What is a Total Elimination Diet?

A Total Elimination Diet is a strict diet used to determine food allergies. This is usually the last hope at solving severe health problems after many other solutions have failed. Many people have found relief from ailments that they didn’t even realize were related to their diet. Most people develop an intimate understanding of their own body, their responses to food, and triggers to their environment.

In a TOTAL elimination diet, a person removes ALL foods, supplements, beverages, and body products from their daily routine. They substitute a strict diet of anti-inflammatory foods for 2 weeks minimum to reach baseline. Baseline means that zero to minimal health problems remain. (Someone with more severe damage not related to allergies might need alternative medical care as well.).

After a baseline is reached, foods are reintroduced, one at a time every 4-7 days, over a course of weeks or months, depending on the severity of the allergies. The introduction of foods begins with the foods most likely to cause problems, usually the top allergens list and the foods most likely to cause inflammation in the body.

During the entire diet, a journal is kept detailing day, time, location, foods, physical ailments or relief, and mental ailments or relief. If the elimination diet is being done for a breastfeeding child, then a journal should be kept for both mother and child.

Usually, one or more foods reveal themselves as the diet progresses. Avoiding these triggers is usually the best way to have relief from health ailments. This would be the first step to a healthier lifestyle for those with allergies. Afterward, learning about holistic health and nutrition will aid you in having a long-lasting, comfortable life.

Notes

A TED is NOT a starvation diet. You MUST eat non-inflammatory foods for this to be successful. Simply eating nothing is not conducive to healing.
Baseline might not be able to be reached if you are on medication for any health ailments. The majority of all medication is full of corn-based products and inflammatory chemicals. Someone who is allergic to corn will continue to react. Many people with corn allergies have their medications compounded with non-corn derivative fillers. Pharmacies and allopathic MD’s are not aware of the names of corn derivatives and will state that there is no corn. See this list for an idea of how corn is found in medical supplies.
If a food has failed a trial, it’s best to not introduce another food until you have recovered from the fail. This can take 2 to 4 days.
Almost every probiotic on the market has corn in it. Many probiotics are grown on corn. Only Gut Pro is corn-free. Generally, it is best to discontinue probiotics on a TED because some people cannot tolerate them, allergy-free or not. I personally prefer food-based probiotics over pill-based anyway.
Fruits and vegetables at the normal grocery store are sprayed and waxed with corny chemicals. If you are allergic to corn, you might continue to react. The best fruits and vegetables are the ones grown at home. The second best is the farmers market or from local known safe farmers. Third best is a local food co-op or health food store. Typical grocery stores are generally not safe and have very few safe foods.
Organic does not guarantee your food is allergy friendly. Many foods that are organic can still be waxed or sprayed with corny products.
Just because one person does well with a food on a TED, doesn’t mean you or your child will. No food is considered “safe” until the baseline is reached. If you haven’t reached baseline and you are SURE your food isn’t contaminated with corn, try mixing something up on a suspect food. For example, if you think your sweet potato is the culprit, cut it out for 4 days to see if there is any change.
It can be dangerous or ineffective to attempt a TED alone without sufficient education. Seeking out a nutritionally based chiropractor, a holistic nutritionist, a holistic MD, a naturopath or another nutrition-based health care provider can be beneficial in helping you.
Not all allopathic MD’s or allopathic allergists are fully aware of or are legally allowed to assist in determining the CAUSE of your health ailments. Many of the tests to attempt to determine why you are ill are costly and dangerous and are often ineffective. Research thoroughly EVERY part of your medical procedures, including risks and side effects. Research thoroughly EVERYTHING that might be injected or taken orally. This goes with ALL medical care, including holistic approaches.
Education is the best tool to come to your aid. The more you know about what you put in your body and how it affects your body, the better armed you will be. You are your own best ally. You are the one who has to live with the choices you make. You are the one who will either face the fallout or the benefit of your decisions. Every other person involved is simply another tool to aid you. They don’t have to live in your body for the rest of your life, you do.
It’s ok to say no to something that isn’t working. No matter how much time or money you’ve invested into a certain approach to your health, it’s ok to let it go if it isn’t helping aid you in your goal of better health.

I hope this has helped you understand what a Total Elimination Diet is and how it can help you become more aware of your body and take charge of your health. I pray that you and your family find answers to what is ailing you so that you can not just survive, but thrive.

Have you tried a TED? What was your favorite foods that worked for you? What foods did you say “I never want to eat this again when it’s over!”

Are you on a TED right now? How’s it going?

***Disclaimer*** This is not medical advice. These are my own personal experiences from my own TED that are shared for awareness. Please consult your own medical practitioner before beginning a TED.

November 13, 2017December 11, 2017

Dear Mom Of A Child With Hyperactivity…

My son has always been on the go. He’s always been fast, energetic and too curious for his own good. Unfortunately, he inherited this from both his father and me. My brother and I were energetic and curious as children and I know we drove our poor Mom crazy. I’ve heard stories from Nate’s Mom about when he was little too. One about taking off to the local park alone as a toddler comes to mind.

There is a difference between a normal energetic child and a child with extreme hyperactivity. Although Mr. Awesome could run circles around me on a normal healthy day, there are days when he is abnormally “crazy” energetic. When he was 5 years old, he developed an allergy to food dyes and preservatives. My little guy cannot tolerate them. They make him hyperactive to the point where he can’t focus or slow down. There is no reaching him, he’s gone.

I can remember one time when he had been exposed vividly. He was running around, making loud incoherent noises and banging into things. I grabbed him into my arms to try to get him to stop. He flailed around while I tried calling his name. As he flopped backward across my lap, with a crazy wild grin on his face, his eyes rolling wildly, joyfully screaming, arms and legs waving about, I remember feeling my heart break for my son. I will never forget that.

Another time, when he was older, we did something we never usually did. We were running late to meet family and we stopped at Mcdonald’s. We don’t normally eat at Mc D’s, but we were out in the middle of nowhere and it was the only place to eat for many miles. After my son ate his food, he told me, “Mom, I feel like I’m going crazy.” After that he did. He went into his usual hyperactive world where we can’t reach him.

To us, watching from the outside. It looks like he is wildly out of control. He looks like he’s had a gallon of sugar. It’s frustrating, especially in public with other people watching and judging. It’s hard worrying about my son and caring for him, but it’s also hard because I know others simply think I can’t control my son.

Over the years, we’ve found that avoiding food dyes and preservatives is what he needs to be functional. We know when he sneaks candy from his sisters because he goes wild. Because of this, we’ve stopped buying things that can cause him to react. I try to find him treats that are safe as an alternative so he doesn’t feel left out. Unfortunately, we’ve found he also reacts to perfumes and artificial scents in the air since he has an allergy to corn. So reactions in crowded places are common.

With my own allergies. I have the unique perspective of being able to walk in my son’s shoes. With exposure to corn, I develop anxiety. If my allergy bucket is really full, or I get a big dose of corn, I get extreme anxiety and hyperactivity. It’s not fun. I’ve gotten pretty good at avoiding corn, but every once and awhile I accidentally get exposed. Last week was one of those times.

Normally, if this happens, I try to minimize the damage as much as I can by drinking bentonite clay water and fasting until the feeling has passed. I try to stay productive and channel my energy into cleaning. Sometimes I distract myself by playing games on my phone (1010!, Word Cookies and Sims Freeplay) or watching a movie or listening to soothing music. This time, I used the opportunity to write a letter to myself.

I’ve switched it up a bit so that it applies to any parent with a child with hyperactivity and/or anxiety. Although boys, girls, men and women struggle with hyperactivity, I’ve written this as I’ve written it to myself about my son. If you’d like to write a letter to yourself and add your name and your loved one’s name, please feel free to do so.

Dear Mom,
The next time your child is going a million miles an hour, remember this.
For your child, having their mind race is not fun, it’s intense. It’s hard to focus, hard to be still, and hard to remember what you were doing. It’s like a video that has been sped up really fast and is dragging you along with it.

You can help him.
Be kind.
Be calm.
Speak slow and clear.
Give him one task at a time.
Be forgiving and help him remember when he forgets.
Get down to his level.
Show your love through actions.
Be the rock of stability is his rushing river.
Play slow, soothing music to help calm him and help him focus (The Guild of Ambience or Weightless)
Have a clean, calm environment.
Go outside and and let him run around and soak up vitamin D, it’s good for both of you!
Give him tablet time and take a time out if you need it.
Pray.
Love him.
Breathe.

You can do this! It’s hard for you, but it’s also hard for him. Thank you for loving him enough to care to try.

I hope this helps you. Being a parent is tough, but being a parent to a child with hyperactivity can be extremely challenging. Sometimes taking a minute out of our day to remember what they’re going through can help when we feel our patience slipping.

What do you do when your child has a hyperactive episode/meltdown? What are your child’s triggers?

August 24, 2017June 11, 2018

What’s In My Bag?

As someone with severe, life-threatening, airborne allergies, I need to carry some things with me at all times. This means that whatever I carry must be light and easily accessed. In addition, I need others to be able to find my emergency information fast. I also need a way to alert strangers to my allergens should I become incapacitated.

Inside this little purse is a lot of necessities!

Top row, left to right: iPhone, pretty rocks, Vogmask, spare change, checkbook, pens and sharpie, essential oil roller bottles, Badger lip balms, Redmond Bentonite clay, Frozen tissues, hair binder and bobby pins, whipped eczema body butter, and wallet.
Middle row, left to right: allergy alert paperwork, backup star face mask, epi-pen, albuterol inhaler, and coin purse.
Bottom row, left to right: purse organizer, allergy tag, EpiPen tag, purse.

Allergy tags I use:

I keep both my lip balm and Cupcake’s lip balm for when she needs it. Next to that I keep my essential oil roller bottles. I usually have a couple more than what’s pictured. I normally carry an anti-anxiety blend, first aid blend, Cat’s sore wrist blend, and Mr. Awesome’s ADHD blend. Behind that, I tuck my tissues into one of the pockets.

My phone has medical alert information for emergency personnel. My wallet has my insurance cards, my ID, my bank card, and membership cards.

I keep both face masks in a zipper pouch to keep them clean and safe from dust and other contaminants. I take them out and use them in dangerous places where I might potentially be exposed to airborne allergens.

I put my checkbook into the other zippered pouch to keep it clean and safe from damage. Yes, I still have a checkbook. The DMV and the kid’s schools are pretty much the only time I ever use it.

The kids and Nate are always bringing me pretty rocks. I stash them in my purse till I get home and put them in little bottles or on shelves. I’m a rock nerd. 🙂

I keep my eczema cream in a little jar. I also keep bentonite clay in a little container for emergency use. Bentonite clay can help absorb toxins, it kills viruses and bacteria, reduces swelling and helps to reduce allergy symptoms from accidental internal exposure(eating allergens by accident). It can also be used for bug bites.

My inhaler has saved my life many times. I’m not a fan of most pharmaceuticals, but when it comes to asthma, I don’t mess around. Thankfully, I rarely have asthma attacks anymore since I cut wheat from my diet.

My epi pen still scares me, even though I’ve had it for years. I’ve taught my family how to use it should I ever pass out.

What do you keep in your purse or bag?