Follow By Email: FAACT's March e-Newsletter

The Voice of Food Allergy Awareness

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New Research Results from American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI)
Annual Meeting

FAACT President and CEO, Eleanor Garrow-Holding attended the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, & Immunology (AAAAI) Virtual Annual Meeting from February 25-28, 2022, in Phoenix, Arizona, as well as meeting with many of FAACT's corporate partners, medical advisors, and colleagues.

Here are a few highlights of research discussed at the meeting.

Quick Check:

Anxiety or Anaphylaxis? Many symptoms of anxiety/panic disorder – including breathing problems, nausea, dizziness, and numbness or tingling sensations – may be seen in allergic reactions to food.
Unnecessary Food Allergy Tests: IgE food panels are often incorrectly ordered and over-ordered by non-allergists, leading to incorrect food allergy diagnoses, unnecessary food avoidance, and increased healthcare costs.
Early Peanut Introduction: For infants with moderate to severe eczema, the odds of developing a peanut allergy increase 30% every month that parents delay introducing peanut into their baby's diet after age 6 months. Despite evidence favoring early introduction, most parents introduce peanut at age 12 months. There are also racial disparities in understanding when it's safe to introduce peanuts (white parents were more likely to believe early introduction was safe compared with other groups).
Pediatric Knowledge Gap on Epinephrine: There is a knowledge gap in pediatricians' use of epinephrine for management of anaphylaxis in both emergency department and outpatient care.
Food Allergies and Food Insecurity: Households with a dual burden of food allergy and food insecurity may opt out of national food assistance programs due to fears/problems associated with food allergies.

Read our full summary here.

Join FAACT's Camp TAG Summer Program

It may be cold right now, but it's not too early to start thinking about summer camp!

FAACT's Camp TAG provides a safe place for children (ages 5-13) with food allergies, eosinophilic disorders, Celiac disease, FPIES, and asthma and their non-allergic siblings to have fun – with no worries about allergic reactions – and meet other children who share similar experiences. Teens with food allergies and teen siblings ages 14+ can apply to serve as volunteer teen counselors and receive community service hours for their time during the week.

We are hosting in-person camps in Ohio, Tennessee, Colorado, and New York. Start planning now for the Camp TAG nearest you!

For volunteer teen counselors: Teens receive community service hours for their time, which averages about 35-40 hours for the week. There is an application process. Teen counselors will be notified once applications are reviewed. There is a $75 activity fee for teen counselors.

Can't make one of these in-person camps? Join FAACT's Virtual Camp TAG July 18-22, 2022. Details are available on our website.

We hope you can join us for a fun-filled experience this summer. Spots fill up fast!

REGISTER TODAY!

Join FAACT's Teen Retreat and Meet
Actor August Maturo

FAACT's Seventh Annual Teen Retreat, for youth and young adults ages 11-23, is all about teens and college students, their siblings, and their parents. Teens will learn about managing their food allergies and, more importantly, spend time with peers who have food allergies (and siblings who do not), asthma, and more. Siblings are also affected when a family member has food allergies. Our Teen Retreat is a safe place for them to discuss their concerns with a group who not only understands but can share their own experiences, advice, and solutions.

Joining us again this year is FAACT Celebrity Spokesperson August Maturo. August is excited to share his experiences living with food allergies and meet other teens who live it and get it.

We are also excited to announce that Curtis Zimmerman will be joining us again as our keynote speaker! We are going to have an amazing weekend.

FAACT's Teen Retreat will be Friday, October 28, through Sunday, October 30, 2022, at The Hyatt Lodge & Conference Center in Oak Brook, Illinois.

All details are on our website, and schedules will be finalized by June.

Register Today for Early Bird Special!

Easter Fundraiser with
Vermont Nut Free Chocolates

Order Vermont Nut Free Chocolates for Easter March 13 through March 20 and receive 10% off through FAACT!

Vermont Nut Free Chocolate Company is excited to offer a delicious treat for the FAACT community: a 10% discount off all orders! Additionally, a portion of the proceeds from those sales will be donated to FAACT.

Vermont Nut Free Chocolate Company was founded by the mother of a little boy with peanut allergy. Their entire selection is completely safe for people living with tree nut or peanut allergies and can be enjoyed by anyone who loves fine chocolates. They offer a delicious line of gourmet chocolate truffles, fruit creams, mint creams, caramels, raisin clusters, chocolate bars, and novelty items that are made in small batches the old-fashioned way from the finest nut-free ingredients.

Start making your wish list today on the Vermont Nut Free Chocolate website – and order beginning March 13!

Prior to checkout, at the top of your "Shopping Cart" page, enter the key code FAACT to receive 10% off your order (and 25% of sales will be donated back to FAACT). The code will not work prior to March 13. Thank you for your support!

Note: Products are only free from peanut and tree nuts. Allergy information can be found here.

The College Corner

Internships are a cornerstone of the college experience, offering students real-world experience and potential post-graduation job offers. But an internship may turn sour if college students with food allergies do not think ahead about managing their allergies in a professional setting. The good news is that your student can explore how adults with food allergies successfully handle their work life by onboarding with FAACT resources.

Start by visiting the FAACT Education Center's Adults with Food Allergies hub. Here you'll find information about all aspects of adult life with food allergies, including navigating social events and dealing with roommates.

Guide your student to the "High School to Workforce" tab and download the High School to Workforce Checklist. This checklist covers topics such as housing, dining, workplace accommodations, health care, legal considerations, tech, stress management, and handling medical emergencies. For summer internships, students will likely be off campus, and this may be their first journey into apartment living with roommates and socializing with adults.

Your next stop should be the Food Allergies in the Workplace tab. Here you will find solid tips for how to discuss food allergies with co-workers and navigate communal spaces such as workspaces and kitchens. Your student will also learn strategies for staying safe while not drawing attention to their health condition, which will help them focus on growing their skills and succeeding during the internship.

Lastly, check out the Events in the Workplace tab to get a plan for managing the inevitable team or professional event, such as dinners out and birthday/holiday celebrations. Help your student avoid stress – and a potential allergic reaction – by understand the serious need for preplanning. Even if your student is participating in a short internship, the odds are high that there will be a workplace event during their tenure.

Internships can provide an amazing pathway to living as an adult with food allergies. With a bit of preplanning, your student can create a safe and successful experience.

New Chinese Instant Pot Allergy-Friendly Cookbook

by Sharon Wong, Food Allergy Advocate and Recipe Developer

I am thrilled to share with you my very first cookbook, Chinese Instant Pot Cookbook: 60 Quick and Easy Classic Recipes. I love cooking with an Instant Pot. Pressure cooking will save you time and energy and preserve the nutritional value of your food. I want to make easy and tasty food in the Instant Pot for my family. I hope you will like these meals just as much as my family – and find some new favorites for your family!

I am also very proud to have an opportunity to share recipes from my cultural heritage. I wanted to write a cookbook that is easy and accessible for everyone, including people who are new to cooking Chinese food or unfamiliar with using an Instant Pot. Most of the recipes use 12 ingredients or less that can be purchased at a conventional supermarket or ordered online.

The cookbook features callouts for when the recipes are gluten free, soy free, vegetarian, or super-fast. Some of the recipe tips or variations can be applied to other recipes, opening up more options for you.

You can refer to the What's in Nut Free Wok's Cupboard? Allergy Aware Ingredients web page for my favorite brands and recommendations of nut-free products or brands that will provide allergy-related information. People who are sensitive to soy can refer to the Soy Sauce and Food Allergies page for a list of soy-free options as well as my Soy-Free Soy Sauce Recipe. If you are unable to use beef broth or beef bouillon to make the soy-free soy sauce recipe, I also have an Instant Pot soy-free master sauce recipe that you can make with cow tongue or beef shanks.

Order your copy online through Amazon. (Be sure to use AmazonSmile to support FAACT!) Please share the cookbook with friends and, if you like the book, it would help so much if you could leave a review.

Disclaimer: Please check that all ingredients are suitable for your allergies and be sure to ask your medical care team any allergy-related questions (I do not share medical advice). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Mighty Jax and the Cookie Suprise

Mighty Jax is on a mission to empower, inspire, and educate your superhero about food allergies in a fun and interactive way! Through Mighty Jax's journey in the story, "Mighty Jax and the Cookie Surprise," kids learn about food allergies (including what a reaction might feel like) and can feel prepared and confident knowing the Mighty Jax safety rules. Best of all, the Mighty Jax superhero plush doll provides comfort to any child living with a food allergy. He even comes with his own carrying pouch with two auto-injectors inside to help your superhero remember to always carry two! And of course, Mighty Jax never leaves home without wearing his special emergency bracelet to alert people of his food allergies.

As a special offer, FAACT members receive a $5 discount on the Mighty Jax book and doll set when using code FAACT at check out. Give your superhero the gift of a companion that is just like them! Check out the Mightiest Me website to learn more and order your Mighty Jax set.

College Crunch Time

by Caroline Moassessi, FAACT Vice President of Community Relations

The next few weeks, when your student sits down to decide which college they will call home for the next four years, might be a mix of magical and painful times. The joy of watching acceptances arrive can turn to stress quickly if you don't have a game plan in place. But don't worry! FAACT has you covered.

Below are suggested next steps for you and your family. Grab a cup of coffee – and your student – and roll up your sleeves. Exciting times await you.

Let's get started!

First, take a few moments to acknowledge your student's successes. They have worked hard to get to this point, and you have worked equally as hard managing, guiding, and supporting their journey with food allergies.

Second, use FAACT's College Resource Center to support your student as they kick off conversations with their top college choices and explore accommodation and academic options.

Head over to FAACT's College Resource Center to visit resources specifically designed For Parents and For Students. We know parents might benefit from extra tips about guiding their student, while students need short and direct guidance about navigating important conversations.

Read our full blog here.

FAACT's Roundtable Podcast: Where The Latest Food Allergy Conversations are Heard

Stay up to date on the most talked-about news and tips for living with food allergies. Discover the latest information, including back-to-school accommodations from legal experts, Covid-19 vaccinations and food allergies, mental health across the lifespan, and much more.

ICYMI, our recent podcasts included topics such as:

Download FAACT's Roundtable Podcast here. You can also find FAACT's Roundtable Podcast on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast, Stitcher, iHeart Radio, Podcast Chaser, Deezer, Tune-In, Alexa, and Listen Notes.

Subscribe, share, and leave us a review!

Inclusion Matters with Aleasa Word

There are lots of words floating around relating to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). So this month, we will focus on a few vocabulary terms to get you up to speed.

Equity vs Equality: Though we want to have equal rights and opportunities for everyone, we must also make sure they are equitable. If we say we want to make sure everyone has a coat for the winter, that is great. The key is to make sure that the coat each person gets fits them because it is not a one-size-fits-all situation. Equality is ensuring everyone gets a coat. Equity is making sure they all get a coat that fits.

Microaggressions: These are subtle slights that can be intentionally or unintentionally said or implied through behaviors that can put people down, translate into hostility, or support attitudes that are negative about certain groups of people (e.g., women, minorities, differently abled, LGBTQ+, elderly).

Non-Binary: This is a non-gender-specific identity that people may feel best represents them. Some pronouns that may be considered are they/their/them or neopronouns like xe, ze, sie, co. Misgendering others can be hurtful. If you don't know a person's pronouns, the simplest way to find out is to ask.

Although some things may be new to you or me, embracing differences is not new. If we continue to operate in a space of compassion and kindness, the world will be a much better place for us all.

Chef Diego's Corner

Chef Diego Baraona is an executive chef, culinary instructor, and former Culinary Manager of the Bionutritional Kitchen at Mount Sinai Health System in the Clinical Research Unit for Pediatric Allergy Research. Chef Diego has created hundreds of allergy-friendly recipes for families, like this one!

Check out his latest recipe!

Baked Chicken Drumsticks

Ingredients:

6 chicken drumsticks (preferably organic)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon harissa (Mina Harissa is free of the top 8 allergens)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Place the vinegar, spices, and olive oil in a bowl. Mix well. Add the chicken. Let the chicken stand in the marinade for at least three hours in the refrigerator. (You want the chicken to soak in all those ingredients!)
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.
Before roasting the chicken legs, let them stand on your counter for 30 minutes. You don't want your chicken to be cold when placing it on a roasting pan.
Place chicken on a lined sheet pan. (I recommend using non-stick aluminum foil or parchment paper.) Arrange chicken legs to allow some space in between.
Bake chicken for at least 30 minutes or until it starts to break apart. The chicken should have a dark caramelized color because of the balsamic vinegar.

Note: If you enjoy a glass of red wine, I recommend a good Cabernet Sauvignon to accompany this dish.

Enjoy!

Chef Diego contributes an allergy-friendly recipe each month in our e-newsletter. You can follow Chef Diego on Instagram at @chefbaraona to see more of his amazing, allergen-friendly recipes.

Support FAACT While Shopping on AmazonSmile

We're all shopping online these days in record numbers. Use AmazonSmile when you shop and Amazon will make a donation to FAACT – at no cost to you!

Enter Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Connection Team as your charity and select AmazonSmile each time you shop – even from your smart phone!

THANK YOU for your support.

FAACT Partnership with MedicAlert Foundation!

Safety and preparedness are at the heart of each food allergy emergency plan. During an anaphylactic emergency, immediate access to contacts, insurance, and information about other health conditions are often needed. Services linked to identification jewelry are top choices for many people living with food allergies.

FAACT partnered with the MedicAlert Foundation to help raise food allergy and anaphylaxis awareness. Our partnership includes collaborating on educational resources, internal call center training with MedicAlert staff, and more.

As a special gift to FAACT families, new MedicAlert subscribers will receive 20% off their new subscription service order. Use promo code: FAACT20. If you order via phone, use code FAACT.

Visit MedicAlert to subscribe today!

FAACT Partnered with MenuTrinfo To Train Food Service Providers

The partnership between FAACT and MenuTrinfo®, the food service industry's food allergy expert, provides leading-edge food allergy education, risk-reduction strategies, and emergency preparedness plans to food service facilities so they can safely serve people living with food allergies as well as their families, friends, and colleagues.

This training program will help food service professionals at all levels better handle gluten-free and food allergen requests, avoid food allergy-related incidents, and prepare for onsite food allergy emergencies should they occur.

Visit FAACT to learn more about this exciting program and partnership.

FAACT's Resource Page for COVID-19

Your safety and health are always the highest priority at FAACT. Our medical advisory board encourages all individuals to follow the global health guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) along with relevant state guidelines.

We have CDC updates and tips for staying safe on our Resource Page for COVID-19.

From our FAACT family to yours, please stay healthy and safe – and let us know if you need anything!

Subscribe for FAACT's Alerts and Recalls

Sign up for FAACT's Alerts and Recalls to receive the latest information on food allergen-related recalls of FDA-regulated products. You can also search our recall archives by specific allergens at any time.

FAACT will only post recalls and alerts reported by FDA, USDA, and manufacturers regarding the top 8 food allergens recognized by the FDA (soon to be top 9, including sesame). FAACT will not post non-food items with the exception of medications, under the advisement of our Medical Advisory Board.

Subscribe today on FAACT's Alerts Page.

More About FAACT

Food allergies affect as many as 32 million Americans, including 6 million children. The prevalence of food allergies appears to be increasing among children under the age of 18, and there is NO cure! FAACT's mission is to educate, advocate, and raise awareness for all individuals and families affected by food allergies and life-threatening anaphylaxis. FAACT is also your voice for food allergy awareness, from keeping children safe at school to dealing with workplace issues or simply taking the family out for a bite to eat. Managing a food allergy on a daily basis involves constant vigilance. FAACT is here to support you in managing your food allergies – today, tomorrow, and into the future.

For more information, please visit us at www.FoodAllergyAwareness.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Contact us directly via Email.