So I should start of by saying this is a little different than my usual, but also applicable to my life re: food allergies. As the title should suggest to you, I'm diving into talking about vaccines.
They're a hot topic right now. THEY DO NOT CAUSE AUTISM. I just want to get that out there. Apparently not everyone was informed that the man who made that statement falsified his data and admitted it in the last few years. Jenny McCarthy can say what she wants about the light going out of her child's eyes the day he received a vaccine, but it's not true. We don't know what causes autism and I fully support efforts to figure it out and prevent this massive epidemic, but it's not vaccines.
People should be vaccinating their kids, no question in my mind. I personally have received almost every vaccination one can think of (which I know because I'm looking into getting the vaccines to travel to Africa, and those are about the only ones I haven't gotten; I haven't been vaccinated against smallpox either but I think I'm okay on that front) and have thus taken my chances. I got the Gardasil vaccine before it was even known if my insurance company would cover it (they did).
I was looking into vaccines this week for the doctor with whom I am currently working. He's the public health official for this county and to get an exemption for vaccines, you have to apply to him. He and I are on the same boat with this: vaccinations save people. The resurgence of pertussis/whooping cough is evidence that people need to vaccinate their kids. The issue at stake here, which I'm not sure how many people are aware of this side of the coin, is a hypogammaglobulinemic kid who is petitioning for vaccine exemptions. Now, I don't think he's going to get one, but it raises an interesting perspective. An extreme case of hypogammaglobulinemia is the idea of the "bubble boy," the kids who don't have an immune system and are at risk for any virus or bacterium coming their way. He can actually receive vaccines, but it's unknown of how well he will respond to some of them (whether or not his immune system is strong enough to respond and thus make him immune to whatever disease). There are some interesting topics involved in this but it's the other side of the coin, like I said: if you don't immunize your "normal" kid and send them to elementary school, are you putting the leukemic/immunocompromised kid in the same room at risk for more infections?
So the reason this is all coming up for me is that the flu vaccine is raised in chicken eggs. I am most definitely allergic to egg proteins. This year, however, the CDC has announced that unless you have had an anaphylactic reaction to the flu vaccine itself (which does happen), you can get the vaccine. I have always gotten the flu vaccine because of being in health care/living in dorms/etc, and I've always felt terrible for a few days after getting it. It now makes complete sense. I always thought I was reacting strongly to the flu virus in it, but it's really the egg to which I react.
If you are even anaphylactic to eggs, you can get the vaccine, but you should get it in a safe environment where you can be watched appropriately for reactions.
Interestingly, some vaccine preparations also contain latex. So some people have to watch out for that. (ahem...I also happen to allergic to latex. It's a lovely world, isn't it?) Usually people just have to watch for the latex in the rubber stoppers, and I haven't looked into which lab/prep it might be that has the latex in it, but my mom was telling me last year at work that was the new question they were asking people.
Either way, getting the flu vaccine is better than getting the flu. So go get your vaccines!
PS--you may ask, are their other vaccines which contain things to which I am allergic? Why, yes, indeed there are. The hepatitis B vaccine contains yeast. Good thing I got that over ten years ago and have titers proving my immunity. I am good to go for the future.
Friday, September 28, 2012
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
triscuits!
So just a quick little note for y'all because it's been on my mind.
I can't eat saltines. How ridiculous is that? They're flat crackers and have like nothing in them, but they do have yeast in them! (I do eat matzo though) Actually, a lot of crackers have yeast in them and in fact, one of the flatbread crackers that has come out in the last few years has THREE types of yeast in them.
You know what i use in soups instead? Triscuits. I eat a lot of soup and sometimes I miss the crunching on food sensation that you get in most meals. When I'm eating a lot of mashed potatoes, soups, and smoothies, there's not a lot of chewing and crunching. When I add triscuits, I get a nice crunch and also a little salt to sometimes liven up whatever soup I'm eating with a new flavor.
As a bonus, triscuits make some soups totally scoopable (I was eating the baked potato soup I posted a bit back today and scooping with triscuits).
In a pinch, wheat thins work too. Not quite as good. but just a sidenote, if that's what you have, use it. try it.
ps--totally craving meat. don't know why. probably vitamin deficient in something and that's my body's way of telling me to do a better job getting the nutrients i got from meat, but no go. we'll see.
also, I haven't been to the grocery store in about three weeks. i did pick up a gallon of milk while i was at target recently, but i thought that was pretty significant...i've stocked up on non-perishables, and eaten some good vegetables and fruits while i've been at work apparently. no wonder my body's telling me i haven't gotten enough nutrients recently!
I can't eat saltines. How ridiculous is that? They're flat crackers and have like nothing in them, but they do have yeast in them! (I do eat matzo though) Actually, a lot of crackers have yeast in them and in fact, one of the flatbread crackers that has come out in the last few years has THREE types of yeast in them.
You know what i use in soups instead? Triscuits. I eat a lot of soup and sometimes I miss the crunching on food sensation that you get in most meals. When I'm eating a lot of mashed potatoes, soups, and smoothies, there's not a lot of chewing and crunching. When I add triscuits, I get a nice crunch and also a little salt to sometimes liven up whatever soup I'm eating with a new flavor.
As a bonus, triscuits make some soups totally scoopable (I was eating the baked potato soup I posted a bit back today and scooping with triscuits).
In a pinch, wheat thins work too. Not quite as good. but just a sidenote, if that's what you have, use it. try it.
ps--totally craving meat. don't know why. probably vitamin deficient in something and that's my body's way of telling me to do a better job getting the nutrients i got from meat, but no go. we'll see.
also, I haven't been to the grocery store in about three weeks. i did pick up a gallon of milk while i was at target recently, but i thought that was pretty significant...i've stocked up on non-perishables, and eaten some good vegetables and fruits while i've been at work apparently. no wonder my body's telling me i haven't gotten enough nutrients recently!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
danishes
I've been superbusy recently and have been eating only potatoes. seriously. I was so proud the other day because i picked up pineapple on the breakfast bar at work, but i also got hashbrowns. didn't even think about what i'd been eating for dinner all week.
but so it's finally saturday and i have time to cook! also, my landlord just came and fixed my non-draining kitchen sink so I can cook again. also, i need to get rid of the mold smell that has permeated my apartment over the last few days. besides having the windows open, running the dishwasher after cooking, the cooking itself should hopefully waft my apartment with delicious peach smells. why is that, you say? peach danishes!
the recipe calls for apricot, but i have peach preserves in my fridge. i was looking through a recently acquired bisquick magazine cookbook and found a few delicious breakfast recipes. I love breakfast. and i love danishes too, but i had always reserved them for continental breakfast type affairs. never made them before. but i really need to do something with those peach preserve and hey, i have all the ingredients here so no trip to the grocery store required!
Easy Drop Danish
2c Bisquick original baking mix
1/4 c margarine or butter, softened
2 T sugar
2/3 c milk
1/4 c apricot preserves
Glaze (see below)
1. Heat oven to 450. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Stir baking mix, margarine, and sugar in medium bowl until crumbly. Stir in milk until dough forms; beat 15 strokes.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Make a shallow well in center of each with back of spoon; fill with 1 teaspoon of the preserves.
3. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. While warm, drizzle with glaze.
Glaze
2/3 c powdered sugar
1 T warm water
1/4 t vanilla
Beat all ingredients with spoon until smooth.
The best part? The recipe comments say easily halved, which is what I did. I don't need a dozen danishes for a first-round recipe that I don't know if i'm going to want to share. I ended up having to add a little more bisquick to get an actual dough to form. Also, it comments that you can feel free to use your favorite flavor of preserves, which i clearly did. Didn't even need prompting.
My hints right now is that shallow wells are key, I had some preserves coming onto my spatula while i was taking the danishes off the cookie tray. others (maybe the more shallow ones, in an ironic twist?) overflowed over the danish onto the cookie tray. so if you're one of the people who try to avoid sugar burning on your nice cookie trays, don't use that nice tray with this recipe.
(as a side note, do other people do that? my mama taught me all about sugar burning onto cookie trays, so i have a few--one i use to do some serious potato roasted, so it's always slightly glazed with oil. another that i use if i know sugar is going to burn onto it; it's a cheap one i picked up at walmart. and then i have nice cookie trays that i use for nice things that aren't going to burn onto it. and NONE of these go in the dishwasher. i have a lot of pans.)
not a significantly strong smell emanating through my apartment, but some nice treats to reward myself on a beautiful saturday afternoon!
as another side note, they're not fabulous danishes. but in my spectrum of being-able-to-eat-things and knowing that danishes i buy in the store most likely have rice flour, eggs, and/or yeast in them, i'll take them. they're still pretty nice.
but so it's finally saturday and i have time to cook! also, my landlord just came and fixed my non-draining kitchen sink so I can cook again. also, i need to get rid of the mold smell that has permeated my apartment over the last few days. besides having the windows open, running the dishwasher after cooking, the cooking itself should hopefully waft my apartment with delicious peach smells. why is that, you say? peach danishes!
the recipe calls for apricot, but i have peach preserves in my fridge. i was looking through a recently acquired bisquick magazine cookbook and found a few delicious breakfast recipes. I love breakfast. and i love danishes too, but i had always reserved them for continental breakfast type affairs. never made them before. but i really need to do something with those peach preserve and hey, i have all the ingredients here so no trip to the grocery store required!
Easy Drop Danish
2c Bisquick original baking mix
1/4 c margarine or butter, softened
2 T sugar
2/3 c milk
1/4 c apricot preserves
Glaze (see below)
1. Heat oven to 450. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Stir baking mix, margarine, and sugar in medium bowl until crumbly. Stir in milk until dough forms; beat 15 strokes.
2. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto cookie sheet. Make a shallow well in center of each with back of spoon; fill with 1 teaspoon of the preserves.
3. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. While warm, drizzle with glaze.
Glaze
2/3 c powdered sugar
1 T warm water
1/4 t vanilla
Beat all ingredients with spoon until smooth.
The best part? The recipe comments say easily halved, which is what I did. I don't need a dozen danishes for a first-round recipe that I don't know if i'm going to want to share. I ended up having to add a little more bisquick to get an actual dough to form. Also, it comments that you can feel free to use your favorite flavor of preserves, which i clearly did. Didn't even need prompting.
My hints right now is that shallow wells are key, I had some preserves coming onto my spatula while i was taking the danishes off the cookie tray. others (maybe the more shallow ones, in an ironic twist?) overflowed over the danish onto the cookie tray. so if you're one of the people who try to avoid sugar burning on your nice cookie trays, don't use that nice tray with this recipe.
(as a side note, do other people do that? my mama taught me all about sugar burning onto cookie trays, so i have a few--one i use to do some serious potato roasted, so it's always slightly glazed with oil. another that i use if i know sugar is going to burn onto it; it's a cheap one i picked up at walmart. and then i have nice cookie trays that i use for nice things that aren't going to burn onto it. and NONE of these go in the dishwasher. i have a lot of pans.)
not a significantly strong smell emanating through my apartment, but some nice treats to reward myself on a beautiful saturday afternoon!
as another side note, they're not fabulous danishes. but in my spectrum of being-able-to-eat-things and knowing that danishes i buy in the store most likely have rice flour, eggs, and/or yeast in them, i'll take them. they're still pretty nice.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
rediscovering
So I don't know how other people grocery shop, but I can tell you I used to be a no-list-keep-it-all-in-my-head kind of shopper. Go in, grab the essential bread, milk, and ground beef/chicken for that week's one cooked meal that would last me out the whole week (right, my fine cooking-for-one friends? make a family sized meal and eat it at least three days in a row...). Now I'm more of a list shopper because I'm usually trying new recipes or I realized that I'm out of [fill in the blank].
The one thing that is cool about the food allergies? Even with the list, I usually end up going up and down every aisle seeking that elusive allergen-free whatever. A few weeks ago, I found myself going down the cracker/cookie aisle and I saw Nilla Wafers right at eye level. Considering I haven't read their food label recently, I did. And voila! Something I can eat! Immediately into the cart. My next trip I found Nutter Butters...and rather joyously, in a resealable snack pack! and on clearance!
I guess what I'm saying is that in recent months, as I've gotten more comfortable with my food allergies, I've branched out. I still eat a lot of potatoes and corn, but there's a little more variety. I'm less discouraged by thinking that oh, this'll definitely have something in it i'm allergic to. I'm thrilled that many Pillsbury products use baking soda as leavening instead of yeast. I'm not gluten-sensitive/celiac disease, but I'm charmed by the increasing incidence of gluten-free products on the shelves. It gives me hope. And in the meantime, I've rediscovered some of the joys of foods I've forgotten even really existed.
Maybe we should all try it...give up your list and just leisurely go down every aisle of your grocery and rediscover something.
In other news.....we are entering the fall season, also known as the season of spice. Pumpkin spice latte, anyone? We'll see how I do without cinnamon as the months progress...
The one thing that is cool about the food allergies? Even with the list, I usually end up going up and down every aisle seeking that elusive allergen-free whatever. A few weeks ago, I found myself going down the cracker/cookie aisle and I saw Nilla Wafers right at eye level. Considering I haven't read their food label recently, I did. And voila! Something I can eat! Immediately into the cart. My next trip I found Nutter Butters...and rather joyously, in a resealable snack pack! and on clearance!
I guess what I'm saying is that in recent months, as I've gotten more comfortable with my food allergies, I've branched out. I still eat a lot of potatoes and corn, but there's a little more variety. I'm less discouraged by thinking that oh, this'll definitely have something in it i'm allergic to. I'm thrilled that many Pillsbury products use baking soda as leavening instead of yeast. I'm not gluten-sensitive/celiac disease, but I'm charmed by the increasing incidence of gluten-free products on the shelves. It gives me hope. And in the meantime, I've rediscovered some of the joys of foods I've forgotten even really existed.
Maybe we should all try it...give up your list and just leisurely go down every aisle of your grocery and rediscover something.
In other news.....we are entering the fall season, also known as the season of spice. Pumpkin spice latte, anyone? We'll see how I do without cinnamon as the months progress...
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