October 30, 2024 • 36 mins
8:05PM: 'Socktober' Encourages Sock Donations For Homeless Shelters, such as The Pine Street Inn, Before Winter with Lyndia Downie – President of The Pine Street Inn
8:15PM: "Wall of Heroes" Honors Veterans at Mashpee Commons / Dedication Event with Heroes in Transition Sunday, Nov. 3 with Nicole Spencer – Executive Director of Heroes in Transition
8:30PM: Food Allergies are a True Fear Factor: Here’s How Research at Mass General Brigham Could Help with Sarita Patil, MD - Physician-scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital
8:45PM: These are the most popular Halloween costumes in Boston! with Sabrina Lam – Boston Globe Correspondent
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!
8:15PM: "Wall of Heroes" Honors Veterans at Mashpee Commons / Dedication Event with Heroes in Transition Sunday, Nov. 3 with Nicole Spencer – Executive Director of Heroes in Transition
8:30PM: Food Allergies are a True Fear Factor: Here’s How Research at Mass General Brigham Could Help with Sarita Patil, MD - Physician-scientist at Massachusetts General Hospital
8:45PM: These are the most popular Halloween costumes in Boston! with Sabrina Lam – Boston Globe Correspondent
Ask Alexa to play WBZ NewsRadio on #iHeartRadio and listen to NightSide with Dan Rea Weeknights From 8PM-12AM!
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBSY Boston News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
You're exactly right to call. That is our destination, and
we're about three hours and fifteen minutes out, that's for sure.
So sit back and enjoy. Put your seatbelts in the
upright position, and bring down your table trays, and we'll
serve you up four hours of conversation and talk and
you can participate, or you can listen and prefer your participation.
(00:27):
I'd like invite your participation. My name is Dan Ray,
host of the Night Side. Dan is back in the
control room. Did a great job last night. He's going
to do a great job tonight. And without any further ado,
I will remind you we will be giving away two
tickets to a musical, a musical journey with the Irish
music sensations Celtic Thunder, right after the nine o'clock news,
(00:49):
So don't call. We're not going to open up those
phone lines until after the nine o'clock news because we
have four very interesting guests with four very interesting topics
to deal with, and we're going to start off tonight
quite quite beginning with the president of the Pine Street
in Lyndia Downey Lindia. I don't think we've ever had
(01:11):
you on our program before, but everybody knows the Pine
Street In and what a great job that does for
homeless men here in the city of Austin. How are
you tonight? Welcome?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I'm good, Dan? How are you good?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Fine? How long you been the president? There is this?
I don't think I've had the pleasure of talking with
you before. Tell us a little bit about yourself. First,
You're involvement with the Pine Street In.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
So I've been at Pine Street believe it or not,
for forty years. Dan. I was ten when I first
went to work there, and I've.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Been president as president that I know.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
No, No, I did not. I did not, No, I
did not. I ran the mens Shelter, I worked in
the volunteer department, I ran our fundraising office, oversaw a
number of our programs, and so I've been president for
about twenty years.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Whoa boy.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I don't know how I missed you, but I'm first
of all thank you for that length of service. Pine
Street In is an institution in Boston and every October
they they put out a call and you call it October,
which encourages donations for homeless shelters. It should be patently
(02:23):
obvious why socks are so important to people who live,
particularly those who spend more time than perhaps any of
us should outdoor during the winters here in New England.
But tell us about the history of October. I assume
this is not the first year, and if it is
the first year, I apologize. Go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
No, you know, Dan, this was not our idea. This
was really created by a guy in Tennessee named Brad
Marshand who is a children's writer. And there's a guy.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That plays for the Burns named Brad Marshan. I'm sure, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Not the same It's not the same person. No, no,
But he has a kid's website and we're you know,
talk to kids about giving back and things they can
do in their community. And he and I think some
school kids down in Tennessee came up with this idea.
We get a lot of calls from schools, churches, synagogues,
(03:23):
what can we do to help and for younger students,
younger kids, you know, they can't always come into Pine
Street and we always need stocks. So he really started
this campaign across the country. I think he's got people
in Canada doing it. And other parts of the world
where school it's been mostly schools, but schools and different
(03:44):
businesses are involved in collecting socks for homeless people and
bringing them to the local homeless shelter. And you know,
if you call us and ask what's our number one
need right now heading into the winter, socks is always
on the list, hats, gloves, but we go through a
lot of socks. It's not a new issue for us. Frankly,
We've been collecting socks as long as I've been at
(04:05):
Pine Street, but it's not something people always think of
right away.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, I assume the socks you're looking for. And if
I'm wrong here, because they've been wrong a couple of
times in this conversation already, don't hesitate to correct me.
But I assume you're looking for heavier type socks that
will really keep people warm in the winter, as opposed to,
you know, the light summer socks that you know people
might wear to fancy summer parties.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah, honestly, the best socks, if people are going to
do this, are are the are the white cotton socks,
you know, the thick white cotton socks right now? Yeah, No,
they're they're warm you know, a lot of our folks
have foot is shoes. They may not have shoes that
fit exactly right. You know, the shoes might be used,
especially for people who stay out. You we've got a
(04:53):
lot of health issues, and the clinic in particular, really uh,
you know, pushes us to if we're going to to
be asking for socks. If people are willing to do
white socks will take any of them, but white sox
are the preferred and you know, easy to find hopefully,
because Oliver, what percentage.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Of your clients will come in on a winter's night
without the benefit of appearance? Yeah, I mean are they
actually people? And I know this is a tough question
to ask, but I'm going to ask it. Are there
actually people who are out of the men out of
the streets of Boston during the winter, you know, snow
and rain and sleet and all of that, and.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
They they men and women, by the way, not just men,
men and women. And Boston we are very fortunate. Every
year when we do the homeless count, we go out
with Mayor and we count the number of people on
the street, and then we count the number of people
staying in shelter on one night, usually at the end
of January, and that is done across the entire country.
(05:57):
That dad all gets sent up to HUD and then
they have someone who literally analyzes all of it. And
for many many years now, I mean well more than
probably ten years, Boston has had one of the lowest
street counts in the country. And it may be obviously
it's cold here, right, yes, it's interesting, exactly exactly, and
(06:18):
people say to me, you know, well, it's cold, of
course people are going to come in. But if you
look at our numbers, you know, on a cold winter night,
we might have one hundred and one hundred and fifty
people outside. If you look at a place like maybe
a San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, you're talking about ten thousand
people or in some cases twenty one.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You're temperate in those communities. And of course we'll also
best and you have the great Rosies Place as well,
So I mean, we we've got some great facilities here,
thank god, because of the work of people like you
and you volunteers, and the folks at Rosy's Place as well.
So if folks are listening right now and they want
to make a donation, easier for them to send a
(06:59):
check to Pine Street in or to go out and
buy some socks and bundle it up and you can
pick from column A or column B. Go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Yeah, yeah, no, No. What I'd say is, look, we
always appreciate, appreciate financial support. It's going to be a
tough winter we have had. Our numbers are quite high
across the state, not just in Boston, and we are everybody,
I think is trying to figure out can we add
more beds for the winter. So financial support is terrific.
It's easy and go on our website. You can send
us a check, I would say. For the school groups
(07:30):
and where you want to get kids involved, you know
we have CCD classes, we have Sunday school classes, and
you know we often get call saying what can we do?
This is a great project for school kids to do
a sock drive, you know, make it fun, make a
day of it, read a story about homelessness, and you
know there's there's some education that can go along with
(07:51):
this as well. So that's how I would think about it.
But of course we can use both. So we're happy
that with anything people can offer.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And the Pine Street in easy address if someone's going
to be able to check in is. I'm sure if
you just Pine Street in Boston you'll get it, but
want to give us a better address than that.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yes, four four four Harrison Avenue, Boston, mass And the
website is just Pine Street in dot Org.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Wish of course has all the information that is available. Lindia,
thank you very very much, and congratulations on your twentieth
year as the president of Pine Street in Well.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Thanks for having us well. I really appreciate it. Thanks
so much.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
We'll have you back, you know, as we move in
through the winter, because I think it's good to remind
people when we're in the comfort of our the warmth
of our own homes, that not everybody is in a comfortable,
warm home. Although many people are in you know, the
Pine Street in there are some who are are They're
not in a location that provides them with comfort, that's
for sure, out in the streets of greater Boston. Thanks Lindya.
(08:57):
I appreciate your time so much. Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Take care, Thank you, Okay, you too.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
When we get back, we're going to talk with Nicole Spencer.
She's the executive director of a group called Heroes in Transition,
honoring veterans at mashbe Commons at dedication event coming up
this Sunday, Sunday, November three, So if you're down on
the South Shore, you want to harken close to your
radio and pay attention. Back on Nightside with the executive
(09:22):
director of Heroes in Transition Nicole Spencer. Right after this
on Nightside, you're listening to w BZ, Boston's News radio
ten thirty and your AM dial. Feel free to join
the conversation, but wait until after nine o'clock. We got
some great topics coming up tonight. We will be talking
about haunted houses, haunted homes and how difficult it is
sometimes to sell those homes. And we'll also talk with
(09:45):
Dave Paleologus of Suffolk University. We talked last night with
Spencer Kimball of Emerson College and we get the latest
from them their take on the race as we move
now pretty soon it will be five days until next Tuesday.
Coming back Night's Side.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I'm delighted to welcome Nicole Spencer. Nicole is the executive
director of Heroes in Transition. Nicole, Welcome to night Side.
Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
Thank you so much for having me and it's really
an honor to speak with you tonight.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Well, thank you. Tell us about Heroes in Transition. I
I'm sure there are many in our audience who are
familiar with the group, but maybe some who are not.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Absolutely so. Heroes in Transition was founded in two thousand
and nine and actually just about fifteen years ago this weekend,
Ken and Cindy lost their son in Afghanistan. He was
a helicopter pilot. He was supporting a combat mission there,
and when they brought Eric Holm for his final time here,
they knew that he They wanted to keep his mission
(10:54):
of assisting the troops on the ground alive, so they
formed Heroes in Transition In fifteen years ago they began,
and we're excited to be able to fifteen years later,
offer fifteen programs for both active service members, veterans, military families,
couples and spouses.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
My understanding is that the mission provides help for veterans
service members their families, but help in programs that are
not readily available from government agencies. Give us an example
of you know who, not who you're helping, but the
men and women that you're helping. In what is our
government not providing these people that you folks are able
(11:35):
to fill that very important gap.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
You know, when Cindy and Ken started this foundation, they
really wanted to make sure that they were bringing back
that feeling of camaraderie and the family. So when they
first began, it was really about getting people together. A
lot of times our men and women come back they
might not have the people that they have served or
are currently serving with. So they come back to their home,
(12:00):
where their families are or where their friends were, and
to assimilate back into what we as a civilian understand
what normal is. It might not be, you know, it
might feel different to them. So really, in the beginning,
Cyndy and Can wanted to make sure that that family
feel was back, and I think for the past fifteen
years that's been the major goal is to make everyone
(12:23):
that comes into Heroes in Transition feel like they're part
of the family. And I know over those fifteen years
that's what we started. And just to see over the
course of those fifteen years, how we can offer programs
that strength and relationships. We help with healing individuals and families,
empowering individuals, offering financial assistance in different ways. So, you know,
(12:44):
our niche here on Cape Coddon Beyond is to really
offer programs that really do help those things, whether it's
our couple's retreats or our families in transition Equine program
We have our.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Reboot and Regroup.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Courses that really it just helps people with mindfulness and
trying to figure out kind of how they can you know,
help with themselves and bringing themselves back to center when
things happen, or how to just do our you know,
different things with our Equine Warrior another weekend that we have.
So we have fifteen programs that we offer in all
(13:21):
different ways of really servicing the entire family.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Well, again, this is dedicated to the memory of Marine
helicopter pilot and Captain Eric Jones, and it sounds like
a great program. Do you have an event coming up
this Sunday, a dedication event with heroes and transition. Tell
us about it. Where it is. I assume it's open
to the public. How can folks find out more information
(13:48):
and perhaps be there and join and support this organization?
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Absolutely, So we're on callshpur Home. Although we assist veterans
and active service members, military families from all across not
only the Cape, but through you know, throughout the state,
as we're close to Joint Base Cape Cod but mash
b is you know where we base our and the
Matchbee Commons for for many years now has been supporting us.
(14:15):
And we received a call from Kristin keller Heer, Jess
Balaine along with Greg Jensen. Then they reached out to
us to say, hey, you know, you know Veterans Days
coming up Novembers here it is such a day and
a month of celebration that honors veterans both living and
deceased to serve our military. What can we do together?
And when we got that phone call, we were so
(14:36):
excited to say, let's sit down and figure out what
we can do. So with that, we knew that we
wanted to do something that was interactive, you know that
allows the public to get involved. We wanted it to
be something that was visible, something that was inspiring to others.
So we decided to create a wall of heroes. And
basically this was just it's just a four by six wall.
(14:57):
It's a banner that people the public that comes in
to and I'll go or a few places later, but
that comes into Mashpee Commons. We'll be able to see it,
they'll be able to write messages of support, and really
just it's a way to honor the brave men and
women and all of those who have served and are
serving our country great.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Now, what time is? What time is the event on Sunday?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yes, Sunday, that's at the Mashpee Commons and we're going
to be outside the be outside on the plaza, the
area between Lulu Lemon and Regal Cinemas. So we'll be
out there. We're excited to be out there.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
It's supposed to be abusing.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Just the time you broke up on me there, it's
just I'm sorry. What time Sunday is this twelfth to two?
Twelve to two. Everybody knows where the Mashpee Commons are
and if they want more information, give us the web
page so we can get them, get them there on
time with good directions. What is your your website?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Absolutely, Heroes in Transition dot org.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Heroes in Transition dot org. Nicole, thank you very much much.
It sounds like a great event. And anyone anywhere south
of Boston who has some time on Sunday, this would
be a wonderful event. From from twelve to two, you
get to meet some great people. Thanks so much for
drawing us today, Nicole.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
So that will be the wall will be up throughout
the whole holiday season. So if you can't make it
from twelve to two and you're coming down to match
be Commons at anytime, just be on the lookout for it. It
will be there for you.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Sounds great. Thanks thanks again, Nicole, appreciated banks.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Take care.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Yeah, broke up a little bit there of the end,
so I hope all of you got that. Let's keep
rolling here. We've got the news coming up, and after
that we're going to talk about food allergies as a
true fear factor. I'm going to be interested, and it's
going to be talking with doctor Sirita Patil of MGH.
(16:54):
She's a physician scientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Stay
with us right here on w B Boston's news radio.
This is Nightside. My name is Dan Ray, and we
will be here all the way unto midnight. We have
two more great guests coming up, going to talk with
doctor Pettil and also going to talk with a Boston
Globe correspondent, Sabrina Lamb, about the most popular Halloween costumes
(17:16):
in Boston this Halloween, which of course is tomorrow. Coming
right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
You're on Nightside with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Delighted to be joined by doctor Sirita Pettil. Doctor Pettil,
Welcome to Nightside. How are you?
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Thank you for having me tonight? Really great you.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
And I hope I'm pronouncing Patil correctly. Is that correct?
Speaker 5 (17:42):
That's perfect?
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Yes, perfect, Okay. You are a physician and a scientist
at Massachusetts General Hospital, and your area of expertise food allergies.
But the note that I here have here says that
food allergies also are a true fear factor. Not exactly
what's true that what that means? Perhaps you could explain
it to my audience and to me.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Well, you know, I think we were inspired by the
Halloween theme. That's you know, the holiday that's coming up.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Proud.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
Yeah, so that that was sort of the s silly
sensationalist title there. But you know, there is a real
fear element to food allergies. It's kind of amazing. There's,
you know, this incredible rise in the incidents of food allergies,
and I know we all feel it. You know, we all,
we all experience it kind of on a daily basis.
(18:36):
You know, food allergies are like ten percent of Americans,
and you know one and a half percent of those
have human allergy. It's actually, you know, really really common.
I have a little kiddo and you know, two kids
out of every class I could have food allergies. So
it's like it's a really different world today. And you know,
when you have a food allergy, exposure to small amounts
(18:59):
of the allergen concern your body into having a serious reaction, right,
so there is a real fear factor. So feel food allergy?
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Why is it? Why is it that it seems maybe
when I was young, back last century, we just ate
everything and we maybe suffered from food allergies, but we figured,
oh it's no big deal, is it. We're diagnosing more food,
(19:27):
you know, more food allergies accurately. What is why are
the number of the percentage of young people or people
with food allergies seem to be more prevalent or is
that a mirage and they're just as the prevalency is
the same.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
No, it's it's not just better at diagnosing them, Although
that is true, we have better tools to day to
diagnose food allergies than to manage them. Then you know
that we ever have had before. But you know, I
think what you said was really telling. You know, we
ate everything. And there's really great data that's a really
cool study that have that happened in the last ten
(20:04):
years that shows that when we introduced food really early
into the infant's life, right when they start to eat
foods right, if we introduce allergies, then we can really
drop the incidence of food allergy. So in babies who
are already at higher risks of food allergy because for example,
they have exema I also called atiovic deematitis, if we
(20:28):
feed them peanut really early, within four to six months
of life, we can reduce their risk of peanut allergy
by eighty percent. So our motto has become introduced foods early,
I keep them going to really kind of maximumly benefit
from that early introduction.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Okay, So let me ask you a question. As a
parent A long long time ago, one of the things
parents are concerned about is would be a child choking.
I mean that's something that was always prevalent in my mind.
I would assume that babies don't have the ability to
chew a peanut. So what I suspect you're saying is
(21:06):
introduce peanut butter or something like that, so that they're
getting the peanut product, perhaps not in the in the
form of actual raw peanuts, but they're getting the peanut
product into this system. I assume that's what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
That's absolutely what I'm saying.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
You know, every as you have been a parent, you know,
every baby is there has their own kind of progression, right,
and so you really have to have to see the
child that you have in front of you. But there
are lots of peanut containing foods that do not involve
a choking. This is obviously would not feed the infant peanut.
So yeah, there's lots of great instructions on how to
(21:44):
do this now on the web, and lots of peanut
containing products that do not induce choking. I have to
say that my children were really fond of the peanut
puffs and you used to have to hide them away
from our kids all finish, So.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
What are some of the other food that parents should
introduce early to diminish the likelihood that children later on
will develop specific allergies? Are there a series of foods
that perhaps you could get you could list for us,
which would help people absolutely, yeah, from developing.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Yeah, no, absolutely. It turns out that it's actually all
the major allergens. So you know, peanut obviously is one
that's on all of our minds, that peanuts, trenuts, milk, egg, wheat,
even fish and shellfish. Actually, if we can get all
of that in early into their diets, give them a
nice very die and make sure that they keep eating it,
we really do reduce that risk of allergy. It isn't zero,
(22:44):
but it is significantly reduced.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Sure is there a list? I mean you just went
through a number of food items. It's funny. We have
a grandson who's too little, over two years old now,
maybe two and four months, and he loves fish. I
mean there's just just you know, haddock, you know, regular fish,
and I would not think of kids liking fish. I
(23:08):
would think of kids liking things like cookies and snacks.
But there's no again, I've never seen a kid want
to eat more fish. So you know, of course, you're
always right, Well, got to make sure that there's no
bone in the fish, you know, again, our caution. Sometimes,
I'm sure there are some parents out there will say, well,
I don't want to give my child fish because he
(23:30):
could choke. He or she could choke on the bone.
But if you're careful and you make sure it's cut
up and they there's an example that when you happen
to mention fish, I would not have thought that that
the consumption of fish might diminish the likelihood of allergies growing.
You know, as the kids get older. You did mention fish,
(23:50):
and it just it stuck out to me.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Yeah, I know, I mean sounds like he's right on trap.
Then yeah, it does turn out that, you know, kids
really do frivees you in terms of what they like.
And I think that you know, you'll get this advice
from the FUSI often that we do have to try foods,
you know often in order to have to really meaningful
to introduce them into into the diets of kids. But
(24:14):
you know, they they learn to appreciate foods and textures
kind of along that you learned that just like you
learn anything else, right, and so you know, it is
really important to try to get those There's so many
different ways of getting these allergens, which are the diet
you know, besides whole foods like we're talking about right
now as well. So you know, I think the options
(24:35):
that parents have are are pretty varied, and the tools
are great too. But you know, in the old days,
right speaking of you know, when you and I grew up,
you know, we were exposed to whatever was on the
dinner table, and and that's also a great way of
into do flu foods?
Speaker 2 (24:52):
I think do you think this is a question that
has just struck me, and we don't prepare questions, as
you know, this is the first time we've talked. Do
you think that perhaps we have relied we meaning young parents,
not that I'm young parent now, but when we were
young parents on baby food, you know, the little, the
(25:12):
mushy sort of food that you know that you gave,
that we gave our kids, uh, and that we we
need to introduce real food to them at an earlier
Is that part of the problem. I'm just divining that
just talking to you, it sounds to me like maybe
we we we rely too much on the I don't
(25:33):
want to mention the name, but you know, the little
the little bottles and oh there's some there's some squash,
and there's some green peas, and it doesn't look particularly
appetizing by the way, but easy, easy to swallow and
all of that. The sort of food that they end
up half all over their face, is that have we
(25:53):
overlied on that that sort of you know, mushy, prepackaged
food as a opposed to giving them actual normal human food.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Well, Dan, I'll tell you that I remember those early
parent days very vividly and in both from you know,
the medical side as well as you know, the parenting side.
I'm a strong believer in options because you have, as
a parent, really have to do what's practical for you
and your family, and what that practical solution looks like
is really different for family to family. So no judgment
(26:26):
for me at all in terms of how we get
those foods into the into the diet. But I think
that you know, getting those foods and keeping them in,
you know, being committed to having that very diet is
really great for their for their their health and their
growth and development on multiple levels, not just for the
allergy prevention. So you know, that's sort of our mantra.
(26:47):
However it might be, you know, it's just important that
we get it in.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
That's that's great advice. Doctor Serta Patil Patil. Thank you
so much for your time. Is there any either website
or particular article that people that you could refer people
to to read? I mean, you've given us so much information.
I hope that everybody absorbed a lot of it. But
is there any website that you want to refer people to?
Speaker 5 (27:15):
Yeah, there's two sources. One, the National Institutes of Health
has a website on early introduction guidelines. There's also, you know,
food allergy resources at food allergy dot org that I
often recommend to my patients. And then the last, but
not least, there is an early introduction program at mass
General Hospital led by one of my colleagues, doctor Mike Pisper.
(27:38):
He's lovely and so if anyone ever has any needs
of concerns of leads to contact us, you know, please
do what you have a program set.
Speaker 4 (27:46):
Up with us.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Well, that's great. Thank you so much, doctor Batilla. I
really appreciated the opportunity to chat with you, and perhaps
we'll do it again sometime soon.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Thank you so much, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Thank you very welcome. When we go back, we're going
to light it up just a little bit and talk
about the most popular Halloween costumes in Boston this year
with us. We'll be Sabrina Lamb, who's a Boston Globe correspondent.
She's written an article, but this I looked at the
article and a lot of these costumes I don't recognize.
So we'll see what she has to say. Maybe you've
(28:19):
picked out some costumes for yourself afore your young ones.
Tomorrow night is Halloween, be careful out there, not only
as a trick or treater, but as a driver out
on the road, because that is the night when a
lot of kids are running hither, thither and on, and
they're focused only on getting across the street or up
that walkway, and you've got to make sure that you
drive extra careful tomorrow night. That's that's my admonition. We'll
(28:42):
be back with my interview with Sabrina Lamb of the
Boston Globe right after this.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Now, I'm not going out trigg or treating tomorrow night,
because we'll be doing night side right here. However, however,
some of you are, and some of you are going
out trick or treating with your kids and with us.
Is Sabrina Lamb. She's at Boston Globe Correspondent and has
just written a piece for The Globe on Boston Halloween
twenty twenty four and the most popular costumes. Sabrina, I
(29:18):
must be out of sync with the world, because when
I think about Halloween costumes, I think about the costumes
that I wore when I was a kid, and I
didn't They weren't very expensive. It was like a little
charcoal and a hat and you went out as a
hoboll or something like that. That's probably politically incorrect these days.
So what are the costumes that passed mustered today? One
(29:41):
of the most popular ones. Welcome to Nightside by the way.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
Sabrina, thank you, glad to be here. Yeah, but costume
wers surprised me this year as well. It seems like
there are a few recurring favorites. Beetlejuice is definitely one
of the very popular costumes. Three of the characters actually
from Beetle Juice movie that came out this year are
on the top ten list for the country and in
(30:05):
Boston for the most popular costumes, and among those costumes
are Deadpool, Dominion, and Raygun, who was a viral breakdancer
from the Paris Olympics surprisingly made the list as well
as number two.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Yeah, breakdn I was a great breakdancer in my prime.
By the way, A lot of people don't know that
about me, Sabrina. But I wish they had Olympic breakdancing
when I was breakdancing. I think I could have had
a chance to compete. But but so people are going
to be wearing breakdancing costumes this this fall, this Halloween.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
So it's going to be a costume of a particular breakdancer,
this woman who goes by Raygun and she had a
breakdancing routine at the Paris Olympics this year, Yes, which
went viral for a multitude of reasons.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
But impressive. I remember it. I remembered very well. It
was impressive. So people, who do we that costume? Okay,
when you say Reagan, I figured people were going around
dressed as the fortieth presidents of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
But I missed that one. Who's who's the guy the
picture here? The guy in red? Uh, He's like in
(31:17):
a red body suit and he looks like some sort
of ninja warrior from a from another galaxy, far far away.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
I believe you are talking about.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
De Yeah, dead yeah right. I had no idea who
Deadpool is, but it's a pretty neat costume, you know. Uh.
And then who's the little guys here with the google
with the googly eyes, the little yellow heads or whatever
their their Withable.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
Well, those are the but yes, they're fromable me. They're
the beloved minions. They're like a species of some type
of creature that are kind of like the minions of
the main villain grew so then they've become very popular.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, so they're villains. They look like friendly little credits.
Let me ask you this, are there any that people
over the age of twenty will recognize? I mean again,
I'm guessing you're a little younger than me. But I mean,
I look when we were young, and I was young
(32:27):
a long time ago, back in the last century, Sabrina,
you dress up as a cowboy or maybe as I
can't say it, I can't use the word Indian, but
as as the Native American. Are those costumes now just
politically incorrect and you can't do that anymore. I'm just
I'm a little confused to you because I don't recognize
these characters and it's probably because I don't go to
(32:50):
a lot of the movies.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
I think the Halloween costumes have definitely gotten more creative
over the years. People want to branch out and try
out the ones that no one else has done before.
So your usual vampire and what Bolt get parties as
much as you know Ray Gun or Deadpool nowadays.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
So so if every if everybody's doing, uh, you buy,
you gotta buy? You can't really make these costumes. I mean,
I'm looking at the costume of the Deadpool guy. I
mean you're not gonna make one up like that. I mean,
this guy's where in he looks like he's, I don't know,
an Olympic skier, he's he's a very toned fit with
(33:33):
this body suit on. Where do they find those these days?
At their costume stores in Boston where they can go
buy these costumes? Or I mean, this is not something
you're gonna make up. I don't think, Oh.
Speaker 6 (33:46):
Yeah, certainly unless you get really creative with its probably
something you you would probably have to go to Spirit
Halloween for.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Yeah, I mean what about I mean this sounds a
little goofy, but and I'm kind of goofy, as you
probably figure it out bright now, But what happened in
the old days when kids would put on like a
Tom Brady jersey and a Patriot's helmet and they would
go around as Tom Brady. Is that stuff considered just
you know, not creative enough, not creative enough, I guess.
Speaker 6 (34:15):
For the younger generation, especially the kids, they like to
get really creative for Halloween, so those costumes aren't popular
with the children. They use a holiday at the time
to really get creative and get crafty and think of
something really whacked to do for the holiday.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So but my last kind of serious question here, and
this is a serious one. Are these costumes that we've
just seen, and it's a great piece you wrote, By
the way, are these costumes getting people are buying in
costume stores? Are they actually making the costumes for their
kids that are the kids making the costumes? Who's creating
the costumes? Are these costumes being sold commercially, which I
(34:55):
can understand, or are people actually creating the costumes from
stuff they have at home.
Speaker 6 (35:03):
I would definitely say it's a mix of both. Like
I mentioned before, the Beetlejuice characters are very popular this year,
and you know their outfits are very very extravagant and detailed.
But that's all the things that you can really put
your head to and go out and buy stuff and
put together. I think that's the fun aspect of it is,
you know, getting all the different items to make the
(35:24):
out of it.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Well, Sabrina, I just want to make a confession because
I had never heard of Beetlejuice until I flipped on
Saturday Night Live a couple of weeks ago when Michael
Keaton was the host and I realized they were talking
about some movie they made, Beetlejuice. I'm without a clue here.
I apologize for not being more redued anyway. Thanks very much, Sabrina.
(35:49):
Thanks for joining us and I left ev you you
back soon. You helped me out. I learned a lot
from reading these columns. I'm slowly but sureted into the
twenty first century.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
I'm glad all right.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Thanks a grady to talk to you soon. Thanks good night.
When we get back here on night Side, right after
the nine o'clock news, we are going to raffle off.
We're going to give you an opportunity to win a couple
of tickets to Celtic Thunder. I have heard about Celtic thunder,
and then we're going to be talking with another Polster
we had with us last night, Spencer Kimball of Emerson College,
(36:24):
was going to talk with my good friend Dave Paylo
Logus of Suffolk University and find out what's been going
on the last few days as this presidential race and
Senate races around the country come down the home stretch.
We'll be back right after the nine o'clock News
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBSY Boston News Radio.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
You're exactly right to call. That is our destination, and
we're about three hours and fifteen minutes out, that's for sure.
So sit back and enjoy. Put your seatbelts in the
upright position, and bring down your table trays, and we'll
serve you up four hours of conversation and talk and
you can participate, or you can listen and prefer your participation.
(00:27):
I'd like invite your participation. My name is Dan Ray,
host of the Night Side. Dan is back in the
control room. Did a great job last night. He's going
to do a great job tonight. And without any further ado,
I will remind you we will be giving away two
tickets to a musical, a musical journey with the Irish
music sensations Celtic Thunder, right after the nine o'clock news,
(00:49):
So don't call. We're not going to open up those
phone lines until after the nine o'clock news because we
have four very interesting guests with four very interesting topics
to deal with, and we're going to start off tonight
quite quite beginning with the president of the Pine Street
in Lyndia Downey Lindia. I don't think we've ever had
(01:11):
you on our program before, but everybody knows the Pine
Street In and what a great job that does for
homeless men here in the city of Austin. How are
you tonight? Welcome?
Speaker 3 (01:21):
I'm good, Dan? How are you good?
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Fine? How long you been the president? There is this?
I don't think I've had the pleasure of talking with
you before. Tell us a little bit about yourself. First,
You're involvement with the Pine Street In.
Speaker 3 (01:34):
So I've been at Pine Street believe it or not,
for forty years. Dan. I was ten when I first
went to work there, and I've.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Been president as president that I know.
Speaker 3 (01:43):
No, No, I did not. I did not, No, I
did not. I ran the mens Shelter, I worked in
the volunteer department, I ran our fundraising office, oversaw a
number of our programs, and so I've been president for
about twenty years.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
Whoa boy.
Speaker 2 (02:00):
I don't know how I missed you, but I'm first
of all thank you for that length of service. Pine
Street In is an institution in Boston and every October
they they put out a call and you call it October,
which encourages donations for homeless shelters. It should be patently
(02:23):
obvious why socks are so important to people who live,
particularly those who spend more time than perhaps any of
us should outdoor during the winters here in New England.
But tell us about the history of October. I assume
this is not the first year, and if it is
the first year, I apologize. Go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (02:45):
No, you know, Dan, this was not our idea. This
was really created by a guy in Tennessee named Brad
Marshand who is a children's writer. And there's a guy.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
That plays for the Burns named Brad Marshan. I'm sure, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:59):
Not the same It's not the same person. No, no,
But he has a kid's website and we're you know,
talk to kids about giving back and things they can
do in their community. And he and I think some
school kids down in Tennessee came up with this idea.
We get a lot of calls from schools, churches, synagogues,
(03:23):
what can we do to help and for younger students,
younger kids, you know, they can't always come into Pine
Street and we always need stocks. So he really started
this campaign across the country. I think he's got people
in Canada doing it. And other parts of the world
where school it's been mostly schools, but schools and different
(03:44):
businesses are involved in collecting socks for homeless people and
bringing them to the local homeless shelter. And you know,
if you call us and ask what's our number one
need right now heading into the winter, socks is always
on the list, hats, gloves, but we go through a
lot of socks. It's not a new issue for us. Frankly,
We've been collecting socks as long as I've been at
(04:05):
Pine Street, but it's not something people always think of
right away.
Speaker 2 (04:10):
Yeah, I assume the socks you're looking for. And if
I'm wrong here, because they've been wrong a couple of
times in this conversation already, don't hesitate to correct me.
But I assume you're looking for heavier type socks that
will really keep people warm in the winter, as opposed to,
you know, the light summer socks that you know people
might wear to fancy summer parties.
Speaker 3 (04:32):
Yeah, honestly, the best socks, if people are going to
do this, are are the are the white cotton socks,
you know, the thick white cotton socks right now? Yeah, No,
they're they're warm you know, a lot of our folks
have foot is shoes. They may not have shoes that
fit exactly right. You know, the shoes might be used,
especially for people who stay out. You we've got a
(04:53):
lot of health issues, and the clinic in particular, really uh,
you know, pushes us to if we're going to to
be asking for socks. If people are willing to do
white socks will take any of them, but white sox
are the preferred and you know, easy to find hopefully,
because Oliver, what percentage.
Speaker 2 (05:13):
Of your clients will come in on a winter's night
without the benefit of appearance? Yeah, I mean are they
actually people? And I know this is a tough question
to ask, but I'm going to ask it. Are there
actually people who are out of the men out of
the streets of Boston during the winter, you know, snow
and rain and sleet and all of that, and.
Speaker 3 (05:34):
They they men and women, by the way, not just men,
men and women. And Boston we are very fortunate. Every
year when we do the homeless count, we go out
with Mayor and we count the number of people on
the street, and then we count the number of people
staying in shelter on one night, usually at the end
of January, and that is done across the entire country.
(05:57):
That dad all gets sent up to HUD and then
they have someone who literally analyzes all of it. And
for many many years now, I mean well more than
probably ten years, Boston has had one of the lowest
street counts in the country. And it may be obviously
it's cold here, right, yes, it's interesting, exactly exactly, and
(06:18):
people say to me, you know, well, it's cold, of
course people are going to come in. But if you
look at our numbers, you know, on a cold winter night,
we might have one hundred and one hundred and fifty
people outside. If you look at a place like maybe
a San Francisco, Portland, Oregon, you're talking about ten thousand
people or in some cases twenty one.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
You're temperate in those communities. And of course we'll also
best and you have the great Rosies Place as well,
So I mean, we we've got some great facilities here,
thank god, because of the work of people like you
and you volunteers, and the folks at Rosy's Place as well.
So if folks are listening right now and they want
to make a donation, easier for them to send a
(06:59):
check to Pine Street in or to go out and
buy some socks and bundle it up and you can
pick from column A or column B. Go right ahead.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Yeah, yeah, no, No. What I'd say is, look, we
always appreciate, appreciate financial support. It's going to be a
tough winter we have had. Our numbers are quite high
across the state, not just in Boston, and we are everybody,
I think is trying to figure out can we add
more beds for the winter. So financial support is terrific.
It's easy and go on our website. You can send
us a check, I would say. For the school groups
(07:30):
and where you want to get kids involved, you know
we have CCD classes, we have Sunday school classes, and
you know we often get call saying what can we do?
This is a great project for school kids to do
a sock drive, you know, make it fun, make a
day of it, read a story about homelessness, and you
know there's there's some education that can go along with
(07:51):
this as well. So that's how I would think about it.
But of course we can use both. So we're happy
that with anything people can offer.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
And the Pine Street in easy address if someone's going
to be able to check in is. I'm sure if
you just Pine Street in Boston you'll get it, but
want to give us a better address than that.
Speaker 3 (08:08):
Yes, four four four Harrison Avenue, Boston, mass And the
website is just Pine Street in dot Org.
Speaker 2 (08:19):
Wish of course has all the information that is available. Lindia,
thank you very very much, and congratulations on your twentieth
year as the president of Pine Street in Well.
Speaker 3 (08:29):
Thanks for having us well. I really appreciate it. Thanks
so much.
Speaker 2 (08:33):
We'll have you back, you know, as we move in
through the winter, because I think it's good to remind
people when we're in the comfort of our the warmth
of our own homes, that not everybody is in a comfortable,
warm home. Although many people are in you know, the
Pine Street in there are some who are are They're
not in a location that provides them with comfort, that's
for sure, out in the streets of greater Boston. Thanks Lindya.
(08:57):
I appreciate your time so much. Thank you very much.
Speaker 3 (09:00):
Take care, Thank you, Okay, you too.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
When we get back, we're going to talk with Nicole Spencer.
She's the executive director of a group called Heroes in Transition,
honoring veterans at mashbe Commons at dedication event coming up
this Sunday, Sunday, November three, So if you're down on
the South Shore, you want to harken close to your
radio and pay attention. Back on Nightside with the executive
(09:22):
director of Heroes in Transition Nicole Spencer. Right after this
on Nightside, you're listening to w BZ, Boston's News radio
ten thirty and your AM dial. Feel free to join
the conversation, but wait until after nine o'clock. We got
some great topics coming up tonight. We will be talking
about haunted houses, haunted homes and how difficult it is
sometimes to sell those homes. And we'll also talk with
(09:45):
Dave Paleologus of Suffolk University. We talked last night with
Spencer Kimball of Emerson College and we get the latest
from them their take on the race as we move
now pretty soon it will be five days until next Tuesday.
Coming back Night's Side.
Speaker 1 (10:03):
Now back to Dan Ray live from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
I'm delighted to welcome Nicole Spencer. Nicole is the executive
director of Heroes in Transition. Nicole, Welcome to night Side.
Thanks for joining us.
Speaker 4 (10:19):
Thank you so much for having me and it's really
an honor to speak with you tonight.
Speaker 2 (10:24):
Well, thank you. Tell us about Heroes in Transition. I
I'm sure there are many in our audience who are
familiar with the group, but maybe some who are not.
Speaker 4 (10:32):
Absolutely so. Heroes in Transition was founded in two thousand
and nine and actually just about fifteen years ago this weekend,
Ken and Cindy lost their son in Afghanistan. He was
a helicopter pilot. He was supporting a combat mission there,
and when they brought Eric Holm for his final time here,
they knew that he They wanted to keep his mission
(10:54):
of assisting the troops on the ground alive, so they
formed Heroes in Transition In fifteen years ago they began,
and we're excited to be able to fifteen years later,
offer fifteen programs for both active service members, veterans, military families,
couples and spouses.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
My understanding is that the mission provides help for veterans
service members their families, but help in programs that are
not readily available from government agencies. Give us an example
of you know who, not who you're helping, but the
men and women that you're helping. In what is our
government not providing these people that you folks are able
(11:35):
to fill that very important gap.
Speaker 4 (11:38):
You know, when Cindy and Ken started this foundation, they
really wanted to make sure that they were bringing back
that feeling of camaraderie and the family. So when they
first began, it was really about getting people together. A
lot of times our men and women come back they
might not have the people that they have served or
are currently serving with. So they come back to their home,
(12:00):
where their families are or where their friends were, and
to assimilate back into what we as a civilian understand
what normal is. It might not be, you know, it
might feel different to them. So really, in the beginning,
Cyndy and Can wanted to make sure that that family
feel was back, and I think for the past fifteen
years that's been the major goal is to make everyone
(12:23):
that comes into Heroes in Transition feel like they're part
of the family. And I know over those fifteen years
that's what we started. And just to see over the
course of those fifteen years, how we can offer programs
that strength and relationships. We help with healing individuals and families,
empowering individuals, offering financial assistance in different ways. So, you know,
(12:44):
our niche here on Cape Coddon Beyond is to really
offer programs that really do help those things, whether it's
our couple's retreats or our families in transition Equine program
We have our.
Speaker 5 (12:57):
Reboot and Regroup.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
Courses that really it just helps people with mindfulness and
trying to figure out kind of how they can you know,
help with themselves and bringing themselves back to center when
things happen, or how to just do our you know,
different things with our Equine Warrior another weekend that we have.
So we have fifteen programs that we offer in all
(13:21):
different ways of really servicing the entire family.
Speaker 2 (13:25):
Well, again, this is dedicated to the memory of Marine
helicopter pilot and Captain Eric Jones, and it sounds like
a great program. Do you have an event coming up
this Sunday, a dedication event with heroes and transition. Tell
us about it. Where it is. I assume it's open
to the public. How can folks find out more information
(13:48):
and perhaps be there and join and support this organization?
Speaker 4 (13:53):
Absolutely, So we're on callshpur Home. Although we assist veterans
and active service members, military families from all across not
only the Cape, but through you know, throughout the state,
as we're close to Joint Base Cape Cod but mash
b is you know where we base our and the
Matchbee Commons for for many years now has been supporting us.
(14:15):
And we received a call from Kristin keller Heer, Jess
Balaine along with Greg Jensen. Then they reached out to
us to say, hey, you know, you know Veterans Days
coming up Novembers here it is such a day and
a month of celebration that honors veterans both living and
deceased to serve our military. What can we do together?
And when we got that phone call, we were so
(14:36):
excited to say, let's sit down and figure out what
we can do. So with that, we knew that we
wanted to do something that was interactive, you know that
allows the public to get involved. We wanted it to
be something that was visible, something that was inspiring to others.
So we decided to create a wall of heroes. And
basically this was just it's just a four by six wall.
(14:57):
It's a banner that people the public that comes in
to and I'll go or a few places later, but
that comes into Mashpee Commons. We'll be able to see it,
they'll be able to write messages of support, and really
just it's a way to honor the brave men and
women and all of those who have served and are
serving our country great.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
Now, what time is? What time is the event on Sunday?
Speaker 4 (15:19):
Yes, Sunday, that's at the Mashpee Commons and we're going
to be outside the be outside on the plaza, the
area between Lulu Lemon and Regal Cinemas. So we'll be
out there. We're excited to be out there.
Speaker 6 (15:31):
It's supposed to be abusing.
Speaker 2 (15:32):
Just the time you broke up on me there, it's
just I'm sorry. What time Sunday is this twelfth to two?
Twelve to two. Everybody knows where the Mashpee Commons are
and if they want more information, give us the web
page so we can get them, get them there on
time with good directions. What is your your website?
Speaker 4 (15:53):
Absolutely, Heroes in Transition dot org.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
Heroes in Transition dot org. Nicole, thank you very much much.
It sounds like a great event. And anyone anywhere south
of Boston who has some time on Sunday, this would
be a wonderful event. From from twelve to two, you
get to meet some great people. Thanks so much for
drawing us today, Nicole.
Speaker 4 (16:18):
So that will be the wall will be up throughout
the whole holiday season. So if you can't make it
from twelve to two and you're coming down to match
be Commons at anytime, just be on the lookout for it. It
will be there for you.
Speaker 2 (16:29):
Sounds great. Thanks thanks again, Nicole, appreciated banks.
Speaker 4 (16:32):
Take care.
Speaker 2 (16:33):
Yeah, broke up a little bit there of the end,
so I hope all of you got that. Let's keep
rolling here. We've got the news coming up, and after
that we're going to talk about food allergies as a
true fear factor. I'm going to be interested, and it's
going to be talking with doctor Sirita Patil of MGH.
(16:54):
She's a physician scientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Stay
with us right here on w B Boston's news radio.
This is Nightside. My name is Dan Ray, and we
will be here all the way unto midnight. We have
two more great guests coming up, going to talk with
doctor Pettil and also going to talk with a Boston
Globe correspondent, Sabrina Lamb, about the most popular Halloween costumes
(17:16):
in Boston this Halloween, which of course is tomorrow. Coming
right back on Nightside.
Speaker 1 (17:22):
You're on Nightside with Dan Ray on w b Z,
Boston's news radio.
Speaker 2 (17:28):
Delighted to be joined by doctor Sirita Pettil. Doctor Pettil,
Welcome to Nightside. How are you?
Speaker 5 (17:35):
Thank you for having me tonight? Really great you.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
And I hope I'm pronouncing Patil correctly. Is that correct?
Speaker 5 (17:42):
That's perfect?
Speaker 2 (17:43):
Yes, perfect, Okay. You are a physician and a scientist
at Massachusetts General Hospital, and your area of expertise food allergies.
But the note that I here have here says that
food allergies also are a true fear factor. Not exactly
what's true that what that means? Perhaps you could explain
it to my audience and to me.
Speaker 5 (18:05):
Well, you know, I think we were inspired by the
Halloween theme. That's you know, the holiday that's coming up.
Speaker 4 (18:12):
Proud.
Speaker 5 (18:14):
Yeah, so that that was sort of the s silly
sensationalist title there. But you know, there is a real
fear element to food allergies. It's kind of amazing. There's,
you know, this incredible rise in the incidents of food allergies,
and I know we all feel it. You know, we all,
we all experience it kind of on a daily basis.
(18:36):
You know, food allergies are like ten percent of Americans,
and you know one and a half percent of those
have human allergy. It's actually, you know, really really common.
I have a little kiddo and you know, two kids
out of every class I could have food allergies. So
it's like it's a really different world today. And you know,
when you have a food allergy, exposure to small amounts
(18:59):
of the allergen concern your body into having a serious reaction, right,
so there is a real fear factor. So feel food allergy?
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Why is it? Why is it that it seems maybe
when I was young, back last century, we just ate
everything and we maybe suffered from food allergies, but we figured,
oh it's no big deal, is it. We're diagnosing more food,
(19:27):
you know, more food allergies accurately. What is why are
the number of the percentage of young people or people
with food allergies seem to be more prevalent or is
that a mirage and they're just as the prevalency is
the same.
Speaker 5 (19:41):
No, it's it's not just better at diagnosing them, Although
that is true, we have better tools to day to
diagnose food allergies than to manage them. Then you know
that we ever have had before. But you know, I
think what you said was really telling. You know, we
ate everything. And there's really great data that's a really
cool study that have that happened in the last ten
(20:04):
years that shows that when we introduced food really early
into the infant's life, right when they start to eat
foods right, if we introduce allergies, then we can really
drop the incidence of food allergy. So in babies who
are already at higher risks of food allergy because for example,
they have exema I also called atiovic deematitis, if we
(20:28):
feed them peanut really early, within four to six months
of life, we can reduce their risk of peanut allergy
by eighty percent. So our motto has become introduced foods early,
I keep them going to really kind of maximumly benefit
from that early introduction.
Speaker 2 (20:45):
Okay, So let me ask you a question. As a
parent A long long time ago, one of the things
parents are concerned about is would be a child choking.
I mean that's something that was always prevalent in my mind.
I would assume that babies don't have the ability to
chew a peanut. So what I suspect you're saying is
(21:06):
introduce peanut butter or something like that, so that they're
getting the peanut product, perhaps not in the in the
form of actual raw peanuts, but they're getting the peanut
product into this system. I assume that's what you're saying.
Speaker 3 (21:22):
That's absolutely what I'm saying.
Speaker 5 (21:23):
You know, every as you have been a parent, you know,
every baby is there has their own kind of progression, right,
and so you really have to have to see the
child that you have in front of you. But there
are lots of peanut containing foods that do not involve
a choking. This is obviously would not feed the infant peanut.
So yeah, there's lots of great instructions on how to
(21:44):
do this now on the web, and lots of peanut
containing products that do not induce choking. I have to
say that my children were really fond of the peanut
puffs and you used to have to hide them away
from our kids all finish, So.
Speaker 2 (21:58):
What are some of the other food that parents should
introduce early to diminish the likelihood that children later on
will develop specific allergies? Are there a series of foods
that perhaps you could get you could list for us,
which would help people absolutely, yeah, from developing.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
Yeah, no, absolutely. It turns out that it's actually all
the major allergens. So you know, peanut obviously is one
that's on all of our minds, that peanuts, trenuts, milk, egg, wheat,
even fish and shellfish. Actually, if we can get all
of that in early into their diets, give them a
nice very die and make sure that they keep eating it,
we really do reduce that risk of allergy. It isn't zero,
(22:44):
but it is significantly reduced.
Speaker 2 (22:46):
Sure is there a list? I mean you just went
through a number of food items. It's funny. We have
a grandson who's too little, over two years old now,
maybe two and four months, and he loves fish. I
mean there's just just you know, haddock, you know, regular fish,
and I would not think of kids liking fish. I
(23:08):
would think of kids liking things like cookies and snacks.
But there's no again, I've never seen a kid want
to eat more fish. So you know, of course, you're
always right, Well, got to make sure that there's no
bone in the fish, you know, again, our caution. Sometimes,
I'm sure there are some parents out there will say, well,
I don't want to give my child fish because he
(23:30):
could choke. He or she could choke on the bone.
But if you're careful and you make sure it's cut
up and they there's an example that when you happen
to mention fish, I would not have thought that that
the consumption of fish might diminish the likelihood of allergies growing.
You know, as the kids get older. You did mention fish,
(23:50):
and it just it stuck out to me.
Speaker 5 (23:54):
Yeah, I know, I mean sounds like he's right on trap.
Then yeah, it does turn out that, you know, kids
really do frivees you in terms of what they like.
And I think that you know, you'll get this advice
from the FUSI often that we do have to try foods,
you know often in order to have to really meaningful
to introduce them into into the diets of kids. But
(24:14):
you know, they they learn to appreciate foods and textures
kind of along that you learned that just like you
learn anything else, right, and so you know, it is
really important to try to get those There's so many
different ways of getting these allergens, which are the diet
you know, besides whole foods like we're talking about right
now as well. So you know, I think the options
(24:35):
that parents have are are pretty varied, and the tools
are great too. But you know, in the old days,
right speaking of you know, when you and I grew up,
you know, we were exposed to whatever was on the
dinner table, and and that's also a great way of
into do flu foods?
Speaker 2 (24:52):
I think do you think this is a question that
has just struck me, and we don't prepare questions, as
you know, this is the first time we've talked. Do
you think that perhaps we have relied we meaning young parents,
not that I'm young parent now, but when we were
young parents on baby food, you know, the little, the
(25:12):
mushy sort of food that you know that you gave,
that we gave our kids, uh, and that we we
need to introduce real food to them at an earlier
Is that part of the problem. I'm just divining that
just talking to you, it sounds to me like maybe
we we we rely too much on the I don't
(25:33):
want to mention the name, but you know, the little
the little bottles and oh there's some there's some squash,
and there's some green peas, and it doesn't look particularly
appetizing by the way, but easy, easy to swallow and
all of that. The sort of food that they end
up half all over their face, is that have we
(25:53):
overlied on that that sort of you know, mushy, prepackaged
food as a opposed to giving them actual normal human food.
Speaker 5 (26:03):
Well, Dan, I'll tell you that I remember those early
parent days very vividly and in both from you know,
the medical side as well as you know, the parenting side.
I'm a strong believer in options because you have, as
a parent, really have to do what's practical for you
and your family, and what that practical solution looks like
is really different for family to family. So no judgment
(26:26):
for me at all in terms of how we get
those foods into the into the diet. But I think
that you know, getting those foods and keeping them in,
you know, being committed to having that very diet is
really great for their for their their health and their
growth and development on multiple levels, not just for the
allergy prevention. So you know, that's sort of our mantra.
(26:47):
However it might be, you know, it's just important that
we get it in.
Speaker 2 (26:53):
That's that's great advice. Doctor Serta Patil Patil. Thank you
so much for your time. Is there any either website
or particular article that people that you could refer people
to to read? I mean, you've given us so much information.
I hope that everybody absorbed a lot of it. But
is there any website that you want to refer people to?
Speaker 5 (27:15):
Yeah, there's two sources. One, the National Institutes of Health
has a website on early introduction guidelines. There's also, you know,
food allergy resources at food allergy dot org that I
often recommend to my patients. And then the last, but
not least, there is an early introduction program at mass
General Hospital led by one of my colleagues, doctor Mike Pisper.
(27:38):
He's lovely and so if anyone ever has any needs
of concerns of leads to contact us, you know, please
do what you have a program set.
Speaker 4 (27:46):
Up with us.
Speaker 2 (27:47):
Well, that's great. Thank you so much, doctor Batilla. I
really appreciated the opportunity to chat with you, and perhaps
we'll do it again sometime soon.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Thank you so much, thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Thank you very welcome. When we go back, we're going
to light it up just a little bit and talk
about the most popular Halloween costumes in Boston this year
with us. We'll be Sabrina Lamb, who's a Boston Globe correspondent.
She's written an article, but this I looked at the
article and a lot of these costumes I don't recognize.
So we'll see what she has to say. Maybe you've
(28:19):
picked out some costumes for yourself afore your young ones.
Tomorrow night is Halloween, be careful out there, not only
as a trick or treater, but as a driver out
on the road, because that is the night when a
lot of kids are running hither, thither and on, and
they're focused only on getting across the street or up
that walkway, and you've got to make sure that you
drive extra careful tomorrow night. That's that's my admonition. We'll
(28:42):
be back with my interview with Sabrina Lamb of the
Boston Globe right after this.
Speaker 1 (28:49):
Now back to Dan ray Line from the Window World
night Side Studios on WBZ News Radio.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Now, I'm not going out trigg or treating tomorrow night,
because we'll be doing night side right here. However, however,
some of you are, and some of you are going
out trick or treating with your kids and with us.
Is Sabrina Lamb. She's at Boston Globe Correspondent and has
just written a piece for The Globe on Boston Halloween
twenty twenty four and the most popular costumes. Sabrina, I
(29:18):
must be out of sync with the world, because when
I think about Halloween costumes, I think about the costumes
that I wore when I was a kid, and I
didn't They weren't very expensive. It was like a little
charcoal and a hat and you went out as a
hoboll or something like that. That's probably politically incorrect these days.
So what are the costumes that passed mustered today? One
(29:41):
of the most popular ones. Welcome to Nightside by the way.
Speaker 6 (29:44):
Sabrina, thank you, glad to be here. Yeah, but costume
wers surprised me this year as well. It seems like
there are a few recurring favorites. Beetlejuice is definitely one
of the very popular costumes. Three of the characters actually
from Beetle Juice movie that came out this year are
on the top ten list for the country and in
(30:05):
Boston for the most popular costumes, and among those costumes
are Deadpool, Dominion, and Raygun, who was a viral breakdancer
from the Paris Olympics surprisingly made the list as well
as number two.
Speaker 2 (30:19):
Yeah, breakdn I was a great breakdancer in my prime.
By the way, A lot of people don't know that
about me, Sabrina. But I wish they had Olympic breakdancing
when I was breakdancing. I think I could have had
a chance to compete. But but so people are going
to be wearing breakdancing costumes this this fall, this Halloween.
Speaker 6 (30:39):
So it's going to be a costume of a particular breakdancer,
this woman who goes by Raygun and she had a
breakdancing routine at the Paris Olympics this year, Yes, which
went viral for a multitude of reasons.
Speaker 2 (30:54):
But impressive. I remember it. I remembered very well. It
was impressive. So people, who do we that costume? Okay,
when you say Reagan, I figured people were going around
dressed as the fortieth presidents of the United States, Ronald Reagan.
But I missed that one. Who's who's the guy the
picture here? The guy in red? Uh, He's like in
(31:17):
a red body suit and he looks like some sort
of ninja warrior from a from another galaxy, far far away.
Speaker 6 (31:24):
I believe you are talking about.
Speaker 2 (31:26):
De Yeah, dead yeah right. I had no idea who
Deadpool is, but it's a pretty neat costume, you know. Uh.
And then who's the little guys here with the google
with the googly eyes, the little yellow heads or whatever
their their Withable.
Speaker 6 (31:46):
Well, those are the but yes, they're fromable me. They're
the beloved minions. They're like a species of some type
of creature that are kind of like the minions of
the main villain grew so then they've become very popular.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, so they're villains. They look like friendly little credits.
Let me ask you this, are there any that people
over the age of twenty will recognize? I mean again,
I'm guessing you're a little younger than me. But I mean,
I look when we were young, and I was young
(32:27):
a long time ago, back in the last century, Sabrina,
you dress up as a cowboy or maybe as I
can't say it, I can't use the word Indian, but
as as the Native American. Are those costumes now just
politically incorrect and you can't do that anymore. I'm just
I'm a little confused to you because I don't recognize
these characters and it's probably because I don't go to
(32:50):
a lot of the movies.
Speaker 6 (32:54):
I think the Halloween costumes have definitely gotten more creative
over the years. People want to branch out and try
out the ones that no one else has done before.
So your usual vampire and what Bolt get parties as
much as you know Ray Gun or Deadpool nowadays.
Speaker 2 (33:09):
So so if every if everybody's doing, uh, you buy,
you gotta buy? You can't really make these costumes. I mean,
I'm looking at the costume of the Deadpool guy. I
mean you're not gonna make one up like that. I mean,
this guy's where in he looks like he's, I don't know,
an Olympic skier, he's he's a very toned fit with
(33:33):
this body suit on. Where do they find those these days?
At their costume stores in Boston where they can go
buy these costumes? Or I mean, this is not something
you're gonna make up. I don't think, Oh.
Speaker 6 (33:46):
Yeah, certainly unless you get really creative with its probably
something you you would probably have to go to Spirit
Halloween for.
Speaker 2 (33:52):
Yeah, I mean what about I mean this sounds a
little goofy, but and I'm kind of goofy, as you
probably figure it out bright now, But what happened in
the old days when kids would put on like a
Tom Brady jersey and a Patriot's helmet and they would
go around as Tom Brady. Is that stuff considered just
you know, not creative enough, not creative enough, I guess.
Speaker 6 (34:15):
For the younger generation, especially the kids, they like to
get really creative for Halloween, so those costumes aren't popular
with the children. They use a holiday at the time
to really get creative and get crafty and think of
something really whacked to do for the holiday.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So but my last kind of serious question here, and
this is a serious one. Are these costumes that we've
just seen, and it's a great piece you wrote, By
the way, are these costumes getting people are buying in
costume stores? Are they actually making the costumes for their
kids that are the kids making the costumes? Who's creating
the costumes? Are these costumes being sold commercially, which I
(34:55):
can understand, or are people actually creating the costumes from
stuff they have at home.
Speaker 6 (35:03):
I would definitely say it's a mix of both. Like
I mentioned before, the Beetlejuice characters are very popular this year,
and you know their outfits are very very extravagant and detailed.
But that's all the things that you can really put
your head to and go out and buy stuff and
put together. I think that's the fun aspect of it is,
you know, getting all the different items to make the
(35:24):
out of it.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Well, Sabrina, I just want to make a confession because
I had never heard of Beetlejuice until I flipped on
Saturday Night Live a couple of weeks ago when Michael
Keaton was the host and I realized they were talking
about some movie they made, Beetlejuice. I'm without a clue here.
I apologize for not being more redued anyway. Thanks very much, Sabrina.
(35:49):
Thanks for joining us and I left ev you you
back soon. You helped me out. I learned a lot
from reading these columns. I'm slowly but sureted into the
twenty first century.
Speaker 1 (36:01):
I'm glad all right.
Speaker 2 (36:03):
Thanks a grady to talk to you soon. Thanks good night.
When we get back here on night Side, right after
the nine o'clock news, we are going to raffle off.
We're going to give you an opportunity to win a couple
of tickets to Celtic Thunder. I have heard about Celtic thunder,
and then we're going to be talking with another Polster
we had with us last night, Spencer Kimball of Emerson College,
(36:24):
was going to talk with my good friend Dave Paylo
Logus of Suffolk University and find out what's been going
on the last few days as this presidential race and
Senate races around the country come down the home stretch.
We'll be back right after the nine o'clock News
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.