Our Story
I began this blog (in Jan. 2010) to journal about our healing through dietary changes, to document recipes that I tried and either failed or succeeded with, and to track whether we see any improvement from the changes. We have been tweaking our diet and blogging about it for two years now, and have seen amazing changes to our health.
In brief, we have some autoimmune issues that we are dealing with; specifically Lyme disease for myself, both daughters, and possibly my husband, and PANDAS for my oldest daughter. We also have a variety of reactions to food, mostly gastro, but also some skin-related, behavior-related, and respiratory, between us all.
The journey to eliminate certain things from our diet began 6+ years ago when I suspected my oldest daughter was reacting to artificial food colors with severe aggression, and we eliminated Red #40 from her diet and saw immediate improvement. Two years later, we eliminated all artificial colors on the suspicion that Yellow #5 was having the same effect. I was having problems getting pregnant with another child until we changed our diet to organic, and then I was pregnant within 2 months! My oldest daughter continued to seem to react to food and we began the Feingold Program to decrease salicylates in her diet and chemicals in her environment. We saw a significant improvement and continue this in a modified fashion (since we now know her triggers!)
The more we learned about food, the more conscientious we became. My second daughter was born with no enamel on her teeth (dentists blame a variety of things from antibiotics I took while pregnant, to fluoride in our drinking water. We became even more homeopathic/holistic than we already were, seeking out dietary measures to help with teeth and bones and hopefully heal her caries. We succeeded in this, amazingly!!, by doing very simple things like cooking more traditionally, using Weston A Price as a guide through the cookbooks by Sally Fallon, specifically Nourishing Traditions,
using more whole foods, soaking our wheat, beans and nuts, and using less sugar.
We also sought out local food and tried to eat more seasonally, less processed. We scouted out Farmer’s Markets and began to really understand what goes into our food and where it comes from. We read Fast Food Nation and Omnivore’s Dilemma, to name a couple. But it wasn’t until our older daughter was diagnosed with PANDAS that we really started digging deep for answers. How can we eat in a way that optimizes our body’s ability to function and heal? What difference will it make if her blood-brain-barrier is open and we eliminate wheat? There are dietary changes that we know have “cured” children of Autism (I say cured in quotes because it can have other meanings in this context, such as “detoxed,” not that I don’t believe it happens- I absolutely do!!)
What are we eliminating and why?
-Gluten and most grains. Gluten can have very toxic effects on the brain, even in the healthiest of individuals. For my PANDAS daughter, specifically, there is a possibility that her body is reacting to one or some combo of fungus/yeast/mold, and grains tend to harbor these. The fungus/yeast/mold itself is bad enough, but those things also like to bond with heavy metal toxins and since she is vaccinated, that is also a concern.
-Sugar and starch- These feed yeast, obviously, so they must go! We’ll do tiny tiny amounts of xylitol, which is said to help kill strep (which we’re fighting due to PANDAS) and go easy on the potatoes and rice.
-Dairy- Much like gluten, it can do nasty things to the body. If you have inflammation, it makes it worse. We’ll do local organic butter and go easy on the local, organic, grass-fed, raw cheddar cheese. I may make an exception as well if I can find superb organic local goat’s cheese. I also plan to use very small amounts of whey, as I may need this for soaking beans or fermenting. Yogurt is grass-fed, organic, and homemade, or a brand that doesn’t include S. Thermophilus (a controversial strain of strep.) I plan to use hemp milk if needed, and lots of coconut milk.
-Anything/everything artificial. We are looking at whole foods, as local, in season, and organic as possible. Eating things as close to the source and as close to natural as possible. Nothing processed. Nothing with “natural flavors” (aka CORN.)
I’m hopeful and anxious that we will all feel better. Nervous that we will miss a good chocolate bar and slice of toast, but excited that my cupboards and freezer will contain actual food that we prepared with love and effort- the way that we SHOULD!
Here i come following you.
Hi,
Did you say that you healed your daughter’s teeth by changing how you ate, or did I misunderstand? How did that work, and what was the process?
I just realized that I replied in general to the post, and not specifically to you, so you may not have noticed. I did a post on healing cavities recently if you are interested and find your way back here again
Christy,
We did heal her teeth. Partly with diet and partly with homeopathy. I will be sure to post more in depth and will work on getting that out this weekend for you.
Love this blog! Thank you! We’ve been fighting candida and food allergies and amazingly after starting the Body Ecology Diet & feeling fabulous, we’re converts for life. But it is REALLY hard to follow the new way of living on a budget and with kids who are exposed to the processed food in school & at friends houses.
Anne, it is hard. But there is a lot of parenting that is hard, that does no absolove us of the resoniblity. :0)
Anne,
Yes, yes, yes! It is expensive, hard to follow/afford, and difficult for people to understand! Goose stopped eating artificial colors at age 5 and knew what to look out for for herself back then, and we gradually changed over to other ways of eating, so she has been pretty understanding and can usually spot things that deviate from what is “safe” food for herself, and WANTS to follow the rules (for the most part) because she does know it makes her feel better. The few times we have had a “treat” (ha!) like a Jamba Juice or whatever, she has felt the tummy ache and then the exhaustion or dealt with feeling just lousy or out of sorts, so I do think she understands. It’s harder when they are younger though, and I think especially with candida- you are CRRRRRAAAAVVVVING the exact things you are not supposed to have. I struggled with that during pregnancy so badly!
Thanks for dropping by and leaving a comment! It’s always fun to see new “faces” around here and read new comments and questions! I love the community aspect of blogging best of all!
how long did it take Goose to “realize” the diet helped and to be a willing part of it. Big Brother knows we have a Food Plan. he will ask me to read things and see if they are on the plan, butttt when they are out (as is normally the case of anything that has caught his 4 yo eye) he will get upset or at a better moment say ‘add it to the list momma, add it to the plan” . now he is only 4 y and 7 m … but keep waiting. for us the eating is so hard anyway — to have to constantly fight him too, and feel like he hates it is hard. i do it, parenthood is not supposed to be easy– but i would like to see it improve .
Aimee,
At five, I was beginning to feel very secure in my instincts with her that something wasn’t “normal,” whereas before I kept thinking she would grow out of it. She was still not able to play alone at all, and would have tantrums (that I called meltdowns) that were these instantaneous displays of screaming, throwing herself to the floor violently, and just being aggressive and/or violent with everyone (especially kicking.) It was just by chance that I pinpointed her aggression on the red dye.
Once I removed the red dye (and at the time did not tell her that I was doing it and/or why, because I was wholly in charge of her food and care and didn’t have to explain!) then I noticed that she would fight me for things that were still in the house that had red. Like, she would try to climb my leg if she saw candy in the cupboard or macaroni and cheese, etc. Another thing I noticed her craving and fighting me for was Juicy Juice. No other particular juice except Juicy Juice. It was like she had an addiction to those things. I had no idea for YEARS why she was fighting me for the Juicy Juice, but I did eliminate that immediately after noticing (so same time as the red.) Later, Laura mentioned Feingold and we started eliminating things and apples were a big trigger that we found, so I believe now that it is probably that the kind of Juicy Juice had apple juice or was cross-contaminated with apples and that was triggering.
It was a few months to really detox her COMPLETELY though we noticed a change even within the first 24 hours of going red-free. After probably 3 months, she would say that she could not have something red, but even after she was 6 and 7 years old (so up to 2 yrs later) I really didn’t trust her not to have something in school or whatever if it really looked enticing to her. And sometimes it was a matter of her really not knowing what contained colors too. After we eliminated them all (yellow was next) then it was harder for her to know what she could and could not have. At this point, even at almost 10 years old, I still don’t trust entirely that she would avoid something if she really wanted it and there was peer pressure, but if we are out TOGETHER in a restaurant or something she won’t ask for bread, and if we say okay, we can have a Jamba Juice but you know it will give you a tummy ache, she will think twice, but it still takes parental prompting. Sometimes at school she would scrape the icing off a cupcake and still have the cupcake, for example, which made me proud of her that she was noticing, but then I would think “but the cupcake still has yellow #5 in the mix!!!” but that was before the entire diet haul-over. Now she doesn’t eat at school at all and takes something we provide everywhere she goes.
I am just wondering when Big Brother is going to see / notice he is “better” with out the stuff — i am not sure the differnce is big enough for him to notice, nor am i sure it effect how he realizes he feels — at least not at 4 y 8 m …. i am not sure he can ‘see” the over the top silly that is what the diet has removed.
i so appercipate you 9and Luara)
I’m not sure. I think it took Goose a long time to make that actual connection. She knows now that if she eats a proper diet (for her) and takes her meds, then better things come her way because we aren’t expending the energy fighting about those things and have more time for play.
Our daughter is 3 and she knows that she ‘doesn’t like’ apples, bananas, raspberries, grapes, and chocolate. She still needs supervision, and I don’t know if she’s aware enough to turn them down if offered – however, she’s not old enough to be in that situation yet – but at this age, we can say, Oh dd, sorry this has chocolate/apples/etc, and remember that makes your head hurt and your tummy feel sick? And she knows enough not to get upset.
Lilly that is good to hear, Big Brother is almost 5 and not showing that maturity. i think as there is no physical “negative” for him — he doesn’t get sick — he gets SILLY — so i am 1. not sure he can notice and 2 not sure he cares (LOL). I keep at him. he can TELL you the rules, then argue that a sought food does NOT have whatever it it that he is not allowed to have.,
hi
have you noted improvement in your autoimmune health eating this way? i follow the GAPS diet and have RA and find it helps. i can’t do the beans though.
iz
We have noticed a lot of improvement. Some was immediate and some took us some time realize (usually we would not notice until we ate an “offending” food and then think, “Oh my gosh! We used to feel bloated/congested, etc ALL the time!!”)
My husband’s sleep apnea totally disappeared/healed after about a month
My hair stopped falling out so drastically (I still experience abnormal hair-loss, but it is not as extreme)
We stopped itching and our skin healed (chronic skin dryness and eczema)
We stopped using tissues all day long to stop our post-nasal drip that we thought was seasonal allergies, colds, etc. (It was food sensitivities!!)
My kids’ behavior improved
My kids sleep better and are not as tired/cranky throughout the day
We are not constantly hungry and in search of carb-filled snacks
I don’t reach for coffee as often
My mood and DH’s mood have improved and our depression is gone, anxiety lessened
I rarely use my asthma inhaler (only when I laugh too much!) when I was using it almost every day before the diet
Our digestion problems are totally gone/healed. No gas, no diarrhea, no nausea, no frequent bathroom trips, no chronic constipation, etc. (as long as we stick with the the diet.)
Extreme food cravings are gone. Late night eating has dramatically decreased.
The adults have lost weight (about 30 lbs each and are down to a healthy range of weight) and are not bloated
No more pain, cramps, and exhaustion with menstrual cycles- AND period is shorter!!! (This one shocked me- totally unexpected!)
Goose (almost 10) has gained weight to a healthy weight now (probably 15 lbs) where she was under-weight before
We all seem stronger and feel more clear-headed
Our skin is clearer
We don’t sunburn, even without sun-screen (because we are getting lots of fat, which protects us.)
It is not an easy diet to start. There are no real guide-lines for us. The nutritional response therapist who recommended we change the way we eat, gave us broad outlines- no sugar, no gluten, and low-glycemic index. We were already doing a modified Feingold and starting to eat along the guidelines of Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon. We knew dairy was a problem, but once we changed to only goat and raw dairy, we have had no issues. We look to GAPS and SCD for guidance when something seems amiss, and aren’t opposed to cutting out other things if they seem to bother us. The key for us now is to add in some new things to boost nutrition. I don’t fee like we are 100% where I want to be with the diet just yet- it is a work in progress, a journey. But, yes, we have seen tremendous improvement.
Thanks for stopping by!
again, and again, you are amazing
They have seen SHOCKING and AMAZING change — really the changes are beyond anything I’d ever expected froma diet change — but the mom and dad also work so so so HARD it is a real life style change and labor of love.
Thank you so much for posting your recipes. We have just started the following to build our PANDAS daughter’s immune system:
no white flour
no white rice
no milk
no white sugar
no hydrogenated oils
As you mentioned, breakfast is one of the hardest meals for which to find substitutions. I am anxious to try your raisin muffins!
I hope you have success! There are so many variables to think about!!
We started with no Red #40, then eliminated all the artificial colors, then to the Feingold Program, then incorporated some of the concepts in Nourishing Traditions, and went dairy-free. Apples were a big trigger for Goose for a long time- actually until we started NRT and this diet. I think that eliminating the gluten helped heal her gut so that she could deal better with salicylates. She did better with no dairy, and still can’t do pasteurized dairy, but tolerates raw dairy just fine.
There have been days in the midst of trying to figure it all out where I threw up my hands and said, “We can’t eat anything!!” and felt defeated. Sometimes I still do, but it’s rare and that’s when I know it’s time to sit down and meal plan! Add on top of it, as you well know, a child with PANDAS who can have such severe separation anxiety that you can’t even go to the bathroom alone, much less cook, and… whew! It becomes overwhelming.
It’s a process of putting one foot in front of the other and trying to see our successes instead of our failures.
((Hugs!!!))
Just found your blog via Gluten Free Goodness, and our diets are almost identcal. I’m working to clear up candida–sounds as if your recipes would be great for me. Glad to have found you!
I am dealing with candida as well (full-body rash and brain fog) and am working to reduce my carbs and sugar intake even further. I just started Nutritional Response Therapy for myself (my daughters have had success with it for months now) and am having huge die-off symptoms. Not a fun thing to deal with, and definitely an ongoing battle for me. I’m glad you found me too! I love sharing info about what helps and doesn’t help.
Hi Chickiepea,
I just came across your blog through a series of clicks I probably couldn’t retrace
and have been reading a bit.
I’m curious if you have been able to put your Fibromyalgia into full remission. I found, for me, that it was a combination of diet/physical (like you are already doing) and spiritual/emotional/energy work that finally cleared all of the symptoms and restored my body to the way it was before I was diagnosed at 12yo. I’m wondering if you have found the same thing to be true.
Also, a friend (also curing FMS) and I are working on a site called Healing Rebel. I’d love to talk to you about guest blogging if you are interested. Email link
No, I actually have not been able to achieve full remission yet. I have had some brief bouts of relief, and definitely have found that eating certain foods (like corn and white sugar) make me flare. The biggest benefits have been seen by other members of my family (and I will do another post soon about all of the health benefits we’ve seen.) I have not had any energy work done, but do see a chiro on a regular basis for adjustments, as Nutritional Response Therapy that I just began a few weeks ago. I have no official diagnosis, but started having symptoms of CFS and Fibromyalgia around age 12, with some joint pain and migraines even earlier on. Around age 12, I also began keeping chronic and acute sinus infections. At 17, I was diagnosed with Mono and it took me years to recover from that and the candida that all of the years of antibiotics.
I think that I have a totally wrecked immune system. I have had very brief periods in my life where I have not struggled so badly with the fatigue and joint pain, but other things have cropped up during those times (like repeated strep infections, allergies, costochondritis…)
It is good to hear that you have achieved a full remission!! I am very interested in your site and would be honored to guest blog. I will also email you directly. Glad you found us and thanks for reading!!
you are in such a better place now, as a dear friend and observer the difference is stark.
Let us all know if you guest post any place…
Just wanted to say hello, and let you know I finally got a chance to stop by your blog.
Everything looks wonderful over here!
~Gigi
Hi Chickiepea,
Like you I also changed my diet to improve my health. I have rheumatoid arthritis and so to improve my health I cut out inflammation producing foods. My health has improved significantly. There is still room for improvement and I’m thinking about cutting out wheat. You can check out my food blog at http://www.myhealthyeatinghabits.com
Good luck with your changes.
Mireya
Hi, I am so glad to have found you. Both of my children have Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis. My husband has Ulcerative Colitis. I am undiagnosed with joint pain, fatigue, low white count, muscle aches, and tummy pain/diarrhea. Our family is an autoimmune nightmare. My son was recently diagnosed with Celiac, back in April. I stopped gluten a couple of months ago for my self as well, and it has been incredible in my symptoms. They aren’t gone, but MUCH better. Like diarrhea 2 times in 2 months, instead of 4-6 times a day. We are on the path to more local, organic, whole foods. I wish I had learned all of this earlier instead of later. Better late than never! Thanks for sharing.
Audra
I am so sorry for all your family is enduring. Please see this info. as I think it would really help your family:
http://www.gaps.me/preview/?page_id=28
http://vimeo.com/10507542
This diet can heal autoimmune disease by healing the gut.
Isabelle
Chickiepeas you need to come visit me. I too have Fibromyalgia and been doing this diet since Oct and IBS is gone and pain is receding for Fibromyalgia. But you will have to get real strict with your diet. Dr. Cordain has lot of testimonials for remission of Fibroymyalgia. It will take months to see results since Fibromyalgia is only suspected to be autoimmune and it takes awhile for things to calm down. Tomorrow I am going to post a pretty explosive post about it and you may not like what I am about to tell you.
I stumbled on your website in search of a grain-free biscuit recipe. I read your story – thanks for sharing. It is so great to see more and more people become aware of food sensitivities and the harm that colors and additives are doing to our bodies. I started a blog also, to help create awareness because of our own family health issues: shanonhilton.blogspot.com. Check it out if you have time. It’s nice to get to know people who are on a similar journey with regards to food and health.
Interesting story. I was diagnosed with gluten sensitivity (likely latent celiac disease) and also had an interesting time of finding my own dietary path to wellness. While I have a much less restricted diet (gluten free, occasional experiments with cheese, and regular bad decisions to try oats) it’s always interesting hearing how other deal with their situations.
I enjoy your blog and your recipes! We are egg-free (or at least I am) and we are working on going as organic as possible. So far we are about 80% organic, with about 10% of the rest being “natural” or Trader Joe’s brand. Not organic but closer!
I have removed HFCS because my stepdaughter was reacting horribly to it. She also craves sugar like there is no tomorrow! I’m the only one who notices these things (since I’m the one who homeschools) and no one else believes me that she has a problem. I think she has candida issues because I suffer from them myself and I recognize the signs.
I never thought to check for sensitivities to colors! However, since going to a more organic diet I have noticed improvements in us all. MSG was also another horrible trigger.
Have you looked into Miracle Mineral Supplement? It might cure your lyme disease. It actually cures malaria in hours and we use it in our house for many things. There are some books you can download about it, or I can email you.
Keep up the AWESOME blog! I love it! And Quinoa is my new favorite!
I would love to hear more about the miracle mineral supplement. We see our dr again in April and I have been off Lyme treatment for a few months due to my inability to take antibiotics. I’m definitely much better with natural/herbal remedies. Thanks!
Hi Chickiepea, thank you for sending me the link to your blog. The nutritional approach is overwhelming to me right now, but I have noticed over the years that as I take more care to feed my family of 6 healthy, whole foods with a focus on vegetarian, that everyone feels and behaves better. I have M.S. and suspect my daughter of PANDAS, and my husband has all sorts of poor sleep, allergy, and weight issues. I think I need to get back on the wagon here, so thank you for pointing me to your blog. Time to go “detox” the pantry.–Amy
Hi! I’m Sue, and I’m from SlimKicker, a fitness/diet app and site. I bumped into your blog today and it captured my interest!
I’m contacting you b/c we’re about to release a fitness tracker (similar to FitBit) early next year, and are looking for bloggers who would be interested in receiving 1 for free to review when it is out (negative or positive).
Would you be interested in doing this? You can email me at: sue (at) slimkicker (com) with ‘Review’ in the email heading if you are.
For your info, our site SlimKicker basically turns your fitness/diet goals into a level-up RPG game. The tracker will work in conjunction the website, and allow people to track calories burned and number of steps they walk automatically. The more they exercise, the more points they rack up! That’s basically how it will work.
Anyway, hope to hear back either way…
- Sue
P.S. You can choose not to approve this comment as this is more of a private comment