FAILSAFE #55
Newsletter of the Food Intolerance Network
January - March 2008
|
The Food Intolerance Network supports people worldwide using a low-chemical elimination diet free of additives, low in salicylates, amines and flavour enhancers (FAILSAFE) for health, behaviour and learning problems. |
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available free by email. Just send your email address to failsafe_newsletter-subscribe@yahoogroups.com
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THIS MONTH
Artificial colours
should be banned in food and drink: MPs
Fully updated and
revised “Fed Up” now available
Research: There has been no
improvement in literacy and numeracy of Australian students; Chronic diarrhoea,
abdominal pain and severe weight loss due to sorbitol (420) sugar free
sweetener; Medieval diets were 'far more healthy' than the modern diet
In brief: Naming and shaming;
NSAID-sensitivity; Nitrite poisoning; The
nutritionist’s tale; Latest newsletter from SAFE; Have we learnt from history?
Targeting… Antioxidant 320 in McDonalds
fries
Readers' stories: [600] -
[634]
Product updates: detailed
help and information.
Questions: detailed help and
information.
Cooks Corner: Mini meatloaves, Pear bread,
Pear Roll-Ups / Fruit Leathers
Hello
everyone
In an
excellent start to the year, a
Happy
failsafe eating! – Sue Dengate
Artificial colours
should be banned in food and drink: MPs
All
artificial colourings in food and soft drinks should
be banned, according to a parliamentary committee in the
The group
recommended that the UK Food Standards Agency should be taking a tougher line
on additives. The FSA’s current advice to ‘the
parents of children showing signs of hyperactivity’ should be extended and all
parents should be advised about the desirability of limiting their children’s
consumption of artificial food additives, they said. They pointed out that some
of the additives allowed in the EU are banned in the
In the
strongest statement yet by any group regarding food additives, the FHF concluded
that under the Food Safety Act 1990, the Secretary of State has the power to
restrict substances of no nutritive value and “regulations should be introduced
to prohibit all artificial colours and non-essential
preservatives in food products and soft drinks”.
Further
reading: E-numbers should be banned in food and drink, say MPs by Sarah Boseley, Guardian p4,
Fully updated and
revised “Fed Up” now available
|
|
‘I am finding the new edition of Fed Up extremely useful on a
professional and a personal level. And inspirational too. The best of your
books!! Well done, again.’ - reader, Melbourne ‘The chapter on salicylates is great, as
this is the hardest area for so many, myself included, to get our heads
around.’ – reader, country Vic |
FED UP: Understanding how food affects your
child and what you can do about it by Sue Dengate (Random House 2008) is now available in a
fully-updated and revised edition in all Australian and NZ bookstores, see
website for availability overseas.
There has been no improvement in
literacy and numeracy of Australian students and grades may even have declined
since the 1960s despite a huge increase in education spending, according to new
research. Dr Chris Ryan from the
Chronic diarrhoea,
abdominal pain and severe weight loss due to sorbitol
(420) sugar free sweetener. The January British Medical Journal reported two cases or sorbitol intolerance: a 21 year-old woman who chewed large
amounts of sugar-free gum, giving an approximate daily dose of 18-20g sorbitol, and a 46 year-old man who consumed large amounts
of sugar-free gum and sweets, giving an average daily dose of around 30g sorbitol. Both reported chronic diarrhoea,
abdominal pain and severe weight loss. Normal bowel movements were resumed and
the patients gained weight after starting a sorbitol-free
diet. ‘As possible side effects are
usually found only within the small print on foods containing sorbitol, consumers may be unaware of its laxative effects
and fail to recognise a link with their
gastrointestinal problems,’ the authors warned.
Bauditz J
and others, Severe weight loss caused by chewing gum. BMJ. 2008 Jan
12;336(7635):96-7.
Medieval diets were 'far more
healthy' than the modern diet according to research by
Diet not working as well as you'd hoped?
One tiny
mistake can make a huge difference. For fine-tuning, see the Checklist of common mistakes.
Readers tell us this list is very useful.
Naming and shaming: in response to the FSA (UK Food
Standard Agency)’s lack of action regarding the University of Southampton study
above, the Food Commission has launched a new website listing products
containing nasty additives, see www.actiononadditives.com.
NSAID-sensitivity. In the last issue we mentioned
that most salicylate-sensitive people have cross
sensitivity to Nurofen (ibuprofen) and other
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as
naproxen and diclofenac (see story [561]. As a result
of our story, a surprising number of people have identified salicylate
sensitivity as their problem, see below. A Polish study found more than 30% of
severe asthmatics had salicylate intolerance, compared
a far smaller proportion of those with mild asthma. Kupczyk
M and others, Aspirin intolerance and allergy to house dust mites: important
factors associated with development of severe asthma. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2004;92(4):453-8.
Nitrite poisoning. Packets of Goldfish brand Nutre powder in Asian groceries contain an unlabelled white
powder that turned out to be sodium nitrite (preservative 251) not flavour enhancer as assumed by some cooks. Five people were
admitted to hospital with potentially fatal methaemoglobinaemia
(symptoms: vomiting, shortness of breath, dizziness and blue lips soon after
eating large amounts) in
The nutritionist’s tale: Wondering why government and food
regulators don’t protect consumers? Dr Luise Light’s
inside story on working for the US Department of Agriculture explains how
control of public information about nutrition and food additives has been
handed over to the food industry: ‘In a soft voice he said, "I'm prepared
to offer you $60,000 if you will agree to leave the words "diet and
cancer" out of the Red Cross course you're developing”. I was stunned …
What I learned as a government employee is that the government we trust to do
the people's business is busy doing the business of business’
– http://www.rense.com/general78/educa.htm.
Latest newsletter from SAFE (Supporting Additive Free Eating),
run by failsafers Kathleen and Jenny to assist
schools http://www.additiveeducation.com.au/images/SAFEissue3.pdf
Have we learnt from history? You would wonder if you read
Friedrich Accum’s (1769-1838) “A Treatise on
Adulterations of Food, and Culinary Poisons” full text available free at www.gutenberg.org/etext/19031:
“But of all possible nefarious traffic and deception, practised
by mercenary dealers, that of adulterating the articles intended for human food
with ingredients deleterious to health, is the most criminal, and, in the mind
of every honest man, must excite feelings of regret and disgust. Numerous facts
are on record, of human food, contaminated with poisonous ingredients, having
been vended to the public; and the annals of medicine record tragical events ensuing from the use of such food.”
Thank you
to all those who take the time to email or phone food manufacturers. In our
experience, an email from a consumer is a powerful tool for improving our food
supply.
A reader wrote: ‘I was very surprised at what
McDonalds are claiming for their chicken nuggets!! (McDonalds Food Tables for
People Sensitive to Ingredients or Additives: http://www.mcdonalds.com.au/PDFs/AllergenList.pdf)
- certainly not what my 5 year old daughter’s additive radar
indicates.’
Unfortunately,
those tables don’t include all additives. The full Ingredient listing http://www.mcdonalds.com.au/PDFs/IngredientListing.pdf
shows that nuggets contain 8 additives, all safe (thickener and salts).
However, the fries are cooked in oil with antioxidant 320. The mother replied
‘it would never have occurred to me that the fries were more of a problem than
the nuggets’. (Spice in the nuggets could be a problem for salicylate
responders.)
You can
email McDonalds (http://www.mcdonalds.com.au/
and click on Contact Us), e.g.:
My children
are affected by antioxidants 310-312 and 319-321. I would be grateful if you
could include those additives in the ‘McDonalds Food Tables for People
Sensitive to Ingredients or Additives’ OR ‘My children are affected by
antioxidants 310-312 and 319-321. It would make my children very happy if you
could remove those additives from your Fries.’
The writer of the following
letter wins our award for persisting despite all the paid ‘experts’ being
against her
[634] Silent reflux, gastro, extreme nappy rash – months of
needless medication (February 2008) WINNER OF THE
COURAGE AWARD
My 13 month-old son has had
silent reflux (just weaned him off losec now), and
yet still has bad gastro problems - excessive burping, difficulty
swallowing/coordination with swallow and breathing, tummy aches (frequent back
arching, screaming and night waking all the time). My paed has
recommended an immunologist but reading your website it seems we need to do a
diet approach for intolerances.
I have always been careful
with my diet as I breastfed him avoiding foods that were known to cause wind. I
even saw a dietitian out of desperation when he was a little babe - who took my
money and told me breastmilk is not affected by what
Mum eats. My instincts told me otherwise. I know that strawberries, tomatoes,
stock, gravy (to some extent), sausages (two nights in a row), citrus, onion
and ham produces bad painful gastro reactions in him. Yet despite avoiding
these, our problems still continue. If we eat out, guaranteed he will have a
bad night in the next 24 hrs and bad poos for days
after. My son has never had a normal poo - even on breastmilk. Acid
smell is very common, and it produces the worst nappy rash I've ever seen with
skin completely gone and large patches of exposed sores.
Two weeks later …
In the two weeks since I
first emailed you from sheer desperation, I almost cry every time I think about
how my little son's severe gastro problems have so simply and easily
disappeared……see the whole story at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
[633] Severe eczema related to salicylates
and fragrance (February 2008)
I posted very early on when
this site first started with my son's story of very severe eczema (on the soles
of his feet) which took three months to clear, and was related to salicylates. We started Failsafe though because of behavioural problems and had the added bonus of the eczema clearing
up completely. He also reacts badly to heavy chemical fumes such as chlorine,
ammonia etc (airborne salicylates).
Anyhow, recently he had a
major behavioural reaction, I was absolutely sure it
was not food related. He was attending Vacation Care at the time. Recently he
came home and just happened to mention that one of the ladies had sprayed
something on the table he was sitting at, and when he asked what it was, was
told ‘Don't worry Chris, it won't kill you’ (grrrr
from me - what if he had been asthmatic?). Anyhow I decided to investigate
this, as I could find no food reason for the deterioration of his behaviour.
Turned out that they had
been spraying Dettol (or something that smells very
similar) on the lunch tables, and regularly spraying air fresheners. (I have
since talked to them and they now make sure he is nowhere near when they are
spraying stuff around, and he has been fine since).
Anyway, that was the same
time he started complaining that his feet were sore - I checked and there was
eczema on the soles of his feet again (first time in two years of being
Failsafe). Just thought this might be helpful to some out there! It can be more
than food! –
See also
[632] Affected by fragrances – 4 reports (February 2008) at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
[631] ‘Incurable and medication resistant depression’ due to
milk (February 2008)
I have had depression since
a late teen, which got worse with each of my pregnancies, to the point where
after my youngest was born I was told by a leading post-natal depression
psychiatrist that my depression was incurable and medication resistant. He said
I would require weekly ECT (shock-therapy) treatments in order to lead a normal
life. I said no… see the rest at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
See also [630] ‘Depression - no need for Beyond
Blue due to diet’ (February 2008)
[629] ‘Severe and unpredictable asthma’ due to sulphites (February 2008)
Our food journey started with
me picking up your Fed Up with Asthma book from the bookstore after our three
year-old had just experienced a bout of wheezing. I read it all in one sitting
and was left both horrified and hopeful. We decided that since we had nothing
to lose that we would try the diet as a family… see
the rest at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
See also [628] Asthma, eczema and frequent colds
cleared up by avoiding additives (February 2008)
[627] Asthmatic reaction to grapes (February 2008)
[626] Asthma in an adult from Nurofen
(February 2008)
[625] Anxiety attack in an adult from Nurofen
(February 2008)
My husband has had a
serious tooth ache on the weekend. He has taking Panadol
and needed more relief, so I gave him some Nurofen.
Well, within 5-10 minutes, he was irrational and aggressive…. see the rest at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
See also [624] Irritable bowel reactions to Nurofen and salicylates in food
(February 2008)
[623] ‘Cheaper is not better - effects of coloured ibuprofen (February 2008)
[622] Amazing change in my child due to A2 milk (February
2008)
My 10 yr-old disabled
daughter was on neocate advance which she didn't
tolerate and I was told she was past the hospital’s expertise so they didn't
know what to do with her. She was getting sick, looked shocking and her behaviour was very hard to manage (especially as mentally
she is about two-year-old) so I gave her ricemilk
instead of neocate advance. After four days I
realized she wasn't tolerating ricemilk. So in
desperation I tried A2 milk after seeing what it did for a friend’s son - his behaviour improved dramatically, he stopped screaming, his
ear infections stopped and he started to talk.
My daughter has been on A2
milk for a week now (due to underweight issues she is tube fed over a litre a day) and she looks heaps healthier. Since
commencing A2 milk the diarrhoea has stopped and
nappies are becoming more solid, no vomiting, rashes are gone, wheezing gone
and she is wanting her tube feeds - and more - plus solids, usually we have big
problems getting her to eat orally. In a week she has gone from 18.2 to 19.4kg
(400g being in the last 2 days) that's the best weight gain she has ever had.
Her behaviour is wonderful. She is so calm and she
has started to talk (she was non verbal before). She even sat with her baby
sister for an hour and actually played with the baby’s toy with her. That's
amazing as usually she hasn't got a very good concentration span - one minute
if you’re lucky is all I've managed out of her - and she doesn't play, never
has done - so her changes are amazing and very strange as she doesn't tolerate
cows milk so I don't understand do you have any idea … – Catherine, Vic [For
research about the effect of a peptide called BCM7 in A1 cows milk on
neurological symptoms, see the book Devil in the Milk: illness, health and
politics, A1 and A2 milk, by Keith Woodford, 2007. High levels of BCM7 have
been found in an elemental infant formula but we don’t know about Neocate – it is usually but not always well tolerated.]
[621] 319: Four weeks of hell from unlisted 319 (TBHQ) in gf bread (February 2008)
Our six-year-old son is
intolerant to many preservatives, colours, flavours, gluten, dairy and food chemicals. Unless we
control what we feed him on his very restricted diet, he reacts behaviourally and cannot learn at school or go forward in
his treatment by his paediatrician.
In early 2007, we started
giving our son a gluten free bread mix which states on the packet,
‘preservative free’. We had reason to trust this product because it was listed
on the ‘safe shopping guide’ issued by the
This product was wonderful
with it being so versatile in producing pancakes, bread, crumpets, wraps and
pizza bases all from this one mix. Our son was able to enjoy more variety
without feeling deprived. Once I increased the dose of this product for our
son, i.e. pancakes for breakfast, French toast for lunch and a wrap for after
school, within a day he displayed explosive behaviour
and was unreasonable.
We did not suspect foods as
it was listed as safe and the company was a reputable company.
We rang our paediatrician who advised us to cut down on his supplement.
After a week there was no change, even at school our son’s teacher was noticing
a big difference in behaviour and learning. The paediatrician advised a blood test, another week passed for
the results which in turn came back within normal range. Only then did we
suspect foods. The Food Intolerance Network always advises their members to
check products containing fats or oils for hidden synthetic antioxidants. I
rang our supermarket to double check if there were any changes in their
sunflower oil that we use, and they advised there were none. I then rang the
bread company and spoke to their Quality Operations Officer. I asked if there
were any synthetic antioxidants in their product in question, he said he was
pretty sure there wasn’t. We insisted that he double check because we were at
wits’ end and we were ready to have our son’s head scanned because he was so
aggressive and erratic in his behaviour. The man rang
back in shock and was very apologetic, because the oil which was supposed to be
‘pure canola oil’ as stated on the ingredients list, in fact had synthetic
antioxidant 319 in it.
We were relieved but angry,
our son was put through four weeks of hell, not to mention us as well, because
he could not control what he was doing, and it took well over a week for the
affects to wear off. We had our good boy back and he even said, ‘Mummy please
don’t give me bad food any more’!
When our son has had foods
with hidden synthetic antioxidants in them, we consider the reaction our son
displayed as life threatening, for example, when our son becomes enraged with
fury, usually over something trivial, he has run out onto the road. Another
time when I was driving down the mountain on hair pin bend roads, enraged, our
son got hold of my hood on my jacket and was pulling on it while I was doing my
best to manoeuvre the car down the road without
hitting the guard rails and going over the cliff. We believe that these
antioxidants should at all times appear on the label. – by email, NSW [Thanks
to this mother and the helpful people at Laucke’s,
their gluten-free bread is now free of nasty antioxidants]
[620] Impaired speech and drool due to food intolerance
(February 2008)
[619] Mouth ulcers – flavoured
chips (February 2008)
[618] Mouth ulcers - salicylates
(February 2008)
see at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
[617] Nearly crazy with fatigue and confusion –baby’s
insomnia (February 2008)
Since birth, my son Noah
had trouble with sleep it didn’t matter what I did or what time of day or night
it was, it would always take him at least 2 hours to get to sleep, and then if
I put him down in his cot, he would wake 10 minutes later screaming… see the
rest at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
See also [616] Getting to sleep was a major problem
- additives (February 2008)
[615] A salicylate-sensitive 15
year-old (February 2008)
I have to thank you for
your support and time around 12 years ago with our daughter who is ntolerant to salicylates…. see
the rest at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
[614] Vomiting and hives due to severe amine sensitivity
(February 2008)
[613] ‘
[612] Recurrent stress fractures in shins (February 2008)
[611] 160b: Migraine, headbanging
and violence from annatto 160b (February 2008)
[610] Severe reaction to a chromium supplement with unlisted
benzoate (February 2008)
[609] 621: MSG and inability to remember (February 2008)
[608] The changes to our food in 17 years (February 2008)
[607] ‘Do you know what McDonald’s is, mate?’ (February
2008)
[606] One liners (February 2008)
Keep up the absolutely
fantastic work, you will be vindicated and become a mythical hero in the future
(she-who-fought-the-beast-before-we-even-knew-it-was-there) ;-) – Roman, by
email
My friend’s son who had
suffered for years with fierce rashes on his body is now completely free of
sores. I am totally in awe of your program, you are saving many children from a
life of misery. – by email
Attention to preservatives
and colours, particularly in sweets, like Neapolitan
ice cream, jelly and flavoured milk has resolved my
son’s bedwetting problem. – reader, NSW
The diet really isn't as
bad as we first thought, now we know how much it helps. I've just come home
from carols by candlelight at my new school, it was brilliant, but you should
have seen all the red ‘Christmas’ food they were selling - I hate to think what
the kids will be like tomorrow. Most of them were misbehaved and cranky on
Friday. We weren't though. – Anita, aged 10.
We have managed our
daughter's salicylate and amine sensitivity with failsafe
eating for almost seven years now and are happy to report that her problems
with salicylates are now much reduced, although
amines are still a problem for her. (They tend to give her stomach pains and
mood swings). She is now able to concentrate at school and has a circle of
friends. We would like to thank you for your work and we are pleased that we
never had to resort to medication for a girl who could easily have been
diagnosed as ADHD. – Gabrielle, Vic
We have been eating
failsafe for nearly a year now. Our daughter is both amine and salicylate sensitive. Although we don’t always have things
perfectly controlled, our lives are infinitely better. The improvements we have
seen has meant my daughter and I could salvage our relationship which I had feared
was being permanently, irreparably damaged. We now see the loving, compliant,
creative, intelligent person that was trapped for so long. - Sally, by email
The paediatrician
gave me your web address and I am so grateful. We have six children and I am amazed
at the difference in all of them in the three weeks that we have been doing the
failsafe booklet - I have even helped my husband and myself and my baby with
problems I have no idea were food related. I borrowed Fed Up with ADHD from the
library. It is like reading about my own children. - Sue, Qld
I cannot thank you enough
for helping me and my family with our food-related illnesses. I feel like I
finally understand the roller coaster that I have been on since a terrible case
of food poisoning in 2000. Your book The Failsafe Cookbook is helping all of us
be a happier and healthier family. My 2 year old is finally sleeping through
the night and my husband is elated to have me ‘back to normal.’ Carolyn, NZ
[605] Joint pain from intolerance to soy (February 2008)
I am soy intolerant. More
specifically I suffer from a legume intolerance which is only now apparent
after 13 years of suffering and frustration… see the rest at www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/stories/story9.htm
[604] 'Awful joint pains' from salicylates
in 'loads of fruit and veg' (February 2008)
[603] Arthritis started after a car accident (February 2008)
[602] Aching joints began during pregnancy (February 2008)
[601] Bernard's arthritis story (February 2008)
The most remarkable story
comes from Bernard in
[600] Arthritis
one-liners (February 2008)
**** WARNING White Rabbit sweets from
**** WARNING ‘Natural’ food - homemade banana and mango smoothies can be
suitable for failsafers who tolerate limited moderate
amounts of amines or salicylates. However, we checked
the ingredients of a mango smoothie at a ‘natural’ food court outlet and found
it contained two artificial colours and sodium
benzoate 211. If you can’t see bananas or mangoes going into drinks, ask before
you buy. If they won’t tell you, let us know.
A2 milk in
Brown sugar and golden syrup – a number of failsafers
have reported that brown sugar and golden syrup can cause problems. Unless the
diet is working well for you, we recommend sticking to white sugar and pure
maple syrup except for special occasions. Thanks to Olivia
Flaxseed oil is the best of the omega
supplements for failsafers but contains small amounts
of salicylates and amines. We welcome reader
feedback. “We recently introduced
Gluten-free oats in the
Citric acid is available cheaply
online for failsafers in countries where it is difficult to find: http://www.iherb.com/ProductsList.aspx?c=1&cid=8018718637422832197&gclid=CPiJxZLXiJECFRIUagoddmTUFw
Butcher in Flemington Melbourne VIC: ‘Our butcher has been making up
failsafe sausages for us for the past couple of years now and is now happy to
make them up for other people as well, provided they are frozen immediately.
Normally we give him the dry ingredients for 10kilos and he makes them up
within a few days: Newmarket Quality Meats
(Flemington),
Butcher in Devonport TAS: ‘Bob Morris Butchers, in
Preservative-free ham and bacon – salt is used as the preservative
- obviously these are not OK for the strict elimination diet or for people who
react to amines: Eumundi Smokehouse Sydney,
Preservative-free wines For an
online retailer selling about 40 brands of no added preservative wines
(although of course they still contain salicylates
and amines to which many react): http://www.organicwine.com.au/WineList.aspx?NID=29&att=4
Potato chips (crisps) feedback “Just want to comment on the potato
chips issue. I am sulfite, dairy, wheat and oat intolerant. I find Kettle sea
salt chips are fine. I have no noticeable reaction to them. Smiths original
crisps make my face itchy and tingly and give me a headache” – thanks to Sascha
D.A.R.E. (Delicious and Responsible
Eating) is a friendly additive-free, gluten-free café in The Rocks, Sydney. Helpful owner
Lee Freeman will prepare failsafe food with advance warning and we are
intending to working on some failsafe menu items: Shop 22, The Rocks Centre, Playfair Street (just across from Lowenbrau Keller on the
corner with Argyle St) http://www.menulog.com.au/dare
Q. I bought green grapes two weeks straight – they were so
cheap and I haven’t bought them since last year. My son loved them but for
those two weeks he was screaming and hitting me and going crazy until I put it
together - behaviour + grapes. I was talking to another friend and she said
her daughter was reacting the same way.
We took the grapes away and both the kids calmed down within a couple of
days. There was a warning at the
supermarket about sulphur dioxide next to the price
sign on the grapes. Is this a common phenomenon?
A.
Since the ‘salad bar’ asthmatic deaths in the 1970s due to overuse of sulphur dioxide on lettuce, sulphur
dioxide has been banned on fresh fruit and vegetables except for grapes. These
days they use sulphur dioxide generator pads instead
of sprays. However, growers are warned that high temperatures can cause
excessive sulphur dioxide in the grapes. January was
the hottest month ever in
Q. Would removing the crusts on bread get rid of the
preservative?
A.
In
Q. Can you tell me is bocconcini
cheese failsafe? I assumed it was since it is a fresh white cheese.
A.
White cheeses such as cottage cheese or ricotta are low in amines and failsafe
as long as they are recently made and preservative-free. Bocconcini
are small, mild, white, young mozzarella cheeses kept moist by storage in
natural whey or brine. Fresh bocconcini are probably
failsafe but if kept will develop amines.
Q. We have benefited greatly from failsafe eating. However
we are in a newly renovated house and although my son is on the full
elimination diet, his behaviour which we discovered
to be due to food has now returned to pre-diet due to the effects of paint
smells etc. Any suggestions?
A.
The best way to deal with new renovation smells is to ventilate - leave all the
doors and windows wide open as much as possible and run fans. If there are any
smelly removable items such as mattresses or new furniture, you can put them on
a verandah or leave them in the garage to gas off. Some people have dealt with
this problem successfully by getting their kids to sleep in a tent in the back
yard. Or could you stay with someone else for a month or two until the worst of
it is over. Formaldehyde (a common VOC in renovations) is a carcinogen so it's
not something you want to be exposed to anyway.
Q. My son aged 12 months is allergic to soy. Do you know the
number codes for soy derived emulsifiers etc?
A.
From a reader who is sensitive to both soy and legumes: “As well as 322
(lecithin) I also avoid additives 476,471,492 (emulsifiers), vegetable gums
410,412,415,416,461 (not all soy but derivatives of various beans), vegetable
gums & vegetable protein, TVP (textured vegetable protein) and vegetable
starch (even if they do not specifically state soy, I don't take the chance).
Soya beans, soya meal, soy flour (very common in
breads and cakes), soya sauce, miso,
tofu and chickpeas. In fact quite a lot of 'health foods' are grossly unhealthy
for me. Packaged health foods nearly always contain a soy additive.” See more
details in story [314] “13 years of intolerance to soy” (April 2004).
Q. It is easier for me to buy goats’ milk than A2 milk. Is
it the same?
A.
Goats milk contains the same A2 beta casein protein as A2 cow’s milk, but it
has a different nutritional profile. Babies who have goat’s milk may need extra
supplements including Vitamin D and Folic Acid. Your dietitian can advise about
this.
|
Around the groups: getting in touch |
Talking point responses –
school canteens
In
our last issue, a mother wrote: 'I work
in our school canteen and just shake my head when I see what we are selling!
Unfortunately the new healthy guidelines have really only meant labelling a few things low fat and cutting out lollies. Everything else is laden with artificial colours, flavours, preservatives
and MSG. I cringe when I see kids with behaviour issues spending $$$ every day.' - reader, Vic
This
topic received a wide range of replies showing that the link between foods and behaviour is obvious to mothers and teachers, athough evidently not to FOCiS
Inc (previously known as the Federation of Canteens in Schools, http://www.focis.com.au/). See reader
replies below.
‘watched kids become unteachable’
For
too many years, as a former high school teacher and Head of Department I have
watched kids become unteachable after morning tea
even worse after lunch. - teacher, Qld.
These items should not
be available to children
A
‘lunch box approved’ hamper has two items - pop tops and fruit sticks - that I know contain 211 and others (211
sodium benzoate is the main one my son reacts to). They are approved by FOCiS (previously the Federation of Canteens in Schools).
These items are misleading and should not be available to children. - by email
How to avoid problem
foods at canteens (... don't eat them!)
To
avoid the problem foods we face at the school canteen I have made failsafe
sausage rolls, cake (a different recipe from what we have at home)and have
supplied the canteen with Paddle pop lemonade iceblocks
(they weren't able to purchase them because of the "healthy" canteen
rules). We have them all labelled in the freezer. My
children are able to participate in the important part of school culture of
lunch orders and not feel left out. - Trudi, by email
See
all replies at http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/extras/talkingpoints01.htm
New talking point - airfresheners
Catherine
(her ‘amazing change’ story is told in Reader Stories) asks: Do you have any
idea how to deal with a school that uses lots of airfresheners
as my daughter reacts to those and now that I have finally got her calm I don't
want her to start wheezing again and bouncing off the walls as when she reacts
her behaviour is very difficult to handle.
Can you help?
‘I
know I am sensitive to preservative 220 (sulphur
dioxide), but a few months ago I ate a slice of fruit cake (which I love). As
soon as I ate it, my throat felt as if it went down the "wrong" hole
and my throat seemed to close a bit. I ended up with a sore throat, cold like
symptoms; runny eyes, blocked nose and sinuses, persistent cough, mucus and my
ears kept blocking. Oh my face broke out too. This lasted for a week. Recently,
I ate a fruit mince pie. The first one tasted great so the next day I had to
have another one. Now I am suffering. I have the same symptoms as above and
it's been nearly a week. I said to my hubby it was a reaction from 220 but
(being the expert he is) won't believe me. I've scanned the internet to see if
it's common - to prove a point - but with no luck. Does anyone else have a
reaction like this to 220?’ Write to suedengate@ozemail.com.au.
Support
There are
now over 90 support contacts in 47
locations in
We
recommend failsafebasic for beginners. It is the
smallest of the big general groups, You can join by
sending an email to failsafebasic-subscribe@yahoogroups.com with ‘subscribe’ in the subject line.
Talks
Thursday,
21 February at
Sue Dengate will be talking in
MAY-JUNE
2008
Port
Wagga Wagga NSW Wed 14 May:
Sue Dengate “Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Devonport TAS Mon 19 May: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Launceston TAS Tue 20 May: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Frankston VIC Mon 26 May: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Mornington VIC Tue 27 May: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Warrnambool VIC Wed 28 May: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Ballarat VIC Thu 29 May: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Mt Gambier SA Mon 2 June: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Mildura VIC Tue 3 June: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with
Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
Woy Woy NSW
Thu 5 June: Sue Dengate “Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour”.
Details to be advised.
Castle Hill,
Maclean NSW Thu 12 June:
Sue Dengate “Fed Up with Children’s Behaviour”. Details to be advised.
New factsheet
Joint
pain, arthritis and diet http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/factsheets/Factarthritis.htm
Brochures
NOW AVAILABLE in Dutch, French, Italian,
Portuguese, Spanish, Nepali and
Printable trifold brochures on food intolerance and oppositional
defiance are available. We'll post two free that you can copy, or you can buy
bulk copies at cost $A0.26 each plus postage. See instructions on the website
for accessing pdf versions. Email confoodnet@ozemail.com.au with
enquiries. We loved this comment from one satisfied failsafer:
"Ah, the answer to my prayers. I had
no idea the brochure even existed, but thanks so much for directing me to it. I
am not very Internet savvy, however I found it easy enough. Regarding possible
opposition to failsafeing within the child care
setting ... now all I have to do is hand over a copy of this and let them ask
questions! Thanks again. I highly recommend everyone print this out if you
don't already have a copy, it sure cuts out the "but WHY can't your kid
have (insert food here)?" questions. Great for grandparents too."
Hints
* instead of
peanut butter you can use chickpea butter made from steamed chickpea power,
brown sugar, water, salt and canola oil, recipe by Fiona Carter and steamed
chick pea powder from www.designerphysique.com.au
* rolled oats good value for money: a Canadian ‘Porridge for Parkinsons’ party fed 200 people on $10.81 worth of steel
cut oats, http://www.porridgeforparkinsons.com/recipes.html
* The real
cost of an item is your net hourly rate after taxes and minus expenses such as
childcare. Using this value, a Simple Savings member calculated that she would
have to work for three hours to pay for a takeaway meal. ‘My husband loves KFC
but I am no longer an easy pushover’ she wrote. Thanks to www.simplesavings.com.au
Mini meatloaves
Great for
lunchboxes
500 g lean
beef or lamb mince
1 cup
rolled oats, gluten-free if necessary
1½ cup mixed vegetables such as sliced leek,
celery, grated choko, grated swede
(especially good with lamb), green beans, mashed kidney beans or other cooked
beans, lentils or chickpeas, pears, green peas if tolerated (glutamates),
grated carrot if tolerated (salicylates)
1 egg,
lightly beaten
salt to
taste
Preheat
oven to 190°C. Using wet hands, combine ingredients thoroughly, shape into
balls and place in a lightly oiled or silicon muffin pan. Bake for 20 minutes
in a 12 muffin tray (40 minutes for 6 muffins) and check it is cooked through.
Serve with mashed potatoes, lettuce or other green vegetables and pear chutney.
You can use leftovers for lunchboxes: wrap individually in foil, seal in a
freezer bag and freeze for up to one month - thanks to Caroline.
Pear bread
In
3 cups
plain flour, gluten-free works well too
½ tsp
baking powder
1 tsp
sodium bicarbonate (baking soda)
1 tsp salt
to taste
3/4 cup vegetable
oil
3 eggs
2 cups
white sugar
2 cups
peeled mashed pears (about 4 medium pears)
Preheat
oven to 165°C. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large
mixing bowl. In a separate bowl combine the oil, eggs, sugar and pears. Make a well in the centre of the dry
ingredients, pour in liquid, mix well. Spoon batter into two greased and
floured 8x5x3 inch loaf pans. Bake for 75-90 minutes, testing it’s done. Cool
on wire rack before removing from the loaf pans. Great toasted in a sandwich press
and served with butter! – thanks to Tamara.
Pear Roll-Ups / Fruit
Leathers
This recipe
results in roll-ups that taste remarkably like the commercial versions.
Remember that during your strict elimination diet you are limited to 2 fresh
ripe peeled pears - or equivalent - per day.
6-12 medium
ripe pears, peeled and quartered
½ tsp
ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) to reduce browning (optional)
Preheat
oven to 75-100°C and line one baking tray with baking paper for every 6 pears.
Puree pears and Vitamin C with blender, spread smoothly and evenly on the
trays, smoothing with a spatula. Dry in oven for about 4 hours, cool and cut up
with scissors or knife. Store in container, separate sheets with baking paper.
They can also be stored in the fridge or freezer! – thanks to Monica from the
Forster NSW group
The FAILSAFE Newsletter: You can have this Newsletter
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© Sue
Dengate (text)