kew gardens

[matt]

completely off topic website wise.

went to kew yesterday with daughter. loads of fun lovely day out and the new kids zone is great fun for them. mine's six and i think it would amuse most kids up to 10 or so.

i'm biased as am a member and go up regularly just to have walk around. must need my head examined. travel all that way just to walk around some plants!

can't say they are great regarding dairy free food but it is lovely for picnics so taking your own stuff not a problem then enjoy the views sat on blanket eating whatever.

right hope everyone else had a good weekend and enjoyed the sunshine.

[Pam]

I sent my eldest off to camp on Saturday and then watched the black clouds gather and the rain arrive - poor kid. The weather got a bit better later on yesterday and seems bright today so hopefully they will still get lots of activities done.

I didn't get to the allotment with the bad weather so no gooseberries/rhubarb this weekend - I had a mass baking session last week which didn't do the diet any good.

So not a very productive weekend on my part and it's back to work today. I also spoke too soon, there are some very black clouds in the sky now.

I got a phone call last night asking me if I was prepared to be interviewed for a Channel 4 programme on Allergies but I declined. I'm far too shy to appear on TV with my Yorkshire accent and as my daughter has only an intolerance to milk I'm sure there are other people who fit the bill much better. I can't bear to watch myself on a video camera never mind on TV in front of millions of viewers. The programme will be worth watching out for though.

[matt]

you should have done the program. be good to have a sensible person take part in that sort of thing as they often get hijacked by either the terminally stupid or by the all in the mind brigade. both making us look like cranks.

no way could i do it though, i'm seriously underweight and look dreadfull hence don't want any photos let alone tv coverage. how did they come to ask you? just random or do you know someone? when is it likely to be on tv?

weather meant to be getting good again for a couple of days, but we'll see. the forecasts not been too accurate recently.

[Pam]

Michelle Berriedale-Johnson (allergy food author, I think she also set up D&D chocolates but later sold it on) runs Foods Matter magazine to which I subscribe and apparently I ticked the box to say that I would be prepared to do interviews about allergies when I first subscribed. Someone from Channel 4 must have contacted Michelle as she is an expert on food allergies and she was ringing round to find volunteers.

Although I enjoy watching some of the channel 4 programmes I find that they make the individual look a bit stupid in most cases, eg Wife Swap, Supernanny, Property Ladder etc. The public are always show in a bad light - won't listen to advice, all the bad bits shown etc. I also don't think we are a very good example of allergy as my daughter has an intolerance which hasn't been properly challenged for years (maybe she no longer has it?). There are lots of more appropriate cases that should be featured. I'd be happy to do a magazine interview but not for tv.

[matt]

i see where you're coming from. i suppose it depends on whether it's a documentary or like you said something like you are what you eat. these programs amusing to watch sometimes but don't offer balanced view as that's not what the viewing public want. and they let the viewing public vote in elections!

i wouldn't worry about not challenging the allergy. if it isn't broke why fix it? it's not like dairy produce is vital to our health afterall. all the vits etc can be got elsewhere.

so that magazine any good? worth the subscription, or can we see some of it online?

[Pam]

I've subscribed to Foods Matter for about three years now, it used to be called The Inside Story. I think it would be more beneficial to someone like yourself who has multiple allergies, but some of it is still interesting reading. I like the new product reviews and tast testings best, but there are also articles about allergies, research, medical opinion, recipes and people's own stories. You don't get a lot of magazine for the subscription price (about £30 per year), it alternates between one glossy and one paper version, delivered by post monthly. I think you can have a money back trial on the subscription and you get loads of other information when you first join too eg. help on finding allergy specialists, support groups etc. See http://www.foodsmatter.com/

Another magazine that might be worth subscribing to is "A" by Allergy UK, which is about £19 for the year for a bi-monthly glossy magazine. I was sent two trial copies when it first came out. A bit thicker than Foods Matter but only half as many issues, it contains lots of articles but also covers eczema and asthmas type reactions as well as food allergies, it also contains a lot more advertising but I read a lot more of it than the other one. http://www.allergyfoundation.com/

[matt]

thanks for those links. i may well use them and see what the magazines like. i try to not spend too much time analysing what i eat as i'll only cut something else from my already restricted diet! then doctor and dieticien just say it's because i don't eat properly that i have problems not the other way around.

meant to be a hot one today! hurrah i'll have to put on some shorts and scare the locals. can't be nice seeing a skeleton walking around wearing a tshirt and shorts.
have a nice day everyone

[Sam]

Yeah Kew is lovely!