Food

I think a few people wonder what I actually do eat, given I currently don't have any dairy, eggs, nuts, soy, gluten, sugar (other than what's in fruit or raw honey) grains or starches and heavily restrict fish and seafood. I'm breastfeeding so I need to get some calories! For me right now, it means vegetables, fruit, lentils, meat, bone broths... and even sauerkraut. Hmmm. So I took photos of breakfast and lunch today (PS the plates look so full as they are side plates, not dinner plates)

Breakfast: Henderson's Dry Cured Bacon (no chemicals or preservatives) with mushrooms, guacamole, sauerkraut and a tomato on the side.

Morning tea: A small banana at home followed by a Grande Starbucks Chai Latte made with hemp milk while catching up with a friend. I am not actually allowed this - but it means I can still feel somewhat normal occasionally. I'm phasing these out which will be much easier as we start moving into summer. But goddamn, I miss my skinny flat whites!

Lunch: Munched on leftover lamb shanks from last night's dinner (which went into the pot to make a bone broth) with a side plate of tomato, cucumber, guac and mushrooms again along with that good old sauerkraut!! (Not really a fan but it's an important part of the eating protocol, especially the juice, so I mix it in with anything else on the plate I can until my taste buds learn to love the bloody stuff.)

Dinner: still only mid afternoon here, likely it will be salmon with asparagus!

The first post

So I've been thinking about starting a blog for a few weeks now, which makes sense to me given the amount of time I spend reading other people's blogs and pages on how they deal with their children's allergies! I've found so many of them so very helpful and by sharing my thoughts and experiences, it may help someone else out there who wants to deviate from the norm and try something a little different. Who knows if it will work for us, but I have every faith it's at least equal or better than the alternative (which is pretty much just avoid the allergens and wait)

She has been in our lives for 7.5 months and I am so much a better person for being her mum. She was diagnosed with severe allergies when she was around 4.5 months old - our first GP didn't want to hear her eczema could be food related so I saw a different doctor and requested specific blood tests which is when the fun started. Despite spending a large part of her life being very itchy and probably with a sore tummy to boot, she really is overall a content, clever and happy baby. She's petite though - when she was first born, strangers commented on how alert and wise she seemed. Now all I hear is how small she is, especially when they try to guess her age. So I really appreciate comments like on Saturday when we were visiting Grandpa Jack in hospital and a lady visiting someone in the next bed, made a comment on how small but healthy she looked. Or the plunket nurse that told me in great surprise that she's as strong as an ox... which she is! She loves her mama and daddy, is fascinated by her two fur-sisters (who still want nothing to do with her) and cries almost every single time we got out in public as she has a very wide berth of personal space!

What shocked us most about the diagnosis is how serious they are. For me, allergies was classed as something that happened to 'other people' but man, do I know a thing or too now. I try to see that this journey will teach us all valuable lessons and so far, I have really been extremely fascinated and excited about what I'm learning especially when it comes to pharmaceuticals and what a healthy diet actually looks like, but especially about healing through food.