Food Allergy Survival Guide: Surviving and Thriving with Food Allergies and Sensitivities [Paperback]

Vesanto Melina (Author), Dina Aronson (Author), Jo Stepaniak (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 10, 2004

This comprehensive resource, created by three leading authorities in dietetics, nutrition, and vegetarian cooking, offers a unique blend of scientific researach, practical advice, and culinary expertise that will show you how to: know the difference between food allergy, food intolerance and food sensitivity; test for allergies; avoid the foods and ingredients that trigger reactions; maintain a healthy intestinal boundary; understand the latest food labeling regulations; and create menus that meet your nutritional requirements. Over 100 recipes by uncheese specialist Jo Stepaniak redefine the notion that allergy-free means flavor-free.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Vesanto Melina is a registered dietitian and co-author of The Food Allergy Survival Guide, Becoming Vegetarian, Becoming Vegan, Raising Vegetarian Children. She is co-author of the most recent Position Paper on Vegetarian Diets ( ) and coordinated the vegetarian section of the Manual of Clinical Dietetics, 6th Edition, both joint projects of the American Dietetic Association and dietitians of Canada. Dina Aronson is a registered dietitian and nationally recognized writer and speaker. Jo Stepaniak is the author of over a dozen books and hundreds of articles on vegetarian cuisine and compassionate living.

Product Details

• Paperback: 382 pages
• Publisher: Healthy Living Publications (August 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 157067163X
• ISBN-13: 978-1570671630
• Product Dimensions: 7 x 0.8 x 10 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (30 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #392,308 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #87 in Books > Health, Fitness & Dieting > Nutrition > Food Allergies

More About the Author

Vesanto Melina, M. Sc., R.D., was trained at the University of Toronto and the University of London, England, and taught nutrition at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver and Seattle's Bastyr University. She was a coordinator for the vegetarian section of the Manual of Clinical Dietetics(Dietitians of Canada and the American Dietetics Association) and is co-author of the nutrition classic "Becoming Vegetarian" (now in eleven countries and three languages), as well as "Cooking Vegetarian', "Becoming Vegan" and "Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Cancer". Vesanto is widely known in the media - press, TV and radio. She is an internationally known speaker and has presented workshops on the topic of vegetarian nutrition to over 1800 dietitians throughout. North America. Vesanto received the prestigious Clintec award for leadership in dietetics. She regularly consults for government and industry and for individual clients.To complement her scientific expertise is Vesanto's joy in creating food that is healthy, delicious and simple to prepare.She became a committed, ethical vegetarian 13 years ago when she was moved to explore the consequences of food choices beyond personal health. Brenda completed an honors degree in Human Nutrition at the University of Guelph, followed by an internship in Ottawa Ontario. She has worked as a public health nutritionist, clinical nutrition specialist, nutrition consultant, academic nutrition instructor, and is currently the Past-Chair of the Vegetarian Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group of the American Dietetic Association.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

62 of 62 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for vegans as well as those with food allergies August 16, 2005

By Cathe Fein Olson VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

For those with food allergies, maintaining a vegan diet can be challenging. Soy, nuts, corn, and glutinous grains are in so many foods that it is difficult to avoid them. Food Allergy Survival Guide will help you to figure out what foods you are sensitive to and how to replace them with healthful, plant-based ingredients.

The book starts with an explanation of what food allergies and intolerances are and what they are caused by. If you ever wanted to know in detail how your digestive system works, you will get a full description in this book. Food Allergy Survival Guide also provides information about many medical conditions like arthritis, asthma, ADHD, candida, celiac disease, depression, dermatitis, fatigue, and migraines that can be caused by or worsened by certain foods. For each condition, there are suggestions of possible food culprits and suggestions to manage the condition.

If you are not sure if you have food allergies or what foods you are allergic to, you can find out what tests can be used to find out. The pros and cons of medical invasive and non-invasive tests are discussed as well as some do-it-yourself methods.

Once you know what foods have an adverse affect on your well-being, the trick is avoiding them. As the authors point out, foods like dairy, soy, corn, egg, and wheat are hidden in labels under all kinds of different names. For example, egg may be listed as binder, emulsifier, or coagulant. Corn can be listed as caramel coloring or dextrose. Food Allergy Survival Guide tells you what foods most often include common allergens and provide detailed lists of labeling terms that may be allergenic foods.

The best method of dealing with multiple food allergies is to cook most of your own meals.... Fortunately, Food Allergy Survival Guide provides over 100 delicious recipes free of dairy, eggs, fish, wheat, gluten, soy, peanuts, and yeast. Very helpful is the gluten-free flour mix, which can replace wheat flour in any recipe, and a corn-free baking powder substitute.

I tried a couple of the recipes from the baking section for my holiday entertaining. The Ultra-Fudge Brownies and Pumpkin Spice Bread were a big hit. Besides baked good, the book also includes seasoning and spice mixes, breakfast cereals and smoothies, dips and spreads, salads and dressings, soups, main dishes, side dishes, and desserts. Don't worry if some of the ingredients are new to you. The book explains unfamiliar ingredients, and suppliers are listed in the resource section. I had no trouble finding any of the foods at my local natural foods store.

Food Allergy Survival Guide is an excellent book for those suffering from food allergies but it is also a great resource for vegans. You'll discover ways that animal products might be hidden in processed or restaurant foods, and how to avoid them. And you'll love the wonderful vegan recipes. Best of all, you can find out how to thrive if you are both vegan and have food allergies. Read more ›

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I Will Survive! October 31, 2004

By Mimi G. Clark

Format:Paperback

Food Allergy Survival Guide: Living Well Without Dairy, Eggs, Fish, Gluten, Peanuts, Shellfish, Soy, Tree Nuts, Wheat, Yeast and more

Vesanta Melina, Jo Stepaniak, and Dina Aronson

With a title like this, are we to believe that there are any foods left to eat for those of us with food sensitivities? The answer: a resounding YES. Why? Because Melina, Stepaniak, and Aronson have done their homework. Because similar to their other collaborative efforts, they deliver a comprehensive survival guide based on scientific research and culinary magic. After in-depth explanation of food allergy, food intolerance, and food sensitivity, the authors discuss the relationship of food to conditions such as arthritis, asthma, ADHD, candida, eczema, psoriasis, depression, digestive disorders, fatigue, and headaches. They teach us how to be our own food-trigger detective with blood tests, skin tests, and the oral food challenge which, according to the authors, is the most reliable test known for food allergies. Identification of the food culprit(s), however, is only the first step. The authors discuss cross-contamination and ways to track hidden substances in products. Whether the food culprit is dairy products, eggs, soy, peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, Macadamia nuts, pecans, walnuts, etc.), wheat, gluten, corn, yeast, fruit, sulfites, citrus, nightshades, or fish, this book provides the reader with explanations, charts, and tips to help us in our sleuthing. Coping with food sensitivities is examined, and a list of support groups and online information is provided. Incorporating maximum nutrition into meal planning is carefully delineated with sample menus and restaurant tips. The last 183 pages are devoted to Jo's culprit-free recipes, complete with a detailed nutritional analysis.... A gluten-free, all-purpose flour mix is the starter for muffins, breads, cakes, scones, biscuits, pizza, pie crusts and more. As well, the meatless entrees, dairy-free sauces, soups, salads, and breakfast dishes are proof-positive that food sensitivities no longer imply a life sentence of boring meals, but rather, may open the door to a plethora of nourishing wholesome and hearty foods. Read more ›

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic, resourceful guide - Vegan Cookbook April 29, 2006

By M. Priem

Format:Paperback

This book is very helpful, especially if you are newly diagnosed with food allergies. Or, if you want to dive into the depths of analysis of food allergies and many related issues (ie Asthma). It covers all the A-Z's, including label-reading and hidden allergies, along with cross-contamination risks. A good starter "guide."

However, if you are looking for a cookbook, unless you are a Vegan, you probably want to seek an alternative, as 100% of the 100 recipes are Vegan.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderfully easy recipes, invaluable information June 5, 2007

By Alisa Marie Fleming

Format:Paperback

The layout and title of this book gives the strong impression of a guidebook, yet quite a cast of recipes lies within. In fact, the latter half of the book is all cookbook, with over 100 recipes. I was elated to find that each recipe was free of dairy, eggs, fish, gluten, peanuts, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, wheat, and yeast. How refreshing to find a book that actually lives up to its title / subtitle. It was so nice to not have to sort through which recipes were "safe" and which weren't, the whole book was a go!

As for the first half of the cookbook, it seems to be a culmination of food allergy knowledge from among the three well known authors, Vesanto Melina (MS, RD), Dina Aronson (MS, RD), and Jo Stepaniak (MSEd). I have read and perused more than a few food allergy books, and this is certainly one of the best. The authors touch on the required material, such as explaining food allergies / sensitivities and food allergy testing, but they then move on to cover new ground that is seldom discussed in the surface world of food allergies.

Though the book reads fairly well, some sections do get bogged down in biology and other details. Some sub-chapter listings would be helpful to make this a true reference book. Each chapter is truly dense with information, and per standard, the index is a bit too muddled with keywords to serve as a quick and easy guide.

I have already trialed several of the recipes, including the Chickpea Pizza, a Mediterranean style flat bread, the Beannaise, a soy-free, dairy-free mayonnaise alternative, and the Hot Fudge Sauce (pretty self explanatory). All worked out but the sauce, which I will retry. I have been very pleased with the ease of the recipes, spending less than 30 minutes on each, even when preparing them for the first time!... Not to mention, aside from an inexpensive bag of chickpea flour (easier to find than I thought), I haven't had to purchase any out of the ordinary ingredients. It should be noted that all of the recipes are also vegetarian / vegan. Read more ›