Sophie Safe LLC

Welcome to Sophie Safe LLC.

Home of Sophie Safe Food Guide and Sophie Safe Cooking.

www.sophiesafefoodguide.com	www.sophiesafecooking.com

Sophie Safe LLC is dedicated to using our experience with food allergies to improve the lives of others through dissemination of information. As we change empathy into action, we can positively influence those around us, especially members of the food allergy community.

Sophie Safe LLC is a small Colorado-based company. We began out of response to the discovery of our daughter Sophie's food allergies and have been working towards improving life with dietary restrictions for the past 8 years. Sophie Safe LLC is names after our daughter, and the oft-used question in our home, "Is that Sophie-safe?"

Sophie Safe LLC has written, tested and published 1 cookbook, Sophie-Safe Cooking. Additionally, we recently launched the Sophie Safe Food Guide, which is a searchable grocery database for those with dietary restrictions and food allergies.

Writing Sophie-Safe Cooking began with our own struggle to feed Sophie without triggering reactions. As Emily's recipes improved, she began to share a few here and there, and eventually took steps towards self-publishing our book, which she did in December of 2006. Sophie-Safe Cooking can now be found in more than 5000 kitchens worldwide. As you might imagine, the creative kitchen has not disappeared, and Sophie Safe LLC anticipates the release of a second cookbook with new recipes created since the publication of our first.

The Sophie Safe Food Guide came out of a wish Emily had when Sophie was initially diagnosed with food allergies--a wish that there was some way to research ingredient lists that did not involve standing in the grocery store for hours. Essentially, the goal of the Food Guide is to compile research into one location so that many people can benefit from the research instead of each of us researching on our own. We believe that this streamlined approach will save time and energy and improve the lifestyles of those with food allergies.

We encourage people with food allergies to take advantage of the many supports available, including local and online support groups, FAAN resources and memberships, and written materials. We wish to improve the lives of those with food allergies and their families, both through our products and through the fabulous resources that have been developed by others.

Sophie is an eight year old who has struggled with multiple food allergies since birth. As an infant, Sophie was mostly a very happy baby, but struggled with bouts of vomiting and fussiness that did not appear to have a specific pattern. She also had severe long-lasting baby acne. Sophie's first clear indicator of food allergies occurred at the age of 3 months, when she had a tiny taste of a root beer float. She developed hives which covered her head and neck. They resolved with a dose of Benadryl, and her journey down the food allergy path began. By 1 year old, Sophie's allergist had confirmed allergy to milk, eggs, wheat, and peanuts, and recommended avoidance of fish, shellfish and tree nuts as well. At 3 years old, pecan and all other tree nuts except coconut were confirmed on her list of allergens. When Sophie was 4 years old, she tested negative for fish and shellfish allergies and passed a milk challenge. This was a big year--going from 7 major allergens to 4 all at once! When Sophie was 6 years old, she did a peanut challenge at the allergist's office and did not pass. This year, she is hoping to challenge some of the tree nuts she has never eaten and find something new that she can have.

Sophie is able to eat variety and participate in food-related activities due to her mother's research and creativity. She brings her own cake to birthday parties and her own pizza to pizza day at school. Sophie can bake her own cookies when she wants them, but has to make big batches because everyone else usually wants them, too! Sophie knows how to use her Epipens and has trained several adults. She remembers her last severe reaction clearly and is careful of what she eats. She can read labels now (although she still lets her Mom or Dad double-check) and makes informed decisions about the food going into her mouth. Sophie's sisters are protective of her and careful of her food allergies. All of them are great advocates of sensitivity and empathy for people who have health issues.