As you may recall, Dave Niehaus, beloved Seattle Mariner's announcer, died on November 10. Dave had a relative with a food allergy and his family suggested donations to FAAN (Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network). Dave Niehaus' memorial will be at Safeco Field December 11. See the Seattle Times Mariner Blog
Michael San Soucie, who has been working closely with the Mariners and their peanut-controlled sections has agreed to collect donations from WA-FEAST members and he will be at the Memorial Service to present checks to FAAN to the family in Dave's memory.
Here are the details.....
Write check to: FAAN
In subject line write: Dave Niehaus
Mail to: Michael San Soucie (please e-mail leader@wafeast.org for the postal address)
We should try to get these in the mail by Dec. 7 so that they reach Michael in time. Michael will be willing to take cards or letters to the event as well and I am sure that the family will enjoy hearing about how much families appreciate the peanut-controlled sections at the Mariner's games.
If you prefer, you may use WA-FEAST's Paypal button found http://wafeast.org/How_You_Can_Help.html and list that you'd like the donation to be included in the FAAN gift. Your acknowledgement will come from WA-FEAST instead of FAAN but rest assured, we will pass along all of your gift.
Let's thank Dave and the Mariners for all they have done! And a big thanks to Michael for all his hard work on the memorial service gift and his untiring dedication to making major and minor league baseball more accessible to those with food allergies!
Of course you are welcome to donate to FAAN on your own without going through WA-FEAST!
Kelly Morgan, President
Jana Robertson VP Washington FEAST
http://www.wafeast.org/
1-425-24FEAST (messages)
leader@wafeast.org
Mail: 2400 NW 80th St., #315 Seattle WA 98117
Michael San Soucie (contact Michael by e-mail)
http://wafeast.org/Baseball.html
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Alcohol and Food Allergies
Thank you to guest blogger, Alice from Safe and Yummy. This is a repost from her blog and may be useful to food allergic adults - especially as the coming season invites social events that may involve alcohol. As always please be sure any information you read on the internet is safe for your individual situation.
This is simply to share what I know about various alcohols and their ingredients, since ingredients labeling currently is not required for alcohol in the United States. I have no expertise, simply some experiences in Seattle, WA. As always, use your own judgment, and please let me know about your own experiences.
Beer and Malt Beverages
Beer itself tends to be straightforward, but can have intriguing things mixed into it. I’m skeptical of beers with names that contain flavors and Christmastime “seasonal” ales (due to added spices and therefore nut).
Hops has a track record of causing contact dermatitis, and both of us find that it unsettles our stomachs. We’ve found Belgian ales to be lower in hops content.
Mike’s Hard Lemonade/Limeade etc – contain malt and other beer-like substances. I have not had a problem thus far.
Wine and the Like
Red Wine – contains sulfites
White Wine – also contains sulfites, but I can tolerate it. I don’t know if you can.
Mead – mead is traditionally made from honey. I’ve tried many meads, but I don’t try the ones that have spices in them or “mulled” meads.
Sake – mostly made from rice. There’s a special kind of mold, koji, that is used instead of yeast to encourage and control the fermentation. Sakes also can contain sulfites.
Vermouth – infused with “botanicals,” who knows what that means. Watch out for martinis, vermouth may be a wine, but it is spritzed over martinis.
Mixed Drinks, Liquor, Liqueurs, etc
WARNING Gin is usually infused with many flavors including nuts. Bombay Sapphire is one I know has almond. Dry Fly is one that I know does not contain any nuts whatsoever (the people at Dry Fly are also very nice about answering ingredients inquiries).
WARNING Maraschino cherries contain almond, and some bartenders like to add cherries or cherry juice unexpectedly. Explain why cherries are a bad idea when ordering your drinks.
Vodka – vodka is a popular drink to flavor, so watch the added flavorings, but what it is made of CAN VARY. Just because you’ve heard that vodka is from potatoes doesn’t mean it all is. I personally have now seen wheat-, rye-, potato-, and honey-based vodkas. Given that though, I find plain vodkas a great starting point when I’m out, one that isn’t scary because they usually are either very plain or the flavor is broadcasted all over the label.
Absinthe – Even now that it is legal again, I have no plans to ever try it. First it’s anise flavored (which is one of my allergies), and second, I don’t have a good way to test my allergies to wormwood first. Thirdly it contains other undefined herbs.
WARNING Chartreuse – contains over a hundred herbal extracts. I’m not interested in trying this, or trying to figure out if I’m allergic to any of them, I’m sure I’m allergic to at least one.
WARNING Jägermeister – also contains a large number of herbs, fruits, spices etc. That’s too many for me. Jäger is common in mixed drinks, especially drinks that have reputations as NOT “girly” drinks. Some people add Jäger to Long Island Iced Tea.
Vermouth – (technically a wine) vermouth is infused with “botanicals,” who knows what that means. Vermouth is spritzed over martinis.
Scotch, Bourbon, Whiskey – usually start from barley, rye, or wheat and are aged in barrels (frequently oak). Sometimes those barrels have been used for other alcohols first (sherry or bourbon – yes, some scotches are aged in bourbon barrels). The grain is usually malted and sometimes smoked – leaving a peaty flavor. Laphroaig scotch usually starts with water from peat bogs, in addition to being smoked over peat. Single malt scotches have a name that they want to maintain, so they’re quite consistent between batches.
WARNING Frangelico – is a hazelnut liqueur. STAY AWAY. This is contained in the popular “chocolate cake” shot – a shot that tastes like chocolate cake but has no cake and no chocolate.
WARNING Amaretto – this is almond liqueur. STAY AWAY.
Godiva Chocolate and White Chocolate liqueur – I had a little bit of a not-so-fun feeling in my mouth on tasting the Godiva chocolate liqueur. Since I don’t know and can’t find the real ingredients I’m staying away.
WARNING Celtic Crossing – I reacted minorly to this. It tasted a bit like almonds. I don’t know what it actually was that caused the reaction.
Kaluah – I’m pretty sensitive to peanuts and tree nuts and I don’t have a problem with this coffee-flavored liqueur. Jason won’t try it though because of his coffee sensitivity and general legume allergy.
Brandy, Cognac, Port – all of these start with wine. I said above that I don’t do red wines for the sulfites, but I haven’t had a problem with brandy or cognac. Port sometimes makes me sneeze, but I like tawny port anyway.
Grand Marnier – a citrus-flavored cognac
Rum – I haven’t tried the spiced rums, but both dark and white rum are pretty straightforward. They start from cane sugar, and some dark rums are aged in barrels.
Cointreau – citrus-flavored, but is NOT a cognac. This liqueur doesn’t start with wine. I have no clue what it really is, but I’m not allergic to it and neither is Jason.
Chambord – dark, berry-flavored. That’s all I’ve got. I’m not allergic to it and neither is Jason.
Tequila – is made from agave syrup. This does bother Jason, and if you’re sensitive to cacti or tropical fruits I’d be careful of it. I recommend getting tested or challenging agave before trying tequila.
General Advice
Alcohol impairs judgment. If you have food allergies, alcohol may make it harder to make the right decision about using your EpiPen or taking your Benadryl. Surround yourself with trustworthy friends when drinking and call for help if you’re not sure about something.
I have heard some reports that alcohol can speed up allergic reactions or make you more sensitive than usual. Please be cautious.
Benadryl and alcohol can mix badly as they’re both sedatives, so be careful. Follow your doctor’s instructions at all times. I have found consulting nurses, on-campus nurses, and doctors perfectly willing to discuss what happens when you mix alcohol with emergency allergy medications with me – especially when I bring it up before it happens accidentally. Alcohol is common in our society, and an expected part of many social interactions after a certain age. If you have a quick chat with your doctor before you get into a situation involving more than a sip of wine, then you’ll be prepared and ready (on the allergy front anyway) when you’re offered your first drink.
Cocktail shakers can be used for multiple drinks. Watch out for cross-contamination.
Finally, if you plan to go out with friends and you’re not the designated driver, I advise finding a simple, commonly-available alcoholic drink that you are comfortable ordering in a mixed setting before you go out. This way you always have a safe fallback that most bars will carry and you don’t have to feel put upon when the order comes around to you and you start listing allergies. Tee-totallers do this too – they order plain Coke (looks like they’re drinking rum-and-coke) or 7-up (looks like 7-and-7). Rum and Coke, vodka with a twist of lemon, scotch, etc. Feel free to tell your bartender to mix whatever you want. You know he has Sprite or 7-Up or some kind of safe fruit juice and your favorite liqueur? So what if it’s 7-Up and bourbon? Tell him what you want, he’ll probably do it – you’re usually only paying for the liquor and his time anyway.
Final Notes
You know this already: communicate with your server and the bartender when possible. In my experience these people are even more attentive and able to accommodate requests than restaurant servers and chefs. Perhaps there is less pressure in some of the settings I’ve been in, or perhaps there is some reality in the stereotype that bartenders are there to listen, but whatever it is, I’m glad for it.
I’ll keep adding to this as I learn more and as you leave your experiences in the comments.
This is simply to share what I know about various alcohols and their ingredients, since ingredients labeling currently is not required for alcohol in the United States. I have no expertise, simply some experiences in Seattle, WA. As always, use your own judgment, and please let me know about your own experiences.
Beer and Malt Beverages
Beer itself tends to be straightforward, but can have intriguing things mixed into it. I’m skeptical of beers with names that contain flavors and Christmastime “seasonal” ales (due to added spices and therefore nut).
Hops has a track record of causing contact dermatitis, and both of us find that it unsettles our stomachs. We’ve found Belgian ales to be lower in hops content.
Mike’s Hard Lemonade/Limeade etc – contain malt and other beer-like substances. I have not had a problem thus far.
Wine and the Like
Red Wine – contains sulfites
White Wine – also contains sulfites, but I can tolerate it. I don’t know if you can.
Mead – mead is traditionally made from honey. I’ve tried many meads, but I don’t try the ones that have spices in them or “mulled” meads.
Sake – mostly made from rice. There’s a special kind of mold, koji, that is used instead of yeast to encourage and control the fermentation. Sakes also can contain sulfites.
Vermouth – infused with “botanicals,” who knows what that means. Watch out for martinis, vermouth may be a wine, but it is spritzed over martinis.
Mixed Drinks, Liquor, Liqueurs, etc
WARNING Gin is usually infused with many flavors including nuts. Bombay Sapphire is one I know has almond. Dry Fly is one that I know does not contain any nuts whatsoever (the people at Dry Fly are also very nice about answering ingredients inquiries).
WARNING Maraschino cherries contain almond, and some bartenders like to add cherries or cherry juice unexpectedly. Explain why cherries are a bad idea when ordering your drinks.
Vodka – vodka is a popular drink to flavor, so watch the added flavorings, but what it is made of CAN VARY. Just because you’ve heard that vodka is from potatoes doesn’t mean it all is. I personally have now seen wheat-, rye-, potato-, and honey-based vodkas. Given that though, I find plain vodkas a great starting point when I’m out, one that isn’t scary because they usually are either very plain or the flavor is broadcasted all over the label.
Absinthe – Even now that it is legal again, I have no plans to ever try it. First it’s anise flavored (which is one of my allergies), and second, I don’t have a good way to test my allergies to wormwood first. Thirdly it contains other undefined herbs.
WARNING Chartreuse – contains over a hundred herbal extracts. I’m not interested in trying this, or trying to figure out if I’m allergic to any of them, I’m sure I’m allergic to at least one.
WARNING Jägermeister – also contains a large number of herbs, fruits, spices etc. That’s too many for me. Jäger is common in mixed drinks, especially drinks that have reputations as NOT “girly” drinks. Some people add Jäger to Long Island Iced Tea.
Vermouth – (technically a wine) vermouth is infused with “botanicals,” who knows what that means. Vermouth is spritzed over martinis.
Scotch, Bourbon, Whiskey – usually start from barley, rye, or wheat and are aged in barrels (frequently oak). Sometimes those barrels have been used for other alcohols first (sherry or bourbon – yes, some scotches are aged in bourbon barrels). The grain is usually malted and sometimes smoked – leaving a peaty flavor. Laphroaig scotch usually starts with water from peat bogs, in addition to being smoked over peat. Single malt scotches have a name that they want to maintain, so they’re quite consistent between batches.
WARNING Frangelico – is a hazelnut liqueur. STAY AWAY. This is contained in the popular “chocolate cake” shot – a shot that tastes like chocolate cake but has no cake and no chocolate.
WARNING Amaretto – this is almond liqueur. STAY AWAY.
Godiva Chocolate and White Chocolate liqueur – I had a little bit of a not-so-fun feeling in my mouth on tasting the Godiva chocolate liqueur. Since I don’t know and can’t find the real ingredients I’m staying away.
WARNING Celtic Crossing – I reacted minorly to this. It tasted a bit like almonds. I don’t know what it actually was that caused the reaction.
Kaluah – I’m pretty sensitive to peanuts and tree nuts and I don’t have a problem with this coffee-flavored liqueur. Jason won’t try it though because of his coffee sensitivity and general legume allergy.
Brandy, Cognac, Port – all of these start with wine. I said above that I don’t do red wines for the sulfites, but I haven’t had a problem with brandy or cognac. Port sometimes makes me sneeze, but I like tawny port anyway.
Grand Marnier – a citrus-flavored cognac
Rum – I haven’t tried the spiced rums, but both dark and white rum are pretty straightforward. They start from cane sugar, and some dark rums are aged in barrels.
Cointreau – citrus-flavored, but is NOT a cognac. This liqueur doesn’t start with wine. I have no clue what it really is, but I’m not allergic to it and neither is Jason.
Chambord – dark, berry-flavored. That’s all I’ve got. I’m not allergic to it and neither is Jason.
Tequila – is made from agave syrup. This does bother Jason, and if you’re sensitive to cacti or tropical fruits I’d be careful of it. I recommend getting tested or challenging agave before trying tequila.
General Advice
Alcohol impairs judgment. If you have food allergies, alcohol may make it harder to make the right decision about using your EpiPen or taking your Benadryl. Surround yourself with trustworthy friends when drinking and call for help if you’re not sure about something.
I have heard some reports that alcohol can speed up allergic reactions or make you more sensitive than usual. Please be cautious.
Benadryl and alcohol can mix badly as they’re both sedatives, so be careful. Follow your doctor’s instructions at all times. I have found consulting nurses, on-campus nurses, and doctors perfectly willing to discuss what happens when you mix alcohol with emergency allergy medications with me – especially when I bring it up before it happens accidentally. Alcohol is common in our society, and an expected part of many social interactions after a certain age. If you have a quick chat with your doctor before you get into a situation involving more than a sip of wine, then you’ll be prepared and ready (on the allergy front anyway) when you’re offered your first drink.
Cocktail shakers can be used for multiple drinks. Watch out for cross-contamination.
Finally, if you plan to go out with friends and you’re not the designated driver, I advise finding a simple, commonly-available alcoholic drink that you are comfortable ordering in a mixed setting before you go out. This way you always have a safe fallback that most bars will carry and you don’t have to feel put upon when the order comes around to you and you start listing allergies. Tee-totallers do this too – they order plain Coke (looks like they’re drinking rum-and-coke) or 7-up (looks like 7-and-7). Rum and Coke, vodka with a twist of lemon, scotch, etc. Feel free to tell your bartender to mix whatever you want. You know he has Sprite or 7-Up or some kind of safe fruit juice and your favorite liqueur? So what if it’s 7-Up and bourbon? Tell him what you want, he’ll probably do it – you’re usually only paying for the liquor and his time anyway.
Final Notes
You know this already: communicate with your server and the bartender when possible. In my experience these people are even more attentive and able to accommodate requests than restaurant servers and chefs. Perhaps there is less pressure in some of the settings I’ve been in, or perhaps there is some reality in the stereotype that bartenders are there to listen, but whatever it is, I’m glad for it.
I’ll keep adding to this as I learn more and as you leave your experiences in the comments.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Monday, October 4, 2010
Seattle Conference Photos
A beautiful fall Seattle day. Lots of information shared at "Living well with food allergies at all ages and stages" dedicated to the memory of Daniel Sargent.
Photos include pictures of our keynote speaker Linda Coss, Author, Food Allergy Expert.
Food Allergy Initiative Northwest Update
Sally Porter, Food Allergy Initiative Northwest and
Children's Food Allergy Community Nurse Educator Program Hilary Stephens, RN.
Kelly Morgan, MPA, MS. President WA-FEAST presenting food allergy resources.
Deli Lunch
• Buffet set up in lobby
• Sponsor/Info tables open
Jennifer Kim, MD, Mt. Sinai Medical School, Jaffe Food Allergy Institute Research update
and later Dr. Kim and Dr. David Naimi, DO, Northwest Asthma and Allergy
Anaphylaxis & Epinephrine Q & A panel discussion.
Spot Check, Inc. - Food Allergy Training and Certification Program
Lynn Bolgen, President
Alison Leary, PhD, Anxiety and Stress Reduction Center of Seattle .
Coping challenges and success secrets for anxiety management and food allergies
Jana
VP Washington FEAST
Washington Food Allergy Support
Thank you to Conference Sponsors Spokane FASN, Allerbling, Allergy Monkey, Coconut Bliss, Dey the makers of EpiPen, Bastyr Center, Medic Alert, Navan Foods, Allergic Living Magazine, and Microsoft Employee Giving Programs!!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Thank you to our Conference Sponsors!
The Seattle Conference "Living well with food allergies at all ages and stages" was made possible thanks to our sponsors. Registration fee covered some but not all of the day. We also wanted to offer scholarships for those who couldn’t manage the fee at this time so I wanted to extend a VERY special thanks to our wonderful sponsors that we were able to do that!! If you happen to do business with any of them and if you are so inclined, please mention to them you are grateful for their support to the WA-FEAST conference.
Allerbling™
Until there’s a cure, there’s Allerbling™ —raising awareness of children’s food allergies, one wrist at a time.
http://www.allerbling.com/
Allergy Monkey
Products and resources to help keep kids safe
www.allergymonkey.com/
Bastyr Center for Natural Health
The teaching clinic of Bastyr University
http://www.bastyrcenter.org/
Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss
Made from coconut milk and
free of dairy, soy and gluten.
Remember bliss is just a lick away!
http://www.coconutbliss.com/
Dey
In a life-threatening allergic reaction, every second counts. EpiPen® helps stop allergic reactions fast—giving you time to get the emergency medical help you need.
http://www.epipen.com/
Medic Alert Foundation
Always There For You
http://www.medicalert.org/
Microsoft Employee Giving Programs
At Microsoft, our mission and values are to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.
http://www.microsoft.com/
Navan Foods
The allergy free food shop
http://www.navanfoods.com/
Spokane Food Allergy Support Network
Stop • Think • Allergies™
http://www.spokanefasn.org/
Allerbling™
Until there’s a cure, there’s Allerbling™ —raising awareness of children’s food allergies, one wrist at a time.
http://www.allerbling.com/
Allergy Monkey
Products and resources to help keep kids safe
www.allergymonkey.com/
Bastyr Center for Natural Health
The teaching clinic of Bastyr University
http://www.bastyrcenter.org/
Luna and Larry’s Coconut Bliss
Made from coconut milk and
free of dairy, soy and gluten.
Remember bliss is just a lick away!
http://www.coconutbliss.com/
Dey
In a life-threatening allergic reaction, every second counts. EpiPen® helps stop allergic reactions fast—giving you time to get the emergency medical help you need.
http://www.epipen.com/
Medic Alert Foundation
Always There For You
http://www.medicalert.org/
Microsoft Employee Giving Programs
At Microsoft, our mission and values are to help people and businesses throughout the world realize their full potential.
http://www.microsoft.com/
Navan Foods
The allergy free food shop
http://www.navanfoods.com/
Spokane Food Allergy Support Network
Stop • Think • Allergies™
http://www.spokanefasn.org/
Friday, September 24, 2010
Conference Dedicated to Daniel Sargent
The Washington FEAST food allergy conference "Living well with food allergies at all ages and stages" is dedicated to the memory of Daniel Sargent, a sports writer who worked for the Everett Herald and who died in July of 2008 from anaphylaxis caused by an accidental peanut exposure.
His fatal reaction occurred one Sunday afternoon while Daniel was celebrating a friend’s 30th birthday at Magnuson Park in Seattle. Witnesses say that ninety seconds after he took a bite from a chocolate chip cookie, he collapsed. Epinephrine was not on hand, but a nurse, medic, and pulmonologist who happened to be attending the party administered CPR until emergency help arrived.
Daniel was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where doctors tried for two days to save him from complications wrought by the severe reaction, which had blocked his breathing and deprived his brain of oxygen. Daniel died at the age of 30 from the peanut allergy his family learned about when he was 3 months old.
An article published by the Everett Herald on July 4, 2008 (“Man’s death a stark reminder of food allergy risks” by Sharon Salver), reported that the family had kept an EpiPen, a device for self-injecting epinephrine to provide temporary relief from the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, at their home. But as an adult, Daniel had decided not to carry an EpiPen at all times. Instead, Daniel tried to be vigilant about what he ate and kept an over-the-counter allergy medicine close at hand. As his father is quoted in the Herald article, “This time, [the allergic reaction] just came too fast, to quick, and too deadly.”
Daniel grew up near Everett and graduated from Snohomish High School in 1996. He worked as a sports writer for the Everett Herald and as a medical assistant for Skagit Valley Medical Center in Mount Vernon. His life-long love of soccer lead to volunteering with Snohomish County Youth Soccer for over a decade. He also coached, played , and refer¬eed indoor soccer.
His driver’s license indicated that he wished to be an organ donor, and his sister reported in the Herald article that his heart had been used in a transplant surgery at the University of Washington and that his liver, kidneys, and corneas would also be donated.
Lacey Boek, a lifelong friend of Daniel’s, wrote the following in July 3, 2008; she posted it on a memorial blog for Daniel at http://rememberingdansargent.blogspot.com/.
Daniel Sargent is . . . a loyal friend who would do anything for those around him. He has a huge heart that has touched the lives of many. It is in his death that he will continue to help people and give back. Daniel is an organ donor with very healthy organs to donate. . . . We will remember him with fond memories forever. It is my hope that we can all take something away from this tragic story.
His fatal reaction occurred one Sunday afternoon while Daniel was celebrating a friend’s 30th birthday at Magnuson Park in Seattle. Witnesses say that ninety seconds after he took a bite from a chocolate chip cookie, he collapsed. Epinephrine was not on hand, but a nurse, medic, and pulmonologist who happened to be attending the party administered CPR until emergency help arrived.
Daniel was rushed to Harborview Medical Center, where doctors tried for two days to save him from complications wrought by the severe reaction, which had blocked his breathing and deprived his brain of oxygen. Daniel died at the age of 30 from the peanut allergy his family learned about when he was 3 months old.
An article published by the Everett Herald on July 4, 2008 (“Man’s death a stark reminder of food allergy risks” by Sharon Salver), reported that the family had kept an EpiPen, a device for self-injecting epinephrine to provide temporary relief from the symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, at their home. But as an adult, Daniel had decided not to carry an EpiPen at all times. Instead, Daniel tried to be vigilant about what he ate and kept an over-the-counter allergy medicine close at hand. As his father is quoted in the Herald article, “This time, [the allergic reaction] just came too fast, to quick, and too deadly.”
Daniel grew up near Everett and graduated from Snohomish High School in 1996. He worked as a sports writer for the Everett Herald and as a medical assistant for Skagit Valley Medical Center in Mount Vernon. His life-long love of soccer lead to volunteering with Snohomish County Youth Soccer for over a decade. He also coached, played , and refer¬eed indoor soccer.
His driver’s license indicated that he wished to be an organ donor, and his sister reported in the Herald article that his heart had been used in a transplant surgery at the University of Washington and that his liver, kidneys, and corneas would also be donated.
Lacey Boek, a lifelong friend of Daniel’s, wrote the following in July 3, 2008; she posted it on a memorial blog for Daniel at http://rememberingdansargent.blogspot.com/.
Daniel Sargent is . . . a loyal friend who would do anything for those around him. He has a huge heart that has touched the lives of many. It is in his death that he will continue to help people and give back. Daniel is an organ donor with very healthy organs to donate. . . . We will remember him with fond memories forever. It is my hope that we can all take something away from this tragic story.
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