It's finally time. We've been participants in a Peanut Sublingual Immunotherapy Clinical Trial for over a year. May 18th marked our one year anniversary and June 23rd marks our first food challenge. Come 8:00 Wednesday morning, Abigail and I will be at the Duke Clinical Research Unit nervously and anxiously waiting to begin.
I've been quite excited waiting for this day to come. Abigail has been more on the nervous side. I've given her all the details I think she can handle. I've clarified that they are not going to take her to the point of her having an anaphylaxic reaction, and it was evident that she was relieved. Now, the day before, I'm getting a little anxious as well. I just so badly want to see good results!
Here's what our day looks like. We start right off with testing. Abigail will have to immediately get an I.V., then have blood drawn, have a skin prick test and spit in a tube for a saliva test. Around 9:00 a.m. we'll start the 1st of 2 food challenges. It's a blinded challenge so one will be peanut flour and the other oat flour. The staff in the kitchen actually makes the call as to what comes first. We're not supposed to know until after both challenges, but I hear it's pretty hard to not smell the peanut flour. The flour will be mixed with applesauce. I'm also bringing chocolate pudding, cinnamon applesauce and because she occasionally eats sunflower butter, I'm bringing sunflower butter and crackers to give her some variety.
There should be no issues with the first couple of doses. If I'm reading my notes from our last Duke visit correctly, by the 4th dose, she'll be getting 100 milligrams, 5th dose, 250 milligrams, etc. The 9th dose is the equivalent of 8 to 10 peanuts, over 1500 milligrams. If she can tolerate it, they'll stop the challenge at the 9th dose. There's a 2 hour break, and then the process is repeated with the second challenge. It's going to be a long day. We're expected to wrap up between 5 and 6 o'clock.
They'll be monitoring her the entire time. Benadryl and Epi Pens will be right there, and of course, she'll have the I.V. Every few minutes they'll check for a reaction. Our doctor and a nurse will be there, with another nurse stopping in periodically with a new set of eyes. We're looking for sinus issues, hives, stomach pains with possible vomiting. Any of those symptoms will stop the challenge. Her history of stomach aches adds a little complexity. Her stomach hurts when she's nervous so we'll have to push through that. That's also why they do a blinded challenge with both peanut and oat flour so they can rule out a psychological reaction. According to her doctor, the biggest sign of a reaction is a change in behavior. He says that the kids will be playing their Nintendo DS, watching a movie, reading a book, etc., and then all of a sudden, they stop and go lay down, kinda withdraw. Small children will crawl in their mom's lap.
We're taking lots of movies, and I've got my bag of treats packed. It's a big day for Abigail. The good news is that they're seeing a clear difference in the study results between the children getting the peanut protein and the children getting the placebo. At the end of the day, Abigail's file will be unlocked and we'll see what she's getting. I'm 99% sure that we are getting the real thing, and I'll be embarrassed if we find out that she's been on a placebo all this time. I really don't think so though.
According to our doctor, based on the 40 plus food challenges already completed, they know that the sublingual immunotherapy works, the question now is how to make it work better. Keep us in your prayers on Wednesday that it works for us. I'll post an update Wednesday night.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
Monday, June 21, 2010
Generation Monsanto
We've had a very busy weekend celebrating my son's 3rd birthday and getting ready for Abigail's food challenge at Duke this week. I'll post more on both topics tomorrow and Wednesday, but I wanted to pass on an e-mail update that I received last week from the Organic Consumers Association. It's gives an excellent look at the current state of genetically modified foods and the impact on our children. It's a call to require labeling of all GMO foods. Here's the article, taken directly from the OCA e-mail and also found on Huffington Post. It's definitely worth the read:
Corn (85% of U.S. production is GM), soy (91% GM), cotton (88% GM), canola (85% GM) and sugar beets (95% GM) are all genetically engineered by Monsanto to withstand massive doses of the company's glyphosate herbicide RoundUp, or else to exude their own pesticide, Bacillus Thuriengensis (Bt). RoundUp, the favorite weedkiller poison of non-organic farmers and gardeners, causes brain, intestinal and heart defects in fetuses. And scientists warn that RoundUp, the most extensively used herbicide in the history of agriculture, "may have dire consequences for agriculture such as rendering soils infertile, crops non-productive, and plants less nutritious." In addition, hundreds of thousands of US dairy cows are injected with genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone (developed by Monsanto) in spite of studies linking BGH with cancer, and longstanding bans on the drug in the EU, Japan, Canada, and most industrialized nations.
With genetically modified foods and crops threatening public health and the environment, not to mention the next generation's reproductive capacity, why isn't there a massive consumer outcry to restrain Monsanto's biotech bullying and ban genetically engineered foods and agriculture?
The answer is disturbingly simple. Collusion between Monsanto and elected public officials (including the current Obama Administration) has obscured the fact that almost all non-organic foods in the US contain GMOs. Despite poll after poll indicating that 85-95% of US consumers want mandatory labels on foods containing GMOs, Congress has heretofore listened to Monsanto and corporate agribusiness, rather than their own constituents. In the European Union, Japan, or South Korea, where GM foods must be labeled, there are no GM foods on grocery story shelves (and little or none served in restaurants), since most consumers would not buy them and a significant number would complain if they saw GMO labels on products. Consequently there are very few GM crops being cultivated in the EU (mainly a small amount of corn in Spain for animal feed).
Most Americans simply do not understand that 80% of non-organic supermarket processed foods (basically every product containing soy, corn, canola, cottonseed oil, or sugar beet derivatives) are contaminated with GMOs. While nearly everyone in North America has eaten genetically modified foods, only 26% believe that they have.
People don't think they're eating genetically modified foods because they have no way of knowing whether they are or not. Genetically modified foods aren't labeled.
If we're going to save this generation from reproductive dysfunction and save our farmland from the ravages of RoundUp, we need to stop Monsanto.
The first step is to protect consumers' right to know whether their food is genetically modified.
We need genetically modified food labeled now!
Write your Congresspersons and 2010 candidates for the House and Senate. Tell them to support mandatory labeling of all genetically modified foods.
Generation Monsanto (GM) - Why We Need Labels on GM Foods Now
Gen-M, the first Monsanto Generation of humans force-fed genetically modified foods hasn't reached reproductive age yet (they were born in the late 1990s). But, if a critical mass of animal feeding studies are any indication, the millennial generation, reared on Food Inc.'s unlabeled "Frankenfoods" can look forward to a long-term epidemic of cancer, food allergies, learning disabilities, sterility, and birth defects.Corn (85% of U.S. production is GM), soy (91% GM), cotton (88% GM), canola (85% GM) and sugar beets (95% GM) are all genetically engineered by Monsanto to withstand massive doses of the company's glyphosate herbicide RoundUp, or else to exude their own pesticide, Bacillus Thuriengensis (Bt). RoundUp, the favorite weedkiller poison of non-organic farmers and gardeners, causes brain, intestinal and heart defects in fetuses. And scientists warn that RoundUp, the most extensively used herbicide in the history of agriculture, "may have dire consequences for agriculture such as rendering soils infertile, crops non-productive, and plants less nutritious." In addition, hundreds of thousands of US dairy cows are injected with genetically engineered Bovine Growth Hormone (developed by Monsanto) in spite of studies linking BGH with cancer, and longstanding bans on the drug in the EU, Japan, Canada, and most industrialized nations.
With genetically modified foods and crops threatening public health and the environment, not to mention the next generation's reproductive capacity, why isn't there a massive consumer outcry to restrain Monsanto's biotech bullying and ban genetically engineered foods and agriculture?
The answer is disturbingly simple. Collusion between Monsanto and elected public officials (including the current Obama Administration) has obscured the fact that almost all non-organic foods in the US contain GMOs. Despite poll after poll indicating that 85-95% of US consumers want mandatory labels on foods containing GMOs, Congress has heretofore listened to Monsanto and corporate agribusiness, rather than their own constituents. In the European Union, Japan, or South Korea, where GM foods must be labeled, there are no GM foods on grocery story shelves (and little or none served in restaurants), since most consumers would not buy them and a significant number would complain if they saw GMO labels on products. Consequently there are very few GM crops being cultivated in the EU (mainly a small amount of corn in Spain for animal feed).
Most Americans simply do not understand that 80% of non-organic supermarket processed foods (basically every product containing soy, corn, canola, cottonseed oil, or sugar beet derivatives) are contaminated with GMOs. While nearly everyone in North America has eaten genetically modified foods, only 26% believe that they have.
People don't think they're eating genetically modified foods because they have no way of knowing whether they are or not. Genetically modified foods aren't labeled.
If we're going to save this generation from reproductive dysfunction and save our farmland from the ravages of RoundUp, we need to stop Monsanto.
The first step is to protect consumers' right to know whether their food is genetically modified.
We need genetically modified food labeled now!
Write your Congresspersons and 2010 candidates for the House and Senate. Tell them to support mandatory labeling of all genetically modified foods.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Cascadian Farms
I'm always on the look-out for organic products, especially peanut allergy safe organic products. Even better is when I can find them reasonably priced and at one of the grocery stores I already shop at. So, when I came across a few varieties of organic cereal for kids, competitively priced at $2.82 a box at Wal-mart, I was excited, and thought I would share my find.
I purchased the Cascadian Farms Cinnamon Crunch cereal, and the whole family liked it. I'm not sure we even ate it with milk. I think we finished the entire box just eating it by the handful for snacks. Of course, I contacted the company regarding their allergen labeling. Here's what they had to say:
If one of our products contains any of the top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy products, eggs, soy, wheat, crustaceans, and fish) or if it contains sesame, sunflower or mollusks, that ingredient is always listed in the ingredient panel, and also in bold letters just below the list of ingredients. If a product is exposed to any of these allergens in the manufacturing facility the allergen will be listed in bold in the ′Contains Statement′ just below the list of ingredients. This list is your ingredient assurance for that package. It is not intended for other packaging of the same product. Ingredients may vary from one package to another due to product reformulation. If you have allergy concerns, please read each package ingredient panel.
If one of our products contains any of the top 8 allergens (peanuts, tree nuts, dairy products, eggs, soy, wheat, crustaceans, and fish) or if it contains sesame, sunflower or mollusks, that ingredient is always listed in the ingredient panel, and also in bold letters just below the list of ingredients. If a product is exposed to any of these allergens in the manufacturing facility the allergen will be listed in bold in the ′Contains Statement′ just below the list of ingredients. This list is your ingredient assurance for that package. It is not intended for other packaging of the same product. Ingredients may vary from one package to another due to product reformulation. If you have allergy concerns, please read each package ingredient panel.
I feel good about letting Abigail eat the Cascadian Farm products that do not have peanuts/tree nuts listed in the ingredients. After reviewing their website and hearing back from their customer service, it appears, that Cascadian Farms is one of the few food manufacturers that are committed to protecting our health and the environment.
FYI - This post expresses my own opinions. I was not asked by Cascadian Farms to review their products.
FYI - This post expresses my own opinions. I was not asked by Cascadian Farms to review their products.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Last Day of School
Today was Abigail's last day of 1st grade. It's hard to believe another school year has come and gone
I would deem it a very successful year. Abigail grew tremendously academically, emotionally and socially. Also, just importantly, if not more so, we made it through the year without a single allergy mishap!! Yeah!! Thanks to her great teachers, vigilant school staff and some wonderful friends, Abigail had a safe school year.
Just last weekend I was talking to a mom of one of Abigail's classmates. She said that she hadn't purchased peanut butter or peanut butter snacks the entire year. She said her daughter was super protective of her friend, Abigail, and wasn't going to take a peanut butter snack to school. That almost brought tears to my eyes. This is a family with 4 children, 2 of them school aged, and they haven't had peanut butter sandwiches or crackers the whole year. How incredible is that??
The kids in her class learned to read labels. They understood that products manufactured in the same plant or using the same equipment were also not safe. If they brought a snack that wasn't safe, they moved to a different table to eat it. Abigail's teacher had a great idea. She took all of the extra cupcakes (from Freed's Bakery which is nut free) left from the holiday parties, put them in baggies and stored them in the freezer in the teacher's lounge. That way Abigail had safe treats throughout the year.
Just recently, I read about some moms doing a PAL (Protect A Life) Hero session at the start of the school year. They went into the class, talked about their son or daughter's food allergy, reviewed the steps to being a PAL and then handed out special certificates. I loved this idea and will definitely approach Abigail's teacher next year about doing something similar. Knowing how great Abigail's classmates have been this year, I wanted to make sure they were properly thanked and wanted Abigail to do that herself.
Using the PAL Hero certificates from the FAAN website, I printed one for each member of the class. I thought it would be nice if Abigail got up in front of the class, explain what the certificates were, tell the class thank you and then hand them out. She freaked out when I told her my idea. While she doesn't make a huge fuss about having a food allergy, this was obviously a sensitive issue and getting up in front of the class to discuss it was beyond her comfort level. Again, her teacher came to the rescue. She allowed Abigail to call 2 classmates over at a time to tell them thank you and to give them their certificate. I asked Abigail what she said to them. She said she told them thank you, said it was nice when they moved to a different table if they had an unsafe snack and then asked them if they wanted to hear more (I thought that was pretty cute). I had given her a "Be A Pal" brochure, again from the FAAN website, and she shared the 5 steps to being a PAL. I was so proud of her. What a big girl thing to do!
FYI, the 5 steps are:
1. Never take food allergies lightly.
2. Don't share your food with friends who have food allergies.
3. Wash hands after eating.
4. Ask what your friends are allergic to and help them avoid it.
5. If a friend who has food allergies becomes ill, get help immediately.
And, here's a big thank you from me to everyone that made Abigail's 1st grade year one to remember...for all the right reasons!
I would deem it a very successful year. Abigail grew tremendously academically, emotionally and socially. Also, just importantly, if not more so, we made it through the year without a single allergy mishap!! Yeah!! Thanks to her great teachers, vigilant school staff and some wonderful friends, Abigail had a safe school year.
Just last weekend I was talking to a mom of one of Abigail's classmates. She said that she hadn't purchased peanut butter or peanut butter snacks the entire year. She said her daughter was super protective of her friend, Abigail, and wasn't going to take a peanut butter snack to school. That almost brought tears to my eyes. This is a family with 4 children, 2 of them school aged, and they haven't had peanut butter sandwiches or crackers the whole year. How incredible is that??
The kids in her class learned to read labels. They understood that products manufactured in the same plant or using the same equipment were also not safe. If they brought a snack that wasn't safe, they moved to a different table to eat it. Abigail's teacher had a great idea. She took all of the extra cupcakes (from Freed's Bakery which is nut free) left from the holiday parties, put them in baggies and stored them in the freezer in the teacher's lounge. That way Abigail had safe treats throughout the year.
Just recently, I read about some moms doing a PAL (Protect A Life) Hero session at the start of the school year. They went into the class, talked about their son or daughter's food allergy, reviewed the steps to being a PAL and then handed out special certificates. I loved this idea and will definitely approach Abigail's teacher next year about doing something similar. Knowing how great Abigail's classmates have been this year, I wanted to make sure they were properly thanked and wanted Abigail to do that herself.
Using the PAL Hero certificates from the FAAN website, I printed one for each member of the class. I thought it would be nice if Abigail got up in front of the class, explain what the certificates were, tell the class thank you and then hand them out. She freaked out when I told her my idea. While she doesn't make a huge fuss about having a food allergy, this was obviously a sensitive issue and getting up in front of the class to discuss it was beyond her comfort level. Again, her teacher came to the rescue. She allowed Abigail to call 2 classmates over at a time to tell them thank you and to give them their certificate. I asked Abigail what she said to them. She said she told them thank you, said it was nice when they moved to a different table if they had an unsafe snack and then asked them if they wanted to hear more (I thought that was pretty cute). I had given her a "Be A Pal" brochure, again from the FAAN website, and she shared the 5 steps to being a PAL. I was so proud of her. What a big girl thing to do!
FYI, the 5 steps are:
1. Never take food allergies lightly.
2. Don't share your food with friends who have food allergies.
3. Wash hands after eating.
4. Ask what your friends are allergic to and help them avoid it.
5. If a friend who has food allergies becomes ill, get help immediately.
And, here's a big thank you from me to everyone that made Abigail's 1st grade year one to remember...for all the right reasons!
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Now at McDonalds - McFlurrys with Reese's Cups
We don't eat at McDonald's often, but on occasion, as a treat, we'll let the kids get a Happy Meal or Hot Fudge Sundaes. And, when traveling, it's often the only place to eat. Obviously, the Sundaes are definitely out, but what about the cheeseburgers and french fries?
I stopped by my local McDonald's to check it out. From a few of the horror stories I read online about people seeing Reese's Cup topping spilling out over the counter into other areas, including the floor, I wasn't sure what to expect. The Reese's Cup topping was in a covered plastic container in the ice cream stand which is a free standing unit over by itself no where near the burger station or fries. Isn't that no different than when my daughter eats at one end of the cafeteria table and another child with a peanut butter sandwich sits at the other?
It was only 10:00 in the morning so it was probably the wrong time to visit. Maybe I should stop by at the end of the day and see what the topping container looks like then. Or, see what would happen if I ordered a McFlurry along with some fries, burger and a drink. Would the cashier scoop the topping on the dessert getting residue on her hand, then go grab my fries and burger, take my money, pull out a drinking cup, press the button on the drink machine, handle the food tray and give me change? So, now I'm seeing lots and lots of opportunities for cross-contamination.
Bottom line, if I won't serve my daughter food that has been processed in a plant or manufactured on the same equipment, then why would I risk eating at an establishment that presents the same or even greater risk. At least a food manufacturer has strict standards. Who's working with the hourly employees at McDonald's to explain the risks and teach them safe handling?
What's McDonald's saying? Again, according to the message boards, McDonald's is sending the same form letter to everyone regardless of the type of inquiry. Here's a summary....it contains one of the top 8 allergens....the safety and well-being of our customers is a priority...the decision to purchase a McFlurry is left to the consumers discretion....we look forward to serving you again under the Golden Arches. Priceless! So, if I had any doubts about my decision to not eat at McDonald's, at least during the promotion, they've been confirmed.
Just something else disappointing to have to tell my daughter.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
2010 Sunscreen Guide
Just in time for summer, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) has released an in depth look at sunscreens. Here are a few very surprising and note-worthy conclusions:
Please take the time to check out the guide, read the dangers of some of the most common sunscreens on the store shelves and find out why the FDA has yet to wrap up sunscreen regulations that they started 32 years ago in 1978.
And, yes there is still a recommendation by the FDA to get 10 minutes of sunshine several times a week to help boost Vitamin D. Happy Summer! Enjoy the sun...just enjoy it wisely!
- Both the FDA and the International Agency for Research on Cancer agree that there is no evidence that sunscreen prevents cancer. Hats, shirts and shade are the primary barriers.
- There is some evidence that sunscreens may actually increase the risk of skin cancer. It's unclear why, but researchers speculate that it could be that sunscreen consumers stay out in the sun too long or that the sunscreen product is inferior.
- While there are more products than ever with a SPF higher than 50, there is no proof that they are better. In fact, they may encourage consumers to stay out in the sun too long.
- Vitamin A, a common sunscreen ingredient (in as many as 41% of sunscreens), may actually speed the development of cancer. The FDA recently conducted a study of vitamin A’s photocarcinogenic properties, and there is a possibility that it results in cancerous tumors when used on skin exposed to sunlight.
Please take the time to check out the guide, read the dangers of some of the most common sunscreens on the store shelves and find out why the FDA has yet to wrap up sunscreen regulations that they started 32 years ago in 1978.
And, yes there is still a recommendation by the FDA to get 10 minutes of sunshine several times a week to help boost Vitamin D. Happy Summer! Enjoy the sun...just enjoy it wisely!
Sunday, May 30, 2010
My Gardens
My herb garden is on my deck. I have dill, basil, rosemary, thyme, lemon thyme, parsley, bee balm, chives and lettuce. After several years, this is the first year that my blueberry plant flowered and produced berries. I'm watching to make sure I get the ripened berries before the birds do. This spring, my mom gave me a blackberry bush to add to my collection. Told you. I'm loving it.
We ate fresh veggies all summer last year, and I even had enough to put a few things in the freezer. I think I'm going to try my hand at pickling and canning this summer. I found several recipes for pickles that call for freezing your jars instead of using a hot water bath or a pressure cooker. Sounds perfect!
If you haven't started a vegetable garden, and want to, it's not too late. You really should check out square foot gardening. It's fast and easy. We made our raised bed frames with a couple of inexpensive 2 x 6 boards. I put up a fence for protection against the rabbits and my 2 year old (he likes to help....maybe a bit too much). If you have no inclination for gardening, then check out this guide to pesticides. It tells which fruits and vegetables you should purchase organic and which ones are the lowest in pesticides. Did you know that only 5% of the world's farmland is dedicated to organic farming? So, if you can, support your local organic farmers by shopping your Farmer's Markets and local produce stands.
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