November Chat! (no, I'm not creative)

[tanyalynn]

New chat!

Come one, come all! Allergies are weird, and navigating the world while trying to avoid common foods is just a pain at times. Commiserate with us, ask a quick question, share a cool new idea you've come across.

Oh yeah, and if you see the phrases "detox pathways" and "MTHFR gene" don't worry, it really IS related and not as intimidating as you're thinking now! Quite a few of us have either reduced reactions to some foods or totally eliminated bad reactions by supplementing with specific nutrients (sometimes with supps, sometimes with foods, sometimes a mix).

Last month's chat thread.

[chlobo]

Quote:
Originally Posted by TanyaLopez
I guess the whole idea that what kids (and adults) consume actually matters to their health is a foreign concept to her (totally different, sad commentary about her that new idea == mocking other people). THIS is what our society has come to?
Yeah. I think that people feel threatened when other people do vastly different things than they do. Not sure why. I mean she gathered facts and made a decision, just like I also gathered facts and made a decision. We just happened to make different decisions.

And FWIW, going gf/cf hasn't been the golden answer I was hoping for so I'm not one to go touting my success. DD still has the same poop issues as before so I'm not in a position to judge anyone. But if someone asks, I will tell my story b/c it might help them in some way.

[lil_miss_understood]

i realize it's not "just" the food colour for everyone, but for *us* that's a major factor.

thanks for the new thread, Tanya!
i forgot to my kitchen window last night. it feels like i imagine kathy's lakehouse kitchen feels- only in the whole house. except our bedrooms

[chlobo]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

i realize it's not "just" the food colour for everyone, but for *us* that's a major factor.

thanks for the new thread, Tanya!
i forgot to my kitchen window last night. it feels like i imagine kathy's lakehouse kitchen feels- only in the whole house. except our bedrooms

Have you heard that both Necco Wafers & Jelly Belly have introduced products that are colored with natural ingredients, like beet juice and stuff? I wanted to get them this Halloween but didn't have the energy to find them.

[tanyalynn]

Ack! You guilted me into doing the right thing and moving it over here to the new thread.

Originally Posted by chlobo

Quote:
Originally Posted by TanyaLopez
I guess the whole idea that what kids (and adults) consume actually matters to their health is a foreign concept to her (totally different, sad commentary about her that new idea == mocking other people). THIS is what our society has come to?
Yeah. I think that people feel threatened when other people do vastly different things than they do. Not sure why. I mean she gathered facts and made a decision, just like I also gathered facts and made a decision. We just happened to make different decisions.

And FWIW, going gf/cf hasn't been the golden answer I was hoping for so I'm not one to go touting my success. DD still has the same poop issues as before so I'm not in a position to judge anyone. But if someone asks, I will tell my story b/c it might help them in some way.

from the October thread, when I was initially too lazy to move it over here...

Originally Posted by TanyaLopez

But that's the thing (and yes, I'm bad not to move to the new thread). Do you really think she looked at the issue as thoroughly as you did? Or did she just not do any critical thinking and follow whatever path her particular doctor recommended? To me, that seems to lead to defensive thinking and lashing out. I'm not saying everyone who makes a different decision didn't look at the issue clearly, but most people who make non-mainstream decisions have thought about them a lot more.

Interesting case in point: we celebrate Halloween with trick-or-treating, but just recently I learned a new friend with kids the same age doesn't celebrate Halloween, I think for religious reasons. I've been vaguely aware that some Christians don't ToT, but I always have, and I can't say that I've thought about it a whole lot--bet she's put a lot more thought into it than I have. But reasonable adults (lately I've been shocked at how few are out there) are okay with making different decisions, and I'm okay with not deeply analyzing whether ToT is compatible with Christianity--it's fun and I'm okay with it, and I'm obviously fine with her _not_ being okay with it.

And hey, just because you haven't finished and gotten your good results, doesn't mean your work is less worthy. You've had a seriously tricky problem to figure out, and you've got a lot of pieces now, but it's still a lot more than the stereotypical kid with EIs who could be basically fine just without milk. It IS hard when you can't say "Hey, look how wonderful my kids are, I put in a lot of hard work to get us here" because it's harder for people to visualize how your situation could be so much worse if you hadn't put in the hard work. Kid on three daily pharmaceutical drugs, and still with behavior issues?

[crunchy_mama]

Originally Posted by chlobo

Have you heard that both Necco Wafers & Jelly Belly have introduced products that are colored with natural ingredients, like beet juice and stuff? I wanted to get them this Halloween but didn't have the energy to find them.

I was just reading about those Necco Wafers as well and both of those are pretty mainstream, so exciting. That reminds me I forgot to send that info to my friend that avoids dyes.

[kjbrown92]

Mmmmm... Necco wafers. Purely incidental, anyone know what Necco stands for?

I've got sandwich bread rising, and cranberry walnut bread in the oven (new recipe, batter tasted good, hopefully it'll hold together). DD1 still feverish and coughing. Crossing fingers, hopefully no one else will get it. Did I tell you how gross the ham broth was? Smelled vile. Gray. Ick.

Was the recipe for the gummy worms back in the other thread? I've been wanting to make spearmint leaves and that might be a good starting point since it's that same jel-like consistency.

[mtn.mama]

I was just having this conversation with someone. How its hard b/c we don't know what the situation would look like if I did nothing. We could be a whole lot worse off, I know that. But b/c we don't really know, it feels like I don't have anything to hang my hat on. And lately I wonder if I'm not just some whacked out mom whose "thing" it is not to fit in, IYKWIM. I mean they are still functioning. Who cares if we go through boxes of tissues, tons of tp and I'm going to divorce my DH b/c he spends so much time in the bathroom. Everybody has issues, right?

Honey, you have to just KNOW in your heart that you are doing everything you can and things are unfolding as they should. We know how hard you are working, FWIW!!!


I KNOW that if I had made some different choices that my little girl would be so much worse off... that we all would be. That my great grandchildren would be so much worse off...


What happens when you traditionally vax a child with multiple food allergies (all the biggies at one point), IgE to formaldehyde, double MTHFR markers, insanely high heavy metals across the board, probably Celiac and definitely nutrient absorption challenged? Let me give you a hint... even without vaxxing she has behaviors that are spectrum-esque.


I've pulled all stops and its working for us for now. But if it weren't, I'd still KNOW I've pulled all stops. I mean, what's the alternative? Quit and watch things go downhill fast? No, I've been at the bottom and just can't do that.

[Theloose]

:yawning

We *really* don't do well with too much sugar and not enough real food

[lil_miss_understood]

Originally Posted by chlobo

Have you heard that both Necco Wafers & Jelly Belly have introduced products that are colored with natural ingredients, like beet juice and stuff? I wanted to get them this Halloween but didn't have the energy to find them.

i did. i haven't for the same reasons.

man, i feel terrible today. really nauseated.

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Was the recipe for the gummy worms back in the other thread? I've been wanting to make spearmint leaves and that might be a good starting point since it's that same jel-like consistency.

Basic formula for gummies:
liquid sweetened/flavored to taste and heated to boiling, pour over LOTS of gelatin, stir to dissolve, let set.

I did:
2/3 c juice
7 Tbsp xylitol
boiled
1/4 c water
4T gelatin

next time I want to try just saturating cold juice with gelatin, then heating it up to melt it. These were good and gummy and everything, and people at the party were way impressed, but I think they could have been chewier.

[kjbrown92]

Originally Posted by whoMe

Basic formula for gummies:
liquid sweetened/flavored to taste and heated to boiling, pour over LOTS of gelatin, stir to dissolve, let set.

I did:
2/3 c juice
7 Tbsp xylitol
boiled
1/4 c water
4T gelatin

next time I want to try just saturating cold juice with gelatin, then heating it up to melt it. These were good and gummy and everything, and people at the party were way impressed, but I think they could have been chewier.

Don't have xylitol (and isn't it sometimes made from corn anyway?). Can I just use sugar? I guess I'd have to have palm sugar if I want both kids to be able to try them. And I'd just use water and not juice, because spearmint with a juice sounds gross. I have the gelatin. Maybe later. I'm doing breads at the moment. I really want candy though! But maybe I should get some spearmint leaves at the store (since all mine froze outside) and make a "tea" with it and use that for the water....

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by kjbrown92

Don't have xylitol (and isn't it sometimes made from corn anyway?). Can I just use sugar? I guess I'd have to have palm sugar if I want both kids to be able to try them. And I'd just use water and not juice, because spearmint with a juice sounds gross. I have the gelatin. Maybe later. I'm doing breads at the moment. I really want candy though! But maybe I should get some spearmint leaves at the store (since all mine froze outside) and make a "tea" with it and use that for the water....

We have birch xylitol, but yeah, I don't think the sweetener matters at all - just take your pick which you want. And they're crazy easy to make. The hardest part was finding enough molds. Oh, and we greased the molds, but I'm not sure that matters.

Anyone seen Udi's bread? It's getting rave reviews on the local list, but I can't seem to find an ingredient list online.

ETA: found some posted to another forum:
water, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, potato starch, canola oil, egg whites, sugar, teff flour, flax seed meal, yeast, xanthan gum, apple cider vinegar, salt, baking powder (sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, calcium sulfate, monocalcium phosphate), cultured dextrose, ascorbic acid (ascorbic acid, microcrystalline cellulose, corn starch), enzymes

So corn, corn and more corn, potato and xanthan gum. Darn

[lil_miss_understood]

Ok, seriously, I want Daiya.
how do i get coconut back?

[Theloose]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

Ok, seriously, I want Daiya.
how do i get coconut back?

Do we have any clue what a coconut intolerance might be? (like eggs/sulfoxidation or dairy/HCl or histamine, etc)

Oh! I've been meaning to ask - how's the Mo going?

And Kathy, back when you were making hummus way back when, what was the issue? Not smooth enough? Cause I found out a food processor gets it a lot smoother than a blender.

And yeah, CS, if there are no other reactions than continued undigested food in the poop, I'd consider rice a good enough pass at this point. Do you realize what it would mean if you got rice back!?

[lil_miss_understood]

I quit the Mo a few days ago after my ND appt. he basically said it won't do anything
I'm so seriously supped out. i was taking about 25 pills a day.
2 vit c
4 adrenal support
3 prenatal
2 Armour
2 cal/mag
1 zinc
1 selenium (stopped)
1 minimal and essential minerals (stopped)
1 b complex
1-2 vitamin d (3 days/week)
1 Mo (stopped)
2 MSM (stopped)
2 niacin (stopped)

i think i'm missing something on there still...

anyway, we're hoping the remedy will help shift things for me some
so frustrated and sick of being sick and tired all.the.time

[mamafish9]

OK, lost my quotes from the other thread...

CS, I agree with Shannon - try supping DD with zinc? It's entirely posssible she is zinc deficient when you aren't - that's what happened with us. I think DS has higher than normal need for zinc, and my breastmilk wasn't getting him enough. (And so sorry if I'm repeating stuff you have already tried!!!).

The other problem with us for carb digestion was DS' antimony levels. When we started getting those down, his carb digestion got a lot better. If I'm not repeating ground we've already covered , does your DD sleep in PJs with flame retardant (any PJs except the tight cotton ones usually do, check the label for something like "wash with detergent, not soap", or "complies with fire regulations". And what mattress does she sleep on? We found that his antimony levels dropped a lot as soon as we got rid of the sources (PJs and bed were our big ones). Noticeable improvement in digestion within a month.

Originally Posted by mtn.mama

What happens when you traditionally vax a child with multiple food allergies (all the biggies at one point), IgE to formaldehyde, double MTHFR markers, insanely high heavy metals across the board, probably Celiac and definitely nutrient absorption challenged? Let me give you a hint... even without vaxxing she has behaviors that are spectrum-esque.

Yeah that. I have a kid on the spectrum, nonvaxed, with pretty poor detox pathways. I don't even want to think about what would have happened if I vaxed him.

Originally Posted by whoMe

Do we have any clue what a coconut intolerance might be? (like eggs/sulfoxidation or dairy/HCl or histamine, etc)

Coconut for us was sals. One of the first we got back when DS' sals tolerance increased (coconut milk came first, dried coconut and coconut oil came later).

[tanyalynn]

Originally Posted by JacquelineR

anyway, we're hoping the remedy will help shift things for me some
so frustrated and sick of being sick and tired all.the.time

I totally understand feeling tired out of being tired out.

I've gotten the impression your DH doesn't understand how little sleep you're getting. Cause you're getting so little, you must feel like death warmed over (or maybe only room temp). But he sounds very stressed out, too. I don't know how to fix that, but it seems like some sort of improvement is needed there.

On a practical note, can you consolidate some of those? If you think you need the higher level of nutrients, but just don't want the pills, I mean. The thing is, for me, I don't have particular pills that I've added that suddenly changed things, it's all been a slow, steady improvement for me. I think, especially at the beginning, I needed so much more of so many nutrients that adding in one or two or three would still leave so many things unbalanced that dramatic improvement just wasn't possible. I don't mean that as a downer, but staying on the path was, for quite a while for me, a matter of faith. I KNEW what was wrong, and knew I was doing the necessary stuff to fix it, even when progress was slow. How's your faith? What is your ND's plan?

This is what I'm taking (and I'll note the stuff I've been skipping out of laziness)

multivit (has all the Bs and ok-not-great-folate I need, plus the usual stuff, plus zinc)
multi-mineral supp (cal, mag, selenium, weird minerals, a few vits)
C (powder)
D (not from my HCP, just because I want to fix that)
A (I'm using Carlson's due to my issues with the EPA in the CLO)
adrenal supp (I've skipped this for 2 mos now)
melatonin
biotin
Iodoral

Sort of a shorter list. Sorta. Writing it all out makes it look a lot longer.

[lil_miss_understood]

Funny, I've become increasingly convinced that he doesn't *care* how much sleep I'm getting. (He ended up NOT coming home Friday night. Our friends were kind enough to phone and tell me he was okay and at their house.)
I have no idea anymore what my NDs plan is. I'm sure he tells me every 6 months or so and I say "okay, that sounds good." I just haven't got the memory to actually retain it, so at this point I'm totally going on faith.
The supps I'm on now are what he originally started me out on, minus selenium and the mineral supp (which he took me off of a long time ago but I choose to go back on and has been messing with the nurslings' sleep since I take it at night and it has a b complex in it as well). The vitamin C I added in but he agrees I should stay on it. So, yeah, I've got faith. I'm just so tired of dragging and feeling stuck.
Maybe tomorrow I'll feel better. Took my remedy on Thursday. Not feeling *as* stuck as I did then so ... *sigh*

[crunchy_mama]

whoMe- I am glad to read your gummy worm review I hope to make those tonight w/ the kids. I was thinking when I read the recipe that it seemed to make a lot- and was thinking I would half them- glad to hear that confirmation from you.

We are trying to catch a little cold here as well-sigh- and I keep having prodormal labor- lots of fun at my house. We didn't even do anything last night between the contractions and trying to fight the intense urge to vomit I wasn't up to it. We are going to play dress up tonight and make candy- assuming labor doesn't come!

JR- I really, really feel for you - if you are not getting enough sleep there is hardly anything that is going to make you feel good. It makes a huge difference and just cannot be substituted