Halting the Alarming Rise in Food Allergies

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I was pleased to see both peanut butter and milk on the cover photo. My son is anaphylactic to milk, eggs and seafood. Many people assume he's just lactose-intolerant and don't realize that his milk allergy is just as life-threatening as another child's peanut allergy. Another difficult aspect of food allergies is harassment. A child intentionally threw her hot chocolate milk all over him. Thankfully, it got on his ski helmet and jacket, but not his skin. Living with food allergies is challenging enough without bullies, and even uninformed adults. Food allergies are considered a disability by the Americans With Disabilities Act, and children should be taught to respect people's differences, whatever they are. I pray every day that doctors find a cure so that my son will be safe, and will be able to eat pizza and ice cream with his friends.
Ann Pask
Dallas, Texas

On 'Defining' the Jews
Lisa Miller made some excellent points in "On 'Perfecting' the Jews" (PERISCOPE, Nov. 5) in responding to pundit Ann Coulter. However, it is an oversimplification to say that the difference between Judaism and Christianity is whether Jesus is the Messiah. Judaism's uncompromising view of monotheism and belief in mankind's ability to serve and return directly to God is what defines our unique spiritual identity and make us Jews and not Christians.
Rabbi Bentzion Kravitz, Founder
Jews for Judaism International
Los Angeles, Calif.

Correction

In "Is Age Just a Number?" (Periscope, Nov. 5), we said that MySpace cofounder Tom Anderson would turn 38 on Nov. 8. Born in 1970, Anderson, in fact, just turned 37. NEWSWEEK regrets the error.

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Posted By: tina sikiric @ 11/18/2007 10:24:20 PM

I am a mother of a child who was breastfed for the first year of his life, does not eat genetically engineered food (as much as I can help), I cook him as much natural and organic food as possible. Yet he definitely has a dairy allergy and is sensitive to many other items (wheat, eggs, nuts, soy, etc.). A "restriction" diet cleared his exzema and made him a much more compliant child. Why does he have these allergies?
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Posted By: tina sikiric @ 11/18/2007 10:19:37 PM

I am a mother who breastfed for one-year , who cooks all of her child's food and who uses as much natural and organic foods as possible....Yet, my son is allergic to dairy, and it seems many other common allergens as well. A trial "restriction" diet cleared up his exzema and made him a much more compliant child. I thought that I tried to do it all "right" but he still has allergies. I am desperately seeking answers and possible cures.
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Posted By: melissavvaughn @ 11/14/2007 10:12:07 PM

I believe there are many factors contributing to increased food allergies - the hygiene hypothesis, "frankenfoods", surgical births, and global food sources. I also believe there is a link between incerased food allergies and decreased breastfeeding. It seems the baby is getting a "taste" of all of the food that a mother consumes during this time to help her or him prepare for real food. It is time as a nation to encourage breastfeeding. It is natural and free and the benefits for both mother and child far outweigh the convenience of formula feeding.