Quote of the Month
“Dear Santa – I was good at being naughty, does that count?”
There’s always a lot going on during the holidays. It can be very stressful; even more so, if you’re trying to avoid an allergic reaction.
I’ve got a list of holiday tips. You may be familiar with some of them. I hope they help you this season:
- If you’re sensitive or allergic to particular foods, perhaps you can offer to provide some food at parties; even be the host. It will allow you to help control some of the foods. Remember the top food culprits are milk, eggs, gluten, peanuts and nuts
- Be careful when cooking pre-basted turkeys. The basting ingredients can have wheat and other ingredients that can be problematic.
- Cook stuffing separately – the stuffing ingredients can leach into the turkey.
- Real trees contain mold, pollen and terpenes. Terpenes are compounds/oils that deter predators. Many people with seasonal allergies can react to these substances.
- Artificial trees and decorations build up layers of dust after sitting around for a year. Some people air out or rinse them.
- If you have a latex allergy, be wary of poinsettia plants. They are in the same family and you may find yourself reacting. They’re mildly toxic but not poisonous to humans.
- Don’t forget to be considerate of those who react to scented candles, perfumes, air fresheners, pot pouri, fireplace smoke, etc. Most of them are loaded with chemicals and may trigger an asthma attack in some individuals.
- Above all else, don’t forget your inhaler, epipen or an anti-histamine prior to any event. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
One final point…you may feel like you’re managing your stress fine, but internally you’re body probably is not. Give yourself a Christmas present by making some time for yourself…take a walk or practice some deep breathing.
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year!
