For individuals who are looking for a whipped cream substitute for a dairy-free alternative, what are the options to choose from?
Whipped Cream Substitute
Individuals may want to use a whipping cream substitute if they have a dairy allergy, prefer a plant-based lifestyle, or are choosing low-fat foods. Whipping cream is made from milk and contains the same proteins found in milk and other dairy products that individuals with a dairy allergy may react to. However, heavy whipping and whipped cream contain small amounts of lactose and are safe for those with lactose intolerance. (University of Virginia, 2022) Because of this, individuals do not need to seek a whipping cream substitute if they are lactose intolerant. Fortunately, there are several dairy-free options and whipping cream alternatives.
Nutrition
The nutrition information for one tablespoon or 15 grams of light whipping cream. (USDA, FoodData Central, 2018)
Whipping and whipped cream are both high in calories due to their high fat content. Dairy fat and heart health have been issues; however, recent research suggests that dairy fat intake is associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk. (Trieu K. et al., 2021)
Substitutes
Coconut Milk
The nutritional value of coconut milk is similar to that of whipping cream. Coconut milk is a vegan and dairy-free alternative to whipped cream. It contains just the right amount of fat for whipping. To make perfect peaks with canned coconut milk, chill the can overnight and beat with a hand or stand mixer until soft and fluffy. Sifted powdered sugar and stevia make the best sweeteners because they will not weigh them down. The coconut milk adds coconut flavor. One tablespoon or 15 grams of coconut milk has 30 calories, 0.3 grams of protein, 3.2 grams of fat, and 0.4 grams of carbohydrates. (USDA, FoodData Central, 2018)
Silken Tofu Pureed with Soy Milk
Another vegan and dairy-free whipping cream substitute is made with silken tofu, soy milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. Because tofu is high in protein and low fat, this alternative is lower in fat than dairy whipping cream but is higher in carbohydrates. To make:
Combine 1 pound of silken tofu, one tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 1/4 cup of sugar in a blender or food processor until smooth.
While the machine is running, gradually add the soy milk until it becomes light and fluffy.
Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Powdered Milk, Vanilla Extract, and Lemon Juice
Combine 1/2 cup cold water, two tablespoons lemon juice, and one teaspoon vanilla extract in a large bowl.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup non-fat powdered milk over the water and beat with an electric mixer or beater for 4 minutes or until stiff.
Then beat in 1/4 cup granulated sugar until it dissolves and the mixture is smooth.
Chill for at least 30 minutes before using.
Powdered milk is dairy, so it is not ideal for plant-based diets or people with dairy allergies.
Evaporated Milk and Lemon Juice
Combine a can of chilled evaporated milk with one teaspoon of lemon juice.
Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
Egg Whites, Sugar, and Bananas
Whip two large ripe bananas with two egg whites and three teaspoons of sugar until fluffy.
Be careful not to overbeat.
Flour, Cornstarch, and Milk
A low-fat, low-carb cream. To make:
One cup of almond, rice, low-fat or nonfat dairy milk, and two tablespoons of cornstarch.
Combine with a whisk.
Continue whisking and add one tablespoon of flour until the mixture is smooth.
This preparation is a solid whipping cream substitute for a thickener in recipes.
You may have to experiment to find what works for the recipe and taste, but here are a few options.
Injury Medical Chiropractic and Functional Medicine Clinic
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Chiropractic and Integrative Healthcare
References
University of Virginia. (2022). Lactose Content of Common Dairy Foods. https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2022/04/Lactose_Content_of_Common_Foods-4-2022.pdf
Trieu, K., Bhat, S., Dai, Z., Leander, K., Gigante, B., Qian, F., Korat, A. V. A., Sun, Q., Pan, X. F., Laguzzi, F., Cederholm, T., de Faire, U., Hellénius, M. L., Wu, J. H. Y., Risérus, U., & Marklund, M. (2021). Biomarkers of dairy fat intake, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality: A cohort study, systematic review, and meta-analysis. PLoS medicine, 18(9), e1003763. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1003763
USDA, FoodData Central. (2018). Nuts, coconut milk, canned (liquid expressed from grated meat and water). Retrieved from https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170172/nutrients
Can using egg substitutes or replacements be safe for individuals with an egg allergy?
Substitutes and Replacements
Individuals should not assume either is safe unless they carefully read the label.
Egg substitutes may contain eggs.
Egg replacement products may be egg-free.
Look for alternatives labeled vegan or egg-free to ensure there are none.
Substitutes May Contain Eggs
Liquid egg substitutes in grocery store dairy aisles are made from eggs. The following all contain eggs and are not safe for individuals with egg allergies:
Generic liquid egg substitutes in cartons
Egg Beaters
Powdered egg white products
Replacements Are Safe Alternatives
Special replacement products that do not contain eggs are available.
They are labeled vegan egg substitutes.
They are usually sold in powdered form.
They are useful for baking.
They cannot be used as a replacement for eggs in foods like a quiche.
Always check the ingredients on the label before purchasing a product sold as a substitute or replacement to ensure it is completely free.
These products may also contain soy, dairy, or other food allergens.
Vegan – contains no animal products, which includes eggs and dairy.
Vegetarian – may contain eggs as they are not meat but an animal product.
Unaware of Foods With Eggs
Stay aware of eggs hidden in other food products, such as cakes, breads, pastries, noodles, crackers, and cereals.
The federal Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act requires that all packaged food products that contain eggs as an ingredient must list the word egg on the label. (U.S. Food & Drug Administration. 2022)
Other ingredients that indicate eggs are in the product include:
Angioedema – swelling of the lips, tongue, or face.
Airway symptoms – wheezing, coughing, or a runny nose.
Gastrointestinal symptoms – nausea, stomach pain, diarrhea or vomiting.
Severe reactions – such as anaphylaxis, can cause multiple organ system failure.
Anaphylaxis is an emergency and requires immediate medical treatment.
A Guide For Food Allergies, Hypersensitivity and Intolerances
References
U.S. Food & Drug Administration. (2022). Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA). Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/food-allergensgluten-free-guidance-documents-regulatory-information/food-allergen-labeling-and-consumer-protection-act-2004-falcpa
Tan, J. W., & Joshi, P. (2014). Egg allergy: an update. Journal of paediatrics and child health, 50(1), 11–15. https://doi.org/10.1111/jpc.12408
For individuals with peanut allergies, can finding a peanut alternative be as satisfying as a real creamy or crunchy peanut butter sandwich?
Peanut Butter Sandwich Alternatives
For individuals who are unable to have a peanut butter sandwich due to an allergy, there are healthy satisfying alternatives. Tree nut butter, seed butter, and deli meats can all satisfy sandwich cravings and provide nutrition. Here are a few healthy, nutritious alternatives to try out:
Sunflower Seed Butter and Jam, Jelly, or Preserves
It can be substituted for a PBJ with jam, jelly, and preserves.
Ham and Cheese, Grainy Mustard on Rye Bread
Getting ham and cheese from the deli can potentially have cross-contamination with allergens during slicing and packaging.
Prepackaged and sliced ham and cheese is a safer bet in terms of allergens.
It is recommended to read the ingredient label for potential allergens, as processing in facilities can have cross-contamination issues. (William J. Sheehan, et al., 2018)
Turkey, Tomato, Lettuce, and Hummus on Whole Grain Bread
The same is true for turkey and is recommended to buy prepackaged and sliced.
Check the ingredients for possible allergens.
Hummus is made from chickpeas/garbanzo beans and tahini/ground sesame seeds.
Hummus comes in a variety of flavors that can be used as a dip or spread.
Although chick peas’ are a member of the legume family, hummus can be tolerated with peanut allergies. (Mathias Cousin, et al., 2017)
Check with a healthcare provider if unsure.
Pita Pocket with Salad and Hummus
Pita pockets are great with hummus stuffed with vegetables.
This is a delicious crunchy pocket sandwich loaded with protein, fiber vitamins, and minerals.
Cashew butter on a hot English muffin with raisins on top for a boost of iron is reminiscent of a cinnamon roll.
Pumpkin Seed Butter and Honey Sandwich
Pumpkin butter is made from the orange flesh of the pumpkin.
Pumpkin seed butter is made by roasting pumpkin seeds and grinding them to a butter consistency.
The seed butter can be spread on bread and drizzled with some honey on top for a nutritious and delicious snack.
There are tasty healthy peanut butter alternatives that can be mixed, matched, and reinvented into various satisfying sandwiches. Individuals are recommended to consult their healthcare provider or a dietician or nutritionist to find what works for them.
Smart Choices, Better Health
References
Lavine, E., & Ben-Shoshan, M. (2015). Allergy to sunflower seed and sunflower butter as a proposed vehicle for sensitization. Allergy, asthma, and clinical immunology: Official Journal of the Canadian Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 11(1), 2. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13223-014-0065-6
U.S. Department of Agriculture: FoodData Central. Seeds, sunflower seed butter, with salt added (Includes foods for USDA’s Food Distribution Program).
Sheehan, W. J., Taylor, S. L., Phipatanakul, W., & Brough, H. A. (2018). Environmental Food Exposure: What Is the Risk of Clinical Reactivity From Cross-Contact and What Is the Risk of Sensitization. The journal of allergy and clinical immunology. In practice, 6(6), 1825–1832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaip.2018.08.001
Gorrepati, K., Balasubramanian, S., & Chandra, P. (2015). Plant-based butters. Journal of food science and technology, 52(7), 3965–3976. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-014-1572-7
Cousin, M., Verdun, S., Seynave, M., Vilain, A. C., Lansiaux, A., Decoster, A., & Sauvage, C. (2017). Phenotypical characterization of peanut-allergic children with differences in cross-allergy to tree nuts and other legumes. Pediatric allergy and immunology: Official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, 28(3), 245–250. https://doi.org/10.1111/pai.12698
Almond Board of California. Nutrient comparison chart for tree nuts.
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Everything you need to know about a tree nut allergy.
Self-care for secondary type headaches. Different types of headaches range from mild to excruciating, and the frequency of occurrence also varies from person to person. Headaches are classified into three types that are primary, secondary, and nerve pain headaches. Primary are tension, migraine, and cluster headaches. Nerve pain headaches are also called cranial neuralgia headaches. This is when one or more cranial nerves that run down the neck from the brain become inflamed, causing pain and discomfort. Secondary headaches are a symptom of a bodily reaction or an injury. These types of headaches can be caused by:
Sinus problems
Allergies
Physical exertion
Dehydration
Caffeine
Hormones
Medications
Alcohol consumption
Concussion
Trauma
Sinus Headaches
These can be caused by a sinus infection. If pain presents in the upper teeth, a fever, and yellow or green nasal discharge, this could mean an infection. A doctor can help with some antibiotics. For individuals that regularly get sinus headaches from changes in air pressure or other causes, here are a few self-care techniques:
Hot Shower
Steam can help drain the sinuses. Take a hot shower or hold your head over a pot of steaming water.
Nasal Irrigation and Neti Pots
This ancient remedy comes from India. The concept is simple; the teapot has a long spout that goes inside one nostril. The water/saline solution will go through the sinuses and come out the other nostril draining the nose and relieving the pressure.
Hot and Cold Compresses
Individuals can find relief by alternating between hot and cold compresses placed on the forehead. This reduces swelling and allows the sinuses to drain.
Eucalyptus Oil
This powerful oil from Eucalyptus leaves helps clear up sinuses. It can be done by smelling a few drops placed on a cloth for 10 minutes or placing a drop or two in hot water and breathe in the steam.
Allergy Headaches
Allergies are a common cause of headaches. Self-care can include:
Nitrates and Nitrites Avoidance
These are common food preservatives in processed types of meat like bacon, hot dogs, and sausages. It is a preservative, but many individuals can have an allergic reaction that causes headaches instead of hives.
Avoid Powerful Smells and Odors
This can be difficult with all the smells wafting around but try to pay attention to the surrounding smells as any could cause an allergic reaction. Strong odors can include:
Cleaning products
Nail polish
Perfume
Hair spray
Paint
Cigarette smoke
Elimination Diet
Food allergies often result in digestive problems, hives, and swollen airways but can also cause headaches. Even individuals that are not allergic to the food itself could be sensitive to other items like artificial colors or preservatives. The most common food items that cause headaches include:
Cheese
Chocolate
Citrus fruit
Coffee
Alcohol
Consulting with a health coach and/or nutritionist can help to create a customized meal plan.
Exertion Headaches
Exertion headaches can be produced by physical activity/exercise or strain. They usually begin with throbbing pain on both sides of the head and cause a red face or complexion. They can be caused by:
Prolonged physical activities, exercise.
Strenuous activity at work lifting objects or weights.
Self-care for stopping an exertion headache includes:
Cooling Down
An exertion headache is the body’s way of saying that it has overextended its ability.
Drinking some cool water
Take a break for 20-30 minutes.
Avoid Headache Triggers
Try to stay aware when these headaches present and pay attention to see if there is a trigger.
This can be caused by dehydration
Not enough sleep.
Chiropractic and Physical Therapy
These types of headaches can also be caused by incorrect posture when working or exercising.
Lifting heavy weights or running with the head too far forward or back limits blood flow, causing muscle tension.
A chiropractor adjusts the spine and whole-body
Educate on core strengthening exercises and proper form.
Caffeine Headache
Caffeine narrows the blood vessels that surround the brain. When an individual stops consumption, the blood vessels enlarge. This causes an increase in blood flow and pressures on the brain’s surrounding nerves. This can trigger a caffeine withdrawal headache. Self-care includes:
Peppermint or Lavender Oil
Massaging a drop of oil into the temples can open up the blood vessels and relieve the pressure.
Ice Packs
Applying an ice pack to the back of the neck can stop a caffeine headache.
Taking a Nap
Lying down and taking a nap for 30-60 minutes can help bring relief.
Alternate decaf coffee with regular coffee.
Hormone Headache
Estrogen levels can affect various areas of a woman’s body, including headaches. Headaches experienced just before or in the first days of a menstrual cycle are known as menstrual migraines. Headaches that start when ovulating are called hormone headaches. Self-care can include:
Yoga
Practicing yoga can help prevent headaches from occurring.
Sleep
7-9 hours of sleep are recommended every night to allow the body to flush out old hormones and create new ones.
This can help prevent a hormone overload.
Massage
Stress leads to headaches.
Massage therapy is highly recommended to reduce stress and keep the body loose and relaxed.
Changing Birth Control Pills
Certain types of birth control pills can have more side effects than others, including headaches.
Ask a doctor about switching to another type to see if it helps.
Body Composition
Master Cleanse Diet
The Master Cleanse Diet is a prescriptive program that focuses on a specific food or drink regimen. This diet is intended to last around two weeks and relies on:
Bryans, Roland et al. “Evidence-based guidelines for the chiropractic treatment of adults with headache.” Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics vol. 34,5 (2011): 274-89. doi:10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.04.008
Chaibi, Aleksander, and Michael Bjørn Russell. “Manual therapies for primary chronic headaches: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials.” The journal of headache and pain vol. 15,1 67. 2 Oct. 2014, doi:10.1186/1129-2377-15-67
Green, Mark W. “Secondary headaches.” Continuum (Minneapolis, Minn.) vol. 18,4 (2012): 783-95. doi:10.1212/01.CON.0000418642.53146.17
Allergy Sufferers!�As winter gives way to spring, seasonal allergies can really get you down. Whether you get a few sniffles and some sneezing or you are down for the count with every terrible allergy symptom known to man, it can make spring pretty unbearable.
There is no shortage of allergy medications on the market, but they come with their own issues. The majority of them cause drowsiness and other unpleasant side effects, leaving you barely able to function. Those that are made from a �non drowsy� formula sound great, but if you have certain health conditions, like high blood pressure, you are out of luck � and stuck either taking the ones that make you sleep sucking it up and dealing with your allergies sans medication.
That�s no way to live.
What Are Allergies?
When your immune produces histamines in response to an allergen that you encounter the physiological reaction that you experience is broadly referred to as allergies or hay fever. The allergens may be simple substances that normally do not affect people, but when your body is out of balance, it can cause a variety of problems.
Symptoms of allergies include:
Runny nose
Stuffy nose
Headache
Sneezing
Itchy eyes
Coughing or scratchy throat
Skin Rash or Hives
Swelling
Diarrhea
Nausea
Fatigue
Anaphylaxis, severe, life threatening allergies can include swelling of the airways, tongue, and throat, inability to breathe due to blocked airway, and other dangerous symptoms.
The allergens can be something you come in contact with, like poison ivy, something you breathe in, like mold or dust, or it can be something you ingest, like strawberries or peanuts. Different people will have different allergies, but those who are allergic to the same things may not have the same reaction. Often a doctor or allergist will diagnose your allergies.
Chiropractic Care For Allergy Sufferers
Chiropractic treatments have been found to be very effective for relieving allergy symptoms and even stopping allergies at their source. It reduces the severity of allergy symptoms as well as the frequency of occurrence. It does not work like allergy medications which have an anti-histamine effect and only work as a short term fix for your allergy symptoms.
Chiropractic treatments help your body become more balanced so that it is better equipped for combating allergies at the source. When your spine is not aligned it can impact your nervous system leading to a variety of problems � including allergies. Your immune system can be affected, causing it to malfunction.
A chiropractor can help relieve the stress on your nervous system by aligning your spine. This takes the pressure off of nerves, allowing your immune system to function at a more optimal level. This makes it easier for your body to ward off infections while recognizing allergens as harmless.
When your immune system encounters allergens it doesn�t overreact to them. Instead, the reaction is much more subdued, or even nonexistent. Chiropractic has also been found to help asthma patients breathe easier. Asthma symptoms are diminished.
Chiropractic care is more than just spinal manipulation, though. It promotes whole body wellness. Patients are taught exercise, stress relief, and nutrition so that the entire system is treated. The whole body treatment plan for chiropractic patients will help you be allergy free in a short time.
It is important to follow your chiropractic plan thoroughly and consistently. Get plenty of rest and take time to destress. The more you can relax and take care of yourself, the healthier you will be overall. Chiropractic care can help so many health conditions; it can actually make you healthier. Allergy sufferers or if you are struggling with allergies for the first time, give chiropractic care a try you just might be surprised.
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Chiropractic Care For Allergy Sufferers
