ReFocus

As I started to write this post I set out to use fancy words to whine without sounding whiny. I wanted to pour out my complaints about how deprived I am not being able to eat bread and cheese and coffee and I wanted you to feel bad for me. But, as I usually do, I got distracted; I stumbled across a post from a mama that made me cry, and it made me think. As I read about her heartbreak, her love I traveled a sweet emotional journey through her words. Then, I got back to what I sat down to do, to write this, and I realized how silly and petty my complaints are.

I am blessed! I have been given a beautiful family, a precious son, and an incredible husband; and for whatever time we have together I am grateful. I regularly realize that my own mama is wiser than I previously thought, and one thing she told me years ago was that her children did not belong to her, but to God. God allows us the privilege of caring for little ones, but they are not ours, they are His. Little Dude belongs to God and I am blessed to love him and care for him!

In that light, my complaints fall away. Yes, it is inconvenient and uncomfortable to deal with such a strict diet, and yes, I would still devour a peanut butter sandwich in a moment if it wouldn't threaten to throw the whole thing out the window; but after a little attitude adjustment I understand how light and momentary these troubles really are.

It's Not All Bad: Pot Roast Recipe

When I began the elimination diet journey there were two things that concerned me: What would I fix for home dinners? And, What would I be able to eat out? I'd be lying if I told you that it's been easy to prepare meals that fit within the diet, but I have stumbled on a couple good ones, tonight it was a beef roast in the crock pot.

I was unsure of how a pot roast would turn out without any flour or cornstarch, but I figured I'd give it a shot and it turned out great :) I used:
    1 (2lb) Chuck roast
    A lot of salt and pepper - Did you expect me to measure it???
    A spray of canola oil
    1/2 of one large onion (although I probably should have left this out to truly fit the elimination diet)
    2 large carrots cut in 1 in pieces  
    1 C of ham stock (it's what I had in the freezer - give me a break!)
    1 can of chicken broth (again, what I had on hand)

{I served it over a reheated baked potato that I already had made. (I have started baking a bunch of potatoes and reheating them 1 serving at a time).}

The roast started with a salt and pepper massage before being seared in a hot pan with a spray of canola oil. The onion, cut into medium size wedges, joined the meat for some caramelization; and then the meat, onions, and carrots hopped in the crock pot for a hot bath. The broth and stock deglazed the pan before being poured over everything, and the waiting began. I cooked it on high for about 5 hours, but I imagine it would have been even better on low for 8-9 hours.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back

A week and a half into our elimination diet journey and I am sick of it! BUT Little Dude is improving! Not only has his eczema cleared dramatically, but he spits up a lot less, and he's even less gassy! Seeing this improvement has assured me that the deprivation I am feeling is more than worth it.

A week after dramatically cutting out all commonly allergenic food we were seeing enough improvement to start adding foods back. Excited for his improvement and to get back to eating "normally" again, I decided to add eggs. Thirty-six hours later I was surprised to notice the eczema coming back (sad face). The easy conclusion would be that he reacts to eggs and to go to a normal diet, with the exception of eggs. However, I wasn't sure that it was the eggs and not something else I'd happened to eat (it can be days before symptoms show up after mom eating an offending food). I have also  read that sometimes after mom eliminates the offending food(s), a baby will react well and then have an increase in symptoms before they finally get, and stay, better. Plus, of course, there's always the possibility of multiple sensitivities.Ugh! This is tough! I had a little meltdown yesterday, okay, honestly, I threw fit (I was frustrated and hungry, and I had forgotten about my potatoes and left them in the oven for over three hours!)

So, after two steps forward and one step back, I am back to the original diet of what I am affectionately calling "eating nothing" and  Little Dude is clearing up again and I can't wait to add something else back!

The short list

  One of my motivations in starting this journal for the world to see was the lack of information I found from other moms going through an elimination diet. I found stories of eczema "cured" through changes in moms' diets, but I wanted more. I wanted specifics! So just in case you are like me and wanted the inside scoop on how someone did it here goes:

What I AM eating: the Short List
 
Avocados - yummy with a little salt and pepper and a dab of mustard, or blended into a salad dressing with a touch of water
Oatmeal - lots of oatmeal!
Most meats - although the most restrictive form of the elimination diet allows for only range fed turkey and lamb that's just not realistic for me so yesterday I ate a hamburger patty and I have been eating a LOT of chicken - plain with just salt and pepper
Bananas, pears, apples, and apple juice - and for dessert I make banana "ice cream" - yum!
Potatoes - I bought a bunch of potatoes, baked them all and reheat a half a potato in the microwave
Salad - Romaine, spinach, and carrots
Rice 
And water, lots and lots of water

And what I'm NOT eating:

Dairy, eggs, nuts (oh I miss my peanut butter), tomatoes, citrus, gluten, seafood, peppers, onions, honey, soy... and the list goes on.

Today is day 5 and his skin is looking clearer! Here's hoping we're on the right track :)

In Search of an Eczema Cure

If you ask my grandmother, she would tell you that allergies don't "run" in our  family, they gallop.

Little Dude's eczema started about two months ago, at about three and a half months old. It started with his face and chest, then spread to his legs and diaper area, and when it continued spreading to his sweet little elbows I knew I had to do something about it. I could bore you with more information than you ever wanted about atopic diseases like asthma, eczema or food allergies; but suffice it to say that I have done my research and knew that to attack Jonathan's eczema I had to go after my diet.

            Enter the elimination diet

The concept of an elimination diet for breastfed babies is that because something in mom's diet is likely what is causing the symptoms (this goes for colic as well as eczema), then mom should pare down her diet to only the foods least likely to cause a reaction, and then slowly add foods back one at a time until the culprit(s) can be identified. So after reading stories about other moms curing their babies' eczema with minor diet modifications I dove in.

The most stringent form of the diet involves eating nothing more than "range-fed turkey and lamb, baked or boiled potatoes and sweet potatoes (with salt and pepper only), rice and millet as your only grain, cooked green and yellow squash for your vegetable, and for fruit, pears and diluted pear juice." If you want more information on this torturous plan you can find it here. In all seriousness though, there is some good info there on how elimination diets can work. (I will detail my modified version of this plan that I am currently using in another post.)

I am currently finishing day three of the first two week period where the diet is the most restricted, and I have to admit it's not as bad as I thought it would be! Yeah, it stinks that I can't eat pizza or my favorite peanut butter smoothie (oh peanut butter....), but I know that I am doing what I can to help Little Dude and that it will not last forever!

So whether your a friend or family member keeping up with what's up in the Hough House or you are a fellow mom struggling to help your own little one, hang in with me and will figure this out together!