I know I am not the only one who feels left out in terms of allergies and eating food.
When you are sitting at a table and everyone is eating chocolate cake or some other delicious dessert exclaiming how good it is, its hard to get excited over a glass of water, or an apple. This is particularly hard as a teenager.
Being a teenager means a lot of socialising with friends. Going out on shopping days, playing xbox at a friends house, dinners out on a friday night and movie nights in with snacks. Not to mention parties.
In all this social confusion, its easy to feel left out! When your friends want to go to a certain restaurant because its meant to be 'so good' but you have to decline because you cannot eat there. When you go out shopping and your friends all grab a coffee and cake and you have to sit there and watch them consume what looks so good.
It's so easy to start thinking: Oh I wish I didn't have allergies; I wish I could walk into any restaurant and just pick what I feel like without having to ask the waiter the ingredients or; I wish I could go and buy a piece of cake from a bakery. But this talk isn't positive and certainly doesn't help the situation.
Its perfectly NORMAL to feel left out! It has taken me a long time to realise that fact and that there are better things to do in this situation than feel sorry for yourself.
Firstly: Acknowledge the feelings! Don't push them away, acknowledge the fact that you feel left out because of your allergies, but ask yourself why? Is it because everyone else is doing it? OR do you want that particular food? There are plenty of ways to eat the same type of food (e.g. chocolate cake) but make it safe for yourself!
Although they are small things, here are a few little sayings that help me turn the situation into a bit of a positive!
1) I'm saving money for better things! Okay, so maybe this ones a bit odd but hear me out! Whenever your friends or family go and buy an ice-cream or cake and you miss out, think of what else you can spend that money on! Maybe a new video game, makeup, cool new clothes, ANYTHING!
2) Think of the calories you AREN'T consuming. I'm not the one to count my calories to make sure I'm not overeating, but this one makes me feel a bit better! Everytime you feel down because someone is eating that delicious thing that you can't, think of how much healthier you are being! E.g. Instead of that chocolate cake, Im having a fruit salad! So much better for me!
3) If your house is anything like mine, then all of my allergy friendly food is left just for me (because no one else enjoys sweet william chocolate!) BUT this is a good thing! You totally have more just for you! When Mum bakes a cheesecake or yummy pudding, it has to be shared with the whole family! But when I get a block of chocolate, its all just for me! Think of how special your food is, and how you get it all to yourself!
4) When you go out, think of all the special preparation that goes into your food. The waiter/waitress has to remember your allergies and your order and relay that to the chef, who takes special care and attention to make you an amazing meal! You get that little bit more care and attention into your meal than anyone elses: That makes you so special, and everyone else should feel left out!
5) Finally, just realise that allergies are a part of your life. There is no magic potion to cure allergies overnight, so its something we all have to deal with! But here's the thing: YOU ARE NEVER ALONE! There is a whole community of people online who completely understand your feelings! Out of all the people you see on the street, a high percentage of them will have an allergy to something! So whilst you might feel left out, just remember you are not the only one feeling that way, and it will get better as more people understand allergies and include you :)
Based on the content of this post, I would like to give a special shoutout to my amazing friends! They never complain about how my allergies affect their plans and always give consideration to what I can and cannot do and eat! I am truly grateful to have such awesome and understanding people around me :)
Let's start a discussion in the comments below on how having allergies makes you feel and how you deal with it, support each other and have a great day :)
Monday, 12 January 2015
Sunday, 11 January 2015
Alcohol and Allergies
I realise that a fair few of my readers are mothers of children with eczema and allergies, but I really wanted to do this post to gather some opinions and knowledge!
As a new adult, I am finding that I want to try new things that I couldnt before. So having the occasional drink with dinner or for a special occasion. But here is what I have found: Alcohol is one of the worst regulated in terms of allergy labelling.
For example: I decided I wanted to buy myself a singular bottle of beer for new years. Upon entering the bottle shop and having a browse, I realised that beer does not have ingredients on it! Now I did some quick googling to make sure I wasnt wasting my money and found I was okay, but it came as a surprise to me!
Allergy awareness and education is constantly focussed on the childhood part of life. Which is perfectly fair as children are more vulnerable and rely on others to prepare food and generally don't know much about allergies.
But what happens when these children get older and encounter the world of alcohol? I would hate to think of a nut allergic child having a reaction to their first legal drink because they didn't know.
Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of wine! Not only do I think its not the best tasting, but the labels all have something along the lines of: Milk and Egg used in the process!
Okay so at least they put it on the label, but honestly, I think we as an allergy community need to do a bit of work on the alcohol industry to get it up to par!
Until then I think I'll stick with the 3 drinks I know I can consume safely!
After a bit of online research, I also found that alcohol can worsen allergic reactions and that the sulphites found in some alcohol's can cause allergic reactions! It's amazing what can be learnt, even after you think you have learnt it all over the past 18 years!
For a bit of further reading on the subject, I found this great website which lists a whole lot of alcoholic products that nut allergic people CANNOT consume: http://www.nutfreeninja.com/blog/2014/5/16/the-ultimate-nut-allergy-alcohol-guide
So what do you all think? Should we improve the labelling on alcohol? Should we educate allergy kids more on their adult choices? Or is it not a big deal? Please let me know your experiences as I need some opinions!
Have a great day everyone! :)
As a new adult, I am finding that I want to try new things that I couldnt before. So having the occasional drink with dinner or for a special occasion. But here is what I have found: Alcohol is one of the worst regulated in terms of allergy labelling.
For example: I decided I wanted to buy myself a singular bottle of beer for new years. Upon entering the bottle shop and having a browse, I realised that beer does not have ingredients on it! Now I did some quick googling to make sure I wasnt wasting my money and found I was okay, but it came as a surprise to me!
Allergy awareness and education is constantly focussed on the childhood part of life. Which is perfectly fair as children are more vulnerable and rely on others to prepare food and generally don't know much about allergies.
But what happens when these children get older and encounter the world of alcohol? I would hate to think of a nut allergic child having a reaction to their first legal drink because they didn't know.
Truth be told, I'm not a big fan of wine! Not only do I think its not the best tasting, but the labels all have something along the lines of: Milk and Egg used in the process!
Okay so at least they put it on the label, but honestly, I think we as an allergy community need to do a bit of work on the alcohol industry to get it up to par!
Until then I think I'll stick with the 3 drinks I know I can consume safely!
After a bit of online research, I also found that alcohol can worsen allergic reactions and that the sulphites found in some alcohol's can cause allergic reactions! It's amazing what can be learnt, even after you think you have learnt it all over the past 18 years!
For a bit of further reading on the subject, I found this great website which lists a whole lot of alcoholic products that nut allergic people CANNOT consume: http://www.nutfreeninja.com/blog/2014/5/16/the-ultimate-nut-allergy-alcohol-guide
So what do you all think? Should we improve the labelling on alcohol? Should we educate allergy kids more on their adult choices? Or is it not a big deal? Please let me know your experiences as I need some opinions!
Have a great day everyone! :)
Friday, 9 January 2015
Exciting Christmas Gifts!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
Sorry I've been MIA lately... Holidays are great, but when they end, work wants you everyday from dawn till dusk! Okay, so that may be a slight exaggeration, but I've barely had time to open my computer, let alone write a blog post!
I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas surrounded by family and friends and ate some great food! As I have grown up, I've realised that Christmas isn't about the presents, but I got two this year that I was super excited about and pertain to my allergies and eczema.
1) Lush Dreamwash Shower Smoothie
So as you all would know, finding new products to use on skin with eczema can be hard. Between fragrances, soaps and nut oils its easy to stick to what you know.
So when a sales assistant at Lush pointed out my eczema and asked if I wanted to try what she called a 'divine' product, I'll admit i was skeptical and a little bit concerned it would aggravate my eczema. However I was astonished when it actually did the opposite! It took down the redness of the eczema on my wrist and left my skin super soft and moisturised.
It contains Camomile and Aloe Vera. It does contain soap, so it might not be for everyone, but I am finding it to be great!
2) Cli-Mate Air Washer
Okay, so whilst this is not the most exciting Christmas present ever, I was super stoked!
If you havent heard about the air washer, here is a simple explanation: It is a glass bowl that is filled with water. A filter is placed on top which sucks in the air and washes it in the water, taking out any dust or allergens in the air before sending it back out into the room. Now It is way more scientific than that, but its a simple explanation for a cool product.
I couldn't wait to start using it as I knew it would benefit my eczema.
Its super easy to use and change the water, and you can even put essential oils in the water to make your room smell nicer!
After I came back from holidays, I knew my room would be dusty and within 5 minutes of entering, I was sneezing and feeling quite itchy!
I turned on the air washer and left the room, and 30 minutes later, upon my return, my room was so much cleaner!
It is an amazing product, and I cant wait to see how well it works during pollen season!
If you would like any more info, just message the facebook page or comment down below!
Hope you all had a great new year and I will talk to you all soon! :)
Sorry I've been MIA lately... Holidays are great, but when they end, work wants you everyday from dawn till dusk! Okay, so that may be a slight exaggeration, but I've barely had time to open my computer, let alone write a blog post!
I hope you all had a fantastic Christmas surrounded by family and friends and ate some great food! As I have grown up, I've realised that Christmas isn't about the presents, but I got two this year that I was super excited about and pertain to my allergies and eczema.
1) Lush Dreamwash Shower Smoothie
So as you all would know, finding new products to use on skin with eczema can be hard. Between fragrances, soaps and nut oils its easy to stick to what you know.
So when a sales assistant at Lush pointed out my eczema and asked if I wanted to try what she called a 'divine' product, I'll admit i was skeptical and a little bit concerned it would aggravate my eczema. However I was astonished when it actually did the opposite! It took down the redness of the eczema on my wrist and left my skin super soft and moisturised.
It contains Camomile and Aloe Vera. It does contain soap, so it might not be for everyone, but I am finding it to be great!
2) Cli-Mate Air Washer
Okay, so whilst this is not the most exciting Christmas present ever, I was super stoked!
If you havent heard about the air washer, here is a simple explanation: It is a glass bowl that is filled with water. A filter is placed on top which sucks in the air and washes it in the water, taking out any dust or allergens in the air before sending it back out into the room. Now It is way more scientific than that, but its a simple explanation for a cool product.
I couldn't wait to start using it as I knew it would benefit my eczema.
Its super easy to use and change the water, and you can even put essential oils in the water to make your room smell nicer!
After I came back from holidays, I knew my room would be dusty and within 5 minutes of entering, I was sneezing and feeling quite itchy!
I turned on the air washer and left the room, and 30 minutes later, upon my return, my room was so much cleaner!
It is an amazing product, and I cant wait to see how well it works during pollen season!
If you would like any more info, just message the facebook page or comment down below!
Hope you all had a great new year and I will talk to you all soon! :)
Sunday, 21 December 2014
CHOC BUBBLE SLICE!
Hey Everyone!
So I know its only Friday, but I am working tomorrow so I thought I would give you all a recipe today!
I decided to do a bit of an experiment the other day, and it turned out quite well, so when I tried it again, I thought I should share it with you all!
With Christmas next week, we are all looking for quick and easy allergy friendly treats for the big day or for parties beforehand. So here is my Choc Bubble Slice!
What you will need:
1 bag Marshmallows (regular size)
2 Cups Rice Bubbles
1/2 bag Sweet William Chocolate Chips
1 small spoon of dairy free butter
1 Slice Tray
Baking Paper to cover tray
Saucepan
What you will need to do!
1. Place the saucepan on a very low heat and place butter in to melt
2. Once the butter is melted, add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted
3. Add Rice Bubbles and mix with a wooden spoon until combined
4. Pour into slice tray that has been lined with baking paper
5. Even out the mixture
6. Melt 1/2 a bag of the choc chips (you can add more if you like)
7. Once melted, pour into an even layer over the rice bubble mix
8. Place in the fridge until cooled and set
9. Cut into pieces and enjoy!
So I know its only Friday, but I am working tomorrow so I thought I would give you all a recipe today!
I decided to do a bit of an experiment the other day, and it turned out quite well, so when I tried it again, I thought I should share it with you all!
With Christmas next week, we are all looking for quick and easy allergy friendly treats for the big day or for parties beforehand. So here is my Choc Bubble Slice!
What you will need:
1 bag Marshmallows (regular size)
2 Cups Rice Bubbles
1/2 bag Sweet William Chocolate Chips
1 small spoon of dairy free butter
1 Slice Tray
Baking Paper to cover tray
Saucepan
What you will need to do!
1. Place the saucepan on a very low heat and place butter in to melt
2. Once the butter is melted, add the marshmallows and stir until completely melted
3. Add Rice Bubbles and mix with a wooden spoon until combined
4. Pour into slice tray that has been lined with baking paper
5. Even out the mixture
6. Melt 1/2 a bag of the choc chips (you can add more if you like)
7. Once melted, pour into an even layer over the rice bubble mix
8. Place in the fridge until cooled and set
9. Cut into pieces and enjoy!
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Summer Sun, Eczema and Swimming!
Summer in Aus means beach, pool and lake time! Swimming is a key part of summer and is so much fun, but how can one manage chlorine and eczema?
At home, we have a pool. When my parents bought the house, it didn't have one, but they decided to put a pool in so that the kids could stay cool and have some fun!
Chlorine is not eczema's best friend, so when the pool was put in it was decided that it would be a salt water pool. That does not mean that there is no chlorine in the pool, just that there is less than a chlorinated pool!
I do believe there is now a completely chlorine free pool (called HydroxyPure, if you are interested you will have to do some research!) But the vast majority of pools do have some levels of Chlorine.
So here are my top tips!
1) Protective Barrier
It can be important to let as little chlorine on the skin as possible. So using a sunscreen before swimming is not only sun safe, but can add as a protective barrier for the skin!
2) Rinse it off
A shower immediately after swimming is a must! Even if it is just a quick rinse to get all the chlorine off the skin, but obviously a proper shower is best.
3) Moisturise Moisturise Moisturise!
The best advice is to lather on that moisturiser after swimming! Chlorine dries out the skin, which can then aggravate the eczema. It is important to moisturise well after swimming, straight after the chlorine has been rinsed off the skin.
Good Luck and Have fun in those pools this summer! :)
At home, we have a pool. When my parents bought the house, it didn't have one, but they decided to put a pool in so that the kids could stay cool and have some fun!
Chlorine is not eczema's best friend, so when the pool was put in it was decided that it would be a salt water pool. That does not mean that there is no chlorine in the pool, just that there is less than a chlorinated pool!
I do believe there is now a completely chlorine free pool (called HydroxyPure, if you are interested you will have to do some research!) But the vast majority of pools do have some levels of Chlorine.
So here are my top tips!
1) Protective Barrier
It can be important to let as little chlorine on the skin as possible. So using a sunscreen before swimming is not only sun safe, but can add as a protective barrier for the skin!
2) Rinse it off
A shower immediately after swimming is a must! Even if it is just a quick rinse to get all the chlorine off the skin, but obviously a proper shower is best.
3) Moisturise Moisturise Moisturise!
The best advice is to lather on that moisturiser after swimming! Chlorine dries out the skin, which can then aggravate the eczema. It is important to moisturise well after swimming, straight after the chlorine has been rinsed off the skin.
Good Luck and Have fun in those pools this summer! :)
Monday, 15 December 2014
Skin Problems: There always has to be one!
So this past weekend held my 18th Birthday! (Sorry for the lack of Recipe Saturday!)
I had an awesome birthday with an abundance of cool surprises from my friends and family.
I spent the week beforehand buying cream and being extremely careful with my skin to ensure it was perfect for my birthday. However, I have found that something always has to go wrong...
If you do not know what an epilady is, I'll try and explain it. It is an alternative to shaving or waxing, and is essentially rotating tweezers that grab the hair and pull it out by the roots.
I have used one a couple of times on my legs with no problems. I decided to use the epilady as it lasts longer in terms of the hair growing back.
So on friday night I used it on my legs, and as usual for me, I got a bit of shaving rash.
On Saturday morning I started my new job and noticed my legs were a bit itchy, and by saturday night I could see little bumps appearing on my skin. By Sunday, It hurt to walk on my legs and I realised that sadly, they were infected.
I cant say that I am happy about this, it frustrates me that I try so hard for my skin to be under control, and something always has to screw it up!
Right now I am trying to use salt scrubs, bi-carb, tea tree oil and cream to get it under control. Im curious to know if any of you have had a similar experience, or if you have any tips for me!
Have a great day :)
I had an awesome birthday with an abundance of cool surprises from my friends and family.
I spent the week beforehand buying cream and being extremely careful with my skin to ensure it was perfect for my birthday. However, I have found that something always has to go wrong...
If you do not know what an epilady is, I'll try and explain it. It is an alternative to shaving or waxing, and is essentially rotating tweezers that grab the hair and pull it out by the roots.
I have used one a couple of times on my legs with no problems. I decided to use the epilady as it lasts longer in terms of the hair growing back.
So on friday night I used it on my legs, and as usual for me, I got a bit of shaving rash.
On Saturday morning I started my new job and noticed my legs were a bit itchy, and by saturday night I could see little bumps appearing on my skin. By Sunday, It hurt to walk on my legs and I realised that sadly, they were infected.
I cant say that I am happy about this, it frustrates me that I try so hard for my skin to be under control, and something always has to screw it up!
Right now I am trying to use salt scrubs, bi-carb, tea tree oil and cream to get it under control. Im curious to know if any of you have had a similar experience, or if you have any tips for me!
Have a great day :)
Monday, 8 December 2014
Getting Eczema Under Control
Special events mean that we want to get rid of the eczema to look great on that special day!
But as we all know, with eczema this can be really hard! So this week leading up to my birthday I am trying super hard to clear up my skin! So here is what I am doing over the next week.
1) Oats Oats Oats!
Washing my skin in oats will reduce itching and redness and keep my skin soft and with moisturiser, hopefully keep it under control!
2) Avene Products
The set of products by Avene are great for eczema and definitely help reduce the redness and breakouts of eczema!
The Thermal Spring Water helps to reduce redness, heat and itching.
Cicalfate ( a cream) also helps to quickly reduce the symptoms of a flare
Emollient Cleansing Gel: I tried this last night for the first time and it reduced the redness in my face and combined with the cicalfate has left my face a bit better this morning!
3) Flare Up Baths
Using QV Flare Up Bath Oil to help reduce the eczema on my body
4) Avoiding Triggers
This one may seem obvious, but by avoiding triggers such as excess sugar, salt, citrus; avoiding high dust/pollen environments or any other triggers particular to you, you can reduce a flare up a bit easier!
5) Bi-Carb
Bi-Carb, as I have said before, balances the PH on the skin, which is super important for those with eczema. So during this week I am going to shower and bathe in not only oats, but Bi-Carb as well!
I hope you are all having a lovely day! Let me know if you have any other tips :)
But as we all know, with eczema this can be really hard! So this week leading up to my birthday I am trying super hard to clear up my skin! So here is what I am doing over the next week.
1) Oats Oats Oats!
Washing my skin in oats will reduce itching and redness and keep my skin soft and with moisturiser, hopefully keep it under control!
2) Avene Products
The set of products by Avene are great for eczema and definitely help reduce the redness and breakouts of eczema!
The Thermal Spring Water helps to reduce redness, heat and itching.
Cicalfate ( a cream) also helps to quickly reduce the symptoms of a flare
Emollient Cleansing Gel: I tried this last night for the first time and it reduced the redness in my face and combined with the cicalfate has left my face a bit better this morning!
3) Flare Up Baths
Using QV Flare Up Bath Oil to help reduce the eczema on my body
4) Avoiding Triggers
This one may seem obvious, but by avoiding triggers such as excess sugar, salt, citrus; avoiding high dust/pollen environments or any other triggers particular to you, you can reduce a flare up a bit easier!
5) Bi-Carb
Bi-Carb, as I have said before, balances the PH on the skin, which is super important for those with eczema. So during this week I am going to shower and bathe in not only oats, but Bi-Carb as well!
I hope you are all having a lovely day! Let me know if you have any other tips :)
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