milk allergy
21 February 2015
I thought I would share an update on my medical appointments as I have been back to see my Allergy Consultant. We chatted through the outcome of my visit to the Dermatologist and then discussed a rather unfortunate incident I experienced with M&S chocolates at Christmas. I took a risk on a product labelled along the lines of "not suitable for milk allergy because of manufacturing methods". I am in no hurry to repeat that any time soon. I was given another skin prick test for milk and egg. The results were a mild reaction to milk but nothing for egg. For point of reference there are two categories of allergy - Immunoglobulin E (IgE) mediated and non-IgE-mediated. IgE mediated is the one associated with anaphylaxis and a skin prick test is likely to be positive whereas with non-IgE anaphylaxis is not a response but symptoms may include vomiting, upset stomach and diarrhoea. Skin prick or blood tests are negative.
Where do we go from here? Well I've been asked to food challenge at home for milk and go to the hospital for an egg challenge. I walked away from my appointment with a mix of emotions as food challenges kind of terrify me. I know my own body and even if a skin prick test is negative I cannot ignore my symptoms. I may never have had anaphylaxis but there is no denying my stomachs and skin reactions. I guess you might say I have developed anxiety towards some foods. I can smell an orange a mile off and the thought of being near one brings me out in a cold sweat because I have a childhood memory of drinking juice and gasping for air.
There is another hurdle to overcome I have spent 28 years on a free from diet and in that time I stopped eating meat and became aware of animal cruelty issues. After much contemplation I realised I have no real desire to incorporate animal milks and eggs back into my diet. I have strong opinions about techniques involved in modern farming. The problem with a food challenge is by "passing" the initial test (not having a reaction) you are expected to keep that ingredient in your diet. I believe the theory is that if you stop eating it you may develop a reaction again over time.
I have decided not to food challenge for the time being. The truth is I am perfectly happy living life with a diet that leans towards Vegan. It is not an easy diet to manage outside of the home as I can feel a little alienated by restaurants but things are slowly improving. My experience with chocolates at Christmas, my skin prick test and my viewpoints on animal cruelty put me off entertaining the thought of challenges.
For the time being I am finished with hospital appointments. It has been a worthwhile experience pursuing a long overdue follow up. I think from this point the rest is up to me, there is little more that the Doctors can do. The test results for milk have been interesting given the consultant was initially dismissive that I still have a problem because there is an expectation that children grow out of some allergies (it does happen). I am happy that my free from lifestyle is still the correct way to manage sensitivities. I am still challenging my OAS and I am now enjoying a few more fruits but I am still a long way off eating an orange.
In my other appointments I was diagnosed with OAS and Methylisothiazolinone allergy, to read about them simply follow the links.
Sarah x
Sarah x
10 December 2014
Back in September 2013 I wrote about the preparations companies were making for new European labelling aka Food Information for Consumers Regulation No. 1169/2011. It finally comes into force this weekend (13 December 2014). These new regulations affect the way allergens are labelled on pre-packaged and loose foods.
When I first heard about the changes I was initially critical. I think my reaction was understandable. I have been reading labels in a certain way since the day I left home (long time ago!) and here I am now having to re-learn my ways. Of course as with most things you slowly adjust and I have become familiar with recognising new labelling. Whilst I still think there are issues which need ironing out, on the whole I can see the reasoning behind the new rules. I still think that some brands need to work on how they highlight the allergens as there are occasions when the font colour or style just isn't clear enough for me.
The new legislation also affects restaurants, deli counters, cafe, basically anywhere selling unpackaged/loose foods. These types of businesses must be able to provide allergen information to customers. Sadly, judging from social media this particular element of the regulations has not been warmly accepted by some. Many appear to be critical about the added cost to their business and the leg work involved. Lets remember the regulation did not come in over night, this has been on the table since 2011 so people have had plenty of time to prepare. On Monday, BBC Breakfast aired a segment about labelling changes and invited a conversation on their Facebook page. Sadly, the thread was full of "nasty" comments directed at people with allergies and coeliac disease. For a brief overview the conversation has people without allergies saying they are paying the price for the new regulations, people with allergies should stay at home and not eat out, allergies and gluten free are fad diets, no one had allergies 40 years ago blah blah blah. Someone who makes /sells sandwiches left the following comment
Barbara Kent - "I make sandwiches for the general public in a small store , apparently I will have to list all ingredients , this means buying some kind of posh labeling machine that we can ill afford . We will probably stop making them ,thereby stopping all the locals who rely on us for their lunch , they will have nowhere to go . They say that 2 million people have food allergies , that leaves a huge amount that don't and now we are all penalised . Is it too much to hope that people take care of themselves and leave the other 58 million to eat in peace?" (BBC Breakfast - Facebook page)
What puzzles me is why chefs/cooks (and sandwich makers) seem to be struggling with the concept. Why is it so difficult for them to be knowledgeable about the ingredients of the meals they are making? Is it really that difficult to breakdown the allergens in a ham, cheese and pickle sandwich? There is no need for posh labelling machines, just a requirement to know if a sandwich contains one or more of the 14 allergens*. The advice from the FSA is "... information on any of the 14 allergens used as ingredients will need to be provided for foods sold without packaging or wrapped on site. This information could be written down on a chalk board or chart, or provided orally by a member of staff. Where the specific allergen information is not provided upfront, clear signposting to where this information could be obtained must be provided."
As for the concern that the new regulations are penalising those who don't have allergies I am lost for words. Seriously, I don't get it, would someone like to explain how this is affecting non-allergy folks? I'm guessing most won't even notice the new changes as they go about their daily lives. I bang my head against the wall with some attitudes. I hope this is just a small portion of the population who appear to have no common sense. Saying that, these are probably the same people who make a fuss about it being their human right to eat peanuts on a flight.
As far as I'm concerned, from Saturday I am hoping to sit down in a cafe or visit a deli counter and have confidence in ordering food. No longer will wait staff be able to say they don't know the allergens and can't advise me. If you can't cater for me, I have no issue with that, there are a number of places that are capable of accommodating my dietary requirements. For the businesses that see this as an expense, I would ask them to see this as an investment for the future. Think of the number of new customers you are about to receive. People with allergies/intolerance/coeliac disease are a supportive group who rely on one another for recommendations of safe places to eat. I am confident you will be rewarded with loyal customers who will shout about you from the roof tops.
If you would like to help promote awareness about the new allergen information, join the FSA's (Food Standards Agency) Thunderclap campaign.
Sarah x
Sarah x
*The 14 Allergens are - cereals containing gluten, crustaceans, eggs, fish, peanuts, soybeans, milk, nuts, celery, mustard, sesame, sulphur dioxide, lupin and molluscs
16 October 2014
30 January 2014
When I was little, there was no internet and dairy free milk was not available at the supermarkets (pass me the zimmer frame lol). I was prescribed a formula substitute and it was disgusting. I remember falling back in 'like' with soya milk when I visited Australia and was drinking a brand called SoGood. On my return to the UK, I discovered SoGood in supermarkets but it eventually disappeared from shelves and then I became an Alpro customer. I think it's fairly obvious that Alpro are the market leaders for dairy free products and many people rely on them as a free from substitute.
If you are part of the Allergy/Intolerance community on Twitter you may already be aware of the AlproSOS Campaign. It has been set up by concerned parents of nut and dairy allergic children in response to Alpro's move to slap 'may contain nut' warnings on their soya products. Alpro plan to move the production of their nut milks into the factory which currently produces all of their soya products. A move which is a year away but they have already started printing warnings on packaging. It's not just the Alpro branded milk which is affected, turns out they manufacture majority of own brand supermarket soya milk, that includes the ones I buy from Tesco and Sainsbury's. The other issue is Alpro hold 100% share of the junior soya milk market. The follow on milk for toddlers, Junior 1+, is the only non-dairy product on the market with an appropriate nutritional profile for that age group. The impact of the changes has a knock on effect outside of the home because Alpro supply cafes and restaurants.
You could be forgiven in thinking that a may contain warning is no big deal but for those with life threatening allergies, ‘may contain’ warnings do not indicate the degree of risk involved. Anyone with a nut allergy would not use products with these warnings.
Campaigners were recently invited to a meeting with Alpro's Commercial Director, John Allaway for an "open discussion" of the issues. If you wish to learn more, visit the AlproSOS Facebook page and Foodsmatter website.
I am not affected by the changes but I am annoyed. As someone with allergies/intolerances I can sympathise with the campaigners. There is nothing worse than one of your staple free from products being affected by ingredient or manufacturing changes. We already lead a limited lifestyle and to have to cross another item off the list can be distressing. I've observed Alpro chase the "healthy lifestyle" market in recent years and feel as if they are leaving behind their loyal free from customers.
Have you been affected by Alpro "may contain" labels?
Have you been affected by Alpro "may contain" labels?
13 November 2013
At the weekend, I came across Pastinos snacks in a variety of flavours. I admit I quickly glanced at the Allergen Advice saw it did not contain milk and threw them in my basket. When I opened these up and tasted, something did not sit well with me in terms of taste and then I spotted CHEESE POWDER. Alarm bells went off and I thought "do these contain MILK?". I am hugely concerned about the label on this packet. I wrote to the Company for clarification about the presence of milk and here is the response.
"Thanks for pointing this out and you are quite correct. We hope this has not inconvenienced people. Our Tomato & Sweet Basil product does contain milk, as an element of the cheese powder ingredient. Non of the other four varieties contain milk and the only allergen advice refers to Wheat. We will change the ingredients list in the next print run and, in line with latest BRC advice, move to emboldening all Allergen references in the ingredients list. This will embolden “wheat” in all the products and well as inserting an emboldened “ (Milk) “ after “Cheese Powder” in the Tomato & Sweet Basil variety"
I am not an expert when it comes to labels and have no idea whether they have done anything wrong in terms of breaking labelling laws. I wanted to put this out there because I fell into that trap of being in a hurry and taking what I see for granted. I've started to put my trust in the Allergen Advice which is wrong of me. Please don't make the same mistake as I did, read those labels a million times, something which I need to get back into the habit of doing. I have written about the new allergen labelling. Maybe the new labels will be a good thing after all?
"Thanks for pointing this out and you are quite correct. We hope this has not inconvenienced people. Our Tomato & Sweet Basil product does contain milk, as an element of the cheese powder ingredient. Non of the other four varieties contain milk and the only allergen advice refers to Wheat. We will change the ingredients list in the next print run and, in line with latest BRC advice, move to emboldening all Allergen references in the ingredients list. This will embolden “wheat” in all the products and well as inserting an emboldened “ (Milk) “ after “Cheese Powder” in the Tomato & Sweet Basil variety"
I am not an expert when it comes to labels and have no idea whether they have done anything wrong in terms of breaking labelling laws. I wanted to put this out there because I fell into that trap of being in a hurry and taking what I see for granted. I've started to put my trust in the Allergen Advice which is wrong of me. Please don't make the same mistake as I did, read those labels a million times, something which I need to get back into the habit of doing. I have written about the new allergen labelling. Maybe the new labels will be a good thing after all?
Sarah x
29 May 2013
Can you spot what’s wrong with this picture?
This picture was taken back in April. I tried to complain about it in store but a member of staff wandered off to get the Duty Manager and never returned. Then I wrote a letter to Head Office but after investigating why no one had replied after a month I've now been informed they have no record of it. At the time I was upset about the product placement. Which bright spark decided it was a good idea to hang three rows of Peanut M&Ms in the Free From Section? There they were taunting me next to the Dairy Free chocolate buttons.
My other complaint with them was they had sent me Gluten Free bread coupons, *sigh*.....need I say more. Regular followers will understand my woes as I'm not Gluten Free but I do have other food allergies, funnily enough those allergens are present in Gluten Free Bread, so I can't eat it even if I wanted to. I now spend more money at my local health food store since the supermarkets jumped onto the Gluten Free market. There are only one or two products which are suitable for me on the dedicated Free From shelf.
My other complaint with them was they had sent me Gluten Free bread coupons, *sigh*.....need I say more. Regular followers will understand my woes as I'm not Gluten Free but I do have other food allergies, funnily enough those allergens are present in Gluten Free Bread, so I can't eat it even if I wanted to. I now spend more money at my local health food store since the supermarkets jumped onto the Gluten Free market. There are only one or two products which are suitable for me on the dedicated Free From shelf.
29 January 2013
Emma runs the website lovelactosefreelife.co.uk but she is also an allergy/intolerance blogger. I asked Emma if she would like to guest post about her website because let's face it being dairy or lactose free kind of sucks big time on Valentines Day. Emma's website can change that for you so get hinting to your loved ones or treat yourself.
Valentine’s Day
Just got a little sweeter!
Just because you have food allergies or intolerances shouldn't mean you have to go without. Love Lactose Free Life was created because I refuse to miss out on yummy treats when other people can eat them! Valentine’s Day is no different. We have several fabulous products to tantalise you!
1. Inspiral Raw Artisan Chocolates Decorated with Home Dried Raspberry Shards and Infused with Rose Otto Oil
These delicately flavoured, handmade, raw chocolates encompass delicious flavours with nutritionally beneficial ingredients giving you a luxurious treat that is also good for your health
2. Giant Jar of Montezuma’s Giant Dark Buttons and Humdinger White Buttons
An almost never ending supply of buttons big enough for sharing with your favourite person this Valentines in a fantastic reusable glass kilner jar
3. Mini
Jar of Montezuma’s Giant Dark Buttons
The cutest little kilner jar filled to the brim with buttons, perfectly formed present for your prefect person
The cutest little kilner jar filled to the brim with buttons, perfectly formed present for your prefect person
4. Hot
Chocolate Gift Basket with Princess Marshmallows, Clipper Hot Chocolate and
Montezuma’s Mini Bars
A collection of fantastic ingredients needed to make the perfect hot chocolate, just add your favourite “milk”
A collection of fantastic ingredients needed to make the perfect hot chocolate, just add your favourite “milk”
4 December 2012
Updated 2020
Vegan and dairy free 'cheese' has come a long way in recent years. It used to only be available in speciality health stores but now it's readily available in the supermarkets. There have been many new launches and I thought I share my personal favourites. Of course everyone's taste buds are different so I recommend shopping around and taste testing as many as you can.
Applewood Vegan - if you miss smoked cheese then this is the one for you, available in block or slices, it also melts like a dream, perfect for toasties
Bute Island Sheese - available in block and spreadable, this is a brand that has stood the test of time, they now make own brand products for the supermarkets, my personal favourite is Creamy Sheese Garlic and Herb
Nush Foods - Natural Almond Cheese Spread which is thick and creamy, perfect for crackers and bagels, plain (natural) is my favourite but also available in sweet chilli and chive flavours.
Violife - available in block, slices and grated forms, it's the Epic Mature which I enjoy the most for it's punchy flavour. I'll also eat the Original and Creamy versions.
Sarah x
29 November 2012
As you
know my blog centres around my eczema and allergies. I am lucky to have
opportunities to test products but sometimes I have to turn them down because
beauty products can contain my food allergens. For the first time ever I was questioned by a Company offering me a product containing one of my
allergens. It may seem odd to
refuse to test a hair styling product. However, I have to consider the
percentage of product that I can absorb via my skin and if it could come in
contact with my mouth (transference from hands if not washed immediately after use).
Pai
Body Cream and Dr Organic Coconut range are off limits for me because they
contain orange. If I consume
oranges (or their relations like tangerine or mandarin) I get a rash and
asthma. Let me tell you that for many years I suffered an itchy scalp even
after switching to SLS free shampoo. When I was at my wits end I read the
ingredients over and over again and the common factor between brands I had tried was orange. Once I switch
to brands free from orange my scalp has rarely itched. It could be pure coincidence
but it may not.
Most
recently I have started to break out with eczema across my shoulders. For many years I have washed my hair over the bath as this limits the contact with eczema on my body. Out of laziness (and a sore back) I went back to washing it in the shower. I have been using
Unique Nature Green Moisture Shampoo since
September. When I blogged about it Dairy Free Baby & Me pointed out it
contains Whey. Could the sudden outbreak of eczema be a reaction to this ingredient? Is it a
coincidence? Could I build up a reaction
over time? It’s certainly food for thought (pun intended!).
When I
had my skin prick test at 10 years old I have no idea whether any one said to
my Parents I was to avoid my allergens in skin care. My Mum will tell you how sore my skin was when it came in contact with certain skin care but she wouldn't have checked ingredients. It's certainly something I have
taken upon myself to do in recent years. It is just as important to me as avoiding as many synthetic ingredients as possible. Of course I am basing this on personal experience. I find it interesting that some natural
brands promote being allergen free (Sophyto is Gluten free & Premae is free
from 8 common allergens).
If you
are suffering from sensitivities and have food allergies it may be worth
thinking outside the box and looking at the food ingredients you are putting onto
your skin. I would love to hear from others in the same position as me. I am fortunate to not have anaphylaxis as I imagine if you are then avoiding food allergens in your beauty routine is necessary. But for everyone else with milder reactions or intolerance, are you avoiding food allergens in skincare? Have you noticed reactions via
your skin? Do you worry about products coming in contact with your mouth? (e.g. lip balms or face creams).
Sarah x
Sarah x
11 September 2012
I am heading to Rome in October and have been looking at
Allergy Translation Cards. I am fairly well travelled and majority of the time
I manage when it comes to the local cuisine. I have visited Italy (Milan) a few years ago and
remember there was a big language barrier. For the life of me I cannot remember what I ate
when I was there. Italian food is delicious but not great when pizzas are
loaded with cheese and pasta contains egg. It cross my mind that I want to be better prepared for this trip.
Allergy Translation Cards vary in price and there are some freebie options online. You could use translate.google.com
or bing.com/translator to create your own cards. If you are not confident to do this, then check out my list of links below to websites offering this service. Allergy Translation Cards do vary in price so shop around.
- www.dairyfree.me (free but only cater for dairy allergy and limited languages)
- www.celiactravel.com (for Coeliacs these are free but the site asks you to consider a donation for the service)
- www.allerglobal.com (you can create your own card free of charge)
- www.allergyuk.org
- www.dietarycard.com
- www.yellowcross.co.uk
- http://allergyaction.org
I hope this is handy for some of you. If you know of other sites or have a tip for travelling with allergies, please leave a comment below. One thing I will be do is take with me allergy free snacks.
Sarah x
25 May 2012
One of life's little headaches with having an allergy to milk is getting fed up with being told I need to buy lactose free products. Most people will recognised that those with milk allergy have to avoid consuming Cows milk but it can also include other animals such as goat or sheep. Let me explain the differences between lactose intolerance and milk allergy.
Lactose is a sugar found in milk. There is an enzyme in the digestive tract called lactase, this helps breakdown the lactose. As we age the levels of lactase decrease so people have trouble digesting lactose. This often results in bloating, diarrhea and gas. It is very uncomfortable but not life threatening. On the other hand a milk allergy is when the immune system reacts to the proteins in milk. This means you are allergic to the whey or casein (you can be allergic to both). Allergies can be life threatening (anaphylactic shock) or you may experience hives or difficulty breathing. My milk allergy has been confirmed by Doctors through skin prick tests. I have yet to experience anaphylactic shock but I will get hives, eczema, sinus problems, glue ear, asthma, joint pain and gastric distress. FYI gastric distress is the polite term for saying you get the shits. Think of the worse case of diarrhea you have ever experienced, now times that by a million, add on top of that a pain similar to being kick in the stomach by a donkey, then you'll be pretty close to this symptom.
I have had some weird questions over the years about my milk allergy. The strangest was at a reception where hotel staff asked "Can you have cheese? We were not sure". Milk allergy also means no butter, buttermilk, cream, chocolate, ice cream and yoghurts. You also get the odd curve ball product where you wouldn't expect to find milk for example bread and tomato ketchup. Just recently I was moaning about ice lollies as some contain milk (Del Monte is one I can name off top of my head). Many people make the mistake of thinking dark chocolate is free from milk but that isn't always the case.
So there you go folks you have learnt something new this afternoon. FYI Lactofree is not suitable for milk allergy, they have removed the lactose but it still is cows milk.
So there you go folks you have learnt something new this afternoon. FYI Lactofree is not suitable for milk allergy, they have removed the lactose but it still is cows milk.
Sarah x
25 July 2011
Whilst in Amsterdam I discovered Alpro Macchiato Soya drink. Alpro is a brand available in the UK but this particular flavour does not exist here. Have you seen all the flavoured cows milk? Little old me with her milk allergy gets a choice of Chocolate or Strawberry. Now perhaps I should be grateful for this after all when I was a child flavoured soya milk was non existent, but as an adult I have been treated to these choices and now I know the possibilities are there I want more choice.
What’s the point of my rant you ask? Well, I wrote to Alpro and told them I was now addicted to Macchiato why can I not purchase it in the UK . The reply was "The Soya Macchiato was introduced to all buyers of the major multiples, unfortunately it was not regarded as a saleable product to the UK market so is not currently available. Please rest assured that we will continue to try to introduce this product, as UK tastes are continually changing and may well be something which will be accepted in the future."
It annoys me how everyone assumes British tastes buds are bland and boring. What I do not understand about this explanation is the UK is being taken over by Starbucks and Costa Coffee so why on earth would Macchiato not be saleable? Also it frustrates me that the big supermarkets dictate what we can buy. Since Free From foods are a niche market they take up valuable shelf space from "normal" foods. This is not the first time I have been told supermarkets will not expand the range of a certain Free From brand. They chose what they think will be popular and we are none the wiser that a brand has more to offer.
So next time you are at the Supermarket think of me. After 25 years it has got a little bit easier to cope with my allergies but it still has its moments of frustration.
Sarah x
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