We are deep into the Holidays and as schools begin winter breaks travel and family take center stage. This is the exact moment that I click into the “I need to pause and simply prepare” stage. Do you ever feel that when you are over rushed and overwhelmed things get tough, mistakes happen or your family gets sick? I do! Here are a few quick suggestions for protecting your good health and happiness. Please share your own tips in the comments below, I bet you have a few little gems that we need to hear!
Restock and recheck rescue medications and information
Food Allergy Holiday Tools (Asthma too) that might keep us all a little sane and healthy!
- Rescue Medications. Recheck and restock your emergency rescue medications. Look for expired epinephrine injectors, worn out Emergency Action Plans, holes in carriers, we have experienced this one twice now from my active kids wearing down their carriers.
- Label it. When traveling or having house guests, label foods–even if you don’t normal label. Why? House guests may dip their butter knife in the butter and then in the jam–thus cross contaminating the jam with dairy. To avoid this, label items for your food allergy family members and guest and keep those separate if possible. These Trac-it-Light™ labels are darling.
- Nebulizer. Check and run your nebulizer to make sure it is in working order. Don’t forget to pack it if you travel.
- Asthma Medciations. If you are low on maintenance or rescue medications, fill those prescriptions and see your physician for an Asthma Action Plan too!
- Sleep. Protect your sleep! In my family, lack of sleep opens the door to asthma attacks!
- Just Say No. I can’t help but share my online Allergic Living article, “Food Allergies at the Holidays: 12 Ways to Just Say No”. Don’t comprise health and fun for the sake of being a team player. In reality, your team doesn’t want to see you or anyone else hurt, but they won’t know where the boundaries are unless you tell them–gracefuly and with kindess.
- Containers. Bring your own bright colored and well labeled containers with you to store safe foods. I do this when we travel so everyone knows to not dig in that food during a midnight snack attack. I will also do this at home if we have company.
- Replacements. I flat out tell my children that if they discover food is not safe or they don’t trust the restaurant or cook, I will stop anywhere to buy them safe food. This might mean a late drive through town, or purchasing an expensive steak, but I would rather be safe than sorry and budget elsewhere.
- Snack Safely List. I download the Safe Snack Guide and take it with me! It’s very helpful when I am not at home and am in a new grocery store.
- Sneak Away. If you are feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed, sneak away to a bedroom or bathroom for a few minutes to just breathe deep and pause. I call these mental health breaks. Sometimes, I sneak away to text a good friend to whine a moment. Then I re-collect myself, let go if I need to, and then venture back to have fun. If I think the situation is too much, then we gracefully bid farewell.
One of the hardest things I find about managing both life threatening food allergies and asthma is talking to others. I hate to be the one that might be perceived as demanding, pushing or for asking too much. What I now know, fourteen years later, is that honest, clear information presented with kindness works!..