@ www theotherpress.ca have guests over for dinner because both my brother and mother also have food sensitivities. When we do have people over, however, I have to constantly watch them in case they accidentally cross-contaminate the food. Even the tiniest speck, one so small you’d need a microscope to see it, can send me to the hospital, depending on what it is. This is because the cells in my body see it as foreign matter and try to dispose of it. Unfortunately, that can do serious damage to the body. Fortunately for me, coming into contact with the foods I have problems with doesn’t send me into anaphylactic shock, because mine is an intolerance, not an allergy. I just feel like nails are going through my digestive tract. That means it would take a whole lot of eating something I have an intolerance to before I will die, but for those who would go into anaphylactic shock, death is a possibility every time they come into contact with what they are allergic to. So what’s up with this? Why do our bodies attack the very thing we need to survive? In my case, it is because a certain type cookbooks are being published. Some of the best ones my family has found include 1,000 Gluten-Free Recipes by Carol Fenster, a giant book for those who can’t have gluten; and Cooking Free, also by Carol Fenster, which has recipes that are free of wheat, eggs, dairy, and sugar. For those who Life&Style allergies. For example, did you know an egg can be replaced with one tablespoon of ground flax seed simmered in three tablespoons of water? Now you do! Having food sensitivities, intolerances, and allergies means saying no to certain items, but it doesn’t mean you have to miss out on what they touch and ‘contaminate’ with the food residue ¢ ¢ ..people without food allergies dont tend to think about on their fingers. of white blood cell has instructions that tell it the foods are enemies. It is also similar for true food allergies, but in this case, certain proteins that are resistant to digestion are “tagged” by the Immunoglobulin E, making the immune system think it is harmful. Luckily for us that can’t eat certain foods, more and more varied can’t have corn—which is in almost everything— there’s a blog, Corn-Free Foods (& Products) List (corn-freefoods.blogspot. ca), dedicated to telling you what brands are corn-free and which aren't. Those are only a few resources; there are many more books and websites with recipes and cooking tips for people with food intolerances, sensitivities, and Opinions. Two-tier travesty? BC should re-evaluate current healthcare laws By Natalie Serafini, Opinions Editor As Canadians, we’re supposed to be treated equally in relation to important matters like healthcare. But are we, and is that even ideal? Dr. Brian Day, who runs Cambie Surgeries Corp. and the Specialist Referral Clinic, has prompted a relaunch of the two-tier healthcare debate by charging patients for services covered by provincial healthcare. A two-tier system is one where citizens pay for their own healthcare. They can directly pay the doctor or medical institution, or invest in insurance. The good? Receiving quicker, better treatment. The bad? Few people, apart from the rich, have a couple thousand dollars sitting by ready for unexpected surgery. An audit found that Dr. Day’s clinics were illegally billing patients. Because of an everything delicious. Here is a great oatmeal cookie recipe that I use that is wheat, dairy, corn, and egg free: Ingredients: - 1/2 cup brown sugar - 1 cup oat flour* - Landa 1/4 cup oats, rolled* - 1/2 cup chocolate chips (mine are a special brand, but you can use any medium you want, like injunction to stop him, Dr. Day is challenging the province’s healthcare laws in court. He argues that by charging patients, he helps to unburden the health care system. Otherwise, some people spend months ona waiting list for services that he can easily provide for a fee. One of Day’s more persuasive raisins or nuts) - 1/3 cup canola oil (canola oil is the only type I can use, but any type will do) - 1/2 tsp baking soda (gluten-free brand) - 1/4 tsp sea salt (table salt has iodine, which contains corn) - 1/2 banana (this helps bind the cookies since it’s ege-free) Directions: Mash the banana. Mix remaining ingredients thoroughly until batter is even. Drop batter by teaspoon full onto greased baking sheets, allowing space for drops to expand. Bake at 375 F for eight to 10 minutes, or until golden. Let cool five minutes on baking sheet before carefully transferring to wire racks. “Note: A good gluten-free brand is Lara’s Oats and Lara’s Oat Flour. examples, reported by The Province’s Michael Smyth, relates to performing surgery on 79-year-old Erma Krahn. Krahn has lung cancer, and was on an 18-month waiting list for knee surgery. Day states that “she injured her knee, and all she wants to do is enjoy the quality of life she has remaining. She wants to 15