Don't Feed the Fear: Allergy Anxiety & Trauma

#85 How Sublingual Immunotherapy Can Increase Safety and Freedom, With Dr. Allison Freeman

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/fan_mail/new] All allergy families are familiar with strict avoidance and emergency preparedness, and some have heard of oral immunotherapy (OIT). But fewer know about sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) and how it may fit into a long term treatment plan. In this episode, I sit down with allergist Dr. Allison Freeman to explore what SLIT is, how it works, and when it may be a good option for both environmental and food allergies. Dr. Freeman is a board certified allergist and immunologist practicing in Richmond, Virginia. She has extensive experience helping patients pursue personalized immunotherapy strategies. This conversation is also personal for me. Dr. Freeman was one of the physicians who helped my own child reach maintenance with SLIT for multiple allergens. She also helped us transition from expensive compounded extract drops to a whole food SLIT protocol, saving our family a significant amount of money while continuing treatment safely. In this episode we discuss: • What SLIT is and how it works  • How SLIT compares to OIT and other immunotherapy options  • The potential role of SLIT for food allergies and environmental allergies  • How SLIT can be used as a standalone treatment or in combination with other approaches If you are curious about options beyond avoidance, this episode offers a thoughtful introduction to a treatment approach that is still underutilized but increasingly promising. Connect with Dr. Freeman: https://www.chrichmond.org/services/allergy-and-immunology/ From Fear to Freedom: A Workbook for Navigating Allergy Immunotherapy https://a.co/d/003saZ8p Congressional School - Explorers Wanted [https://www.congressionalschool.org/] An co-ed independent school in Falls Church, Virginia Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

#84 Demystifying EoE with Dr. Christopher Parrish

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/fan_mail/new] In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Christopher Parrish, a triple board-certified allergist and immunologist who leads Latitude Food Allergy Care’s Orange County clinic and has been involved in groundbreaking clinical research in both food allergy and EoE. Dr. Parrish previously served as faculty at UT Southwestern Medical Center and helped lead a multidisciplinary program dedicated to eosinophilic gastrointestinal diseases. His work has contributed to clinical trials that ultimately led to the first FDA-approved therapies for food allergy and EoE. In our conversation, Dr. Parrish explains: * What EoE actually is * Why it comes up so often in conversations about immunotherapy * What families and patients often misunderstand about the condition * How EoE is diagnosed and treated * How patients and clinicians think through these risks when considering immunotherapy This episode is designed to help patients, parents, and clinicians better understand the science and the decision-making around EoE and food allergy treatment. Dr. Christopher Parrish, Latitude: https://latitudefoodallergycare.com/about-us/team/clinical/christopher-parrish From Fear to Freedom: A Workbook for Navigating Allergy Immunotherapy https://a.co/d/003saZ8p Congressional School - Explorers Wanted [https://www.congressionalschool.org/] An co-ed independent school in Falls Church, Virginia Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

#83 Could Research Shift the Way You Feel About Food Allergy Treatments?

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/fan_mail/new] Food allergy research is constantly evolving, but what do these studies actually mean for families making treatment decisions? In this episode of Don't Feed the Fear, I welcome Dr. Lianne Soller Allergy Research Manager at BC Children's Hospital in Canada to help us make sense of the evidence behind food allergy immunotherapy and where the field is headed. Together, we explore some of Dr. Soller and her team's most important research findings, including what we've learned about treatment outcomes, quality of life, safety, and factors that may influence success. Rather than focusing on headlines or individual studies in isolation, this conversation highlights why becoming curious about food allergy research can help families feel more informed and confident as they navigate treatment decisions. Dr. Soller also shares insights into how research questions are developed, why evidence continues to evolve, and how families can thoughtfully interpret new findings without becoming overwhelmed. Research helps us ask better questions, but every family's decision is still deeply personal. My hope is that this conversation helps you see the value of research-informed decisions. Canadian Food Allergy Immunotherapy Foundation (FAIT): https://www.bcchildrens.ca/clinics-services/allergy BC Children's Hospital Allergy: https://www.canadianfaitfoundation.org/ My new book From Fear to Freedom: https://a.co/d/0f41FxsM Congressional School - Explorers Wanted [https://www.congressionalschool.org/] An co-ed independent school in Falls Church, Virginia Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

#82 When "Not Right Now" is Right For Now with Ina Chung

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/fan_mail/new] Every family approaches food allergy treatment differently, and that's exactly as it should be. In this episode, psychologist and food allergy mom I sit down with Ina Chung, creator of @TheAsianAllergyMom to discuss one of the most overlooked aspects of treatment decisions: giving yourself permission to choose the path that aligns with your family's goals, values, and season of life. Together we discuss: *  Why more treatment options can sometimes create more pressure  *  Raising confident, thoughtful children with food allergies  *  Helping kids become part of the decision-making process  *  The importance of knowing your family's goals before choosing a treatment  *  Why "not right now" can be a thoughtful decision  *  Building confidence instead of comparison  You can follow Ina on Instagram @theasianallergymom The Asian Allergy Mom [https://www.theasianallergymom.com/] My new book, From Fear to Freedom: A Workbook for Navigating Allergy Immunotherapy is available here: https://a.co/d/051hmpku Congressional School - Explorers Wanted [https://www.congressionalschool.org/] An co-ed independent school in Falls Church, Virginia Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com

#81 Mindset and Mental Health in OIT with Prof. Adam Fox

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2371319/fan_mail/new] In this episode, UK allergist Prof. Adam Fox joins us to explore the emotional and psychosocial layers of oral immunotherapy. Dr. Fox shares how he approaches difficult conversations with honesty and compassion, including addressing guilt about management decisions and understanding risk and side effects during treatment.  Dr. Fox gives us important insights and emotional validation regarding the connection between stress and allergic reactions, including how the brain, gut, and immune system interact during treatment. This conversation expands the discussion beyond protocols and data and into the lived emotional experience of navigating food allergy treatment. Episode Links: -Follow Prof. Adam Fox @dradamfox and @london_allergy -https://www.allergylondon.com/team/professor-adam-fox/ -LEAP Study: https://www.leapstudy.co.uk/index.html -Mindset in Food Allergy paper: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41070771/ From Fear to Freedom: A Workbook for Navigating Allergy Immunotherapy https://a.co/d/003saZ8p Congressional School - Explorers Wanted [https://www.congressionalschool.org/] An co-ed independent school in Falls Church, Virginia Special thanks to Kyle Dine for permission to use his song The Doghouse for the podcast theme! www.kyledine.com Find Dr. Whitehouse: -thefoodallergypsychologist.com -Instagram: @thefoodallergypsychologist -Facebook: Dr. Amanda Whitehouse, Food Allergy Anxiety Psychologist -welcome@dramandawhitehouse.com