These days

I wrote this a couple weeks ago and forgot to post it

We said we would do this diet at least four weeks, or for the whole summer if it seems to be helping. We are at three-and-a-half weeks now. PJ5 has shown a lot of improvement in behavior and vocabulary. He is responding to verbal directions much better. He also started drawing a LOT, which he did when he was little but then quit. NB is counting, and spelling words he's learned from a game. PJ5 got on a fruit kick for a few days there and I could tell the sugar was a little too much. I finally found a version of chicken nuggets they both love....However, it's a little time-consuming and messy.

Actually, this diet is somewhat time-consuming all-around. I've been trying to eat my meals before or after the boys, because making theirs usually takes awhile and they eat every crumb that I make! And in spite of the stash of frozen bean burritos (for protein) in the freezer, and carb-snacks locked in my bathroom, I have lost about 5 pounds. If you know me, you know I don't need to lose five pounds. I had just gained that weight and now it's gone again. I just don't always have time to eat every time I'm hungry. And I try to save for the boys the foods they really like. And I am just so busy!!

One reason I am so busy is that for the past two weeks I've been doing almost all the house chores, etc. on my own. Hubby has a big deadline at work and has put in many, many hours the last two weeks, so I have a lot less help from him than usual. He's even had to work the last few Saturdays, which is rare. So, on top of doing all this cooking I am trying to keep up with dishes, laundry, clean-up, shopping, etc. on my own. I keep telling myself this is only temporary.


I wonder: Do all mothers feel like they are trying to do the work of more than one person?

I don't know whether to laugh or cry when I think about the burnout he has at work and the burnout I have at home.

I need a chicken

Yesterday we went through 16 eggs!!

At least two were thrown away because PJ5 broke them into a dirty bowl. Four went into a recipe for pumpkin pancakes which both boys really liked (but was a little time-consuming to make). But I think all the others were scrambled or fried, and all but two were consumed. Wow.

The first day I chopped up chicken breasts and fried them directly in olive oil and salt. I served them with honey for dipping and both boys ate them. I did the same thing yesterday and neither one wanted it. Go figure.

It's been interesting to see the boys different reactions. The first day, both boys ate fairly well although PJ5 was searching the cupboards most of the afternoon for more familiar foods. The second day, PJ5 continued eating a LOT, mainly eggs and fruit; while NB ate only a little and drank alot.

There is a yahoo group made of people who are, or have been, on this diet. It includes helpful tips and some recipes--yay! That is where I found the pumpkin pancake recipe. It's nice because you can use canned pumpkin. It's time-consuming because you have to make the pancakes very small or they fall apart when you try to flip them over. Several recipes require a food processor and I'm not sure I have one. (If I do, I didn't use it much and so would have put it out of the way.) They also share how their kids have responded during different phases of the diet.

I feel like I've spent tons of time in the kitchen the last two days. I need to figure out a way to cook ahead, but I'm still trying to figure out what the boys will eat well. I think I may cook several hamburgers and put them in the fridge or freezer for myself, so I can get some quick protein and keep going.

Maybe I need a cook, rather than a chicken.

First Day

Summer is upon us. This is the first day that the boys don't have school and their daddy isn't home. The weekend has been full of away-from-home activities, so today they may get restless. I have some activities in mind, both at home and away, but nothing specific planned.


Today begins a new diet for the boys. (And us, since it will be easier to just have the whole family do it.) It involves a list of foods that are "Best Choices" to be strictly followed the first 4-6 weeks; a list of foods to "Eat in Moderation" that can be added in the second phase of the diet, and a list of foods to "Completely Avoid". It's not necessary to follow this diet for a lifetime, but until the body achieves a right balance of certain minerals---usually about 4-6 months. The main mineral being targeted is manganese, which is very high in processed foods and soy-based products and when too much is consumed can cause symptoms very like autism. The research was done by a naturopathic doctor in Colorado and there is a 20-some page article about it available via her website. It costs nothing to download her diet protocol, and no special foods to buy.


For us, the hardest parts will be: no grains, and no peanut butter. That eliminates two of the boys' main staples: P.B. sandwiches and chicken nuggets. You can have any meat but pork on this diet, so if I can just get them to eat non-breaded chicken! I've tried a couple ways with them but no success so far.


There's also no sugar or artificial sweeteners allowed; only honey and stevia (in the first phase). But I've already been working on eliminating that lately. Only certain fruits and vegetables are allowed. A few examples that will affect us, because of what we like: NO white potatoes allowed, but sweet potatoes are good; NO corn or beans; NO apples or apple juice(until the second phase), bananas, watermelon, grapes, or berries of any kind. But I've already found some substitues that the boys like that are on the "good list": canteloupe, plums, cherries, and cherry juice. There are more on the list, but these I have found that the boys already like.


I've been slowly moving towards this diet, but waited until school and packed lunches was over before going full-throttle. We've already found out that PJ5 likes eggs (a "Best Choice" food) really well: boiled or scrambled (if I keep it in a "pancake" form instead of piled up). So that will be a good protien replacement until I find a meat that he will eat without breading on it.


The hardest part for me, besides the bread, is no milk. Almond milk is allowed in the second phase, as well as yogurt, sour cream, and certain cheeses. I'm going to keep yogurt in the house for myself because the boys don't like it. But NO MILK? NO CHEESE??


PJ already said that on our dates we'll probably be hitting up places like Panera Bread, Ted's, Olive Garden, etc. where we'll eat lots of grains and cheese! :)


I'm also hoping to work on potty-training this summer. Over-ambitious?

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Website for diet, if you want to see it:
http://www.noharmfoundation.org/