HEALTHY LIVING WITH JANICE--GUEST AUTHOR KATHRYN JANE ON FOOD ALLERGIES

photo montage by David Castor from photos by Guillaume Paumier, NaJina McEnany, Abanima, Frank C. Muller, Scott Bauer and Fir0002

Addicted to the ocean and the color turquoise, award-winning author, Kathryn Jane, lives on the west coast of Canada with an obnoxious cat, a pathetically faithful dog, and the man of her dreams. Learn more about her and her books at her website. 

Food Allergies and Sensitivities

Living with food allergies and sensitivities can be complicated—and the ridiculously fine print on grocery item packaging, well, that's just plain annoying.

Developing food allergies after the age of forty, has been educational to say the least, and having a sense of humor is a life saver, although sometimes, it’s hard to keep a straight face.

This actually happened to me at a social function.

Hostess: “Have a cookie.”

Me: “No thanks, I’m allergic to nuts.”

Hostess: “Oh, but these have no nuts, I made them myself this morning. Just flour, sugar, butter, and peanut butter.”

Seriously? I thought. Do I just laugh and decline, or do I point out that peanuts are, hello? Nuts?

Me: “I’m allergic to peanut butter, too.”

Often when asked exactly what I’m allergic to, I reply, “It would be easier to list the thirteen food items I’m not allergic to.”

I then get, “Oh, you must be a very healthy eater.” I just smile and leave it there instead of saying, “Actually, no.”

I live on chicken, white fish, white flour, white rice, white sugar, and plain no-fat Greek yogurt, as well as potatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, quinoa, Jell-O, and Becel margarine (the Canadian one with no Soy.)

As my allergist/immunologist once said, “The more colorful and healthy a food is, the more likely it will cause you to have a reaction. So my diet is all about lack of color.

But here’s the funny part. I’m extremely healthy. I take no supplements (most contain things I’m allergic to). My doctors do blood work and shake their heads in amazement when all the numbers fall within the normal parameters.

And something my friends shake their heads at? I watch the food channel on TV, a lot. I love being around food. When we go to a restaurant, I enjoy the aroma-rich air while I eat my baked potato, or steamed rice, and don't feel like I'm missing out on anything.

I think it’s a bit like watching sports. Most of us could never be Olympic athletes, but we sit in front of the television and lean into the wind with the ski jumpers.

I’d like to leave you today with some little tidbits I've learned over the last few years.

Did you know…

Ice cream often contains eggs?

Fruit juice may contain carrot juice.

Most packaged foods, like cookies, bread, frozen meals, and meal replacements contain SOY.

I just looked at a few cans in our pantry—the hubby doesn’t have to conform to my diet—and I found soy listed on the labels of chili con carne, vegetable beef soup, prime rib soup, vegetable soup, and mushroom soup. Soy’s also in the frozen French fries/chips, soda crackers, and of course, Teriyaki Sauce.

Many packaged foods contain corn in the form of cornstarch as a thickener.

In the US, the top eight foods most likely to cause an allergic reaction are: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy, and wheat.

Voices

Intrepid Women series, Book 4

Kickass women and the men who dare to love them.

She’s desperate to stop a killer…. 

Rachel Meyers has been on the run long enough—hiding from more than just death. But now the murders happening around her are forcing her to take a stand and the only person she can trust to help is the man she ran away from. Her husband.

He’s desperate to have his wife back….

Quinn Meyers has spent two years searching for Rachel. Now she’s back, scared and asking for help. But Quinn wants answers. Helping her is a given, he won’t say no, but he also won’t let her go again. Not without a fight.

Desperate love…

Quinn’s body still aches for Rachel, even though he’s guarded his heart since the day she left. Her continued secrecy is tearing apart any hope of saving their marriage. But more than love is at stake if Quinn and Rachel can’t find the killer.

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TRAVEL WITH SERENA--LINCOLN CITY WITH GUEST AUTHOR KATHRYN JANE

 Award winning author Kathryn Jane writes about the kind of women she’d like to hang out with—smart, self-reliant, think on their feet ladies who are just as happy eating a loaded hot dog at a ballgame as they are sipping champagne in the back of a limo. Today she joins us to talk about Lincoln City, one of her favorite places on earth. Learn more about Kathryn and her books at her website. 

Daring to Love, in Lincoln City

One of my all-time favorite places on earth is Lincoln City on the Oregon Coast.  I love it so much, I made it the setting for my latest book, Daring to Love.

Lincoln City is home to 7.5 miles of beaches, a broad range of accommodations, great food, fabulous shopping, and the friendliest laidback atmosphere you could ask for.

My very own hero and I love staying at the Nordic Oceanfront Inn. It’s simple, clean, reasonably priced, and every room has a fabulous ocean view.

We walk through the door and there it is—the Pacific—roaring at us through a broad expanse of glass. And best of all, the windows slide open so you can sit together at the little table, with the fireplace warming your toes, and feel and even taste the briny mist as it wafts up from the beach below.

 

Whether you’re an antique buff, a hound for knick-knacks, or interested in arts and crafts, you’ll find shops to intrigue you. And there’s an awesome outlet mall as well. Did I mention there’s no sales tax?

Food choices range from a major grocery store with an extensive deli, to pub fare, elegant dining, and of course over-the-top fish and chips.

What’s to do when you’re not eating, shopping or snuggling by the fire? Well, for starters, there’s the most fabulous beach you can imagine—for walking, running, kite-flying or just plunking down, leaning on each other and taking in the power and majesty of the great ocean waves.

From October through May (our favorite time of year to visit), glass floats are put on the beach each day (weather permitting) for someone to discover!

If you’re not lucky enough to find one of those gorgeous pieces of art, you can always attend a local teaching studio and make your own.

And if you need something to do after the sun goes down, there’s a great casino resort where you can play the night away or take in live entertainment and events.

So next time you want a romantic vacation—or a fabulous getaway alone, or with the girls—take a drive down the scenic Oregon Coast and… dance with magical ocean foam as it creeps up the beach toward you.

Daring to Love

Sparks and innuendos fly when two Etcetera agents with a sizzling romantic history and extra sensory gifts are forced to work together.

Liz has barely recovered from a soul destroying rescue mission when a child’s telepathic cry for help rocks her world. Having the ugliness of her past exposed, being obligated to work with a man she’s kicked to the curb, and discovering her scam-artist mother’s involvement in the case, are just a few of the complications slamming her up-side the head.

Galen is a man of many talents. His special method of interrogation could give them all the answers, but will drive the infuriating love of his life further away.

Liz and Galen will do whatever has to be done to find the missing child, but they both have their own agendas—which may or may not include daring to love.

The Intrepid Women Series is a collection of books about women who do. In gumboots or stilettos, astride a horse or an ATV, aboard jeeps, limos or helicopters, they do what needs to be done, like it or not. They’re survivors. And so are the men who dare to love them.

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