A Different Kind of Challenge

With all the ice buckets being thrown around and on top of the heads of friends, family and celebrities alike, I started to think about how I could harness some of that enthusiasm for a cause close to my heart, food allergy awareness.

ALS #IceBucketChallenge
Given the millions of the money being raised for ALS, it seemed like a given that people around the world would become more educated about the disease.  I mean I had no clue what it entailed.  Without an educational component to the challenge, I wondered how much attention is the actual disease was getting.  I did want to pay my respects, and found out that ALS is a neurodegenerative disease that affects 30,000 Americans at any given time and the life expectancy after diagnosis is grim at just two to five years on average. 

It is amazing to know that in the just over a month since the first person called out ALS as the charity of choice for their polar splash, more than $15 million has been raised for ALS.  I hope that this challenge continues to help those who suffer from ALS and that awareness, education and research for the disease will grown at the same rate as their donations.

Changing it Up
In thinking of terms of food allergies, I wanted a challenge that would be educational along with being something that would be considered a "challenge."  I mean no one wants to be doused by a bucket of ice water, right? I started thinking about all the different ways to get people educated about food allergies. The facts alone are helpful, such as the fact that 15 million Americans have food allergies and that 1 out of 13 children ages 18 and younger is affected by this disease, but how does this help people to understand the world in which we live?

What if I challenged them to live as someone with severe food allergies for just 24 hours. Sure, it's not glamorous and it won't cause your friends to laugh hysterically while you suffer through gallons of ice cold water invading every bodily crevice, but maybe it will open some eyes to the struggles of managing daily life without everyday foods such as milk, bread, and eggs.

The Challenge
I hopped out of bed the next morning (I actually drug my butt unwillingly out of bed) and set to posting the challenge. Here was my first post:

"All of these ALS challenge videos have had my development wheels spinning, so I have decided to ask all of you to help me spread the word about food allergies by challenging each of you to spend 24 hours eating like my Monk. I will make it easy and only restrict you from the 7 of the top 8 food allergens that he is allergic too (not all 20 food allergies.) That means no eggs, dairy, wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, fish or shellfish. Don't think you can manage? Opt out with a donation to FARE (food allergy research and education) at the link below in support of our upcoming food allergy walk. I encourage those that take on the challenge to post pictures or videos of your favorite #monkmeals, and ask your friends to walk a mile in the shoes of those with food allergies. I was going to say that those who accidentally eat an allergen should donate the equivalent of the cost of an ambulance ride, but that might be a bit much." 

Since I have to shop for a much more restricted diet on a regular basis, my pantry and meal list was already prepared for me to follow the challenge and set the example.  

• Breakfast: Monk and I shared our favorite Kale, Mango and Pineapple Smoothie and for a bit of protein I had one of his Applegate breakfast sausages.
• Snack: Banana (which unfortunately, Monk can't eat since it is one of his allergies).
• Snack #2: I'm so hungry!!!!  Now I know why my child wants to constantly eat.  I grab a few turkey pepperonis (again, which Monk can't eat).
• Lunch: Corn tortilla filled with Daiya soy cheese and grilled using Canola Oil "butter". Served with a side of raspberries and strawberries.
• Snack #3: piece of Enjoy Life chocolate (free of all top 8!)
• Dinner: Ground pork, swiss chard and polenta skillet, which calls for parmesan cheese, but I substituted for Daiya Soy cheese again. The whole family got in on the action this time.
• Dessert: handful of Trader Joe's Citrus Gum Drops, which Monk and I shared.

After all of this there were actually a few things that I learned.

1. Soy cheese smells terrible, but it's not bad and melts very nicely.
2. Soy milk is terrible. Period. It just makes me sad.
3. A diet devoid of enriched carbohydrates makes for very hungry people. I totally understand why, "Eatie!!!" is the most frequent word coming from my child's mouth.
4. It really stinks when the rest of your family is eating ice cream bars and you get gum drops.

I hope that a few of you will join me in taking the 24 hour allergy challenge (or donate to FARE) . It can't account for the fear and pain of a reaction, but it can at least help people to understand the efforts taken daily by food allergy parents to keep their kids happy and healthy.

Eat well and remember to plan for lots of snacks!