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What is Veganism?

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Definition of a Vegan
While Vegetarians don't eat any form of meat, a Vegan eats no animal product whatsoever. This means practicing Vegans do not eat milk, cheese, eggs or honey. Some go so far as excluding Omega 3 Fish Oil, white sugar, bread, beer, marshmallows, jelly and some salad dressings (Ecokaren, 2011).

The reason why some Vegans exclude:

• some white sugar
• some beer
• marshmallows
• jelly
• some bread
• some salad dressing

is because some white sugar contains bone char; some beer is filtered using tiny amounts of gelatin derived from fish bladders; marshmallows and jelly contain gelatine which is a protein made from boiling skin, bones, and other animal parts; some breads contain whey which is a dairy product. When you look at the  ingredient list on some salad dressings - you will often find lecithin, which helps keep oil and vinegar from separating, and this is derived from animal tissues or egg yolk (Ecokaren, 2011).

Reasons why people become Vegans

It is surprising how much animal product is evident in the day to day food we eat. The number one reason why people become Vegan is because they disagree with animal cruelty. And it isn't just about the meat. According to The Vegan Society:

"Millions of male chicks and calves are killed each year as 'by-products' of the egg and milk industries, considered worthless since they cannot produce milk or eggs.  The dairy cows and egg-laying hens themselves are killed at a fraction of their natural lifespan, when they become too worn out to produce enough milk or eggs to be profitable".

Another reason people choose to become Vegan is to protect our environment due to the meat-hungry human population. The Vegan Society claims:

"World meat production has quadrupled in the past 50 years and farmed animals now outnumber people by more than three to one. In other words, the livestock population is expanding faster than the human population and is projected to continue to expand as the Chinese middle classes increasingly adopt meat-centred diets and as the Western taste for meat, eggs and dairy products continues to grow".


Video
Below is a 30 minute video broken down into 8 chapters which explores the benefits of becoming Vegan. The chapters cover  delicious, healthy food, tackling many of the ethical and global challenges facing us today and into the future and features a dietician, an MP, chefs, farmers, an elite athlete, and environmental groups. It explains how becoming vegan is good for your health, good for the environment, good for the animals and can help to feed a growing world population (The Vegan Society, n.d.).

Chapter 1: Making t/ Connection Chp 1 Food: The Vegan Society

Chapter 2: Making t/ Connection Chp 2 Fitness: The Vegan Society

Chapter 3: Making t/ Connection Chp 3 Nutrition: The Vegan Society

Chapter 4: Making t/ Connection Chp 4 Global Food Security: The Vegan Society

Chapter 5: Making t/ Connection Chp 5 Farming: The Vegan Society

Chapter 6: Making t/ Connection Chp 6 Environment: The Vegan Society

Chapter 7: Making t/ Connection Chp 7 Ethics: The Vegan Society

Chapter 8: Making t/ Connection Chp 8 A few thought: The Vegan Society

Videos courtesy of: http://www.youtube.com/user/TheVeganSociety?feature=watch

References:
Ecokaren, 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.ecokaren.com/2011/01/what-vegans-dont-eat/

The Vegan Society (n.d.). Retrieved from: http://www.vegansociety.com

YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/user/TheVeganSociety?feature=watch

Curried Rice Salad - egg, gluten, dairy, lactose free

It's always a good idea to have some different salad recipes coming in to Summer, rather than the simple green salad. This recipe is easy, light and tasty. It's low-fat and excellent served as a side dish or by itself for lunch. This is safe for Vegetarians, Vegans, egg, dairy, gluten and lactose intolerant diets.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked white rice, cooled (if you have wild rice, add 1 tablespoon for extra nutty flavour)
• 1 apple, chopped
• 1 red capsicum, diced
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped

Dressing:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 3/4 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 garlic clove, crushed

Method:

1. Add all ingredients (except those needed for the dressing) into a large bowl and toss well
2. Add the dressing ingredients to a glass jar and shake well so everything mixes together
3. Pour over the rice mixture and gently toss.

Energy Drinks - are they good for us in any way?

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GFDL-WITH-DISCLAIMERS; Released under the GNU Free Documentation License.

Young Australians are putting their health at risk by mixing caffeinated energy drinks and alcohol, an Australian-first study has found. (Daily Telegraph, 2012).

Everywhere you go you see energy drinks. There are so many available, with varying ingredients, claiming they give you 'wings' or a 'boost of energy'. It was difficult to find any evidence which claimed these drinks are actually good for us. All articles I found were negative and showed evidence of deaths or increases in psychiatric problems associated with their use. As a past consumer of these drinks I know first hand the effects these drinks can have on the heart and nervous system.

If I was feeling tired after a busy week at work, I would have a 'V' drink or a 'Red Bull' with little side effects. However over time my body must have built up immunity to them because I found myself needing two, then three. It was when I reached three in a single sitting, that I started having panic attacks or as the experts like to call it 'anxiety'.

So what's in these drinks that make them have this effect? They generally contain large amounts of caffeine and stimulants but many also contain sugar or other sweeteners, herbal extracts like ginseng or gingko biloba.

Well that doesn't sound that bad. I mean after all they contain 'herbal extracts'; and caffeine can also be found in tea, coffee and cola. However what some people don't realise is the caffeine amounts are sometimes triple that which is found in Coca Cola.

As for the herbal extracts – ginseng is a stimulant, which when mixed with caffeine, enhances the effects so your heart beats faster and you can suffer from irritability and anxiety. Ginkgo has been used for improving blood flow, for improving memory/concentration due to certain brain problems (e.g., Alzheimer's disease and dementia). This may sound attractive to people who drink these drinks because they are seeking mental stimulation to get them through a busy day or a night on the town. However when people drink these drinks excessively, they’re at high risk of symptoms of over-stimulation including difficulty sleeping, severe hangovers, aggression, heart palpitations, blackouts, vomiting and tremors.

These drinks are popular with younger people, who specifically use them as a party drink so they can party longer. Some even drink them alongside alcohol. This is where it gets scary! Alcohol is a depressant and slows down heart rates, while caffeine is a stimulant that speeds it up. So combining the two can fuel a person's ability to drink more and longer, without realising the level of subsequent intoxication. Mixing both together confuses the nervous system which can trigger cardiac problems.

Suffice to say I no longer drink energy drinks and feel so much better for it. Give me a strong coffee any day...but only one!


Bibliography:
Rothfield, A (October, 3rd, 2012) FoxNews.com. http://www.foxnews.com/fncu/current-interns/blog/2012/10/03/energy-drinks-pose-potential-health-risks-students

(No name, no date) MedicineNet.com. http://www.medicinenet.com/ginkgo_ginkgo_biloba-oral/article.htm

Smethurst, A (October 7th, 2012) The Daily Telegraph http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/dont-mix-caffeine-and-booze-energy-drinks-heart-alarm/story-e6freuy9-1226489803936

Anaphylaxis is born!

I guess the burning question is why did I create a blog about food allergies and anaphylaxis. Well I've always been interested in food. Not just about the taste of food and the warm, full, comforting feeling it gives us...but what exactly it does to and for our bodies.

I enjoy cooking, but I particularly enjoy creating something new, something enriching, something different to the ordinary, but something tasty and healthy which all family members will enjoy consuming. That's what I did for a long time...until I met Max*.

Max is the son of a friend. When Max was introduced to baby food he had his first allergic reaction. He spent 3 days in hospital with anaphylaxis...he was 4 months old!

From then on Max's mum took him to Specialists for regular allergy testing, slowly introduced him to foods one spoon at a time and had to be vigilant and watch for any sign of puffy lips, red neck and shortness of breath.

At a very young age Max was categorised by the medical industry as a 'bubble baby' because he was 'highly anaphylactic', was required to wear a food allergy bracelet and was often excluded from child care centres. For the first five years of his life he had a staple diet of apple, pumpkin, lean beef, potato and fresh peas.

One day when Max and his mum were visiting for coffee I was making espresso. Max and my son were playing in the sterilised play area I had prepared before their visit. The boys were happy enough and Max's mum and I were enjoying catching up about their behaviours and milestones, etc. When out of the blue Max began coughing. Coughing was usually the first thing that signalled an allergic reaction.

I panicked. Max's mum panicked and we began watching him like a hawk to see what would happen next. We searched the play area for any evidence of soiled toys or contaminated food and found nothing suspicious. Max's face became red and his breathing became difficult. An ambulance was called and he was off to hospital...again!

It had been determined the milk I had steamed in the espresso machine had wafted into the play area and caused him to have a reaction. Well of course you can imagine how I felt...like I was to blame. I felt just terrible!

From then on I felt it was my duty to research food allergies, intolerances and anaphylaxis for Max's benefit. I also began collecting suitable recipes which contained no trace of nuts, milk, egg, or seafood.

Max' mum's life, however, changed dramatically...as did the rest of the family. Max is now 12 years old, is still highly allergic and requires regular allergy testing, but Max is old enough to know what triggers a reaction and can even prepare his own meals...with his own separate cooking utensils, bowls, plates and cutlery!

And that, my readers...is why I began this blog. Happy reading!

Michelle XD

*names have been changed to protect certain parties.

So what is a food allergy?

Image courtesy of http://www.fotopedia.com/items/flickr-2638980183
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

DEFINITION
A food allergy is an abnormal response to a food triggered by your body's immune system. Allergic reactions to food can sometimes cause serious illness and death. Nuts are the leading causes of deadly allergic reactions called anaphylaxis (Medline Plus. n.d.).


TRIGGERS
In adults, the foods that most often trigger allergic reactions include:

• Peanuts
• Fish and shellfish, such as prawns (shrimp), lobster and crab
• Tree nuts, such as walnuts
• Eggs
• Soy bean
• Wheat.

Problem foods for children include:

• Peanuts
• Eggs
• Milk (especially in infants and young children).

Unfortunately food allergies cannot be cured, however if allergies are discovered in children, they can subside or completely disappear as the child ages. However this is not always the case.

To have food allergies identified the affected person needs to see a Specialist who conducts pin prick tests to determine causes of allergic reactions. There are a series of tests and time and patience is required. Keeping a food diary which records food consumed and reactions is a great way to discover and eliminate causes of allergies.

Sometimes a reaction to food is not an allergy. It is often a reaction called 'food intolerance'. Your immune system does not cause the symptoms of food intolerance. However, these symptoms can look and feel like those of a food allergy (Medline Plus. n.d.).

TREATMENT
Food-allergic reactions can range from mild to severe, and even fatal.  Epinephrine, aka adrenaline, is the first line treatment for severe allergic reactions or anaphylaxis (FAAN, n.d.). If adrenaline isn't given quickly the result is often death because the throat swells and the airway narrows, making breathing near impossible.

The adrenaline opens the airway immediately and saves the affected person's life. Many people with sever food allergies carry adrenaline in the form of an EpiPen. If you notice a person having a reaction to food,  ask them if they have an EpiPen on them so you can administer it.

Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/gfriese/6871654521/

Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)

HOW TO USE AN EPIPEN: VIDEO

Video courtesy of http://www.youtube.com/user/onlineallergist?feature=CBQQwRs%3D

10 STEP GUIDE TO USING AN EPIPEN by FAAN (Food And Allergy Network)

1. "Unscrew the yellow or green cap off the carrying case and remove the EpiPen or EpiPen Jr auto-injector from its storage tube
2. Grasp the device with the dominant hand, with the black tip pointing downward
3. With the other hand, pull of the gray safety cap
4. Hold black tip near outer thigh
5. Swing and jab firmly into the outer thigh until it clicks. (The device is designed to work through clothing)
6. Hold firmly against the thigh for 5-10 seconds
7. Remove the unit from the thigh and massage the injection site for 10 seconds
8. Call emergency and seek immediate medical attention
9. Place the used auto-injector back in the storage tube and screw on the cap
10. Be prepared to inject a second time with another unused device in 5-10 minutes, if necessary".

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REFERENCES:
FAAN: The Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.foodallergy.org/page/treating-an-allergic-reaction

Healthy Food Diet and Recipe (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.enyfoodcoop.com/healthy-tips/food-allergies/

How to use an EpiPen [Video]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmGOcGYEU2k

Medline Plus: A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/foodallergy.html

Twitter

Follow us on Twitter: @puresimplefood where we intend to bring you useful and exciting information about whole foods, natural food, pure food and food which is suitable for Vegans, gluten intolerant, lactose intolerant, dairy intolerant, nut and egg free diets and tips for people suffering from gallbladder attacks and food induced anaphylaxis.