Healing the gut tribe : August - Page 3

[moneca]

Just wanted to add :
Please remember to share your victories and any food that you find works well for your babes (esp. if you are dealing with a more limited diet due to "allergies" or "sensitivities"). This will encourage other mamas in sim. situations. Remember that healing the gut is a long and slow journey, but the end product is worth all the work .

Peace,

[JaneS]

Oh I also want to celebrate this amongst my peeps who can understand... that I think I've finally got DS to transition to coconut milk instead of his usual rice milk.

I was making it too thick. I just watered it down even more and he's not even noticing that it's different. Now it's 1 can of coconut milk and then the rest water and some honey for almost a half gallon jug. Rice milk is very thin, so he was used to that texture.

Which is good that I can water it down so much b/c as you know I"m being "illegal" b/c canned coconut milk contains less than 1% of guar gum. But since it's way better than rice milk, that's what we are going with for now. Since we just weaned from bf'ing, he's really attached to his milk for the nap and bedtime struggle, uh, I mean routine.

Rice milk was the last thing preventing us from being 100% SCD. Okay so we are 99.99% SCD maybe?

Actually I was just reading SCD info that pastuerized honey can contain 1-3% sugars but it seemed to be tolerated fine and was allowed. That was the only instance I've read that a little illegal substance was deemed to be okay! Everything else like canned tomatoes products that could maybe possibly contain added sugar even though it's not on the label and such are forbidden.

Kinda makes you crazy. But I understand and believe in the concept of "fanatical adherance" if only not to prolong the agony of preventing healing. We've had enough of that. We actually use mostly raw honey, we have a beekeeper in our town. Raw honey contains enzymes which split the remaining sugars.

My current plan is to stick with SCD for a few weeks and then try dairy again. Then DS will move to milk made from 24 hr yogurt or dry curd cottage cheese (the formula recipe).

I'm nervous though about the dairy. But then again, all his reactions could have been just by products of his bacterial imbalance. Like for example, I thought I was reacting to nuts for the longest time. And I really am not... it was the grains preventing their digestion. I'm eating tons of nuts and no bloating whatsoever.

[moneca]

Jane - Congrats ! Have you given any thought to giving ds goat yoghurt or raw goat yoghurt instead of dairy yoghurt? Just a thought? I found Sierra started eating more when I switched her from dairy to goat. Of course, that could have also been about 10 other things kicking in :LOL . My poor little lab rat babe .

Peace,

[JaneS]

:LOL Moneca!!!! This is hysterical, we cross posted and I'm sharing my small victory just as you asked for them. Kinda creepy.

Ground lamb (free range) is our tip for the day b/c it's more easily digested than beef.
We also like lamb steaks done in crock pot with just water or broth and onions. We love salmon too, make sure it's wild. Fresh pineapple and avocado are loaded with enzymes, DS has always tolerated these very well.

Breakfast: Almond flour or banana pancakes or waffles (the Midas Gold recipe) or scrambled eggs. Fruit, usually banana b/c now he wakes up asking for one before he asks for me, but then he'll want (but not get) banana pancakes too

Lunch: Meat, veggies, fruit

Snack: fruit and/or almond bread or muffin with coconut butter depending if he didn't have any almond stuff for bfast. Also likes apple slices with almond butter. Tried peanut butter and it seemed okay but I'm limiting it.

Dinner: Meat or salmon, 2 veggies

It's kind of boring, I need to make more things from recipes... but he likes and tolerates a wide range of veggies. He loves cauliflower and broccoli for ex. Frozen peas and green beans. Butternut squash, but only if I puree it. Zucchini and summer squash sauteed in olive oil. I will be SO happy if I can give him dairy someday soon.

I'm not sure I'm being much help b/c it's such a plain menu right now. But his stools haven't changed, they are as firm as they have been so he seems to be doing well. He's eating a TON lately. Wonder if that means he feeling better. He's always been a good eater, the kid is 34 lbs. but he's sometimes eating more than me now!

One question....

Don't you think it's weird that he is doing fine on more fruit. He eats raw veggies like cucumber and even red/yellow pepper! And almond flour things too but well cooked carrots turn his usually firm stools mushy (with bits of carrot still in them, so obviously he's not digesting them.) Don't know what's different about carrots b/c I thought they were monosaccharides too.

I gotta get some of those Houston enzymes. Which reminds me, I think protease, the enzyme that digests proteins also kills probiotics, so they shouldn't be given with yogurt....have you seen anything about this?

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by mountainmon

Jane - Congrats ! Have you given any thought to giving ds goat yoghurt or raw goat yoghurt instead of dairy yoghurt? Just a thought? I found Sierra started eating more when I switched her from dairy to goat. Of course, that could have also been about 10 other things kicking in :LOL . My poor little lab rat babe .

Peace,

Yes, I will try goat before cow, sorry I didn't make that clear.

I want to be all SCD for a little while before that though, just to make sure he's reacting to dairy, if ... and not something else. Because he was tolerating a little raw cow's milk kefir before, but then mushy stools and the itchies appeared ... not sure if it was that or not b/c he's had both of those symptoms come and go without eating any dairy. So I surmised it really was the bacterial/yeast imbalance and not the allergy per se. But I haven't been ballsy enough to just go whole hog on the dairy and test my theory. It's soooooooooo frustrating sometimes. We'll find out soon though.

He's another lab rat for the cause!

I will say now at least he is weaned and I don't have my diet to worry about. Or be guilty about. But I am doing SCD now for myself.

But since we've weaned he's still had the ebb and flow in his reactions that I previously attributed to me and beat myself up over. So in a way, this has been nice to prove to myself I think I did more good than harm in continuing to bf.

I'm so chatty tonight

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by starbarrett

I suppose if it ain't broke don't fix it. :LOL

You really think that the medical community has done no further research on this line of healing and that there are no recent studies to reference? I imagine with what seems like a irritible bowel syndrome epidemic and all the controversy about autism that there has to be some recent research from the nutritional science community at least. It is sad that Drs refuse to heal via nutrition. Everybody wants a magic pill. I have two aunts and two cousins who are dibilitated by digestive disorders. They've been battling them for years, going to drs. Never once have they heard of SCD.

The autism community is awesome to read about info on kids and leaky guts...they really are on the front lines there. Elaine Gottschall has spoken at several DAN conferences and many practioners put their patients on SCD when they start chelation.

I think many doctors don't study nutrition, and it's viewed as inconsequential and "less of a specialty". It doesn't pay to recommend food like it does a drug. You should send your relatives the book! Or at least they should read the reviews at Amazon.com, those can convince a skeptic to give it a try.

But also, people are weak.... it's flippin' HARD to do a really specialized diet in this society, especially if drs say it doesn't make a difference.

I will admit that if I didn't have DS's problems to deal with, if his health wasn't so intimately connected to my health through bf'ing, I probably wouldn't have done half the things I did in the past year and half for just myself.

[JaneS]

Oh and as far as recent nutritional research... not that I know of. That is why I'm so excited about the SCD. It really seems like the only diet of it's kind, designed to heal the gut with a clear purpose and theory behind it. Besides the many anti candida diets of course, but they all disagree.

The Body Ecology Diet is also designed to heal the gut but it doesn't have the benefit of clinical testing. It makes many good points but seems to be cobbled together without a cohesive theory IMO... it's WAY more restrictive than SCD too. Moneca mentioned The Maker's Diet too, I haven't read that one yet. I'd love to find more!

[moneca]

Wow! Jane you are going for a record number of posts in a row :LOL . Sierra does not digest carrots. I've had thoughts that this could be due to the high fiber content . Hmmm. I've never heard of protease killing the good beasties. Very glad you mentioned it since I've been adding the Zyme Prime to all her yoghurt bottles . Never fails that just when I think I'm getting this diet down ... I never stop learning .

Peace,

[kamesennin]

Hi, my name is Liane and I have a 5mo old dd.
I just read through this thread and I feel so depressed and hopeless (I haven't gotten to all the articles yet, though). Around 3 mo baby's poops changed to green, sometimes watery and stringy with mucous. She also got a rash on her cheeks, and a red ring on her bum. She doesn't have good bf poops anymore, and I feel like I am poisoning her every time I nurse her.

I've tried to cut out dairy for about 2 weeks now, and it is easy to tell that when I have any dairy like cheese or butter (?) here bum gets bright red and her poops get more watery.

I've started giving her Baby Jarrow with some water, but now I am reading that it might be bad for her! I think she has some yeast too, but I don't know what to do about that. I started grinding flax seeds for me but this might be bad too.

I talked to my NP but she said to wait a month before doing any allergy tests just to see if it's only dairy. I don't think she is getting better, and it seems like she reacts to things but I am not sure what it is that she is reacting to.

I should not have had a baby, I didn't know she would have alllergies so little--what if it just gets worse and worse?

So much conflicting advice, and now I am wondering about this diet that has seemed to help all of you--

Anyway, just wanted to thank you for starting this thread and I'll keep reading and maybe get some ideas on what do to next.

[MyLittleWonders]

First of all, Liane ... Hugs to you Mama! Stick with the dairy elimination for a while to see if that helps ... it might take a while. Also, there are many probiotics out there to choose from, and I'm sure we all can give you suggestions. Personally I like L. Reuteri. You can just dab your finger in it and then have your dd suck your finger. Just keep hanging out here and asking questions ... these mamas rock!

Well, we are on day 6 of the Maker's Diet and I'm really pleased thus far. Personally I have more energy and I'm almost past the carb craving stage. My older son (4) is starting to like homemade yogurt. And my younger son (1 1/2) is starting to get better poopies. My biggest concern is getting my dh's gut healed ... he has battled IBS symptoms for years. The book is fantastic to read and has really convinced my dh and I that we need to dramatically cut the toxins from our lives. It's really cool to hear my dh say that he's worried about all the chemicals in our house.

I have been getting a little more creative with lunch and dinner. The boys love eggs (what's the difference between regular eggs and omega-3 eggs? are the chickens raised differently?), and we have those a few times a week. I also make chicken breasts at lunch and serve them with veggies or fruit. Dinner has been fun and dh thinks I'm getting more "gourmet" . The other night I made "tacos" but rolled everything in lettuce leaves. That was fun. My hope now is to slowly integrate more organic meats/produce into our diet ... money is a factor there though. We do have a farmer's market here that I want to frequent.

But I am loving the Maker's Diet and feel so right about doing it. I think the people around me though are going to get sick of me talking about it.

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by pbandj

Hi, my name is Liane and I have a 5mo old dd.
I just read through this thread and I feel so depressed and hopeless (I haven't gotten to all the articles yet, though). Around 3 mo baby's poops changed to green, sometimes watery and stringy with mucous. She also got a rash on her cheeks, and a red ring on her bum. She doesn't have good bf poops anymore, and I feel like I am poisoning her every time I nurse her.

I've tried to cut out dairy for about 2 weeks now, and it is easy to tell that when I have any dairy like cheese or butter (?) here bum gets bright red and her poops get more watery.

I've started giving her Baby Jarrow with some water, but now I am reading that it might be bad for her! I think she has some yeast too, but I don't know what to do about that. I started grinding flax seeds for me but this might be bad too.

I talked to my NP but she said to wait a month before doing any allergy tests just to see if it's only dairy. I don't think she is getting better, and it seems like she reacts to things but I am not sure what it is that she is reacting to.

I should not have had a baby, I didn't know she would have alllergies so little--what if it just gets worse and worse?

So much conflicting advice, and now I am wondering about this diet that has seemed to help all of you--

Anyway, just wanted to thank you for starting this thread and I'll keep reading and maybe get some ideas on what do to next.

I can say I know EXACTLY how you feel.

The despair when you feel like you are "poisoning" your baby, yup, BTDT.

But I'm here to tell you that it is possible to bf AND heal your child (and yourself) at the same time. True, we are not 100% done, but we have come such a long way from the initial days of DS with his bright red face, scratching himself bloody, and full of gas.

And Moneca and Sierra's experience can tell you if you did stop bf'ing, it will probably not just be the end of any problems.

Keep reading, we will be here for you.

The red ring is definately a intestinal imbalance, sounds exactly like our experience.

[JaneS]

Eggs

Omega 3 eggs are from chickens which are fed flax oil, usually, to boost their.

The best eggs are from chickens which are free range and not fed grains (like meat too). Eating bugs actually give their eggs omega 3 like nature intended.

http://www.organicconsumers.org/orga...arth072805.cfm

It might be worth it to find a local source, I have found 3 farms within a half hours drive of us... and we also can get eggs thru our dairy co-op.

[moneca]

Liane -
I remember those days of feeling like I should not have had a baby when she no longer smiled and vomited so much. Everything was overwhelming and I felt like dd was never going to get well. The more I read the more depressed I became. Reading about leaky gut syndrome is SO frightening .
Don't stop breastfeeding!!! Breastmilk is very healing to the gut. Your babe is so little right now that the best thing to do is to ingest foods and supplements for your babe. If I may suggest a few things... Do you feel like you could make homemade yoghurt or would that put you over the edge right now? You can make it out of coconut milk or almond milk. You could try goat milk, but 90% of kids who have problems with cow milk also have problems with goat milk. You can make it pretty cheaply and get many more good bacteria than you could in an expensive supplement. I would be more than glad to talk you through it. If you have a juicer that is an excellent way to get vitamins and minerals from your veggies (esp. carrot, kale, and spinach) although it is still important to eat the veggies too. There is hope . Let me know how I can help .

Mylittlewonders - Yeah so glad to hear the good news. Please continue to keep us posted . Thanks for sharing your good news. Stories of encouragement are important. I posted Sierra's story once she was on the road to wellness to thank many people, but also to encourage mamas with sick babes. Stories of healing give hope. I would think anybody could heal after reading Jordan Rubin's story .

Peace,

[Panserbjorne]

Sorry it took so long to reply, moneca. I don't have internet at my house. Selkie's allergies are: pineapple, oats, wheat, rice, lentils, peas, carrots, banana, cashews, avacado, tomato, sesame, plum, coconut (so no kefir) and I'm missing two, but can't think right now. It was pretty bad, because I started the SCD with good intentions, but both kiddos went NUTS. I thought it was die-off, but they were eating scrambled eggs (which selkie can have but quillian cannot) muffins with cashew butter and banana, avacado, tomatoes, and cooked carrots. Plus we were using alot of coconut oil (and Selkie will just eat it off a spoon-oops.) So we need to seriously revamp things. I made muffins with almond butter and pureed apple-they were okay, but not as good. What's a good substitution for banana? I think I'll try squash next. Also, what can I use instead of eggs so BOTH kids can eat it? Egg replacer is tapioca based and neither can have any grain product. This is such a drag. I am going to see my ND, but he isn't back until next week! AAAAAARGH!

[starbarrett]

Originally Posted by JaneS

But also, people are weak.... it's flippin' HARD to do a really specialized diet in this society, especially if drs say it doesn't make a difference.

It's so true. Especially as many people (I'm thinking of my relatives right now) have digestion issues due to the fact that they won't or can't cook and therefore end up eating all processed and manufactured foods. Try telling someone who lives on lean cuisine & burger king that they need to start making their own yogurt!!

Actually, my aunts were so excited at the possiblity of being healed that both sound willing to give it a go. One aunt just happened to have gotten tested for Celiac disease when I arrived at her house with the BTVC book. Talk about perfect timing. I can't wait to tell my friend whose 15mo has ezcema and a dairy allergy about the diet and your experiences.

I just have to say how cool is the internet that it provided a forum for this conversation to take place, and then made the conversation available for others like me to read and learn from. I love the internet. (Sorry had to geek out for a moment )

Thanks, mountainmom for the instructions for making yogurt without a yogurt maker. I can't wait to give it a try. Do you put lids on the quart jars while they're in the water? Also, I've noticed that the commercial yogurts all taste so different-- Nancy's is tart, Brown Cow creamy. Have you discovered in your experimenting things that effect the flavor of the yogurt?

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by elisabeth

Sorry it took so long to reply, moneca. I don't have internet at my house. Selkie's allergies are: pineapple, oats, wheat, rice, lentils, peas, carrots, banana, cashews, avacado, tomato, sesame, plum, coconut (so no kefir) and I'm missing two, but can't think right now. It was pretty bad, because I started the SCD with good intentions, but both kiddos went NUTS. I thought it was die-off, but they were eating scrambled eggs (which selkie can have but quillian cannot) muffins with cashew butter and banana, avacado, tomatoes, and cooked carrots. Plus we were using alot of coconut oil (and Selkie will just eat it off a spoon-oops.) So we need to seriously revamp things. I made muffins with almond butter and pureed apple-they were okay, but not as good. What's a good substitution for banana? I think I'll try squash next. Also, what can I use instead of eggs so BOTH kids can eat it? Egg replacer is tapioca based and neither can have any grain product. This is such a drag. I am going to see my ND, but he isn't back until next week! AAAAAARGH!

Oy Mama. That's a tall order.
I would suggest pureed pear as a substitute for banana in recipes b/c it's sweet. Or maybe applesauce, I make in crockpot, that's the easiest way. Just put 1/2 water and as many apples as you want. Cook until tender. Add honey or cinnamon if you want. You could probably do the same for 'pear sauce'.

Egg replacer and egg free baked goods ideas here:
http://www.pecanbread.com/recipes.html

How did you determine all of these allergies? (and please forgive me if you posted this before, I couldn't find it)

The reason I ask is that I know there are several families of allergens that are frequently talked about - Phenols, Salicylates and Latex (banana, avocado). Might be worth it to see if they are fitting into a catagory.

Some info here http://www.enzymestuff.com/conditionsensitivities.htm

[JaneS]

Originally Posted by starbarrett

Actually, my aunts were so excited at the possiblity of being healed that both sound willing to give it a go. One aunt just happened to have gotten tested for Celiac disease when I arrived at her house with the BTVC book. Talk about perfect timing. I can't wait to tell my friend whose 15mo has ezcema and a dairy allergy about the diet and your experiences.

I just have to say how cool is the internet that it provided a forum for this conversation to take place, and then made the conversation available for others like me to read and learn from. I love the internet. (Sorry had to geek out for a moment )

Yay! re: your aunt. The thing is that the SCD claims to be a cure for it. This is incredible and not really fully accepted in the celiac community/medical establishment. If you are dx as a celiac according to them, you have to avoid gluten for the rest of your life.

:LOL I have a special fondness for geeks... I married one!

I thought of you when I saw this page re: research on diet therapy for many different medical issues.
http://www.feingold.org/research-pg.html

[JaneS]

Interesting Allergy Library:
(also has info on salicylates and latex allergies)
http://www.allergyclinic.co.nz/physician.html

[MyLittleWonders]

So, I looked for (and found) some almond flour at Wild Oats tonight but man is it expensive (I bought it anyway because I am making banana pancakes in the AM). So, do you all have a good source for buying it that isn't $13/pound?

[kamesennin]

MyLittleWonders, JaneS, and mountainmon, thank you for your words of sympathy and encouragement. I'll keep reading here and on the other threads about making yogurt, and see what I can do--I would love to be able to eat yogurt again! After we use up the Baby Jarrow I'll look into some of the probiotics that you all use, like the L. Reuteri.

Q for all of you experts, where can I get coconut milk? The only coconut milk I know of is in a can, and that is so different from the coconut milk I used to drink out of the coconut. Is the almond milk from the box ok? Like the ones that rice and soy milk are sold in?

I've been keeping track of her rash and what I eat, today her cheeks were a 2 on a scale of 1-5, 5 being bad so it was a good day today. we also made it through the whole day without the red ring. I am going to stay away from eggs as that seems to help a little.

Reading about some of your successes is so encouraging, everything somehow seems less bleak, although I know it is going to take a long time to heal my baby.