A huge part of the holiday season is food – giving it and enjoying it. But, if someone you love has allergies to food, you may be at a loss of what to give.
Allergies are becoming more common. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians,
Among children in Great Britain, rates of peanut allergy manifested by clinical symptoms increased from 1.3 percent to 3.2 percent between 1989 and 1995. Between 1988 and 1994, up to 6 percent of Americans exhibited asymptomatic serologic evidence of sensitivity in the form of IgE antibodies to …read more

Over the past few years, I’ve heard of several people who have been diagnosed with celiac disease . Most large grocery stores now have sections that contain gluten-free products , the only type of food those with celiac disease can eat. Why is it this? Has there been a rise in number of people with celiac disease or is it just being recognized more?
Researchers were puzzled too, so they undertook a study to find out. According to a press release issued by the Mayo Clinic:
“Celiac disease has become much more common in the last 50 years, and we don’t …read more

As I’ve mentioned before, I’m not that into milk.
However, I’ve found that Almond Breeze by Blue Diamond is a healthy alternative for people who don’t like milk or soy products.
Almond Breeze is a non-dairy beverage that I use in cereal. It’s especially great with cereal containing almonds. The beverage is gluten, cholesterol and lactose free, so it should be tolerated well by most people. Nutrition info is available online.
I normally use the Original version. Flavored drinks always seem too sweet to me, particularly when paired with some cereals.
If you prefer unsweetened beverages, the good news is that Blue Diamond now …read more

Do you know someone with celiac disease? Chances are but neither of you know it. Celiac disease is a hidden disease that often goes undiagnosed unless someone clues in on the signs and symptoms.
Celiac disease is often thought of as a disease or allergy that is just gluten intolerance, but it is much more than that. People with celiac disease can’t have ANY gluten as the gluten damages their intestinal walls bit by bit, leading to severe and sometimes life-threatening complications.
This article, Celiac disease: an elusive ‘iceberg‘,  describes the disease and the effects. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information …read more

A gluten-free playdough recipe. I don’t remember where I got this but it is a very common gluten-free playdough recipe and works great. It is used a lot in schools for children who have gluten allergies or who are on gluten-free diets.
This playdough has a commercial texture and will last about one week. Refrigerate when not in use.
½ cup rice flour
½ cup corn flour or glutinous rice flour
½ cup salt
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
1 tbsp sunflower oil (I recommend a different oil, as sunflower is high in copper)
Place all ingredients in a saucepan, mix well and bring to …read more