The Super Allergy Girl Blog

Specialized Dental Testing: Preventing Reactions to Dental Work

Mercury is so toxic to human beings that most colleges and universities as well as hospitals and other institutions have removed the old glass thermometers even though they have the masks, gloves and equipment to clean up a broken one. Given that, I had some concerns back in 2005 when I was having some dental work on a filling that contained mercury - also known as an amalgam filling. In the process of researching a dentist that would use the proper care and caution in removing the mercury containing dental filling, I became aware of dental compatibility testing. I was very interested because I had a very ill child at the time and I simply could not afford to get sick - from anything.

I had the testing done in short order. I really had no expectations on the testing because I did not know anyone who had used this type of testing. I was pleased to get the report - all 32 pages of it, but I did not have enough real knowledge to know if this was a worthwhile venture. Just to share with you, the dental compatibility testing cover things like...

*Serum Compatibility Reactivity Levels

*Metals Reactivity

*Etching Materials

*Glass Ionomers

*Composites

*Indirect (Laboratory) Composites

*Liners, Bases & Varnishes

*Bonding Agents

*Precious Crowns and Bridges

*Porcelain and Ceramics

*Porcelain without Aluminum Tested

*Non-Precious Metal Crowns and Bridges

*Non-Metallic Crowns and Bridges

*Impression Materials

*Temporary Materials

*Cements

*Root Canal Materials

*Implant Materials

*Denture Base Materials

*Denture Teeth

*Denture Liner, Repair, Adhesive

*Denture Alloys

Each of the above categories was divided into highly reactive, moderately reactive or least reactive. I was wondering if this dental testing would prove to be worthwhile, and I didn't have to wait long. On my first dental appointment with the new dentist, he indicated that he would have used a "highly reactive" material in my upcoming dental work if it were not for the report. He used the report to find a material that was in the "least reactive" category to replace the materials that he would have used. It was definitely worthwhile in my case.

One company that I used is now called BIOCOMP LABORATORIES, INC. Their website is: www.shslab.com/ Be forewared if you live in New York State, you'll have to go to anther state for this testing and get a lab slip that the blood draw! Don't forget the lab slip that proves that you had the blood drawn in a non-New York state lab or your test may not be processed. With my daughter's serious health issues, this testing provides solid scientific evidence for the dentist to help him pick the least reactive materials. While she had not had to have any involved dental work other than cleanings, I am at least prepared. I know one other parent who had similar dental testing done and found it worthwhile. The total cost for the last testing I had done for one of my children was $275.00 for a 59 page report. I'd consider this an investment in preventive medicine. 

Love,

Lisa

 

Allergy Testing: My Allergy Test and Other Testing

When it comes to allergies and allergy testing there is no question that it can get confusing for the consumer. I am very excited to share with you a new testing tool for consumers, which I believe will dramatically empower consumers and change the medical testing landscape. The new testing tool is called My Allergy Test®, which is an FDA cleared testing kit for in-vitro diagnostic use. What this means to consumers is that for around $60.00 you can purchase a kit to be IgE tested (you can find the difference between IgE and non-IgE mediated allergies on my website under resources) without having to see a primary care physician or allergist. This is a real tool for consumers.

The company who makes the MyAllergyTest® kit is ImmuneTech, and you can visit their website at: www.ImmuneTech.com for more information. The MyAllergyTest® kit tests for some of the most common allergens including: 4 pollens -Timothy Grass, Bermuda Grass, Mountain Cedar (Juniper), Short Ragweed; 1 mold - Alternaria; 3 foods - Milk, Egg White, Wheat; and 2 others - Cat and House Dust Mite. I was so excited when I found about the existence of this product!! Why? Because it puts some power in the hands of the consumer when it comes to their health. I see several areas where this product will be helpful to consumers.

One is to determine if they have an IgE mediated allergy to the allergens being tested for in the kit. While, yes, the kit is limited to ten allergens - the fact that you can get this testing on your own without seeing a doctor is helpful for those consumers whose primary care doctor will not refer them to an allergist. Now a consumer can take the results into their physician - assuming there are some positive results - and make a request to be referred to an allergist and have real data as the basis for the request. It is also helpful to consumers if their test results are positive to milk, egg whites or wheat to know immediate to avoid these foods. They can then seek the appropriate medical advice from their physician on how to proceed with further testing or avoidance.

This kit also opens up new doors for consumers, in my humble opinion, who do not have health insurance. For the cost, this is valid, scientific testing that can be a tool for consumers with limited or no access to health care to help them sort out what might be causing particular symptoms that are allergy related. The kit is easy to use. Yes, I did use one on myself so I know exactly how easy it is to use. I was most intimidated by the lancet in the kit. You only need a very small amout of blood - this is a finger stick type of test. You mail the contents of the kit back to the company as instructed in their directions, and you will receive an e-mail directing you to go to the company website where you can view, download and print your test results. It really is that simple! 

This is a picture of the front of the MyAllergyTest® Kit.

You can order the MyAllergyTest® kit directly from the company or find out more about the company or the kit through their website: www.ImmuneTech.com. My results showed that I had no IgE allergies to the ten items tested! Whew! What a relief! The most intimidating aspect to me was using the lancet. This is really a finger-stick test, which means you only need a few drops of blood from your finger tip. Once you follow the instructions in the kit and send the sample back to the company, you will then get an e-mail from the company directing you to their website where you can view, download, and print your test results. Or if you request it, you can have your results sent to you by U.S. mail. It is a kit that is well put together and has a great deal of potential to help consumers!!! Yay ImmuneTech! I'd love to hear your comments and results if you used this product!! Have a wonderful day!

Love,
Lisa 

Post Script dated September 28, 2011:

I understand from the company that they have updated their packaging, so I asked for a new image. Here is the new image of the MyAllergyTest® product:

New Non-Dairy, Milk-Free, Casein-Free "Cheese" that actually Melts

We've been dairy-free ever since my middle child was an infant  - or roughly eleven and a half years now! Non-dairy cheeses have been a problem for that many years. Either the non-dairy cheese doesn't melt or it doesn't taste good or both! Another issue with non-dairy cheeses is that so many of them that stake the claim that they are "non-dairy" actually contain casein - a dairy protein. As a mother of a child with a life-threatening food allergy to milk, which includes casein - this is a real problem. I am so excited that I could just scream!! I am please to say that we found a new completely allergen-free non-dairy "cheese" that tastes great and melts! It has been very exciting around here as I have converted old family recipes that really require a cheese that melts! The cheese is made by Daiya and is listed as dairy, lactose and casein free, gluten free, soy free and cholesterol free. Here is a picture of the two types of cheeses we have found made by Daiya.

 

 

Here is the Mozzarella Style Shreds

Here are the ingredients of the Mozzarella style shreds: Filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, vegan natural flavors, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor). The packing further states: Made in a facility fr ee of animal products, milk, egg, soy, peanuts and tree nuts (excluding coconut).

Their website address is: www.daiyafoods.com. The "cheese" is manufactured by Daiya Foods in Vancouver, BC, Canada. The phone number to reach Daiya is 1-877-324-9211. We found an 8 ounce package (about 2 cups) cost us $4.99 retail. We are now purchasing this through our organic cooperative and we will receive significant savings on a per package basis.

We found this product, quite by accident, in the refrigerated section of our local Wegmans Natures Market about 3 weeks ago. Since that time, we have purchased many packages - before deciding it was worth ordering through the coop - and made many new and old dishes! I give this product a huge thumbs up and high approval rating! If you have any comments to share on this, by all means, I'd love to hear them! Fire up your ovens for pizza, stromboli, lasagna and all those cheesy dishes! Enjoy!

Love,

Lisa

Allergy Advice: Sanding, Staining and Sealing Wood Safely

Last week I blogged about painting safely for those individuals with environmental allergies however minor or major. In this post I will give you the high points for sanding, staining and sealing wood as distinct and separate from painting - different products and different beast entirely! I prepared, sanded, stained and sealed 7 windows in our home, sanded and sealed a dining room table and 4 leaves, and sanded and sealed our old dining room floor and new kitchen floor using AMF Safecoat stains and sealer.

On the Sanding: WEAR a mask and YES I am shouting!! Make sure you are doing any sanding in a well ventilated area that will not contaminate your home with any sanding dust. A mask is an absolute must even if you are healthy and well like I am. They sell a wide variety of respirator masks at any hardware store - just make sure it fits and it works. If you purchase a disposable mask - you should know that you may need more than one. The "disposable" type masks have a limited shelf life and will not last through some projects.

Use the Right tool for the Job: I hand sanded the windows because of the size and scope of the job. I used a hand-held orbital sander for the dining room table and 5 leaves (yes, I still have one leaf left to seal), and I rented a floor sander and edger for the dining room and kitchen floors. The right tool for the job includes using the right grit sand paper. Make sure you sand down to the bare wood if you are going to apply a different type of sealer than was previously used.

This is the BEFORE picture - a leaf that is untouched, the middle leaf is in progress and the leaf to the back or left is completely sanded. Below is the kitchen and dining room floor photo. Can you tell where the new floor ends and the old floor begins?

 

Staining and Sealing: I'm going to assume for this post that you know something about sanding and skip to the staining and sealing with the AMF Safecoat stains and sealers because that is the meat and potatoes of this post. First of all, if you are ordering a AMF Safecoat stain, which I believe to be one of - if not the - safest products for those with allergies or health issues, you should be forewarned that I did not find that the colors of the stains listed on their website were true to the colors that arrived. What that means is you should be sure to test your stains on some scrap wood. We ordered two different stain colors and I felt that they were more than a little off in color from the website representation. That is not a show stopper, just something to be aware of. Below is the AMF Safecoat Stains and Sealer picture:

The AMF Safecoat stains went on much like any other stain (once you get the color you want), except that they are non-toxic and wash up with soap and water (not mineral spirits)! Same goes for the floor and furniture sealer. One difference with the sealer is that the manufacturer recommends that the surface be wiped down with a damp cloth prior to the sealer application. I wiped down the windows, table, leaves and floors with a damp paper towel between coats - after the sanding - and that seemed to work fine. Having worked with standard polyurethane, a water based polyurethane and the AMF Safecoat sealer (PolyureSeal BP) over the years, I have to say that working with the Safecoat product was a dream. Now, having said that, I don't know how the AMF Safecoat PolyureSeal BP will hold up over time and with traffic. However, it could do no worse than the standard water-based (chemical laden) polyurethane that I used years ago on the table I just refinished. The water-based polyurethane got gummy and tacky after years of use. At least with this application I was not subject to toxic chemical exposure.

One of the best benefits for my family of using these non-toxic products is that once the sealer dries, it does not off-gas chemicals and toxic fumes like polyurethane does! I could write so much on this topic, but I won't go on and on! If you are looking to refinish furniture, floors or other wood in your home and you have a question, please post it here on my blog and I will respond!!! Happy and Safe repairs to you and yours!

Love,
Lisa

 

 

New Gluten-Free Gift Bags Make the Perfect Gift

I am really quite excited to share with you NEW Gluten-Free Gift Bags that we have just launched to meet a need in the gluten-free market! You can read the full PRWeb News release by clicking on this link:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/gluten-free_diet/gift_bags/prweb2823734.htm

I came up with this idea from talking to friends and customers. Those of us on the gluten-free and casein-free diet (GFCF Diet) tire of getting food gifts from well-meaning friends and family that contain allergens we can't eat. The new gift bags are the perfect gift for someone just starting out on the gluten-free diet or for someone who has been on the gluten-free diet for a while. Here is a picture of them:

Photo by Bernard Gosset

Standard Gluten-Free Gift Bag

Photo by Bernard Gosset

Premium and Deluxe Gluten-free Gift Bags

So let's talk about contents and price. The Standard Gluten-Free Gift Bag contains: xanthan gum, brown rice flour, garfava flour, tapioca flour, millet flour, egg-replacer, aluminum free baking powder, a dough scraper, and a copy of my cookbook: The Super Allergy Girl™ Allergy & Celiac Cookbook - all packaged in a light-weight cloth tote bag. The value of the Standard GF Gift Bag is over $83.00. We have it priced right at $64.99 and that includes free priority shipping within the U.S.!

The Premium Gluten-Free Gift Bag contains xanthan gum, brown rice flour, garfava flour, tapioca flour, millet flour, egg-replacer, aluminum free baking powder, Dari-Free® non-dairy milk substitute, 4-piece set of measuring spoons, 4-piece set of measuring cups, a dough scraper, and a copy of my cookbook: The Super Allergy Girl™ Allergy & Celiac Cookbook - all packaged in a larger, heavy-duty canvas tote bag. The Premium GF Gift Bag has a retail value of $126.00 and is priced right at $94.99 with free priority shipping in the U.S.!

The Deluxe Gluten-Free Gift Bag contains xanthan gum, brown rice flour, garfava flour, tapioca flour, millet flour, egg-replacer, aluminum free baking powder, Dari-Free® non-dairy milk substitute, 4-piece set of measuring spoons, 4-piece set of measuring cups, a dough scraper, a quality adjustable apron and a copy of my cookbook: The Super Allergy Girl™ Allergy & Celiac Cookbook - all packaged in a larger, heavy-duty canvas tote bag. The contents of the Deluxe Gluten-Free Gift Bag have a retail value of $143.00 and is value priced at $104.99.

So that is what's new and exciting here. I'd love to hear your comments and feedback on the gift bags. I know some of the gluten-free individuals I know personally are very excited to have a gift on their gift list.

Love,

Lisa

Gluten-Free Goes Mainstream and is available at Discount Buyers stores

The gluten-free market has exploded into the discount buyers groups stores!  You know something is moving rapidly towards acceptance when you can purchase it at a discount mega store!  I just purchased crackers that say "certified gluten free!" on the box.  My husband, Randy, has brought some of these particular crackers home from work as one of his co-workers didn't take to fondly to them.  They are, in my humble opinion, a take-off or knock off of the brand "Mary's Gone Crackers", which we love.  This brand, however is significantly less expensive.  Not all organic, but substantially less expensive.  Here is the picture of the gluten-free crackers I picked up at the big discount store...

This is Crunchmaster multi-grain crackers and here are the ingredients:  brown rice meal, sesame seeds, potato starch, quinoa seeds, safflower oil, flax seeds, amaranth seeds, tamari soy sauce powder (tamari soy sauce [Soybeans, salt], maltodextrin[corn]), salt.  Allergy alert:  Contains soy!  In a nutshell, these are a more processed version than the "Mary's Gone Crackers" treats we love.  If you would like to contact the company, you may do so at: www.crunchmaster.com or by calling them toll free at 1-888-574-7737.  The box states that they are made in the U.S.A. 

Will you like these gluten-free crackers?  Can you even eat them?  If you can tolerate soy, you can obviously eat them and you may or may not like them.  We'll enjoy them at a price that can't be beat.  As the gluten-free market continues to expand, we'll see more and more products as we have over the last ten years, and increased competition is likely to drive the price down a bit as well.  Let me know if you have tried these, if you like them, and what other gluten-free & dairy-free products you love.  Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Love,
Lisa

Food Allergies: Dairy-free, casein-free Whipped Topping

What whipped topping do you have if you are avoiding all dairy including casein?  We have not had whipped topping for my children since we took dairy and all milk proteins out of their diet.  Thanks to a good friend, Gloria Tilley, we now have whipped topping!!  We are excited and delighted.  Now, I preface this with the following: it doesn't contain the best ingredients, so it is a "once-in-a-while" treat, and it will probably take something to get your local health food store or grocery store to get it in.  But for the occasional treat for your children, or you if you are allergic or intolerant to dairy----it is so worth it!  What product makes a whipped topping free of all dairy?  Rich's® RICHWHIP® Non-Dairy Topping Lactose Free.  Let me show you a picture of the product and then I'll give you the ingredients.

Rich's® Non-Dairy Whipped Topping in two different sizes

About nine or so years ago, I had heard about this product, but I could never find it.  Repeated requests to my grocery store managers did not produce the result of me getting this product.  Eventually, I gave up and decided that wasn't worth it.  A few weeks ago, Gloria was talking about making whipped topping for her children, who are also on the gluten-free, dairy-free diet.  I couldn't contain myself as I interrupted her to ask what was she using to make the whipped topping.  Rescue hero Gloria then told me that she was driving to the Rich's® store to purchase the whipped topping!!  I couldn't get the directions fast enough!!  I promised myself that I would take my children there as a reward if I got certain tasks done that week!  (I know, isn't it ridiculous how I motivate myself???)

I was motivated.  By Thursday we were driving around the west side of Buffalo with our directions and map trying to find Rich's®.  We found the store just before it closed and talked to an employee about the non-dairy whipped topping.  It was heavenly.  The store employee told me that the larger can (pictured above) contained the same ingredients as the little carton.  I bought some for myself and some for my friend Sara.  It was like winning the lottery!  I put all of it in the freezer except for one of the cartons which I let defrost in the refrigerator as the carton instructions directed.

The very next day, we invited our dear friend, Linda Breitbach, over for coffee and we whipped up the whipped topping!!  It was so fun!!  It whipped up just like real whipping cream if you have ever whipped cream in a mixer.  The kids put it on some cake and cookies, oh goodness who cares what they put it on.  They were just so elated to have whipped topping!! 

Here are the ingredients:  Water, high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated coconut oil, partially hydrogenated palm kernel oil, Contains less than 2% of the following: carbohydrate gum, sugar, polysorbate 60, polygycerol esters of fatty acids, salt, sodium alginate, soy lecithin, artificial flavor, sodium citrate, natural flavor, colored with tumeric and annatto extracts.  Are they great ingredients?  Obviously not.  But every child deserves a treat once in a while, and every so often I'll allow my kids to indulge.  Now, watch for the decadent cream pie recipe I'll be posting very soon.  Do you have any other whipped toppings for your children?  I know people who can have nuts can do lots of things to have a "topping" that is similar.  We can't eat any nuts, so other than tofu, I'd be interested to hear what you are whipping up for whipped topping. 
Happy Holidays,
Love,
Lisa