Here's to Moms of Children with Life-Threatening Allergies!

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, mother-in-law, aunts, cousins, friends and faithful readers!  What a wonderful honor it is to be a mother. At the same time, is it not one of the most difficult jobs there is?

Today I want to recognize a special group of moms...moms of children with life-threatening allergies.  A mom with an allergic child has a lot on her plate making sure certain foods stay off their kids' plates!  So, here's to the moms that make sure that the Epi Pens and antihistamines are always on hand and in date, that read every label on every food, that call ahead to restaurants to see if the food is safe, that know every party/special occasion that takes place in their child's class in order to provide a comparable safe treat, that have meeting after meeting with school officials and teachers to discuss the special requirements of their child's allergy, that fill out multiple health forms and action plans with in case of emergency details, that receive the grumbling from a few that feel put out for having to accommodate their child's allergy, that hate knowing their child will be labeled as disabled, that search cookbooks looking for allergy friendly recipes and websites looking for alternative ingredients, that break the bad news to their child that they can't attend a function because it's not safe, that help their child sort through Halloween candy bags and Valentine card boxes to remove offending treats only to find that the throw out pile is larger than the keep pile, that keep up-to-date with all food recall information to make sure there isn't a mislabeled food violation in their pantry, that write their political leaders asking for more support for food allergy issues, that get angry with food manufacturers for worrying more about the bottom line then the safety of their child, that go to battle with acquaintances maybe even family members that don't believe the seriousness of their child's allergy, that hold their child's hand tightly while they have blood drawn or their skin pricked during a food allergy test, that explain to their child one more time that they're not weird and that yes it is unfair that they have this allergy, that pray regularly that there will someday be a cure for or even just a better understanding of food allergies, that wait year after year thinking this will be the one when their child outgrows their allergy only to realize that it's probably not going to happen, that watch their child go off to school by himself and worry all day that he isn't exposed to that one or more foods that can make him deathly ill, that soothe a child upset by an insensitive comment made by a peer, that spend hours researching the latest food allergy treatments, that drive miles out of the way to shop at grocery stores that stock safe foods, that spend hundreds of dollars more a year for those safe foods, that frequent their child's school at lunchtime so that their child doesn't have to sit alone, that shelter their young child from the true consequences of their food allergy and later watches as their older child accepts those consequences for themselves, that teach their child how to inject a life-saving device into their thigh, that hope their teenager isn't too cool or too forgetful to carry their Epi Pen when they're out with their friends, that rush to the hospital because one of their greatest fears did occur and their child is having difficulty breathing, that remove an offending food from their own diet so as to not put their child at risk, that privately battle their anxiety, that paste a smile on their face and assure their child that everything is going to be okay and that pray they can keep it together, be strong for their child and family and protect their child from the dangers they face on a daily basis. To you fellow moms, a very special Happy Mother's Day!

Many Blessings,
Melanie

Immunoglobulins

I've thrown around the term "IgE" quite often in my posts and felt it time to take a closer look.  If a person's Immunoglobulin E (IgE) level, derived from a simple blood test, is elevated, it usually indicates a food allergy and increases with the number of allergies a person has.  I don't know Abigail's total IgE number. I just know her peanut specific IgE number.  It's the number that tells us the percent chance of her having a reaction if exposed to peanuts and is the number that will tell us if her tolerance to peanuts is improving on the study.

There are actually several Immunoglobulins, or antibodies, in our blood.  According to WebMD, antibodies are substances made by the body's immune system in response to bacteria, viruses, fungus, animal dander, or cancer cells. Antibodies attach to the foreign substances so the immune system can destroy them.  There are 5 different types:

• IgA antibodies are found in the nose, breathing passages, digestive tract, ears, eyes, etc., and protect the body surfaces that are exposed to the outside.  Celiac disease is diagnosed using IgA antibodies as a starting point.

• IgM antibodies are found in blood and lymph fluid and are made in response to infections.

• IgE antibodies are found in the lungs, skin and mucous membranes.  They cause the body to react against foreign substances like pollen, dander or food.

• IgD antibodies are found in the tissues that line the belly or chest. WebMD states that it's unclear how they work.

• IgG antibodies are found in bodily fluids and are the most common making up 75 to 80% of all antibodies in our bodies. IgG antibodies help fight bacterial and viral infections.

According to the literature that Immuno Laboratories provided me, the majority of negative reactions to foods, or food sensitivities, with delayed symptoms are caused by IgG antibodies.  The literature states that 90% of immune reactions to foods are non-IgE.

I've been so fixated on IgE numbers that I never really paid attention to anything else.  It wasn't until I started looking closer at the difference between food allergies and food intolerances, that I realized that IgG numbers were quite important.  In my quest to now understand my own food sensitivities and those of several family members, I've been doing more research into the difference between allergies and intolerances.  In the next couple of posts I'll look closer at the symptoms of food sensitivities and the Immuno 1 Bloodprint test that identifies which foods a person is sensitive to.

On a more personal note, I went to my physician last week to discuss my symptoms which I believe are directly related to an intolerance to one or more foods.  I mentioned IgG antibodies, and she said it was something she wasn't familiar with.  She ordered an IgE food allergy test and Celiac test and then indicated that the most she could do to help was to refer me to an Allergist.  While not surprised, I'm frustrated that I have to go through the process of finding a doctor that is more knowledgeable on the subject of food sensitivities.  I haven't received the results of either test yet, but am expecting both to come back negative.

Big day for Abigail

After almost 2 years, Abigail's hair was finally long enough to cut and donate to Pantene Beautiful Lengths. This morning she and her best friend had appointments together to have their hair cut for donation.

Here's a couple of pictures. I love her new short hair!

About the time Abigail was starting Kindergarten, she decided she wanted to grow her hair for a friend at church that was battling cancer.  Her friend, Caroline, was in the middle of yet another round of treatment and had lost her hair as a result.  Just last month Caroline lost her battle with childhood cancer, and she passed away.  Caroline was a very special little girl, and I'm so proud that Abigail was doing this in her honor.

Aside from having a life-threatening allergy, I have a happy, healthy child.  I have so much to be thankful for!

Bloodprinting for Food Allergies/Intolerances

So, I'm reading an article on a study that links obesity to food allergies when I come across something called a Bloodprint test.  Evidently, the Bloodprint test, a simple blood test, can help identify food and environmental allergies/intolerances that cause inflammation which is possibly at the root of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, ADHD, autism, fibromyalgia, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, migraines and more.  The article goes on to say that millions of people have insurance that covers Bloodprint which can identify up to to 154 'trigger' foods. Very, very intriguing.

I'm convinced that over the last couple of years, I developed one or several food intolerances, and I also believe that my youngest child has a few, maybe even Abigail.  Now I'm on a fact finding mission. I Googled Bloodprint and found an article titled "A Sensitivity Assay that Proves Food is the First and Best Medicine."  Using the adage that "you are what you eat", the article explains that the foods that many patients ingest are the sources of their illnesses.

Two examples outlining why bloodprinting, specifically the Immuno 1 Bloodprint, is such a significant diagnostic tool really struck a cord with me. One example was about a 3 year old that experienced frequent ear infections. A bloodprinting assay found that he was allergic to eggs.  After removing eggs from his diet, he became completely free of symptoms.  While my son has tested negative to an IgE response to the most common foods, it does not mean that he isn't having an IgG response (I'll explain this in my next post) to certain foods causing inflammation and chronic sinus infections.  The second example was a female patient experiencing a variety of abdominal symptoms.  The Bloodprint assay gave her a list of foods that she has an IgG allergic reaction to and after 2 weeks of avoiding those foods, she was free of symptoms.

The article goes on to say that bloodprinting is broken into 2 parts. One is nutritionally-oriented, requiring patients to eliminate the tested reactive foods for 90 days and using a rotation diet of non-reactive foods.  The other part is pure immunology.  Here's what an expert on the Immuno 1 Bloodprint says, "Probably the first thing most bloodprinted patients report is an improvement in energy from improved sleeping and elevated energy during the day. Other subtle symptoms disappear, runny noses clear, ringing in the ears stops, irritable bowel symptoms go away, discomforts for arthritis improve and relief of the person's chief complaint is found.  It all happens within the 3 month elimination period because that's about how much time it takes for IgG to catabolize."

Apparently Immuno Laboratories in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida is the leading laboratory in bloodprinting and the designer of the Immuno 1 Bloodprint.  I just happen to have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow to discuss my suspected food intolerances.  I'm taking this information with me.  Can't wait to find out if she's ever heard of bloodprinting, if she's willing to even consider helping me with this test and if my insurance covers it.  I'll follow up and let you know what I find out.

Monthly Meal Planning Success!

It's that time again.  I've been consumed the last couple of days working on my meal planning.  Not only have I planned meals for the next 4 weeks, made shopping lists and my monthly trip to Trader Joe's, but I've also created an electronic copy of my last 2 monthly menus to share.

Planning 4 weeks worth of meals is an investment of time up front, but I'm finding that it's paying huge dividends. There are a ton of benefits. One of the biggest for me is not getting to 5:00 at night and having no idea what to make for dinner.  Not only is there less stress involved with getting a healthy dinner on the table, but I'm not making the same thing over and over because I don't know what to fix.  My husband commented just the other evening that it was nice to have a variety of meals.

It's been fun to look through my stacks of recipes that I've accumulated over the years and choosing dishes that I've always wanted to try.  If all of the ingredients are in house and the meal is scheduled for a day that we aren't slammed with afternoon/ evening activities, it's not hard to try something new.  I choose at least 2 meals a week that leave leftovers and schedule those for the busy nights. With good planning, I only cook 4 to 5 meals a week.  I also pick recipes that I can double and freeze so that several meals a month are going straight from the freezer to the oven.  Lastly, I try to schedule a crock pot meal a week. I found this great cookbook with 5 ingredient crock pot recipes. That's been extremely helpful.

We're eating healthier, trying new dishes, I'm less stressed and I'm also saving money on our grocery bills.  I'm keeping track of my purchases, trying to eliminate trips to the grocery store and throwing away less food that's gone bad because I never got around to fixing it.  Even better, I'm cooking more from scratch.  I've now made my own taco seasoning, Italian breadcrumbs, cheddar cheese soup, buttermilk, Italian dressing mix, pancake & baking mixes, etc.  If I have a recipe that calls for something that I know is going to be heavily processed with lots of ingredients that I don't want my family to consume, then I Google for a substitute or "make your own" recipe.  I've yet to find something that didn't have a recipe for a healthier version.

So, I'm sold, and so glad I decided to give this a try.  I've had several friends ask to see my meal planners.  I've saved them in Google docs.  Here's my Weekly Meal Planners if you want to check them out also. The first tab is my blank planner.  The rest of the tabs are the bi-weekly meal plans.

I'd love to hear of your meal planning successes!

Bread Making

There's a first for everything. I mentioned to my mom that I was considering purchasing a bread machine. Since hers was just sitting at the house not being used, she loaned it to me. Thanks mom!  It sat at my house also not being used for a while until the other week when I decided to give it a try. Frankly, I was getting tired of paying $3.99 for a small loaf of organic bread, and the bread machine recipes looked simple enough.

I did it. The bread turned out wonderful.  I Googled and found a recipe on allrecipes.com called "Best Bread Machine Bread" that was given a 4 1/2 star rating by over 1,100 people. That was 3 weeks ago, and I haven't bought bread since.  My first two loafs were basic white.  I've got to get a little more adventurous though and try some other types using the machine.  I purchased a bag of 100% whole wheat flour with a recipe on the bag that I had to try.  It called for molasses and orange juice as ingredients. I treated myself to a beautiful, red glazed, Le Creuset stoneware, bread pan (just $11.99 from Ross) and made my first loaf from scratch. And, it didn't stop there. I made pizza dough the other night.  I've got Abigail interest piqued also. She found a recipe for bagels in a cookbook for kids that she wants us to try.

It's not just a first for making bread.  There have been many firsts for me over the last year...a first for trying to understand what's in the food we eat, for planting a garden, for cooking from scratch, for appreciating good cookware, for planning menus, and now, for baking bread. What's next?  I'm considering canning this summer. Yikes! All this from someone that has never enjoyed being in the kitchen! Who knew?

Yesterday's Visit to Duke

It’s spring break for the kids and we’re spending a couple of days at the beach.  On our way here we stopped by the Duke Clinical Research Unit for our final appointment before our food challenge scheduled for early June.  It was a short appointment consisting of a quick vital check for Abigail, getting a new bottle of drops, discussing the details of the challenge, and most importantly, talking about Abigail’s stomach issues.

I feel good about the food challenge.  I really think that Abigail is getting the real stuff and not the placebo.  I’m going to feel incredible foolish if she’s not.  Her symptoms/complaints after receiving each dose increase are classic side effects of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT).  I just recently learned this when I started researching the side effects in hopes of finding an answer to her belly issues.

A study by the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head & Neck Surgery Foundation explored data from selected clinical studies and concluded that “sublingual immunotherapy may be well suited to fill the gap posed by the undertreatment of allergic syndromes in the U.S.”  I’ll touch on some of the details of this study in another post but the biggest take-away for me was that they found that the majority of adverse effects are minor and include mostly itching and oral discomfort.  In one study with 36 children only 2 children experienced adverse effects, Surprisingly for me, it was mild abdominal pain.  In a study with 354 children minor adverse affects occurred in less than 10% of patients.  Oral/throat itching, abdominal pain, urticaria and rhinoconjunctivitis all occurred in less than 1%.  No anaphylactic or other serious reactions occurred.  Similar findings were noted in 9 other trials. So, there is a possibility that Abigail’s stomach could be a result of our participation in the study.  After all, she also experiences the tingling in her mouth, throat and ears.

A side note to parents with kids in the study.  Please don’t assume your child is on the placebo if they’re not experiencing anything.  There’s a 50/50 chance that they aren’t.  My daughter is the exception here not the norm.

Here’s what we’re going to do about Abigail’s stomach.  Her dad and I decided to start her back on Prilosec.  We have to rule out acid reflux.  Also, more disturbingly is Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EE).  There have been 2 instances where children have left the study because they were diagnosed with EE.   In talking with our doctor at Duke they don’t know if taking part in the study was a direct cause or if it just unlocked a dormant condition.  However, until they know more, it’s now something that they discuss with patients at the start of the study.  Like food allergies, EE is a condition with more unknowns than knowns.  In both cases, the child was removed from the study, given oral steroids and symptoms subsided.  It’s a huge concern for me.

If Prilosec works, we can rule out EE and avoid an endoscopy.  It might take up to 8 weeks to see if it will work which puts us right about the time we have our food challenge.  If it doesn’t work, and we unveil to find she’s on the placebo, we have to start looking at other culprits.  If it doesn’t work, and we find that Abigail is on the peanut drops, we’ll have some hard decisions to make.  After the food challenge, there’s still 18 months left in the trial.  I asked our doctor if it was possible that when she builds up complete tolerance to her food allergy her stomach pains will go away.  It’s possible.  I also asked if her stomach could take weeks, even months, to heal after continuous exposure, and found that might also be the case.  There’s just no way of knowing.

So, for now, it’s Prilosec which is not without risks.  Prilosec reduces the levels of acid in the stomach making it easier for bacteria, viruses and fungi to flourish.  Low acid also prevents nutrients from properly assimilating through the body causing nutrient deficiencies.  The article, “Why You Should Never Take Prilosec OTC to Remain Heartburn Free,” identifies the main cause of excess acid is eating foods that your body is intolerant to or allergic to.  We know Abigail’s being exposed to peanuts (or at least very sure she is), and it’s not as easy as just eliminating that food.

One last thing we’re doing is giving Abigail her drops in the morning rather than before dinner.  Her stomach hurts most around bedtime which is about 2 to 3 hours after getting the drops.  Maybe we’ll see a difference if we don’t add something that has the potential to hurt her stomach around the same time she eats the heaviest meal of the day.

All this, and I never got to discuss the food challenge details.  I’ll have to save that for another day.