The Food Impact

by: Food Allergy Gal a.k.a Lara Holland

Food allergies, food intolerance and celiac disease are all medical conditions that cannot be helped, prevented or cured to date. Food really does play a big role in our health and yet I still find we don't take it very seriously. In fact I think we take it for granted. Most children these days don't know how french fries are made or think the potato comes from the store versus a farm. We don't understand food, how it impacts us not only from a physical perspective but also from a social and emotional level. Like teachers, we pay our food service professionals very poorly, we don't require education at entry level, anyone can jump into food service at any point in their life on some level. Sometimes it's even viewed as an "transition job," when really food is our life. Everyone has to eat. 

I know this is a first world problem and there are those in Africa and India who are starving and have no food, clean water, shelter or basic essentials of life. I wish I could solve all those problems today too, but for now I am working to solve this problem through education, awareness and ongoing care. 

We, as food service professionals, have the ability to really help those with these medical conditions, enjoy life outside their own kitchens. I am both the food service professional and food allergic and come to find out there are many of us in this world doing both. In fact while I was in Chicago, 50% of the people I ate with at a table one night (all in food service) had at least one food allergy or intolerance and everyone knew someone who was impacted. 

Medical research shows that autoimmune disorders are the leading cause of cancer, heart problems and 101 other diseases. 

In autoimmune diseases our immune system attacks our body. This causes serious problems like ulcerative colitis, thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, autoimmune Alzheimer's, food allergies, celiac, lupus, autoimmune autism, autoimmune oophoritis, chroh's disease, chronic fatighe syndrome  Kawasaki disease, grave's disease, goodpasture's syndrome, Parkinson  pernicious anemia, polyarteritis nodosa, rheumatoid arthritis. There are over 101 known diseases as a direct result of food. 

There are often genetic predispositions but there is growing evidence that microbes and environmental toxins such as molds, metals & pesticides play a key role. 

Learn more about autoimmune disorders

I truly believe that we not only need to understand how food impacts us but also really focus on educating food service professionals on the food and it's impact.  In some cases it could mean life or death, as is true with food allergies. 

Instead of taking over my family food business or some other aspect of cushy desk job in food service, I decided to take my passion for culinary with my damn food allergies and use it as a chance to help everyone in this industry. I have spent 11 years with my own food allergy medical battle, including education, training, new recipe development, awareness. 

Over the last 13 months we have developed full service solutions to help in every aspect of the food service business, including our new electronic food allergy management system, AllerSmartMenu, and a comprehensive training and certification program which helps limit liability, increase efficiency and effectiveness and build revenue from the 220 million potential customers with food allergies, just like me. 

I love this connecting article that was written after I first wrote this article. http://blog.fooducate.com/2013/08/31/the-curious-connection-between-your-gut-and-brain/

LaraHolland, Food Allergy Consultancy provides full service solutions in food allergies and special dietary needs to food service providers from restaurants to food manufacturers. Find out how we can help your organization today! Stay connected or email us, info@ilaraholland.com. 

To schedule a training class on food allergies, food intolerance and celiac disease, please click here.

This Post is Sponsored by Home Free Cookies, delicious treats for home or to be served in restaurants as a great little dessert. Gluten, Dairy, Nut Free cookies. 

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65 names for Dairy

There are over 168 Million People in the World with a  diagnosed dairy intolerance. Some people also have an actually allergy to it. There are differences. People who are allergic to it, can actually die if they ingest it. 

This number is much, much larger than those with a gluten intolerance today. It is so important for those with this disorder to know what alternative names are but also just as important for food service providers to understand what dairy really means, when manufacturing or preparing food for those with this digestive disorder. 

Dairy and all it's names

Acidophilus Milk Ammonium Caseinate Butter Butter Fat Butter Oil Butter Solids Buttermilk Buttermilk Powder Calcium Caseinate Casein Caseinate Cheese (All animal-based) Condensed Milk Cottage Cheese Cream Curds Custard Delactosed Whey Demineralized Whey Dry Milk Powder Dry Milk Solids Evaporated Milk

Ghee Goat Milk Half & Half Hydrolyzed Casein Hydrolyzed Milk Protein Iron Caseinate Lactalbumin Lactoferrin Lactoglobulin Lactose Lactulose Low-Fat Milk Magnesium Caseinate Malted Milk Milk Milk Derivative Milk Fat Milk Powder Milk Protein Milk Solids Natural Butter Flavor Nonfat Milk

Nougat Paneer Potassium Caseinate Pudding Recaldent Rennet Casein Skim Milk Sodium Caseinate Sour Cream Sour Milk Solids Sweetened Condensed Milk Sweet Whey Whey Whey Powder Whey Protein Concentrate Whey Protein Hydrolysate Whipped Cream Whipped Topping Whole Milk Yogurt Zinc Caseinate

It's VERY, VERY important to work with a Certified Food Allergy Consultant who specializes in commercial kitchens when building specialty menus or creating food products at the manufacturer level. Staff should be properly trained and facilities certified. Doing this limits liability, protects and increases consumer confidence and ultimately will help keep a successful business. People with a food allergy or food intolerance WANT to EAT, it's not that just don't like dairy, as an example, it truly is a disorder they can do absolutely nothing about except to live without the offending food, in some cases for LIFE. 

Contact LaraHolland, Certified Food Allergy Consultancy today for training and certification on special dietary needs including vegan, vegetarian, food allergies, food intolerance and gluten (Celiac disease).

Today's Sponsor is Boulder Brands, bringing you Soy, Dairy Free Butter Alternative. Great for cooking or baking as an alternative and doesn't have an aftertaste. 

To get an AllerCert Approval or become a Food Allergy Gal Sponsor, contact us today. 

You know are a _______________, when you....

You know you are an in a TRUE allergy, gluten friendly restaurant WHEN:

1. Staff ask at the door, "Does anyone in your party have food allergies or any food intolerance?"
2. Staff pulls a special color coded ticketing system when there is a food allergy/intolerance. 
3. Manager comes to the table and talks to you to tell you how they will handle your needs
4. Chef comes out and talks to you about what they have for YOU that day based on your needs or 
5. Restaurant prints a list of available dishes based on your dietary restrictions. (We have this system available- ask us)
6. You have repeat guest with food allergies who bring all their friends and family to eat with them. 
7. Staff know customers food allergies when they walk in the door.
8. You impress guest with appetizer, main and dessert they can eat with food allergies. 

You know you are a food allergic when menus like this make your day.  (Labels that tell them what they CAN have.) 

Food Allergy Gal developed a special system to work for restaurants and schools- Now you can input food allergies or special dietary restrictions (i.e. gluten free, vegan) and get a list of what is available or what modifications need to be made, once the facility has worked with us. 

Contact Lara Holland, Food Allergy Consultancy today, info@ilaraholland.com

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Judge Much? Arguing Food Allergies

Nearly every day I read food allergy/food intolerant boards or discussion forums, from support groups to online discussions to news feeds. Sometimes it's the article itself as much as it the COMMENTS people leave. 

This one is an outside party trying to communicate with the "norms" of the food world. 

There is humor, passion, ignorance, frustration and misunderstanding all over it. 

It just goes to show how many people are still so unaware and under educated on this subject not to mention how many people still NEED help and confidence eating out. Plus I see a major forum needed to mix and match the public opinion with people who have food disorders. 

This recent thread on Yelp was interesting to see how people really feel about those with food allergies. For the record, I am NOT condoning any of this- I often would disagree with much of what is posted here. It's appalling to me that even those with food allergies/sensitivities are STILL uneducated themselves. I was one of those and sometimes still feel I am. 

This is why not only do people with food allergies need training but so do those who serve food to food allergics/intolerant. Why is it important- once we understand it we become more sensitive and we are more responsible. 

www.yelp.com/topic/los-angeles-eating-out-with-food-allergies- This is the whole thread- but below I'm pulling out certain key conversations.  (My comments are in Red, Italics)  

Eating out with Food Allergies

Stuart: 
Do you eat out with multiple food allergies? I'd love to hear your experiences, what restaurants do it right, wrong, care, don't care, could use improvement? Would you eat out more if restaurants catered to your needs? 

1. Mike: 
2. MSG gives me explosive diarrhea. (Totally common in food intolerance) 

Iris: 

I have to be careful about certain fish. Shellfish in particular. So id rather have it at home, to be safe. (Shellfish is one of the top 10 food allergens in world)

Kat: 

I hate picky eaters. (This is where the conversation breaks down and it's such a common issue we face being food allergic/intolerant. Don't say you are allergic/intolerant- unless you really are- because when you say I'm allergic to dairy but then ask for BUTTER- it really, really gives us all a BAD name) 

Wes:

...allergy = picky eater?

Kat: 

Due to allergies, people become picky. Done.

Court: 

Going out to dinner with allergies is really not that bad as long as you stick to places with actual chefs, and/or call before you visit.  This pretty much leaves out eating at Taco Bell with a Los Angeles Trade-Tech student cooking your meal.  (Great point, the more educated, professional, seasoned staff members, will generally be able to provide more "help"- but everyone in food service should take it much more seriously than they do now.- We should ALL CARE.) 

It also means staying away from Instagram, duckfaced, f*ing douchbags calling folks with allergies, picky, as if we chose this lifestyle.  May baby Jesus/Allah/Zoroaster curse you with running diarrhea every time you eat wheat... (And after so many years of being called just a picky eater... we blow up at other people- pent up rage and frustration that I really relate to- I don't care for picky eaters myself... and I'm the fartherst thing from it- I want to eat everything I am allergic to and I have and it's great. I would rather have cut off my left arm than to have to give up dairy- but I love my kids too much to abandon them, via analaphaxis shock.) 

Orwell: 

I refuse to allow my body to recognize food allergies. 

Makes things so much easier.

Rob: 

With that many allergies, it's best to just prepare food yourself.

Kim:

Cooking breaks down certain proteins/enzymes which are what some people react to so cooking them makes them tolerable.  I am allergic to a lot of different fruits but can eat them if they are cooked.  I can drink the fruit juices of fruits i react to if its pasteurized but not raw.  I also know someone who is like that with several vegetables.  She cant eat them raw but can eat them cooked.

Ashley:

Mine are avocado, fish, shrimp (but oddly enough not crab or lobster), watermelon, soy milk, macadamia nuts...and more. And if being picky means my throat doesn't close up, then so be it! I usually go to the same places, so I know things are safe. I have started making a lot more at home though, cause I tend to feel bad about "being picky".

Orwell:

Mind over matter. (If only it were that darn easy. So many of my own friends and family have actually said this to me for years now. I would rather eat cheese and treenuts and salmon than be sick. I love food. Why on earth would I want to get over it?)

 Elio:

- diarrhea, cramps, hives, upset stomach, is how most people "experience" food allergies. A smaller percentage of people cough and weeze and have asthma attack. The smallest %age have a swelling of the throat (Anaphylatic shock) but those people should be carrying antihistimine pills or epinephrine pen.

- it's not your imagination, food allergies are on the RISE due to genetically modified foods (GMOs) combining things that you may not expect in what you eat.

this article is dated (2008) but "only" 11 people died due to food allergies in 2007:
http://www.huffingtonpos…

CDC page on the issue:
http://www.cdc.gov/healt…

Jade: 

there are food intolerances that border into becoming an 'allergy'.

either way, it's a huge huuuuge pain.

Elio: 

@Stuart, the oft quoted "150 deaths per year" is from an advocacy organization. The Huffington article specifically calls it out as BS, and the CDC puts the real number at 11 deaths in 2007. I'm assuming you have a board-certified physician with your medical history on file. If not, be sure and do that. 

Mike K. says:

I bring my own peanuts on airplanes.

Want another example- Read the comments after the article,http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/05/31/oh-the-humanities-food-allergies-can-mean-loneliness-social-isolation-for-children-researcher/ 


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