Toothpaste and Contact Solution

TOOTHPASTE

We have been looking for corn free products. It's quite difficult. Tom's of Maine clearly explains on the package of some of their products where each ingredient is derived from. One has to be very careful though reading labels because not all of the toothpastes have even the same basic ingredients. I did NOT call or contact this company. We purchased this product solely based on label reading and product transparency. I think the taste of this product is comparable or better than the leading brands. It also seems to leave ones breath fresh and clean comparable or better than the leading brands.



CONTACT SOLUTION
Contact solution is a much bigger deal. You stick the product in your eye which is an entry point for germs and infection. So sticking corn in one's eye when one is allergic can be quite traumatic. Toothpaste can be absorbed through the gums while brushing but it's not actually consumed, it is spit into the sink and one typically rinses their mouth with water after brushing. Not so with contact solution. One loads up the lens with it and plants it in their eye for the day. I called the 1-800 number on the box while standing in Target. The representative I reached was very kind and said that while she didn't have the information she would take my number and return my call. After about 4 days of no response I had given up on hearing from Bausch & Lomb about Bio true. She called Tuesday morning and left a detailed message saying that she had confirmation from: the product manager, one of the Doctors on the product and a chemist on the product that there was NO corn used in the making of this contact lens solution. Yea for David!! I wasn't even upset about paying full price. (I'm obsessive about getting the best deals and coupon clipping and bargain hunting.) If one fills out the survey HERE - one can get a $2 coupon to try this product. There is supposed to be a travel size (2oz) but I have not yet found anything other than the size pictured. NOTE: This solution is for soft contact products. David wears soft contacts so he can use this product. I wear rigid gas permeable and this product is NOT recommended for hard contact lenses.... although I think I might just be the only one left wearing hard contacts....



DISCLOSURE: I paid with our hard earned money, full price for both of the items. There was no compensation from either company, I am just really happy about finding corn free products I don't have to make myself. I have however, since printed an online coupon for Bio true that I found on my own time and of my own volition.

plaCes t O Read iNgredients

I checked a book out of the library that was all about purchasing organic foods. The bottom line was that home cooking from scratch was the best way to avoid additives and preservatives.... Well of course but for those of us with a corn allergy even home cooking from scratch can cause allergic reactions.

This means I'm the one parked in a corner at the grocery store carefully reading all the labels before anything gets placed in my cart. Organic does not = corn free. 100% organic means that in the labeling not much can be hidden under the ambiguous "spices" or "natural flavors". Corn is ubiquitous. It is used as a sweetener, lubricant, thickener, adhesive... and on and on...

Home cooking from scratch is basically all we eat. But chicken is sometimes packed with "broth". Even the whole chickens or the chicken breasts packed separately. Veggies are coated with wax to help prevent bugs and make them look prettier... and that wax often contains corn. One can see where I am headed with this.

I wish that corn and corn products were only found in food items but when I shop I have to read the labels on detergents, soaps, deodorants, household cleaning products, dog shampoos, toilet paper, medicines and so on. We have friends that have an allergy to wheat. I wish David had an allergy to wheat. Avoiding wheat is much more common. Individuals and families avoid wheat not just for allergy purposes but as a diet preference. It is easy to find "gluten free" items at the market in every aisle. I've only found one item that specifically says "made with out corn", but then it's in a list that also includes: soy, wheat and so on. That's ok, I'll take it.

Prior to corn allergy discovery (PCAD) I cooked from scratch for fun and because that's what my mom did. When time was of the essence however, I would occasionally pick up short cut meals such as frozen pasta with sauce in a bag and in the summer I purchased all our bread (we live in Texas and I made all our bread from scratch in the cooler months but hated running the oven in the summer heat). PCAD one could open the pantry, the fridge or the freezer and find these shortcut items. Now my pantry contains two short cut items that I purchase regularly and never make from scratch BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE TO. Kraft Macaroni & Cheese is corn free. (Who-da-thunk??) I've emailed Kraft and have had a response. Ingredients do change in products but David has not had a reaction to this product so we continue to purchase and eat it. And of course Kitchen Basics products.

Happy label reading!! Be diligent even with safe products as companies do change ingredients from time to time.

Plastic (be)ware

The culprit of David's on going work day reaction is what we were packing his lunch in. That's right my handy-dandy Tupperware collection. And did I ever have a nice collection. Bummer. I had suspected this might be the cause but was hoping - and looking - for another explanation.

Corn is heavily subsidized by, well if you pay taxes, you and I. Corn is used in the production of M.A.N.Y. things:

• Adhesives on envelopes
• Construction materials
• Pharmaceuticals
• Cosmetics
• The mining, oil and gas drilling industries also use corn starches in their processes
• Plastics

The above is a partial list. It's a tad scary the amount of corn and corn products or derivatives out there.

David's sensitivity is increasing. We've used the Tupperware from the beginning of his allergy discovery and only in the last few weeks has it caused a reaction. It seems that the primary cause is heating up food in the plastic containers. This week he's been heating up food in glass ware (think we've been packing food in glass bowls and serving dishes) and he's had minimal reaction, most likely from the assault his body faced Monday and Tuesday before I suggested it was plastic containers.

I've packed up the bulk of my plastic containers. A sad day for me. What's a girl to do without a horde of plastic containers and lids taking up most of a small cupboard?

I got online and ordered a set of glass ware with lids. (Thanks SIL for the gift card from graduation it was put to good use.) Until they arrive we're packing food in glass cereal bowls and glass serving dishes. It works. David's body is healing from the latest attacks and we're thankful he's not epi-pen allergic like many of the other corn allergy suffers out there.

Corn Free Products

Lately we have been diving in head first to find out what is making David sick. It seems only on work days and it builds during the week. It's been exhausting and frustrating.

The products we use at home do not contain corn, corn derivatives or corn by products. We've checked with the companies and have heard from those listed below.

• Ivory (sensitive skin)
• American Crew Classic Shampoo
• Clorox 2 Sensitive Skin
• Ziplock baggies
• Thai Salt Stick Deodorant
  

Sun Products sent us the following:

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Hello MS. REBECCA WARD,

Thank you for writing us regarding 'all' 2X Free Clear .

Sun Products does not disclose specific ingredient information as they are proprietary. However, if there is a medical necessity for this information, we would be more than happy to work with your physician upon receiving their written request. Requests can be sent to:

Sun Products Consumer Services 920 Sylvan Avenue Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632

Sincerely,
Your friends at 'all'

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Who knew. We are not going to bother with this yet as it does seem to be something only occurring when David is at work. He wears clothing on the weekends so if we are unable to find anything else we will make our own laundry detergent. Fantastic.