Are you constantly worrying about what you or your loved ones eat? Is every dining experience an episode of anxiety for you? Being allergic to different types of food not only ruins the experience of eating, it can lead to dangerous, sometimes lethal, consequences. With Food Allergies for Dummies, you can feel safer about what you eat. This concise guide shows you how to identify and avoid food that triggers reactions. This guide covers how to care for a child with food allergies, such as getting involved with his/her school’s allergy policies, packing safe lunches, and empowering him/her to take responsibility for his allergy. You will also discover: The signs and symptoms of food allergiesHow to determine the severity of your allergyWays to eat out and travel with allergiesHow to create your own avoidance dietWays to enjoy your meal without allergic symptomsHow to prevent food allergies from affecting your childThe latest research being done to treat food allergies Food Allergies for Dummies also provides an in-depth chapter on peanut allergy and how to spot traces of peanut in your food. With this book, you will feel safer and more comfortable while you eat. And, with plenty of helpful resources such as Web sites and allergy-friendly recipes, you’ll hardly have to worry about your diet!
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Are you constantly worrying about what you or your loved ones eat? Is every dining experience an episode of anxiety for you? Being allergic to different types of food not only ruins the experience of eating, it can lead to dangerous, sometimes lethal, consequences. With Food Allergies for Dummies, you can feel safer about what you eat.
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Foreword xxi Introduction 1 About This Book 2 Conventions Used in This Book 3 What You’re Not to Read 4 Foolish Assumptions 4 How This Book Is Organized 5 Part I: Feasting on Food Allergy Fundamentals 5 Part II: Progressing from Hives to Hope: Diagnosis and Treatment 5 Part III: Living Well with Your Food Allergies 6 Part IV: The Part of Tens 6 Appendixes: Allergy-Friendly Recipes and Other Treats 6 Icons Used in This Book 7 Where to Go from Here 7 Part I: Feasting on Food Allergy Fundamentals 9 Chapter 1: Breaking Out with Food Allergies 11 Pinning Down Food Allergy: What’s an Allergy, and What’s Not? 11 Defining food allergy 12 Identifying imposters 12 Meeting the Many Faces of Food Allergies: Signs and Symptoms 13 Investigating the Conspiracy: Allergens and Other Contributing Factors 14 Digging up the root cause of food allergy 14 Playing the blame game 14 Labeling Your Maladies with a Doctor’s Diagnosis 15 Finding a food-allergy savvy allergist 16 Navigating the diagnostic process 17 Considering food intolerances 17 Battling Back with Medications, Modifications, and Other Therapies 18 Modifying your diet 18 Muffling your symptoms with meds 19 Confronting the alternative (therapy) crowd 20 Getting the Lowdown on Potential Futuristic Cures 22 Living Large with Your Food Allergies 24 Unmasking Common Food Allergy Myths 24 Chapter 2: Turning Allergies Inside Out: Probable Causes and Common Symptoms 27 Finding Out What’s Wrong with Your Food 28 Pinpointing problematic proteins 28 Separating logic from lore 29 Finding Out What’s Wrong with You 33 Going wild: Immune systems gone wild 33 Debating the nature or nurture question 35 Triggering allergies through exposure 36 Exploring the Sudden Rise in Food Allergies 38 Examining the hygiene hypothesis 38 Investigating other possible suspects 39 Gauging Your Child’s Risk for Developing a Food Allergy 40 Following the guidelines 40 Weighing the age factor 41 Exploring Common Signs and Symptoms 42 Getting under your skin 43 Taking a breather: Respiratory reactions 46 Having a gut reaction literally 46 Uncovering anaphylaxis: The shocking story 47 Taking the focus off of food allergy 50 Chapter 3: Spotting the Usual Suspects: Wherefore Art Thou, Allergen? 51 Naming the Common Culprits 52 Condemning cow’s milk 52 Cracking open the mystery of hen’s eggs 53 Pointing the finger at peanuts 54 Censoring soy 54 Blaming the bakery: Wheat 55 Shaking the tree for tree nut allergies 55 Fishing for allergens in fish 55 Prying into shellfish allergies 56 Suspecting sesame, sunflower, and other seedy culprits 56 Ingesting Allergens with Your Food 57 Gauging how much it takes to trigger a reaction 57 Predicting the severity of an ingestion reaction 58 Calming the Fears of Contact Reactions 59 Predicting the severity of a contact reaction 60 Revealing the low risk of hidden dangers: From library books to monkey bars 61 Refusing to let your allergies control your life 62 Clearing the Air About the Risks of Airborne Allergens 62 Recognizing the risk: When allergens take to the air 63 Predicting the severity of an inhalant reaction 65 Chapter 4: Picking On Peanuts: A Potentially Deadly Foe 67 Investigating the Allergic Nature of Peanuts 67 Probing the peanut protein connection 68 Acknowledging the deadly risk 68 Playing Find-the-Peanut on Your Plate 69 Uncovering peanut’s favorite hideouts 69 Dining out without peanuts 75 Inhaling Peanut Dust: Airborne Reactions 79 Ruling out airborne reactions in peanut butter and candy bars 79 Designating peanut-free zones 80 Spotting peanuts at bars and restaurants 81 Mixing peanuts with baseball 81 Steering Clear of the Other Nuts 81 Part II: Progressing from Hives to Hope: Diagnosis and Treatment 83 Chapter 5: Labeling Your Ailments with an Accurate Diagnosis 85 Taking a Flyover View of the Diagnostic Journey 86 Self-Screening for Food Allergies 88 Taking a Trip to Your General Practitioner 90 Why see your GP? 90 Knowing what to expect from your GP 90 Navigating the referral process 92 Avoiding quackologists 94 Seeking an Allergist’s Advice 94 Tracking down a qualified food allergist 95 Teaming up with your allergist for optimum results 97 Getting the Skinny on Allergy Workups 98 Making the most of your medical history 98 Getting physical with a physical exam 100 Poking around with skin tests 100 Hunting for IgE with RASTs 103 Weighing the pros and cons of RASTs and skin tests 105 Looking for Clues with Additional Diagnostic Tools 106 Daring a food to make you react: Food challenges 106 Discovering your allergens by avoiding them 107 Pursuing the causes of non-IgE mediated allergies 109 Avoiding the untested and unproven 110 Ruling out food intolerances 111 Chapter 6: Concocting Your Own Avoidance Diet 113 Setting Sensible Goals 114 Drawing Up Your Avoidance Diet 114 Maximizing your choices 115 Determining how strict you need to be 116 Decrypting Food Labels: Allergen-Savvy Grocery Shopping 116 Going on an egg hunt 117 Identifying the many faces of milk 117 A peanut by any other name 117 Spotting soy and soy products 118 Shaking the tree nuts out of a label 118 Recognizing wheat’s many aliases 119 Smelling the fish on a label 119 Cracking open mysterious shellfish labels 119 Sifting out hidden sesame 119 Approaching Warning Labels with Caution 120 Deciphering the “This package may contain ” warning 120 Decoding the “Produced in a facility ” warning 121 Taking warning labels seriously 122 Remaining cautious of foods you haven’t reacted to yet 122 Feeding Your Nutritional Needs 122 Attending to your infant’s needs 123 Keeping your toddler on the right track 124 Maintaining a healthy diet with children and adolescents 124 Focusing on calcium intake for adults 125 Taking Turns with a Rotation Diet 125 Knowing when a rotation diet can benefit you 126 Charting your game plan 126 Chapter 7: Making It Stop: Finding Symptomatic Relief 127 Pro-Acting and Reacting to Anaphylaxis 127 Defending yourself against anaphylactic episodes 128 Drawing up an anaphylactic treatment plan well in advance 129 Dealing with Itchy Stuff: Eczema 133 Dealing with More Itchy Stuff: Hives 134 Alleviating Gut-Retching Food Allergies 135 Treating oral allergy syndrome 135 Easing the effects of eosinophilic gastroenteritis 136 Muting the symptoms of eosinophilic esophagitis (EE) 137 Checking out remedies for allergic proctitis 138 Caring for enterocolitis syndrome 138 Alleviating the symptoms of celiac disease 138 Catching Your Breath Asthma Symptoms and Treatments 139 Treating a Chronic “Cold”: Allergic Rhinitis 139 Chapter 8: Debunking Alternative Tests and Therapies 141 Exposing Meaningless Tests and Other Mumbo Jumbo 142 Polling your cellular reactions: Cytotoxic testing 142 Looking at your lymphocytes with ELISA/ACT testing 144 Unclogging your energy fields with NAET 145 Discrediting the claims of other dubious tests 145 Demystifying Homeopathy: A Little Hair of the Dog That Bit You 147 Deflating the Hype Surrounding Vitamins, Minerals, and Herbs 148 Addressing the Leaky-Gut Hypothesis 149 Healing Yourself through Mind, Body, and Soul Manipulations 150 Solving Allergies through Acupuncture or Acupressure 151 Chapter 9: Exploring Cures from Mice to Man: Current Research 153 Muting Allergen Sensitivities through Immunotherapy 154 Grasping the concept of immunotherapy 154 Getting your allergy shots but not necessarily for food allergies 155 Going under the tongue with sublingual treatments 157 Chewing on oral immunotherapy 158 Battling back with modified protein vaccines 159 Going sub-cellular with DNA vaccines 162 Treating Your Allergies to an Ancient Chinese Herbal Remedy 162 Fighting Back with Anti-IgE Antibody Therapy 163 Investigating Other Futuristic Treatments 165 Immunizing with immunostimulatory sequences 165 Making the most of probiotics 166 Part III: Living Well with Your Food Allergies 167 Chapter 10: Living at Home with Your Allergies 169 Dumping the Bad Stuff or Not 169 Weighing the pros and cons of banning allergenic foods 170 Quarantining suspect substances 172 Stocking Up on the Essentials 173 Cooking and Dining Safely in the Midst of Allergies 174 Planning your meals 175 Boning up on substitutions 175 Reducing the risks of cross-contamination 175 Grounding airborne allergens 176 Cleaning the galley 177 Organizing an Information Station 179 Assembling an emergency kit 179 Bringing your sitter up to speed 180 Chapter 11: Eating Out and Traveling with Food Allergies 183 Preparing for Your Outing 183 Toting your allergy emergency kit along with you 184 Packing a safe food stash 185 Wearing a medical ID bracelet or necklace 185 Taking Your Allergies Out to Dinner 185 To eat out or not to eat out that is the question 186 Locating allergy-friendly restaurants 187 Chatting it up with the staff 188 Studying the menu for safe dishes 190 Stepping gingerly across the dessert menu 192 Traveling with Your Allergies 193 Plotting your course and itinerary 193 Planning your meals 195 Scoping out available healthcare providers 196 Flying to foreign lands: international travel 196 Flying with peanuts: avoiding peanuts on your next flight 198 Cruising for a reaction 199 Chapter 12: Conquering the Challenges of Daycare and Preschool 201 Making the Big Decision: To Send or Not to Send 202 Weighing the risks of daycare and preschool 202 Considering the benefits of daycare or preschool 203 Finding the Right Daycare Center or Preschool 203 Shopping for allergen-free schools or not 204 Assessing a facility’s knowledge and experience with food allergies 205 Gauging the size factor 207 Consulting the school nurse (or whoever’s in charge) 207 Teaming Up with Your Child’s Daycare Center or Preschool 208 Educating your child’s caregivers 209 Establishing some basic lunchroom policies 211 Making your childcare facility peanut-free 213 Planning for possible emergencies 213 Chewing on Some Snack-Time Issues 216 Keeping Parties Fun while Making Them Safe 217 Chapter 13: Sending Food Allergies Off to School: K-12 219 Selecting an Allergy-Safe Educational Environment 220 Home schooling: The ultimate in allergy safety? 221 Assessing public versus private schools 221 Making a Safe School Safer for Your Child 222 Reviewing food allergy policies 223 Pow-wowing with the nurse, administrators, and other staff 227 Dealing with medications on school grounds 229 Riding the school bus with food allergies 231 Designating peanut-free tables and other seating arrangements 232 Packing for Lunchtime: Cafeteria or Brown Bag? 234 Protecting Yourself without Becoming a Party Pooper 235 Taking Your Allergies on a Field Trip 235 Going Behind the Scenes with 504 Plans 236 Section 504 237 The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 237 The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) 238 Citing the law to gain cooperation 238 Chapter 14: Empowering Your Adolescent or Teenager 241 Fostering an Atmosphere of Empathy 242 Acknowledging the injustice 242 Feeling the sting of teenage teasing 243 Dealing with restrictions and limitations 244 Sizing up the situation: Newly developed or long-standing allergy? 244 Empowering Your Teen to Take on More Responsibility 245 Getting a Little Help from Your Friends 247 Mastering the Art of Acceptable Risk Taking 248 Laying Down Some Safe Dating Guidelines 249 Eating out 250 Acquiring a few safe-kissing skills 250 Chapter 15: Preventing and Outgrowing a Food Allergy 253 Preventing Food Allergies: Hope or Hype? 254 Stressing early intervention 254 Focusing on baby formulas 255 Clearing the smoke from the room 255 Taking action to prevent the onset of food allergies and asthma 255 Ranking the Likelihood of Outgrowing an Allergy Food by Food 257 Charting your chances with cow’s milk 257 Outgrowing an allergy to eggs 258 Winning out against wheat and soy allergies 259 Overpowering a peanut allergy 259 Shaking a tree nut allergy 261 Surmounting a seed allergy 261 Overcoming other food allergies 261 Whipping multiple food allergies 262 Accounting for other allergic conditions 262 Speculating on the Timing 262 Prodding Your Allergy to Vacate Sooner 263 Monitoring and Managing Your Allergies 264 Safely Reintroducing the Problem Foods 266 Confronting your allergies with food challenges 266 Inviting problem foods into your home 267 Part IV: The Part of Tens 269 Chapter 16: Teaching Your Child Ten Key Food Allergy Lessons 271 Finding Comfort in Numbers: Lots of People Have Food Allergies 271 Decoding Labels and Asking Questions 272 Teaching Your Friends a Thing or Two 273 Sitting at the Cleanest Table in the Cafeteria 274 Eating Off a Plate or Napkin 274 Steering Clear of Sloppy Eaters 274 Avoiding Lunch Room Food Swaps and Food Fights 275 Stocking up on Some Healthy, Yet Yummie Snacks 275 Asking for Help Immediately when You Start Feeling Funny 276 Carrying a Health Emergency Card 276 Chapter 17: Packing Ten Key Food Allergy Tips for Camp, College, and Other Outings 279 Packing Fresh Medications 279 Taking Your Allergy Free Diet on the Road 280 Packing Emergency Information and Instructions 281 Identifying One or More Point Persons 282 Tweaking Your Emergency Plan 283 Training Counselors and Other Personnel 283 Giving Your Child a Refresher Course 284 Choosing a Food Allergy–Friendly Camp 284 Educating Bunkmates and Roommates 285 Buddying Up with a Food Allergy Savvy Pal 285 Chapter 18: Substituting Foods and Ingredients: Ten Common Dietary Substitutions 287 Discovering Peanut and Peanut Butter Alternatives 288 Replacing Milk, Ice Cream, and Yogurt 288 Discovering a Better Butter 289 Checking Out Some Cheesy Substitutes 289 Trading in Your Chocolate 290 Whipping up a Fake Egg Mixture 290 Finding a New Staple: Wheat-Free Breads 291 Breakfasting with Wheat-Free Cereals 292 Baking Your Goodies with Wheat-Free Flour 292 Discovering Safer Thickening Agents 293 Chapter 19: Exploring Ten Outstanding Food Allergy Web Sites 295 Tapping Online Resources at FAAN: Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network 295 Communing with the Allergy & Asthma Network Mothers of Asthmatics 296 Investigating the Food Allergy Initiative 297 Poking Around in the Food Allergy Kitchen 297 Visiting AAFA: Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America 298 Accessing Anaphylaxis Canada 298 Dropping in on the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology 299 Attending the American College of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology 299 Joining the Anaphylaxis Campaign 300 Gathering Additional Information at AllAllergy.net 300 Chapter 20: Responding to a Severe Reaction: Ten Do’s and Don’ts 301 Identify the Symptoms 301 Tell Someone Immediately 302 Remain As Calm As Possible 302 Respond Immediately 303 Administer Medications 303 Call 911 304 Don’t Drive Yourself 304 Call Your Doctor 304 Call Family or Friends 305 Review What Happened 305 Part V: Appendixes: Allergy-Friendly Recipes and Other Treats 307 Appendix A: Breads & Breakfasts 309 Appendix B: Main Courses 313 Appendix C: Snacks and Cookies 317 Appendix D: Cakes and Desserts 323 Appendix E: Glossary 329 Index 335
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Includes over 25 allergen-free recipes! Covers peanut allergy and the new labeling guidelines Anxious about food allergies in your family? This no-nonsense, plain-English guide gives you expert guidance in identifying and avoiding the foods that trigger your reactions. You'll learn how to spot hidden ingredients on food labels and menu items, treat reactions effectively, and manage your diet without feeling deprived. Discover how to: Eliminate problem foods Find a qualified food allergist Handle mild and severe reactions Manage allergies at home, school, and work Treat your child's allergies Build your own allergy emergency kit
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"I would thoroughly recommend this book to all serious allergy sufferers" (Women's Fitness, September 2007)

Produktdetaljer

ISBN
9780470095843
Publisert
2007-03-23
Utgiver
Vendor
For Dummies
Vekt
635 gr
Høyde
234 mm
Bredde
191 mm
Dybde
23 mm
Aldersnivå
P, 06
Språk
Product language
Engelsk
Format
Product format
Heftet
Antall sider
384

Forfatter

Biographical note

Robert A. Wood, MD, is Professor of Pediatrics and International Health and Chief of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland. After receiving his medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, he completed his residency in pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University, where he also completed an allergy and immunology fellowship. Dr. Wood is an internationally recognized expert in food allergy and childhood asthma and has published over 100 manuscripts in scientific journals, including the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, Pediatrics, and the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, as well as two books and numerous book chapters. He is Deputy Editor of the journal Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, was Associate Editor of the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, and has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. He is on the Board of Directors of the American Board of Allergy and Immunology. He personally cares for over 4,000 patients with food allergy and has a special interest in this topic as someone with a severe, lifelong peanut allergy.

Joe Kraynak is a freelance author who has written and co-authored dozens of books on topics ranging from slam poetry to computer basics. Joe teamed up with Dr. Candida Fink to write his first book in the For Dummies series, Bipolar Disorder For Dummies, where he showcased his talent for translating the parlance of psychiatry into plain-spoken practical advice. He then tackled Flipping Houses For Dummies with legendary real estate pro Ralph Roberts to produce the ultimate guide for real estate rehabbers. In Food Allergies For Dummies, Joe returns to the doctor’s office with world-renowned allergist, Robert Wood, MD, to pen the definitive guide to living well with food allergies.