For the past few weeks, I've been reading and re-reading (and highlighting and note taking in) a few different books.
I love the Carol Alt book (thanks, Chrissy/Rachelle!), the recipe's in it sound so delicious! I have yet to make one, the first is set for Thursday, but it was so nice and easy to find things that Emily could eat. The beginning of the book was great, too. There was lots of explanation for need-to-know things when eating healthy and/or raw. It was very helpful to me, especially, since I am such a dunce in this area!
After these weeks of "studying" I finally, seriously, started Emily on a treatment that (hopefully) will lead to better health. I've put her on the Candida diet (from The Yeast Connection) - with a few alterations... BECAUSE SHE'S THREE! The food required on that diet is so incredibly bland - and the recipes in the cookbook don't really help for the first two weeks - that we are just trying to stick to the recommended foods, but I am preparing them how they will taste good, with spices, etc (don't worry, no sugar). She also did another two day round of the nasty tea, and is now on to eating the nasty slippery elm bark paste. This is her second day with the paste, 12 more to go. Then two more days of the tea. After that comes a no cream skin-test to see how her insides are working. If her skin stays clear, then we know we've found the problem (and solution)!
I took a trip to the farmers market and the health food store Saturday, where my mom foot the bill (SO expensive... THANKS mom!), and got some necessities for our new eating style.
Lots of vegetables, too. LOTS.
I put the Flax Oil in mine and Emily's oatmeal this morning... hm... it's going to take some getting used to, I had to gag down the first few bites. Emily ate it just fine, though! The Hummus is YUMMY! John keeps begging for more. I got Avocado and Cilantro Hummus, and I even have Jason thinking healthy food might not be that bad! (If only I could convince myself...) Emily begs for the coconut oil spread on her "special bread" (Ezekiel bread), and is grubbing these rice chips we found at Costco, they are her reward for eating her slippery elm paste.
We also got lots of "Earths Best" baby food for her. It's all organic and some of the flavors use Quinoa and other alternative grains instead of wheat. It's perfect.
When I got back from the health food store I was exhausted. My brain hurt. Sometimes I am so incredibly overwhelmed by all of this and I just want to quit. That happens about every other minute. Right now, though, I'm really excited! We've gone 5 days without feeding Emily any sugar (and many other things), and she's doing okay! Yaaay! Join me while I jump up and down... yayayayayayayayayay!
Try flax meal as opposed to the oil. Buy the seeds whole (it keeps them fresh), and grind up what you need in a coffee grinder. Store whatever is left in the fridge. Put a tablespoon or 2 in your oatmeal (you might want to add fewer oats, because the flax meal will make it thicker). That's seriously almost tasteless - not like the oil, which I have trouble getting down. The seeds have the oil, plus fiber and some other healthy stuff.
Or stick with the oil if you want - it's not like there's anything wrong with that. The flax meal is just easier to eat in oatmeal, I think.
Also, good for you! And eating healthy foods doesn't really end up being that expensive once you get used to it - you can buy beans in bulk, make your own hummus (seriously, I DREAM about Spencer's hummus), etc.
Oh, and GUACAMOLE. If you haven't been making it, you MUST start. It's the most delicious food in the ENTIRE WORLD.
I'm so glad those are all helping. You're such a good mom to be willing to do this for your kids.