Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Pinterest Twitter Instagram RSS Facebook
    Buy GO DAIRY FREE and EAT DAIRY FREE today!
    Go Dairy Free
    • Need to Know
      • Newbies Start Here!
      • Take the Challenge!
      • Dairy-Free FAQs
      • Latest News
      • Milk Allergies
      • Lactose Intolerance
      • Other Health Issues
      • Testimonials
      • Calcium Guide
      • Holidays & More
      • Best Books
      • The Community
    • Recipes
      • Recipes by Category
        • Alisa’s Recipes
        • Sarah’s Recipes
        • Appetizers
        • Beverages
        • Bread
        • Breakfast
        • Cheese Substitutes
        • Condiments & Dressings
        • Cream Substitutes
        • Desserts
        • Entrees
        • Kids Can Cook
        • Milk Substitutes
        • Pasta
        • Salad
        • Sandwiches
        • Sauces
        • Sides
        • Snacks
        • Soup
      • Full Dairy-Free Recipe Index
      • Gluten-Free Recipe Index
      • Vegan Recipe Index
    • Reviews
      • Dairy Substitutes
        • Butter
        • Cheese
        • Cream
        • Creamer
        • Dessert Toppings
        • Ice Cream
        • Ice Cream Novelties
        • Milk
        • Yogurt
        • More Kitchen Essentials
      • Sweets & Snacks
        • Protein Shakes
        • More Creamy Beverages
        • Snack & Protein Bars
        • More Snacks
        • Chocolate
        • Cookie Dough
        • Cookies & Brownies
        • Pies & Cakes
        • Pudding & Mousse
        • More Sweet Treats
      • Meal Makers
        • Baking Mixes
        • Bread Products
        • Breakfast Pastries
        • Cereal & Granola
        • Cheesy Pasta & Rice
        • Frozen Pizza
        • More Entrees
        • Dip and Spreads
        • Salad Dressing
        • Sauces
      • All Product Reviews
        • New Product Reviews!
        • Browse by Product Type
        • Full Review Index
        • Gluten-Free Review Index
        • Vegan Review Index
    • Grocery Guide
      • Alisa’s Dairy-Free Kitchen
      • Brands We Love
      • Dairy Substitutes
      • Dairy Ingredient List
      • Understanding Food Labels
      • No Dairy Product Lists
      • Ordering Specialty Foods
      • Best Grocery Stores
    • Eating Out
      • Fast Food Listings
      • Recommended Restaurants
    • My Books!
      • Go Dairy Free 2nd Edition (best seller!)
      • Eat Dairy Free 1st Edition (full color!)
      • eBooks & Printables
      • Book Supplements & Resources
    • About Us
      • Meet Us
      • Contact Us
      • Join Us
      • Work With Us
    Go Dairy Free
    You are at:Home»News»In The News»Kyle Dine Hits a High Note for Food Allergy Awareness

    Kyle Dine Hits a High Note for Food Allergy Awareness

    4
    By Alisa Fleming on December 10, 2014 In The News, News

    Whether they are on the periphery or deep in the trenches of dairy-free living, there are many influential people who are going above and beyond to help shape and support the dairy-free community. On Go Dairy Free, we want to highlight, share, and celebrate some of our heroes, like Kyle Dine.

    To be honest, I’m not sure if Kyle Dine follows a dairy-free diet himself, but with all of the praise he’s received from the milk allergic community, I don’t really need to ask. From toddlers to teens, Kyle has provided smiles, laughter, guidance, and fun events where milk allergic and other food allergic kids can gather and no longer feel alone with their “differences”.

    Dairy-Free Community: Kyle Dine - A Hero For Food Allergic Kids

    An Interview with Food Allergy Advocate Kyle Dine

    His work may have started with   and concerts, but Kyle Dine has also spearheaded teen programs for Anaphylaxis Canada and is working on a video for allergy education in schools. I recently caught up with Kyle to find out a bit more about him and what he is up to.

    What motivated you to become more involved as an activist in the food allergy community?

    An anaphylactic reaction. I wish it wasn’t that way, but until the day that I was shaken to the core after experiencing life-threatening anaphylaxis at age 21, I never thought too much of my allergies. Looking back, it was the wake-up call I needed. It made me want to do everything in my power to avoid another scary reaction.

    Knowing how naive I was, never thinking that could ever happen to me, I wanted to use my experience to educate others about the severity of food allergies. I did that the best way I knew how at the time, with my guitar. I was in bands, I taught guitar, I lived music. It just seemed like a natural, yet unique fit to start writing educational songs for kids about food allergies.

    What has been your driving mission?

    To normalize food allergies. Personally, I do not find avoiding foods and carrying epinephrine is the worst thing about the condition. It’s all of the psycho-social issues that come along with it: teasing, bullying, ignorance from others, disbelief… the list goes on.

    These types of attitudes can shape kids into thinking they’re a burden and cause them to be more cavalier with their allergies just to fit in. The fact is, many people have allergies, and it’s okay. I understand that society has a lot to learn and there just isn’t a lot of mainstream education about it. Many people just think about peanut allergy, but as we know, milk allergy is more prevalent in children and must not be overlooked.

    My mission is to flip society’s perception of food allergy by giving them them information, and empowerment knowing they can make a difference, ultimately helping them become more understanding and empathetic for people with this condition.

    Tell us about a memorable moment that made your efforts feel worthwhile

    The great thing about my job, is that these moments happen every day. With each show I perform across North America, kids without food allergies are giving high fives to their allergic classmates, thinking it’s cool to have food allergies. They’re asking questions, they’re engaged, and they’re 100% into it. That is what has kept me going over 7 years of performing at over 500 schools.

    If I had to pick one moment, it might be an email I received from a mom who’s daughter spoke up when experiencing a reaction. The lyrics of my song “Never Keep a Reaction a Secret” had stuck with her. I wrote that song because I know first hand the range of emotions you feel during a reaction – embarrassment that you did something wrong is common, but it’s okay to speak up. After hearing a story like that, I know I’ve been put on this earth for a reason.

    What projects have you worked on for the food allergy community and what are your current endeavours?

    Dairy-Free Community: Kyle Dine - A Hero For Food Allergic KidsShortly after I released my first CD “You Must Be Nuts!” (by the way, have you heard “No Dairy Please!“? It goes down as my most favourite song I’ve ever recorded – those cow sounds are me!), I got a job with Food Allergy Canada. I have worked with them since 2008, and helped primarily with their excellent teen resources such as allergy videos, a smartphone app, and most recently a blog for Adults with Allergies.

    I also founded the website Allergy Translation that provides translation cards for people with allergies travelling abroad. Yes – making life easier for people with food allergies is my life passion!

    My current endeavour is a DVD that encapsulates the fun of my live shows featuring songs, puppets and games, but in a professional video. The demand for my school performances is higher than ever, and I know how eager schools are to provide allergy education to ALL students in compliance with CDC guidelines and provincial policies in Canada. This will be the “just press play” solution that teachers are looking for.  I am currently crowd-funding the project on Kickstarter as I want the whole allergic community to be a part of this ground-breaking resource. Join the movement to support food allergy education in schools at: http://kck.st/1uijCL3

    Where to find Kyle Dine

    Website: www.kyledine.com

    Twitter: @kyledine

    Facebook: www.facebook.com/KyleDineMusic

    Kyle Dine has a loyal following, and his educational video will become a reality thanks to the quick success of his Kickstarter campaign, but he can more help! Get more information here: http://kck.st/1uijCL3


    Dairy-Free Community: Kyle Dine - A Hero For Food Allergic Kids

    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

    Related Posts

    Over 50 Dairy-Free Valentine's Day Treats you can Buy at the Store with Allergen Notes and Vegan Options!

    50 Dairy-Free Valentine’s Day Treats you can Buy at the Store

    Guide to the Best Dairy-Free Valentine Chocolate: Vegan, Gluten-Free, Food Allergy-Friendly, Organic, Fair Trade & more!

    The Best Dairy-Free Valentine Chocolate To Give and To Receive

    The Best Dairy-Free Sour Cream Alternative Taste Test - the top selling vegan, plant-based sour cream alternatives tested on nachos, in stroganoff, and in baking.

    The Best Dairy-Free Sour Cream Alternative Taste Test

    4 Comments

    1. Pingback: Food Allergies In The News: 12/14/2014 - EpiFamily.com

    2. Gina Mennett Lee on December 11, 2014 10:11 am

      Thanks for this great interview Alisa! I am such a huge fan of Kyle as a person and of his important work in the food allergy community. I am so thankful his voice is our there in support of children with food allergies.

      Reply
    3. Selena Bluntzer on December 11, 2014 8:55 am

      Kyle is awesome! We have been lucky enough to see him in concert more than once and it is always a fun time. The food allergy community is lucky to have its very own rock star, who is also a stellar role model! 🙂

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on December 11, 2014 9:28 am

        Indeed!

        Reply

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Go Dairy Free - The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance and Casein-Free Living
    Over 50 Dairy-Free Valentine's Day Treats you can Buy at the Store with Allergen Notes and Vegan Options!

    50 Dairy-Free Valentine’s Day Treats you can Buy at the Store

    Strawberry Patties Recipe - A Chocolate-Covered Treat that's Pretty in Pink (naturally dairy-free, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, vegan - and no food coloring!)

    Strawberry Patties: A Chocolate-Covered Treat that’s Pretty in Pink

    Enjoy Life FoodsFames Chocolates. From Brooklyn with loveEat dairy free book
    Go Dairy Free is the leading website for information on the dairy-free diet. We share dairy-free recipes, product reviews, news, recommendations and health guides to aide those with milk allergies, lactose intolerance or a general need or desire to live without dairy. Dairy-free does include milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free and whey-free, too! We also offer ample resources for gluten-free, soy-free, food allergy, vegan and paleo diets. Please note that ingredients, processes and products are subject to change by a manufacturer at any time. All foods and products should be considered at risk for cross-contamination with milk and other allergens. Always contact the manufacturer prior to consumption. Disclaimer - All Rights Reserved - Privacy Policy Go Dairy Free © 2005-2022 Fleming Marrs Inc.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.