hive or two and a stomach ache. The people I've shared our allergy story with come away with a much better understanding of why I handle it the way I do.

Once you've made a decision, don't keep explaining or apologizing. Let's say that you just don't feel safe serving your child from a large dinner menu because you question the way the food was cooked. You decide to bring your child their own meal or maybe you greatly restrict what you allow them to eat at that meal. Some people are going to want to talk about it. They'll want to know why you're doing this ("it doesn't have nut in it"), they'll start asking about how your child copes at school, they'll question your logic, you name it. It's human nature and simple curiosity in some cases; in others, people may be angry that you don't want your child to eat their food.

While educating and explaining has its place and I certainly advocate for those things, I don't advise making this the main meal topic, especially in front of your child. For one thing, many kids really dislike being focused on in what they view as a negative way. For another, discussing life-threatening reactions to foods isn't exactly appetizing table talk. If you are getting peppered with questions about what your child eats, simply say: "My son has food allergies. We need to restrict his diet." And then change the subject. If they keep it up say, "I'd love to explain this to you later, but for now let's enjoy our meal."

Family relationships with regard to food allergies may take years of adjustment. Or, you may find that some accept it immediately and some are really skeptical. You can't let your own actions be swayed either way. It's your job to protect the health of the allergic person whether it's your child or yourself. Do what you have to do and be as upbeat as possible but don't let it get you down if you can't convince everyone.

There's another thing I've learned and that's that food allergies aren't for the faint of heart. Neither is parenting, for that matter. Hang in there, everyone. And please, keep sharing your stories here!

As we ring in 2011, I have noticed a huge increase in the number of e-mails and posts I've received from parents facing new nut allergy diagnoses in their kids and I've even heard from several young adults with new nut allergies.

The most frequent word I hear is "overwhelmed." This is so understandable. It is overwhelming. The wealth of information alone (often conflicting) can be hard to absorb. Plus, you may wonder if you'll ever have a normal life again, if you will ever learn to decipher food labels and if your child can even go to school. You wonder if every food has the potential to harm your child and/or you. Life can seem very scary and very surreal.

I've been there and I can tell you that things improve. But I can't sugar coat the facts: your life will change, sometimes in ways you may not even foresee now. Some of the changes will be hard to deal with; some may even be positive in the long run. I can think of two positive changes: becoming healthier in our family eating habits and learning to be more assertive in life and ask for what we need. I also have a truly compassionate daughter whose own struggles have made her want to be helpful to others facing different challenges.

Food allergies are never welcome and they make life more difficult at times. But you can live well with them. Here are some things that have helped me and my family:

Seek expert medical advice from an allergist. I've found the best people to handle the medical aspects of food allergy have been our allergists. Find a board-certified allergist and then follow their advice. Keep up on yearly visits, appropriate testing and keep in contact with them about medications. An allergist will be more knowledgeable on food allergies than most pediatricians, not to knock them because they're helpful, too. But an allergist will be more up-to-date on the constantly changing aspects of food allergies and this will be invaluable to you.

Always stand firm about food allergies. You'll meet people who don't take food allergies seriously, who may even blow them off completely. Sometimes those closest to you won't accept the situation. Be prepared for it. Usually, ignorance about food allergies is the key reason. If you know that something is not safe then avoid the food, situation or if need be, the person until they "get it." Risking an allergic reaction to preserve any relationship is never worth it. As we saw recently in Chicago, food allergies can be fatal when not clearly understood or properly respected.

Be informed but don't overload on random info. This is the hardest thing because Internet access can uncover some crazy stories and information. Stick to respected resources such as The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network, Allergic Living magazine and The Food Allergy Initiative for research and facts. (And I hope you'll visit me for lifestyle tips and food allergy news.) Overloading on stories of food allergy deaths or unproven medical information is never helpful and may be harmful.

Knowledge is half the battle. The good news is, if you're reading this you probably have received medication, medical advice and are just generally prepared to face a reaction if it occurs. Witnessing an allergic reaction without any knowledge of what may be causing it or without any EpiPen to treat it is much, much worse. If you know what you're dealing with, you can avoid or safely adapt to potentially harmful situations and cut down on risk.

I want to wish a healthy and Happy New Year to you all! Let's be safe together and please continue to share your input and comments!

What an amazing day for food allergy advocacy! The FAAN Chicago Walk was beautiful, bright, sunny and well-attended. Hooray! My husband wasn't feeling well but he attended anyway and started to feel better as the day went on. He's definitely a stand-up guy and he wanted to be there for our daughter. And, clearly, all the goodwill generated by this fabulous event had a healing effect!

We also brought my youngest daughter, Zoe--the best sister in the world to Alexandra--and Alexandra's close friend, Charlotte. Watching the girls enjoy themselves and get to enjoy the free samples of nut-free foods was truly awesome since partaking of food at events is usually off-limits.

The Chicago Walk was special for me personally because I got to meet up with some of my favorite food allergy advocates and supporters including local Chicagoans Kelly Rudnicki, allergy-friendly cookbook author of The Food Allergy Mama's Baking Book and Food Allergy Mama blogger and Joyce Davis, founder of Chicago Cubs Fans for Peanut-Free Baseball. I have had the pleasure of meeting both of these wonderful food allergy moms before and it's always great to see them! In fact, that's Joyce and her family in the photo with me--taken by her sister, Cindy! I know Kelly got a photo of us together--it's on her site. Kelly, send me that one! :)

And then there were all the out-of-town people I had met via social networking but not yet in person. I chatted with the lovely and talented Cybele Pascal and she autographed her book for me: The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook. Cybele also served as the Celebrity Honorary Chair of the Chicago Walk and did a great job! I was also thrilled to meet Aly from AllerDine--such a nice woman!--and so dedicated to the cause that she lost her voice spreading her message. Visit her AllerDine site for reviews of allergy-friendly restaurants across the nation and add your own as well.

I also met Joel Warady, of the Joel Warady Group--a firm that handles awesome allergy-aware companies like Enjoy Life Foods and Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels. What a nice guy! And speaking of Kim & Scott's, not only did they hand out free pretzels at the event, but when I took my crew to Cafe Twist after the walk, I got to meet the fabulous Kim Holstein, co-founder of Kim & Scott's. I also saw Aly from AllerDine at Cafe Twist as well along with many other FAAN walkers in what turned out to be kind of a rowdy and pretzel-filled "after party."

So many generous donations helped me reach my $500 fundraising goal--I was so flattered to even receive a donation from the wonderful Gwen Smith, editor of Allergic Living magazine. Thanks to ALL who donated--you really made a difference and I am so appreciative of your support.

I really can't say enough about how wonderful it was to meet all of these inspiring allergy advocates in one place, in person. Just being around so many families dealing with the same things that we do each day was also really heartening for me and my family.

Supporting FAAN is important to me because of their role in food allergy advocacy and education. I hope you'll visit their site for more info if you are not familiar with them. They truly make a difference.

Thanks to everyone who either attended, donated or help make the Walk happen. Hope to see you next year!

Calling all blog readers! I need your help! I'm doing the FAAN Walk for a Cure fundraising this year, and I am seeking donations from my you, my loyal readers.

I know I have the best blog readers in the world and you all truly inspire me. I am eager to hear about your concerns, struggles, obstacles and triumphs on this food allergy journey because I am on it with you. That's why I started this blog and now, that's why I'm walking in Chicago on October 17th.

This blog has long been the place where we converge to discuss the challenges of living with nut-allergies. Many of you either have a child or family member with a nut allergy and lately I've been hearing from adults with nut allergies.

We all want the same things: advocacy, education, and ultimately a workable cure for this life-threatening condition. FAAN is hard at work to make all of these happen. I don't know what I would have done without them in the early days of my daughter's diagnosis, and I am hoping the $$ contribution from my walk will help them keep up the good work.

Here is the link that will take you directly to my fundraising page. Click the "Support Me" to donate. Thank you in advance! I hope to see you in Chicago soon!!

The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network is really working hard to raise food allergy awareness and educate the general public about food allergies. Don't miss their appearance on Lifetime TV this Tuesday, September 21st! I just received the following alert from FAAN e-news:

Remember to tune into “The Balancing Act,” on Lifetime Television, Sept. 21 at 7:00 a.m. for a segment about food allergies featuring FAAN. Click in the link for the show's promo and be sure to tune in!

The program will feature interviews with our Heart of FAAN Child Ambassador Leandro de Armas, Brian Hom, who tragically lost his son as the result of a fatal food allergy reaction, and Maria Acebal, FAAN’s Vice President of Research and General Counsel, as well as a demonstration of how to use an epinephrine auto-injector.

Let's show our support for public education about life-threatening food allergies by watching this much-needed program!

I recently blogged about the current evaluation by the U.S. Department of Transportation regarding the proposed ban on peanuts for all airlines and I'm talking about it again because it's so important. This story is getting a lot of media attention and the food allergy naysayers are out in full force. It's time to speak out because many who oppose the ban are pushing back--hard. We need to show our numbers and strength here, not to mention the very good reasons why this food should be banned from air travel.

Peanuts and tree nuts aren't required to keep airplane engines aloft. People won't die if they are denied peanuts and tree nuts for a couple of hours--but in-cabin exposure to this serious allergen can cause death or life-threatening reactions. People don't choose to have a life-threatening food allergy and shouldn't be denied safe passage on a public conveyance because of this medical condition, all because of a snack that is easily replaced.

Please click this link to the FAAN page about this and you'll find the DOT link that will allow you to comment on this. FAAN also offers advice and direction on using the DOT link, so check that out too.

We have until August 9th, so please make your voices heard! So many people are making ignorant comments and remarks, downplaying peanut and tree nut allergies and portraying those in support of a ban as being overprotective and even "un-American." I guess having allergies isn't American?? In any case, please state your case calmly and share your personal airline stories if you have them.

You CAN make a big difference here. Remember, smoking used to be allowed on airlines, too. So did liquids bigger than 1 oz. Things change. People will get used to peanut/tree nut ban on airlines. But we must speak up.

So click here to find the link to DOT and then share your comments with the government. They want to know how we feel--and how often does that happen???--so let's tell them.

Would you like your state to formally recognize food allergy awareness week? The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) has some news about how to get this done:

Food Allergy Awareness Week: May 9-15, 2010

Ask your Governor to Issue a Food Allergy Awareness Week Proclamation

Issuing a Food Allergy Awareness Week proclamation is a great way to help raise awareness in your State!

Ask your Governor to declare May 9-15, 2010 Food Allergy Awareness Week!
(Note: We have already received proclamations from Alabama, Illinois (yes!), Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Washington, and Wisconsin.)

Follow this link to find a customizable letter you can send to your state governor. It's so easy--they've got all the info you need right there!

Food Allergy Awareness Week is such a great invention--and a wonderful way to get our communities to learn about the realities of what food allergy mean, who they affect and how to prevent reactions. An official state proclamation gives this important advocacy effort even more legitimacy.

If your state isn't on board yet, click this link now and let them hear from you.