Food update

I am so much calmer about this food situation. I spoke with a nutritionist at the lab that did the test. Basically, I can freely eat anything from the acceptable list so long as I don't eat the same thing day after day. I should at least rotate things every other day. This is to prevent my body from developing any new intolerances. For best results, I'm to stick to this plan of only the acceptable foods for 3 months. Leaving out all the intolerant foods, gluten and casein. Which basically means no milk or gluten breads or grains.

My ok grains are corn, quinoa, buckwheat, sorghum, amaranth, wild rice. Potato and regular rice are off my list so a bunch of "gluten free" items are unacceptable, too, because they are made with potato and rice flours.

Yesterday, I went to the store with the kids. I didn't make a list or eat a good snack before I went. Two major mistakes. I knew I needed steaks, some snacks for me and maybe to look at the gluten free options or see what other flours were available at this store. Oh man, the kids were hungry, I was hungry, I had a really hard time focusing on what I needed to get. By the end of it, I was shocked by the bill and more perturbed that I dint have the grocery cash envelope in my purse. This afternoon, I'll visit a friend who does gluten free for her family. I also want to try to go to the local gluten free support group meeting. I need ideas to make this cheaper!

George, "Dada"

Yesterday, very clearly, George said, "Dada." I had just finished nursing him and was loving on him. I asked him if he wanted to go see everyone else, "brother, sister, daddy?" I signed daddy on myself and then mommy. Daddy is fingers all extended like a high five then tap your thumb to your forehead (where the brim of a hat would be on a man), mommy is same hand with thumb to the side of your chin (where the bow of a bonnet would be tied on a lady). Then I took his hand to tap his own thumb on his chin and I'd say "mommy" then on his forehead and I'd say "daddy."

"Mommy, daddy, mommy, daddy, mommy, daddy." He's giggling, Mommy's so silly. *pause* drop hand, smile.

George starts to raise a hand and says so clearly, "dada" in a sweet soft voice. It was so cute!!!!!!! I ran out to the living room and told Tony. Since then he's kind of said it a few more times but not as distinct.

He definitely loves his daddy! When daddy comes home he crawls his little baby bootie straight to his daddy whining or talking the whole way. If daddy goes past him without picking him up, oh stand back, upsetsville. Immediate crying until daddy gets him.

Jane and Michael are great. Today during naptime (which has really become my desperate attempt for quiet time) they opened the door after successfully staying inside their room for quite a while. I got to their room before they came out and Jane was telling Michael to hold her hand. What I saw was Michael wearing a jacket he found in the closet. He had put it on correctly, which is a big deal because he still asks for help with the jackets, especially the hooded ones and this one had a hood. The hood was tucked inside the back and he had it zipped up all the way, he's good with zippers. Jane was wearing her pants (thank you God she still had them on) but had pulled on her Christmas tutu over them. No shirt (spaghetti for lunch). I told them they looked great but they still had to stay in their room.

Later, Jane wore the tutu to the grocery store, with a shirt.

Emily's Fast, Day 3

Today, I'm following day 1 of the rotation.  If I get everything on the list, there are actually a bunch of options.  It's the beef day and black-eyed peas day.  There's also eggplant, red & green leaf lettuce, tomatoes, grapes.

Here's the breakdown of acceptable food for today:

STARCH: NONE!  Seriously, when I can work in the mild intolerance foods, tapioca will be available, but I don't think I'll be eating that anyway.

VEGGIES/LEGUMES:  Black-eyed Peas, celery, eggplant, kale, red/green leaf lettuce, tomato

FRUIT: black currant, date, fig, grape, papaya

PROTEIN: beef, codfish, crab, fava bean, lamb, oyster, sardine, veal

MISCELLANEOUS: Bay leaf, caraway, chamomile, chili pepper, licorice, rosemary, safflower

Breakfast was black-eyed peas with roasted eggplant.  I also made some bacon.  This isn't the pork day, but I needed more protein.  Turned out, we didn't have any beef in the freezer.  So we stopped at the store on the way home and I got beef, catfish (for tomorrow), and grapes.

Came home to find I really needed to cook some tomatoes and zucchini that I got last week.  Zucchini, mushrooms, wild rice and garlic went in a pot for tomorrow.  I'm glad I'll have something already cooked.  Then the beef roast went into the slow cooker with a bunch of salt and chili powder and quartered tomatoes on top. Then I pan seared a couple of steaks for Tony and myself.  My steak was sliced then I had it with green leaf lettuce and a sliced tomato.  Steak seasoned with salt and rosemary.

I still have a bunch of eggplant that needs to get cooked really soon.  I'm going to package it up with BE peas and tomato so I'll have "go to" containers for the next time this day comes in the rotation.

I'll also be putting some of the roast with eggplant for next time.

Another thing I'm not completely adhering to right away is the coffee.  I still made coffee and had some this morning but I made it really weak.  I might have to alternate coffee and black tea from day to day before I give caffeine up entirely for a whole 2 days.

Here's tomorrow's foods (day 2 on rotation)
STARCH: Wild Rice
VEGGIES/ LEGUMES: Brussel Sprouts, button mushrooms, cabbage, cauliflower, endive, kelp, mustard, zucchini squash
FRUIT:  apple, blueberry, pear, pineapple
PROTEIN: Catfish, chicken, egg yolk, lentil bean, mackerel, mahi mahi, tuna
MISCELLANEOUS: Baker's Yeast, basil, brewer's yeast, cane sugar, cinnamon, clove, garlic, ginger, hops, maple sugar, parika, peppermint

Any ideas?  Is there a hop only gluten free beer available?????  Remember, if it's not on the list, assume I can't have it.  Like cooking oils...not on the list.

Food Sensitivity Test Results & Day 1 (3)

I took a blood test for food sensitivities through my new Chiropractor.  He's certain that my extreme sensitivity to touch throughout most of my body is from something I'm eating that's causing the inflammation.

There are 5 foods on my severe irritant list, about a dozen on the moderate and MANY on the mild.  I'm also mildly reactive to gluten and whey which rules out those sources.

It did print up an "acceptable foods" list and then has a 4 day rotation of those foods so you can 'detox' and not cause any new sensitivities by eating the same thing each day.  I'm starting with day 3 of that rotation because it's the day that allows for coffee.  Tomorrow (day 4 on rotation) allows for black tea.  Then I'm without caffeine for 2 days.

Other foods for today:
Starch:  Corn, Quinoa, Sorghum
Veggies: Acorn Squash, asparagus, leek, pinto bean, radish, string bean
Fruit: Apricot, blackberry, cherry, Lime, nectarine, peach, plum, raspberry
Protein: Anchovy, Duck, Halibut, Kidney Bean, Navy Bean, Pork, Sole, Soybean
Miscellaneous:  Almond, Cardamom, cocoa, coffee, cottonseed, dill, macadamia, oregano, peanut, thyme.

It seems like today has many options, especially with the quinoa and corn.  So, what was for breakfast?  I had some quinoa flakes in the pantry!!!!  Quinoa flakes with dark cocoa powder, coffee, and canadian bacon with soybeans.  mmmmmm

I will definitely be going to the grocery store, today.  I'm planning quinoa with asparagus & leek.  Tomorrow's starches are amaranth and buckwheat. What the what!?

My family has been super supportive.  Tony keeps saying, "It's not forever!"  My sisters were amazingly super supportive saying I can do it and there's tons that I CAN eat.  Mom reminded me that I have all my years of experience with Weight Watchers for tracking my food, trying new things, being aware of what I eat to make this easier.  She said, "Imagine how hard it would be for someone who hasn't been doing that for the last 8 years."  She's right, it would be harder.  I'm a step or two ahead.  I mean, how many people would have had quinoa flakes in the pantry?!

I might be blogging a bit of this journey to get out some ideas and thoughts.  If you have any suggestions for recipes for the foods available within an individual day, please feel free to share.  Only those foods are allowed for that day.