I had been thinking about the GFCF diet lately, not only because that's how we eat, but because the Hubs and I are keenly aware of any changes with our son. When something feels "off", we ask questions like: Why is he doing that? Is he regressing? Did he eat something he wasn't supposed to? etc.
As I learned more about GAPS through reading, I started to cut grains out completely from our diet. This means no rice and quinoa. I downloaded a list of GAPS legal and illegal foods, and it says no potatoes, yams, beans other than navy, green, and lima. No starchy anything if we can help it, including no tapioca or any roots really.
Now that I'm learning about the science behind GAPS, I get it (well, I think I do). Some people say the GFCF diet didn't work for them. Many didn't stick to it strictly, which you REALLY need to do if you're going to do it. Many didn't give it enough time. And many, including us initially, replaced gluten foods with their processed non-gluten counterparts. Not good. Not HORRIBLE (though there is MUCH more processed GF food out there now than there was a year ago). When pondering the efficacy of eating GFCF, I think it should actually be the Gluten-Free Casein-Free Starch-Free Sugar-Free Soy-Free Real Foods Diet. Really, I'd first suggest the GAPS Diet far above anything else since it at least has dairy (though not at first, and its introduction could be delayed for anyone with severe sensitivity).
In our GFCF jouney, we're just about at the GFCFSF^3 point, and while it's doable, I'm not sure how much progress we're making as far as healing our son's gut. On to GAPS we go!
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Saturday, July 2, 2011
GAPS
Gut And Psychology Syndrome
I finally purchased Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. My son was officially diagnosed as high functioning autistic back in November 2010, but it didn't take a diagnosis to realize some things weren't exactly the way they should be. At the end of July 2010, we started the GFCF diet, which produced positive results. We reintroduced dairy which resulted in mood swings and tantrums. We've been GFCF since that reintroduction.
Mainly through my searches for GFCF recipes on the internet did I keep coming across something called the GAPS Diet. Earlier this year I learned about the Weston A. Price Foundation and Nourishing Traditions. After obtaining that book, I wanted to learn more about traditional foods. Turns out that quite a few traditional/real/whole food bloggers know about GAPS and its corresponding diet.
GAPS had helped so many with autoimmune disorders, such as eczema and allergies. The most noteworthy (to me) dilemma it has helped is autism. Whoa. Sounds a little too good to be true. What charlatan is professing to cure autism?? A neurologist. Who studied nutrition. Who has a son who was diagnosed as severely autistic. A son who no longer displays autistic behaviors and is considered "completely recovered." If my son responded to dietary changes (going GFCF), why couldn't we just try this?
I ordered the book last Friday along with the much-recommended-by-GAPS-Dieters GAPS Guide, and it's seriously like all the pieces of puzzle are falling into place. I'm a science junkie, not that biology was my thing (chemistry was), and this stuff makes SENSE. Our gut wall is lined with billions of beneficial bacteria. These bacteria are not only there to aid digestion, but play an integral part of our immune system. Too many changes in current food, medical practice, environment, etc. have compromised that wall of beneficial bacteria. If one too many things cause a breach in that line of defense, the gut wall can no longer contain the toxins that need to be contained within the digestive system. Those toxins leak out of the gut, enter the bloodstream, and end up in places they do not belong. As a result? The author suggests autism, ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, allergies, learning disabilities, and more. A connection between our guts and our psychology.
Reflecting on my own health, I didn't have skin issues when I was younger. But when I was in college and not eating so great, I developed eczema. Bummer. Before reading GAPS, I realized certain foods triggered my eczema. An allergic response that I didn't have before. I have never had persimmons until a few years ago. Yummy!! Last year I bought some, and found I am now allergic! Whaaa? These are autoimmune responses. I eat well now, but once the gut wall has been compromised, that doesn't matter until it's fixed.
And that's what the GAPS Diet is supposed to do. Restore the good bacteria wall. It's almost like a do-over. There is an intro diet with easily digested foods, such as bone broth. It is a heavily meat-based diet, but that meat needs to be pastured and preferably organic. There are no grains, and few, if any, starches. Dairy IS on the diet, but it must be cultured dairy. No plain milk, but instead there is yogurt, kefir, butter, certain aged cheeses, and ghee. Everything should be prepared at home as well, so there's a huge dedication factor to this diet. Oh, and the diet only needs to happen for 1.5 - 3 years, depending on the condition of the gut. After that, for some, gluten can be reintroduced, along with the starches! All in moderation though, which is always great advice. The style of eating post-GAPS is a traditional foods diet.
I've been slowly preparing for a while now, and we're looking to start at the end of this month. It's just a coincidence that that is exactly a year from when we began the GFCF diet. Maybe that's a good time for our family to implement dietary change!
gapsdiet.com
I finally purchased Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. My son was officially diagnosed as high functioning autistic back in November 2010, but it didn't take a diagnosis to realize some things weren't exactly the way they should be. At the end of July 2010, we started the GFCF diet, which produced positive results. We reintroduced dairy which resulted in mood swings and tantrums. We've been GFCF since that reintroduction.
Mainly through my searches for GFCF recipes on the internet did I keep coming across something called the GAPS Diet. Earlier this year I learned about the Weston A. Price Foundation and Nourishing Traditions. After obtaining that book, I wanted to learn more about traditional foods. Turns out that quite a few traditional/real/whole food bloggers know about GAPS and its corresponding diet.
GAPS had helped so many with autoimmune disorders, such as eczema and allergies. The most noteworthy (to me) dilemma it has helped is autism. Whoa. Sounds a little too good to be true. What charlatan is professing to cure autism?? A neurologist. Who studied nutrition. Who has a son who was diagnosed as severely autistic. A son who no longer displays autistic behaviors and is considered "completely recovered." If my son responded to dietary changes (going GFCF), why couldn't we just try this?
I ordered the book last Friday along with the much-recommended-by-GAPS-Dieters GAPS Guide, and it's seriously like all the pieces of puzzle are falling into place. I'm a science junkie, not that biology was my thing (chemistry was), and this stuff makes SENSE. Our gut wall is lined with billions of beneficial bacteria. These bacteria are not only there to aid digestion, but play an integral part of our immune system. Too many changes in current food, medical practice, environment, etc. have compromised that wall of beneficial bacteria. If one too many things cause a breach in that line of defense, the gut wall can no longer contain the toxins that need to be contained within the digestive system. Those toxins leak out of the gut, enter the bloodstream, and end up in places they do not belong. As a result? The author suggests autism, ADD/ADHD, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, allergies, learning disabilities, and more. A connection between our guts and our psychology.
Reflecting on my own health, I didn't have skin issues when I was younger. But when I was in college and not eating so great, I developed eczema. Bummer. Before reading GAPS, I realized certain foods triggered my eczema. An allergic response that I didn't have before. I have never had persimmons until a few years ago. Yummy!! Last year I bought some, and found I am now allergic! Whaaa? These are autoimmune responses. I eat well now, but once the gut wall has been compromised, that doesn't matter until it's fixed.
And that's what the GAPS Diet is supposed to do. Restore the good bacteria wall. It's almost like a do-over. There is an intro diet with easily digested foods, such as bone broth. It is a heavily meat-based diet, but that meat needs to be pastured and preferably organic. There are no grains, and few, if any, starches. Dairy IS on the diet, but it must be cultured dairy. No plain milk, but instead there is yogurt, kefir, butter, certain aged cheeses, and ghee. Everything should be prepared at home as well, so there's a huge dedication factor to this diet. Oh, and the diet only needs to happen for 1.5 - 3 years, depending on the condition of the gut. After that, for some, gluten can be reintroduced, along with the starches! All in moderation though, which is always great advice. The style of eating post-GAPS is a traditional foods diet.
I've been slowly preparing for a while now, and we're looking to start at the end of this month. It's just a coincidence that that is exactly a year from when we began the GFCF diet. Maybe that's a good time for our family to implement dietary change!
gapsdiet.com
Monday, June 27, 2011
Catching Up
I'm perpetually playing catch-up. Am I overextending myself? Am I secretly wasting time? I'm on the computer right now, but I have some other things going on in the meantime, so am I actually being efficient? Gah.
I may need to start doling out more responsibility around the house. I'll have to talk with the Hubs about what he can/will do, and see where that leaves me. I've ordered our GAPS Diet books, and we'll be embarking on quite the dietary journey soon enough. There will be NO processed foods whatsoever. For years. Not that we consume much, if any processed foods as it is, but in a pinch, it would be nice to know I have some sort of option available if I can't cook.
Today for lunch I made a coconut curry. Canned coconut milk is a no-no on GAPS. So I made my own coconut milk. No, we're not on GAPS yet, but I do like the idea of BPA-free, preservative-free coconut milk. But it takes time. I picked up a juicer, and frankly, freshly made orange juice and carrot juice taste really yummy, but that takes time too. I'll be culturing yogurt and kefir and fermenting a bunch of veggies as well. This just sounds like a complaining now (it's a slippery slope lol), but I'm trying to sort out what needs to be done, how I can fit it all in a day, and get all our other stuff done too.
Now that that's out of my system, I'm going to start sorting it out.
Still microwave free, by the way!
I may need to start doling out more responsibility around the house. I'll have to talk with the Hubs about what he can/will do, and see where that leaves me. I've ordered our GAPS Diet books, and we'll be embarking on quite the dietary journey soon enough. There will be NO processed foods whatsoever. For years. Not that we consume much, if any processed foods as it is, but in a pinch, it would be nice to know I have some sort of option available if I can't cook.
Today for lunch I made a coconut curry. Canned coconut milk is a no-no on GAPS. So I made my own coconut milk. No, we're not on GAPS yet, but I do like the idea of BPA-free, preservative-free coconut milk. But it takes time. I picked up a juicer, and frankly, freshly made orange juice and carrot juice taste really yummy, but that takes time too. I'll be culturing yogurt and kefir and fermenting a bunch of veggies as well. This just sounds like a complaining now (it's a slippery slope lol), but I'm trying to sort out what needs to be done, how I can fit it all in a day, and get all our other stuff done too.
Now that that's out of my system, I'm going to start sorting it out.
Still microwave free, by the way!
Friday, May 20, 2011
Losing the Lectures (L&L)
I'm taking a local Love & Logic class. I went in figuring I had a good idea of what to expect, and thankfully, my expectations were wrong. The class has given me much to think about and reconsider, and I'm loving it!
Not that I was big on lecturing, but it seems to make so much sense as a parent to tell your kid what s/he did wrong, why I'm upset, etc. I'm learning to let it go (for the most part). The day after learning this, my son had stepped on something accidentally and partially breaking it. He told me what he had done and seemed sorry about it. Instead of a "well, maybe you'll watch where you're going next time!" or "Be more careful!", I responded with a hug (Love & Logic is big on empathy). He already told me what he did. He expressed remorse. He already did what I thought was my job. I didn't need to rub salt in the wound. Of course, later, I stepped on the same object and completely destroyed it. I would have been pretty annoyed to be told "Watch where you're going!" "You need to be more careful!" Frankly, if someone told me that, the last thing I would want to do is be more careful and watch where I'm going! How strange.
Yesterday, my son was pouring himself a glass of juice. He spilled a little. "Uh oh. I spilled some juice, Mommy." "Oh." "I need to clean it up." "What will you use to clean it?" "I need a towel, please." Yeah, he gets it. :)
Image from http://cookinginheelstv.blogspot.com/
Not that I was big on lecturing, but it seems to make so much sense as a parent to tell your kid what s/he did wrong, why I'm upset, etc. I'm learning to let it go (for the most part). The day after learning this, my son had stepped on something accidentally and partially breaking it. He told me what he had done and seemed sorry about it. Instead of a "well, maybe you'll watch where you're going next time!" or "Be more careful!", I responded with a hug (Love & Logic is big on empathy). He already told me what he did. He expressed remorse. He already did what I thought was my job. I didn't need to rub salt in the wound. Of course, later, I stepped on the same object and completely destroyed it. I would have been pretty annoyed to be told "Watch where you're going!" "You need to be more careful!" Frankly, if someone told me that, the last thing I would want to do is be more careful and watch where I'm going! How strange.
Yesterday, my son was pouring himself a glass of juice. He spilled a little. "Uh oh. I spilled some juice, Mommy." "Oh." "I need to clean it up." "What will you use to clean it?" "I need a towel, please." Yeah, he gets it. :)
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| No sense in lecturing! |
Friday, April 29, 2011
Slow Cooker! We're Back On!
I've had an on-again-off-again relationship with my slow cooker, but I think I'm finally ready to commit. I had previously borrowed a slow cooker from my folks, but it wasn't up to snuff (the lid didn't fit right). A store at the mall had one on sale, so I thought I'd once again, give slow cooking the ol' college try. Again. With receipt in a safe place for an easy return.
Well, the one I picked up has a temperature probe and a bunch of other settings. I LOVE this thing!!!! I had never done a roast before (The Hubs told me he doesn't care for them), but I did one earlier this week and it turned out perfect! Husband ended up eating most of it! The recipe stated to cook on low for 5.5 - 6 hours, but someone in the comments wrote that 5.5 hours would overcook it. I had a morning appointment (this was going to be our lunch), so I ended up putting the probe in the meat, set the temperature I wanted it to reach, when I returned home, it was done! 3 hours did the trick! 5.5 would have destroyed it.
At this point, I've lost track of the number of stocks I've made in it. I throw chicken carcasses in the crock, add veggies, add ACV, let it sit for an hour, then set it to low and let it go for 24 hours. Easy peasy!
Right now it's finishing up some brown rice. I started it on the stove top and the recipe said to cover it and put it on low for 1.5 - 3 hours, so I'm letting the slow cooker do it. This will be the second time I made this recipe like this; here's hoping the first time wasn't a fluke!
Oh, slow cooker... I'm so glad we're friends.
Well, the one I picked up has a temperature probe and a bunch of other settings. I LOVE this thing!!!! I had never done a roast before (The Hubs told me he doesn't care for them), but I did one earlier this week and it turned out perfect! Husband ended up eating most of it! The recipe stated to cook on low for 5.5 - 6 hours, but someone in the comments wrote that 5.5 hours would overcook it. I had a morning appointment (this was going to be our lunch), so I ended up putting the probe in the meat, set the temperature I wanted it to reach, when I returned home, it was done! 3 hours did the trick! 5.5 would have destroyed it.
At this point, I've lost track of the number of stocks I've made in it. I throw chicken carcasses in the crock, add veggies, add ACV, let it sit for an hour, then set it to low and let it go for 24 hours. Easy peasy!
Right now it's finishing up some brown rice. I started it on the stove top and the recipe said to cover it and put it on low for 1.5 - 3 hours, so I'm letting the slow cooker do it. This will be the second time I made this recipe like this; here's hoping the first time wasn't a fluke!
Oh, slow cooker... I'm so glad we're friends.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Microwave Update & GAPS Rambling
Well, not only have I not used my microwave since my last post, apparently I also have not used blogger! It's been surprisingly fast to reheat meals on the stovetop or toaster oven, and I'm not missing the "convenience" of microwaving at all. I do use the kitchen timer function on the microwave though. That's pretty handy.
Currently I'm trying to spring clean the kitchen cabinets, clearing space for our next big project: the GAPS Diet. I think our entire family will benefit, and as stringent as it is, Husband and I are both on board. I'm so glad he's up for this; it's challenging sometimes to balance everything and get the food out (though I'm becoming MUCH faster at butchering chickens!), and it will be a relief not to prepare separate meals for him.
More about GAPS here: http://www.gapsdiet.com/
It's not about weight-loss or quick fixes. It's about healing the gut. This will be a 1.5 - 2 year (YEAR!) commitment, depending on how it goes for each of us. I'm going to stagger the starting points for everyone because of the probability of experiencing a rough die-off period when candida starts to die in the gut. When this yeast dies, it becomes a toxin in the body. Oy.
Usually I'm a "there's no time like the present!" sort of person, but for this, I'm putting it off until the end of the school year. I hate to say it, but I need to use up these other ingredients I have!! If we're not going to be using them for YEARS, then I want it all out of the house. Most of the stuff I need to use are already open (like the garbanzo bean flour), but some of it will just go in the trash. In the meantime, we're gluten-free and casein-free (for the most part. Husband and I still eat cheese every once in a while) and we're eating more of a traditional foods diet.
Once the house and my brain are re-organized, I hope to journal our GAPS journey. No promises though!
Currently I'm trying to spring clean the kitchen cabinets, clearing space for our next big project: the GAPS Diet. I think our entire family will benefit, and as stringent as it is, Husband and I are both on board. I'm so glad he's up for this; it's challenging sometimes to balance everything and get the food out (though I'm becoming MUCH faster at butchering chickens!), and it will be a relief not to prepare separate meals for him.
More about GAPS here: http://www.gapsdiet.com/
It's not about weight-loss or quick fixes. It's about healing the gut. This will be a 1.5 - 2 year (YEAR!) commitment, depending on how it goes for each of us. I'm going to stagger the starting points for everyone because of the probability of experiencing a rough die-off period when candida starts to die in the gut. When this yeast dies, it becomes a toxin in the body. Oy.
Usually I'm a "there's no time like the present!" sort of person, but for this, I'm putting it off until the end of the school year. I hate to say it, but I need to use up these other ingredients I have!! If we're not going to be using them for YEARS, then I want it all out of the house. Most of the stuff I need to use are already open (like the garbanzo bean flour), but some of it will just go in the trash. In the meantime, we're gluten-free and casein-free (for the most part. Husband and I still eat cheese every once in a while) and we're eating more of a traditional foods diet.
Once the house and my brain are re-organized, I hope to journal our GAPS journey. No promises though!
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Darn You, Microwave!!!
As I was reheating my son's lunch on the stove top (spaghetti), I finally told Husband about my personal microwave challenge. Honestly, I was feeling pretty good about it! Making changes, trying to be more natural, etc... And it's been easy too! I felt good once I got moving this morning. It must have been that hearty bowl of leftover quinoa chili I had for breakfast... that I... reheated in the microwave in my morning stupor. GAH! So, it's square one again. This time I have a note on the microwave.
In my defense, we're all still recovering from our son's sleep deprivation EEG prep. That's it. Yeah.
Monday, March 28, 2011
Excuses, Excuses...
Typically I use 2 - 3 different computers each day. At home. My photos are spread all over the place; therefore, I'm not posting a lot of photos since the photos I want are not on the computer I'm using.
I'm pretty tired right now. Husband and I had to keep our son up late then wake him up very early to prep him for a sleep deprived EEG to check for absence seizures. So... yeah, my mind is a little preoccupied with all that. Our little guy handled the whole thing like a champ though! We were nervous considering how he loathes anything or anyone touching his head/ scalp (though he'll wear some hats). The kind woman running the tests attached 20-some wires to his scalp, so it was really a testament to how far he's come with his sensory issues.
While in the waiting room, we heard a young child screaming bloody murder while having the same test done. It was not encouraging. When we were called back for the test, I tried to discreetly speak with the tester to inform her that our son has some sensory issues around the scalp, just to give her a heads up in case there were issues. I hoped my son didn't hear me, I didn't want to create a self-fulfilled prophecy situation. He did wonderfully. :) We go to the neurologist next week, and hopefully that office will have the results in by then.
On the lighter side, we visited the aquarium in Baltimore. It was our second trip there with our son. The first time, he wasn't very interested. This time, interest was high! We even rode the train down, which was a first for all of us. Oh, Maryland public transportation... at least it's there!(?) Anyway, it went very well, despite my bone-headedness in not buying round-trip tickets right off the bat. What was I thinking?? Lots of photos... on my camera still. The other computer is the one with the slot for the sd card. And now this blog post has come full circle...
Friday, March 25, 2011
Personal Microwave Challenge
Often I see blogs posting challenges that invite others to try and maybe even offer a giveaway of some kind. Yeah, this is not that. I'm going to work on eliminating the use of our microwave, and this blog post is a reminder for me to stay on track. Accountability!
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| Image from http://hihorosie.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html |
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Ghee Whiz! Dairy Revisited. Again.
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| I Can't Believe It's Butter! |
For whatever reason, I kept forgetting about ghee. Ghee, a.k.a. Clarified Butter, is made from milk but is-- wait for it -- casein free. Yup, an actual milk product we can enjoy on the GFCF diet. Take some butter, melt it down, skim off the scum that appears, strain the solids that drop to the bottom, and you're left with pure fat known as ghee. It doesn't even take up refrigerator space because it can be stored at room temperature!
I picked up the larger size jar of the Purity Farms brand at one of our HFSs and have worked it into several of our meals already. It's been a while since I've had actual butter flavor, and I'm definitely enjoying it! The label itself says that its casein-free, which is always wonderful to see. Too often, I see "Dairy-Free!" on a package only to find casein or caseinate in the ingredients list. I didn't think I'd see "Casein-Free" on a dairy product any time soon.
The first time I used it was to fry an egg. I learned a little goes a VERY long way. Thank goodness, since this stuff ain't cheap! I cooked some Swiss chard this evening and used extra virgin olive oil plus a little ghee for flavor, and I probably could have used a little less-- that butter taste was still very apparent!
While I have very much appreciated the Earth Balance Buttery Sticks and Spread, I'm excited to not rely on those for butter taste. I'm thinking for baking I'll do some sort of combo of ghee and Spectrum shortening or something. Mmm.... possibilities! Now with butter flavor!
Monday, March 14, 2011
10 Days Later...
Wow, 10 days flew by, just like that. No rest for the weary, though! I need to get back to this. I must! I shall! I'm doing it right now!! It's HAPPENING.
One of the main thoughts running through my head is the incredible impact dairy has on my son. I'm still not over it. We had a FANTASTIC weekend with regard to behavior and overall demeanor. The language is coming back, the stimming rarely occurs, patience has returned... the dairy is almost completely out.
The other night at bedtime, DS was playing with his trains when I informed him that he needed to get ready for bedtime in 5 minutes. He looked at me and quietly told me it's not bedtime.
"I'm going to set a timer for 5 minutes, and you can play with your trains that whole time. Once it rings, it's time to clean up and get ready for bed."
Calmly, he said, "I don't want to clean up."
"Well, I can clean up and we go to bed right now, or you can play for 5 minutes and then go to bed. Do you want to go to bed right now or do you want to play for 5 minutes and then go to bed?"
"Play for 5 minutes."
"Okay. I'll set the timer now."
Once the 5 minutes were up, there were no issues putting the trains and tracks away and getting ready for bed. I just KNOW that 2 weeks ago, in the middle of the insanity, this would NOT have gone as smoothly. OH... it's so nice to be back!!
Oh, and Happy Pi Day!
Oh, and Happy Pi Day!
Friday, March 4, 2011
Mighty Mind and Mama's OCD
This is such a hit at our house. Understatement!! DS can't get enough of them, and DD can't wait to get hold of them and eat them. With the latter in mind, they are only to be used at "the big table" (the dining room table) instead of our kid-sized table. Of course I'd rather it be on the small table for my son's comfort, but safety first! I love that we have a designated place for playing as well as rules such as "keep everything on the table." Good stuff in my book.Along those lines, one of the horribly unwelcome AND unsolicited advice I love to give is to introduce new toys in a thoughtful way, with guidelines as well as a storage place. I'll admit I'm not always great at this, because often we'll have something new without having a place for it just yet and the kids will spot it before I can prepare, BUT when I do manage to do this, it goes over wonderfully.
Example time! Notice in the right photo how everything is arranged. Cards on the left and right with shapes in the middle and the active card directly in front. Cards on his right are the new cards, cards on his left are the completed cards. The shapes are arranged inside the box lid as well before starting. After doing that together, each time Mighty Mind comes out, my son sets everything up himself in this same fashion. It seems a little OCDish, but one of the concerns we've heard from a couple of his therapists is that he needs help learning to organize his thoughts (part of his processing issues). My hope is that this can help him practice. Also, when I can, I'll start by showing my son where something is in his bookcase so he can see where I picked it from, but in this case, I keep his Mighty Mind box out of his (more specifically my daughter's) reach because of its small, choking-hazard size pieces.
On to Mighty Mind itself. You get plastic colored shapes and cards. The lower number cards ease you in. Here's my son doing the second card. Two squares. One's red, the other is yellow. Put them together to fill in the rectangle shape below. Ta-Da! Mighty Mind!
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| Ta-Da! Mighty Mom Directions! |
The puzzles become more challenging as you move through the cards. Here's a house:
Later there will be pictures with no guidance as to what shapes will fit in there. Or there will be a shape to take up a spot and you have to figure out how to work with/around it. My son's had a blast with this for a long time now (he received it as a gift a couple Christmases ago). I highly recommend this! It's for ages 3 - 8, and is also a great way to talk about colors, counting, shapes, and pumping creative juices.
This reminds me... I have an awesome Tangram game that no one will play with me... yet. For now, the waiting game!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Window Washing
It must be a weird moon phase or something's going on because I decided it was time to do some cleaning. Armed with my sprayer bottle and a towel, I began spraying and wiping some of the mirrors in the bathroom. My son saw me and wanted to help.
Is it weird to say I've been dreaming of this day?
Lo' and behold:
Well, there you have it. My darling window washer (with an admirer).
This is a very good activity for my son for many reasons: strength building, coordinating, both fine and gross motor skills, concentrating, etc. I have been a humongous fan of Montessori education, and as I speak with my son's various therapists, I can easily see how much Dr. Montessori truly understood the needs of our children. Window washing falls under the practical life category, and I'll admit I bought that little spray bottle over a year ago waiting until he was ready to use it.
Is it weird to say I've been dreaming of this day?
Lo' and behold:
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| Working those hand muscles! |
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| Wax on! Wax Off! |
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| I introduced the squeegee as an afterthought. |
This is a very good activity for my son for many reasons: strength building, coordinating, both fine and gross motor skills, concentrating, etc. I have been a humongous fan of Montessori education, and as I speak with my son's various therapists, I can easily see how much Dr. Montessori truly understood the needs of our children. Window washing falls under the practical life category, and I'll admit I bought that little spray bottle over a year ago waiting until he was ready to use it.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Gluten-Free Casein-Free Egg-Free Pancakes
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| Can be made soy-free too! |
While I do enjoy buckwheat pancakes, some recipes result in a dense disk (for me anyway), but these were just right. They were heavier, but still light. Paradox! Another paradox would be that something called buckwheat is gluten-free. Don't let the "wheat" part fool you though, it's definitely gluten-free! Thank goodness too, because what a delicious way to start the day!
Gluten-Free, Casein-Free, Egg-Free Banana Pancakes
Makes 12 4" pancakes
Dry Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups buckwheat flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients:
1 tablespoon agave nectar (or honey for a non-vegan recipe)
1-1/4 cups rice milk or soy milk
2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted) or canola oil
1 banana, mashed
Directions:
1. Combine dry ingredients.
2. Combine wet ingredients.
3. Add wet to dry, mix until just combined.
4. Cook pancakes as if any regular pancake recipe.
5. Serve with your favorite pancake toppings and enjoy!
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Reintroducing Dairy: Revisited & Rejected
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| Bye-bye, dairy! |
My main concern is to get that casein or casomorphine out of his system asap! I'm not sure if there is anything I can do to help with that, but I look forward to a happier child. The first time around, we noticed improvements within a week. Hopefully that's the case again, but if not, it will take up to 3 weeks.
I should also note that after what I call "*The Cheese Curl Incident" which propelled us into reintroducing dairy, his communication folder has shown only one day of semi-good behavior, with the rest of it being uncooperative. Prior to The Incident, his mood was happy and generally cooperative. I love that communication folder. Anyway, at home, I saw exaggerations of what I consider classic autistic behavior: hand-flapping, jargon, extremely poor eye contact, etc. I hadn't realized how seldom these actions had occurred until I began seeing them again. His emotions were quick to change as well, and he would become so upset so quickly over the smallest reasons. Poor little guy.
The good news is, if it is this, then we know it and we have the power to do something about it. If not... we'll still keep the dairy out, and see what else we can do.
*The Cheese Curl Incident: Despite providing a Do-Not-Feed list to the school, they still gave him cheese curls at snack. Dairy AND Red40.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Reintroducing Dairy
We are almost at 3 weeks in our reintroduction of casein/ dairy. Our son was never into drinking milk directly, but he LOVED yogurt. Cheese was also very popular. We figured we'd bring back dairy in cheese form, since cheese is the stuff dreams are made of. Also, he used to eat grilled cheese sandwiches with rice cheese (meh) and Earth Balance vegan buttery sticks, so slipping regular cheese into his gluten-free bread wouldn't be as conspicuous. If necessary, returning to non-dairy may have not been as obvious.
I'll admitwe I was extremely wishy-washy about bringing back the dairy. My apologies to both sets of grandparents. They politely asked if dairy was okay, and both sides heard no which places many limitations on food options if you aren't accustomed to that diet.
What are we looking to happen? If all goes well, nothing will change. However, one of the most discouraging aspects of this journey are the many, many variables we encounter that have an impact on our son. For instance, he caught a little stomach bug the week dairy came back. Nothing major, but enough to disrupt his bowels for a few days. Not helpful, especially since we were checking them to see if that would have an effect (it was a bug though; I got a touch of it myself). Then a week off of school, which throws the routine off a bit.
What have we noticed... His language is pretty much where it was, and his interactions are slowly improving every day. I thought his emotions were quicker to change; he became upset quicker a few times, and that felt "off" to me (though he may have been affected by the stomach bug). I did notice some exaggerated hand-flapping from him. He hadn't done it in a while, so not only did that make it more noticeable, but the time he used it was odd to me. It seemed more stereotypical autistic hand-flapping. Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of all this. He did have a BM today (sorry for the TMI) and the consistency was good, so I was pleased to see that (Wow. Never thought I'd be here.).
Basically, I'm still not sure how I'm feeling about the dairy. I'll be revisiting this post over the next few weeks to see if I can make a decision on whether to keep the dairy or not. I can't believe how time flies with all this.
For anyone wondering if they should try a gfcf diet for any health-related reason, I say go for it, but know it can take up to 3 weeks to get the casein out of your system, and up to 6 months to get the gluten out. It can be challenging at times, but absolutely doable with proper preparation and information. We consulted a dietitian and discussed the diet with our son's pediatrician. I would recommend finding a similar professional who believes in the diet and seeing what recommendations they have for you.
I'll admit
What are we looking to happen? If all goes well, nothing will change. However, one of the most discouraging aspects of this journey are the many, many variables we encounter that have an impact on our son. For instance, he caught a little stomach bug the week dairy came back. Nothing major, but enough to disrupt his bowels for a few days. Not helpful, especially since we were checking them to see if that would have an effect (it was a bug though; I got a touch of it myself). Then a week off of school, which throws the routine off a bit.
What have we noticed... His language is pretty much where it was, and his interactions are slowly improving every day. I thought his emotions were quicker to change; he became upset quicker a few times, and that felt "off" to me (though he may have been affected by the stomach bug). I did notice some exaggerated hand-flapping from him. He hadn't done it in a while, so not only did that make it more noticeable, but the time he used it was odd to me. It seemed more stereotypical autistic hand-flapping. Honestly, I'm not sure what to make of all this. He did have a BM today (sorry for the TMI) and the consistency was good, so I was pleased to see that (Wow. Never thought I'd be here.).
Basically, I'm still not sure how I'm feeling about the dairy. I'll be revisiting this post over the next few weeks to see if I can make a decision on whether to keep the dairy or not. I can't believe how time flies with all this.
For anyone wondering if they should try a gfcf diet for any health-related reason, I say go for it, but know it can take up to 3 weeks to get the casein out of your system, and up to 6 months to get the gluten out. It can be challenging at times, but absolutely doable with proper preparation and information. We consulted a dietitian and discussed the diet with our son's pediatrician. I would recommend finding a similar professional who believes in the diet and seeing what recommendations they have for you.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Where'd It Go?
My daughter loves this activity! I made this when she was 11 months old, and she brings it to me (the lid is a little daunting for her 1-year-old fingers) almost every day. She smiles each time she successfully slips block through the little square hole. I love those triumphant smiles!The bin is an old Domino sugar bin, but a shoe box would work fine. I cut a hole in the lid to be just big enough to fit a block, so she really has to concentrate in order to fit it in. I wanted to make sure it wasn't too difficult, but still challenging enough to give her some determination.
The blocks are the small pieces of our Twig blocks set (which is awesome, btw).
The first time she did this, she definitely had to work at it, but now she does it with much improved dexterity. I'm glad it still holds her attention, but now I need to figure out what to make for her next!
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Toothpicks
My understanding (you have been warned) is that at 3 years old, a child is still building the proper muscles for writing. I think we take our hand strength and dexterity for granted. Frankly, I'm so used to typing that when I'm writing with a pencil, it's exhausting! Anyway, weak hand muscles don't stop me from writing (thank you, keyboard!), and it shouldn't stop my son from writing either. One of our many means to encourage him to write is using toothpicks! I love to bake, so the toothpicks are plentiful.
My son makes numbers (his fav), shapes (second fav), and letters, and together we make objects as well. I highly recommend!
My son makes numbers (his fav), shapes (second fav), and letters, and together we make objects as well. I highly recommend!
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| 0... 1... 2... "More toothpicks, please!" |
Friday, February 25, 2011
Rainy Day Fishing
Pretty lousy weather today, but that doesn't mean a lousy time! I've wanted to make this for a while, but finally did it after watching my son recreate a fishing game he did in occupational therapy recently.The OT version involved more gross motor skills, and I wasn't sure how well he'd do with my version. All in all it went over fairly well! I mean, he asked to play it 4 times, with each session lasting 20-40 minutes. Not bad!
The recent fishing games he'd done involved the alphabet, so I continued the trend and printed a moveable alphabet from MontessoriMaterials.org. After cutting out the letters, I taped a paper clip to the back of each piece of paper. Nex
t, I took a round magnet (the kind you buy in a craft store that is super strong), tied and taped a piece of string to it, then wrapped it in paper and taped that up as well. I attached the other end of the string to a length of 1/2" diameter dowel I had laying around (I KNEW keeping that was a good idea! You can never have too many lengths of dowel rods laying around the house!). I stocked a laundry basket/ "lake" with our "fish," and in typical fashion, my son fished for each letter alphabetically.
Now, of course, I have big plans for laminated letters with a picture of fish somehow and with paper clips hidden inside (oh, I have a plan to do that!). Just another task to put on the list!
Thursday, February 24, 2011
Green Smoothies
"We're a smoothie family!" -HusbandSpecifically, we're a green smoothie family, but whatevs!
Here's my daughter holding her green smoothie in a shot glass. We're hard green smoothie drinkers, I guess. Okay, not really.
What's a green smoothie? Think of your run-of-the-mill smoothie with some sort of greens added. Usually the greens are leafy, but you can also use greens like broccoli. I haven't done that yet, but eventually.
There are websites and books dedicated to green smoothies, so I won't try to steal their thunder here. This is what we do:
Ingredients:- 1 cup of water
- 1.5 cups freshly cut pineapple
- 2 frozen bananas
- 1 - 2 oranges (peeled and seeded)
- 1 - 2 cups leafy greens
Directions:
Blend until smooth. Serve. Enjoy.
It's important to rotate greens for a few reasons, so we use a variety of greens. Spinach, kale, romaine, etc.
My kids ask for their green smoothies. Even my daughter who recently turned 1, points and vocalizes when she sees the blender full of green smoothie goodness! I gotta say, this has been the easiest way to get delicious vitamins, minerals, and fiber in my darling kiddos. My son sees me packing greens in the blender, so he knows they're there. Would he eat a spinach salad or cooked kale ? Hmmm... Probably not as likely as he would down this yummy drink! Hopefully one day on the salad and cooked kale, though. :D
Cheers!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
GF Pizza Crust
We have been slowly re-introducing casein to our son, mostly in the form of cheese (grilled cheese sandwiches and pizza). I'm trying not to become too attached should we need to remove it again. Cheese and our family are like star-crossed lovers. Well, maybe not. That sounds weird.
Gluten-free dough is very different than wheat dough. I used to bake bread once a week and switching to gluten-free was quite the education. On the whole, I have found gluten-free dough to be challenging. It's usually extremely sticky or too wet. "Too wet" turned out to be a positive for this pizza crust, though.
I found this gluten-free pizza crust recipe on Food.com and I think the real appeal was that there was no kneading or rising. I only needed to toss everything into a bowl, mix, then dump that into a baking pan. Yes!
Yeast-Free Pizza Crust (Gluten-Free) from Food.com
Sorry, no pictures. It was gone before I could find my camera!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup rice flour
2/3 cup 2% low-fat milk (I used rice milk)
2 eggs (I only used 1 after reading comments)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Italian spices (I threw in some basil and oregano without measuring)
1 dash garlic powder (or salt) (I used no-salt Spike garlic seasoning)
Directions:
1. Mix gently. Do not over-beat (batter will be runny). (It's like pancake batter.)
2. Pour batter into greased pizza pan. (I used a 9 x 13 baking dish that doesn't ever need greasing.)
3. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes. (I baked it for 15.)
4. Remove from oven. Add sauce and your favorite toppings and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly brown. (Yup, did that.)
This recipe was easy, quick, and both my son and I enjoyed it! I particularly loved the addition of spices in the dough. It was a very nice touch! If I were to do something like a chicken bbq pizza, I'd omit or replace the spices. The texture was what one can expect from a gluten-free yeast-free recipe. Hard to tell if that's a compliment or not, but it is. It's nice to have pizza back!!
Gluten-free dough is very different than wheat dough. I used to bake bread once a week and switching to gluten-free was quite the education. On the whole, I have found gluten-free dough to be challenging. It's usually extremely sticky or too wet. "Too wet" turned out to be a positive for this pizza crust, though.
I found this gluten-free pizza crust recipe on Food.com and I think the real appeal was that there was no kneading or rising. I only needed to toss everything into a bowl, mix, then dump that into a baking pan. Yes!
Yeast-Free Pizza Crust (Gluten-Free) from Food.com
Sorry, no pictures. It was gone before I could find my camera!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup rice flour
2/3 cup 2% low-fat milk (I used rice milk)
2 eggs (I only used 1 after reading comments)
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Italian spices (I threw in some basil and oregano without measuring)
1 dash garlic powder (or salt) (I used no-salt Spike garlic seasoning)
Directions:
1. Mix gently. Do not over-beat (batter will be runny). (It's like pancake batter.)
2. Pour batter into greased pizza pan. (I used a 9 x 13 baking dish that doesn't ever need greasing.)
3. Bake at 425F for 10 minutes. (I baked it for 15.)
4. Remove from oven. Add sauce and your favorite toppings and bake for an additional 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and slightly brown. (Yup, did that.)
This recipe was easy, quick, and both my son and I enjoyed it! I particularly loved the addition of spices in the dough. It was a very nice touch! If I were to do something like a chicken bbq pizza, I'd omit or replace the spices. The texture was what one can expect from a gluten-free yeast-free recipe. Hard to tell if that's a compliment or not, but it is. It's nice to have pizza back!!
Beloved Laminator!
Figured I'd list the beloved laminator I mentioned in the previous post. The Scotch TL901 Laminator! Stay tuned for other ways I've used this wonderful machine.
Monday, February 21, 2011
Easy Counter Activity: Part 1
This is an activity that can be made quickly, easily, and inexpensively. I've done a few versions of this, but this is the one I ended up laminating. And at the time, "laminating" involved an iron. I have since upgraded to an actual laminating machine. Oh... I love it so much...
Take 10 index cards, cheap circle stickers, and 0 - 9 number stickers (though you could write the numbers and draw the circles with a marker). You'll also need counters. In our case, we used a gf/cf equivalent to Cheerios. Count out 45 O's and place them in a container.
Take 10 index cards, cheap circle stickers, and 0 - 9 number stickers (though you could write the numbers and draw the circles with a marker). You'll also need counters. In our case, we used a gf/cf equivalent to Cheerios. Count out 45 O's and place them in a container.
We did this a year ago or so. While Matthew understood the basic concept then, I was really impressed with how he did this time. To see if he could do it, I asked him to take 3 O's from the bowl (random example), and sure enough, he counted out exactly 3. We did this with a few of the other numbers and he did those correctly. At one point, I think it was for number 5, I watched him pick out 3 O's, and when he reached back in, he knew to get exactly 2 O's. He did this with a few other numbers as well. Addition!
In writing this post, I remembered how displeased I was/am with his cards. I'll make some new ones in hopefully the near future so that the cards have two columns for counters to better reveal the difference between odd and even numbers. That will be Part 2.
In writing this post, I remembered how displeased I was/am with his cards. I'll make some new ones in hopefully the near future so that the cards have two columns for counters to better reveal the difference between odd and even numbers. That will be Part 2.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day!
This is a little late, but moving away from candy-centered gifts, I had to come up with an alternate Valentine worthy of my son. Lately, he's been writing every time he has a chance, so Husband and I decided to go with a Valentine Notebook. He writes in it almost every day!! Success!
I bought a composition book, cut a heart and piece of red card stock to size, and taped it all to the outside front cover. Inside I wrote a simple note, and we signed it. Voila!
Since receiving it, he has written/drawn in it every day. He seems to find comfort in it. I'm not sure if it's relaxing to be able to draw or to have ownership of his own notebook, but I hope he loves it as much as we love seeing him use it. Happy belated Valentine's Day!
For the record, I love candy. I do not love Red 40. Plus, my son being on a gluten-free casein-free diet means no chocolate either. None of this was missed. :)
For the record, I love candy. I do not love Red 40. Plus, my son being on a gluten-free casein-free diet means no chocolate either. None of this was missed. :)
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