Lunch and Learn to Kick Off Safety Month
(Employee Engagement)
Food Allergy Awareness
Dianna Cable Meehan
March 27, 2013
What Foods Cause Food Allergies
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Although an individual could be allergic to any food, the following eight foods account for 90% of all food allergic
reactions
Peanut
Fish
Shell Fish
Milk
Tree Nut
Soy
Peanut Allergies
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Even small traces of peanuts can cause deadly reactions in people with
severe peanut allergies. Constriction of the airways, a drop in blood
pressure, a racing heart and dizziness are signs of anaphylaxis, which
requires an emergency injection of epinephrine.
Fish
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Bony fish like cod, haddock, halibut, mackerel, trout and salmon can trigger
rashes, hives, digestive symptoms and anaphylaxis in people with fish
allergies. Some people can tolerate certain kinds of fish and not others.
Shellfish
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Allergic reactions to shellfish like shrimp, crab, lobster and squid can range
from hives and nasal congestion to anaphylaxis. Antihistamines can quell
the more mild symptoms, but people with severe allergies should carry an
epinephrine injector at all times.
Milk
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Milk Allergies can cause wheezing, hives, vomiting, diarrhea and
anaphylaxis, a life-threatening reaction. The only way to present milk
allergy symptoms is to avoid milk and replace it with another good source
of calcium.
Tree nuts
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Tree nuts like walnuts, pecans, cashews and pistachios can also cause
anaphylaxis in people with allergies. Some people can tolerate certain nuts
but, are sometimes advised to avoid all nuts just in case.
Soy
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Soy allergies can cause hives and in rare cases, life-threatening
anaphylaxis. Most children grow out of soy allergies, but some have to
avoid the bean for life.
Eggs
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Egg allergies can trigger hives, nasal inflammation, vomiting and, in severe
cases, anaphylaxis. Some people can tolerate eggs when cooked into
foods like cookies, but others have to avoid them all together.
Wheat
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Wheat and it’s gluten-like protien can cause itchiness and swelling of the
mouth, throat and skin as well as gastrointestinal symptoms like nausea,
cramping and diarrhea in people with allergies. Severe wheat allergies can
trigger anaphylaxis. The best treatment is to avoid exposure, a tall order
for such a common ingredient.
If a Reaction Occurs
How to react in the event of an allergic emergency is equally important.
– If a visitor notifies someone that he or she is having an allergic reaction, the
person notified should immediately call emergency medical services and
summon medical help.
– You should not delay medical treatment by waiting to see if it “passes.”
– If a guest is experiencing an allergic reaction, do not have that person stand.
Some cases of fatal anaphylaxis have occurred after raising to an upright
position. If a guest is experiencing an allergic reaction, keep that person where
they are and do not raise them to an upright position.
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Presentation Development Tips
• Capitalization and Punctuation
– For Sentences, Capitalize Only the First Word
– For Short Phrases or Lists, Capitalize All
– Be Consistent Throughout the Presentation
– Periods are Not Needed with Bullets
• Avoid Text or Graphic Overload
– Rule of Thumb
• Limit Words per Line
• Limit Lines per Page – Use this page as an example
– Keep Text Crisp, Concise
– Let Presenter Provide Elaboration
– Use Handouts for Detailed Information
– Graphics Must Support Message
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Images and Charts
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150
200
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2005 2006 2007 2008
Gas Distribution
NGT&S
NIPSCO
• Compress images for easier document sharing and reduced file
size
• Use the NiSource brand guide for color suggestions for charts,
including suggestions to represent business units and colors to
use when showing two data series
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