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Helpful Allergy Books

© Colleen Kaemmerer

If you need help and information concerning allergies or any other condition, you should, of course, consult your health care professional. But many of us want or need to gather information before and/or after we have seen the doctor. One great source is the Internet, and I have listed what I think are some of the best sites under my List of Links.

This month I wanted to discuss some books about allergies that I have found helpful. The first book about allergies and behavior that I came across was Your Child's Food Allergies by Jane McNicol. Under the title, it says that the book's topic is "detecting and treating hyperactivity, congestion, irritability, and other symptoms caused by common food allergies". While this book does focus on hyperactivity, the information about common problematic foods and additives, and the many recipes are useful to anyone dealing with food allergies and sensitivities. I have tried several of the recipes in this book and even my picky eater has liked a few. :-)

One very popular and well-known reference is Doris Rapp M.D.'s Is This Your Child? Diagnosing and Treating Unrecognized Allergies in Children and Adults. In this book, Dr. Rapp discusses typical allergies and how to recognize unsuspected allergies; she gives helpful clues to determine unrecognized allergies in infants, toddlers, older childen, and adolescents. In addition, she details some specific problems which are often not attributed to allergy such as: a child who is always sick; hyperactivity; aggressiveness; and learning disabilities. Dr. Rapp also explains the "practical rotary diet" - a rotation diet. Basically, with a rotation diet you only eat a specific food once every four days. If the food is well-tolerated, it can be eaten more than once on its "day". A rotation diet not only limits a person exposure to foods that they are slightly sensitive to, it is hoped that it will prevent additional food allergies.

Another by Dr. Rapp is entitled Is This Your Child's World? This book contains extensive information regarding chemical sensitivity/environmental illness. There are many case studies used as examples; various types of chemical sensitivity are explained, and solutions to some of the problems are discussed. After reading this book, I feel fortunate that the allergies and sensitivities that my children have are mild in comparison.

One book I've just read is Feeding Your Allergic Child- Happy Food For Healthy Kids by Elisa Meyer. I haven't had a chance to try any of the recipes yet, but they sound promising; one is "sweet potato chips" and another is "almond lace cookies". The book is the result of the author's efforts to feed her allergic children healthy meals that they were willing to eat. After helping many acquaintances in the same situation, Ms. Meyer decided to write this cookbook.

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