Make a list of all of the food that you will serve including drinks, appetizers, and desserts. Select a safe turkey and order it this week.

Decide if your meal will be completely safe for your child or if you’ll serve some dishes that are not. I have served a milk, wheat, egg, peanut, and tree nut-free Thanksgiving that was delicious and worry-free. Here is an allergy-friendly menu to get you started.

At a minimum, make appetizers that are safe for your allergic child. That way, you’ll have no worries while you are preparing the meal. Veggies and safe dip or fruit kabobs (cut up fruit, dip in diluted orange or lemon juice) are healthy and can be made with safe fruits and veggies. This fruit gobbler could be made with all safe foods for your family.

2. Ask for help.

Most people want to bring something. How about juice or juice boxes for the kids, soda, water bottles, wine? Do you have trusted friends or relatives who could bring a safe dish? Do you have a relative who insists on bringing something? How about HomeFree’s Organic Cranberry or Apple Coffee Cake for dessert or for breakfast the next day? If not…

3. Start cooking now.

Did you know you can freeze a whole unbaked apple pie?(simply bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes) Also, I make a delicious apple crisp with CherryBrook Kitchen Sugar Cookie Mix prepared and sprinkled on top of sliced apples with cinnamon. (Bake for 45 minutes or until the apples are tender.) You can make that too and freeze the whole thing unbaked. Cybele Pascal’s Triple Chocolate Cupcakes and my allergy friendly Candy Corn Cookies also freeze well.

4. Inventory your plates, glasses and silverware.

Borrow or purchase what you will need. Little ones can work on a center piece and place cards or drink charms.

5. Decide ahead of time about the seating.

If there will be a “kiddie table” make sure that allergic children can eat safely there. Some parents feed the children first so that they can be supervised. This allows the adults to relax and enjoy the meal.

6. Avoid cross-contamination, by serving those with food allergies first and setting aside second helpings.

There is confusion in the kitchen at the last minute, so make sure all of the “helpers” know to avoid cross contamination. If your child is eating a different meal or a different version of the meal, ask family members not to make a “fuss” over her special foods.

As an alternative, make all safe foods. Even with all of the prep work, you will have a soft heart and a relaxing meal knowing that your child is safe and included.

7. Set your table the night before.

It will save time for you and you can make sure that your child is seated around adults or older children who can keep an eye on her while you are serving the meal.

8. Start a tradition of making Thanksgivings about more than just food.

Have everyone bring a baby picture and let the kids guess who is in each picture! Go around the table and have each person say at least one thing that they are grateful for. Play charades or charades for kids if you have little ones. Clear the table and play cards or build a puzzle together. Decorate a gingerbread house together with leftover safe Halloween Candy. Take a walk together after the meal.

“Photograph your Children from Front and Back… You’ll have great shots of them hurrying down the block to collect their treats.”

They also feature a very food allergy friendly list of treats that most kids can enjoy. Take a peek here! The list includes links to over a dozen allergy friendly goodies. Great idea for teachers, grandparents and neighbors!

This summer, the group deployed in all corners of the country to get its message out to Members of Congress.

• In San Diego, CA, a group of 13 led by Sue Wagner and Carol D’Agnese met with Senator Barbara Boxer’s (CA) staff. A local allergist described the rapid increase in food allergies, provided some medical explanation and detailed current research efforts. Several children read letters they had written, including two who are fed intravenously. The group brought along letters from school nurses, the California Teacher of the Year and a physician who has a child with a food allergy. They also shared “before and after” photos of young children experiencing allergic reactions. The Senator’s staff learned that food allergy research does not even appear on the list of all National Institutes of Health disease research funding. Sue and Carol presented the Senator with a plaque thanking her for her attention to food allergies, and her office was very appreciative of the opportunity to learn so much more about the breadth and severity of this disease.

• In Charlotte, NC, a group of 16 led by Chris Hardy met with Senator Kay Hagan’s (NC) top health policy staff. This group included a dozen allergy parents, a Duke University food allergy researcher, a family that participated in Duke research, a Charlotte-area allergist, a 12-year old and a 17-year old who can eat fewer than 20 foods, and an allergic mother of allergic kids. There was even a pregnant mom talking about the challenges of obtaining milk formula suitable for food allergic infants. The Senator’s staff knew very little about food allergies at the outset, but was engaged, full of great questions, and appreciative of our group’s efforts.

• In Scarsdale, NY, a group of five led by Sari Canell met with Representative Nita Lowey (NY). Rep. Lowey has been a champion on combating food allergies, sponsoring the federal labeling law and now the federal school guidelines bill (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Management Act). One of the attendees was a local allergist, to whom the Congresswoman asked a number of important questions. She was also greatly moved by the story of Sabrina Shannon, an 8th grader from Canada who died of an anaphylactic reaction in 2003 – illustrating to her that in spite of our best efforts, the perpetual risk of anaphylaxis underscores that only a cure will ultimately keep kids safe.

• In Mercer Island, WA, Sally Porter and her two boys met with Representative Dave Reichert (WA). Rep. Reichert is the co-chair of the Congressional Children’s Health Caucus and held a hearing last year to raise awareness on food allergies. The Congressman has family members with food allergies, so he understands the daily challenges of coping with the disease. Sally described her extensive work to educate food allergy patients at emergency room departments in local hospitals, and she provided the Congressman with the booklet she developed for this work. He offered some great ideas about how to further raise awareness of food allergies and the need to find a cure.

• In Madison and Green Bay, WI, Meg Goss met with both Senator Herb Kohl’s staff and Representative Steve Kagen (WI), who is the only allergist in Congress. Having heard Meg describe the work of her 300-member support group, Food Allergy Association of Wisconsin, both officials better understand the prevalence of food allergies among their own constituents.

All of these successful efforts were major, time-consuming undertakings by the respective steering committee members, and we thank and commend them for helping to elevate the issue of food allergies and the need for research to find a cure. Everyone who has participated thus far believes the meetings were very productive and worthwhile, and they felt very good about becoming uniquely involved in the democratic process. They have laid an important foundation from which to keep these Members apprised of important food allergy research and other developments.

If you are interested in participating in a meeting with your Senator or Representative, please contact me or Steve Rice, Director of Public Affairs at the Food Allergy Initiative (srice@faiusa.org).

Enjoy Life Foods, Twinject and Guardian Angel Foods sign on as Charter Sponsors of first of its kind Food Management Tool.

October 15, 2009 - New York – www.foodcontentalerts.com. A free online and mobile service developed by TAXI New York (www.taxi-nyc.com), was announced today by Durk Barnhill, General Manager, TAXI NY.

Foodcontentalerts.com (FCA) provides critical information and personalized data management both at home and on-the-go for the nearly 70 million people in the United States and Canada alone suffering from food sensitivities, including food allergies, celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and those affected by their needs including children’s playmates, teachers, friends, family members and co-workers.

“After extensive research and testing, we’re thrilled to launch this first of it’s kind highly personalized food management tool,” said Barnhill, “charter sponsorships with Enjoy Life Foods, Twinject Canada and Guardian Angel Foods confirm the marketing value of this tool for these companies and their unique products in the food sensitivity category.”

FCA is a free web service designed to help sufferers of food sensitivities (allergies and intolerances) manage the many types of detailed data they need to keep specific ingredients and foods out of their diets. The site provides users with safe, reliable online and mobile tools for creating customized databases, recipe boxes, shopping lists and food sensitivity profiles. In addition to tips on avoiding many foods, FCA helps people discover new food recommendations from others dealing with their same sensitivities – they’re able to share recipes, ingredient updates and other information with the foodcontentalerts.com user community.

“There is a growing need for this type of safe and reliable information that is easily accessible through the Internet and mobile phone. The number of people dealing with food sensitivities is growing daily, and we have partnered with FCA for the help it can provide consumers,” said Scott Mandell, CEO, president and founder of Enjoy Life Foods. “Sponsoring this service provides a valuable resource for us to connect with them.”

The online and mobile service are accessible worldwide – and following a beta stage include users in the United States and Canada, as well as new user groups in the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Australia.

“I wish this wonderful website was around when my son was first diagnosed,” said Gina Clowes, founder, Allergymoms.com. “It would have saved me hours and hours of time each year, reprinting ‘safe’ snacks lists for family and friends. I know this will be a fantastic resource for allergy parents to share with teachers, relatives, friends and family.”

The Foodcontentalerts.com site features include:

My Safe Foods: Allows users to create customized lists of “personally approved” foods and share them. A great way to find new recommendations for people on restricted diets.

My Recipes: Input your own recipes, discover new recipes, share with others, and add ingredients to a shopping list or share with friends and family.

My Shopping Lists: Create and manage multiple lists; update or add items from your safe-foods list; and share with teachers, daycare facilities, camp counselors, friends and family.

Community Forums: Share ideas with other people suffering from food sensitivities.

News Modules: Receive up-to-the-minute product safety alerts or custom information on food allergies, celiac and more – from around the world.

PROSPECT HEIGHTS, IL, October 14, 2009 – Kids and parents all over the country can join Surf Sweets, the country’s leading brand of naturally sweetened, totally delicious gummy candies and jelly beans, in going green this Halloween.

Surf Sweets has teamed up with Green Halloween®, a non-profit grassroots initiative that strives to create healthier more Earth-friendly holidays, to create a fun party guide that parents and kids can use to create their own Green Halloween celebration.

And why not? Surf Sweets candies are the perfect addition to a Green Halloween celebration because they’re made from organic and natural ingredients without any artificial colors, flavors or GMOs. Also, Surf Sweets organic ingredients are free of harsh chemicals and pesticides and are grown in an earth-friendly, sustainable manner.

The Surf Sweets downloadable Green Halloween party guide provides great party planning tips, fun party activities, and three new Surf Sweets Halloween treat recipes that are so delicious they’ll make ghosts boast and ghouls drool.

Among the many great Green Halloween party tips offered are:

Plan for only enough food and drinks as you need to minimize waste — make a list before you go shopping
Make “treat & treasure” bags from recycled goods or old pillow cases
Consider using decorative items from nature – pumpkins, gourds, apples, hay, corn
Compost all food scraps and natural décor items. Pizza boxes and other food- contaminated paper and cardboard items may also be composted or included in yard waste
Recycle aluminum cans, water bottles, cups, paper goods, food containers and more
Use healthier, non-toxic cleaning supplies – vinegar and water work wonders

Surf Sweets three delicious new Halloween treats include Popcorn Candy Worm Cake, Mummy Gummys and Witch’s Cauldrons. Each recipe with a photo, and videos with step-by-step instructions for preparing each treat, is available on the Surf Sweets website at www.surfsweets.com/fun/php.

Surf Sweets offers seven unique varieties of its mouth-watering organic and natural gummy candies and jelly beans including Gummy Bears, Gummy Worms, Organic Jelly Beans, Sour Worms, Organic Fruity Bears, Gummy Swirls and Sour Berry Bears.

Surf Sweets candies are not only made with highest quality organic and natural ingredients, they contain no corn syrup. Instead, they are naturally sweet because they’re made with real organic fruit juice and provide 100% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C

Additionally, Surf Sweets candies are gluten free, casein free and allergy friendly, meaning that they contain none of the most common food allergens (wheat, dairy, peanuts, tree nuts, egg, soy, fish, shellfish). All Surf Sweets candy is produced and packaged in a dedicated nut-free facility in the USA.

Surf Sweets are currently available in mainstream grocery and natural foods stores, online and at specialty retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada. Suggested retail price for 2.75-oz Surf Sweets is $1.99 and $.79 for its .9-oz snack-size packs, which are perfectly sized for trick or treating. For more information on store locations, visit www.surfsweets.com/buy.php or order online now at NaturalCandyStore.com,

PeanutFreePlanet.com, ShopOrganic.com, SugarCoatedOrganics.com or

VeganEssentials.com to ensure delivery before Halloween.

Green Halloween®

Green Halloween® is a non-profit, grassroots initiative striving to create healthier, eco-friendlier holidays – starting with Halloween. Launched in Seattle in 2007 by a mother of two, the nationwide movement is all about educating and inspiring communities by showing how easy, affordable, and fun it can be to factor our earth and our health into our daily choices. To learn more about Green Halloween® and find fun events near you, visit www.GreenHalloween.org or www.celebrategreen.net.

About Surf Sweets

Surf Sweets is the country’s leading brand of naturally sweetened, totally delicious gummy candies and jelly beans made with organic and natural ingredients and without any artificial colors and flavors. Surf Sweets is owned and operated by Prospect Heights, IL-based TruSweets, LLC, a socially responsible company dedicated to building delicious sweet snack brands that are better for our families and our planet. The company was founded in 2008 by Bert Cohen, an entrepreneur with a successful track record of building businesses in the natural foods industry. Surf Sweets currently offers seven unique varieties of mouth-watering gummy candies and jelly beans that are available at mainstream grocery and natural foods stores, online and at specialty retailers throughout the U.S. and Canada. For more information, visit www.surfsweets.com.

As part of its “Be Good to Your Whole Body” campaign, for the month of October, Whole Foods Market has created podcasts focusing on maintaining a healthy mood. As the seasons change, these simple, free tips, consider how conscious breathing, herbs, and eating well, can help maintain a healthy mood.

Just listen to one or all of our podcasts and leave a comment telling us what you think of our work. On October 30th one of you will be randomly chosen to receive the gift card!

To listen to the podcasts, go here.

Please comment on one or more of the following podcasts:
-Breathe and Meditation for Stress Relief
-Herbal Approaches for Healthy Mood
-Boost your Back to School Brain Power

Type: www.allergymoms.com in the “website” field on one or more of the comment forms.

The first ever Walk to Axe Anaphylaxis in support of the Allergy and Immunology Fund at the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto is happening on October 18, 2009. This event will test the strength and endurance of many kids with allergies, and create a belief deep in their hearts that we are all coming closer to a cure for allergies, a promise to help millions of children live long, healthy and active lives!

This special event was created by a young, Canadian anaphylactic girl, who serves as an incredible inspiration to anyone, young or young at heart, thinking about making a difference. The goal for fundraising was set at $7000 just a month ago, and the response has been so terrific that already over $24000 has been raised in an effort to find a cure for people living with life threatening allergies. All the money raised from this 3 km fundraising walk will support the Allergy and Immunology Fund at The Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, Canada.

Please consider making an online donation here.

Secure online donations can be made in Canadian funds to the Walk to Axe Anaphylaxis with VISA, MasterCard or American Express and an official electronic tax receipt will be sent to you by email, from the Hospital For Sick Children for donations greater than $20. Together we can raise funds to Axe Anaphylaxis!

Please share this email with everyone touched by allergies, and anyone who may support this important cause, and help us make this a day and an event to remember!

Thank you, on behalf of allergic children everywhere.

An Important Note form the Event Organizer:

Hi, My daughter, Sophie Nisker, is creating the Walk to Axe Anaphylaxis in honour of her 13th birthday. If you or someone you know has allergies, we’d love you to join us! You can register to walk, sponsor us, or donate product!

Help us spread the word, and forward this to anyone you know who might be interested, please help us solve the mystery of allergies!

Thanks for your support!

Karen and Sophie

For more information, please call Karen or Sophie at (416) 659-3167 or email nisker5@rogers.com

Smarties! Probably the best known candy free of the major food allergens. Small, fun, and free of milk, wheat, egg, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shell fish, soy and even sesame! Smarties Mega Lollies are similar and may also work for your child.

Spangler Candy: Dum Dums, Saf-T-Pops and more. Dum Dums are the perfect size, and come in a variety of flavors and are easy to find in the grocery store.

Enjoy Life Boom Choco Boom Chocolate Bars: The Rice milk variety is sweet and perfect for kids and these are available at Whole Foods, in the grocery store and many specialty foods stores.

Divvies Chocolate Ghosts and Halloween Jelly Beans: Delicious gourmet chocolate and beautifully colored Halloween Jelly beans free of milk, egg, peanuts and tree nuts. Divvies Popcorn is the best and is perfect for classroom parties! (Did you know that some flavored jelly beans contain peanut flour?)

Willy Wonka Candies including Fun Dip, Pixy Stix and Nerds!

Swedish Fish Easy to find and usually available in Halloween sized bags!

Gimbals Gummy Candies Very Allergy Friendly Company.

Tootsie makes several fun candies that may be safe for your child including: “Dots” , and year they have really cute “candy corn” dots! Their Wak-O-Wax lips (you know, the vampire kind) are also safe for many allergies. My kids love the Nik-L-Nip wax bottles and sticks and the Razzles (remember: “First it’s candy, then it’s gum.”)may be safe for many as well.

Vermont Nut Free Chocolates: This is delicious creamy chocolate that is nut free, of course, but also comes in dark (milk free) varieties.

Surf Sweets and Yummy Earth make beautiful, organic candy that is free of dyes and many common food allergens.

You may have seen our interview with Dr Morris last year. She is every bit as kind and personable in person. She’s the real deal and it’s clear that she truly believes in this easy and painless treatment.

After attending the conference and seeing how enthusiastic this group of doctors is about these allergy drops, you have to wonder why this treatment has been available for decades in Europe but is still greeted with such skepticism here in the United States. None the less, I am done waiting and completely over believing the notion that “total avoidance will give your child his best chance of outgrowing his allergies”. And I am thrilled to have found this wonderful clinic that has been using allergy drops (sublingual immunotherapy) for over 40 years!

I also want to mention up front that although my son saw Dr Mary Morris, all of the physicians from Allergy Associates of La Crosse are well trained in administering allergy drops (SLIT) and I was truly impressed by each of them.

So, let me share my experience with you. Over the past eight years, I’ve taken my son to several allergy specialists in different states and our experience at the Allergy Associates of La Crosse was very different. They have it down to a science and that includes taking care of you, and your time, while you are there.

There is no idle waiting. I also know that I didn’t receive any kind of “special treatment” there because I have a good friend whose son has been treated by “Dr Mary”, as she’s affectionately known, since last December. My friend and her husband were equally impressed.

When you make an appointment, they’ll ask you for a detailed history that they need at least two weeks before your appointment. There was no doubt that Dr Mary not only read this history well in advance, but that she was already trying to unravel the mystery of my son’s severely allergic condition well before we got to our appointment.

She asked us eight or nine questions and based on our answers, she gave us some options for how we could proceed. We discussed immunotherapy allergy drops for certain foods and she asked us to have the first dose administered in the office.

Then we did some skin testing for environmental allergies (including Candida) so that she could determine the appropriate mix for my son in those drops. We selected a few foods to start with first (my son has many food allergies) for the food allergy drops. About half of the patients, like my son, have both food and environmental allergies so you get two different bottles of drops.

Without going into all of the details of my son’s history, (Every patient is different and I don’t want others to assume that their child has what mine does.) Dr Mary shared with me that she thought my son had yeast overgrowth and she gave him a prescription to help with that. She also shared some novel ideas that other patients were using to control their eczema. (Very diluted bleach or very diluted white vinegar in the bath.) I thought this was interesting since my son loves vinegar. What’s up with that?

We sent my son’s blood work to the office prior to our appointment and they did intradermal testing in the office. We were sent home with a card to monitor the site of the skin testing over the next few days for delayed (non-IgE) reactions which often occur, especially with molds. Yeah! An allergist who recognizes non-IgE reactions!

My son has lots of environmental allergies as well as foods but has always tested negative to dust. Dr Mary said she found it hard to believe that he wouldn’t have some response to dust since he is allergic to so many things. So we skin tested him for dust, and sure enough an immediate and significant reaction. No problem, she just added drops for dust!

The first dose of the sublingual (allergy) drops for food are given individually and in the office to be as safe as possible. One quick drop under the tongue and then you hold it there for 20 seconds and swallow. My son said that the drops taste like “nothing.” Sweet!

So after an hour or so, we were sent home with our two bottles of allergy drops in a little blue zipper pouch. We give my son one drop from each bottle, three times per day. He’s had no reactions whatsoever.

Now here’s the good part. His eczema is improving already! He had one of those resistant patches on his cheek and it’s all but gone! The area behind his knees is improving too.

We will get a new set of allergy drops in two months. We may increase the dosage and perhaps add a few foods to the mix.

Then in February we go back for our next appointment. This time, my son and I will both see Dr Mary. With him improving already, I don’t want to waste any more time with itchy eyes next spring, so I will get treated too!

I’ll write again after we check in with Dr Mary in November!