Here's some of the current rationale for why food colorings cause hyperactivity for some children:
Hyperactive children appear to be deficient in an enzyme known as phenolsulphotransferase-P or PST-P.
This enzyme detoxifies various compounds, including a substance called p-cresol that is produced by bacteria in the gut. P-cresol is a phenol.
Phenols can be toxic. Food colorings inhibit this enzyme (make the PST-P enzyme stop working.) When this is the case, some Autistic persons respond well to a low-phenol diet.
This diet eliminates the phenols gallic acid and malvin.
Here is a sample low-phenol diet used by an Autistic person who showed improvment:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Grains:
millet, buckwheat, oats, rice 100% rye
Meats:
Pork, Rabbit, Duck, Fish (not tuna, salmon or halibut)
Vegetables:
Broccoli, Turnip, Cauliflower, Asparagus, Artichoke, Sweet Potato
Fruit:
Papaya
Oils:
Sesame, Sunflower, Safflower
Crackers:
Sesame (Ryvitas), Rice Cakes, Oat Cakes, Rice Crackers
Tea:
Nettle, Dandelion, Chamomile
--Diet based on the work of Dr. Abram Ber of Phoenix, AZ
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Additional References for the Elimination Diet
My favorite reference on food allergies and for more on how to do an elimination diet:
"The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance: Prevention, Identification, and Treatment of Common Illnesses and Allergies Caused by Food"
by Dr. Johnathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin
In my opinion, the part of the immune system, called Peyer's patches (small patches lining the ileum of the intestines) are going to hold the key to some of these mysteries in future research. Peyer's patches sample the contents of the intestines and prepare the body for the arrival of the food molecules into the bloodstream. When they are working correctly, they distinguish between food and disease molecules and direct the body's immune response based on that. Non-functioning Peyer's patches lead to susceptibility to prion diseases (mad cow.)
Peyer's patches include memory cells whose function is to actually "learn" over time, what to direct the larger immune system to do with various molecules entering the bloodstream.
"The Complete Guide to Food Allergy and Intolerance: Prevention, Identification, and Treatment of Common Illnesses and Allergies Caused by Food"
by Dr. Johnathan Brostoff and Linda Gamlin
In my opinion, the part of the immune system, called Peyer's patches (small patches lining the ileum of the intestines) are going to hold the key to some of these mysteries in future research. Peyer's patches sample the contents of the intestines and prepare the body for the arrival of the food molecules into the bloodstream. When they are working correctly, they distinguish between food and disease molecules and direct the body's immune response based on that. Non-functioning Peyer's patches lead to susceptibility to prion diseases (mad cow.)
Peyer's patches include memory cells whose function is to actually "learn" over time, what to direct the larger immune system to do with various molecules entering the bloodstream.
Try This Diet First
The Elimination Diet
This is where you eliminate the most common allergenic foods from a child's diet, then wait a while, and add them back one at a time to see if they get an obvious reaction to them. This "catches" food allergies, mainly, but won't be the definitive answer if more than one food combined together causes the problem. When I tried to do an elimination diet, it didn't demonstrate to me the gluten/casein problem.
The most allergenic foods are:
------------------------------------------------
Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Peanuts, Corn, Soy
The next most allergenic foods are:
-------------------------------------------------------
Chocolate, Yeast, Tree Nuts
After that, are:
--------------------------
Citrus, Tomatoes, Aspartame and MSG, Vinegar, Shellfish
And these are occasionally reactive:
--------------------------------------------------------
Bacon and pork, Cinnamon, Mustard, Bananas, Grapes/raisins, Coconut, Onions, Berries (Strawberries mainly), Peas, Celery, Spices like turmeric, cloves, curry, Kidney beans, Melon, Pineapple, Mushrooms, Peppers, Plums, Barley, Beef, Chicken.
To begin this process, sometimes Doctors recommend the "Lamb and Pears" diet, where you only eat the least reactive foods for a week or two (not easy, but doable), then add back the ones from the above lists one at a time, to see how you react to them, spacing this out by going back to the non-reactive list for a few days in-between.
Least Reactive Foods (Generally), or "Lamb and Pears" Diet
----------------------------------------------------------------
Lamb, Pears, Rice, Carrots, Beets, Cauliflower, Kale, Squash, Salmon, Halibut, Sole, Cranberries, Trout, Apricots, Turkey, Broccoli, Olives, Olive Oil, Rabbit, Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca.
Don't take any anti-histamines during this process, since you are looking for allergic reactions. (An allergic reaction is most often a histamine response.)
Don't eat any processed foods during this time, since they often mix foods together and some have traces of foods not on your list (if its a small enough amount, they don't have to put it on the label.) Also, you might be reacting to a preservative or food additive. If you include the preservatives as part of the re-introduction of foods, you might be able to isolate the one which is giving you problems.
List of Food Additives to Avoid
--------------------------------------------------
Dyes, Nitrites, Nitrates, Sulfites, Sorbic acid, Parabens, Benzoic acid, MSG, EDTA, Aspartame, Propyl Gallate, Alginate, Bromates.
I also try to eliminate:
------------------------------------
- Anticaking Agents- Artificial Sweetening Substances- Color Retention Agents- Emulsifiers- Flavor Enhancers- Flavorings- Flour Treatment Agents, dough conditioners- Food Acids- Glazing Agents- Humectants- Mineral Salts- Other Preservatives- Propellants- Stabilisers- Thickeners & Vegetable Gums
In particular, I react to dough conditioners.
I think that because of the problem I have with gluten, the dough conditioners make it worse, (I wonder if it could be the other way around--the dough conditioners triggered my reaction to wheat gluten.) Anyway, I can eat some breads and not others without a histamine reaction. However, the other brain symptoms are still a problem from the gluten.
Some chemical exposures can make allergies of any kind worse since they can trigger the allergy, or cause someone to react to something they weren't allergic to before.
Petrochemicals like car exhaust, oil furnaces, Formaldehyde, Chlorine, Phenol, Ethanol, Flouride, Benzyl Alcohol, Glycerine.
Avoiding exposure to these can reduce the total load on the child's immune system.
This is where you eliminate the most common allergenic foods from a child's diet, then wait a while, and add them back one at a time to see if they get an obvious reaction to them. This "catches" food allergies, mainly, but won't be the definitive answer if more than one food combined together causes the problem. When I tried to do an elimination diet, it didn't demonstrate to me the gluten/casein problem.
The most allergenic foods are:
------------------------------------------------
Wheat, Dairy, Eggs, Peanuts, Corn, Soy
The next most allergenic foods are:
-------------------------------------------------------
Chocolate, Yeast, Tree Nuts
After that, are:
--------------------------
Citrus, Tomatoes, Aspartame and MSG, Vinegar, Shellfish
And these are occasionally reactive:
--------------------------------------------------------
Bacon and pork, Cinnamon, Mustard, Bananas, Grapes/raisins, Coconut, Onions, Berries (Strawberries mainly), Peas, Celery, Spices like turmeric, cloves, curry, Kidney beans, Melon, Pineapple, Mushrooms, Peppers, Plums, Barley, Beef, Chicken.
To begin this process, sometimes Doctors recommend the "Lamb and Pears" diet, where you only eat the least reactive foods for a week or two (not easy, but doable), then add back the ones from the above lists one at a time, to see how you react to them, spacing this out by going back to the non-reactive list for a few days in-between.
Least Reactive Foods (Generally), or "Lamb and Pears" Diet
----------------------------------------------------------------
Lamb, Pears, Rice, Carrots, Beets, Cauliflower, Kale, Squash, Salmon, Halibut, Sole, Cranberries, Trout, Apricots, Turkey, Broccoli, Olives, Olive Oil, Rabbit, Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes, Tapioca.
Don't take any anti-histamines during this process, since you are looking for allergic reactions. (An allergic reaction is most often a histamine response.)
Don't eat any processed foods during this time, since they often mix foods together and some have traces of foods not on your list (if its a small enough amount, they don't have to put it on the label.) Also, you might be reacting to a preservative or food additive. If you include the preservatives as part of the re-introduction of foods, you might be able to isolate the one which is giving you problems.
List of Food Additives to Avoid
--------------------------------------------------
Dyes, Nitrites, Nitrates, Sulfites, Sorbic acid, Parabens, Benzoic acid, MSG, EDTA, Aspartame, Propyl Gallate, Alginate, Bromates.
I also try to eliminate:
------------------------------------
- Anticaking Agents- Artificial Sweetening Substances- Color Retention Agents- Emulsifiers- Flavor Enhancers- Flavorings- Flour Treatment Agents, dough conditioners- Food Acids- Glazing Agents- Humectants- Mineral Salts- Other Preservatives- Propellants- Stabilisers- Thickeners & Vegetable Gums
In particular, I react to dough conditioners.
I think that because of the problem I have with gluten, the dough conditioners make it worse, (I wonder if it could be the other way around--the dough conditioners triggered my reaction to wheat gluten.) Anyway, I can eat some breads and not others without a histamine reaction. However, the other brain symptoms are still a problem from the gluten.
Some chemical exposures can make allergies of any kind worse since they can trigger the allergy, or cause someone to react to something they weren't allergic to before.
Petrochemicals like car exhaust, oil furnaces, Formaldehyde, Chlorine, Phenol, Ethanol, Flouride, Benzyl Alcohol, Glycerine.
Avoiding exposure to these can reduce the total load on the child's immune system.
A Rationale for Using Diet to Treat Autism
Autism is multi-factoral in nature, in other words, it has more than one cause.
Each Autistic person is unique in how they aquired the Autism symptoms that they have. And the only thing they truly share is the list of symptoms that commonly appear together, such as, no or very little language, poor motor skills, extreme social delays, tantrums, stimming, extreme innattentiveness, insomnia, lack of fear in dangerous situations, poor judgement, impulsivity, low awareness of pain, etc. There are some symptoms that also appear, but are overshadowed by the more extreme symptoms like lack of communication and tantrums, so that few have paid a lot of attention to the fact that many Autistics have lots of GI problems, inflammatory problems, circles under the eyes, are pale, and have wrist drop and ankle drop (symptoms of lead poisoning.) Because an Autistic person has poor communication combined with a low body awareness, and is often late in toilet training, these symptoms can go under the radar even though they might be red flags in a non-Autistic person.
Its easy to think that they are pale, underweight or uncoordinated because they are such picky eaters that often they limit their food choices to five or fewer foods. And these foods can have "bizzare" patterns to them, for instance, one child will only eat foods that are beige in color. But more Doctors are thinking that it is the GI symptoms, allergic symptoms and thrush-like symptoms that are causing the child to eat less variety of foods to begin with. They have sumrised that healing the childs body and brain will help them to tolerate more foods more easily.
The child is trying to limit foods to those he feels better eating, but he/she has no idea which foods those are, because of the opiates produced by the toxins in the foods, they are not able to be as aware of their body as a normal child is. Some foods increase the opiates, so the pain of GI symptoms appear to lessen, when really this is part of the original problem. Some foods are bland and have an easy texture to tolerate, because the child has a very sensitive mouth and GI tract due to a candida infection, but the same bland foods, like breads and cheeses, have more of the candida in them that is causing the problem. So the problem, if left to the child's tastes alone, may only get worse and worse.
There are some very good books out now about the problem of chronic inflammation in causing everything from heart disease to mental illness. So the next thing I will discuss is doing a different kind of dietary intervention (this is also something the lay person can do--parents or caregivers.)This would be an elimination diet, specific to the individual. The elimination of wheat, dairy, yeast, and food additives are things that any person can do for many different health reasons, and many non-Autistic people have GI and inflammatory symptoms from eating these foods. However, when a person or child has an irritated GI tract, or their immune system is over-reactive due to various reasons, they can become allergic to a specific food.
It is our immune system that constantly monitors the foods we injest, the air we breathe and everything we come into contact with, and decides if it is "me" or "not me." Self, or not self? It says, "Do I let this in, or do I reject it?" And if it decides the substance is "not self" the immune system can destroy anything--any part of the body, (in type 1 diabetes, it is the pancreas) even itself (as in AIDS.)
In my opinion, an allergy begins when the immune system is activated in a way that is dysfunctional. If a tissue in the body becomes irritated by something over a long period of time, that tissue, be it the lungs, or the mucous membranes of the mouth or eyes, or the skin, can over-react to that something, even if it is beneficial, like food. For instance, the lining tissue of the lungs can become inflammed from exposure to cigarette smoke, but often it requires the addition of preservatives in cigarettes, to create the immune response that leads to emphazema. It is not the nicotine alone, usually, or the nicotine patches would cause an allergy to nicotine.
Another way is from the mother's immune system. The child inherits some of the mother's immune responses, good or bad, to foods and other things in the environment. The third way is triggered by a toxin interfering with the normal development of the immune system's vocabulary. We are born with only a partially developed immune system, part of which is inherited, part of which has been learned in the womb from the mother, and part of which needs "training" by exposure to various things after birth, and by continued training via the mother's colostrum (the immune factors in mother's milk.) This process isn't complete for many years after birth.
Sometimes a peanut allergy is genetically inherited and sometimes it is learned from exposure to the mother's immune response, and sometimes it is caused by toxins suppplied with peanuts in the form of pesticides sprayed on the crops, which cause the developing immune system to go haywire as it is fine-tuning its response to various substances. Most pesticides work to derail the nervous system of the insects it is designed to thwart. These chemicals often do not pose a problem for adults who have a fully functioning immune system, and to whom the exposure is relatively small due to body size. However, they might be a signal to an immature human nervous system that this food, containing a tiny amount of poison, is actually a poison itself, and should be rejected. The very young child will reject bitter-tasting foods because the bitter taste often is the signal of a toxin or substance that their immature GI system is unable to handle yet. With many presentations of a particular food (up to 20-40 times) by a trusted adult, a child's immune system will begin to accept a new food as safe. This is much better of a system, than having all children being born with an openness to just about any food--since toddlers are almost impossible to follow around and limit every second of every day. Perhaps years ago, this tendency prevented many accidental food poisonings (not all, but certainly the child would be less likely to eat spoiled food, left out, or toxic plants, for instance.)
The body sends many uncomfortable signals and responses to indicate to a child to reject a food. For one thing, the child has about 100 times as many taste buds as an adult. And the uncomfortable inflammation of mucous membranes, headaches, runny eyes and nose, nausea, even vomiting, can cause the infant or young child to limit the foods he/she eats drastically.
A common problem that seems to have occured with Autism, is that a heavy metal was used to preserve a weakened or killed deadly disease organism and was injected into very young babies during the time before weaning when normally a baby is using their mother's clostrum to fine-tune its very premature immune system. The baby's immune system over-reacts at the same time it has been exposed to a neuro-toxin (mercury), and so is partially impaired. This is very sad, because the same reason mercury works to hurt bacteria in the immunization vials, is the same reason it hurts the child's nervous system. Mercury is a neuro toxin. That's why it was used to begin with. It kills cells--any living cells--human or otherwise, particularly growing and dividing cells. (Like the kind in a growing child--and before age 4 -- a time the brain is doubling in size!) If it was any less toxic, it could be used similarly to kill cancer cells.
This is further complicated by the fact that the baby is being exposed to more than one weakened disease at one time--up to three in one exposure. This would normally never happen in real life-- a quadruple threat to the immune system at a very immature age--a heavy metal toxin exposure, a viral exposure, and a bacterial exposure at once. Infant human bodies were simply never designed to have to deal with this type of intense threat at once.*
Somehow the finely tuned immune response (it has to be finely tuned in order to "learn" what is food, what is not food, what is "safe" and what is not safe, and what is part of its own body--and what is not) gets its wires crossed.
*In real life, this combination would surely kill a child. Where any single bacterium or virus might only kill some percentage (say, 50%) of babies before the advent of immunizations, and so pass on some kind of genetic advantage to future generations.
Each Autistic person is unique in how they aquired the Autism symptoms that they have. And the only thing they truly share is the list of symptoms that commonly appear together, such as, no or very little language, poor motor skills, extreme social delays, tantrums, stimming, extreme innattentiveness, insomnia, lack of fear in dangerous situations, poor judgement, impulsivity, low awareness of pain, etc. There are some symptoms that also appear, but are overshadowed by the more extreme symptoms like lack of communication and tantrums, so that few have paid a lot of attention to the fact that many Autistics have lots of GI problems, inflammatory problems, circles under the eyes, are pale, and have wrist drop and ankle drop (symptoms of lead poisoning.) Because an Autistic person has poor communication combined with a low body awareness, and is often late in toilet training, these symptoms can go under the radar even though they might be red flags in a non-Autistic person.
Its easy to think that they are pale, underweight or uncoordinated because they are such picky eaters that often they limit their food choices to five or fewer foods. And these foods can have "bizzare" patterns to them, for instance, one child will only eat foods that are beige in color. But more Doctors are thinking that it is the GI symptoms, allergic symptoms and thrush-like symptoms that are causing the child to eat less variety of foods to begin with. They have sumrised that healing the childs body and brain will help them to tolerate more foods more easily.
The child is trying to limit foods to those he feels better eating, but he/she has no idea which foods those are, because of the opiates produced by the toxins in the foods, they are not able to be as aware of their body as a normal child is. Some foods increase the opiates, so the pain of GI symptoms appear to lessen, when really this is part of the original problem. Some foods are bland and have an easy texture to tolerate, because the child has a very sensitive mouth and GI tract due to a candida infection, but the same bland foods, like breads and cheeses, have more of the candida in them that is causing the problem. So the problem, if left to the child's tastes alone, may only get worse and worse.
There are some very good books out now about the problem of chronic inflammation in causing everything from heart disease to mental illness. So the next thing I will discuss is doing a different kind of dietary intervention (this is also something the lay person can do--parents or caregivers.)This would be an elimination diet, specific to the individual. The elimination of wheat, dairy, yeast, and food additives are things that any person can do for many different health reasons, and many non-Autistic people have GI and inflammatory symptoms from eating these foods. However, when a person or child has an irritated GI tract, or their immune system is over-reactive due to various reasons, they can become allergic to a specific food.
It is our immune system that constantly monitors the foods we injest, the air we breathe and everything we come into contact with, and decides if it is "me" or "not me." Self, or not self? It says, "Do I let this in, or do I reject it?" And if it decides the substance is "not self" the immune system can destroy anything--any part of the body, (in type 1 diabetes, it is the pancreas) even itself (as in AIDS.)
In my opinion, an allergy begins when the immune system is activated in a way that is dysfunctional. If a tissue in the body becomes irritated by something over a long period of time, that tissue, be it the lungs, or the mucous membranes of the mouth or eyes, or the skin, can over-react to that something, even if it is beneficial, like food. For instance, the lining tissue of the lungs can become inflammed from exposure to cigarette smoke, but often it requires the addition of preservatives in cigarettes, to create the immune response that leads to emphazema. It is not the nicotine alone, usually, or the nicotine patches would cause an allergy to nicotine.
Another way is from the mother's immune system. The child inherits some of the mother's immune responses, good or bad, to foods and other things in the environment. The third way is triggered by a toxin interfering with the normal development of the immune system's vocabulary. We are born with only a partially developed immune system, part of which is inherited, part of which has been learned in the womb from the mother, and part of which needs "training" by exposure to various things after birth, and by continued training via the mother's colostrum (the immune factors in mother's milk.) This process isn't complete for many years after birth.
Sometimes a peanut allergy is genetically inherited and sometimes it is learned from exposure to the mother's immune response, and sometimes it is caused by toxins suppplied with peanuts in the form of pesticides sprayed on the crops, which cause the developing immune system to go haywire as it is fine-tuning its response to various substances. Most pesticides work to derail the nervous system of the insects it is designed to thwart. These chemicals often do not pose a problem for adults who have a fully functioning immune system, and to whom the exposure is relatively small due to body size. However, they might be a signal to an immature human nervous system that this food, containing a tiny amount of poison, is actually a poison itself, and should be rejected. The very young child will reject bitter-tasting foods because the bitter taste often is the signal of a toxin or substance that their immature GI system is unable to handle yet. With many presentations of a particular food (up to 20-40 times) by a trusted adult, a child's immune system will begin to accept a new food as safe. This is much better of a system, than having all children being born with an openness to just about any food--since toddlers are almost impossible to follow around and limit every second of every day. Perhaps years ago, this tendency prevented many accidental food poisonings (not all, but certainly the child would be less likely to eat spoiled food, left out, or toxic plants, for instance.)
The body sends many uncomfortable signals and responses to indicate to a child to reject a food. For one thing, the child has about 100 times as many taste buds as an adult. And the uncomfortable inflammation of mucous membranes, headaches, runny eyes and nose, nausea, even vomiting, can cause the infant or young child to limit the foods he/she eats drastically.
A common problem that seems to have occured with Autism, is that a heavy metal was used to preserve a weakened or killed deadly disease organism and was injected into very young babies during the time before weaning when normally a baby is using their mother's clostrum to fine-tune its very premature immune system. The baby's immune system over-reacts at the same time it has been exposed to a neuro-toxin (mercury), and so is partially impaired. This is very sad, because the same reason mercury works to hurt bacteria in the immunization vials, is the same reason it hurts the child's nervous system. Mercury is a neuro toxin. That's why it was used to begin with. It kills cells--any living cells--human or otherwise, particularly growing and dividing cells. (Like the kind in a growing child--and before age 4 -- a time the brain is doubling in size!) If it was any less toxic, it could be used similarly to kill cancer cells.
This is further complicated by the fact that the baby is being exposed to more than one weakened disease at one time--up to three in one exposure. This would normally never happen in real life-- a quadruple threat to the immune system at a very immature age--a heavy metal toxin exposure, a viral exposure, and a bacterial exposure at once. Infant human bodies were simply never designed to have to deal with this type of intense threat at once.*
Somehow the finely tuned immune response (it has to be finely tuned in order to "learn" what is food, what is not food, what is "safe" and what is not safe, and what is part of its own body--and what is not) gets its wires crossed.
*In real life, this combination would surely kill a child. Where any single bacterium or virus might only kill some percentage (say, 50%) of babies before the advent of immunizations, and so pass on some kind of genetic advantage to future generations.
A Personal Experience Putting an Autistic Boy on the GFCF Diet
Ok, I thought I would share with you my personal experience because I am not a Doctor.
My personal experience is with a child who had moderate Autism, no language, hearing issues, behavior issues, pica, and all the classic signs of Autism 11 years ago. He was diagnosed by 3 different Doctors so he could be admitted into a research program for Autism. (Dr. Lovaas's Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) research study.) I was trained to do this treatment also, as well as recruiting and training all the therapists who worked with us with supervision from the Wisconsin Early Autism Project. The ABA therapy helped tremendously. In fact, I don't think my son would have ever learned to talk or read without this therapy. But it doesn't address the organic cause of the Autism, which, at the time, nobody knew anything about or what to do for it. At least in my City. The diet was only one of many things we tried with our son.
But the diet is so important to his well-being that we have tried it more than once, even though at the time we first tried it, I struggled with it because there was so little information about it, and I couldn't get the other family members to be on the same page with it. This time around is so much easier, and I have the whole family on it so cooking is simpler. Everybody seems to like it and I have more specialized products available to replace some of the things we missed the most, like frozen waffles and ice cream.
Also, Oprah went on a diet that is called "The 21 Day Cleanse" which is supposed to be GFCF also, but eliminates meat, too. So more people are looking for GFCF alternatives. The demand is up for more products, and resources.
This is how we started. His whole life, my son has limited himself to about 5 foods total. Sometimes the specific foods change, but he stays with about 5 choices, period. He screams as if you are trying to poison him if you offer him a food he won't tolerate. He runs from the kitchen if I cook something he doesn't like because of the cooking smells in the room. So I went to several nutritionists early on, and had a feeding study done at the hospital, and we did specialized "feeding therapy" all to no avail. One time a feeding tube was mentioned (another parent called it a "brain bypass.") I mean, therapy helped to at least keep him from starving, but didn't change his basic behavior around food. As he grew older, he didn't grow out of his food issues. As he learned to talk (thank God) he started to say he was a vegetarian to help make his case for not eating what he didn't/couldn't/wouldn't eat. He has to smell everything before eating it, and can taste even tiny "adulterations" we might make to sneak in healthy things. He even has to have certain "Brands" of food, with exactly the right label and packaging before he will eat it. So I thought a diet of any kind was out of the question. So I put it off several years after hearing about it, because I just wasn't up to it. (We were running a 30-40 hour a week therapy program out of our house at the time.)
After many, many small introductions to foods with the help of therapists and family, we got him to eat most vegetables and fruit, because I figured that people seem to do just fine on a vegan diet, which is the most restrictive so-called "normal" diet I could find that would sustain a long life. I figured that if I could get him to at least eat like a vegan, that would be an improvement!!
So introducing this diet wasn't as difficult as it could have been, because a vegan diet has no dairy products already. Every time he ate a new food we would celebrate, and he would get "points" which we use to reward him with his favorite games and kid stuff.
As it stands now, here is a list of the foods he will eat, and also fit the GF/CF yeast-free diet:
potatoes, rice, sweet red pepper, romaine lettuce, apples, pears, grapes, kiwi, sweet peas, cucumber, carrots, celery, peanuts, cashews, almonds, rasperries, strawberries, cherries, black olives, raisins, maple syrup, olive oil, 100% fruit juices, popcorn, corn chips, dairy-free chocolate, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon, green beans, red cabbage, oranges, bananas, blue potatoes, blue corn chips, cauliflower, broccoli, zuchini, honey, lemon, lime, iodized sea salt, gluten-free ketsup, garlic, onion, blueberries, blackberries, yams, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, parsley, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free crackers, Rice Chex, Gluten-free waffles, sorbet, sherbert, home-made popcicles, natural sugar, tapioca flour, certified gluten-free oats, GFCF granola bars called "Luna".
He takes various vitamins and supplements to balance things out, and are also theraputic. I will list these next post.
When we go to McDonald's, he can have: A side salad with french dressing, an order of fries, apple dippers, an orange juice (not orange drink), and I bring a handful of cashews for protein. Right now this minute he is eating organic "Spud Puppies" which are usually called Tater Tots, with ketchup, home-made lemonaid, some slices of sweet red pepper, a couple of leaves of leafy green lettuce, 10 maple coated cashews, and half of a peach. He's normal weight and height for his age, speaks with perfect diction, is mainstreamed in school and working at his grade level, has about 6 friends who call him daily and arrange activities, (one of his friends just called now), loves drawing cartoons, and is a computer whiz.
He still needs to be coaxed into eating some of these foods, for instance, if he was cooking for himself he would still only eat 5 foods. But these are all foods he will eat, with just a little coaxing, which is a big difference from running screaming from the room! His description of his diet is "anything without eyes." Which I guess works.
I am perpetually working on a new food with him, which takes several months to a year for him to tolerate. Right now, we are working on garbanzo beans (chick peas.) This means presenting it to him in tiny amounts very gradually (first he just has to tolerate looking at the food without gagging.) Then we go to touching it, smelling it, and then finally tasting a tiny amount. Most foods I present un-cooked (except for potatoes, rice, waffles, and chicken, which he says has eyes and so this will be harder) un-altered, and with no dips or sauces. I think its easier for him because he can "standardize" in his mind the taste/texture of the food better that way.
The longer we follow the diet, and the more carefully we follow it, the easier it is for him to eat things. I think his system is healing, he is thinking clearer, and he can tolerate more tastes and textures than before we put him on this diet.
My personal experience is with a child who had moderate Autism, no language, hearing issues, behavior issues, pica, and all the classic signs of Autism 11 years ago. He was diagnosed by 3 different Doctors so he could be admitted into a research program for Autism. (Dr. Lovaas's Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) research study.) I was trained to do this treatment also, as well as recruiting and training all the therapists who worked with us with supervision from the Wisconsin Early Autism Project. The ABA therapy helped tremendously. In fact, I don't think my son would have ever learned to talk or read without this therapy. But it doesn't address the organic cause of the Autism, which, at the time, nobody knew anything about or what to do for it. At least in my City. The diet was only one of many things we tried with our son.
But the diet is so important to his well-being that we have tried it more than once, even though at the time we first tried it, I struggled with it because there was so little information about it, and I couldn't get the other family members to be on the same page with it. This time around is so much easier, and I have the whole family on it so cooking is simpler. Everybody seems to like it and I have more specialized products available to replace some of the things we missed the most, like frozen waffles and ice cream.
Also, Oprah went on a diet that is called "The 21 Day Cleanse" which is supposed to be GFCF also, but eliminates meat, too. So more people are looking for GFCF alternatives. The demand is up for more products, and resources.
This is how we started. His whole life, my son has limited himself to about 5 foods total. Sometimes the specific foods change, but he stays with about 5 choices, period. He screams as if you are trying to poison him if you offer him a food he won't tolerate. He runs from the kitchen if I cook something he doesn't like because of the cooking smells in the room. So I went to several nutritionists early on, and had a feeding study done at the hospital, and we did specialized "feeding therapy" all to no avail. One time a feeding tube was mentioned (another parent called it a "brain bypass.") I mean, therapy helped to at least keep him from starving, but didn't change his basic behavior around food. As he grew older, he didn't grow out of his food issues. As he learned to talk (thank God) he started to say he was a vegetarian to help make his case for not eating what he didn't/couldn't/wouldn't eat. He has to smell everything before eating it, and can taste even tiny "adulterations" we might make to sneak in healthy things. He even has to have certain "Brands" of food, with exactly the right label and packaging before he will eat it. So I thought a diet of any kind was out of the question. So I put it off several years after hearing about it, because I just wasn't up to it. (We were running a 30-40 hour a week therapy program out of our house at the time.)
After many, many small introductions to foods with the help of therapists and family, we got him to eat most vegetables and fruit, because I figured that people seem to do just fine on a vegan diet, which is the most restrictive so-called "normal" diet I could find that would sustain a long life. I figured that if I could get him to at least eat like a vegan, that would be an improvement!!
So introducing this diet wasn't as difficult as it could have been, because a vegan diet has no dairy products already. Every time he ate a new food we would celebrate, and he would get "points" which we use to reward him with his favorite games and kid stuff.
As it stands now, here is a list of the foods he will eat, and also fit the GF/CF yeast-free diet:
potatoes, rice, sweet red pepper, romaine lettuce, apples, pears, grapes, kiwi, sweet peas, cucumber, carrots, celery, peanuts, cashews, almonds, rasperries, strawberries, cherries, black olives, raisins, maple syrup, olive oil, 100% fruit juices, popcorn, corn chips, dairy-free chocolate, grapefruit, cantaloupe, honeydew melon, watermelon, green beans, red cabbage, oranges, bananas, blue potatoes, blue corn chips, cauliflower, broccoli, zuchini, honey, lemon, lime, iodized sea salt, gluten-free ketsup, garlic, onion, blueberries, blackberries, yams, sweet potato, brussels sprouts, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, cherry tomatoes, peaches, nectarines, parsley, gluten-free cookies, gluten-free crackers, Rice Chex, Gluten-free waffles, sorbet, sherbert, home-made popcicles, natural sugar, tapioca flour, certified gluten-free oats, GFCF granola bars called "Luna".
He takes various vitamins and supplements to balance things out, and are also theraputic. I will list these next post.
When we go to McDonald's, he can have: A side salad with french dressing, an order of fries, apple dippers, an orange juice (not orange drink), and I bring a handful of cashews for protein. Right now this minute he is eating organic "Spud Puppies" which are usually called Tater Tots, with ketchup, home-made lemonaid, some slices of sweet red pepper, a couple of leaves of leafy green lettuce, 10 maple coated cashews, and half of a peach. He's normal weight and height for his age, speaks with perfect diction, is mainstreamed in school and working at his grade level, has about 6 friends who call him daily and arrange activities, (one of his friends just called now), loves drawing cartoons, and is a computer whiz.
He still needs to be coaxed into eating some of these foods, for instance, if he was cooking for himself he would still only eat 5 foods. But these are all foods he will eat, with just a little coaxing, which is a big difference from running screaming from the room! His description of his diet is "anything without eyes." Which I guess works.
I am perpetually working on a new food with him, which takes several months to a year for him to tolerate. Right now, we are working on garbanzo beans (chick peas.) This means presenting it to him in tiny amounts very gradually (first he just has to tolerate looking at the food without gagging.) Then we go to touching it, smelling it, and then finally tasting a tiny amount. Most foods I present un-cooked (except for potatoes, rice, waffles, and chicken, which he says has eyes and so this will be harder) un-altered, and with no dips or sauces. I think its easier for him because he can "standardize" in his mind the taste/texture of the food better that way.
The longer we follow the diet, and the more carefully we follow it, the easier it is for him to eat things. I think his system is healing, he is thinking clearer, and he can tolerate more tastes and textures than before we put him on this diet.
Additional References and Supports
Here's an article about this diet written by another mother of an Autistic child who has had good results with it. It describes some of the points in more detail than I have here.
Lisa S. Lewis, Ph.D.
http://members.aol.com/lisas156/gfpak.htm
Here's a great magazine that has a section on this diet every month. It has recipes for baked goods, and also discusses how to live well without other foods like corn, soy, peanuts for those who are allergic to other foods.
"Living Without Magazine"
http://www.livingwithout.com/2008/jj08autism.html
This book explains the gastroenterology research, and explains more why this works specifically for Autism, and the interventions which led to the recovery of Karyn’s son:
"Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and PDD – A Mother’s Story of Research and Recovery" By Karyn Seroussi.
Lisa S. Lewis, Ph.D.
http://members.aol.com/lisas156/gfpak.htm
Here's a great magazine that has a section on this diet every month. It has recipes for baked goods, and also discusses how to live well without other foods like corn, soy, peanuts for those who are allergic to other foods.
"Living Without Magazine"
http://www.livingwithout.com/2008/jj08autism.html
This book explains the gastroenterology research, and explains more why this works specifically for Autism, and the interventions which led to the recovery of Karyn’s son:
"Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and PDD – A Mother’s Story of Research and Recovery" By Karyn Seroussi.
What do coffee shops have "milk" wise that I can have so I don't get any casein?
Most coffee shops offer soy milk, which is what I get.
I am not trying for soy-free because the diet I am on includes no yeast products also (just too many restrictions.) I don't buy a lot of soy for protein because I still eat meats, mostly seafood and organic chicken. I think investing in small bottles to carry Almond, or Rice milk might be your only choice then. I have a cooler in my van all the time, to put stuff from the Farmer's Market. You can get small individual serving size packages of rice milk in packages of 6, and keep that in your car. I have also used coconut milk for replacing part of the milk in a recipe, but it is a high-fat product. Coconut milk is very healthy and just fine if you aren't overweight.
You can also try a product that is dairy free milk in a powder form, made from potato flour. It is slightly sweetened and tastes like milk. The powder might be easier to take with you.
I like this product. You can buy it by the case, and it has a nice mixer-pitcher that helps you mix it to dissolve the powder.
Vance's DariFree 1-800-497-4834
http://www.vancesfoods.com/.
Dari-Free Milk Alternative (now made without honey)
Dari-Free Chocolate Milk Alternative
Because it doesn't dissolve that easily, give it to the Coffee server before they make your coffee to add when they mix it up. I know a lot of people are removing soy from their diets because it might be a problem for people with thyroid issues and because of the phyto-estrogens. But I think these effects are mainly for people who consume large amounts of soy-based products daily, such as newer vegetarians who haven't changed their cooking style yet, and use a lot of processed meat substitutes.The amount of soy you are talking about isn't that much, and if you aren't allergic to soy, it might be fine just for coffee.
I am not trying for soy-free because the diet I am on includes no yeast products also (just too many restrictions.) I don't buy a lot of soy for protein because I still eat meats, mostly seafood and organic chicken. I think investing in small bottles to carry Almond, or Rice milk might be your only choice then. I have a cooler in my van all the time, to put stuff from the Farmer's Market. You can get small individual serving size packages of rice milk in packages of 6, and keep that in your car. I have also used coconut milk for replacing part of the milk in a recipe, but it is a high-fat product. Coconut milk is very healthy and just fine if you aren't overweight.
You can also try a product that is dairy free milk in a powder form, made from potato flour. It is slightly sweetened and tastes like milk. The powder might be easier to take with you.
I like this product. You can buy it by the case, and it has a nice mixer-pitcher that helps you mix it to dissolve the powder.
Vance's DariFree 1-800-497-4834
http://www.vancesfoods.com/.
Dari-Free Milk Alternative (now made without honey)
Dari-Free Chocolate Milk Alternative
Because it doesn't dissolve that easily, give it to the Coffee server before they make your coffee to add when they mix it up. I know a lot of people are removing soy from their diets because it might be a problem for people with thyroid issues and because of the phyto-estrogens. But I think these effects are mainly for people who consume large amounts of soy-based products daily, such as newer vegetarians who haven't changed their cooking style yet, and use a lot of processed meat substitutes.The amount of soy you are talking about isn't that much, and if you aren't allergic to soy, it might be fine just for coffee.
Our Family's Favorite GFCF Products
Ok, I am not selling anything.
But for those who are thinking of trying this diet, I would like to recommend my personal favorite products to get you started. (These are simply things my family and I like. I don't work for them, or know them personally.)
I looked in my pantry, and after being on this diet twice, and over a period of years having the whole family on it, this is what we have in the house.
We love:
Van's Gluten-Free Waffles,
Pasta Joy pastas (they come in all different types),
Purely Decadent Dairy Free "Ice Cream", Yum! I am having some right now!
Bob's Red Mill Oats,
Kinnikinnick Foods English Muffins and Gluten Free bread,
San-J organic Tamari, (wheat free soy sauce)
General Mills Rice Chex
A lot of stuff kind of comes and goes, and some things you don't really need to replace, you just start eating and cooking differently. For instance, pouring melted cheese onto Chinese food doesn't realy make it taste any better. Or serving it over bread instead of rice. You could do it, but why? If it tastes good and works, you don't need to.
But for those who are thinking of trying this diet, I would like to recommend my personal favorite products to get you started. (These are simply things my family and I like. I don't work for them, or know them personally.)
I looked in my pantry, and after being on this diet twice, and over a period of years having the whole family on it, this is what we have in the house.
We love:
Van's Gluten-Free Waffles,
Pasta Joy pastas (they come in all different types),
Purely Decadent Dairy Free "Ice Cream", Yum! I am having some right now!
Bob's Red Mill Oats,
Kinnikinnick Foods English Muffins and Gluten Free bread,
San-J organic Tamari, (wheat free soy sauce)
General Mills Rice Chex
A lot of stuff kind of comes and goes, and some things you don't really need to replace, you just start eating and cooking differently. For instance, pouring melted cheese onto Chinese food doesn't realy make it taste any better. Or serving it over bread instead of rice. You could do it, but why? If it tastes good and works, you don't need to.
Improvements Seen With the GFCF Diet
The GF/CF diet has shown to improve these symptoms:
poor language skills
bowel disorders
mood disorders
hyperactive behaviors
skin problems like eczema
insomnia, fatigue
cognitive disorders
metabolic disorders like thyroid dysfunction
reactions to foods like swelling, bloating and food cravings
There are four separate and unique ways that gluten and casein can become a problem.
An individual child can have one or all of these:
--------------------------------------------------------
1. Allergic reaction (IgE or IgG food reactions) to the foods, causing inflammation and swelling in both the body and the brain, causing migranes, congestion, ear infections, etc. IgE allergies are more severe, but less common than IgG allergies.
2. The person is lacking the digestive enzyme essential to digest these proteins, called DPP4.
Lactose intolerance (the person is lacking in the enzyme essential for digesting lactose, called lactase.)
This causes toxins to form during incomplete digestion-- in addition to causing bloating, gas, nausea, muscle pain, restless legs, and IBS type symptoms.
3. Neurological (mood and behavior altering) effects from the opiods produced when gluten and casein aren't digested completely, including an addictive pattern. Causing foggy thinking, hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness, irritability and moodiness.
4. GI problems (inflammation) cause malabsorption of necessary nutrients that some Autistics are genetically predisposed to be low in, such as Glutathione, and this can result in the child having an inability to detoxify heavy metals from their systems (by methylation.)
A child can have all four problems, so simply supplementing with the deficient enzymes is not enough. There are numerous problems caused by the inflammation from allergic reactions to the foods themselves.
A large percentage of the American population has a deficiency of the particular enzyme that breaks down gluten, DPP4. This enzyme is also involved in the digestion of milk products.
There are lab tests that can indicate whether your child will respond to a gluten-free diet. You can first have them tested for Celiac disease, which is the most extreme form of gluten sensitivity. Then have them tested for IgE and IgG food reactions/reactivity (allergy). However, a child can have damaging neurological effects from the opiod peptides without having celiac disease or food allergies.
The testing can help to provide you with some certainty about the connection between these foods and your child's behavior, but simply going on the diet, and staying on it for a period of about 3 months (after you have the diet completely in place) is acceptable since wheat and dairy are the most common food allergens anyway, and if the child improves on the diet, you will then have your answer. The testing might help with getting insurance coverage for certain things related to your child's care, or can help you to tailor the diet with additional restrictions based on allergic reactions to more foods than are covered by the GF/CF diet.
Taking digestive enzyme supplements can help, but is often not a sufficient solution to the problem of the child's inability to digest gluten and casein.
poor language skills
bowel disorders
mood disorders
hyperactive behaviors
skin problems like eczema
insomnia, fatigue
cognitive disorders
metabolic disorders like thyroid dysfunction
reactions to foods like swelling, bloating and food cravings
There are four separate and unique ways that gluten and casein can become a problem.
An individual child can have one or all of these:
--------------------------------------------------------
1. Allergic reaction (IgE or IgG food reactions) to the foods, causing inflammation and swelling in both the body and the brain, causing migranes, congestion, ear infections, etc. IgE allergies are more severe, but less common than IgG allergies.
2. The person is lacking the digestive enzyme essential to digest these proteins, called DPP4.
Lactose intolerance (the person is lacking in the enzyme essential for digesting lactose, called lactase.)
This causes toxins to form during incomplete digestion-- in addition to causing bloating, gas, nausea, muscle pain, restless legs, and IBS type symptoms.
3. Neurological (mood and behavior altering) effects from the opiods produced when gluten and casein aren't digested completely, including an addictive pattern. Causing foggy thinking, hyperactivity, impulsivity, inattentiveness, irritability and moodiness.
4. GI problems (inflammation) cause malabsorption of necessary nutrients that some Autistics are genetically predisposed to be low in, such as Glutathione, and this can result in the child having an inability to detoxify heavy metals from their systems (by methylation.)
A child can have all four problems, so simply supplementing with the deficient enzymes is not enough. There are numerous problems caused by the inflammation from allergic reactions to the foods themselves.
A large percentage of the American population has a deficiency of the particular enzyme that breaks down gluten, DPP4. This enzyme is also involved in the digestion of milk products.
There are lab tests that can indicate whether your child will respond to a gluten-free diet. You can first have them tested for Celiac disease, which is the most extreme form of gluten sensitivity. Then have them tested for IgE and IgG food reactions/reactivity (allergy). However, a child can have damaging neurological effects from the opiod peptides without having celiac disease or food allergies.
The testing can help to provide you with some certainty about the connection between these foods and your child's behavior, but simply going on the diet, and staying on it for a period of about 3 months (after you have the diet completely in place) is acceptable since wheat and dairy are the most common food allergens anyway, and if the child improves on the diet, you will then have your answer. The testing might help with getting insurance coverage for certain things related to your child's care, or can help you to tailor the diet with additional restrictions based on allergic reactions to more foods than are covered by the GF/CF diet.
Taking digestive enzyme supplements can help, but is often not a sufficient solution to the problem of the child's inability to digest gluten and casein.
Substitutes for things with Gluten and Casein in them
GLUTEN-FREE WHEAT SUBSTITUTES
-------------------------------------------------
Rice, rice flour, Rice Chex
Amaranth, combines well with three parts rice flour for baking (buy it and keep it refrigerated)Arrowroot, similar to cornstarch, great for thickening sauces, use one part Arrowroot to three parts other gluten-free flours for baking.
Buckwheat is actually not wheat (related to Rhubarb)
Teff (African grain) is slightly sweet
Tapioca
Potato Starch
Millet, a high-protein grain, not good for baking because it is too crumbly, works in dishes similar to couscous.
CASEIN-FREE DAIRY PRODUCT SUBSTITUTES
------------------------------------------------------------
Goat's Milk has only trace amounts of one specific type of casein, so sometimes is a suitable substitute for cow's milk for some people.
Soy Milk--be careful not to ingest too much soy if you have a thyroid problem.
Rice Milk
Nut Milks (Almond, for example)
Soy Ice Cream
Rice Ice Cream
Sorbet
Sherbert
Fruit Ices--check ingredients, some of these contain small amounts of milk. Avoid those with high fructose corn syrup.
Non-Dairy Margarines--Avoid those with yellow dye, and hydrogenated oils.
Non-Dairy Yogurts, Cheeses, and Sour Cream, such as tofu sour cream, soy cheese and soy yogurt.
-------------------------------------------------
Rice, rice flour, Rice Chex
Amaranth, combines well with three parts rice flour for baking (buy it and keep it refrigerated)Arrowroot, similar to cornstarch, great for thickening sauces, use one part Arrowroot to three parts other gluten-free flours for baking.
Buckwheat is actually not wheat (related to Rhubarb)
Teff (African grain) is slightly sweet
Tapioca
Potato Starch
Millet, a high-protein grain, not good for baking because it is too crumbly, works in dishes similar to couscous.
CASEIN-FREE DAIRY PRODUCT SUBSTITUTES
------------------------------------------------------------
Goat's Milk has only trace amounts of one specific type of casein, so sometimes is a suitable substitute for cow's milk for some people.
Soy Milk--be careful not to ingest too much soy if you have a thyroid problem.
Rice Milk
Nut Milks (Almond, for example)
Soy Ice Cream
Rice Ice Cream
Sorbet
Sherbert
Fruit Ices--check ingredients, some of these contain small amounts of milk. Avoid those with high fructose corn syrup.
Non-Dairy Margarines--Avoid those with yellow dye, and hydrogenated oils.
Non-Dairy Yogurts, Cheeses, and Sour Cream, such as tofu sour cream, soy cheese and soy yogurt.
Children With Autism are Often Very Picky Eaters
Many parents worry that they will not be able to get their child to change the way they eat, because they are such picky eaters. However, I have found that if the diet is what they are needing, that they seem to take to it pretty quickly, even in a matter of days--and because their minds are clearer, they can accept the change more easily.
Autistics like "rules" and sometimes are the "experts" at diets, because they have been self-limiting on their own already.
I like this quote:
"Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain.
Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging."
-- Fernando G. Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science who has spent years studying the effects of food, exercise and sleep on the brain.
Autistics like "rules" and sometimes are the "experts" at diets, because they have been self-limiting on their own already.
I like this quote:
"Food is like a pharmaceutical compound that affects the brain.
Diet, exercise and sleep have the potential to alter our brain health and mental function. This raises the exciting possibility that changes in diet are a viable strategy for enhancing cognitive abilities, protecting the brain from damage and counteracting the effects of aging."
-- Fernando G. Pinilla, a UCLA professor of neurosurgery and physiological science who has spent years studying the effects of food, exercise and sleep on the brain.
What Foods Should Be Avoided?
General list of foods to avoid when starting out:
FOODS WITH BOTH GLUTEN AND CASEIN:*
-------------------------------------------------------
Artificial cream
Artificial sweeteners
Baby foods
Bagels
Bread
Bread crumbs
Bread rolls
CakesCoffee
Creamer
Cookies
Croissants
Custards
Doughnuts
Dry roasted peanuts
Prepared Gravy
Prepared Hot chocolate
Hot dogs (the fillers)
Luncheon meat
Malted milk
Milkshakes
Muffins
Pancakes Pastry
Pates
Pies
Pizza
Puddings
Sandwich spreads
Soups: canned/packet
Spam
Vegetarian Cheeses (have casein as an additive)
* except those labelled Gluten-free
FOODS WITH GLUTEN
---------------------------
Baked Beans
Baking Powder
Barley
Barley Malt
Barley Sugar
Bleached All-Purpose Flour
Boullion Cubes/Powder
Bran (except rice bran)
Bulgur
Wheat
Cereal (except Rice Chex, and cereals labeled gluten-free)
Chicken Nuggets (the breading)
Couscous
Crackers (except those labeled gluten-free)
Croutons
Curry Powder
Durum Wheat
Enriched Flour
Flour Tortillas
Graham Flour
Ice-cream Cones
Ice-cream Syrup
Kamut
Malt
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Malt Syrup
Malt Vinegar
Marzipan
Mincemeat
Muesli
Mustard Powder
Noodles
Nougat
Oat Flour
Oatmeal (except certified gluten-free, Red Mill has one)
Oats
Pasta (except labelled gluten-free, Pasta Joy has some good pastas)
Pearl Barley
Pita Bread
Rice Malt
Rye
Rye Flour
Rye Semolina
Soy Sauce (Tamari is ok)
Spelt
Stuffing Mixes
Teriyaki Sauce
VinegarWaffles (except for Van's Gluten Free)
Wheat
Wheat Bran
Wheat Flour
Wheat Germ
Wheat Malt
FOODS WITH CASEIN*
----------------------------
Bavarian Cream
Butter (except clarified or Ghee)
Butterfat
Buttermilk
Butterscotch
Caseinate
Cheese
Cheese powder
Cheese slices
Cheese spreads
Chocolate
Condensed Milk
Cooking Chocolate
Cottage Cheese
Cream
Cream Cheese
Curd Cheese
Curds
Dried Milk
Evaporated Milk
Fudge
Goat's Milk
Ice Cream
Lactalbumin
Lactalbumin phosphate
Lactate Acid
LactoglobulinLemon Curd
MargarineMayonnaise (except labelled casein free)
Milk
Milk Chocolate
Milk Powder
Milk Solids
Mousses
Nonfat Milk
Rennet
Casein
Shortening
Skimmed milk
Sodium Caseinate
Sour Cream
Sour Cream Solids
Toffee
Whey
Whey Protein
Whey
Sodium Caseinate
Whey Sugar
Whey Syrup
Whipped Cream
Yogurt
* Even vegetarian cheeses often contain casein, so be sure to check the labels
Many of the foods listed here now have gluten-free, casein-free substitutes. Start with these lists, and then used GFCF labeled substitutes to replace things you miss.
FOODS WITH BOTH GLUTEN AND CASEIN:*
-------------------------------------------------------
Artificial cream
Artificial sweeteners
Baby foods
Bagels
Bread
Bread crumbs
Bread rolls
CakesCoffee
Creamer
Cookies
Croissants
Custards
Doughnuts
Dry roasted peanuts
Prepared Gravy
Prepared Hot chocolate
Hot dogs (the fillers)
Luncheon meat
Malted milk
Milkshakes
Muffins
Pancakes Pastry
Pates
Pies
Pizza
Puddings
Sandwich spreads
Soups: canned/packet
Spam
Vegetarian Cheeses (have casein as an additive)
* except those labelled Gluten-free
FOODS WITH GLUTEN
---------------------------
Baked Beans
Baking Powder
Barley
Barley Malt
Barley Sugar
Bleached All-Purpose Flour
Boullion Cubes/Powder
Bran (except rice bran)
Bulgur
Wheat
Cereal (except Rice Chex, and cereals labeled gluten-free)
Chicken Nuggets (the breading)
Couscous
Crackers (except those labeled gluten-free)
Croutons
Curry Powder
Durum Wheat
Enriched Flour
Flour Tortillas
Graham Flour
Ice-cream Cones
Ice-cream Syrup
Kamut
Malt
Malt Extract
Malt Flavoring
Malt Syrup
Malt Vinegar
Marzipan
Mincemeat
Muesli
Mustard Powder
Noodles
Nougat
Oat Flour
Oatmeal (except certified gluten-free, Red Mill has one)
Oats
Pasta (except labelled gluten-free, Pasta Joy has some good pastas)
Pearl Barley
Pita Bread
Rice Malt
Rye
Rye Flour
Rye Semolina
Soy Sauce (Tamari is ok)
Spelt
Stuffing Mixes
Teriyaki Sauce
VinegarWaffles (except for Van's Gluten Free)
Wheat
Wheat Bran
Wheat Flour
Wheat Germ
Wheat Malt
FOODS WITH CASEIN*
----------------------------
Bavarian Cream
Butter (except clarified or Ghee)
Butterfat
Buttermilk
Butterscotch
Caseinate
Cheese
Cheese powder
Cheese slices
Cheese spreads
Chocolate
Condensed Milk
Cooking Chocolate
Cottage Cheese
Cream
Cream Cheese
Curd Cheese
Curds
Dried Milk
Evaporated Milk
Fudge
Goat's Milk
Ice Cream
Lactalbumin
Lactalbumin phosphate
Lactate Acid
LactoglobulinLemon Curd
MargarineMayonnaise (except labelled casein free)
Milk
Milk Chocolate
Milk Powder
Milk Solids
Mousses
Nonfat Milk
Rennet
Casein
Shortening
Skimmed milk
Sodium Caseinate
Sour Cream
Sour Cream Solids
Toffee
Whey
Whey Protein
Whey
Sodium Caseinate
Whey Sugar
Whey Syrup
Whipped Cream
Yogurt
* Even vegetarian cheeses often contain casein, so be sure to check the labels
Many of the foods listed here now have gluten-free, casein-free substitutes. Start with these lists, and then used GFCF labeled substitutes to replace things you miss.
What If I Slip Up and Eat The Wrong Thing?
If a person on this diet slips up and eats some gluten or casein, they can take:
Peptidase
Peptidase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down the partial proteins (peptides) that gluten and casein can create.
Peptidase
Peptidase is a digestive enzyme that breaks down the partial proteins (peptides) that gluten and casein can create.
What Is Acceptable to Eat on The GFCF Diet?
Now that we got that out of the way.....
Here's a general description of what is acceptable to eat on a gluten-free diet:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several grains and starch sources are considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet. The most frequently used are maize, potatoes, rice, and tapioca (derived from cassava). Other grains and starch sources generally considered suitable for gluten-free diets include amaranth, arrowroot, millet, montina, lupine, quinoa, sorghum (jowar), sweet potato, taro, teff, and yam. Various types of bean, soybean, and nut flours are sometimes used in gluten-free products to add protein and dietary fiber. In spite of its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat; pure buckwheat is considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet, although many commercial buckwheat products are actually mixtures of wheat and buckwheat flours, and thus not acceptable. Gram flour, derived from chickpeas, is also gluten-free.
--Source, Wikipedia
And here's more about eliminating Casein from the diet:
----------------------------------------------------------------
The theory is that eating or drinking milk protein leads to high levels of protein by-products, called casomorphines, in some children with autism. These by-products may then affect behavior like a drug would. In these children, casomorphines could reduce their desire for social interaction, block pain messages, and increase confusion. If milk protein is taken out of the diet, the idea is that this will reduce the level of casomorphines, and behavior will improve as a result.
--Source, healing thresholds dot com
Here's a general description of what is acceptable to eat on a gluten-free diet:
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Several grains and starch sources are considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet. The most frequently used are maize, potatoes, rice, and tapioca (derived from cassava). Other grains and starch sources generally considered suitable for gluten-free diets include amaranth, arrowroot, millet, montina, lupine, quinoa, sorghum (jowar), sweet potato, taro, teff, and yam. Various types of bean, soybean, and nut flours are sometimes used in gluten-free products to add protein and dietary fiber. In spite of its name, buckwheat is not related to wheat; pure buckwheat is considered acceptable for a gluten-free diet, although many commercial buckwheat products are actually mixtures of wheat and buckwheat flours, and thus not acceptable. Gram flour, derived from chickpeas, is also gluten-free.
--Source, Wikipedia
And here's more about eliminating Casein from the diet:
----------------------------------------------------------------
The theory is that eating or drinking milk protein leads to high levels of protein by-products, called casomorphines, in some children with autism. These by-products may then affect behavior like a drug would. In these children, casomorphines could reduce their desire for social interaction, block pain messages, and increase confusion. If milk protein is taken out of the diet, the idea is that this will reduce the level of casomorphines, and behavior will improve as a result.
--Source, healing thresholds dot com
What is Gluten? What is Casein?
Here's a more detailed description of the diet.
It has two parts. Gluten-free, means you don't eat anything with a protein called gluten in it.
What is gluten?
-------------------
Put simply, gluten is a form of protein found in wheat (including spelt, semolina and durum), rye, barley and triticale (a hybrid).To get a little scientific, these grains each have slightly different proteins (gliadin in wheat, secalin in rye and hordein in barley) collectively known as prolamins. These promalins are what cause problems for people who can't tolerate gluten in their diet.
If you mix wheat flour with a little water the result is a sort of stretchy paste. The gluten in the flour is what makes the paste "elastic" and binds it together. In fact "strong" flour, sold for making bread, has extra gluten added. Wheat gluten itself, is a cheap source of protein.
In China and Japan pure gluten is traditionally used as a protein substitute in vegetarian food such as burgers, giving them a "meat like texture." The Japanese call it Fu but it is more commonly known as seitan -- or wheat meat in America -- where it is also sometimes added to breads to increase density or improve the texture. You may even find it in shampoo!
--Source: The Gluten Free Chef dot com
The second part is you don't eat anything with Casein in it.
What is Casein?
-------------------
Casein is a protein that is found in milk and used independently in many foods as a binding agent. Technically, it is part of a group called phosphoproteins, collections of proteins bound to something containing phosphoric acid. Casein may also be called caseinogen, particularly in European foods.
Casein is a salt, meaning it has no net ionic charge, of the element calcium. It has a number of interesting properties that make it useful in foods and cooking.
Many people believe proteins are healthier if consumed when not denatured – one of the major lines of reasoning used in supporting a raw food diet. Denaturing occurs when a protein loses its inherent structure, due to high heat or acid for example, at which point it no longer acts in the ordinary manner. Casein, because of its structure, is not susceptible to denaturing.
Casein can be found in two main types: edible and technical. Edible casein is widely used in both medicine and food, both for nutritional value and as a binder.
Technical casein is used in an enormous range of products, including paints, cosmetics, and many types of adhesives. A not-insubstantial number of people have a casein allergy and may find themselves experiencing negative reactions both to casein-containing food products and to products such as nail polish that contain casein.
Many people who are either allergic to casein and have linked it to milk, or who are vegan and therefore avoid animal products altogether, are not aware of the prevalence of casein in foods. For these people, it is important to note that, although a product may be labeled Lactose Free, it may easily still contain casein for other reasons. Soy cheeses, for example, often contain casein derived from milk, which may stimulate allergic reactions in people who assume that they are dairy free.
Casein has also been linked to negative effects in people with autism. While in most people, casein is easily broken down by the digestive system into peptides known as casomorphins, and then further processed into basic amino acids, some evidence suggests that in autistics, this process does not occur fully. The resulting casomorphins, which fail to break down completely, may have an effect on the body similar to that of morphine or other opiates. For this reason, some experts on autism recommend that people suffering from autism avoid casein in their diets.
--Source, wisegeek dot com
Opioid
--------
Casein has been documented to break down to produce the peptide casomorphin, an opioid that appears to act primarily as a histamine releaser. Casomorphine is suspected by some sources to aggravate the symptoms of autism.Casein has a molecular structure that is quite similar to that of gluten. Thus, most gluten-free diets are combined with casein-free diets and referred to as a gluten-free, casein-free diet.
Casein may also be a trigger of migraines and other types of headaches. Casein may also be linked to the promotion of cancer and other diseases which was discovered in the 1980s by nutrition and health researcher, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study.
Casein is often listed as sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate or milk protein. These are often found in energy bars, drinks as well as packaged goods.
--Source, Wikipedia
It has two parts. Gluten-free, means you don't eat anything with a protein called gluten in it.
What is gluten?
-------------------
Put simply, gluten is a form of protein found in wheat (including spelt, semolina and durum), rye, barley and triticale (a hybrid).To get a little scientific, these grains each have slightly different proteins (gliadin in wheat, secalin in rye and hordein in barley) collectively known as prolamins. These promalins are what cause problems for people who can't tolerate gluten in their diet.
If you mix wheat flour with a little water the result is a sort of stretchy paste. The gluten in the flour is what makes the paste "elastic" and binds it together. In fact "strong" flour, sold for making bread, has extra gluten added. Wheat gluten itself, is a cheap source of protein.
In China and Japan pure gluten is traditionally used as a protein substitute in vegetarian food such as burgers, giving them a "meat like texture." The Japanese call it Fu but it is more commonly known as seitan -- or wheat meat in America -- where it is also sometimes added to breads to increase density or improve the texture. You may even find it in shampoo!
--Source: The Gluten Free Chef dot com
The second part is you don't eat anything with Casein in it.
What is Casein?
-------------------
Casein is a protein that is found in milk and used independently in many foods as a binding agent. Technically, it is part of a group called phosphoproteins, collections of proteins bound to something containing phosphoric acid. Casein may also be called caseinogen, particularly in European foods.
Casein is a salt, meaning it has no net ionic charge, of the element calcium. It has a number of interesting properties that make it useful in foods and cooking.
Many people believe proteins are healthier if consumed when not denatured – one of the major lines of reasoning used in supporting a raw food diet. Denaturing occurs when a protein loses its inherent structure, due to high heat or acid for example, at which point it no longer acts in the ordinary manner. Casein, because of its structure, is not susceptible to denaturing.
Casein can be found in two main types: edible and technical. Edible casein is widely used in both medicine and food, both for nutritional value and as a binder.
Technical casein is used in an enormous range of products, including paints, cosmetics, and many types of adhesives. A not-insubstantial number of people have a casein allergy and may find themselves experiencing negative reactions both to casein-containing food products and to products such as nail polish that contain casein.
Many people who are either allergic to casein and have linked it to milk, or who are vegan and therefore avoid animal products altogether, are not aware of the prevalence of casein in foods. For these people, it is important to note that, although a product may be labeled Lactose Free, it may easily still contain casein for other reasons. Soy cheeses, for example, often contain casein derived from milk, which may stimulate allergic reactions in people who assume that they are dairy free.
Casein has also been linked to negative effects in people with autism. While in most people, casein is easily broken down by the digestive system into peptides known as casomorphins, and then further processed into basic amino acids, some evidence suggests that in autistics, this process does not occur fully. The resulting casomorphins, which fail to break down completely, may have an effect on the body similar to that of morphine or other opiates. For this reason, some experts on autism recommend that people suffering from autism avoid casein in their diets.
--Source, wisegeek dot com
Opioid
--------
Casein has been documented to break down to produce the peptide casomorphin, an opioid that appears to act primarily as a histamine releaser. Casomorphine is suspected by some sources to aggravate the symptoms of autism.Casein has a molecular structure that is quite similar to that of gluten. Thus, most gluten-free diets are combined with casein-free diets and referred to as a gluten-free, casein-free diet.
Casein may also be a trigger of migraines and other types of headaches. Casein may also be linked to the promotion of cancer and other diseases which was discovered in the 1980s by nutrition and health researcher, Dr. T. Colin Campbell, author of The China Study.
Casein is often listed as sodium caseinate, calcium caseinate or milk protein. These are often found in energy bars, drinks as well as packaged goods.
--Source, Wikipedia
GFCF Diet For Treating Autism
Diet and Autism
----------------------
Autism is sometimes seen as a mental health problem, with a physical component, but no one really knows what causes Autism yet so its hard to categorize it.
There is definitely a place for therapy, as in speech therapy, behavioral therapy and relational therapy, and any treatment for Autism should include these to really be successful. However, I am starting this posting specifically to discuss the GF/CF diet because it there is a lot to discuss about this particular therapy lately.
GF/CF is an acronym for Gluten-Free, Casein-Free. In brief, this means no wheat, no dairy.Anyway, my whole family is on this diet. We've done the diet before, but it was difficult to do back then because there were so few resources available on it. This time around has been much easier, and because of putting the whole family on it, we have had a better time following it. After 7 months this time around, I can say that the effort has paid off, and my Autistic son is considerably improved (although it is not a cure.) The rest of the family have never felt better, and because of the many improvements in all of us, my Sister, Mother, a Neice and some others have all gone on it.
Now it seems that about 30% to 50% of Autistics improve on this diet, enough to justify continuing to do it. Many other families I know are following it, including one person with MS who says it helps her with her symptoms.
My question is, Is anyone else on this diet? Is anyone else here considering trying it? If you have, what works for you in following it? Do you have any good recipes that kids like? Have you seen results from it? Are you strict or lenient with following it? Is your child's school helping or not?
I will be posting more about the diet since it helps Webster's brother so much.
----------------------
Autism is sometimes seen as a mental health problem, with a physical component, but no one really knows what causes Autism yet so its hard to categorize it.
There is definitely a place for therapy, as in speech therapy, behavioral therapy and relational therapy, and any treatment for Autism should include these to really be successful. However, I am starting this posting specifically to discuss the GF/CF diet because it there is a lot to discuss about this particular therapy lately.
GF/CF is an acronym for Gluten-Free, Casein-Free. In brief, this means no wheat, no dairy.Anyway, my whole family is on this diet. We've done the diet before, but it was difficult to do back then because there were so few resources available on it. This time around has been much easier, and because of putting the whole family on it, we have had a better time following it. After 7 months this time around, I can say that the effort has paid off, and my Autistic son is considerably improved (although it is not a cure.) The rest of the family have never felt better, and because of the many improvements in all of us, my Sister, Mother, a Neice and some others have all gone on it.
Now it seems that about 30% to 50% of Autistics improve on this diet, enough to justify continuing to do it. Many other families I know are following it, including one person with MS who says it helps her with her symptoms.
My question is, Is anyone else on this diet? Is anyone else here considering trying it? If you have, what works for you in following it? Do you have any good recipes that kids like? Have you seen results from it? Are you strict or lenient with following it? Is your child's school helping or not?
I will be posting more about the diet since it helps Webster's brother so much.
All-Time Favorite Books
in no particular order...
"Living The Infinite Way," and "The Art of Spiritual Healing" by Joel Goldsmith
"Mister God, This is Anna" by Fynn
"Illusions" by Richard Bach
"Hope for the Flowers"by Trina Paulus
"Dancing Wu Li Masters" by Gary Zukav
"The Holographic Paradigm and Other Paradoxes" by Ken Wilber
"Son Rise: The Miracle Continues" by Barry Neil Kaufman, Raun Kaufman
"Love Is Letting Go of Fear" by Gerald G. Jampolsky
"Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In" by Roger Fisher, William L. Ury
"Getting Past No" by William Ury
"Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; An Inquiry into Values" by Robert M. Pirsig
"Lila: An Inquiry into Morals" by Robert M. Pirsig
"The Road Less Travelled" by M. Scott Peck
"Zen and the Art of Leadership"
"Zen in the Art of Archery" by Eugen Herrigel
"You Can Heal Your Life"by Louise Hay
"Love, Medicine and Miracles" by M.D. Bernie S. Siegel
"A Course In Miracles"
"Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal" by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
"Gift from the Sea"by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"Living Alone and Liking It"by Lynn Shahan
"Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramhansa Yogananda
"Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux" by John G. Neihardt
"Animal Liberation" by Peter Singer
"Happiness Is a Choice" by Barry Neil Kaufman (check author--there are two books by this name)
"Alcoholism the Biochemical Connection: A Breakthrough Seven-Week Self-Treatment Program" by Joan Mathews-Larson, Phd.
"Sink Reflections" by Marla Cilley
"INCARNATIONS OF IMMORTALITY Series by Piers Anthony
"Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide" by Linda Babcock, Sara Laschever
"Case Against Divorce" by Diane Medved
"Codependent No More" by Melody Beattie
"Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No, to Take Control of Your Life"
by Henry Cloud, John Townsend, John Sims Townsend
"How to Win Friends And Influence People" by Dale Carnegie
“Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting” by Holly W. Whitcomb
“Notes on How to Live in the World…And Still Be Happy” by Hugh Prather
"Living The Infinite Way," and "The Art of Spiritual Healing" by Joel Goldsmith
"Mister God, This is Anna" by Fynn
"Illusions" by Richard Bach
"Hope for the Flowers"by Trina Paulus
"Dancing Wu Li Masters" by Gary Zukav
"The Holographic Paradigm and Other Paradoxes" by Ken Wilber
"Son Rise: The Miracle Continues" by Barry Neil Kaufman, Raun Kaufman
"Love Is Letting Go of Fear" by Gerald G. Jampolsky
"Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In" by Roger Fisher, William L. Ury
"Getting Past No" by William Ury
"Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance; An Inquiry into Values" by Robert M. Pirsig
"Lila: An Inquiry into Morals" by Robert M. Pirsig
"The Road Less Travelled" by M. Scott Peck
"Zen and the Art of Leadership"
"Zen in the Art of Archery" by Eugen Herrigel
"You Can Heal Your Life"by Louise Hay
"Love, Medicine and Miracles" by M.D. Bernie S. Siegel
"A Course In Miracles"
"Kitchen Table Wisdom: Stories That Heal" by Rachel Naomi Remen, M.D.
"Gift from the Sea"by Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"Living Alone and Liking It"by Lynn Shahan
"Autobiography of a Yogi" by Paramhansa Yogananda
"Black Elk Speaks: Being the Life Story of a Holy Man of the Oglala Sioux" by John G. Neihardt
"Animal Liberation" by Peter Singer
"Happiness Is a Choice" by Barry Neil Kaufman (check author--there are two books by this name)
"Alcoholism the Biochemical Connection: A Breakthrough Seven-Week Self-Treatment Program" by Joan Mathews-Larson, Phd.
"Sink Reflections" by Marla Cilley
"INCARNATIONS OF IMMORTALITY Series by Piers Anthony
"Women Don't Ask: Negotiation and the Gender Divide" by Linda Babcock, Sara Laschever
"Case Against Divorce" by Diane Medved
"Codependent No More" by Melody Beattie
"Boundaries: When to Say Yes, How to Say No, to Take Control of Your Life"
by Henry Cloud, John Townsend, John Sims Townsend
"How to Win Friends And Influence People" by Dale Carnegie
“Seven Spiritual Gifts of Waiting” by Holly W. Whitcomb
“Notes on How to Live in the World…And Still Be Happy” by Hugh Prather
Our Family Guidelines
Peaceful Conflict Resolution
Respect the right to disagree.
Express your real concerns.
Share common goals and interests.
Open yourself to different points of view.
Listen carefully to all proposals.
Understand the major issues involved.
Think about probable consequences.
Imagine several possible alternative solutions.
Offer some reasonable compromises.
Negotiate mutually fair cooperative agreements.
~Robert E. Valett
Even rabbits need guidelines for behavior...
Respect the right to disagree.
Express your real concerns.
Share common goals and interests.
Open yourself to different points of view.
Listen carefully to all proposals.
Understand the major issues involved.
Think about probable consequences.
Imagine several possible alternative solutions.
Offer some reasonable compromises.
Negotiate mutually fair cooperative agreements.
~Robert E. Valett
Even rabbits need guidelines for behavior...
Favorite Comfort Soup Recipe
Fancy Bright Red Soup
Turns pink when you add a spoonful of mayonnaise to the bowl just before serving.
[Gluten-free/Casein-free, vegan]
This soup is bright red and delicious. Should put a healthy blush on your cheeks and color on your lips and according to Chinese medicine, should be good for your blood. I make this during “that time.” It will replenish you, satisfy you, and you won’t have cravings or mood swings.
Serves 6
Use all organic ingredients to minimize pesticides.
Buy locally grown products to help the environment (less shipping.)
This soup is great for making after a visit to the local Farmer’s Market.
It's great in the winter or fall, since it uses winter vegetables.
It is excellent served cold in the summer.
Ingredients:
----------------
4 beets with tops, peeled, cubed and reserve ½ of the leafy part of the tops.
1 large onion, or 2 leeks, or 4 scallions, chopped
2 to 4 carrots with tops, sliced or cubed.
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
2 stalks of celery with tops, chopped
6-8 leaves of red cabbage (1/4 of a cabbage), chopped
3-4 small red potatoes, scrubbed and microwaved for a few minutes each, cut into quarters
1 small apple, peeled and cubed, or 1 Tbsp real maple syrup
1 can of black beans
½ can of tomato paste (freeze the rest in a baggie for next time.)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. Turmeric
1 Tbsp. Fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp sea salt, more to taste
¼ tsp pepper, more to taste
¼-1/3 cup Organic extra virgin olive oil
mushrooms, any kind, cubed, (optional)
2-3 slices of fresh lemon, squeezed, to taste
2 – 3 cups of hot water
gluten-free/casein-free canola mayonnaise, 6 Tbsp.
Tools:
--------
cast iron skillet and stock pot, a very sharp Chinese vegetable knife helps with all the chopping.
Instructions:
----------------
In a cast iron skillet, saute the onions in some of the olive oil until golden, add crushed garlic, sauté a minute, set aside.
Saute the mushrooms, set aside.
Boil the water.
Saute the beets, carrots, celery, red pepper, apple, a few minutes in some of the olive oil.
Add the red cabbage, sauté two more minutes.
Add the beans and potatoes, cook for a few minutes.
Combine with the previously sauted ingredients.
Add the hot water.
Add some of the carrot and beet tops, to taste.
Don’t overcook.
Add the salt, pepper, lemon juice to taste.
Simmer 10 minutes.
Just before serving, remove a few quarters of potato, and mash with a fork and add back to the soup to thicken it. Add water if needed to make it less thick.
You can also take 1/3 of the soup and put it in a blender to make it smoother.
Serve in bowls with a tablespoon of mayonnaise on top.
While eating the soup, when you stir the mayo into the soup, it turns pink.
I sometimes make this soup with meat as a flavoring.
Start by sautéing a few soup bones (lately I like lamb,) then set aside, and in the same pan, sauté the vegetables. The bones and the marrow add a lot of the flavor.
You can also get a good flavor by sauteing a few strips of bacon first, and using some of the drippings to sauté the vegetables, mix ½ and ½ with the olive oil.
Or you can use a good quality organic chicken stock. I also have used lamb for this dish. Never use large amounts of meat. 1 –2 ounces per person is enough.
Add the meat back into the dish when combining everything before simmering.
Turns pink when you add a spoonful of mayonnaise to the bowl just before serving.
[Gluten-free/Casein-free, vegan]
This soup is bright red and delicious. Should put a healthy blush on your cheeks and color on your lips and according to Chinese medicine, should be good for your blood. I make this during “that time.” It will replenish you, satisfy you, and you won’t have cravings or mood swings.
Serves 6
Use all organic ingredients to minimize pesticides.
Buy locally grown products to help the environment (less shipping.)
This soup is great for making after a visit to the local Farmer’s Market.
It's great in the winter or fall, since it uses winter vegetables.
It is excellent served cold in the summer.
Ingredients:
----------------
4 beets with tops, peeled, cubed and reserve ½ of the leafy part of the tops.
1 large onion, or 2 leeks, or 4 scallions, chopped
2 to 4 carrots with tops, sliced or cubed.
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
2 stalks of celery with tops, chopped
6-8 leaves of red cabbage (1/4 of a cabbage), chopped
3-4 small red potatoes, scrubbed and microwaved for a few minutes each, cut into quarters
1 small apple, peeled and cubed, or 1 Tbsp real maple syrup
1 can of black beans
½ can of tomato paste (freeze the rest in a baggie for next time.)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/4 tsp. Turmeric
1 Tbsp. Fresh dill, chopped
1 tsp sea salt, more to taste
¼ tsp pepper, more to taste
¼-1/3 cup Organic extra virgin olive oil
mushrooms, any kind, cubed, (optional)
2-3 slices of fresh lemon, squeezed, to taste
2 – 3 cups of hot water
gluten-free/casein-free canola mayonnaise, 6 Tbsp.
Tools:
--------
cast iron skillet and stock pot, a very sharp Chinese vegetable knife helps with all the chopping.
Instructions:
----------------
In a cast iron skillet, saute the onions in some of the olive oil until golden, add crushed garlic, sauté a minute, set aside.
Saute the mushrooms, set aside.
Boil the water.
Saute the beets, carrots, celery, red pepper, apple, a few minutes in some of the olive oil.
Add the red cabbage, sauté two more minutes.
Add the beans and potatoes, cook for a few minutes.
Combine with the previously sauted ingredients.
Add the hot water.
Add some of the carrot and beet tops, to taste.
Don’t overcook.
Add the salt, pepper, lemon juice to taste.
Simmer 10 minutes.
Just before serving, remove a few quarters of potato, and mash with a fork and add back to the soup to thicken it. Add water if needed to make it less thick.
You can also take 1/3 of the soup and put it in a blender to make it smoother.
Serve in bowls with a tablespoon of mayonnaise on top.
While eating the soup, when you stir the mayo into the soup, it turns pink.
I sometimes make this soup with meat as a flavoring.
Start by sautéing a few soup bones (lately I like lamb,) then set aside, and in the same pan, sauté the vegetables. The bones and the marrow add a lot of the flavor.
You can also get a good flavor by sauteing a few strips of bacon first, and using some of the drippings to sauté the vegetables, mix ½ and ½ with the olive oil.
Or you can use a good quality organic chicken stock. I also have used lamb for this dish. Never use large amounts of meat. 1 –2 ounces per person is enough.
Add the meat back into the dish when combining everything before simmering.
Favorite Family Recipe
Roasted Potato Fries
I make these 3 times per week for a child who can mainly eat potatoes for health reasons.
Everyone who comes to the house loves them, and they are as healthy as I can get them because it’s the staple of one child's diet.
Don't skimp on the ingredients! There are only 3, if you use lesser quality ingredients, you will notice the difference.
Ingredients:
---------------
Organic Potatoes - any kind but Russets are great, preferably locally grown
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Iodized Natural Sea Salt (sea salt has much more flavor than regular salt)
Tools:
---------
Mandolin or fry press (you can get these at any cooking supply store, such as Bed Bath & Beyond) for cutting.
This saves a LOT of time, and these tools can be used to also cut yams, beets and other veggies quickly.
Large baking sheet pan
Large mixing bowl
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. (higher heat can create carcinogens in the oil)
Scrub well or peel potatoes. Cut each potato in half.
Use mandolin or fry slicer to make French fry cut slices into the bowl.
Put the baking sheet into the oven to preheat for about 40 seconds. (This makes them less likely to stick to the pan.)
Pour a generous amount of olive oil into the bowl over the slices (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup for 7 to 10 potaoes.)
With clean hands, toss the potatoes thoroughly with the oil. (Rub the remaining oil into your hands and arms, and then rinse lightly for the best skin treatment ever!)
Spread in one closely packed layer onto the hot baking pan (potatoes should sizzle.)
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until edges of fries are lightly browning.
Sprinkle pan generously with sea salt.
This method makes roasted potatoes that are technically not fries.
This actually wastes less oil, since re-heating oil can cause cancer-causing chemicals to develop.
To help the environment, put the potato peels into a compost bin. The worms love them!I have heard that refrigeration also causes some kind of change in chemistry and taste to potatoes that is not good, so we always make these fresh.
It helps to rinse or soak the potatoes before cooking.
This recipe works for any root vegetable. You can make an entire dinner this way, by cutting up other similarly hard vegetables and tossing them in the olive oil with the potatoes, such as carrots, and sweet potatoes or yams. On a separate baking pan, you can spread any in-season, locally grown vegetable, cut into serving size pieces, including tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers (all three colors), and eggplant, tossed in olive oil, and bake them at the same time, but remove this pan sooner as the softer vegetables take less time to cook--usually 10 to 20 minutes. This makes the vegetables perfectly for a side dish of roasted vegetables, and this is also a good beginning to a roasted vegetable soup.
Roasting the vegetables brings out their flavors well before making them into soup.
Enjoy!
I make these 3 times per week for a child who can mainly eat potatoes for health reasons.
Everyone who comes to the house loves them, and they are as healthy as I can get them because it’s the staple of one child's diet.
Don't skimp on the ingredients! There are only 3, if you use lesser quality ingredients, you will notice the difference.
Ingredients:
---------------
Organic Potatoes - any kind but Russets are great, preferably locally grown
Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Iodized Natural Sea Salt (sea salt has much more flavor than regular salt)
Tools:
---------
Mandolin or fry press (you can get these at any cooking supply store, such as Bed Bath & Beyond) for cutting.
This saves a LOT of time, and these tools can be used to also cut yams, beets and other veggies quickly.
Large baking sheet pan
Large mixing bowl
Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. (higher heat can create carcinogens in the oil)
Scrub well or peel potatoes. Cut each potato in half.
Use mandolin or fry slicer to make French fry cut slices into the bowl.
Put the baking sheet into the oven to preheat for about 40 seconds. (This makes them less likely to stick to the pan.)
Pour a generous amount of olive oil into the bowl over the slices (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup for 7 to 10 potaoes.)
With clean hands, toss the potatoes thoroughly with the oil. (Rub the remaining oil into your hands and arms, and then rinse lightly for the best skin treatment ever!)
Spread in one closely packed layer onto the hot baking pan (potatoes should sizzle.)
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until edges of fries are lightly browning.
Sprinkle pan generously with sea salt.
This method makes roasted potatoes that are technically not fries.
This actually wastes less oil, since re-heating oil can cause cancer-causing chemicals to develop.
To help the environment, put the potato peels into a compost bin. The worms love them!I have heard that refrigeration also causes some kind of change in chemistry and taste to potatoes that is not good, so we always make these fresh.
It helps to rinse or soak the potatoes before cooking.
This recipe works for any root vegetable. You can make an entire dinner this way, by cutting up other similarly hard vegetables and tossing them in the olive oil with the potatoes, such as carrots, and sweet potatoes or yams. On a separate baking pan, you can spread any in-season, locally grown vegetable, cut into serving size pieces, including tomatoes, onions, garlic, peppers (all three colors), and eggplant, tossed in olive oil, and bake them at the same time, but remove this pan sooner as the softer vegetables take less time to cook--usually 10 to 20 minutes. This makes the vegetables perfectly for a side dish of roasted vegetables, and this is also a good beginning to a roasted vegetable soup.
Roasting the vegetables brings out their flavors well before making them into soup.
Enjoy!
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