In the Tall Grass

In this episode, Gayle opens up about her experience as an allergy parent and how that imperfect journey inspired the creation of Allergy Force, an online resource and app dedicated to supporting families navigating food allergies. With practical tools to help you feel more prepared and in control, Allergy Force aims to ease the daily burden. Don’t miss this encouraging conversation about how food...

Struggling to find AGS-safe medications? In this episode, we speak with Sachin Shah, Founder and CEO of Pill Clarity, about the free platform he created to help people determine whether medications and supplements are allergen-free, animal-free, and safe. Motivated by a desire to help others, Sachin and the team at Pill Clarity are working to bring transparency to medications and supplements. Sach...

In this episode, we sit down with Lindsey Spangler, Executive Director of Red Sneakers for Oakley and allergy mom, about turning tragedy into lifesaving advocacy. She shares how RSFO is closing critical gaps in food allergy education by bringing together healthcare providers, first responders, schools, parents, and communities. Through awareness, collaboration, and action, the foundation is workin...

Allergies have narrowed Jenna Gestetner’s diet to a minimal list of safe foods, and mast cell activation syndrome shapes nearly every aspect of her daily life. A social entrepreneur and creator, Jenna refused to remain “stuck” in her diagnosis. Instead, she cultivated a powerful sense of self-advocacy and confidence, which she now shares with the world online. This episode is an honest conversatio...

Betsy Craig, founder and CEO of Menu Trinfo, turned her personal experience with autoimmune disease into a mission for food allergy safety. Since launching MenuTrinfo, she’s led initiatives in menu labeling and allergy training, including the development of Certified Free From™, the only global program providing in-person verification, testing, and validation of allergen-free claims for consumer-p...

In this conversation, we pull back the curtain on alpha-gal syndrome diagnostic testing at Thermo Fisher Scientific with Gary Falcetano, PA-C. Gary shares insights into how the alpha-gal syndrome test works and answers some of our most frequently asked questions. How do you talk to your provider about being tested? Is the test covered by insurance? What provider can order the test? He also dives i...

Before being diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome, many of us often felt dismissed, bouncing from doctor to doctor and frequently hearing "it's all in your head" from specialists. Dr. Spiritos offers a refreshing alternative: he truly listens to his patients and recognizes connections across different body systems. Tune in to this episode to hear Dr. Spiritos discuss his holistic approach, his growin...

Dr. Aleksandra Brown, DO, FAOCD, FAAD is a board-certified dermatologist at River Ridge Dermatology in Blacksburg, VA. Dr. Brown has become an active educator on social media, where she shares expert skincare tips, educational videos, and dermatology insights. In this episode, we dive into some of the most commonly asked questions regarding alpha-gal safe skincare, dermatologic procedures and taki...

At age 16, Peyton Owen decided to take her alpha-gal diagnosis and use it as a force for good. Our very own TAG Teen Contributor is sharing some exciting updates full of new projects for the alpha-gal community! Last year Peyton jumped into the advocacy space by getting involved with the FARE Teen Advisory Group, which led to an amazing collaboration with K-12 Allergies and the launching of the AG...

Dr. Mike Pistiner is not just an allergist and immunologist, he’s also an allergy dad and fierce patient advocate. In this episode, Dr. Mike breaks down what allergies are, typical signs and symptoms and how they're treated. Have you been curious about when is the right time to use epinephrine? Then this episode is for YOU! Tune in today! Michael Pistiner, MD, MMSc is Director of Food Allergy Advo...

In her new children’s book, “Alpha-gal Gal Takes on the World,” Erin Sherry turns the challenges of AGS into strengths. Instead of focusing on all the things AGS takes away, her main character Alpha-gal Gal gains superhero powers to keep herself safe and educate others. Throughout the book, Erin’s superhero shares facts on alpha-gal in a non-fearful way, including important messages on social situ...

Meet Eleanor, a mom on a mission. When her son was diagnosed with severe food allergies in 2004, Eleanor was launched into a whirlwind of support and advocacy for the food allergy community, eventually leading her to found and lead the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Connection Team (FAACT). Alongside the FAACT leadership team, she provides the education, advocacy, awareness, and grassroots outreach...

Robyn Lao knows first hand how challenging it can be to eat at restaurants when living with food allergies. Since her nine-year-old daughter Addie was diagnosed with several life-threatening food allergies as an infant, the family has generally avoided eating out. So when the family recently ventured out to a local restaurant for a meal, they were blown away by the clarity and transparency the men...

Driven by her own daughter’s diagnosis of 33 food allergies, Sherrina Gibson is passionate about food allergy inclusion. Founder and CEO of Carter Consulting, Sherrina brings a community-first, evidence-based approach to everything she does whether she's helping clinics tell their story through data or advancing food allergy awareness at the systems level. In this episode, Sherrina shares more abo...

Sometimes the biggest strides in our healing journey happen when we start to acknowledge the tiny wins, or micro joys, that show up each day. In this episode, we talk about joy of all sizes. Tune in now, and let us know what’s bringing you joy these days!

Dr. Sarah McGill, gastroenterologist at the University of North Carolina, identified a pattern in her patients testing positive for alpha-gal syndrome when presenting with only GI symptoms, specifically after eating red meat. In this episode, we talk to Dr. McGill about what led her to start testing her GI patients for alpha-gal syndrome, as well as the guidance she co-authored for the American Ga...

Tick-borne disease often feels like it takes everything from you. Meghan Bradshaw is no exception. As a healthy 20-something, Meghan’s health suddenly declined. Her journey led her from misdiagnosis to multiple joint replacements, fusions, and physiological and emotional devastation. Rather than sitting back and accepting her illness, Meghan instead chose to use her experience to inspire change. C...

Ali knew something was not right, even when she was told repeatedly, “everything is normal.” Although relentless in her pursuit to find answers, it still took more than six years for her lyme diagnosis. Ali walks us through her journey and how it began by shifting her mindset to show up each day. Her “5 Minute Mindset” inspired her work at The Tick Chicks, a platform built to help others see the l...

Using your auto-injector is NOT like pulling the pin on a grenade! In this episode, we share our experiences with anaphylaxis and how we let fear cloud our understanding of the relief brought by proper treatment, including epinephrine. Anaphylaxis can be scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Preparation is key. We discuss the steps we take and the tools we have in place for when a reaction hits. Join...

In this episode, we welcome Amanda Orlando back to the podcast to chat about the Free To Be Me Society’s 2025 retreat, happening April 4-6, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. This year’s retreat focuses on repose: a state of rest, sleep, or tranquility. Amanda shares the inspiration behind the event and explains why the emphasis of the retreat this year is on rest and mental wellbeing. Early bird registrati...

Olivia and Steve Abrams have every reason to hate ticks. After navigating their own battles with Lyme disease, the dynamic duo set out to find a solution to reduce tick exposure. But what started as a personal journey became a mission to help others reduce the risk of tick-borne disease transmission through the development of TiCK MiTT. Tune in now to hear more about the passion and innovation beh...

Thomas Silvera and his wife Dina lived through a parent’s worst nightmare when they tragically lost their three-year old son to an allergic reaction at his daycare facility. In this conversation, Thomas shares how they have turned their tragedy into a mission to help save the lives of other food-allergic children across the country through awareness, education, and changing the law.   You won't wa...

It’s that time of year again! And because so many of our holiday traditions revolve around food, we thought we would re-release our Thanksgiving episode. We often feel like we miss out on delicious comfort and tradition due to our alpha-gal restrictions. Not this year, because it’s all about safe foods! In this Holiday Mini, The Gals share some of their favorite Thanksgiving recipes & tips for...

Ali Moresco didn’t always feel well enough to be the advocate she is now. But her long fight with Lyme Disease inspired her to influence and change the world around her. As founder of Moresco Public Relations and Communications where she marries patient needs with client goals, and her service to various Lyme advocacy groups where she continues to lobby and fundraise, Ali is a champion for healthc...

Pharmacist Andrew Mize and Pharmacy Tech Corrie Newman are making their pharmacy alpha-gal safe. But they aren’t stopping there - they’re on a mission to help other pharmacies do the same. In this episode, we discuss the steps they’re taking to help the AGS community and how they plan to expand that across the country. And you won’t want to miss the wealth of tips they offer for getting your medic...