Enjoy Life® Foods Urges Using Extra Vigilance When Reading Food Labels
Food Allergy Awareness Week, May 11-17, 2008

SCHILLER PARK, IL, May 8, 2008 – A single, innocent parent oversight resulting in a child’s anaphylactic reaction to one of its allergy-friendly foods recently prompted one company to voluntarily strengthen the food allergy labeling on all of its products.

“As the U.S. leader in allergy-friendly AND gluten-free foods, we take very seriously our responsibility to our customers,” says Scott Mandell, President, Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Enjoy Life Foods. “So we want to do everything in our power to ensure that what happened with that child doesn’t happen again,” he adds.

Although Enjoy Life Foods’ labels and ingredient statements are fully compliant with FDA allergy labeling regulations (The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA)), the parent apparently misinterpreted the “allergy-free” symbol on the front of its package and failed to read carefully the ingredient statement and package information to determine whether or not his child could eat the product safely.

So, the company redesigned the proprietary symbol on the front of its packages to be even more explicit and to minimize the risk of any potential confusion on the part of its consumers. The old symbol said “allergy-free” and “free of all common allergens.” The new, strengthened symbol says “allergy-friendly” and “free of the eight common allergens.” In both cases, the packaging directs consumers to read the side or back panel where it is clearly indicated what the product does and does not contain and that it is made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free facility.

Enjoy Life Foods has partnered with AllergyMoms.com and the Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) – as part of Food Allergy Awareness Week (May 11-17) -- to urge people with food allergies and other special dietary needs to use extra caution when making food purchases. Food Allergy Awareness Week was created in 1997 by FAAN to raise awareness of food allergies and their consequences.

“Reading ingredient labels and avoiding certain foods is the cornerstone of managing food allergies,” says Anne Muñoz-Furlong, Founder and CEO of FAAN. “We applaud companies like Enjoy Life Foods who take a proactive approach in making ingredients easy to read for the 12 million Americans who have food allergies.”

“Most experienced parents of kids with food allergies know the importance of reading ingredient statements carefully,” says Gina Clowes, founder of the popular AllergyMoms.com blog. “But as more and more kids are diagnosed with food allergies, less experienced parents may think a term like ‘allergy-free’ is enough,” she adds.



So Clowes suggests the following tips for consumers buying allergy-friendly products:

· Have an unbreakable rule: no label = no thank you. Never eat a food that does not have a label.
· Always carefully read ingredient statements. Different versions of the same food can have different ingredients (for example, chewy Spree candy contains egg white while original Spree does not).
· Know that different sizes of the same foods can contain different ingredients. (For example, some “mini” versions of Laffy Taffy do not contain egg, but the large size does contain egg.)
· Don’t rely on common sense to determine if foods are safe. Tuna and flavored water can contain dairy, egg rolls and chili can contain peanut butter, licorice and soy sauce can contain wheat, and the list goes on.
· Take all precautionary warnings seriously. Manufacturers use different statements to warn consumers like “may contain” or “processed in a facility with.” However, the language used does not indicate the level of risk.
· Know that precautionary warnings are voluntary. If a product does not have a warning, it does not mean that the product is free of cross contamination. When in doubt, call the company to find out where and how the product was processed.
· Don’t play ingredient roulette. Even if you or your child once ate a product with a warning, that does not mean the next batch will be safe.
· Beware of hidden allergens. Potent allergens like sesame and mustard can hide behind the words “natural flavors” or “spices.”
· Know where the food is made. Seek out products that say they are made in a "dedicated peanut-free, nut-free, soy-free or allergy-free facility," depending on your diet restriction. This provides even further assurance of the food's safety.

Enjoy Life Foods currently has 21 delicious products including allergy-friendly AND gluten-free soft-baked cookies, snack bars, granola, trail mixes, bagels and semi-sweet chocolate chips. All Enjoy Life products are free of the eight most common allergens[1][1] and made in a dedicated nut- and gluten-free bakery. They are also certified gluten-free (by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization), and are all-natural, trans fat-free and Kosher. More than 80 percent of Enjoy Life’s products are vegan with the exception of three products[2][2] that are vegetarian because they contain honey.

About Enjoy Life Foods
Enjoy Life Natural Brands, LLC (d/b/a Enjoy Life Foods, LLC (ELF)) was founded in 2001 with the mission of making great-tasting allergy-friendly foods that most everyone can eat freely. The company launched the Enjoy Life brand in 2002 with a broad product line that is free of the eight most common allergens and gluten-free. To meet the needs of a rapidly growing consumer base, in 2004 the company acquired Perky’s™, a line of gluten- and nut-free cereals. Today, ELF offers 26 different Enjoy Life and Perky’s products that are sold in natural food and select grocery stores throughout the United States and Canada. Visit www.enjoylifefoods.com and www.perkysnaturalfoods.com for store locations and more. In September 2007, Enjoy Life Foods was named to Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing privately held businesses in the U.S. For more information, visit www.enjoylifenb.com.

# # #

The above is a press release that I received from Enjoy Life Foods. Yes, they are free of the most common allergens (top 8) but it is not free of ingredients. So you MUST always read the label. This is such an important point to hammer home. Things like dairy free cheese isn't actually dairy free. If you read the label on most "dairy free" cheese you will find either casein or whey which are both from milk. Even if you check a label and it was safe a week ago, read the label again every time you purchase the same product. Manufacturing conditions or ingredients can change and you won't know it unless you read it. ALWAYS CHECK!! It's THAT important. If you're ever in doubt, call the manufacturer. Most manufacturers I've spoken with have been more than helpful. Just yesterday I called Jenny-O Turkey because I bought some turkey burgers that have "turkey, natural flavors" listed on the label. The woman was so nice and she informed me that all that the "natural flavors" were was rosemary. I doesn't hurt to call and it only takes a minute. Never take a chance. Know exactly what you or your child are eating.

Labels: Food Allergies

Today was older boys first T-ball practice which opens the 2008 season. Hubby is coaching (I will not comment on that - lol) this year. Our community sports program is completely unorganized and messed up. So we've been trying to figure out what's going on for the season the past several weeks and still don't have everything nailed down yet. The first game is next Saturday. We still don't have a practice schedule and the shirts just came in and were able to be picked up today. I went and picked them up for Hubby since it was at the same time as practice started. It was me and all of the baseball coaches. Those baseball coaches are real serious about the game. They were strategizing and trying to one up each other while we waited in line. They were actually real goons. I'm not looking forward to the boys moving up to play baseball. You'd think that actual talent scouts were coming to look at the players. And trust me, they're not.

But anyway, I picked up our stuff and took it out to practice where I was to drop it off and return home to work out. When I got there I was informed that I needed to stay the whole time to hand out shirts after the practice to each player. Ok, I'll miss my workout but I'm a team player.

I had the Little Man with me and because I didn't plan on staying I didn't have anything with me to entertain him. I had no toys, no chairs, no snacks, etc. I had NOTHING for him to do. But he amused himself. I was talking to another parent when I heard "Boys, don't do that", and I turned around to see him and his cohort in crime wearing batting helmets and hitting each other in the head with bats. Well, at least they were smart enough to put the helmets on.

And apparently I wasn't needed to hand out shirts after all. So I missed my workout for nothing. Sigh....

Labels: t-ball fun

Things got so busy yesterday that I didn't have time to post.

This week I lost: .5 pounds. Ok, so I'm not thrilled with it, but it's better than when the scale told me I gained 2 pounds on Tuesday. Geeze, what's a girl got to do to lose a little weight?
This wasn't the best exercise week for me. I have a cold and doing cardio made my lungs burn. So I'm glad I found
Namaste Yoga which shows on FitTv. It allowed me to work out without having to be in severe pain while doing it. I really enjoyed doing the Yoga and it renewed my love of it. I forgot that Yoga can be a workout. I hope to continue adding it to my workout routine.

Labels: Fat Loss Friday

Scene: 3 men going out the door mother's day shopping:

Hubby: "What should we get Mom for Mother's Day"?
Little Man: "A Harley Davidson".
Older Boy: "No, I know but I'll tell you in the car".
Little Man: "How about a Barbie Cycle"?
Older Boy: "How about a knuckle sandwich"?
Little Man: "YEA, that's what I'm talkin' about"!

Lots of laughter door closes, mother shudders.


All I asked for was time with my family where no one is fighting or yelling. Or I have an evil head cold, so a quiet day in bed watching reruns of America's Next Top Model while dad watches the kids sounds pretty good. YEA, that's what I'M talkin' about.

Labels: Life with Boys, Mothers Day

Yep, today was the day! Our yearly allergist visit. And it went well. It usually does. We had no major reactions this year , only minor "mystery" reactions from things like shopping carts or the bench at Famous Footwear (go figure on that one). His asthma seems relatively under control and we can even stop giving him some of his meds once summer comes. I asked about getting a letter so that we can carry the Little Man's epi's and Benadryl on the plane to Disney. He said he'll put something together and get it in the mail to me (so I can check that off my list). The only other thing I brought up to him was "alternative treatment" for food allergies. Twice now someone has mentioned to me that they "know someone who has a child that was anaphylactic to ________ and went through alternative treatment and was completely cured". My mind says that this is all hooey and it's a scheme to take money from desperate parents. But my "mothers heart" wants my child to be cured so badly that I'm willing to spend the money. I'm not willing to challenge the food allergies if I do though. He's so severe it's not as if they say "He's cured of wheat" I'm going to go out and buy him a box of doughnuts. The doctor said "I'm not against it. It won't work, but I'm not against it. You thought I'd tell you it's all garbage didn't you? I wouldn't say that. But he will outgrow his food allergies when his body is ready to outgrow his food allergies. And anyone who says it works probably already outgrew their food allergies before or during the alternative treatment. But if you try it, just don't challenge it. Not without seeing me first". I was surprised that he didn't laugh in my face. He's the kind of doctor that would do that. I like him because he's no nonsense and says things matter of fact and without "prettying them up". But he can come off as harsh at times. But I like that. My sons life is at risk and if I'm doing something wrong let me know it. Don't coddle me, rough me up a bit if that's what it takes. But it usually doesn't.

So after the appointment we went and got the his yearly
RAST test. He was such a trooper. They couldn't find a vein in the first arm (Bugs Bunny) so they had to move to the second arm which actually gave them a better vein (Daffy Duck).



He didn't cry. He's getting to be such a big boy. So in about a week we should have our results. Keep your fingers crossed and say a prayers that numbers go down.

Although the RAST test went well, traffic was a total BEAR!!! It took me forever to get back to the freeway. We had to pass a Papa John's to get to the lab and then back to the freeway. There were 100's of people trying to get their 23 cent pizzas. I was SHOCKED! The police were directing traffic but not on the road, but in and out of the actual Papa John's building. It was complete mayhem. We don't have a Papa Johns by us or I would have picked some up.

Labels: Food Allergies, pizza craziness, testing

A few weeks ago I was outside doing yardwork when the little neighbor girl came over to play with the boys. This was fine. Even when I couldn't actually see them, I could hear them. Then all of a sudden I saw the them running across the neighbors lawn to go play at her house. Again, I couldn't see them, but I could hear them.
The neighbors are awesome! They are really nice people and I trust them to watch my kids. But after about 30 seconds I thought, the Little Man doesn't have his EPI pen. We live on 3-3.5 acre lots so our yards are pretty big. I could run pretty quickly if I had to. But what if they went inside? Hmmmm..... Our neighbors know about the Little Man's allergies and would never give him anything to eat without asking. They check with me every time before they give him a juice box. And I've shown the mom how to use the EPI. But I still considered taking the EPI over to them. At this point, all three kids came running back.
Later that evening I had a talk with the Little Man and explained to him that whenever he went next door or over to any neighbors house he needed to make sure to take his EPI with him. He was never to leave home without it. He nodded his head at me, but I wasn't really sure that his 3 year old mind grasped what I was telling him. Well it must have sunk in.
Yesterday the same neighbors came over to see if he could play and I said yes. And before he left he said "Oh mom, don't forget to give me my EPI". He took it with him and gave it to the mom and he remembered to bring it home with him. I'm so proud of him that he's learning to be responsible for his safety.

Labels: Food Allergies, growing up

Oh my, it's a great contest from the Blogged In Network! It's a $100.00 Target gift card that you could win and I always seem to spend at least $100.00 everytime I just drive by Target.
Just click here:



and check it out~

Labels: Blogged In Network, Target

Today was "Dad's Day" at the Little Man's school. So my Hubby took him to school and they did all kinds of fun things like finger painting and played with trains and sang songs. Then it came time for snack time. They had fruit and doughnut holes. And they gave my son a plate of fruit and doughnut holes. My husband said that both he and the Little Man stood next to the table and stared at the plate of food. The Little Man knew he was allergic to the doughnuts and said so and wouldn't eat them, but my husband isn't sure that had he not removed the plate that the Little Man wouldn't have eaten the cross contaminated fruit next to the doughnuts (because three year olds know they are allergic to wheat but cross contamination is a much harder issue to grasp). My husband got him a clean plate and then started asking questions about the fruit. "Is this just fruit"? "Is there anything on it"? "Did anyone touch it after touching the doughnuts"? The teachers assured him that it was fine for the Little Man (and his comfort level with the fruit wasn't all that strong) and then a light bulb went off over their heads. OH YEA, the Little Man is allergic to the doughnuts! They apologized profusely and said that in the excitement of the day they had forgotten about the doughnuts and the Little Man's allergies. My Hubby was PIS_ED! But to his credit he didn't make a scene. Excitement of the day? Like finger painting is so much more exciting than a life threatening food allergy? How do you "forget" something like that? As the teacher was standing there apologizing and telling some story about something she read about someone having an airborne allergy my Hubby said he wanted to pelt her with the doughnut holes. He then preceded to tell her that the "story" she read about airborne allergies is true and that his cousin went into anaphylaxis just from the "smell" of his mother making nutroll in the house hours before. These things are REAL people! They aren't stories and people could die. And my son could get really sick or worse from touching doughnut holes or eating fruit that was touching doughnut holes. We have 3 days of school left for the Little Man. And I'll be glad when it's over. Clearly next year they will need a refresher course for dealing with food allergies. I had a certain comfort level with the school. And if they served the doughnuts and just gave my son fruit then I would have been ok with that. But how many other times have they "forgotten" that I don't know about? What other "exciting" things were going on at that school that made my sons allergies slip their minds?
And really, they couldn't have picked a different snack besides doughnut holes??? I guess I should be thankful they didn't dip them in egg and roll them in peanuts too.

Labels: close call, Food Allergies

What is that child eating?



Why it's Circus Peanuts.

(I saw over at Peanut Free Mama that they didn't contain peanuts and what do you know? They don't contain wheat/gluten, dairy, tree nuts, or eggs either and they are made on dedicated equipment - who knew?)

And where is he eating that Circus Peanut? In the bathtub of course! Where do you eat your Circus Peanuts?

He loved them, but they tasted nasty to me. I can't believed I loved these as a child. YUCK!

Labels: food allergy friendly candy

Ok, let's start with the fat loss. I'm going by my scale and I'm going by this morning. I lost one pound. Nothing earth shattering and frankly, it's rather disappointing because I really tried hard this week, but hey, at least I didn't gain.

Goal for next week:
4 days of exercise (counting tomorrow) and a 2 pound weight loss.

Now for the rants:

1. Let's start with the scale at yesterdays doctors appointment. When I got on it, it has me weighing exactly the same as I did a few weeks ago when I was there. Now according to my scale I lost weight. Yes, I weigh myself on my scale first thing in the morning and totally nud*e, but according to my scale I lost a few pounds and that SHOULD show up on the doctors scale. I HATE THAT SCALE. For 6 years now that scale always increases my weight by 5-6 pounds and when I've complained about it, they say "Oh no, we've had it calibrated". I've had 2 different scales since I've started going there. You tell me who's right.

2. Now let's move on to the nurse at the doctors office. So I get on the scale and she gets my weight and in a very loud voice says "Oh Look, You Weigh 1_0"(I'm not going to give you the weight or you may be able to deduce my actual weight). It was almost 20 pounds lower than what I weigh and way lower than I want to weigh. I just gave her a dirty look and she said "I did that for the kids benefit. They'll go home and give Daddy that number". Well, I don't think he's dumb enough to buy that number and it's not like the actual number is THAT bad. I mean, it is within the governments healthy weight range for my height. That just really put me off. Was she trying to tell me that I'm a fat lard and her number was much better? Geeze, way to make me feel bad.

3. Last rant: Don't you hate when you go to the doctor for something and they say "Hmmmm, I've never seen that before"? That doesn't give me much faith in the treatment she suggested. Remember this post from April 5th about being itchy. I'm still itchy and have been since then. Apparently it wasn't a virus that made me itchy and now it's turned into some sort of rash (that the Dr. has never seen before). She *thinks* it's some kind of allergic dermatitis triggered by an allergic reaction to betadine (I had a mole removed.) But I can tell you for sure it's NOT hives. So I'm supposed to take Claritin and use a steroid lotion. So far not so good. It's not helping. One of the moms at the Little Mans gym is a dermatologist so I was going to the shameless "free diagnosis" thing today and whip my shirt up at the gym class and say "Hey, can you tell me what this is?" but she wasn't there today (bummer). So if it's not better by Monday, I'm just going to call her office and make an actual appointment. Let's just hope they don't want to weigh me. I don't think I can handle any more humiliation.

Labels: Fat Loss Friday

But YES, we have a baby!!! The baby was finally born yesterday at 4:47 pm via C-Section. His little head was turned and he wasn't coming out so the doctor felt a C-Section was better. Mother and baby are fine. The little guy was 8 pounds 11 ounces and 21 1/2 inches long. We have big boys in this family! Older Boy was 9 pounds and 22 inches and the Little Man was 9 pounds and 21 inches.
I went to see him this afternoon and he is SOOOOO CUTE!!! Oh my, you forget how little newborns are. So Tiny and So Sweet! It almost makes me want to have another. Almost, but not quite.

Labels: nephew, sweet baby