The Itch: Allergies, Asthma, Eczema & Immunology

#26 - What is atopic eczema? Part 1

What is the itch that rashes? 

Dr G and Kortney are at it again; this time, they are doing a deep dive into atopic eczema. In part one, they go through all the terms associated with atopic eczema, what causes it, the symptoms, and the triggers. In part two, they will be covering treatments and maintenance.

What we cover in this episode:

• Eczema and dermatitis
• Atopic eczema/atopic dermatitis
• Contact dermatitis
• Neurodermatitis
• What happens in the body to cause atopic eczema? 
• Why the skin barrier is essential in understanding atopic eczema and why you need to keep it moisturize
• What does atopic eczema look like/how to recognize it.
• How atopic eczema in effect different age groups.
• What are the triggers of atopic dermatitis: weather, temperature, environmental allergens, food allergies, stress.
• How to diagnose atopic eczema and why it is crucial to work with an allergist while diagnosing a baby, especially if they are being tested for food allergies. 
• How food allergies and eczema present in adults.

#25 - Travelling with food allergies

Can you travel with food allergies? You bet! This is how!

In this episode, Kortney and Dr. G talk to Allie Bahn, a travel guru, who has been blogging about her adventures since 2008. Despite her allergies, Allie always finds various ways of exploring the world, while being conscious about her condition.

Travel has evolved for Allie from road trips with her family as a kid to solo adventures around the globe. Allie shares the steps she takes and her mindset around travelling with food allergies. There is no impossible destination as long as you are prepared.

What we cover in this episode:

• How to make travelling with allergies possible - what you need to prepare in planning and your expectations.

• How travelling with food allergies evolves as you get older

• How to solo travel with allergies

• Summer camps and student exchange:

• How should parents and children have a conversation when deciding to participate in an exchange program and what is necessary to prepare for it.

• How to know when a child is ready for travelling abroad

• Are organizations more hesitant to allow kids with food allergies to participate in exchange programs?

• What to do when preparing for first-time travel after food allergy diagnosis

• How to build up confidence in travelling with allergies

• How to prepare for travelling with allergies

• How does Ally decide where to go next

• Where should one be finding emergency services abroad

• The resource www.allergytravels.com

List of resources: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-25

#24 - Dating, Alcohol and food allergies!

Kissing, love, drinking, oh my! How does a young adult navigate this and more when they have food allergies?

Dr G and Kortney sat down with Amanda Orlando, the blogger behind Everyday Allergen-Free and author of the cookbook Everyone's Welcome and Dan Kelly from the podcast May Contain to talk about dating!

They set out to talk about navigating love life with food allergies, but the conversation morphed into alcohol, college and figuring out how social life in your late teen's early twenties. There is some fun stuff in this episode, and the guests reveal some personal details about first kisses and more!

What we cover in this episode:

• How to bring up your food allergies with a date
• It's normal not to know how to bring up your allergies
• Always share your allergy with dates as early as possible
• If someone doesn't consider your allergy when planning a date - then maybe they aren't right for you
• How using humour can help when introducing your allergies-
• Rules about kissing?
• How parents can help make young adults who are vocal about their allergies.
• Over 60% of teenagers feel embarrassed to speak about their allergies - how can we change this?
• Things that you need to think about as you transition from living at home to living on your own in college.
• How having close friends who know your allergies and situation can make a big difference.
• Why you should teach your friends how to use your epi device.
• The importance of building a new safety net at college.
• How to navigate drinking safely
• How alcohol might affect your reaction to foods.
• Allowing your partner to have allergens or not?
• Did you grow up in an allergen-free home or not?

Additional resources: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-24

#23 - The Immune System

How do you know if you have an under reactive immune system?

Did you know Dr G is an allergist-immunologist. This episode explores the function of an immunologist, what they treat patients for and how they go about it. But to fully understand immunology, we first have to know more about the immune system and what can go wrong with it. 

What we cover in this episode:

 

• A brief overview of the immune system

 

• • What can go wrong with the immune system: Overreacting - allergies & autoimmune disease, Under reacting - immunodeficiency disorders
  • What causes an immunodeficiency?
  • The basics of how to recognize an immunodeficiency and diagnose it
  • How immunodeficiencies are treated
  • Types of immunodeficiencies

 

• Difference between allergy, autoimmune disease and immunodeficiency
• Listener question: How can someone have both an under reactive and overreactive immune system?

 

Resources:

• https://primaryimmune.org/
• https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/primary-immunodeficiency-disease

Episodes on allergies: 

• Ep.1: What is an allergist & when should you see one?
• Ep. 2: The science behind an allergic reaction & why are allergies on the rise?
• Ep. 3: Managing food allergies as an adult & tips on dining out and traveling with allergies
• Ep. 5: The types of food allergy testing & why they can be so hard to interpret
• Ep. 18: The questions that arise after a food allergy diagnosis: Part 1 - the medical questions
• Ep. 19: The questions that arise after a food allergy diagnosis: Part 2 - Lifestyle changes

 

#22 - Food Allergy Myth Busting

What better way to start 2020 than to bust some food allergy myths?

 

We asked our listeners what food allergy statements they wonder are a myth. Dr G sheds some truth on common misconceptions that circulate the food allergy community.

 

The myths tackled in this episode:

• Only kids are affected by food allergies
• Each reaction is worse than the last
• Exercise can make a reaction more severe
• Aspirin and alcohol can also increase your chances of having an allergic reaction to food
• The absence of a protein makes an item/ingredient completely safe
• Peanut oil is safe for people with a peanut allergy.
• People with milk allergy are fine with lactose-free food
• Everyone grows out of their milk allergy
• You can have an allergic reaction to airborne peanuts
• You shouldn't worry about peanuts on planes
• You can have an anaphylactic reaction by only touching food
• You can't be allergic to corn or rice
• You can't be anaphylactic to fruit or vegetable
• Foods caused by oral allergy syndrome are not considered a true allergen
• If you use your EpiPen, you have to call 911 and go to the hospital
• If you use two adrenaline auto-injectors, they need to be administered in different thighs

End with this question: What would happen if you do epi to the neck or chest like in the movies

For more resources go to https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-22

#21 - Interview with Gina & Jill - Passing the torch to your allergy teen

How do you start giving your allergy kid more control in managing their food allergies?

 

Live from the Food Allergy Bloggers Conference! Dr. G and Kortney interview mom and daughter pair Gina and Jill as they share some of their presentation about self-advocating and the steps that a family can take in managing their food allergies or any other medical condition. 

 

Gina Mennett Lee, M.Ed, works nationally and internationally as a food allergy consultant and educator through her business, FoodAllergyConsulting.com. Her daughter, Jill, has multiple food allergies and shares her life managing allergies on Instagram.

 

Learn how they developed a four-step plan that helped Gina lead the way and then slowly give up the reigns on managing Jill's allergies. 

What we cover in this episode

•  The four steps that Gina used to help Jill start to self-advocate:Modelling, Small step advocacy, Supported advocacy, and Independent advocacy 

•  Examples of how to use this process and how Gina has helped Jill become an independent food allergy teenager. 

• The hardship of giving your allergy kid more control and finding their independence. 

Find the slides to Gina & Jill's presentation and more helpful links here: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-21

#20 - Interview with Sharon Wong: Food allergies, cultural identity and holidays!

How do you navigate life with food allergies when food plays such a significant role in so many cultures?

 

Dr. G and Kortney talk with Sharon Wong from Nut Free Wok. Sharon is in an allergy mom of two who blogs about recipes, cooking techniques, Asian ingredients, and food allergy related awareness and advocacy issues. She has made it her passion to share her Chinese heritage with her kids despite their food allergies.

 

This episode explores how culture and food are intertwined and how this can impact someone with food allergies. Sharon shares how she was able to communicate her needs with her family so her children could still participate and how you can share time and traditions by doing other activities that do not involve food.

 

Sharon and Kortney also share how they navigate their food allergies at family events by embracing inclusion for all.

 

What we cover in this episode

•  Why Sharon started her blog 

•  Strategies on how to try foods from different cultures when you have food allergies 

•  How food plays a role in culture and how this fits in when you have food allergies

•  Communicating your food allergies needs to the family around the holiday season, especially if this impacts family traditions

•  Creating inclusion around food at family gatherings

•  Managing potlucks when there may be food allergens present 

•  Sharon's two steps on how you can start thinking about sharing food culture with your food allergy kids

•  Finding safe alternatives to make food similar to the original - you aren't missing out because it is about intention

•  Bonus how to make a stir fry  

 Additional resources: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-20

 

#19 - The questions that arise after a food allergy diagnosis: Part 2 - Lifestyle changes

You get home after receiving a food allergy diagnosis, look into your fridge, where do you even start?

 

In the second part of answering questions on what new food allergy suffers should know, we tackle the lifestyle side of a food allergy diagnosis.

Dr G and Kortney are joined by Stefanie Lowe to discuss grocery shopping, navigating labels, how to approach friends and family about your needs, how to find your comfort level and introducing new foods to your child.

 

Stephanie is a food allergy advocate, and community thought leader, she is a mother to three children, the oldest of which has multiple food allergies, FPIES, asthma, Celiac disease as well as all three managing environmental allergies. If you have ever seen a build light up teal for food allergy awareness, this is because of Stephanie. She is the founder of Turn It Teal, a global project committed to raising food allergy awareness by lighting buildings, monuments and bridges, predominately during Food Allergy Awareness Week. 

 

The questions we answer in this episode

• What are the first things you should do after receiving your food allergy diagnosis? What should you prioritize?
• What do you do at home, with friends, family?
• Should you remove all allergens from the house?
• How do you figure out what the best plan of action is for you?
• How do you seek support from your family when they don't understand the diagnosis and that it is something that comes with a lifestyle change? 
• How do you find a food allergy community?
• What resources are available to me?
• Will this impact us financially because of special foods?
• How do you go about navigating labelling and reading packages?
• When is the best time to introduce new foods?

Big Takeaways

• Every family does things differently.
• Always have epinephrine auto-injectors and an action plan.
• Learning day by day - your allergy journey is made from building blocks of each with a more defined level of comfort.
• Life with food allergies requires you to be aware and hypervigilant, it's best not to make it what you are all about.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-19

#18 - The questions that arise after a food allergy diagnosis: Part 1 - the medical questions

You have been given a new food allergy diagnosis now what?

We asked what the most prominent questions people had after receiving their food allergy diagnosis and we answered them for you! In part ONE of 'the questions that arise after a food allergy diagnosis,' Dr G and Kortney answer the medical and science-based questions. In part TWO, they will be tackling the lifestyle side of a food allergy diagnosis. 

The Questions Answered:

• How do I know how severe the allergic reaction will be?
• What symptoms to look for an allergic reaction, and how long do they take to show up?
• What is anaphylaxis versus a 'normal' allergic reaction?
• How to and when to use epinephrine?
• What epinephrine auto-injectors are available, and how do you use them?
• How does epinephrine work, and what should we know about it?
• Why does my child have so many food allergies?
• What is oral allergy syndrome?
• Is there a chance of developing more food allergies?
• What are the chances of outgrowing food allergies?
• Should I be concerned about asthma and eczema?

For supporting information check out Episode 18 on our blog.

 

#17 - Interview with Lisa Rosenberg: food allergy anxiety

Food allergy anxiety is taking a front seat in the FA community, how do you recognize if it is impacting you and your family?

 

Helping Dr G and Kortney discuss anxiety and mental health concerning food allergies is Lisa B. Rosenberg, M.Ed., MSW, LSW, CSSW. Lisa is a licensed child and family therapist, founder of Safe & Included, LLC, and co-founder of the Food Allergy Behavioral Health Association (FABHA), 

 

In this episode, we learn about how Lisa was thrown into the world of food allergies, first as a 30-year-old and second with both her kids. Lisa shares her experience working in the school systems and how this led to more time spent working with clients on food allergy anxiety. 

We go over the signs and symptoms of food allergy anxiety and how you can seek help.

 

What we cover in this episode:

•  Lisa’s allergy story and her path to becoming an allergy consultant. From teacher to a counsellor to an allergy advocate.

•  Food allergies in the school system: how schools are modelling exclusion for kids with food allergies and what the psycho-social impact is. How teachers and school psychologists can help recognize food allergy anxiety.

•  How do food allergies impact mental health

•  How anxiety starts after the food allergy diagnosis.

•  Helpful anxiety versus debilitating anxiety - how to recognize this and what strategies and skills you need to help manage it.

•  The signs of anxiety, and how to differentiate an anxiety attack versus a reaction

•  How anxiety impacts diet leading to disordered eating, restriction, and eliminating foods out of fear.

•  Should you keep allergens in the house? How does this help or hinder your child learn skills to navigate their allergens later in life

•  How to get help if you are concerned with your budget

 

Additional resources: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-17