Egg-free, going dairy-free (and mostly soy-free) - need input! - Page 2

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by mamafish9

Been there. My son didn't poop for three months. Ugh. A couple thoughts:

Ugh! This has been really difficult for us. It has been a bit over two months for us.

Originally Posted by mamafish9

1) Tuck salicylates away in the back of your mind as a possible cause of the constipation. Raisins are really high in sals, and tomatoes bug a lot of sals sensitive people too. What happens to your son when he eats apples?

It seems to depend on what state the apples are in. Baked fresh seems not to bother him, but dehydrated bits = diaper rash. I think it may have been the tartness of the bits or something used in the drying process. He actually isn't constipated at all. Thank goodness, or we'd be in REAL trouble. His poops are really soft; I attribute that to a daily pear and some occasional prune juice.

Originally Posted by mamafish9

2) Magnesium. Get as much magnesium supplements into your son as you possibly can. Kirkman makes a magnesium glycinate powder that I sprinkle on lots of food (ground lab, sweet potato fries, in peanut butter...), and lots of the mamas here like Natural Calm, if you can get him to drink it. You take mag supps too - it doesn't pass on very well beyond a certain amount, but if you are deficient, supping will increase what's in your bm. My son still gets backed up sometimes, but I can fix it now with enough magnesium. It softens poops and can create diahhrea if you give enough of it (but I've given plenty and never gotten there).

I'm probably overly cautious/picky but I looked at the Natural Calm and didn't like that it had Stevia in it. I also looked at the Kirkman's magnesium glycinate but wondered why they put L-leucine in it. At least since we eat a TON of sunbutter here we're getting some naturally. I've taken supplements myself - magnesium oxide. I tried citrate on two different occasions and got horrible reflux each time.

[deditus]

My dd is mainly intolerant to gluten and dairy, but has had random reactions linked to egg, corn, soy protein, and high salicylate foods. HOWEVER, now that she has healed a lot and we have strictly avoided gluten and dairy, she doesn't often have "random" (by random, I mean she eats the same thing and sometimes reacts, sometimes doesn't) reactions. It has been 8 months of gut healing - supplements (Perque chewable multi, Carlson D drops, Houston Enzymes, probiotics, magnesium) and healing foods - and we are well on our way. So these reactions may really start to slack off as the bucket is emptied. If there are things you think may be causing a problem but isn't severe or obvious and are good healthy foods (like the carrots), I would rotate them.

[luminesce]

He and I are completely dairy-free, with only small amounts of soy lecithin in crackers. We had another diaper rash reaction but he hadn't eaten anything new and hasn't eaten crackers for a few days. So now I'm wondering if it could be quantity related -- maybe nightshades? (tomatoes are already off our list and he did eat more potatoes than usual.) I've also thought about gluten but find it hard to consider since he eats gluten all the time even on good days. He also ate a bit more corn than usual.

This is SO hard, especially since a) he's still withholding and a couple days behind with poop. b) we're still nursing. I have a really hard time discerning which day's food is coming out! I also have a hard time figuring when some of the irritation is caused by the withholding behavior and when it is food related. There are times, however, when I definitely know it is food-related (when the rash is instant and severely irritates on exit!)

I was really hoping we wouldn't see another bad diaper rash after eliminating eggs, dairy, most all soy (and even carrots) yet here we are again...

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by deditus

My dd is mainly intolerant to gluten and dairy, but has had random reactions linked to egg, corn, soy protein, and high salicylate foods. HOWEVER, now that she has healed a lot and we have strictly avoided gluten and dairy, she doesn't often have "random" (by random, I mean she eats the same thing and sometimes reacts, sometimes doesn't) reactions. It has been 8 months of gut healing - supplements (Perque chewable multi, Carlson D drops, Houston Enzymes, probiotics, magnesium) and healing foods - and we are well on our way. So these reactions may really start to slack off as the bucket is emptied. If there are things you think may be causing a problem but isn't severe or obvious and are good healthy foods (like the carrots), I would rotate them.

Thanks, at what age did you start the perque chewable?

[mamafish9]

It does sound like a food chemicals issue - sals, or histamines maybe (many nightshades are high histamine). When you're food journaling and he's reacting to foods he doesn't always react to, that says bucket reaction to me....

The apples are another clue - my DS will tolerate small amounts baked, but reacts sharply to dried fruit (much higher concentration of food chemicals, so the same size "serving" has a lot more sals/histamines (apples are high in both).

Sunbutter is moderate sals (we use peanut butter, same thing) - enough of it can trigger a sals reaction as well. It can also fill the bucket up to where something else can tip him over the edge. Try food journalling with volume of food, that might give you some clues for bucket reactions.

FWIW, my DS doesn't tolerate the Perque chewable (fruit flavors are extremely high in sals).

And consider some mag - withholding for three days still means constipation, even if the poops are soft (which is good, that will help resolve things a lot!). I totally understand being very careful with supps - find one you like .

[deditus]

Dd was about 2.5 when we started the Perque chewables, she's 3 now.

[luminesce]

Ugh! Retrospectively pouring over the journal - I think it might be corn. It was something we unintentionally increased when we cut out the dairy. Corn outright, canola in the soy-free margarine, canola in the snack foods, canola in the frying pan... I think another one bites the dust.

We're going to try to add pork, venison and beef to our diet and mix things up as much as we can to prevent any more sensitivities while hopefully his gut gets on the mend. This reaction was the worst yet. The diaper rash was brilliant red. At this point, I'm thinking we need a blood test. Has anyone had any luck with York Laboratories finger-prick test? I actually did this for myself about 4 years ago when diagnosed with MS. I want to make sure we get the right info though! Would a draw at a ped/allergist be better (I'm trying to avoid the trauma of the blood draw - DS is highly sensitive.)

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by serenitii

Ugh! Retrospectively pouring over the journal - I think it might be corn. It was something we unintentionally increased when we cut out the dairy. Corn outright, canola in the soy-free margarine, canola in the snack foods, canola in the frying pan... I think another one bites the dust.

Are you looking at corn or canola? I'm confused. Corn is a problem for many people.

We're going to try to add pork, venison and beef to our diet and mix things up as much as we can to prevent any more sensitivities while hopefully his gut gets on the mend. This reaction was the worst yet. The diaper rash was brilliant red. At this point, I'm thinking we need a blood test. Has anyone had any luck with York Laboratories finger-prick test? I actually did this for myself about 4 years ago when diagnosed with MS. I want to make sure we get the right info though! Would a draw at a ped/allergist be better (I'm trying to avoid the trauma of the blood draw - DS is highly sensitive.)

If you're going to do a rotation, do it every 4 days.
The York Laboratories in England or in FL? I've heard good things about the one in England. Horrible things with the one in FL (I actually reported them to the BBB).

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Are you looking at corn or canola? I'm confused. Corn is a problem for many people.

Sigh. That is right. Canola = rapeseed oil. This is so difficult; I'm just not sure. He ate a lot of all of it: corn oil, canola oil, quite a bit of corn itself AND a lot of the soy free margarine which contains palm fruit, olive, canola and safflower oils, natural flavors derived from corn, non-dairy lactic acid, pea protein, sunflower lecithin & annatto for color. I am thinking it has to be something in the margarine since that is the only thing recently new as well as increased in quantity.

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

If you're going to do a rotation, do it every 4 days.

I need help with this. I've read a little about it and understand the concept of rotating every 4 days but the one break-down of food groups that I read would be un-doable for us. It lumped *every* grain into one bucket that you could only eat on one day. It also lumped all mammal meat with the exception of pork (?) into one bucket for one day. Same for poultry. I understand lumping some things together like nightshades, etc. - what is the real way of doing this? I was thinking of simply rotating different foods, regardless of the 'bucket' they are in - is this useless?

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

The York Laboratories in England or in FL? I've heard good things about the one in England. Horrible things with the one in FL (I actually reported them to the BBB).

Ugh, this is the one in Florida. What happened?

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by serenitii

Sigh. That is right. Canola = rapeseed oil. This is so difficult; I'm just not sure. He ate a lot of all of it: corn oil, canola oil, quite a bit of corn itself AND a lot of the soy free margarine which contains palm fruit, olive, canola and safflower oils, natural flavors derived from corn, non-dairy lactic acid, pea protein, sunflower lecithin & annatto for color. I am thinking it has to be something in the margarine since that is the only thing recently new as well as increased in quantity.

I'd say it's more likely to be corn than canola, just based on prevalence of the corn intolerance. But you could take them both out for a couple of weeks, then try them each individually a few days apart to test it.

I need help with this. I've read a little about it and understand the concept of rotating every 4 days but the one break-down of food groups that I read would be un-doable for us. It lumped *every* grain into one bucket that you could only eat on one day. It also lumped all mammal meat with the exception of pork (?) into one bucket for one day. Same for poultry. I understand lumping some things together like nightshades, etc. - what is the real way of doing this? I was thinking of simply rotating different foods, regardless of the 'bucket' they are in - is this useless?

I wouldn't say it's useless. But it would be better to rotate by food families. Here is the food family list. We do different grains on different days. We have tapioca on day 1, buckwheat on day 2, millet (I think) on day 3, and rice on day 4. Beef (and others) is day 1, chicken (and others) is day 2, pork (and others) is day 3, and salmon/turkey (and others) are day 4. I could help you if you want. We did the same thing with corn... DS started eating more of it until he got sensitive to that one too.

Ugh, this is the one in Florida. What happened?

I ordered a test and waited... and waited... and called and called and left message after message after message until I said I was calling the BBB. Finally did call the BBB and complain and they said I wasn't the first one. And I had used a credit card, so thankfully I called the credit card (this was after about 5 months when they said it would ship within like 2-4 weeks, with no communication from them) and I was able to get the money back.

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

I'd say it's more likely to be corn than canola, just based on prevalence of the corn intolerance. But you could take them both out for a couple of weeks, then try them each individually a few days apart to test it.

With DS withholding plus the delay of the reactions, I don't know how many days to wait between foods. We're still recovering from this reaction. We cut out the margarine, corn and canola. The rash has improved a lot but I'm not sure if it is a result of this given that he probably isn't pooping out the changes yet. Plus, his fear seems to kick into high gear for several days even after the rash lets up.

The difficulty pinpointing the multiple intolerances make me (and DS!) feel like the reactions are random. I'm beginning to fear choosing his foods as much as he fears to poop.

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

I wouldn't say it's useless. But it would be better to rotate by food families. Here is the food family list. We do different grains on different days. We have tapioca on day 1, buckwheat on day 2, millet (I think) on day 3, and rice on day 4. Beef (and others) is day 1, chicken (and others) is day 2, pork (and others) is day 3, and salmon/turkey (and others) are day 4. I could help you if you want. We did the same thing with corn... DS started eating more of it until he got sensitive to that one too.

Please help.

Should I be leary of buckwheat given its predisposition to cause allergies? I've never used millet or tapicoa. I've made a shopping list that contains: tapioca pearls, millet flour, quinoa flour, tapioca flour & white bean flour but have no idea what I will make with them.

We had vension tonight but DS only nibbled at it. He wolfed down all the butternut squash and wanted more, he ate few bites of white potatoes (still afraid of these!) and some homemade whole wheat/white wheat/oat bread made with olive oil.

Breakfast and lunches are the most difficult. I need ideas.

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

I ordered a test and waited... and waited... and called and called and left message after message after message until I said I was calling the BBB. Finally did call the BBB and complain and they said I wasn't the first one. And I had used a credit card, so thankfully I called the credit card (this was after about 5 months when they said it would ship within like 2-4 weeks, with no communication from them) and I was able to get the money back.

That is bad. I'll try to cancel my order. I had okay luck with them back in 2005. Maybe things changed.

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by serenitii

Should I be leary of buckwheat given its predisposition to cause allergies? I've never used millet or tapicoa. I've made a shopping list that contains: tapioca pearls, millet flour, quinoa flour, tapioca flour & white bean flour but have no idea what I will make with them.

I didn't know that buckwheat was more allergenic than others. I only use tapioca pearls to make pudding. Otherwise, I use tapioca starch/flour. The bean flours are better in savory recipes, than sweet (I use chickpea flour for vegetable fritters, for instance). I can't remember what I used quinoa for since my kids can't have that one either. Sorghum is another good one. Millet is grittier, like a cornmeal.

That is bad. I'll try to cancel my order. I had okay luck with them back in 2005. Maybe things changed.

I think it was 2007 when I had the issues. At the time, the BBB had a bunch of complaints on file.

[luminesce]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

I didn't know that buckwheat was more allergenic than others. I only use tapioca pearls to make pudding. Otherwise, I use tapioca starch/flour. The bean flours are better in savory recipes, than sweet (I use chickpea flour for vegetable fritters, for instance). I can't remember what I used quinoa for since my kids can't have that one either. Sorghum is another good one. Millet is grittier, like a cornmeal.

I think I read too much. I had picked that tidbit up about buckwheat. It is mentioned in the Wikipedia article and I've seen a few other references when looking up stuff about allergies:

http://www.ingentaconnect.com/conten...00004/art00016

That said, my grandparents made 'buckwheat cakes' all the time so I know I'm a bit paranoid. Until we get a grip on what foods DS is reacting to, though, it is hard to relax.

I also read other stuff that bugged me a little about flours. Like sorghum containing cyanide, the oxalic acid/nitrate content of amaranth -- and there was one that was more prone to be contaminated with high quantities of pesticide (I've forgotten which, now.) Again, sometimes I think I just need to over-analyzing everything because the foods we eat every day have some of the same concerns; I just don't worry about them.