Follow By Email: FAACT's May e-Newsletter: It's Food Allergy Awareness Month

The Voice of Food Allergy Awareness

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Celebrating
Food Allergy Awareness
In May!

Spring has arrived, bringing with it the food allergy community's time to shine: Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW) and Month! Over the next 31 days, our food allergy world explodes with activities, conversations, and gratitude as we raise food allergy awareness. This is the perfect time for us to kick up a little teal dust!

Head to FAACT's website to download Our Teal Way of Life social medial profile and cover images to shine your light! You can also download our free Our Teal Way of Life poster – to hang in your window, at work, and on community boards!

FAACT's website also has tools, resources, and activities to engage your family during FAAW while raising awareness using materials vetted by our Medical Advisory Board. Be sure to tag us when you post using #OurTealWayofLife and @FAACTNews on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

You won't want to miss our next lively Roundtable Podcast! In Ep. 115, Kristin Osborne, FAACT's Vice President of Education, will share powerful ways to raise food allergy awareness. Tune in this Wednesday, May 4, to discover a range of fun activities to involve children and adults in food allergy education.

Please #ShareTheFAACTs on Social Media too:

1. Share ONE fact from FAACT's website each day in May on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

2. Ask family and friends to participate by sharing your status.

3. Include FAACT's website after each fact to encourage followers to learn more: www.FoodAllergyAwareness.org.

Visit our site for more ideas and activities – and #KnowTheFAACTs!

Happy Mother's Day

At FAACT, we celebrate the mothers of food-allergic children every day. But on May 8th, we honor moms with a big hug of gratitude! Food allergy mothers are superheroes who can sniff out a peanut at 20 yards, spy spilled milk when their heads are turned, and sense when their child is leaving home without epinephrine auto-injectors.

Food allergy moms have the ability to look calm during an allergic reaction, even when they are panicked and worried inside. They can hold in the world's loudest scream when they hear "but a little won't hurt" and have to explain for the hundredth time why it will. Food allergy moms also understand the hurt of their child's exclusion and feel the pain when they must say no to keep their loved ones safe.

We honor and celebrate mothers everywhere!

FAACT wishes everyone a
Happy Mother's Day!

FAACT Joins the European Academy of
Allergy & Clinical Immunology

The European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) is a not-for-profit association of clinicians, researchers, and allied health professionals dedicated to improving the health of people affected by allergic diseases. With nearly 12,000 members and over 74 National Allergy Societies, EAACI is the primary source of expertise in Europe for all aspects of allergies.

Allergic and immunologic diseases are cause for concern worldwide. EAACI's mission is to provide the most efficient platform for scientific communication and education in the field of allergy and immunology, ultimately striving to ease the lives of patients suffering from these diseases.

"FAACT is honored to join this global effort to support patients and families, enhance best practices, and collaborate with organizations from around the world on behalf of the allergy community," says Eleanor Garrow-Holding, FAACT President and CEO. "We look forward to helping EAACI member organizations achieve their goals and sharing best practices from across the globe with our FAACT family."

Learn more on the EAACI website.

Join FAACT's Camp TAG Summer Program

Have you been 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 Connecticut this year. Start planning for the Camp TAG nearest you!

Can't make one of the 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 fast!

REGISTER TODAY!

Vitality Bowls Supports FAACT During Food Allergy Awareness Month

Supporting FAACT tastes great!

Vitality Bowls cafes across the country are encouraging guests to try the May Bowl of the Month – the Super Berry Bowl – in support of FAACT. For each Super Berry Bowl sold, Vitality Bowls will donate 10 percent of the proceeds to FAACT.

"Vitality Bowls was created out of the need for a safe, healthy, food allergy-friendly zone for our daughter. We're proud to offer a safe space, free of cross-contact, so customers with food allergies can feel good about eating at our cafes," says Tara Gilad, chief operating officer of Vitality Bowls. "But there is so much more work that needs to be done to educate people about the dangers that food allergies pose. FAACT does an incredible job educating people and advocating for food allergy individuals, and we are proud to help support them in their mission."

The Super Berry Bowl has special meaning for FAACT Board member, Brian Hom, his wife Kathy, and their family, who own two Vitality Bowls cafes in California. After losing their son BJ to an allergic reaction, the Hom family dedicated their lives to spreading awareness about food allergies. The Super Berry Bowl was created in BJ's memory, honoring his love for berries.

Stop by your local Vitality Bowls and support FAACT throughout Food Allergy Awareness Month!

Planning for the 2022-2023 School Year?
FAACT Is Here to Help!

Every child has the right to safely and equally participate in school activities alongside non-allergic children. One of the best ways to make this happen is to advocate for your child's rights well before the start of the next school year.

Start with a visit to FAACT's Civil Rights Advocacy Resource Center for resources and documents you can download and print.

FAACT's Civil Rights Advocacy Resource Center staff are available to answer your questions FREE of charge and assist you in seeking accommodations for your child at school.

Because laws vary by jurisdiction and agency policies vary by state and locality, local professionals are often the best experts on these varying laws and policies. FAACT can help you find local civil rights professionals as well. For questions or more information, please contact FAACT Vice President of Civil Rights Advocacy Amelia Smith at Amelia.Smith@FoodAllergyAwareness.org.

Traveling with Food Allergies

Traveling can be a wonderful experience for families to create memories that can last a lifetime! Traveling with food allergies takes some extra planning, but the rewards of a safe vacation and quality time spent with family members are worth the extra effort.

We often hear that airline travel is a major concern for food-allergic individuals and their families, which can increase anxiety levels for all parties involved. FAACT has resources for airlines and those traveling by plane. Together, we can help increase food allergy awareness for airlines. Be sure to "tag" an airline that has helped you travel safely!

Visit FAACT's Travel section for more resources and tips.

Summer Is Coming!
Do You Have Your MedicAlert ID?

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, webinars, 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. Visit MedicAlert to subscribe today!

An Allergy-Friendly Welcome to the
World of Gluten-Free Eating
by Little Northern Bakehouse

Peanuts and soy. Pistachios and cashews. Sesame and tree nuts. Food allergies don't always travel alone. And if a roulette wheel of possible cross-reactivity combinations isn't challenging enough, autoimmune disorders like celiac disease sometimes tag along to make the daily routine of navigating food even more complex.

People living with severe food allergies may have up to a five-fold risk of celiac disease. Just as food allergies can develop at any age, a diagnosis of celiac disease can show up to throw you a gluten-free curveball after you've been living with food allergies for years.

Whether you (or a loved one) are new to gluten-free eating because you've been diagnosed with celiac disease, a new wheat allergy, or non-celiac gluten-sensitivity, adjusting to gluten-free living on top of food allergies is enough to make anyone feel like "overwhelming" doesn't begin to cover it.

Read the full blog here.

Celebrating Our Teal Way of Life

Close your eyes and think back on the past several years as a parent/caregiver, an adult with food allergies, or a family member who loves and cares deeply for someone with food allergies. Do you see heart-warming smiles when school accommodations are created and honored? Or frustrations when you need to say no to an unsafe food or event? Do you see yourself squinting under the fluorescent lights at the grocery store as you decipher product labels or holding someone's hand after being called the "reason we can't have fun"?

May is Food Allergy Awareness Month―our month to celebrate our accomplishments, raise awareness, and share Our Teal Way of Life. We know life is imperfect and just as complex as managing food allergies. Yet our food allergy community shows up with compassion and love for their families and communities in magical ways. It is inexplicable to describe how parents, caregivers, and friends can join forces to advocate for new food-allergy policies and legislation, then turn around and bake dozens of allergen-free cupcakes at midnight. Our lives are complicated―and packed with love. Yes, it's a magical community.

Read the full blog on FAACT's website...

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:

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

What's in a name?

With a name like Aleasa Word, it seems like it would be easy enough to say. Yet I have had my name mispronounced more times than one can imagine. Some of the ways my first name has been said have left me confused, perplexed, and at times laughing as I tried to figure out how the sound of the letter "Z" made its way into my name. The most confusing encounter was when someone asked me if I was sure I was spelling my last name correctly. Although Word is not the most common name, it is probably one of the easiest to spell, so I usually get it right! (chuckle)

This brings me to the importance of names and pronouns. Each time someone says my name incorrectly, I cringe just a little bit inside. I used to just answer to anything and then realized that the name I have represents who I am, and now I gently correct people. People who have non-traditional American names are faced with this reality every day. Children face ridicule from other children if their names veer off the path of what some think are "okay" names when, in fact, all names are okay. Imagine someone constantly calling you a boy when you are a girl or non-binary. If you think that's not a big deal, what about if they called you a moose or a shoe with the excuse they just didn't have the energy to figure out what to call you? What if someone called your particular food allergen by some other name because they didn't have the mindset to figure it out?

Not taking the time to pay attention to how you address someone, or you acknowledge the things they manage can truly be hurtful, even dangerous to a person's physical and or mental health. We all need to be mindful of how we address others. Everyone is equally important, no matter how they identify or even what health challenges they face. Making assumptions is just not an acceptable way to deal with people.

Similar things can be said about misgendering others. Gone are the days of she/her and he/him. There are plenty of pronouns to go around, and it only takes asking how someone would like to be addressed to remedy the hurt people feel being misgendered over and over. I have heard people say, "Well, I don't understand it." There are a lot of things we don't understand at first, so it is important to take the time to learn. If you are from generations that only referred to people in a male or female persona, it may be difficult for you to grasp the newness of what is happening today. With practice and simply being considerate enough to ask, you will get the gist of it quickly. Don't believe it? We all figured out how to use email and went from MySpace to Instagram, Facebook Twitter, Pinterest, and Snapchat. Trust me, you will get it.

Having a sense of self is important to us all. People are constantly trying to find the best way to feel comfortable in their identity. It is not up to others to decide how people identify because we are not the ones living in another person's head or heart. Instead, we can have an open heart and be kind enough to let people feel comfortable being exactly who they are. This is a lesson in compassion. As a mom who has managed food allergies at home for years, I have pushed the need for compassion for my child and others living with food allergies. In the food allergy community, we know all too well what it feels like to be told we need to just get over it, act "normal," stop making excuses, stop thinking our issue is so important, and so on. Inclusion is what we have strived for. We are champions at fighting to receive it, so we can also be champions for creating inclusive spaces for all.

One way we can do this is by being open to the concept of different pronouns. These are a few of the pronouns you may see today: she/her, he/him, they/them, ze, zim, zir. This is not a full list, and you can find more information in the resources listed below. The best way to understand how someone wants to be addressed is to simply ask.

So when we ask, "What's in a name?", the answer for many people is, "Everything!"

For more information on pronouncing names correctly, pronouns, and gender-inclusive language, visit the following resources:

Why Pronouncing Names Correctly is More Than a Common Courtesy – podcast from National Public Radio (NPR)
My Name, My Identity – provided by the Santa Clara County Office of Education
LGBTQIA Faculty and Staff Resources – provided by the University of North Carolina Wilmington
Diversity & Inclusion, Gender Inclusive Pronouns – provided by Cornell University
Pronouns Matter – provided by MyPronouns.org

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!

Quinoa Stir Fry

Ingredients:

1 cup of tricolor quinoa or regular quinoa (I recommend Lundberg organic quinoa, which is free of the top eight allergens)
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 green bell pepper, julienned
1 orange bell pepper, julienned
1 zucchini, cut lengthwise and sliced
1 pound of mushrooms, trimmed and cut in halves *
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of turmeric **
1 teaspoon of tandoori **
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 tablespoon of canola oil
1 teaspoon of salt plus salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

Rinse quinoa in a fine-mesh sieve under cold water to get rid of saponins, which give quinoa a bitter taste.
In a medium pot, cook quinoa as you would cook rice. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to water. Simmer with cover on for around 20 minutes. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lightly oil a shallow baking pan large enough to hold mushrooms in single layer. Add mushrooms and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with a bit of salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes until brown and crispy. Set aside. (Roasting mushrooms is the best way to extract their great flavor!)
Heat a large skillet or a wok to medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add garlic, peppers, onion, zucchini, turmeric, tandoori, and roasted mushrooms. Stir constantly. This is a quick sauté―around 5 minutes. Set aside vegetables.
To the same pan at medium high heat, add 1 tablespoon of canola oil and cooked quinoa. Stir quickly until quinoa gets a bit crispy. Return all other ingredients to the pan. Stir to blend all ingredients together. Season with salt and pepper.

* You can try different types of mushrooms with this dish.

** Use other spices if you prefer. It's a very versatile 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'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.