Amanda from the blog Everyday Allergen-Free joined Kortney to explore what spelling milk with an 'I' versus milk with a 'Y' means and how it can impact someone’s experience with that food.
A podcast bringing you easily digestible information on all things allergies, asthma eczema, and immunology
Episodes
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Thursday Apr 01, 2021
Dr. G and Kortney chat with Dr. Manisha Relan about how food allergies are portrayed in the media both the bad and good sides. They briefly talk about the medical side of anaphylaxis before diving head first into breaking down some famous food allergy scenes.
Dr. Manisha Relan is a pediatric allergist and clinical immunologist at a private practice in central New York, where she sees both children and adults for all things allergy. She loves learning and teaching. During fellowship, she was in charge of anaphylaxis training via a simulation lab experience; in her practice she is passionate about women’s health, food allergies, rhinitis, and immunotherapy. She maintains a personal professional Instagram account @pedsallergymd where you can follow her for more.
What we cover in this episode:
The 3 definitions of anaphylaxis.
How movies and TV shows help patients describe their allergic reactions.
How allergists use movies and TV shows to help understand what their patients have experienced.
Why media should ensure they are properly portraying food allergies.
The negative impacts of media using food allergies as a joke. How does this directly impact the food allergy community?
The misinformation being portrayed by the media when showing an allergic reaction.
Beyond humour, the other focus in media is harming people who have food allergies. How does this bullying impact people managing allergies?
Should kids sit at an allergy table?
What shows are doing it right?
The scenes discussed in this podcast episode:
Adults Reacting
Friends: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ub3sE1ww6ac
- Allergy: kiwi.
- Ross is allergic to lobster, peanuts, kiwi. He eats a kiwi-lime pie thinking it was key-lime.
- Symptoms: throat/tongue swelling
- Treatment: goes to hospital
Hitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SdDPoFcBZEY
- Allergy: seafood.
- Symptoms: throat feels itchy (trying to scratch the throat), swelling.
- Treatment: Running to a pharmacy, buying Benadryl is not an accurate way to treat it.
Monster-in-Law: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MHpyl6uVPrw, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8XC_Zee8XA
- Allergy: almonds.
- Symptoms: tongue swelling and lips.
- Treatment: not shown
Peter Rabbit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9VwWPnHZMrs
- Allergy: blackberry
- Symptoms: not really shown
- Treatment: Has epipen on him, no hesitation to use it.
Kids/Teens Reacting
Daniel Tiger: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysEk_aLvGYg
- Allergy: peach
- Symptoms: itchy, hives - red bumps, tummy ache
- Treatment: liquid medication
Arthur: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ5JB7z7nOk
- Allergy: peanut
- Symptoms: itchy
- Treatment: adrenaline pen
Freaks and Geeks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE65VbUBGbI
- Allergy: peanut
- Symptoms: we just see him on a stretcher with an oxygen mask, coma
- Treatment: called ambulance
Additional resources:
- List of other scenes portraying allergic reactions from Everyday Allergen-Free
- Opper, C. E. (2015). Food Allergy Framing in Entertainment Media: The Use of Humor and Its Influence on Health Thoughts and Behavior [Senior Honors Thesis, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]. Carolina Digital Repository.
Tuesday Feb 23, 2021
Tuesday Feb 23, 2021
Urticaria, also known as hives can be triggered by many things. From the heat to water, to the spontaneous hive, these can be a burden for many patients. Knowing what triggers urticaria can help manage hives and lessen their impact on the quality of life. Hives may feel mysterious, but they don’t have to be.
Today Dr Patel, a double board-certified Allergist/Immunologist, joins us to discuss the causes of urticaria, how urticaria is diagnosed and how it is treated.
What we cover:
- What is urticaria, more commonly known as hives.
- What does urticaria look like? How do you know they are hives?
- Who typically gets urticaria?
- What are the causes of urticaria?
- What is a rash? A hive is a kind of rash.
- Chronic versus acute hives.
- Types of urticaria:
- Idiopathic urticaria (spontaneous urticaria)
- Physical urticarias:
- Dermatographic
- Pressure urticaria
- Vibration urticaria
- Aquagenic urticaria
- Cholinergic urticaria (exercise)
- Cold urticaria
- Heat urticaria
- Solar urticaria
- How stress impacts hives and allergic responses.
- How is urticaria diagnosed?
- Why you want to see an allergist about urticaria.
- Ways to treat urticaria: Antihistamines, Xolair (omalizumab), Immunosuppressants, Topic medication, Oral steroids
- Are urticaria and eczema linked?
- Impact of having hives on daily life.
Useful Links: The two meditation apps Kortney highly recommends are Insight Timer and Waking Up.
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Tuesday Jan 26, 2021
Dr. Lacey Robinson joins Kortney and Dr. G to discuss where we are at with understanding allergic reactions to the two mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna).
Dr. Robinson outlines the current theories on what may be causing these allergic reactions, who should get an allergy test before having the vaccine, and what the other symptoms that could appear like an allergic reaction to the vaccine are.
Important note about this episode, as things are changing rapidly in what we know about the COVID-19 vaccines:
- This episode was recorded on January 21, 2021, released January 26, 2021
- Discussions about the COVID-19 vaccines refer to the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and Moderna vaccine, both mRNA vaccines.
What we cover in this episode:
- How common are vaccine allergies?
- Stat: 1.31 cases of reactions per 1 million doses given.
- The CDC reviewed the Pfizer vaccine given in December 2020. They found 21 cases of confirmed anaphylaxis in 1.89 million does, which is 11.1 cases per 1 million does. Only 7 of the 21 had a history of anaphylaxis.
- What are the symptoms that can be mistaken for an allergic reaction when receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?
- What studies are in the pipeline to look at allergy to the COVID-19 vaccines, specifically mRNA vaccines.
- Types of anaphylactic reaction:
- IgE medicated reaction
- Non-IgE mediated: Mast cell activation or compliment mediated anaphylaxis
- Some symptoms that you can expect when getting the COVID-19 Vaccine:
- Large local reaction
- Tired
- Muscles aches and pains
- Headaches
- Fever
- Timing of an allergic reaction (true allergy) versus other typical symptoms coming from the vaccine.
- What they suspect are the reasons that people are having an allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine
- Note mRNA vaccines do not contain any food allergies.
- Polyethylene glycol (PEG) is the suspected allergen. PEG is a common ingredient in many medical products. A very rare allergy 4 cases per year.
- Could you be reacting to the mRNA that you are making from the vaccine?
- Who should consider getting an allergy test for the COVID-19 vaccine.
- How are people being treated if they are having an allergic reaction to the COVID-19 vaccine?
- If you had a reaction to the vaccine or you have a PEG allergy, what are the steps involved in evaluating if you can get the COVID-19 vaccine.
- How allergist test PEG allergy.
- What is the likelihood of a false negative test result?
Resources:
-
Allergic Living article Kortney quotes: https://www.allergicliving.com/2021/01/03/likely-more-than-one-cause-for-covid-19-vaccine-reactions/
- Our episode about understanding the COVID-19 Vaccines: https://www.itchpodcast.com/post/episode-37
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
Thursday Jan 21, 2021
A mini popup episode for you!
MILK versus MYLK, what's the deal?
This lead to a discussion about feeling left out when you have food allergies and whether getting an allergy-safe version of a classic food makes you feel included or different.
What we cover:
- Inclusive language for those with food allergies.
- When did the alternative spelling of MYLK show up?
- How does speaking milk with a y help or hinder those with a dairy allergy?
- Feeling left out/longing for what you can’t have, especially when you have food allergens in the house.
- Does an allergy-safe version of a food make you feel included or different?
- What terms can you use to talk about allergy-safe food replacements.
- The attitude to have when trying to recreate foods that contain an allergen.
- What does the ‘real’ version of a recipe mean for an allergy person?
- The different trends in plant based milk.
Helpful links:
- More about the language we use when talking about food allergies
- Oatmilk recipe from Amanda's blog Everyday Allergen-Free
- Our Instagram, @theitchpodcast, tell us how you think we should spell plant based milk
Wednesday Dec 23, 2020
Wednesday Dec 23, 2020
Dr Purvi Parikh joins us to talk about the two available Covid-19 vaccines currently available. Dr Parikh and Dr G discuss the nitty-gritty of the two mRNA vaccines, the allergic reactions associated with them and more.
What we cover in this episode
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Understanding herd immunity.
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What are mRNA vaccines, how do they work and when did they first get developed.
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Can people with food allergies get the Covid-19 Vaccine?
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Could you be allergic to the protein that the mRNA is producing?
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The side effects of the Pfizer Covid-19 Vaccine.
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Why you should get the Covid-19 Vaccine.
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Why the vaccine is in two does.
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Differences and similarities with data for Moderna and Pfizer/Biotech vaccines.
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What does the vaccine rollout look like?
- What are the other vaccines being developed?
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Why are people skeptical about vaccines?
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Can pregnant and lactating women get vaccinated?
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You can get the flu vaccine with an egg allergy.
Resources:
-
Article from Allergic Living about soy in PEG: https://www.allergicliving.com/2020/12/16/faq-on-allergy-concerns-and-the-mrna-covid-19-vaccine/
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Thursday Dec 10, 2020
Registered dietician Alida Iacobellis joins Dr. G and Kortney to discuss how intuitive eating, diet culture, and food anxiety impacts those managing food allergies. Alida uses intuitive eating as a tool to help her clients find food freedom and believes it can also work to help people with food allergies gain a positive relationship with food.
Alida is registered with the College of Dietitians of Ontario and holds membership with Dietitians of Canada. She also manages multiple food allergies, so she knows first hand how it feels to experience types of food fear surrounding allergens and anaphylaxis.
What we cover in this episode
- The difference between a registered dietitian and a nutritionist
- What is disordered eating and how to recognize it in yourself or others
- How disordered eating and living with food allergies can cross paths
- People with food allergies have an increased risk of developing eating disorders
- The role of diet culture in disordered eating and how it also impacts those managing food allergies
- Anxiety around food - the underlying factors behind disordered eating
- Questions a doctor can ask to figure out if their patient may be experience disordered eating
- How can people with food allergies develop a better relationship with food
- Intuitive eating and how people with food allergies can adapt it
- What are food rules - why it is important to identify them and where they came from
- Thinking food will be a quick fix to our problems and how this is not always true
- What are the determinants of health and the role food has
- How to start your intuitive eating journey: food rules and listening to your body
- What does respecting your body mean for people with food allergies? It is about eating everything you can and having a good variety in your diet to meet your needs
- Emotional eating, turning to food to soothe or not eating at all due to anxiety
- Meal planning for intuitive eating
- Parent anxiety transferring to their child and how intuitive eating can help
- How to help someone or yourself identify disordered eating and first steps to reclaiming food freedom
Helpful Resources:
- Kortney’s her journey with disordered eating: Disordered eating hiding behind my food allergies
- Intuitive eating resources for food allergies
- The graph on the determinants of health
- Dietician directory Websites: Dieticians of Canada, Health Profs
- Intuitive Eating Website
More about Alida Iacobellis RD: website, Instagram @alida.iacobellis.rd
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Thursday Nov 19, 2020
Dr G and Kortney take another deep dive, this time exploring how to treat environmental allergies (allergies of the eyes and nose). A quick recap - when we talk about allergies of the eyes and nose, we are talking about allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis. These are two forms of allergic responses that can be caused by things such as environmental allergens like pollen and grass, dust mites, and animal dander.
What we cover in this episode
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Treatments for allergies of the eyes and nose: avoidance, natural methods, drug therapy and immunotherapy.
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Types of drug therapy for treating allergies of the eyes and nose: antihistamines, nasal sprays, eye drops
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If avoidance is not possible tips to create a safe space free from environmental allergies
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Demystifying hypoallergenic pets
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When to use and care for a Netti pot
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Different types of nasal sprays: intern-nasal antihistamines, intern-nasal decongestants, intern-nasal steroids.
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What to look out for and tips for using eye drops and artificial tears
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Topical antihistamine for the eyes
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Mast cell stabilizer eye drop & steroid eye drops
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Is it possible to use one treatment to treat both allergies of the eyes and nose?
Additional Information & Links
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How to use nasal spray: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICqBAN28Tgo
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
Thursday Oct 22, 2020
A deep dive episode about allergic conjunctivitis and allergic rhinitis, also known as allergies of the eyes and nose respectively.
These are the two most common types of allergies affecting individuals. In the first part of our deep dive, Dr G goes into detail about the symptoms of the allergies of the eyes and nose, some things that may pose as them, and more. Part two will cover how to treat allergies of the eyes and nose.
What we cover in this episode
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What are allergic conjunctivitis (eyes) and allergic rhinitis (nose)?
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How common are allergies of the eyes and nose?
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Can you develop symptoms at any age?
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Signs and symptoms of allergies of the eyes and nose
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What you should know about environmental allergies.
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Environmental allergies, and the difference between seasonal and perennial allergies.
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Why uncontrolled asthma can make allergies of the eyes or nose worse.
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How allergies of the eyes and nose are diagnosed and the testing involved: patient history, skin prick, blood test, intradermal testing, and patch testing.
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Other conditions that look like allergic rhinitis and conjunctivitis
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Allergies of the eyes and nose in pregnancy
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Nasal Polyps
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Medications that can cause a runny nose/congestion.
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Why you need to be cautious when using Afrin.
Additional Information & Links
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Pollen count app to download: Klarify
Thursday Sep 17, 2020
Thursday Sep 17, 2020
A bonus 'mini' episode all about wearing a mask to help prevent catching and spreading COVID-19.
This is an excerpt focusing on face masks from episode #32 about COVID-19 and asthma with Melanie Carver of Allergy Asthma Foundation of America.
What we cover in this episode:
- Best practices for handling a face mask
- What to look for when buying or making a face mask
- How to clean your face mask
- Can you wear a face mask with asthma
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
Thursday Sep 10, 2020
September is known as September Asthma Epidemic or Asthma Peak Week because of the increased hospitalizations due to asthma. Since we are entering the fall during the COVID-19 pandemic there are some additional preventative steps those with asthma should take this year.
Dr G and Kortney are joined by Melanie Carver, the chief mission officer of Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. Melanie has been working on creating more resources surrounding COVID-19 and Asthma. She shares her expertise about the impacts of COVID-19 on asthmatics, schools, and wearing face masks.
What we cover in this episode:
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Why September is a peak month for asthma
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What you can do to help ensure you will not be negatively impacted by your asthma during September peak
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How COVID-19 impacts those with asthma
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Back to school: what are asthma triggers that kids are being exposed to and how you can address them
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Back to school: what you need to know about preparing for being in the classroom
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The symptoms of COVID-19 versus the symptoms of asthma
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Does wearing a mask impact asthma
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Tips on wearing a mask
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What you can do to help protect yourself from COVID-19 this fall/winter (get a flu shot!)
Additional resources: