Read It and Eat!

If you've got young kids, it's pretty much a guarantee that you're dealing with food allergies to some extent. I mean, even if your child can eat anything and everything, at least one of their friends or classmates probably can't, so packed lunches and play dates inevitably become more about strategizing and safety than just having fun.

Food allergies affect around one fifth of American children, and one theory is that caustic additives like petrochemicals in our food are the key to why they're so common. Most of us would take this information and just head straight to the organic food section … but not Robyn O'Brien. When this Texas mom was confronted with her daughter's egg allergy in 2006, she rolled up her sleeves and became an advocate for allergy awareness and avoiding the toxins that many believe cause them.

With the blessings of some of the country's top pediatricians, O'Brien — who the New York Times called "the Erin Brockovich of the food industry" — set out to spread the word about the effect chemicals are having on our kids, starting the organization AllergyKids.

O'Brien's first book, The Unhealthy Truth: How Our Food Is Making Us Sick and What We Can Do About It, has just hit shelves and includes loads of research about the link between toxins and kids' well being — including cancer and asthma along with allergies — as well as lists of recommended brands and products that are chemical-free.

Even if no one in your family's got allergies, the book still serves as a detailed guide on how to eat more healthfully. And that's food for thought indeed.