‘Tell me what you eat and I will tell you what you are.’
A. Brillat-Savarin

Food For Thought

The environment we live in now has changed dramatically since I had Amman. People are so allergy-aware that it is now possible to buy 100% of the ingredients in this book in any big supermarket chain.

Unfortunately this is as a result of growing allergies not only amongst our children but also amongst adults. In the straw polls I have conducted, if you talk to 10 people you will find at least 2 that are affected by food allergies in some way; either they are allergic, or their children are or they know someone who is.

Having an allergy is however part of a bigger picture in relation to your childs health. There is no apparent cure for allergies, indeed there is no good explanation for why our children suffer, in droves, from something so rare in our generation.

However, in my experience there are things that you can do to help your child.

If your childs immune system is as healthy as it can be then they have a better chance of growing out of the allergy, or at least able to tolerate being around the food even though they can’t actually eat it.

Do cook for your child as much as you are able, processed food is just that, processed. It doesn’t contain a fraction of the vitamins and minerals and sheer goodness that home-cooked food does.

Do buy organic. Yes it costs more at the moment but with so many people becoming aware of pesticides, the supply is growing to meet the demand and all the big supermarkets stock a good supply of organic foods.

I have found that simply switching to organic cereals has taken 20 minutes off the time it takes to get out of the door in the morning – my kids are no longer bouncing off the walls as soon as they’ve eaten breakfast. Try it and see, you will be surprised at the effect it has on them.

Do try reputable, registered alternative practitioners. I am a passionate advocate of supplementing normal medicine with homeopathy, energy healing and Australian Bush Flower Essences. In my experience, children with allergies tend to have problems assimilating the good in their food, which leads to secondary problems with concentration, assimilation of information and poor self-confidence in some cases.

Alternative medicine tends to strengthen their immune systems and helps them to grow, physically and mentally.

Having said that, I know that there are situations where I have been so grateful my children can eat something, that I don’t really care what is in it.

To that end, here’s a rough guide to the things I have found for making life easier:

Travelling: I always carry packets of gluten-free pasta and soya milk and small packets of cereals. And there’s always Macdonalds, their chips are gluten, dairy, egg and nut free! (That was not an endorsement!) They are everywhere and have come to my rescue more than once in far off places. Do be careful of chips generally as they are frequently covered in milk powder.

Restaurants: Some restaurants are getting better at offering allergy-free alternatives. If you happen to be in one that’s not, then go for boiled potatoes, rice and plain grilled meats, fish and chicken, or vegetables. Always ask to speak to the manager or the chef and check that the oil they are going to use is fresh. Explain the problem and most people go out of their way to help.

Snacks: Be careful of processed meats as many sliced meats are pressed in milk. Many crisps are also covered in milk powder. Wheat is used as a filler in everything these days, even sweets. Walkers crisps, and Hula Hoops are dairy free. Fruit, raisins, flapjacks are still your best bet.

Soya Milk: Many soya milks have a very strong taste which my children hate. I have found that of all the brands that I have tried, Alpro has a slightly sweetish taste which works well with cereals and the like, and Sainsburys Unsweetened Soya Milk is the one I use for cooking as it is completely tasteless (a good thing, I promise!)

Stock Cubes: many contain yeast which means that they may not be gluten-free. However many supermarkets and all health food shops carry alternatives which are gluten free. The problem with many of these is that they are very heavily salted. Sainsburys makes a fresh stock, which is gluten free and which I buy and freeze in smaller quantities (ice-cube tray) for when needed. An easier alternative is to use dried spices which I do, a lot. I use one teaspoon to one stock cube, as a rough measurement.

If you have any other ideas, I would love to hear them.