The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Mother Desperate for help Chases Down Food Allergy Expert Lisa Lundy

Friday morning, June 26, 2009, I was driving to my daughter's doctors office to drop off some medical papers minding my own business.  There was very little traffic on the road and no cars behind me as I neared the doctors office.  As I was getting ready to turn into the parking lot I noticed in my rear view mirror a car approaching me at a speed so fast that I became alarmed that I was going to be rear-ended.  I quickly pulled to the left towards the curb as I executed my turn into the parking lot fully expecting to either be rear-ended or have my driver's side passenger mirror clipped by the speeding car.  As I pulled into the parking lot I watched the speeding car make a dramatic turn into the adjacent parking lot, only a mere 10 feet from where I had turned.  How interesting I thought to myself.  Why speed so much just to get an additional 10 feet?  But the car didn't stop in the next parking lot, it made a rapid turn and exited out of the parking lot and came around into the parking lot I was now parked in!  I have to admit I had a small burst of adrenaline, and quite frankly a tinge of fear, as I watch this car pull quickly into the spot next to where I had parked.  What possibly was going on here? 

I got out of my car, a bit on edge clutching the paperwork I was there to drop off, and looked over my shoulder at the woman now getting out of her car.  She practically fell out of her car and was mumbling and fumbling with her words.  Now, she had my full attention and I turned to see if something was actually wrong with her.  Not really speaking she pointed to the words on the back of my mini-van - www.TheSuperAllergyCookbook.com and said, "Is that you?".  Yes, I assured her, that was my website.  As the conversation unfolded, this desperate mom had a food allergic child, allergic to most of the top 8 allergens, and she was having an extremely difficult time feeding her young child.  I was filled with compassion knowing exactly the kind of upset and frustration she was experiencing.

She asked for my business card, which I gladly forked over to her.  We had a lovely, although brief, conversation because I had an appointment to get to nearby.  This delightful woman is not alone.  This past week a mother from Australia had ordered my cookbook for the very same reason - trying to cook for a child allergic to wheat, milk, eggs, etc.  Before her copy of my cookbook had even arrived, she downloaded some of my free recipes and made rolls that were in her words "Today I made the dinner rolls and they are the NICEST gluten free bread I have ever tasted. THANKS A MILLION."  Then she posted two comments on this blog later to say that she had made the white cake recipe listed in this blog and said this: "Lisa- back again. This recipe is absolutely fantastic." 

When I was suffering over feeding my son Noah many moons ago (he is now 10), I knew in my heart of heart that God does not give you a cross without providing a greater cause that it can be used for.  It brings tears to my eyes to know that I am actually helping mothers who are struggling.  I know how hard it can be to get information, manage the maze of medicine, and figure out what is bothering your baby, toddler or child.  I know, too, how difficult it is to bake and cook foods without gluten, dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree-nuts, coconut, and corn and soy (over 75% of my recipes are naturally free of corn and soy).
Here is a quick look at the statistics of the potential numbers of people who could be helped by a change in diet:
-3 million Americans with celiac disease (97% of them not yet diagnosed)
-75-84 million Americans with food intolerances or sensitivities
-4.4 million school-aged children with ADHD
-1.2 million with ADD (6.8 million estimated as undiagnosed with ADD)
-5 million with irritable bowel
-60-70 million with digestive diseases
-15-20 million (estimated) with gluten intolerance (distinct and separate from celiac disease)
-3.1 million with constipation
-20+ million with depression
-4 to 8 million with behavior issues, fibromyalgia
-40 million with anxiety disorders
-1/2 million with Crohn's disease
Now, some of the people have more than one symptom, so we can't really say definitively how many individuals could be helped.  The bottom line is that there are millions and millions of people who would have a substantial increase in the quality of their life if they knew that a change in diet might resolve their health issue.

The more we can get the word out there, the more children and families we can help.  You can help by posting links to this blog on your Facebook page (on your wall), by Tweeting about it, by sharing the link with your friends, co-workers, and family.  Together, we can make life a lot easier for people.  I'd love to hear your comments and your stories!!  
Love,
Lisa

A Plea to Dear Abby for Help for Millions of Children and their families

 I am going to make a personal plea to Dear Abby and ask all of you and everyone I can to do the same thing.  The Dear Abby Column, over years has made a big difference in our society and I am committed that Dear Abby could and can help millions of parents right now.  But first a bit of background.  The Dear Abby column, today, Tuesday, June 23, 2009 was titled “Parents share secret shame” or “Parents of ‘Problem’ Children Share Mom’s Secret Shame” and it was remarkable on one hand and sad on the other.  Here is a link for today’s column: http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/
The column basically talks about children who are “difficult” to manage and how badly the Mom’s feel, and how often they have negative feelings about their child as a result.  So far, that is a good conversation to get out into the public.  But it gets better!!  One of the writers (Enlightened in Minnesota) discovered after 3 years of dealing with a child who was “spinning out of control, constantly whining, aggressive toward his siblings and unpleasant to be around even on a good day” that he has celiac disease.  This is the good news.  There are hundreds and hundreds of children YET to be diagnosed with celiac disease! 

Authoritative medical experts estimate that close to 3 million Americans have celiac disease or roughly 1% of the population.  The kicker is that 97% of them don’t yet know that they have it!  In children this often shows up as behavior issues or irritability!!  Dear Abby, you could help get nearly 3 million Americans diagnosed with celiac disease and not only save millions of Moms and Dad’s aggravation, but you would be saving lives as well!  Some people with celiac disease die before they get diagnosed.  Untreated celiac disease (read undiagnosed) increases the risk of cancer 200-300%!

Here is the sad news, what was missing from this Dear Abby column was the rich research that proves conclusively that foods, food dyes, preservatives, food additives and chemicals can cause learning issues, behavior issues, emotional issues and social problems in children.  So, I wrote to Dear Abby on line, which you can do also, and I urge you to do this.  Here is the link: http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/dearabby_form.html

If you have not checked out the Feingold Association and their fabulous website and group, please do!  They can be found at www.Feingold.org Their site is loaded with information and research.  Another site loaded with information is Dr. Doris J. Rapp, M.D.’s website at www.DrRapp.com Dr. Rapp, M.D., has been a physician for more than 50 years.  In her clinical practice, she saw the impact of food and other allergens on children.  Dr. Rapp has written several books to help parents including the National Bestseller “Is This Your Child?” 

It is high time that the public understood that for more than 2,500 years physicians starting with Hippocrates, the Greek physician considered to be the Father of Medicine, have known that food can injure some people.  Dear Abby, would you please join forces with the Feingold Association, Dr. Doris Rapp, myself and the many other organizations that recognize that food can affect how you think and feel?  This would help millions of parents who are struggling!!  Readers, I request that you contact Dear Abby!  Here is the address for snail mail:  Dear Abby, PO BOX 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.  If enough Moms’ like us write to Dear Abby, I believe that she will get the message and help us help others!
Let the games begin!
Love,
Lisa

Pedometer Conundrum: What is the most reliable pedometer?

Having spent the last year and a half, maybe closer to two years, using pedometers I find myself in a conundrum.  What is the most reliable pedometer?  I have used several different models, just ask my loving and supportive husband, who purchases them for me, and all with a disturbing trend.  The pedometers will work great for about two months, and then fizzle out.  I immediately change the battery and usually carry a spare, so it is not an issue of they lack the proper battery power.  This is an issue where they stop counting my steps accurately.  Every manufacturer represents that their pedometer is reliable, and works well, etc.  What I am asking for is consumer input!  Who of you regular consumers has used the same pedometer for years?  What brand and what make?

I have found that a pedometer is a good structure for helping me keep fit because I can check it periodically during the day and then determine how much more exercise I will need to schedule in to reach 10,000 steps.  The fact that the pedometers have malfunctioned after several weeks of use, without fail, is a real demotivator.  I would like to get a reliable pedometer and I am seeking helpful information from consumers only.  Please DO NOT post a message about a pedometer you are selling.  I'm looking for honest to goodness consumer feedback not the marketing glitz and a sales pitch!  Thank you so much for sharing your feedback and your experiences with pedometers!!  I do appreciate it!
Love,

Lisa

Free Seminar on Avoiding Additives Linked to ADHD and Autism

I just saw this new press release from the Feingold Association, an organization I support and highly recommend.  With their permission, I am sharing it with you.  Please do share this with your friends, family and others who are in the Maryland and surrounding areas.  Thanks!  Love, Lisa

Seminar: Avoid Additives Linked to ADHD and Autism

 

A free seminar about dietary options for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autistic spectrum disorders (ASD), and other learning/behavior problems will be held by the nonprofit Feingold Association (www.ADHDdiet.org) on June 25th from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm.  This event will take place at the Marriott SpringHill Suites at 899 Elkridge Landing Road in Linthicum, Maryland (near BWI).  Reservations are not required. 

 

This seminar will introduce guests to the low-additive Feingold Diet, which eliminates petroleum-based food dyes, artificial flavors, and certain preservatives that have been shown by scientific studies to cause hyperactivity, impulsivity, short attention spans, and other problems. 

 

These studies, which include two British trials from the University of Southampton and a Harvard/Columbia University meta-analysis of 23 controlled studies, have inspired efforts to ban synthetic food dyes at both the Maryland state and national levels. 

 

In February, the Maryland Senate debated whether to ban six synthetic food dyes, including Red 40 and Yellow 5, because of their link with learning and behavior problems.  One Senate bill proposed banning the use of these dyes in all foods sold or served in Maryland, and another bill proposed that the state’s public schools and child care centers not be allowed to sell or serve foods containing these additives.  While the bills did not pass this year, the hearings increased public awareness of this issue.

 

Last summer, nineteen prominent psychiatrists, toxicologists, and pediatricians submitted a letter to the United States Congress urging members to hold hearings and to introduce legislation to end the use of synthetic food dyes that have negative effects on children’s behavior. 

 

"The first hints that food ingredients could impair children's behavior came in the mid-1970s, when the late Dr. Ben Feingold publicized his clinical findings,” they wrote.  “Many of the studies done over the years, in the U.S. and abroad, have confirmed that some children are adversely affected by foods, with food dyes being the ingredients most intensively studied."

 

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, with the support of the Feingold Association, also called on the Food and Drug Administration to ban eight synthetic food dyes and to require warning labels on all foods containing these dyes in the meantime.  

 

In addition, the American Academy of Pediatrics acknowledged in its journal, AAP Grand Rounds, that "a trial of a preservative-free, food coloring-free diet is a reasonable intervention" for hyperactive children.  

 

This issue has also gained international momentum.  In June 2008, the European Parliament agreed to require labels on foods containing six synthetic dyes to warn that they “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” (Food manufacturers were given eighteen months to comply.)  What's more, the British Food Standards Agency has asked food companies in the United Kingdom to stop using these food dyes by the end of 2009 on a voluntary basis.

 

According to the Feingold Association, synthetic food additives have also been linked with dyslexia, speech difficulties, seizures, tics, and nightmares, as well as allergic reactions such as asthma and hives.   

 

The Feingold Association (www.ADHDdiet.org) helps families of children with learning/behavior problems to implement the low-additive Feingold Diet.  The charity publishes a handbook on the Feingold Diet, the Pure Facts Newsletter, a Fast Food & Restaurant Guide, a Foodlist & Shopping Guide, and a Mail Order Guide.  Its advisory board and board of directors include medical professionals from Johns Hopkins University, the University of Rochester, Stony Brook University, Baltimore's Sinai Hospital, and other institutions.

 

Individual dietary needs vary and no one diet will meet everyone's daily requirements.  Before starting any new diet, check with your doctor or nutritionist.

 

References

 

Food additives and hyperactive behaviour in 3-year-old and 8/9-year-old children in the community: a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. D McCann et al., Lancet 2007 Nov 3;370(9598):1560-7 

 

The effects of a double blind placebo controlled artificial food colorings and benzoate preservatives challenge on hyperactivity in a general population sample of pre-school children.  B.J. Bateman, J.O. Warner, E. Hutchinson, T. Dean, P. Rowlandson, C. Gant, J. Grundy, C. Fitzgerald and J. Stevenson, Archives of Disease in Childhood 89: 506-511, June 2004 

 

Do artificial food colors promote hyperactivity in children with hyperactive syndromes?  A meta-analysis of double-blind placebo-controlled trials.  DW Schab et al., Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics 25(6):423-434, Dec 2004  

Contact:  Susan Guzo, (703) 841-0085, SusanGuzo@GuzoPR.com