The Do's and Don'ts of the Diet ...

Avoid all dairy, chocolate, whole wheat and whole grains - limit sugars

All dairy means any product that has milk or bovine protein listed as a "major" ingredient. This includes cheese, yogurt, chips with cheese on them (Doritos's, Cheeto's etc.)

Don't deprive your child however. Substitutes are always available for almost any product. Children seem to really enjoy "Rice dreams" in place of milk available at most heath food stores and more and more markets depending on where you live. Easier to find are soy milks and sometime goats milk. Mocha mix non-dairy milk
substitute is available at most supermarkets, as well as Mocha mix ice cream. Don't let them overdue this one because of sugar content. Fake cheeses are also readily available .. Tofurella comes in cheddar, Mozzarella and Jalepeno for the brave.These actually melt and make a reasonable fake pizza or fake grilled cheese sandwich. There are many other brands of Soy cheeses - make sure there is no added milk protein in them.

Chocolate is an offender because most chocolate is "milk chocolate." An occasional treat made with cocoa powder is permitted. Some of these children can tolerate Carob some cannot. With any "new" food watch for a reaction, if your child has a reaction, that product is not for them. Breakfast should consist of some "processed" (meaning not whole grain) cereals such as "Rice Krispies", Cheerio's, or Corn Flakes unsweetened served with one of the fake milks. Some children have a problem with the preservatives put in cereal especially BHT, if this is your child, then a preservative-free cereal like "puffed rice" from the health food store is appropriate. (if necessary, you can add Nutrasweet or Sweet and Low for added sweetness or another approved sweetener as listed below (try to minimize or avoid, but whatever works.).

A lot of these children also have problems with Red and Yellow food dyes. Pay
attention to your child if they consume these in cereal or fake candy. If there is a negative reaction it is not to be used for them. Eggs are also okay, French toast or pancakes (not buttermilk) in moderation with fake (not sugar sweetened) syrup. Vermont makes a great tasting one, also check the diabetic aisle of the supermarket as diabetics need to watch grams of sugar many products are made with sugar substitutes.

A "diet" soda is a great reward as long as your child does not react to Nutrasweet. Most sugarless candies can now be found sweetened with saccharin or Nutrasweet Of the ones sweetened with Sorbital, be careful as this also works as a laxative so keep an eye out for loose stools.

Limit sugars. The average American consumes over 120 pounds of sugar a year. For example a hamburger bun has three teaspoons of sugar, a regular non-diet 12 ounce soda has nine teaspoons of sugar (regular Coke, Seven-up, Sprite etc.).

Other names for Sugar "NO NO's" are:
Brown Sugar, Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Fructose, Fruit Juice, Galactose, Glucose, Jam, Jelly, Lactose, Maltose, Maple Syrup.

Keep fruit consumption to two pieces of fruit per day, this includes juice. Avoid strawberry, cherry most "berries" as these can be very allergic. Water down juices, start with half water half juice and work down to ¼ juice the restwater. Be creative, if your child loves those juice boxes pour them out when the child is asleep, refill with diluted juice and put a piece of scotch tape over the top. You'll get
away with it. Kids love the new Crystal light drinks that come in sport bottles, while expensive buy them once then re-fill the bottles with the Crystal light you can mix-up at home.

Lunch is a good time for leftovers, we are trying to push extra protein into them.

Protein supplies necessary Amino Acids" the building blocks of the body". No supplement can do as well as the real thing. A sandwich is really okay as long as some protein is in the middle. Bread is really where the controversy begins. As long as your child is not gluten sensitive or has a positive titer to what is called gliadian antibodies "processed" white bread is okay. The word wheat is okay as long as the word "whole" is not in front of it. The reasoning is, most people are allergic to whole grains so a processed product is really okay and removes most of the allergy causing ingredients/properties. For this reason often the stores cheapest white bread is a good choice because when it cost's less it is less likely to have better (meaning less allergic) ingredients in it. While this may sound horrible for nutrition, the idea is not for a child to eat a loaf of bread, but to use it as a way to sneak in the protein (as part of a sandwich).

Dinner can be any meat, chicken, fish (if tolerated) with some vegetables and a little starch (small serving of rice, or potato, or pasta). Try to remember the body converts starch to sugar within 6-12 hours, so that is why we limit the consumption.

We know your child may be stubborn at first and only eat the starch on the plate. ACT DUMB

Don't fight them, if they do not want to eat the rest do not force them. But do not let them fill-up on junk food / starches / sugar either. When they want more food present what they have not finished. Again "act dumb".

Believe it or not their pattern of eating will change. Too often we just "give in" afraid they will starve to death. As a Pediatrician I have really learned "No child offered food has ever starved to death". As parents we just feel too guilty and give in. We are not helping them to get the necessary nutrition they need. But, Do Not fight with them or they will go on a hunger strike You cannot make a child eat (or go to the bathroom), but "nature" will work for you if you let it.

Install a "good" water filter in your hme that removes metals and chlorine's. Many areas around the country have water with toxic levels but nobody wants to talk about it!!!

Recipes given to us from parents that seem to work:

Easy Rice Milk *
A good way to make rice milk is to use fresh rice that is still hot.

1 cup rice
4 cups hot water
1 tsp vanilla
Put all in blender, puree for about 5 minutes (until smooth) let sit for 1/2 hour pour into container being careful not to let the sediments at the bottom pour into the new container.
7 grams fat; 102 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams protein; 0.30 gram fiber.

Almond Milk *
This delicately flavored milk is a great addition to many foods. It's good on cereal and as a topping for waffles and pancakes. Made thickly, it can be used as a spread or thickener for soup. The ratio of almonds to water varies in our recipe to allow you to choose between a spread or milk-like consistency.

1 cup of almonds, freshly roasted
2 1/4 to 4 cups water.
Place the almonds and water (2 1/4 cups for topping or spread, 4 cups for drinking) in a tightly closed jar and store in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days at the most. Pour into a blender and blend until the mixture is smooth. To use it as a drink, strain first. The remaining almond paste is delicious and an be tossed on cereal, vegetables or rice.

MEXICAN CHOCOLATE ICE *
3 (12-ounce) bottles nondairy rice milk (or equivalent)
1/2 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Combine 1 cup rice milk and cocoa in small saucepan. Heat and stir until cocoa is dissolved. Stir in remaining rice milk and vanilla. Let cool then freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer's directions.

Makes 8 servings.

Each serving contains about: 551 calories; 121 mg sodium; 0 cholesterol.

HYPOALLERGENIC COOKIES*
Preheat 325 degrees
1/8 cup canola oil
1 cup instant baby rice cereal (Beechnut or Earth's Best, not Gerber)
2 oz. (1/2 jar) strained baby fruit (pears)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp. GF baking powder
1/2 tsp. GF vanilla

Mix ingredients to blend, then squeeze into small balls (1"). Flatten with the oiled bottom of a drinking glass. They will not spread, so small and flat comes out the best. Bake on oiled cookie sheet for 15 minutes. These are much tastier than they look! Note: Bake on an Airbake cookie sheet for 20 minutes. Try not to over-bake !

Besides artificial sweeteners:

Stevia Powder -- From a South American plant called Stevia. It is 300 times sweeter than sugar so it is used in extremely small amounts. It is used by diabetics in many parts of the world.

You can purchase it from:

Cheryl's Herbs
836 Hanley Industrial Court
St. Louis, MO 63144
(314) 963-4449
(800) 231-5971
(314) 963-4454 (FAX)

Consumer Direct
640 South Perry Lane
Suite #2
Tempe, AZ 85281
(800) 899-9908
(602) 921-2160

Sells liquid concentrate of Stevia

from Paraguay.

Body Ecology Diet
1266 West Paces Ferry Road
Suite 505
Atlanta, GA 30327
(404) 266-1366
(800) 896-7838
Sells Stevia powder from China.
* With any recipe check for specific allergies in your child !

SUBSTITUTIONS IN RECIPES

Instead of 1 Cup Milk
substitute 1/2 cup Non-Dairy Beverage + 1/2 cup water or 1/2 cup juice + 1/2 water or 1 cup water

For baking:

Instead of 1 Cup Milk use 1 cup water + 2 tablespoons dairy-free margarine
Instead of 1 Cup Buttermilk use 1/2 Cup Non-Dairy Beverage + 1/2 cup water + 1 Tablespoon vinegar or lemon juice

Instead of 1 Cup Sour Milk = Same as Buttermilk substitute

Instead of Light Cream use Non-Dairy Beverage

Instead of Cream Cheese for baking use Mayonnaise

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