Loading...
The Huron Expositor, 1994-11-30, Page 5r Close-up Drug ingredient not always listed BY TIM CUMMING Expositor Editor A container of food or box of cereal could be hazardous or deadly for anyone who is intolerant of lactose. Prescription pills may be dangerous, too, if they contain lactose. Lactose is a sugar which is pres- ent in milk and whey but is some- times used by manufacturers of foods or medicine. For most people the substance is harmless but for those who are allergic or intolerant of lactose it can be a serious health concern. For Irene Belanger, the mother of Egmondville's Helen Vock, the often -hidden ingredient can cause her body to swell instantly. Lactose is often not listed specifi- cally as an ingredient in foods. For those who can't have lactose they must look for the many different ingredients which may suggest it is present. "The person who has the allergy (or intolerance) has to realize there are lots of names for milk products that aren't just milk," said Susan Daglish, Executive Director of the Allergy/Asthma Information Associ- ation. Lactose may not be written on a "In a restaurant...you are on your own." label but it can be found whenever there are foods like milk, margar- ine, butter or yogurt present. People who are allergic or intoler- ant of lactose can contact the asso- ciation to find out what some of those ingredients may be. Informa- tion explaining lactose intolerance is available for a small fee from the Allergy/Asthma Information Associ- ation at 905-712-2242. A full list of ingredients which contain lactose should be provided by an allergist. There are a few cook books especially for people who aren't tolerant of lactose, with names like Lactose -Free Cooking and Lactose - Free Kitchen. "There aren't too many breads you can eat," said Belanger. Even breast milk can carry lactose to a child who is allergic or intoler- ant of the substance. The listing of food ingredients is only required by law on pre-pack- aged foods, said Daglish. "When you go to a restaurant you are on your own," she said. "You are the one who has to take the initiative to find out what's in the food." 'Restaurant Cards' are available which patrons can give to the waiter outlining their allergies. The customer can then better find out what foods are free of ingredients which are allergens for them. Irene Belanger knew for some time there were products she could not use. The North Bay woman, now 51, first received pains in the chest from her substance intolerance when she was nine years old and it seemed to be a heart attack. A doctor said the substance swelled up her arteries and oesophagus. "I've been hospitalized so many times, they never knew what it was." It was the Lockwood Clinic, however, which alerted her in July to the fact it was more than an allergy...but a complete intolerance of lactose. Although children can sometimes lose an initial reaction to the sub- stance problems can sometimes recur. After living comfortably for many years when Belanger was about 40 it began to hit again force- fully. Now that Belanger has tried to eliminate lactose from her diet she says she feels like she's 30. For those with a simple allergy 'Lactate' can help remove about 90 per cent of the lactose. However, for those who are intolerant the substance must be totally eliminated from their diet. The Canadian government is only now proposing to make it manda- tory to list ingredients on medicines which are dispensed. "Health and Welfare Canada has proposed changes to food and drug regulations which would „require them to label all drug products," said Stephanie Charron, educational consultant with Health and Welfare Canada. Until listing of the ingredients becomes mandatory she urges those who are intolerant of lactose (or allergic) to check with their phar- macist and with the manufacturers of a drug. Charron said lactose is rarely used as an ingredient on its own in foods because manufacturers generally use cheaper sweeteners. "If it's added as a sweetening ingredient it would be listed on the label," said Charron. If someone suspects they are allergic to (or intolerant of) lactose or any other food substance they should seek a proper diagnosis from a doctor. Area native completes triathalon Dear Editor, In Late September, the Huron Expositor printed an article by Dave Scott regarding my participation in the Gatorade Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kailua Kona Hawaii on October 15. The purpose of this letter to you is threefold. First, I would like to extend my thanks to Dave again for taking the time to write the article and for doing what I think was a top -rate job. Second, I would like to thank all of the friends and neighbours who called my parents or myself directly with their support and best wishes. While their calls added a little bit of extra pressure, knowing so many people from my home tdwh'were behind me really was inspiring and definitely helped my through some of the rough spots (like miles 15 through 26 on the run). Third, given the level of interest surrounding my participation in the Gatorade Ironman race, I thought it might be appropriate to share some of my experiences with your readers. As such, please find below an account of my Ironman experi- ence. Hopefully you will find it useful. Gatorade Ironman: Experience of a Lifetime Well for those of you who knew I was going, given the fact that I am writing this story, you probably figured out by now, that I survived the Gatorade Ironman competition. And, you know what? it wasn't that bad. In fact, completing the Ironman in Hawaii was one of the greatest experiences of my life. Now I know what you're thinking, if this guy considers getting up at 4 a.m. to eat three servings of Quaker oatmeal and drink two cans of Gator Pro (a high carbohydrate meal supplement)" and three litres of Gatorade so that he can be ready for a 7 a.m. cannon blast which starts him off on a gruelling race which includes a 2.4 mile octan swim followed by a 112 -mile bike ride followed by a 26.2 -mile marathon run (while he's on vacation in Hawaii!) one of the greatest experiences of his life, he has had a pretty tough life. Right? Well, I don't think so. You see, successfully finishing the actual Ironman race was only one small part of the total experience. The majority of the experience and the most rewarding parts were all the things that led up to the race. The little things like: 1) trying to convince people you're not 'crazy'; 2) trying to convince yourself you're not 'crazy'; 3) getting to know your local physiotherapist because you pushed too hard on the bike early in the season and needed six weeks of ultrasound therapy on your knee to get it back in shape; 4) surviving being run off the road by cars and trucks during your training rides; 5) Having your wife wait to cat supper at 8:30 most night because you have to put in 2-3 hours of biking or running after work. ("Just another half hour, dearl"); 6) buying new running shoes that give you shin splints and another 3 weeks at the physiotherapists; 7) having your wife get up some mornings at 5:30 a.m. to ride her bicycle beside you while you run so that you don't have to stop to get drinks; Darrell Dietz 8) having her say that she really enjoys doing #7; 9) trying to stay awake (unsuccess- fully and being caught!) at a friend's wedding ceremony after a morning workout which included two hours of biking and 18 one mile interval runs; 10) having your friends at work surprise you with a send-off party; 11) carrying a Canadian flag in the participants' parade; 12) meeting 1456 other people from all over the world who are also hoping to survive the race; "I don't believe there is any single sporting event which even comes close." 13) eating 16 Mrs. T's Perogies at the carbo -loading dinner ("You can never get enough carbos"); 14) knowing Mom and Dad are proud of you, even if they too think you might be 'crazy'. So, as you can see, preparing for the Ironman was a real roller coaster of little highs and lows both physically and emotionally. ltut what about the race,itself? Quite simply, I don't believe there is any single sporting event which even comes close in terms of the range and / or level of emotions of the Ironman. The Ironman has them all. For me, the top 10 emotions (just like on the David Letterman Show) were: 1) Fear - that I might have my goggles knocked off (or worse yet, my nose broken) by one of the 1457 pairs of thrashing arms and legs which instantly follow the cannon blast which starts the swim; 2) Frustration - when you realize you have just left your sunglasses in the swim/bike transition and have another 8 hours of Hawaiian sun- light to face; 3) Relief - when you finally get off the bike after what seemed like 112 miles of biking uphill into a hot hair blow dryer; 4) Unbelievability - that Greg Welch of Australia was the top finisher and he completed the race in just over 8 hours and twenty minutes; Painter's Choice INTERIOR LATEX $2096 • SEMI GLOSS All In -Stock WALLPAPER 40-60% OFF See Our New Line of CARPETING 882 Ontario St., Stratford 271-7371 HOURS: Mon - Tues, 7:30-6:00, Wed., Thurs . Fri., 7:30 am - 9:00, Sat. 8-6. NOTICE Walton Landfill Site WINTER HOURS The Walton Landfill Site will be open on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays only, for the months of December, January, February and March. The site will be open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Please utilize the recycling service being provided by the Bluewater Recycling Association. Recyclables picked up b the T 1 K are not accepted the landfill site. Walton Landfill Committee WINTER HOURS 1 11 (: : (& 1 JArd i & 71 1 1 11 4 & 1tt klA1t. 1 & 1tt 5) Admiration - for Dave Scou (5 - time winner of the Ironman Race) who was making his first appear- ance in the Ironman in 5 years at the age of 42 and who came in second place; 6) Respect - for Paula Newby Fraser who won the women's title for the seventh straight year; 7) Sympathy - for Pauli Kirhu of Finland who was one of the favour- ites to win but who 'hit the wall' on the marathon; 8) Inspiration - seeing 77 -year old Jim Ward complete his eleventh Ironman Race; 9) Disappointment - for the more than 200 participants who were unable to finish; 10) 1 Complete Satisfaction - for fhiug the race 49 seconds ahead of my 12 hour goal and then going to I izza Hut for another late-night dinned Hopefully this gives everyone a better understanding of what the Gatorade Ironman is all about. It truly is one of the greatest sporting events, and was certainly a lifetime experience for me. And although I am already training for my next Ironman (Ironman Canada in Penticton) next summer, I will certainly never forget my first one. For those who are interested, NBC will broadcast highlights of the race on Sunday, Dec. 11. Sincerely, Darrell Dietz rEnter Our Name Address Phone # on in & drop in at Archie's UCO. Draw date Sat ,Dec 24,j THE HURON EXPOSITOR. Novombor 30, 1994-5 'CUT AND ENTER FREE DRAW 5 DRAWS FOR '100'4 Worth of Gas Huron County Christmas Bureau SEAFORTH ... is Helping us Help Families. Once again, t e Huron County Christmas Bureau will be hosted by Bethel Bible Church, Egmondville. "The response last year was wonderful, said Laura & Brian Crawford; "and a true community spirit was shown!"This year a "giving tree" will be placed in Deloitte & Touche. A tag can be picked off the tree and people can buy for a specific "age" & "size" for each child. Drop boxes for donations will be placed in stores from Nov. 22 thru to Dec. 9.Donations can also be made directly to Bethel Bible Church Dec. 5 - 9 (9 a.m. - 5 p.m.) or call Laura & Brian Crawford 1-800-265-5198} •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Christmas Begins in ';* • A • . • • SEAFORTH • • A • The Seaforth Business • Improvement Association Presents • • •10 CHANCES TO WIN •4 • • • • • • • • A W.' 1 • 2 •• • • fr •• ) • SHOPPING SPREE . Enter at any participating Seaforth Store. • WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCR DEC. 23,1994 a • • • rI ri ilt • • • • A • • • • • • • • • • -- - 3 • erP • SHOP SEAFORTH 9:?PDLD BEA WINNER: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • THESE FRIENDLY FOLKS WILL MAKE YOU A SPECIAL OFFER .. NEIL $TURQE TIMOTHY HEALEY WHIT REDFORD 4.1 SHIRLEY WOODASO MICHAEL ROWS HANE STRAU1 KATHY VIRRAI RORNT WflzEL CATHY ROWS OLIN McLIOD ... ON YOUR COMMUNITY NEWSPAPER THAT OFFERS YOU A GREAT DEAL MORE! This offer is not available at the Huron Expositor office!