Book Review of Food Cures by Joy Bauer

I recently had the opportunity to review a revised and updated #1 New York Times Bestseller book, Food Cures, by nutritionist Joy Bauer.

One of the first statements made in the book is "Life is hard...food should be easy". Those of us who deal with food allergies every day know that sometimes food makes life harder. While this book doesn't directly address food allergies (although there is a very helpful chapter on celiac disease- more on that later), it does help us "think like a nutritionist". Many of the tips like "pre-plan meals" and "load up on vegetables" are universal and easily fit for food allergy families.

Food Cures looks chapter by chapter at 17 different food issues ranging from diabetes to migraine headaches to celiac disease. Each issue is thoroughly explained and text boxes with FAQ's give a more personal flavor to the information. Every chapter then offers meal plans, several recipes, and a web address for more information.

Of special interest to some Food Allergy Assistant readers may be Chapter 18 on Celiac Disease. The chapter includes a list of common foods and food additives that may contain gluten. The included meal plans would be especially helpful for someone just starting a gluten-free diet, or for someone looking to add to their gluten-free repertoire'. The recipe for gluten-free gingerbread muffins sounds delish.  More celiac info is available on Joy's site.

At over 500 pages, Food Cures offers practical assistance for a wide range of issues we all face. Everyone needs to eat, and Joy doles out information and tips in a very palatable manner.

Wheat Allergies

I find that many people are confused about wheat allergies. A true wheat allergy means being allergic to at least one of the proteins found in wheat:

* Albumin
* Globulin
* Gliadin
* Glutenin (gluten)

Allergic reactions are most commonly caused by one of the first two listed. Wheat allergies usually develop when the person is a baby or toddler and are commonly outgrown by age five. That said, adults can have wheat allergy.

The symptoms of a wheat allergy are the common symptoms associated with other food allergies. These symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, hives, eczema, itchy skin, throat irritation and anaphylaxis. I remember speaking to a mother whose 7 year old would have an anaphylactic reaction when she boiled pasta! Those wheat proteins became airborne and triggered a reaction when her child took a breath. Some people do experience a reaction when inhaling wheat or wheat flour. Others need to actually eat it.

Barley, oats and rye also contain some of the proteins found in wheat. Depending upon which proteins are causing the wheat allergy, these other grains may need to be avoided as well.

People often confuse wheat allergy with celiac disease. Celiac disease is a serious digestive disorder. People with celiac must avoid all gluten as it causes damage to the intestines. Those with a wheat allergy must avoid all foods containing wheat (which may include all purpose flour, beer, gravy, malted milk, MSG, and worcestershire sauce). Wheat allergic people should always carry an EpiPen® as well.

iPhone App for Gluten Free

I don't own an iPhone, but I can't help being amazed by all the useful apps users can get. There are applications for working out, traveling, making dinner and managing your money. We're talking thousands of apps.

Now, for those who need to avoid gluten, ZEER has announced the glutenScan app. For a monthly fee, subscribers can get help with grocery shopping, while grocery shopping. Simply by typing in a name or UPC number, users get information about whether a product contains gluten. It even recommends gluten-free alternatives.

Now, if they would only come up with an app that does my work-out, handles the grocery shopping and makes my meals...

I can dream.