allergy
A blog about allergies and associated conditions.
7 Oct
Navigating the dating game with allergies and TSW
What Allergy"s Ruth Holroyd on dating with severe allergies.
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7 Nov
Keeping your immune system strong
The colder months have now arrived, and we’re experiencing more colds & flu virus’ ? than ever. ? Although scientists don’t yet understand why we are more susceptible to this in the winter months, we do know that the cold …
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2 Oct
The season of sniffles – common causes of breathing difficulties in young children and how to help
Autumn is the prime time for colds, coughs, sneezes and sniffles. As the weather steadily becomes colder and damper, existing breathing issues such as asthma can become unstable and need more careful management. Added to which, infections and viruses such …
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27 Sep
Non-Dairy Ways to Get Calcium & Improve its Absorption
???????♀️? ? FOODS HIGH IN CALCIUM: – Green Leafy vegetables such as Broccoli, Cabbage, Okra. – Soya Beans. – Tofu. – Nuts. – Fish (esp with small bones you can eat). ? WAYS TO SUPPORT CALCIUM ABSORPTION: * Include these …
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27 Sep
7 reasons you have brain fog & what to do
Brain fog is a term you may have used before to describe a moment where you forget what you were saying or doing but it could be a symptom of a more serious medical condition. Brain fog can be associated …
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4 Sep
Anaphylaxis and adrenaline auto-injectors a comprehensive guide
Anaphylaxis is an extremely severe allergic reaction. Reactions usually begin within minutes and progress rapidly, however, they can occur up to 2-3 hours after exposure and exercise can also initiate symptoms a while after exposure to an allergen. Common allergens …
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2 Jul
Talking allergies & self-managing them (Ears, Nose & Throat campaign)
We recently worked with Mediaplanet on the 2019 Health Awareness: Ears, Nose & Throat campaign. One of our very own Directors, Catriona Williams discusses how to self-manage allergies and gives guidance on how to tackle allergies in your home. A …
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28 Jun
Heatwave health warning, babies eating too much sugar, cervical cancer decline, eczema & more
Have you missed the latest health news this week? There has been a lot happening and we’ve summarised it all for you here. Have a lovely weekend and make sure you stay safe in the sun. Met office issues health …
Continue ReadingPosted in allergies, allergy, cancer, children's health, eczema, general health, men's health, women's health
6 May
Orecchiette con Cima de rape – Low FODMAP
This recipe was in a newspaper supplement but wasn’t really Low FODMAP friendly so I decided to give it an update and make it suitable for those with food intolerances. It is a traditional Puglian recipe using broccoli tops (Cima …
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9 Apr
It’s World Allergy Week 2019!
This week (7-13 April 2019) is World Allergy Week! The World Allergy Organization (WAO) and organisations like us work hard to dedicate the week to raise awareness about the global problem of food allergy. This affects the quality of life …
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4 Feb
Ask our experts your questions about allergies
From today until 15 February 2019, we are running an Online Clinic on Allergies. Medical experts will be available to answer questions throughout this time. We are delighted that Green People and Imutest are sponsoring the clinic. The clinic is …
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28 Sep
This week in health – 28 September 2018
It’s been another busy week at talkhealth but that hasn’t prevented us from monitoring news from the world of health. Our topics this time include sleep, allergies and weight loss. We always welcome your views so why not air them …
Continue ReadingPosted in allergy, bladder, general health, heart disease, sleep, weight
6 Mar
5 protein-rich foods free of gluten
Protein is a key component of a healthy diet and ensuring your daily meals include an ample amount should be a key focus if you’re looking to improve your health or levels of fitness. However, this can be made more …
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3 Nov
talkhealth Allergy and Eczema research published in Mail On Sunday
In September we ran a survey to see if patients suffering with eczema are more likely to also have allergies or sensitivity to foods such as eggs, nuts, diary and wheat. The aim of the research was to find out …
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30 Oct
New Survey Reveals Stress is Main Cause of IBS
A new survey conducted by talkhealth1, on behalf of Enteromed, shows that stress, rather than food is the main cause of sufferers’ IBS – with 34% saying stress triggered their IBS. And almost 9 out of 10 (88%) said that …
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16 May
Manage your health with Patient support Programmes
For those living with chronic health conditions, self-management is crucial for managing and controlling symptoms day to day. Protecting your own health is a responsibility that can require some help and guidance to ensure you pursue the right treatment for …
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5 Apr
GLUTEN FREE PRESCRIPTIONS – Action Against Allergy
AAA support for coeliacs Action Against Allergy is giving its support to the campaign being co-ordinated by Coeliac UK to persuade the NHS to seek an alternative to their proposed withdrawal of prescriptions for the gluten free foods needed by …
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30 Mar
Anaphylaxis Campaign – Orange Wig Day Friday 19 May 2017
Living with severe allergies and being at risk of anaphylaxis (a severe and potentially fatal allergic reaction) seriously affects the lives of those at risk. There is currently no cure or treatment to prevent anaphylaxis – instead people must learn …
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1 Mar
THE GREAT PRETENDER
My Freddie Mercury (again!) – originally by The Platters (way back) After receiving such great care from The Royal Derby Hospital, I completed an on-line form to be a Volunteer Patient, partly to ‘give back’ a little and also in …
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14 Feb
Introducing Action Against Allergy – our latest charity forum partnership
talkhealth are excited to announce that we are now hosting the forums for the charity ‘Action Against Allergy’. Log on to the AAA forums to join the general discussion, view charity news and individual to talkhealth we are especially delighted to announce a forum …
Continue ReadingPosted in 50+ & life, allergy, eczema, general health, healthcare, men's health, women's health
8 Feb
Could microscopic worms help rebalance your biome?
Autoimmune illnesses and allergies are becoming a more and more common occurrence. We regularly hear about people with food and seasonal allergies. Many of us know someone who suffers with migraines, Crohn’s disease or eczema. And the increase in the …
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27 Jan
Ask the Expert: Children’s Skin Conditions
Last week saw the launch of our latest venture – Ask the Expert. The one day clinic, which took place Wednesday 18th January, was the first in a series of Ask the Expert sessions which will run in partnership with …
Continue ReadingPosted in allergy, children's health, eczema, psoriasis, SPECIFIC CONDITIONS, talkhealth
17 Jan
Caring for a child with eczema: Jasper’s story
Looking after a child with severe eczema can be exhausting for parents as well as the child. There’s so much to consider, environment, clothes, weather, treatments, financial implications – the list goes on. Sorrel Ronan faces a relentless battle every …
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21 Nov
‘WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER?’
Good old Freddie Mercury classic – ‘hitting the nail on the head’ brilliantly! The one sure thing in life is that we’re all going to die – we’re all headed in the same direction – and yet it’s a subject …
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19 Oct
‘I’M STILL STANDING – (ME ‘N ELTON!)
… And Breathing! Reasons to be cheerful – thanks to Derby Royal Hospital I finally was given the correct diagnosis and, importantly, excellent treatment from the team of Consultants in the Respiratory Clinic, which means my breathing is the best …
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19 May
Food Allergies – Allergens in unexpected places
For some of us, eating or being exposed to certain types of food can cause our immune systems to act abnormally. Some of the most common allergic reactions to food can include an itchy mouth, outbreaks of hives or eczema, …
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26 Feb
My Free From Life
This month I am featured in Gluten Free Heaven magazine. They invite contributions from readers so I thought I would send mine over. I was surprised but delighted to discover they wanted to run it. Here’s a few images. It’s …
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9 Feb
Happy Shrove Tuesday
Pancakes are popular in this house and we eat them regularly – usually at weekends. When I first started this blog I decided to try and find a gluten free and dairy free recipe for Zac so he wouldn’t miss …
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8 Feb
Celebrating Chinese New Year
Of all the ‘food celebrations’ I find Chinese New Year one of the easiest to ‘do’ dairy and gluten free. Traditional Chinese cookery is dairy free by nature. And until relatively recently gluten containing grains were scarcely found or used – …
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2 Nov
Emma-jane – a serious good news story!
It is always so nice to get good news stories, isn’t it? So, I was chuffed to bits to get an email from a proud gran who had been a subscriber to the Foods Matter magazine way back in 2002. At …
Continue ReadingPosted in allergy, bladder, bowel, children's health, complementary treatments, eczema, nutrition
25 Oct
The mess that is ‘may contain’
As you may know, I’m the editor of Foods Matter, an information and support website for people with food allergies an intolerances. Recently, we’ve been running a survey to find out people’s experiences with food labelling. The results are now …
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18 Oct
Can we blame male trees for the dramatic increase in the rates of hay fever? Tom Ogren says ‘yes’!
The sex life of plants, including trees, is not simple. Some, known as perfect flowered plants, have their male and female parts in the one flower so are effectively self pollinating (roses or apples); some, known as monoecious flowered plants …
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12 Oct
Frustration and anger of ‘may contain’ labelling
A very brief post as I am just off to catch a plane to Dublin to help launch the new Irish FreeFrom Food Awards! As you may already know, we at FoodsMatter are looking at starting a ‘freefrom’ assurance scheme the …
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5 Oct
Alert5 – a really useful app!
I have rather lost count of the number of ‘allergy’ apps that have been launched to help you do your ‘freefrom’ shopping. I am not entirely sure how successful any of them have been – but it always seemed to me …
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1 Oct
The worm doctor
“I achieved remission of chronic urticaria (with hookworms) at 5.5 months and was able to stop the certirizine at that point. Also by that point my migraines had completely stopped, headaches were minimal and I was having pain-free periods for the first time in …
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14 Sep
Medical clowns help kids with allergy tests
I think I had heard of medical clowns before, but my attention was caught by this report in Science Daily (courtesy of my colleague, John Scott) about medical clowns being used to distract and calm children during allergy testing. What a great idea. Prick …
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7 Sep
Random thoughts related to allergy….
One of the complaints of those who object to the new food allergen regulations is that they are being required to take responsibility for food allergy sufferers. ‘Why can’t they take responsibility for their own allergies? Why should we (as chefs …
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1 Sep
Who lives in the dairy these days?
Yet more on labelling, I fear – but not this time on traceability or ‘may contain’ warnings, but on definitions. And you think gluten or nuts are complicated in terms of definitions and labelling? Just try milk…. So which …
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20 Aug
It’s August so…
The middle Sunday in August and, apart from the leadership row in the Labour party, not a lot to write about so, guess what? Both the Mail and theGuardian dug out the old ‘coeliac food on prescription outrage’ and ‘food intolerance – fact …
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12 Aug
Emoji-ing food allergens
I have been having an interesting exchange over the last ten days with one of our long-time subscribers who sent me a link to a document on the UTC (Unicode Technical Committee) site. (The UTC, for those do not know, ‘is …
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10 Aug
Gluten Sniffing Dogs
Who can ever resist a doggy story? Well, not many of us so, when you combine a dog with a feel-good allergy story, you are away! We first tracked down allergen-detector dogs back in 2006 when we discovered PeanutDogs.com run by …
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4 Aug
Life Before ‘Freefrom’
Paddy J was a subscriber to the original Foods Matter magazine and followed a ‘freefrom’ gluten-free diet long before the term was invented. She does not have much patience with those food sensitive people who complain that there are not enough freefrom …
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28 Jul
Can you get hay fever later in life?
This was a question posed today on the BBC2 Chris Evans Radio show and caught my attention as I drove into the talkhealth office this morning. One of Chris Evan’s colleagues says he’s just started getting hay fever this year …
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22 Jul
Take the kit!!! New Anaphylaxis Campaign film
The Anaphylaxis Campaign estimate that around 20 people a year die from anaphylaxis. Many of those will be 15-25 year olds – and many of those deaths just could have been prevented. As anyone with allergic children will know, life is relatively …
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13 Jul
Allergy awareness – or the lack of it – in high street takeaways
I was interviewed on last night’s ITN 6 o’clock news, thanks to a report from the Royal Society of Public Health revealing that : * Over two thirds of all takeaways visited (55 around London) failed to provide legally required information …
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6 Jul
Do you have a problem with vinegar?….
A few weeks ago we had an email from Joyce who, for some reason, I think lives in the US… I could be completely wrong! Anyhow, she was really addressing her question to Dr Janice Joneja who runs an on-going Q&A series for …
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29 Jun
And how are the new food allergen regulations being implemented?
How have you found eating out since the new food regulations came in at the end of last year? I cannot resist another little salutary tale, this time to do with the implementation of the regulations in the food service industry. …
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25 Jun
‘Alternative’ allergy tests
Sense About Science is a scientific charity whose remit is to inform the public and enable them to ‘make sense’ of scientific and medical discussions. A worthy aim in which they are usually moderately successful. However, they have just tackled allergy …
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22 Jun
Gluten recalls
There was been a huge outcry on social media and elsewhere recently over gluten contamination that occurred in the Genius factory. It triggered a whole slew of products recalls not only of Genius products but of supermarket freefrom lines …
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17 Jun
It’s Summer – be careful out there!
With Summer upon us, I thought I would remind people of some of the dangers associated with the great outdoors. Despite the UK being a relatively safe place as far as harmful creatures is concerned there are some that can …
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16 Jun
Precautionary allergen labelling – have we got the balance wrong?
In managing food allergy there are two major hazards: The failure to recognise a food allergen that has been included in a dish as an ingredient and The accidental contamination of an otherwise allergen-free food with an allergen. But while …
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8 Jun
Telling the medical wheat from the chaff
Ten days ago I had an exchange with Dr Janice Joneja which illustrated yet again the problems faced by conventional practitioners when dealing with little understood conditions such as autism. Dr Joneja had had an email from a dietitian who had …
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11 May
Gardening and the weirdness of the human psyche
I have just been reading a report of a study on allergic rhinitis sufferers (35-40% of the US population). Despite the fact that immunotherapy has been around for nearly 100 years, is recognised as the best treatment for allergic rhinitis and is …
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5 May
The Problem with Nuts
Well, to be honest, it is not nuts that are the problem, it is the confusion arising from the laudable efforts of regulators and manufacturers to improve allergen labelling for the benefit of allergic consumers. But, nuts being at the …
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21 Apr
Allergies: Eating out in Edinburgh
Plans for the big Scottish Adventure began to take shape earlier this year as we realised how many years have gone by since we last visited and MyItchyBoy could no longer remember going. A train was booked, accommodation sorted and …
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13 Apr
Arm Yourself Against Allergies
Allergy Awareness Week runs from 20th April to 26th April and is organised by Allergy UK to support allergy sufferers and raise awareness of the issues they face. In the UK, the number of allergy sufferers increases by five per …
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24 Mar
Food allergies: How to deal with kid’s parties
We have yet another birthday party coming up. I don’t know the parents – or even the child particularly, so we’re instantly on allergy alert. Here’s our list of things to think about when the invite arrives: MyItchyBoy is now …
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17 Mar
Packing an everyday bag for your allergy child
We have a bag for MyItchyBoy that goes everywhere with him. Over the past few years we’ve learned the essentials we need to keep in there. Ask your local pharmacy if they can sell you a small medicine bottle. Ours …
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5 Mar
Preparing for your child’s Allergy Appointment
How to prepare for your child’s Allergy Appointment Check your appointment letter to see whether there will be any tests done on the day – skin prick or blood test. Also check if and when you need to stop giving …
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19 Jan
Winter skin and emollients
Many people have naturally dry skin, and this can be made worse by cold weather, central heating at home and air conditioning at work. Dry skin is often rough and scaly, feels uncomfortable and tends to be itchy. Coping with …
Continue ReadingPosted in acne, allergy, anti-ageing, eczema, general health, psoriasis
6 Jan
Christmas 2014 – allergies and eczema
A bumpy start to the holidays MyItchyBoy missed the last few days of term before the Christmas holidays as he was running a high temperature and was clearly not well. In an attempt to bring the temperature down, I gave …
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16 Dec
Living With Damp and Mould, What Are The Health Risks?
My partner and I moved into our current flat in May and, in almost every area, we’ve been incredibly pleased with the move. This is why it was a little disappointing to find that traces of damp began to develop …
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2 Nov
Eczema: guilt-ridden, relentless helicoptering!
There has been much talk over the years of allergy parents being forced to become the much-mocked ‘helicopter’ parent out of necessity and panic over their child. Watching everything your child eats and touches and is given to avoid an …
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24 Oct
How we’re preparing for winter 2014 – Eczema & Allergies
This week is Indoor Allergy Week in the UK and comes at the time of year that we’re all starting to realise that winter really is on its way. I thought I’d share a few things that we’re doing to …
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7 Oct
10 Tips for Travelling with an Allergic Child
Here are my top 10 tips for travelling with an allergic child that I wanted to share after our experience of MyItchyBoy having an allergic reaction on holiday this summer: 1. Agree beforehand who is best equipped to deal with …
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7 Oct
Allergic Reaction on Holiday
Finding somewhere to take an atopic child on holiday is hard. For MyItchyBoy, it’s not just the food allergies, but eczema too. We have to find somewhere not too remote (proximity to medical services and availability of food), somewhere not …
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3 Sep
Perceptions of living with a Skin Problem
Alongside our online clinics we run monthly surveys. August’s survey was on skin conditions. We wanted to find out about how living with a skin condition can affect someone’s life. From our results, we found that living with a skin …
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13 Aug
Food Allergies survey results
From 9-15 April 2014 NHS Choices and talkhealth teamed up with Allergy Academy, Action Against Allergy, Allergy UK and MedicAlert to present an online clinic on food allergies. Alongside this, we ran a survey on food allergies. Most people who answered this …
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27 Jun
Challenge eHealth Innovation Awards
talkhealth are proud to be supporting the Challenge ‘eHealth innovation Awards’. Please see details below. Expressions of interest are now open for the ‘Challenge eHealth Innovation Awards’. The event sponsored by the Welsh Government offers SMEs, clinicians, healthcare workers, patients, …
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20 May
Need to lose weight ASAP!
I’ve just had a Facebook message asking me for help, looking for a gym, as they “need to lose weight ASAP” Here is my response: “Here’s some free advice that most people pay for, so I’ll keep it simple and …
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21 Apr
talkhealth visit the Natural & Organic Product Show
Last week talkhealth went to the very busy Natural & Organic Product Show up in Olympia. We were so pleased to see so many friendly faces including Pravera, silicolgel and Salcura to name but a …
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6 Apr
Round-up on talkhealth…
We know that lots of you are very interested in taking part in our trials and surveys, and with this in mind talkhealth purely in the interest of research (of course!) attended The Research Club evening at the London Carbon Bar. …
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21 Mar
Welcome to the food allergy Smug Zone
Oh yes, it is possible to be a smug allergy parent. Not often, I’ll agree, but possible. Usually eating out for our family is fraught with hours or days of planning, menu scanning and waiter interrogation. However, there is one …
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19 Mar
Nutrition & Hydration Week 17-23 March
Water – did you know that it’s the best fuel for a healthy life – and in fact one of the most precious and important commodities in the world? Water makes up 2/3rds of our body and therefore it is …
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20 Feb
A Skeptical Approach to Medicine – Part Three – What’s the harm ?
It’s been a while since I had the opportunity to post on Talk Health Partnership. This is despite a range of subjects interesting and moving me to want to comment. As ever, time is one of a select few commodities …
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6 Jan
Dermatology appointment this week
We have a consultant dermatologist appointment this Wednesday. It doesn’t seem to be the same person we saw last time. I started making a list a few weeks ago about the things we want to ask about. I contacted the …
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4 Jan
New Year – new doctors, new hope and new adventures.
Happy New Year to you all. I hope you all had a good Christmas and have seen January off to a good start. I am happy to report that we had a very good end to the year and positive …
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18 Dec
Food allergies at Christmas – 5 ways to trip up
Christmas is a great time of year for kids. Fact. Christmas is a bit trickier for kids with allergies. Fact. Here are my top five obstacles to be tackled in the run up to Christmas for MyItchyBoy: 1. Advent calendar …
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1 Dec
The first noel – carol singing with warm Low FODMAP sweet pies
It’s the first of December today – and so the countdown begins. I hope you have had a nice surprise this morning when opening your advent calendar for the first time. The evenings are dark early and it is a …
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29 Nov
A welcome breakthrough for Cat Allergy
Anyone allergic to cats will be pleased to hear of some new research into cat allergy and the recent arrival of Cat Allergy Desensitisation Drops that promise relief from the debilitating symptoms that come with this common allergy. When a …
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27 Nov
Instant way to get more calcium in your dairy free child
Yes, there is an instant way! MyItchyBoy was given this straw in a party bag at the weekend. This is the best thing he’s seen in ages it seems. Plus, it has magic powers. Amazing! Want your dairy-free child to …
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25 Nov
Stir up Sunday – ‘free from’ fun! Low FODMAP, wheat free, gluten free, milk free
By this I certainly don’t mean devoid of pleasure! it is a tradition in our household to make Christmas puddings, but for this year I have decided to make a pudding that you can make just before Christmas and is …
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15 Nov
Choosing a school for an allergic child
This post is inspired by a post by Nutmums.com. This time last year we were busy trying to sorting out a school place for MyItchyBoy before the January deadline. I know there are allergy parents out there right now worrying …
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11 Nov
How quick is your morning routine?
Do you know how quickly 4 year olds can get dressed? Did you know they can get dressed by themselves? This wa s all a bit of a revelation for me last week. We stayed with friends who have a …
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9 Oct
Bananas, Pineapples and Eczema
Does Pineapple make eczema worse? For a couple of years now, MyItchyBoy has been eating and enjoying dried pineapple. It never seemed to cause a problem for his eczema. Or did it? He’d usually have the crispy type of dried …
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5 Oct
Painting Over The Walls To Hide The Cracks
Shane used a brilliant phrase in his post last month entitled “What If Everything You Thought You Knew Was A Lie?” describing how Doctors tend to paint over the cracks rather than fixing the problem to get to the root of the …
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13 Sep
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
I often find myself working with clients suffering from IBS, both in my Hypnotherapy and in my Personal Training capacities. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, or ‘IBS’, is a disorder involving a collection of symptoms that can include abdominal pain and cramping …
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1 Sep
Cheats home-made df/gf garlic bread – easy
One of Zac’s favourite foods when we he was a little tot was garlic bread. Once his diet became gluten free and dairy free, the shop bought stuff was ‘out’. I have since discovered that Asda have a version in …
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28 Aug
Grace Cheetham’s Chocolate Semi-Freddo – the easiest, yummiest DF, GF pud EVER
Since the success of the Grace Cheetham ginger biscuits, Sophia has been on at me to ‘make something else’. So much so that when we were packing on Saturday for our half term holiday at the seaside at Nana’s house, …
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23 Aug
Skin infections – our latest challenge
Last year Zac had a horrible spot on his elbow that turned into a rash with an erupting abscess at the epicentre. The first GP who saw it said it was nothing. A few days later when it was oozing, …
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19 Aug
Back to the baking – df, gf ginger snaps
It’s about time I put up a new recipe. Life has been somewhat chaotic of late and I feel guilty for not trying anything new for a while. So as I was running out of ideas, I decided to treat …
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16 Aug
Allergies and eczema: starting school
So, over the next couple of weeks, we are going through all the necessary preparations for school. MyItchyBoy starts this September but not before I seriously get my act together (I hope!). MyItchyBoy at school Prior to the end of …
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15 Aug
Skin infections – the update
Before we went away, I blogged about Zac’s skin infections. He had a nasty one on his thigh, one in his ear and then one in his finger nail bed. All required anti-biotics. The ear one burst without ‘assistance’ but …
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8 Aug
Summer Sports Camp
Over the first two weeks of the summer holidays, MyItchyBoy spent 5 days at a local sports camp. The 5 days were spread over the fortnight as he is still only 4 yrs and I figured that with such a …
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8 Jul
Doctors call for a ban on face cream chemical blamed for an epidemic of skin allergies
It is estimated that 1 in every 10 people affected with eczema or dermatitis is allergic to a preserviative known as MI, or to give this preservative it’s proper name methylisothiazolinone. Methylisothiazolinone has been increasingly used in a range of …
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28 Jun
5 Treats for Allergic Kids
Caveat first: These are a selection of pre-packed treats that MyItchyBoy enjoys without any adverse reactions. This post in no way suggests that your child will be fine if they are allergic to any foods. As much as I like …
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28 Jun
My Super, Super Itchy Boy
We don’t usually get much sleep as it is but this last week or so has been harder than normal. We have been struggling with MyItchyBoy’s itchy eczema a lot over the past few months as it is, but at …
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31 May
Eczema friendly bedding: What I’ve learned so far
For a child with eczema, like MyItchyBoy, having the right bedding is key to a good night’s sleep. Tiredness makes an already itchy child more itchy and tired, grumpy parents will find coping with the daily trials of eczema harder …
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23 May
Eczema: the impact on family life
MyItchyBoy has suffered atopic eczema since he was a few months old. His wrists are almost always dry and itchy but eczema on the rest of his body depends on so many other things. He has food allergies and …
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13 May
Eczema is giving me piles – of laundry!
There are so many times that I wish MyItchyBoy had ‘normal’ skin. However, this week, my sighs and desires for normality come from the combination of a backlog of laundry and the change in weather. Due to the eczema that …
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7 May
Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Chronic Candida
The human body harbors a variety of yeasts as well as beneficial bacteria to keep out destructive bacteria and toxins in the digestive tract and mucus membranes. For optimal health, it’s necessary to harbor a good balance of yeast and …
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4 May
Living With Eczema
As with any illness eczema can range from mild, moderate to severe but not many people seem to realise this. Here, I’d like to talk about how eczema as a condition can be debilitating; making leading a “normal” life difficult. …
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28 Apr
Eczema Egg Challenge
So, did I mention, we can now give MyItchyBoy eggs? Well, when I say eggs, I mean we can bake cakes and buns and things and actually put real egg in. Yes, real egg, from chickens. It may sound like …
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25 Apr
Making others aware of allergies
Over the next few weeks MyItchyBoy’s nursery are covering the topic of food and healthy eating. I’ve asked if they could take the opportunity to introduce some food allergy awareness to the older children as part of this. Like many …
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17 Apr
Don’t Let Them Bring You Down
I must say that I have reached a stage in my life where I have managed to come to some kind of terms with the fact that I suffer from severe eczema. I’ve stopped giving a damn about how I …
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28 Mar
Help! I’m allergic to my BlackBerry!
Nickel is one of the most common contact allergens, affecting 17 percent of women and 3 percent of men. According to a study presented at the Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), nickel …
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26 Mar
Help me! What is he allergic to???
Right, a few weeks back I got a call from MyItchyBoy’s nursery. I was told that he had a red eye, that it possibly looked a bit swollen. They were concerned enough to call, weren’t sure what had happened. They …
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24 Mar
Adult Atopic Eczema
As an adult sufferer of severe chronic eczema it’s often hard to feel accepted and to know that other people are suffering the exact same thing due to the fact that most people’s view of eczema is only from knowing …
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8 Mar
Food scares – time to think about every ingredient in every bite
In the wake of the recent revelations about horse meat finding its way into the food chain, it is not surprising to see that the supermarkets are releasing sales figures that show that our shopping behaviour has changed already. For …
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7 Mar
Hello, I am an eczema sufferer
My name is Jenny and I have had eczema, asthma and hay fever since birth. I had been able to mostly manage my conditions by taking a steroid inhaler and applying hydrocortisone when it flared up. However it wasn’t until …
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7 Mar
An image of my son in war-time Britain
MyItchyBoy is starting to grow up. It’s true. Apparently, they all do it…. For him, part of being more independent and responsible is looking after his skin and managing his allergies. This is a lot of top of the normal …
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7 Mar
Sleep is apparently great for you – if you can get it!
I am getting fed up with New Year! New You! magazine articles telling me that the secret to happiness, health, success is a good night’s sleep. Simple! Great! How??? The only suggestions they have on how to achieve this are …
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19 Feb
Eating habits – Old versus New
Since starting my blog about my son and his food intolerances many people have contacted me with articles they have seen discussing theories surrounding nutrition and intolerance. A while back, my Mum also came across a thought provoking article which …
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14 Feb
Nalcrom (sodium cromoglicate) ? should we try it?
When Zac, my ‘intolerant child’ had his appointment at Great Ormond Street hospital, we were told of a drug that might help him – Nalcrom. The consultant, who I respect and trust, said he thought it was something we should …
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13 Feb
A break from breakfasts – now for the science bit
As I have recently worked my way through ‘inventing’ 15 gluten free and dairy free breakfast options, I think it is time to bring a bit of science back to my blog. Don’t worry, the food will be back, but …
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6 Feb
Online clinic on allergy NOW OPEN
The talkhealth / NHS Choices online clinic on allergy opened today. The clinic is supported by Action Against Allergy, the Allergy Academy and MedicAlert. Our panel of leading allergy specialists are waiting to answer all your questions about all aspects …
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6 Jan
What to do with too much cake?
As a family, we’re not so easy to accommodate for food if you’re not used to catering for allergies. Unfortunately dairy and eggs are so prevalent that label reading is essential. For someone not initiated into the world of scrutinising …
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22 Dec
Exciting discoveries in Gran Canaria
Earlier in December we were lucky enough to spend a lovely, sunny week in Gran Canaria. This post is about a couple of the products we enjoyed discovering on this trip. As mentioned in the previous post, we were lucky …
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22 Dec
Fun in December Sun
A holiday in December is always good I reckon, especially somewhere warm and sunny. We recently spent a week in Gran Canaria and we had a great time. It was a great holiday for MyItchyBoy. He was easily amused with …
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11 Dec
Gluten free pizza – great news for those with coeliac disease
If there’s one thing I miss more than noodles and doughnuts, it’s being able to go out for a pizza. So I am very pleased to spread the word that Dominos, Pizza Hut and Prezzo are ALL OFFERING GLUTEN FREE …
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13 Nov
Do you dine out gluten free? With Christmas coming up I have some tips!
Hello my name is Jen and welcome to my 1st blog on talkhealth. I have been eating gluten free foods for the last 4 years after being diagnosed as having gluten sensitivity. I have to say eating out used to …
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13 Nov
The modern day cultural obsession with food
Food was once just something I ate (too much of, on occasion!) and enjoyed eating! It wasn’t something I spent too much time thinking about or worried about, but all this changed 8 years ago. Since the births of my …
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22 Oct
New help for Lactose Intolerance
IF YOU’RE lactose intolerant, eating dairy products leaves you with uncomfortable gastro–intestinal symptoms, including abdominal pain, flatulence, indigestion, bloating and diarrhoea. Lactose, also known as milk sugar, is naturally present in all animal milk and dairy products, whether from cows, …
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11 Oct
Winter Salad
Hello again everyone! Hope you’re all feeling well & positive! Well, looks like winter is truly on its way, so I’ve decided to share with you one of my favourite winter salad recipes. Yes, I did say salad! Fantastic for …
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8 Oct
Thanksgiving and Thankfulness
I know Thanksgiving is a North American thing and just to fragment that a little bit more, Canadian Thanksgiving is over a month before American Thanksgiving. Personally, that works well for us since coast-to-coast, Canada is stunning in autumn. Yup, …
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24 Sep
101 Ways to Prevent Asthma, Allergies, Eczema and Hayfever
Okay, if you got here because you think I’m going to offer you advice on how to prevent anything, I’m not. The title is entirely facetious. If you’ve read my blog, you know that I don’t believe in cures for …
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24 Sep
My First Blog!
Hello everyone! I’m Cookie MonStar and I’m really pleased to have been asked by Deborah from talkhealth to start blogging! So as this is my first blog I thought I’d start by introducing myself and telling you a bit about …
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22 Sep
INSOMNIA…NOOOOOOO – SLEEP-YEEESSSSSSS
How much sleep do you get? Not getting enough sleep isn’t good.Requiring too much sleep can be just as bad…either way something could be wrong with your health. Sleep has ALWAYS been one of my favorite pastimes,as a teen, I …
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3 Sep
Toxic Chemicals found in Scented Laundry Products
I was interested in a University of Washington study of top-selling laundry products which found they emitted dozens of different chemicals. All six products tested, including dryer sheets, fabric softeners and detergents, gave off at least one chemical regulated as …
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30 Aug
Taking allergies on holiday
Having recently tried to book a cheap break in December for the three of us, I have once again been left debating with myself about what risks I want to take when it comes to food. Staying somewhere ‘safe’ is …
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27 Aug
Allergies, Atopy and Television
I’ve written a post with my PR cap on. This time, I’m writing it with my media cap on since I have a ridiculous amount of media education. I find it interesting whenever I see a character on television or …
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19 Aug
AUTOIMMUNE OLYMPIADS
Well, the Olympics are over. Thank God! Now I can get some sleep. I was so sleep deprived. I could have won a gold medal in crankiness. I am in awe when I see the super-human type feats executed by …
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2 Aug
Kim Woodburn’s first blog
Hello my loves, I’m Kim Woodburn. You probably know me best for my cleaning expertise and time on Channel Four’s “How Clean is Your House” and ITV’s “I’m a Celebrity”. I’m well known for not using nasty chemicals and instead …
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30 Jul
10-ish Things Allergic & Atopic People Don’t Want to Hear
If you read my blog, you know I’ve had allergies and atopy for a very long time. So, I’ve had to tell a lot of people about my conditions. This has certainly become easier as I’ve gotten older, but there …
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21 Jul
CLEANING HOUSE
Since I’ve written a blog post about poop, I feel as though I can talk to you guys about anything. We are all family, right? OK, so, I want to discuss with y’all a word that is even more vile …
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16 Jul
How to treat Heat Rash/Prickly Heat?
When the summer months arrive everyone wants to go for a walk or a jog, but the thought of a heat rash turns people off. You should not fear because heat rash can be easily treated. Summertime can either be …
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10 Jul
Itchy Skin week here
A tough few days with itchy skin for MyItchyBoy at the moment. A bit of a runny nose and chesty cough and he’s flared up quickly in about 24 hours. It doesn’t help that he had one night with a …
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9 Jul
Why You Need to Know More than an ER Doc
This post was inspired by a conversation with some great people who work for an amazing allergy-related social profit organization Canada. At one point, we discussed the misconceptions and misinformation that even some medical professionals have about anaphylaxis. I’ve certainly …
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27 Jun
Sticky Child
Finally, the sun is starting to shine. And with it, comes warmer weather. Hot days and nights are not always a good thing for a child with eczema. We are fairly lucky that heat itself doesn’t seem to worsen MIB’s …
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23 Jun
BOOST YOUR IMMUNE
This week’s blog is dedicated to those who suffer from one or more autoimmune diseases. I take my hat off to you! Having to endure the daily struggles of your respective invisible illness is truly a heroic feat, and in …
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19 Jun
Food Allergy Vs. Food Intolerance
There has been much debate with the rise of food allergies as to whether or not many people have a food allergy or just a food intolerance. With so many different ideas and opinions floating around out there, how do …
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18 Jun
Atopy and Ocular Conditions
Why Your Optometrist Should Know That You’re Atopic Before I continue, I would like stress that nothing you read here should cause you to stop using your medications as prescribed. I am not a medical professional and I am not …
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12 Jun
Waiting, waiting, waiting.
Unfortunately I still have not got my results back from the allergy test! I went to the hospital a few weeks ago and he said I need to leave it a few more weeks before I can get my results …
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7 Jun
Our latest blood test experience
A while ago MyItchyBoy showed signs of a reaction to fish. Since then, we have had a consultant appointment and agreed to go for another RAST test. This is mainly because I hold no faith in the scratch tests since …
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1 Jun
Allergies, Atopy and Health Care Reform: Why You Should Care
I’ve written about why public relations matters for atopic and allergic people. This post will deal with why allergic and atopic people need to get involved with government relations, specifically health care policy. While this post is about the future …
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25 May
What Causes Food Allergies?
This is truly the million dollar question! I have had so many people ask me what causes a food allergy, especially because they didn’t seem to be as prevalent before. There have been many theories floating around and I have read …
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25 May
MEDA Pharmaceuticals UK Confirms Availability of EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr Auto-Injectors
MEDA Pharmaceuticals UK, suppliers of EpiPen® and EpiPen® Jr Auto-Injectors (0.3 and 0.15 mg adrenaline), has assured the Department of Health that it has adequate product supply to cover all patients requiring replacement adrenaline auto-injectors (AAI) with immediate effect. This …
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25 May
Flippin hay fever!
Well, it’s here. It’s arrived with avengeance …. this flippin hay fever! Thought I’d got off lightly this year as the weather has been so awful and I’ve not needed to take any medication. And, given I’m allergic to tree …
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9 May
Could You Go Without Gluten For A Week?
Coeliac UK, the national charity for coeliac disease is challenging the nation to go gluten-free from 14-20 May to raise awareness of the daily food frustrations encountered by the 1 in 100 people in the UK who have coeliac disease. …
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7 May
What is an Integrative Doctor?
In the world of food allergies, I have been on a journey for the past 10 years. First with my son and now with myself. In the process, I have been laughed at, had eyes rolled at me, dismissed and …
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1 May
Anti-allergy Mattress Toppers
I’m thrilled to bits with our new Mattress Toppers. These luxurious sleep-enhancers have become really popular in the last few years and lots of AllergyBestBuys customers have asked me for a Topper that will add a layer of protection and …
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30 Apr
Living with a fragrance allergy
My last post for TalkHealth was about the nose-tickling topic of hayfever. Since then, it has rained pretty much exclusively and pollen counts have remained low across the UK. Typical! However my post today is about another common cause of …
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27 Apr
Online clinic on hay fever and environmental allergies with NHS Choices
talkhealth in partnership with NHS Choices, Action Against Allergy and The King’s College London Allergy Academy have today launched an Online Clinic on Hay Fever and Environmental Allergies. Clinical experts including Dr Adam Fox, Dr Helen Brough, Dr Joanna Lukawska and …
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18 Apr
Don’t Pick on the Peanut People
Before I start this article, I would like to tell you about myself. I am the mother of a child who has multiple food allergies which includes peanuts, uncooked dairy, eggs, gluten and watermelon. I have spent the last 10 …
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17 Apr
My real life fear of FOOD sad but true
I’ve had bad nights sleep and here I am awake at 3am. I’m feeling grotty and then my head fills with emotion and questions and then the tears start. Suddenly I realize what is wrong….. Yesterday I went out on …
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13 Apr
What Is The Paleo Diet And Why It Is Good For Us
For detailed information on what is the Paleo Diet, there is an abundance of information available on the internet. It is also called the Caveman or Paleolithic Diet. The logic behind it is the fact that our prehistoric ancestors thrived …
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5 Apr
When Kitchens Attack
While we are busy preparing and flitting around the kitchen, we sometimes forget to be careful of seemingly innocent items that can become cross-contamination traps. It’s hard enough cleaning, searching out recipes, shopping and doing everything on time to produce …
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22 Mar
Plants, Pollen & Allergies
Natural beauty products may feel beautiful on the skin, enhanced by the delicious aroma of organic essential oils and gentle ingredients to soothe and nurture. However the plants from which we derive actives that treat our skin so well are …
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13 Mar
Sugar – Poison, Drug or both?
What is all the Fuss about Sugar! Its just Sugar right? Our World is infested with Sugar in many forms, in Soft Drinks, over Pills, in Medications, Sweets, Syrups, Sauces the list goes on… Have you ever hit the pause …
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2 Mar
Testing for allergies
When all your usual remedies fail and the doctor is baffled by your symptoms, you may suspect you or your child has an allergy. It’s often difficult to find a specialist in allergies who can help, but there are now …
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1 Mar
How you become the local cake maker
Since my daughter started pre-school we have had to deal with some new and challenging situations around her needing a gluten free diet. The most challenging one is around the birthday parties she is now getting invited to. We take …
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29 Feb
The 2012 FreeFrom Food Awards shortlist is out!!
From coconut yogurt to nettle ‘beer’! After an intense two weeks of tasting and assessment the FreeFrom Food Awards judging panels have chosen just under 170 freefrom foods to go on the 2012 shortlist – see below for the full …
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21 Feb
Online Clinic on Food Allergies
talkhealth in partnership with NHS Choices, Action Against Allergy and Allergy Academy have today launched an Online Clinic on Food Allergies. Clinical experts from Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital including Dr Adam Fox, Dr Helen Brough, Dr Rubaiyat Haque and …
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20 Feb
Egg-less, non-dairy, gluten-free Pancake recipe. Yay!
Hello again, If you’ve tried making a half-decent pancake without eggs or milk and given up in disgust I can understand why. I’ve had several attempts at making pancake batter without these ingredients and failed miserably. But now, I think …
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9 Feb
Childcare and Hugging Your Non-Allergic Child
On the radio this morning I heard an interview with Dr Aric Sigman, a fellow of the Society of Biology, who has been looking at the cortisol levels (stress hormone) in infants and toddlers in day care as opposed to those …
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8 Feb
Dairy & Egg-free Valentine Cup Cake Recipe
Dairy & Egg-free Valentine Cup Cake Recipe It’s almost St Valentine’s Day again and lots of you have asked for my easy recipe for delicious egg-free, dairy-free Valentine‘s cupcakes. They look great decorated with a single strawberry or a simple …
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25 Jan
British Nutrition Foundation Confirms There Is No Evidence That Sliced Bread Bloats Us
Despite a distinct lack of scientific proof, the start of the 21st century has seen a continuation of the claim that sliced supermarket bread made by the Chorleywood Bread Process (CBP)** causes bloating. A new report published by the British Nutrition Foundation in …
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24 Jan
Should allergens be banned from a household with an allergic member?
I came across an article from an recent Sunday Telegraph headlined ‘Food fight over allergy ban’ which investigated, once again, the extremely knotty problem of whether or not you should allow allergens into a household with an allergic member. There are …
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13 Jan
Your A to Z of nasties in the chemical world
Skin allergies are often triggered by the use of chemicals on the skin and in the home and workplace. Around 6 million Brits, that is 1 in 5 children and another 1 in 10 adults, all suffer from Eczema. Why …
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13 Jan
Call the Midwife
A series of books written by former AAA patron, Jennifer Worth, have been transformed for the small screen. Call the midwife begins on Sunday 15 January at 8pm on BBC1. As an eczema, asthma and allergy suffer Jennifer decided to …
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12 Jan
Am I allergic to alcohol?
My friend Janey has just rung me in a right old state. She had a terrible Christmas and an even worse New Year’s Eve! Apparently every time she had a glass of anything alcoholic her eyelids swelled and itched, went …
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20 Dec
Allergy hazards at Christmas
Christmas Tree Allergy We’ve been warning AllergyBestBuys customers to the allergy problems posed by indoor Christmas trees for years. Now scientists confirm that the traditional fir or spruce, left in a warm room, releases mould spores that can trigger watery …
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16 Dec
Are you allergic to Christmas?
Christmas may be a time for goodwill to all men…but it can also be a time of red noses, sore throats, coughs and sneezes! And for many people, the unwitting cause of their symptoms could be Christmas itself. Studies have …
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14 Dec
Calmer babies have fewer allergies
Research from a Swedish medical university has found that babies who experience less stressful situations have fewer allergies as children. Although the risk factors causing stress for infants is inconclusive it is thought that even a short separation from the …
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13 Dec
23 and 1/2 hours: What is the single best thing we can do for our health?
A Doctor-Professor answers the old question “What is the single best thing we can do for our health” in a completely new way. Dr Mike Evans explains …. Dr Evans is founder of the Health Design Lab at the Li …
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6 Dec
The Ultimate allergy-free Christmas Cake
Hello again. Saturday saw me up to the elbows in cake mixture and the whole house filled with the warm spicy aroma of Christmas. Shop-bought cakes are never as good as those you bake yourself at home and today it’s …
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2 Dec
I want a mince pie!
It’s that time of year again. Do you know what the best thing about Christmas is for me? Starbucks. I know. That’s pretty sad isn’t it? You see, at this time of year, Starbucks bring out two things that I …
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30 Nov
Think you may suffer from Food Intolerance? Tips to get you through those Christmas parties…..
So many food intolerance sufferers find the Christmas season tricky; after all ’tis the season to be merry and there isn’t much to be merry about when you are suffering from gut problems, headaches, migraines, skin symptoms, low energy or …
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28 Nov
Fingers & thumbs
Spent most of the day counting gloves. We sell hundreds and hundreds of pairs of white cotton gloves which we have specially made for AllergyBestBuys.com with long wrists and comfortable boxed fingers for customers with eczema and dermatitis. A fresh …
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25 Nov
Feeding fish to babies could prevent breathing problems
Feeding salmon and cod to a baby before it reaches 9 months old could prevent breathing problems such as wheezing later on in life. A recent study showed that half of babies in a trial who weren’t fed fish developed …
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24 Nov
Should we expose children to foods earlier to prevent allergies?
Recent research has led to a shift in the way experts think about exposing babies to foods that may lead to allergic reactions such as peanuts. Until now mothers have been told to avoid high risk foods whilst pregnant and …
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24 Nov
New machine could help asthma sufferers
A new machine that filters air whilst you sleep and removes irritants and allergens such as dust mites and pet hair has been revealed. The Protexo machine also produces a stream of filtered, clean air to the sufferer thus minimising …
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22 Nov
Mould spore test results shock
Crikey, I wasn’t expecting this. The mould spore count in the MouldCheck petri dish showed a level between Poor and Very Poor. Which means that there is an unacceptable amount of mould spores in my Dad’s flat that could be …
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22 Nov
Is bread the enemy?
New research by the University of Portsmouth has found that 1 in 5 British adults believe they have a food allergy and most blame wheat. This could explain why bread sales have been declining since the 1970s. Many diets portray …
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22 Nov
Allergy Sufferers Prone To Osteoporosis!
Research reveals that Osteoporosis is one of the major complications of prolonged corticosteroid treatment. Efforts need to be made to minimise the dose of steroid and to reduce the risk factors. 12.2 million allergy sufferers visit their GP’s annually for …
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18 Nov
Antibiotics not a cure-all
Many people believe that using antibiotics will cure most illnesses including coughs and colds. However antibiotics don’t work on viruses which is what causes most respiratory tract infections. Whilst doctors state that antibiotics are not a cure-all they are still being over-prescribed. …
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18 Nov
Have you done a mould check?
We’ve been trying out a new mould test today. I’ve set up the MouldCheck Test in my 92 year old Dad’s kitchen because there’s been a distinct smell of damp which I think is coming from under his sink but …
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16 Nov
Lives at risk due to UK air pollution
The government’s failure to meet EU standards on air pollution is “putting the health of UK residents at risk”, says the Environmental Audit Committee. Committee chair Joan Walley MP said “It is a national scandal that thousands of people are still …
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14 Nov
I’m A Celebrity 2011: Freddie Starr is hospitalised for allergic reaction
According to the Daily Mail, celebrity Freddie Starr has been taken to hospital with a suspected severe allergic reaction. Doctors were called to check on the comedian, aged 68, after he started feeling sick following one of the infamous Bushtucker …
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14 Nov
Epidemic – allergic rhinitis on the increase
The house dust mite is behind a huge rise in household allergies, with around 12 million Britons allergic to their own homes, according to new research today undertaken by Allergy UK. Cases of perennial allergic rhinitis – known as “home …
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10 Nov
Time is precious……………
A recent survey clearly showed that having time to enjoy life no longer takes second place to earning a better living. If you, or someone that you know, suffers from symptoms of food intolerance you will know the impact that …
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10 Nov
Attention all Coeliacs and food intolerants! We have FreeFrom Christmas goodies galore!
FoodsMatter’s special ‘freefrom’ Christmas site has just been launched to coincide with the judging of the Christmas category for the 2012 FreeFromFood Awards – both filled with products to delight Coeliacs and anyone with a food allergy or intolerance! Gluten-free, dairy-free, …
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10 Nov
Global warming could increase allergies
A new investigation has been launched to assess the impact global warming could have on allergic diseases. The project is funded by the European Commission and will include researchers from the University of East Anglia. It is the first investigation to focus …
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10 Nov
Allergies could be reduced if infants were exposed to more bacteria
A new study from the University of Copenhagen has revealed that the risk of allergic disease could be reduced if infants were exposed to more bacteria. The research found that in the children observed those who had reduced diversity of …
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9 Nov
What causes our flare-ups
Hi everyone I’m a bit late doing my blog this week as have been a bit megga busy, you know the sort of week – arranging firework outings, catching up with homework, football matches, parents evening and oh yes grandma …
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2 Nov
Developing Food Intolerances
One of the most common questions that I get asked when I go out lecturing and giving talks is “How do food intolerances develop?”. An interesting question, and with the estimate for those suffering from food intolerance at 45% of …
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18 Oct
10 Myths About Food Intolerance
I thought that I would share with you some of the common myths surrounding food intolerance! Here goes:- Myth 1 – Food intolerances are very rare Genuine food allergy is rare. Less than 2% of the population (and 8% of children …
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17 Oct
For the love of bread
The single biggest problem with a gluten free diet is bread. Not only is shop bought bread expensive, it’s also dry and makes really poor sandwiches. In fact my daughter won’t eat it as a sandwich. You can get gluten …
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17 Oct
First blog
Hi everyone, this is my first attempt at blogging so bear with me. Have just about managed to get a grip on tweeting as some of you may know but have faith I will improve! As you can see from …
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11 Oct
Cure for peanut allergy
Researchers at Northwestern University in Chicago are a step closer to a cure for peanut allergies. By tricking the immune system of people with peanut allergies into thinking that peanut proteins are safe anaphylactic shocks are prevented. The immune system …
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