This is a 3-part series based on the personal experiences witnessed by Lelhani in her journey to improve her daughter’s health and struggles with hyper-activity and behavior issues. Lelhani is not an expert, nor does she consider herself one. Please consult with your own healthcare professional before you make any changes that may affect the well-being of your child.
If you missed the prior posts, you can find them here: Part 1 Part 2
RSM: So, tell us, what have you found in your research that you couldn’t live without and are excited to share with the readers?
LMP: Sure! For starters, I came across a very informative website that correlates a lot of what our story is about. Great link that comes from Dr. Sears:
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/4/t041800.asp
Also, I never thought to Google “echolalia and food intolerances”, but it seems as if there are people out there who find that the echolalia is diminished when their child is on a Gluten Free and Casein Free diet also known as a GFCF Diet or the Feingold Elimination Diet (the ADHD Diet). I have never fully implemented these two diets but I have attempted modified versions of them. A lot of people familiar with these diets might strongly disagree with my shortcutting, and although I don’t follow them to a “T”, I still find the information provided, to be wonderful.
http://www.gfcfdiet.com/TheBigFAQ%27S.htm
I also get some of my information from Dr. Mercola.
Finally, my #5 pick for websites is one called Food Facts. They also have an iPhone/iPad app. What is so great about it is that it will break down the ingredients in the foods so you can make an informed decision on whether or not you want to buy it or eat it, and helps you find the ingredients you are looking for or want to avoid. It’s a great reference tool to have.
My Top 5 favorite buys at the grocery store, the places I like to shop and the brands I like to buy:
I have 3 or 4 stores that I do most of my shopping at nowadays. I am a very regular customer at Fresh & Easy which is currently my favorite place. They offer all of the basics and some great little gems as well. I have a lot of confidence in their branded items, as they make the claim of having No Artificial Flavors, No Artificial Colors, and No Artificial Preservatives. That alone makes shopping lots easier and also helps not to complicate things when I send my husband on the occasional grocery run. Trader Joe’s is also a go-to store for us. We love having their frozen pizza on hand for those nights that we are just too pooped from running around or the kids are just having a craving. I can also count on Trader Joe’s not to use GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) ingredients in their branded foods. And finally Whole Foods. This is where we buy our vitamins at the moment and where I can get amazing body products for my girls. We really try hard to stay away from parabens and laurel sulfates and instead opt for plant based ingredients in our body wash, lotions and hair care products. I also get yummy treats for the girls there, like cotton candy without the bad food dyes and amazing chocolate bars from Green and Blacks! And of course, no list is complete without mentioning Costco, for a variety of organic items they have on offer, and for the grass fed ground beef we use .
So here are some of the things I love:
1. Green Things from Fresh & Easy: they make a great lavender scented laundry detergent that cleans well, is super concentrated ans smells divine. All plant based. I also love the dish detergent for hand washing dishes.
2. Goodness for Kids from Fresh & Easy. They make some seriously fun stuff for the kids, like snack bags of Kettle Corn and Baked Multigrain Chips, perfectly sized for lunch bags and a whole grain mini pizza that packs a protein punch, also perfectly sized for lunch sacks. Check out their kid friendly cereals which look deceptively like all the other fun stuff on the shelves but with less than half of the added sugars, and 2-3 times the protein and fiber. These are the kinds of things that make this new food journey bearable for my kids and frankly, me!
3. Trader Joe’s Almond Milk with Vanilla (preferably unsweetened): I was able to get my youngest off of her morning milk with out a single bit of fuss with this product. Milk had always put her little tummy into knots, so I was jumping for joy when I did a side by side comparison of almond milk vs. cow’s milk and found the Vitamin D and other vitamins and minerals to be even better than the traditional cow’s milk. The fact that she actually loves it is the real testament! I must say, although she never drank much cow’s milk, I really wasn’t sure if I’d made the right decision, but that hesitation has gone! She still consumes dairy products like ice cream and cheese, and Greek yogurt.
4. Trader Joe’s Whole Chicken: I generally only purchase organic chicken when it is on sale. The one I currently have on hand is NOT organic, but it is a chicken that has not been fed hormones and has been minimally processed. I keep a whole chicken around in my fridge or freezer at all times.
5. Nordic Naturals Omega Fatty Acids: These I get from Whole Foods. My kids have been great sports about adopting the taking of an Omega 3 6 9 vitamin. The oldest takes the Nordic Naturals Omega 3 6 9 Juniors and the youngest takes hers in a gummy form.
So many more things to share, but I will stop there. Whew!
Do you have some favorite websites or products to share? I would love to hear about them! I love learning about new things! Comment here, or on my FaceBook Page.