Scrub Your Face with Walnut Shells

Posted on December 13, 2011 by SelectWisely

Walnuts in everyday productsI always knew that many natural (fancy and expensive) beauty products contained oils, proteins and other derivatives from nuts and soy (Aveda loves soy), but I never realized that generic products could also be dangerous territory.

Last week, I went on my monthly trek to spend too much money at CVS. I wandered the isles, gathering strange gels and creams for problems I don’t have. I picked up another little bottle of hand sanitizer, a new nail polish color, some cotton swabs, the standard junk. I grabbed a few random coupons from the ExtraCare card machine to save those extra pennies, and find that one of them is for any CVS brand facial cleanser. I meandered over and pick out a nice new CVS-brand Apricot Facial Scrub. I concluded my shopping, ditched a bunch of the really weird stuff I had picked up, and made my way home.

Later that night, I thought I’d try it out, but something in the back of my mind made me think to read the ingredients, and there it was: “Ingredients: Water, Juglans Regia (Walnut) Shell Powder, …”. I was astounded — who knew facial scrubs had walnuts in them?!

I quickly dug the receipt out of the trashcan and put it in a bag with the facial scrub, ready for me to return the next day and get my money back. I wondered if they’d think it was strange that I was returning a facial cleanser, but they took it off my hands without a problem.

Moral of the story: Read ALL labels, even when you think there’s no possible reason for something to have an allergen in it.

For those readers interested in learning more about hidden allergens, here are a few links from our friends at Avoiding Milk Protein, with tips about some things to look out for:

Posted in Nuts&Peanuts | Leave a comment

¡Cuidado! Mexican Mole has Peanuts and Nuts

Posted on December 1, 2011 by SelectWisely

Mole sauceIf you’re at all like me, Mexican food is a treat. At least at the good restaurants in the US – not Taco Bell or Rubios – Mexican food is flavorful and interesting in ways that other cuisines are not. There is, of course, the spice factor, which has been cranked up high particularly in Tex-Mex cuisine, but which is not so intense in many parts of Mexico. There’s also the fun of putting on your own toppings – salsa, guacamole, and lime, just to name a few. At some more authentic places, you’re sure to find cuts of meat from just about every part of the cow, pig, chicken, or goat often cooked and served in rich and flavorful sauces, served over yellow or red rice and beans.

However, for those of us with food allergies, it can be quite challenging to find out what exactly is in some of even the most popular sauces. Many salsas, even the homemade ones, are made with bullion that contains soy or corn protein. Others contain a touch of cream or cheese to give the sauce a thicker consistency.

For people with allergies to nuts and peanuts, the classic sauce to be on the lookout for is the mole (also referred to as mole poblano). Pronounced “moh-ley,” is very likely that this sauce will contain peanuts or nuts of some kind. A mole is traditionally made from finely ground chilies, spices, nuts, even chocolate and breadcrumbs, making the nuts very hard to detect. So famous for its numerous ingredients, whole songs have been written in which the lyrics basically just list all the ingredients (see Lila Downs – El Cumbia del Mole).

This sauce is not common enough in the United States to be found at very popular or fast-food places, but it is very common in the cuisine of southern Mexico – the states of Oaxaca and Puebla are famous for their versions. It is often served at festivals and can be found in any range of colors and flavors (learn more about mole on Wikipedia). In fact, a mole sauce is sometimes mixed with other simple sauces to add texture and flavor, so it is advisable to ask about any sauces you may be served, whether it is served over a piece of meat or covering a delicious burrito, enchilada, or rolled taco.

In fact just today at a Mexican restaurant in San Diego, I was served a simple chicken enchilada whose sauce was made by combining the standard tomato sauce with a mole that contained almonds. Thankfully, my allergies to almonds are relatively mild, and I only had one bite before my boyfriend suggested I ask if it might contain nuts. After we found out it contained almonds, I quickly drank some water to dilute what was in my stomach, and then sat and waited to see if the reaction was going to worsen. Thankfully, I only felt mild constriction in my throat, chills in my back and neck, and a few hives on my face.

Living in San Diego, I eat lots of Mexican food and usually don’t have trouble, but today I was reminded to always ask about any sauces, because you just never know.

Posted in Food Allergies, Mexico, Peanuts, Restaurants, Travel | Leave a comment

Traveling with Food Allergies and Dietary Restrictions

Posted on November 23, 2011 by SelectWisely

The title of this post is the name of the new Facebook group that we’ve created, with the goal of creating an open space for people with food allergies and dietary restrictions to share their stories — good and bad.

The group is for people with food allergies and other medical conditions who are planning to travel, are traveling, or have already traveled abroad. It was created as a place to share tips, stories and experiences about how to navigate the world and live a full life, even with serious dietary restrictions.

Post a question. Share your stories. Knowledge is power!

Note: If you do not already have one, you’ll need to create a Facebook profile to participate in this group. Go to www.facebook.com to create sign up.

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Traveling with Nut Allergies – Pesto and Other Italian Foods

Posted on November 7, 2011 by SelectWisely

Pesto, Nuts and Italian FoodLast week, at one of my family’s favorite Italian delis, Positano’s in Sparta, NJ, I noticed that Positano was selling homemade pesto. Innocently, I asked whether he used walnuts or pine nuts in his recipe (also known as pinoli in Italy and pignoli in the US, pine nuts aren’t really nuts, but seeds harvested from many varieties of pine trees). He answered “pinoli” – of course pronouncing it in perfect Italian – and then, unsolicited, he said it actually was not selling well and he was going to stop making it because of people with food allergies.

Almost on the same day, we got a nice email from a former customer who recounted a bit of her trip to Europe and the issues she came across in Italy:

“I just wanted to let you know that your cards were very valuable as we traveled on land through Italy and Spain with our 13 year old daughter who is severely allergic to peanuts and all tree nuts.  We gave the cards to our server in each restaurant and they invariably sent the owner or manager of the restaurant over to speak with us to discuss our daughter’s limited dining options.  We were very surprised (and disappointed) to find that pizza and pasta sauce in Italy was not nut safe but would never have known same without your cards.”

So I wonder, are pesto and other Italian sauces/dishes understood as dangerous territory for everyone with allergies to nuts? Do people avoid them as much as I do, to the point that some local Italian delis might soon stop making them?

Pesto is certainly very dangerous to me. It has been my experience that the majority of low-cost eateries that incorporate pesto into regular dishes (sandwiches, pasta salads, pizzas, etc.) use common off-the-shelf varieties that trade the costly pine nuts for walnuts, since they are cheaper. Although not authentic to the original Italian tradition, walnuts provide the texture and crunch of the pine nuts, just without the cost. When I was younger, I got sick so many times from store-bought pestos, as well as those made by many restaurants and eateries, that I avoid it almost always.

What about you? Are there certain prepared-foods in your world that you always try to avoid? Write a comment on this entry and let us know!

Posted in Europe, Food Allergies, Travel | Leave a comment

Restaurant Managers Learn to Meet Needs of Customers with Food Allergies

Posted on November 7, 2011 by SelectWisely

A few weeks ago, we were sent an interesting article about how researchers at Kansas State University have designed new and improved methods for educating restaurant workers on how to interact with (and protect) customers with food allergies. Read the whole article here: On the Menu: Research Helps Future Restaurant Managers Learn to Meet Needs of Customers with Food Allergies

Very cool for those of us who have such a hard time eating out in restaurants, even when we speak the same language as the waitress/staff. Hopefully work like this will reduce the number of blank stares and the anxiety-inducing, nonchalant reassurances of “Oh no, I don’t think there are any nuts in that, you’re fine.”

Posted in Food Allergies, Restaurants | Leave a comment

Hello from SelectWisely!

Posted on November 7, 2011 by SelectWisely

Thanks for visiting our blog. Here you’ll be able to find interesting information about how to travel safely with food allergies and other medical issues, as well as links to interesting resources that can help you or your loved ones.

Enjoy, travel safe, and don’t forget to SelectWisely :)

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