UPDATE!! I have NO FOOD ALLERGIES!

 
As of Jan 2018, I am no longer have allergies.  I have tested negative to everything.  I may have been misdiagnosed to some of the food allergies. Allergy testing used to be just a skin scratch with the occasional blood test.  Blood test were not necessarily performed. I was tested for varies food allergies in Germany with just a skin test. When I got to the states, I was tested again on Eglin through scratch and 2 other blood tests for carrot and tomato.  He tested me for the most common 10 food allergies and some vegetables. The carrot and tomato were the worst on my skin that is why they decided to perform blood tests. It was determined that I was allergic to melons, tomatoes, carrots. and oranges.  Eglin removed allergist from the base and I was moved to Allergy Partners in Fort Walton Beach.
Allergy Partners tested me for variety of foods, trees, grasses, weeds, and molds. I tested positive for a lot of out door elements. The doctors there were curious about my other allergies and tested me for foods. I tested positive for a number of items.  The reactions for these food items were pretty bad since they had to stop the skin reactions after 10 minutes. It should have gone for 20. I was given a list of bad food at the time and went on. After a problem with my heart and stopped allergy shots. I just continued with skin testing and working with the results given. I have had allergies of some kind since 1996.
Well, my amazing doctors at Allergy Partners are always being trained and do their own research and called had me retested for food items. Some people react to food through a skin test even though they are not allergic to food. My body was reacting to the tree, molds, weeds, and grass relatives of foods.  My body thought I was eating a tree or weed or whatever out door element the food was related to.  If you follow a foods family tree you will ultimately find some of them are distant relatives. The doctor had me do multiple food challenges to prove to him I was okay. A food Challenge is a 4-hour test that consists of eating a food in gradual increasing amounts over 4 hours. The doctor has the nurse check on you every chance they get to make sure you are not breaking out, having shortness of breathe, or anything else that normally goes along with food allergies.
I was having food sensitivities to some of them. I still have issues with carrots but I now know that I am not allergic and it is not going to kill me. I still pay extra attention to when I am eating food and my husband and friends alway watch to make sure I am not turning red or breaking out.  I can not eat actually soy sauce, it bothers me.  I do not eat a lot of carrots. I am very grateful for my doctors Dr. DeVuyst and Dr. Neuland of Allergy Partners in Fort Walton Beach. I am not bitter but I actually ate better with the food allergies and plan to keep eating the same.  The lesson taken from this past 12 or so years is to read your food labels.  There is a lot of unnecessary chemicals in the food in the center of our grocery stores. Shop the outside of the stores.

Cookies and Stuff

Parenting can be tough! Food choices for children are not always healthy. I have some tips for parents on snacks.  These are actually things I did with and for my children.
Yogurt cups- buy regular plain yogurt and chop Oreo, sprinkles, fruit, cookies or nuts. Have these stored in containers so your child just has to scoop the yogurt and add 2 tsp of their favorite snack into the yogurt.
Cookies- don’t buy processed cookies. My children made their cookies. If they want cookies, let them make them. This is going to mean you will have to have all the ingredients in house. Cookies we made are: chocolate chip, oatmeal, peanut butter, and butter cookies.
Potato chips- easy as pie. Slice potatoes thin and fry in oil. You can bake them also by coating the slices with oil and salt n pepper and bake in the oven in high heat for 10-15 minutes.  Chips need to be eaten within 1/2 hour of cooking. These are addictive and will  cause you kids and their friends to always be in your kitchen. Frying the potatoes takes time and a large fry pan.
Fruit- if you have fruit in a bowl they will eat it. Especially, if they are “starving” and just got home from sports, school, or in from swimming. Buy their favorite fruit and store them out of fridge. Most fruit can be stored on the table in a bowl. How did you buy them? Were they refrigerated or just on the produce shelf.  Think about it.
Juice- it’s gets a bad wrap. My children’s choices for drinks were: water, juice, milk, and Gatorade. We almost Never had soda. I also froze the juice in ice trays and made ice pops. Their teeth are great. They did not go to bed with juice in their bottles either. They are now 27 & 29. Now they drink all sodas they want and the alcohol he wants. Lol, lets be real.
Ice cream- yes, I made ice cream as well. Ice cream makers are inexpensive and amazing. Buy one and make some ice cream. The instructions and recipes are simple but follow you machines instructions and recipe.
Cereal- I guess cereals today are not a wise choice but we ate cereal as snacks.
I hope this helps some of you.
 

What and How Series?

What vegetable intrigues you? What vegetable do you want to try but have no idea how to use it? Let me know. All human guests to my site should respond so I know which vegetable to start with go….
Fennel, green pepper, onion, tomato, green onion, kale, etc..

Cooking Classes at the Fort Walton Beach Library

I will be doing a series of cooking classes for ages 3-8. Children will learn about kitchen gadgets, fresh food and recipes. They will start on September 6 at 4:00. Registration is required and all classes are free. Please call the library (850)833-9590 for information or leave a comment here. Space limited so sign up quickly.
 

Soybean is everywhere

Did you know there is soybean oil in some shampoos, body wash, and non-stick sprays like Pam? Please read your ingredients on any product you use.
My daily routine included a headache. No, not the husband but a real headache. Once I read the ingredients of products I used; I noticed soybean included on those lists. I stopped using my body wash and hair spray. I found ones that did not have soybean included on the lists and my headaches stopped. I also started to use local honey every morning. What a big difference it made.