I'm Back!

  Hi everyone, I'm so sorry I've been MIA recently! Things have been a little crazy here. It has been a busy few month full of lots of big changes for our family. As always, big changes with kids are a little harder. We have also just been plain busy with the crazy back to school schedule! Jake and Lucy are both in extracurricular activities this year. Combine that with all the committees we are on and the volunteering we do and it makes for some very full weeks. However that's not what I want to talk about.

  We have discovered the reason behind Jacob's MANY headaches and migraines. Many people have argued with me over the past few years and told me that a young child of six does not get migraines. Really? Because I have gotten them since I was that age. I still do. I know the signs. It's not normal for a child to get a headaches everyday. One that generally leads to him throwing up. It has kept him from leading a normal happy carefree life. After two years of trying to get somewhere with our family doctor I finally took matters into my own hands. We went to see a NAET certified allergy specialized.

  After the initial consultation we discovered that Jacob is allergic to whey and casein. The two main milk proteins. He is also allergic to refined sugars. Finally! An answer. This is why my little guy has been dealing with headaches and stomach aches  nearly everyday over the last few years! Everyone's first reaction was oh no! how are you going to cope with that?! My reply? Very easily! One of the biggest bonuses of baking and cooking our food from scratch is that I can easily control what goes into our food. I have wanted to go vegan for awhile, so I figured I would just do this with him.

  Lucy had also been complaining about her tummy hurting a lot. We decided to take her in to the clinic as well. Guess what she was allergic too? Food dyes! She also had a dairy intolerance. An intolerance and an allergy are two different things. That is why she was having different symptoms then Jacob. Different but no less painful and upsetting. Avary is still too young to "officially" diagnose but Lori (our NAET practitioner and natural doctor) says she shows many signs of a dairy issue as well. 

  I know your not going to believe what I say next, but here it is. Since all our children have issues with dairy my meat and cheese loving husband decided to go vegan!! Okay, to be completely honest, the movie forks over knives might have helped a little bit too.  Bottom line is, we have now been vegan for four months.

  Here we are four months into our journey and the kids are doing a lot better. Some foods they struggle with not being able to have, but over all they are being real troopers! Trev is doing wonderful. He has taken on this challenge and is seeing some great health benefits. He has increased  energy, has lost weight and says he feels a lot more alert and has greater mental clarity. That's amazing! I'm so proud of him!

  I have also been a little jealous! I've been eating the same food as him and yet I've been gaining weight, or rather, appear to be. I have had no energy and have been feeling generally worn down and blue. I knew there had to be something wrong. If I'm eating what the rest of the family is, why am I not seeing the benefits?!

  Back I went to Lori. For myself this time. Guess what? Turns out that I too have a dairy intolerance (which I figured, dairy never really sat right with me). But wait. I cut that out four months a go. That's what your thinking right? That's what I was thinking. I also have an egg allergy. Again, I haven't had those for four months. Then she uncovered it. I have a wheat intolerance. Not gluten. Just the wheat. That was pretty much the worst news ever. I LOVE whole wheat and multigrain everything! LOVE IT.

  However, as much as I may hate it, I do have a wheat intolerance.  Do you know all the ways that can mess up your body? Allow me to educate you a bit. It can cause: Swelling (remember the appearance if weight gain I had?!) joint pain, depression, "stomach problems" (to be polite), indigestion, lack of energy and many more. The symptoms I listed were most of what I have been struggling with. Everyday I have just felt unwell.

  So now that I know what's causing me to feel awful I need to eliminate it from my diet. Trust me when I say that is WAY easier said then done. Wheat is everywhere!! The only items without wheat are the gluten free products. They happen to be very expensive. Also it's worth mentioning that any gluten free product that is precooked or baked is loaded with eggs. So that cancels out me being also to cheat and purchase some baked goods to get me started. This is going to be a jump right in and figure it out thing.

  I have to admit. Since getting diagnosed a week a go I have had many different emotions. Uncertainty, anger, frustration, loss, relief, acceptance and hope. I wish I could say they were in that order and that I have paused on hope. However that is not the case. Sometimes I still feel a little cheated and overwhelmed.  I am however, looking toward the future. I am starting to feel better physically and that makes me feel hopeful that I CAN do this. I can figure out this new diet.

  I also have to mention that having to give up my beloved wheat has taught me how our kids must feel having to give up the dairy they were use to having and the candy and freezes they love! In some ways it has helped me better relate to their struggles and be a little more patient with them if they are struggling with a bad craving. I have a lot of admiration for how well they are coping with this big change in their lives.

  Since there seems to be a shortage of vegan blogs that have recipes excluding wheat you can count on me blogging about the recipes I'm going to have to create. I know, I know, how will I ever cope having to spend countless hours in the kitchen baking and experimenting? Don't worry about me I'll manage just fine ;) I promise that they will still be yummy, even for you non vegan, wheat loving readers.

  If any of you have tips, or advice please share! Also any recipes or blogs on the topic would be really appreciated! Until next time, which I promise will not be so long, night all!