I need help. I'm exclusively breastfeeding my 6 month old now, no additional foods for her except breastmilk. About three months ago we started having problems. I've been on the elimination diet for about 2 months now. Here is the list of foods we are now avoiding...

Wheat
Dairy
Soy
Nuts and nut butters
Seeds
Eggs
Strawberries
Bananas
Tomatoes questionable but holding off for now
Cocoa

I've done pretty good at staying away from these foods, but I'm so tired of eating meat, veggies and rice. Most of the recipes I see have at least one or two of the offending foods in them and it would be difficult to make it taste like it should without those ingredients.

What do I do....HELP ME PLEASE!!!!

Thanks, Heather

Boy Heather! That's quite a list already.

Have you gone through ELISA IgE/IgG testing for yourself? If you are eating a food that you are intolerant to then baby has 4x more likelihood of becoming sensitized to it. You'd more than likely need to see a holistic/naturopath doctor for the testing. Most mainline docs don't believe in IgG delayed food allergies.

We are gluten free, dairy free, legume free, soy free as a family and then have other things thrown in for various family members.

I know the meat, rice, veggies and fruit can get boring......I'm pretty much in that boat.

I can do eggs in things like bread but one child (my youngest) may have problems with them whole. I haven't quite narrowed that down yet. My daughter did test intolerant to egg whites but she does fine with it in bread as well.

I use a bread recipe that has been posted on the forum with a couple modifications. For flour I use rice flour, sorghum, coconut, potato starch, arrowroot. It can be made egg free (I used ener-g egg replacer). That might work for you and at least give you something else to munch on.

We haven't had any testing done, since I was told it wouldn't really tell me anything since she was so young. I hadn't thought about having myself tested. I'll have to find a naturopath.

Can you post the bread recipe. I had read some bad things about ener-g egg replacer. Like it really didn't do what it said it would. How do you mix it in?

I did find a place about 30 miles from me yesterday. It's on my list to visit for tomorrow. Thanks for your help.

Heather

I'll type the recipe up in this print. Any comments I make on the side I'll bracket.

Gluten Free Flax Bread by Laurie150 from recipezaar. Recipe #190906. She has just published a cookbook. I can get the info for that if you are interested....I have it bookmarked.

12-18 servings 1 loaf
2 3/4 hours 2hours prep

1 1/4 cups gluten-free flour (for the 1 1/2 cups flour I use
1/4 cup garfava flour rice 1 cup and sorghum 1/2 c appox I make 3 loaves at a time and use 2 3/4 c rice and 1 c sorghum, 3/4 c coconut flour) Feel free to try different flours.
1/2 cup potato starch
1/4 cup cornstarch (I use arrowroot)
1/4 cup flax seed meal
2 1/2 teaspoons xanthan gumm
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 teaspoon salt (I've cut this to 2 tsp for 3 loaves)
2 eggs
2 egg whites (I don't use since we go through so much bread in a week.)
1 cup water or milk ( I use 4 cups water for 3 loaves if coconut flour is used)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use grapeseed oil)
2 tablespoons honey (for 3 loaves I use 5 T sugar or honey)
2 teaspoons vinegar (I have omitted this, not sure what it does)

1. Combine flours, flax, starches, gum, yeast, salt.
2.. In the mixer, combine wet ingredients, then add dry.
3. Scrape the sides, and mix on medium for 4-5 minutes.
4. Pour into 9 x 5 pan,(I use 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 and it works, make sure to grease and flour your pans) and let rise to top of pan (took about 80 minutes). I always let it rise in a turned off oven. (I let it rise on top of the oven)
5. Bake at 350F for about 40 minutes. (I bake 3 loaves for 44 minutes)
6. Remove from pan, cool, and slice.
7. *use egg replacer of choice to create a vegan loaf, as well as an alternative sweetener for the honey.


I've found that the ener-g doesn't give it much rise. The eggs work much better. Maybe you could try one loaf with eggs and see how you do. Maybe you've already tried eggs in things like baked goods versus eggs by themselves.

Another off the wall question. Is this your first? Do you have silver (amalgam) fillings? I've found that my daughter (my oldest) and my youngest have the most intolerances. I'm currently trying to get some testing done on my daughter to see if mercury is as much of a problem as I think. I'm going to an ART practitioner next week and if mercury shows up with that (it's muscle testing) then I'll go through with the provoked urine challenge with my doctor. The oldest child takes a 2/3rds hit I believe it is of the mercury/metals that you have.

Which state are you in.....I don't remember if you have that listed but if you don't and aren't comfortable posting it....pm me.

Thanks for the recipe.

1st child
amalgam fillings...yes
TN

Multiple food allergies can definitely be quite a challenge. The best thing to do is to find new ways to present foods that you're both okay with. For example, here's a link to a margarita chicken salad recipe: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/recipe...?recipeId=36884. The recipe calls for strawberries but you could easily sub in fresh raspberries instead.

Also, The Cravings Place makes a really good pancake mix which is free of your allergens. I add 1/4 cup of applesauce to it for sweetening and leavening as well as a bit of rice milk (although a mango or pumpkin puree would also be good). You can thin down the recipe to make crepes as well....and possibly use the crepes to make wraps for lunch or dinner.

There are sites out there which may also help you locate recipes that are naturally free of these ingredients. Here's a particularly good one: http://www.mealsforyou.com/cgi-bin/advancedSearch.

For tomato allergies....there are recipes in arthritis cookbooks (which are usually free of potatoes, tomatoes, eggs, dairy and wheat). I've got a decent recipe for a tomato-free marinara made from mostly beets and pumpkin.

I totally understand where you are coming from on this. We are also free of gluten, dairy, eggs, most soy (Vegenaise on occasion has been okay), food colorings and artificial sweeteners. When I get sick of meat I find that avocado is a good stand-in.

If fish is okay, tuna with chopped apple is good...even with an oil-based dressing (perhaps Cindy's Kitchen salad dressings would be okay? It appears that the Honey Dijon is safe for you and depending on sunflower oil....the Wild Maine Blueberry may work too).

If you're sick of rice...quinoa or millet may give you a nice change. And if beans are okay, perhaps a burrito bowl with rice, black beans, grilled chicken or steak, chopped onion, avocado, fresh cilantro and a hint of lime juice. There are also salsa recipes available that are beet/pumpkin-based.

When baking, I use natural applesauce in lieu of eggs and coconut milk or another fruit puree instead of milk. It adds quite a bit of flavor as well as moisture to the gluten-free baked goods. And if a recipe calls for a lot of oil...I halve it with applesauce.

At any rate, you do have some very tough food issues at work and it definitely will take time to find recipes that offer variety as well as please your palate.

HTH!

I would love to know what your daughters issues are. We are in the same boat. Rebecca began having issues about 4 months ago and is now 6 months (today actually). She is exclusively breastfeed and I have removed

Gluten
Dairy
Eggs (starting to add these back in when cooked in something like bread)
Soy
Nuts
Citrus
Beans
Brocolli
Corn (just took out even the small corn)

Even with all these items removed her poop remains green and mucusy. I know that some of these foods are definately an issue. Dairy scalds her butt, Soy makes her spit up. We avoid nuts because my older son has allergies to them. Beans seemed to give her gas. She is a very small baby only gaining about 2-3 ounces a month on average (She is only 11lbs. 13oz.). We are trying to get into Stanford to see a G/I at the moment but are getting the run around. I know how frustrating it can be.

Sarah

pm'd you!