The Gluten Free Vendor Fair will be at Wallace Memorial Baptist Church this coming Saturday May 2, from 11-2.  It is a free event with lost of samples and vendors- organized by Celi-Act.
The church is located at 701 Merchants Drive, Knoxville.

Remember, there is no established definition of “gluten-free,” therefore, a product labeled gluten-free could have very small amounts of the gluten-free grains which are wheat, rye, barley, and oats.

To mark Food Allergy Awareness Week we are having our annual picnic on Saturday , May 16th from 11 am-1 pm at Concord Park-The Cove.  (11808 S. Northshore Dr. in West Knoxville)

Please mark all potluck items with allergens present and bring the original labels with the ingredients listed.  Drinks and paper products will be provided.

Picnic Flyer

A less common type of food allergy is called “Oral Allergy Syndrome”  Patients may experience itching of their mouth, tongue or throat after eating certain fruits.  In these cases, patients are allergic to pollens.  Proteins in the fruit are similar enough to the pollen proteins to cause a mild reaction.  Usually these reactions are mild, but anaphylaxis has been reported. 

There are some defined patterns of pollen and fruit cross reactivity:

Ragweed:  honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelons, banana

Birch tree: Apples, carrots, potato

In some cases, patients can eat peeled apples or cooked carrots without problems.  Also these symptoms will vary with the patient’s allergy seasons.  In other words, when Ragweed is outside,  the immune system of the allergic patient is being stimulated, and they may be more sensitive to the fruits.

If you have these symptoms, discuss them with your allergist to determine which foods are safe to eat.

If your child is allergic to cow’s milk, you may have wondered about the nutrients that he could be missing.  Most people are familiar with milk as an excellent source of calcium.  Milk also provides Vitamin D, the “sunshine” vitamin.  Infants will require a special formula prescribed by the pediatrician to replace cow’s milk-based formula.  Older children may be able to use soy, rice or hemp products.  Calcium-fortified juice will not be be adequate in protein and fat for children less than 2 years old.  To provide protein, fat, phosphorus, and B-vitamins, your shopping list should include  meats, poultry, fish, salmon, eggs, leafy greens, beans, and whole grains such as barley, brown rice, and popcorn.

The Food Education Allergy Support Team of Ky., Inc. (“FEAST”) is sponsoring a FREE “food allergy” concert on Saturday, May 16th at 4:00 p.m. CDT in Bowling Green, Kentucky at Living Hope Baptist Church.  (If you are not familiar with Bowling Green, it is about an hour’s drive north of Nashville and two hours south of Louisville.)  Canadian musician Kyle Dine, www.kyledine.com, is going to entertain and educate during this event that will conclude Food Allergy Awareness Week.  There will also be a food allergy expo in the lobby before and after the show.