Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ They say that mother knows best, but is our educational system attempting to issue an override in the area of diet?  A mother in Iowa sent me an email, frustrated that her kids are not allowed to simply turn down the milk offered at their school.  Every school year she must pay for a doctor visit for each of her children to get a doctor’s note “excusing” them from drinking milk.  Her children aren’t allergic or intolerant to milk; they simply do not like it.  The children can wastefully dump the milk if they don’t drink it, but they cannot refuse it.  She is unsure how to get around this “crazy rule.”  Does your district have a similar policy?  Do you have any suggestions for this frustrated mother?  Please feel free to email your opinions and suggestions on this topic.

Meghan Atkinson CN, Manitoba Harvest News ~ Women can experience hormonal imbalances at any age, yet symptoms can be the most pronounced during the late twenties to forties.  In addition, many women experience these symptoms each month during the premenstrual stage of the menstrual cycle.  In each case, symptoms of a hormonal imbalance can range from any of the following: allergies, anxiety, brain fog; diminished sex drive; depression; dizziness; endometriosis; facial hair growth; fatigue; fibrocystic breasts; hair loss; headaches; low sex drive; osteoporosis; PMS; skin problems; urinary tract infections and incontinence; uterine fibroids; weight gain; water retention and bloating; and skin wrinkles ...

Fairfax, VA ~ The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is proud to announce  the fifth season of their national fundraising event, the Walk for Food Allergy: Moving Toward A Cure!  More than 12 million Americans have food allergies, and 3 million of them are children. It is more important than ever to find a cure. Each year, the Walk events, and the funds raised from them, make it possible to advance FAAN's mission of education, advocacy, research, and awareness. You can find out the walk locations, sign up to walk, donate, or volunteer at the Food Allergy Walk website.

New York, NY - You are invited to join us for the next Worry-Free Dinners Event at Tom Colicchio's CRAFTBAR. This event is sponsored by The HealthCentral Network, a collection of leading consumer health websites focused on helping people cope with life-changing conditions. Members will receive an assortment of Certified asthma & allergy friendly™ environmental control and allergen reduction products from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America worth up to $500.00 ...

The UK retailer and manufacturer simply known as Dairy Free, is sponsoring a new online recipe group, which is open to recipe contributions.  As some extra incentive to get involved, Dairy Free is offering a free box of fudge to the person posting the best recipe before May 31st 2008.  Photos of the dish are always welcome, and available to upload.  This prize offering is available to contributors within the UK only.

Arico CEO Angela Ichwan was named the recipient of the Portland Business Journal’s coveted Orchid Award, the publication’s annual recognition of 25 women from the Portland business community who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership and accomplishment. Ichwan was honored for her achievements during a ceremony at The Women in Business Party and Expo, held last night at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. Ichwan is profiled in today’s Portland Business Journal’s “Women in Business” issue ...

Hannah Kaminsky, My Sweet Vegan ~ Having been on the culinary scene in one form or another for over 4,500 years, yogurt is a staple in many diets, and for good reason.  All you have to do is watch TV for five minutes before being bombarded by the recent ads touting yogurt’s healthful bacteria and restorative properties.  The non-dairy version has been around for barely a fraction of the time as the original, but like a newborn modeling their older sibling, it has progressed rapidly to a more mature and delicious form.  The latest mutation of this vegan delight is made by Turtle Mountain, previously known solely for their decadent frozen desserts.  Coming from such a sumptuous background, I naturally assumed that these newest offerings would share that level of luxury, a step above the standard cultured soy- And even with such high expectations, I wasn’t disappointed ...

Alisa Fleming - www.GoDairyFree.org ~ The Mambolicious Recipe Cook-Off is official, but the deadline for submission is just over a month away (June 6, 2008).  To enter, simply submit an original recipe using one of the products from their sponsors listed below and you could be rewarded with a year’s supply of products or other great prizes.  Finalist recipes will be featured on the Mambo Sprouts website where visitors to the site will help in judging the winning recipes.  You may enter in more than one category. However, each entry must be a different recipe and must be original. Three of the feature categories (which are suitable for dairy-free and other special diets) are: