<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>> Dear Listmates, I wrote this article in the hopes that it would be picked up and used in local newspapers, club & church/synagogue newsletters and/or posted at the office water dispenser. I have forwarded it to local weekly and daily papers as they all usually have some kind of health pages, as well as articles about entertaining during the holidays. Please pass it along where ever you feel it has a chance to be published. With all the scare about attachments, I've not attached this document with this posting, but it was done in Word 97, and I've also saved it as a txt file. Helen The Holidays are Coming! The Holidays are Coming! Hannukah, Christmas, New Year's. And so are the "holiday" get-togethers - the office socials, the club year-end meetings, formal groups, informal groups, family, friends. It's a wonderful opportunity to demonstrate caring for others by being sensitive to the reality of people having allergies to foods, scents and pets. Face it, people are so, so reluctant to speak of their personal needs. They will turn down invitations and decline to attend and maybe the reason is so simple and can be overcome - if only it is known. So ask: "Is the menu a problem? Do you have any food allergies or special dietary needs?" This covers digestive intolerance, illness or conditions such as diabetes, Crohn's Disease and lupus and restrictions due to medications such as no hard alcohol or wine. It could also mean food by "choice" - kosher, vegetarian, vegan, and not consuming caffeine or alcohol (both found in food and in beverages). And don't forget that we're definitely not all like Mikey, who will eat anything. We probably all have some foods that we avoid because we just don't like them. Perhaps the question should be: "Are you allergic to perfume? or pets?" Maybe even after asking, you won't find out. Some folks are real private, some don't want to "bother" others, some just don't feel like bringing up the subject - having spent a lifetime of being ignored. Try a little harder. Let your friends and guests know what you are planning to serve - perhaps that will allow someone the opening to say "I can't eat any of that, could I bring.. or could you also serve..." At the very least, keep package labels and recipes handy so when a person asks "can you tell me what's in this" you can! If someone is definitely intolerant to certain food ingredients, find out either directly from them or elsewhere (books, dial-a-dietician, the web) what substitutes are available. There are many, many allergies from the well- known peanut & fish to lactose, eggs, gluten, wheat, the nightshade family, monosodium glutamate (MSG) etc. etc. Granted, it will take a little more time than usual to buy retail products (ready to eat or raw ingredients) that meet your guest(s) requirements because you will have to carefully read the ingredient's labels. Most products have a kosher equivalent. The advantage to choosing Kosher products is that they are always labelled in great more detail than required by federal law. Kosher does not mean, however that the product is guaranteed okay for vegetarians or diabetics, sodium restricted diets or for those avoiding MSG. Kosher guarantees that the product has gone through the equivalent of an ISO 2000 type process that ensures the integrity of the production of the product according to Jewish dietary guidelines. With luck, the kosher products might be GMO free, or vegan or great for celiacs, but they are primarily being produced to adhere to the Jewish dietary guidelines. If an event is being held at a restaurant or involves outside catering, talk to the manager or head chef about any special needs. If they want the business they will listen and accommodate, if they won't/can't accommodate, then it would be a good opportunity to source out alternate locations or caterers. It works best if this can be done ahead of time, but be sure to find out if they can accommodate special requirements on short notice. Pets If you are entertaining at home, always let your potential guests know if you have a pet. If the person is allergic find out what you might need to do to enable your guest can have a pleasant visit. For instance, we have a cat, and a friend who is very allergic asked that I thoroughly vacuum the day before she was coming for dinner. And, of course, the pet was kept upstairs for the duration of the visit. Cosmetic Scents More and more people are discovering how physically ill certain scents can make them. Usually the person experiences a reaction that affects their breathing, or produces coughing spells or non-stop tearing of the eyes. None of this is pleasant. Whenever you are going to be with a group of people take the time to inquire beforehand is they have any allergies to scent. Scent, by the way, is not limited to bottled perfume. Certain make-up products, after shave and deodorants have subtle added perfumes that are "poison" to those with allergies. And of course, so are some fresh and dried flowers. A New Resolution Obviously allergies to food and perfume and pets aren't confined to just this upcoming holiday season - they are year-round. So why not start a new life-long habit for which you will be repaid over and over - ask guests and group participants if they have any allergies or foods they must avoid (this includes liquid refreshments). If you are entertaining at home, mention that the family has pets. And, since you never know who might be allergic to perfume or other scents, start choosing your products with that in mind. You will be blessed. Helen Aqua, Vancouver, BC, Canada December 2001