New member with lots of questions!

[Guest guest]

I'm curious about the dose and frequency of the flagyl that you take. I

have been in a unusual and severe flare for the last three weeks. Flagyl

pulled me out (well I don't feel like killing myself anymore at least, LOL.

this is such an awful disease!) anyway, I am presently taking 1,500mg flagyl

(translates to 3 x 500mg a day) plus minocin 100mg mwf plus cmo everyday and

for the last couple of days I took amoxicillin in high doses. I know, its

alot and I hate to take it, but at least I am feeling little better. I do

have heparin, but decided to hold off on that. So anyway....how much flagyl

(I assume you know to take it with food and never to drink alcohol while

taking it. )Kathy

Re: rheumatic New member with lots of questions!

> Hi Rayna,

> I am fairly new also. I have an AP doctor in Chatt.

> Tenn., but he is 5 1/2 hours away, so my local GP will

> be my main doctor unless I have problems. So far,

> none. He suggested Minocin 100mg 2X daily the same as

> Dr. Trentham, but I only take it on MWF. Less is

> better for me at this time. I also take Nyzoral and

> Flagyl. At any rate, listen to Dr. Trentham and stick

> to his protocol. Changing medications after doing so

> great may be a bad idea. You will do fine.

> Have fun in Aruba!...and remember your sunscreen.

> Fran

> --- putinbay1996 <putinbay1996@...> wrote:

> > Hello everyone!

> > My name is Rayna and I am new to the group. I am 28

> > and I just

> > started the AP about 4 months ago. I went to see

> > Dr. Trenthman in

> > Boston since my husband does a lot of work up there.

> > He started me

> > on Minocin 100mg twice a day. I've noticed that

> > many of you are only

> > on it M-W-F. I hope that I am not taking too much?

> > I did bring this

> > to Dr. Trenthman's attention about M-W-F, but he

> > told me that this

> > was the way to go. He said he considers my RA to be

> > mild. Maybe

> > this is why he said twice a day? I feel pretty

> > good. My left elbow

> > seems to give me problems now and then, but

> > exercising and lifting

> > weights really helps to keep it from stiffening up.

> > I am concerned

> > about hyperpigmentation, especially in the summer

> > since I'm outside

> > alot. My husband and I are taking our honeymoon to

> > Aruba in early

> > September and I know how intense the sun is down

> > there. I'm worried.

> > I read that taking vitamin C ( just started taking

> > 500mg/d to work

> > toward 1000mg/day) would help. Does anybody have

> > any other

> > suggestions?? What about changing antibiotics ( to

> > doxy or

> > Zithromax) or decreasing the dosage until after our

> > honeymoon? Any

> > suggestions would be a great help. Thank you

> > everyone!

> > Rayna

> >

> >

>

>

> __________________________________________________

>

[Guest guest]

,

I had a mammoth problem because of not taking acidophilus. What I shared was recommended by some very respected physicians. We each are different.

I was told when we are constantly on antibiotics (which I am, and was) that more is needed than when we just take them following an ordinary course of antibiotics. I take about 1/4 tsp. am and pm stirred into yogurt and flaxseed oil with a bit of ground flaxseed.

Because of yeast overgrowth several years ago after being on high powered antibiotics for two years, and being uninformed about probiotics, I developed metastatic bone and liver lesions caused by the yeast overgrowth that caused a wasting syndrome. So, you can see my point in stressing this and not wanting others to have a bad experience.

Actually, because of taking the powdered acidophilus with flaxseed oil stirred into yogurt twice daily for about three years before they discovered the lesions that were all over my body, repeat bone scans later showed them healing instead of just beginning. I learned about the importance of the flaxoil/yogurt or cottage cheese formula in reversing terminal cancer (Dr. Budwig's work) only after my diagnosis. I had actually been very lucky to have chosen what I did.

bg

Re: rheumatic Re: New member with lots of questions!

Hi All,My 2 cents worth on acidophihilus: For well over I year I have taken several times the recommended dosage of acidoph. Mentioning this to my rheum. doc, he says don't do that - that overdose of it can cause problems. He wanted me too take just two capsules per day, so June 8th that is what I have done, and with no ill effects from yeast problems. Had I it to do over again, I think I would start at the minimum dosage, and then watch for the tell-tale signs, itchhy spots on the skin, around the ears, diareah, vaginal discomfort, and then adjust upwards according to need.bsgttx wrote:

Hello Rayna,Regardless of your dosage, be sure to take a good probiotic from the healthstore refrigerated section -- Solaray Multidophilus Powder is a good one and it can be stirred into your yogurt. If you prefer capsules, they are available. On antibiotics, you need to replace the good flora that is killed by them, or you can develop candida yeast overgrowth and it can cause you many problems. Take more than the package label says -- at least double or more. I've heard Dr. T sometimes has failed to give patients directions about this. bg> > > > Hello everyone! My name is Rayna and I am new to the group. I am 28 and I just started the AP about 4 months ago. I went to see Dr. Trenthman in Boston since my husband does a lot of work up there. He started me on Minocin 100mg twice a day. I've noticed that many of you are only on it M-W-F. I hope that I am not taking too much?...> ...I am concerned about hyperpigmentation, especially in the summer> since I'm outside alot. My husband and I are taking our honeymoon to> Aruba in early September and I know how intense the sun is down there. > I'm worried...To unsubscribe, email: rheumatic-unsubscribeegroups

[Guest guest]

Hi All,

My 2 cents worth on acidophihilus: For well over I year I have taken several

times the recommended dosage of acidoph. Mentioning this to my rheum. doc,

he says don't do that - that overdose of it can cause problems. He wanted

me too take just two capsules per day, so June 8th that is what I have done,

and with no ill effects from yeast problems. Had I it to do over again, I

think I would start at the minimum dosage, and then watch for the tell-tale

signs, itchhy spots on the skin, around the ears, diareah, vaginal discomfort,

and then adjust upwards according to need.

bsgttx wrote:

Hello Rayna,

Regardless of your dosage, be sure to take a good probiotic from the

healthstore refrigerated section -- Solaray Multidophilus Powder is a

good one and it can be stirred into your yogurt. If you prefer

capsules, they are available. On antibiotics, you need to replace

the good flora that is killed by them, or you can develop candida

yeast overgrowth and it can cause you many problems. Take more than

the package label says -- at least double or more. I've heard Dr. T

sometimes has failed to give patients directions about this.

bg

> >

> > Hello everyone! My name is Rayna and I am new to the group. I

am

28 and I just started the AP about 4 months ago. I went to see Dr.

Trenthman in Boston since my husband does a lot of work up there. He

started me on Minocin 100mg twice a day. I've noticed that many of

you are only on it M-W-F. I hope that I am not taking too much?...

> ...I am concerned about hyperpigmentation, especially in the

summer

> since I'm outside alot. My husband and I are taking our honeymoon

to

> Aruba in early September and I know how intense the sun is down

there.

> I'm worried...

To unsubscribe, email: rheumatic-unsubscribeegroups

[Guest guest]

Hello, I have been " lurking " for a few weeks, or trying to (it's hard to find

the time to read so many interesting messages). You all have already answered so

many questions that I had, but I have quite a few more that I'd like to put out

there.

First, a brief introduction. I found my way to WAP a few years ago in an attempt

to heal my now 5-year-old son of his terrible chronic eczema, which he developed

at about 8 months. Alas, I was a vegetarian for many years, including during my

pregnancy with him and for about a year-plus afterwards. Also ate a

nutrient-poor grad student diet for many years... Anyway, we've been trying to

make up for it ever since, and I gradually have been trying to incorporate the

key elements of a WAP diet. I gave birth to my second son 20 months ago, he has

beautiful skin and seems to be doing well (though more questions about him in a

moment). Both sons, unfortunately, were born by c-section (despite being

attended by midwives, first one at a birth center, second one at home, both

ended up in hospital transfers, both were in posterior position). Okay, here are

my questions! WARNING: very long!!!

1. TEETH: I am grappling with emerging major dental problems. I already have 3

crowns, and now have a temperature-sensitive cracked molar (due to fillings)

plus another molar that seems to have extensive decay. Just found a WAP dentist

but can't get in until September. I have been taking 1 tsp of CLO and 1/2 tsp of

XBO for a while now, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Any recommendations on

reversing decay? I assume the cracked tooth is beyond help at this point? My

husband is also suffering from cracked teeth and recently had his 3rd lifetime

root canal - ugh (note: he is a WAP " nonbeliever " !).

2. FEEDING KIDS, PART ONE: DAIRY: My 5-year-old used to be a fabulous eater who

would eat just about anything. However, he had clearcut dairy allergies from the

getgo (part of the whole eczema/allergy syndrome, I think) and for the longest

time I would only give him butter (which he seemed to tolerate) (this was also

before I knew about raw dairy). About a year ago, we found raw milk and I have

been trying that, but the problem is that he doesn't like it now (and his face

still gets blotchy when he has raw cream). The things that I can get him to eat

are raw cheeses (LOVES any kind), butter (we get cultured but not raw, too

expensive to mail-order), and small amounts of homemade yogurt. He won't touch

kefir and doesn't even like fruit smoothies with kefir. My 20-month-old liked

kefir initially but now won't touch it, but will drink kefir smoothies and will

eat yogurt. Neither will drink milk straight, but I'm not much of a fan of

uncultured milk anyway. Any suggestions?

3. FEEDING KIDS, PART TWO: GRAINS: Both of my sons seem to have an insatiable

" grain tooth. " I am aware of the disadvantages of too many grains (even whole

grains, properly prepared) but it is hard to figure out what else to feed them

sometimes. My compromise is to try to give them as many of their grains as

possible cooked in bone broth, and served with lots of fat. How to get kids to

be less grain-fixated, and what kinds of snacks do you all give your kids? Also,

my oldest is in a Waldorf school environment, and ALL of their snacks are

grains, they seem to think that is the healthiest thing! They get porridge,

rice, bread, millet pizza, etc. It has become an issue we struggle over, my son

is constantly exclaiming " but I want GRAIN! " when I try to offer something

different. I am pretty good at standing the line, but even so, it seems as

though we end up with 2-3 grain servings a day...

4. FEEDING KIDS, PART THREE: FRUIT: I have read so many conflicting things about

fruit. Dr. Cowan (on the WAP Foundation board) discourages too much, perhaps

with the exception of berries in the summer, or pears in the winter. But this is

really tough, with children. Especially the banana issue - how would I ever make

smoothies without bananas? Any suggestions?

5. FEEDING KIDS, PART FOUR: THE BABY: My 20-month-old is still nursing and has,

thus far, shown every sign of being a picky eater, which is completely

discouraging. He refuses eggs in any form (unless I sneak raw yolks into his

smoothies), and still spits out many many foods (he only has 4 teeth so far). He

has a really erratic list of things he'll eat (and then, only inconsistently),

such as NT blue cheese dip, soups (sometimes), smoothies, oatmeal, bread of any

kind (but he hates it when I put butter or coconut oil on it and tries to wipe

it off!), likes sucking on bacon and sausage, likes sucking on kimchi and

pickles (sometimes), and loves homemade almond butter. I don't know what to do

except keep trying? (He also has really inconsistent poops, sometimes several

days apart, sometimes quite constipated.)

6. RAW CHEESES: We mostly buy raw cultured cheese at our local food coop from

Morningland Dairy, but it is made with vegetable rennet. I assume that this

probably isn't optimal from a WAP standpoint, but this is the most economical

cheese we can find (we can get many raw cheeses from France but they are so

expensive, we have a local creamery that makes a delicious raw cheese but again

it is prohibitively expensive, as is most mail-ordering). Does anyone have

experience with Morningland, or any comments on the vegetable rennet issue?

7. CLO: I have read that cod fish stocks are endangered, what are the

implications for the present and future of CLO? Are we contributing to

overfishing by consuming CLO? This is an ethical dilemma for me...

8. MASON JAR LIDS: Those metalish lids that come with Mason Jars always rust, so

I have turned to using the plastic lids but they don't seem to seal as well.

What is the optimal way to seal jars for kefir, stock, fermentation, etc.?

9. KOMBUCHA: How does one decide how long to hang on to a " mother " before

composting her and starting up again with a " baby " ? Also, I read in some of your

past posts that many of you believe kombucha retains its caffeine, I was shocked

to read that, because I thought the caffeine got used up during the fermentation

process and I drink it every day (while nursing). I have not felt as though I am

ingesting caffeine, which I otherwise gave up many years ago...

10. STOCKMAKING: How do people keep on top of making stock? I find it to be

time-consuming by the time one gets it going, strains it, gets it in jars,

cleans everything up, etc. With two small children, it is a challenge. Also, my

chicken stock NEVER gels, and my beef stock gets thick but not totally gelatious

when refrigerated. This, despite getting the best quality ingredients I can come

up with. Also, how long do most people simmer their chicken stock? I do 24

hours, which makes for nice broth, but I can't stand the taste of the leftover

chicken meat afterwards...

Okay, I think that's all for now. I thank any of you brave enough to read this,

and kind enough to reply to any of my questions!

, Chapel Hill, NC

[Guest guest]

New member with lots of questions!

***Hi . Welcome to the list. I have excerpted the questions I am able to

answer.

1. TEETH: I am grappling with emerging major dental problems....Any

recommendations on reversing decay? I assume the cracked tooth is beyond help at

this point?

***I use four essential oils that have anti-viral, anti-fungal, and

anti-bacterial properties: eucalyptus, oregano, tea tree, and thyme. To use, put

several drops of each into an ounce or two of carrier oil (sesame, olive, etc.)

to dilute them, and then swab your mouth on a regular basis. I also use

colloidal silver as a mouthwash, and internally for infections.

2. FEEDING KIDS, PART ONE: DAIRY: My 5-year-old used to be a fabulous eater who

would eat just about anything. However, he had clearcut dairy allergies from the

getgo (part of the whole eczema/allergy syndrome, I think) and for the longest

time I would only give him butter (which he seemed to tolerate) (this was also

before I knew about raw dairy). About a year ago, we found raw milk and I have

been trying that, but the problem is that he doesn't like it now (and his face

still gets blotchy when he has raw cream). The things that I can get him to eat

are raw cheeses (LOVES any kind), butter (we get cultured but not raw, too

expensive to mail-order), and small amounts of homemade yogurt. He won't touch

kefir and doesn't even like fruit smoothies with kefir. My 20-month-old liked

kefir initially but now won't touch it, but will drink kefir smoothies and will

eat yogurt. Neither will drink milk straight, but I'm not much of a fan of

uncultured milk anyway. Any suggestions?

***I believe that even with the best raw dairy, some kids don't handle all, or

certain forms of it, well. Perhaps your child's dislike of dairy is a clue that

the dairy shouldn't be eaten. I wouldn't force the issue.

3. FEEDING KIDS, PART TWO: GRAINS: Both of my sons seem to have an insatiable

" grain tooth. " ...My compromise is to try to give them as many of their grains as

possible cooked in bone broth, and served with lots of fat....It has become an

issue we struggle over, my son is constantly exclaiming " but I want GRAIN! " when

I try to offer something different....

***If your kids are so insatiable and demand grain, they may be addicted to it.

The proteins in gluten (which is what makes wheat, rye, oats, and other

glutenous grains " sticky " ) attach to the opiate receptors in the cells of the

body. This is why some people get mentally cloudy (among other things) when they

eat grains. The opiate-like effects also account for the addictive nature of

grains. How would you deal with an addict?

4. FEEDING KIDS, PART THREE: FRUIT: I have read so many conflicting things about

fruit. Dr. Cowan (on the WAP Foundation board) discourages too much, perhaps

with the exception of berries in the summer, or pears in the winter. But this is

really tough, with children. Especially the banana issue - how would I ever make

smoothies without bananas? Any suggestions?

***I don't see the harm in giving kids fruit. Fruit is an immediate available

source of energy, and growing kids need lots of energy.

5. FEEDING KIDS, PART FOUR: THE BABY: My 20-month-old is still nursing and has,

thus far, shown every sign of being a picky eater, which is completely

discouraging. He refuses eggs in any form (unless I sneak raw yolks into his

smoothies), and still spits out many many foods (he only has 4 teeth so far). He

has a really erratic list of things he'll eat (and then, only inconsistently),

such as NT blue cheese dip, soups (sometimes), smoothies, oatmeal, bread of any

kind (but he hates it when I put butter or coconut oil on it and tries to wipe

it off!), likes sucking on bacon and sausage, likes sucking on kimchi and

pickles (sometimes), and loves homemade almond butter. I don't know what to do

except keep trying? (He also has really inconsistent poops, sometimes several

days apart, sometimes quite constipated.)

***If the baby is constipated, perhaps he doesn't have enough friendly

intestinal flora to help digest the food?

***Also, this is not a food answer, but EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) has

been found to have profound positive effects. It's a technique involving tapping

on certain meridian points while stating the issue you want to address. Its

purpose is to break unhealthy energetic blockages. The technique can be learned

in under an hour and is free: You can download the manual at

http://www.emofree.com/ The technique can be done by adults as surrogates for

animals and children. I have seen with my own eyes results when I used the

technique on one of my dogs.

10. STOCKMAKING: How do people keep on top of making stock? I find it to be

time-consuming by the time one gets it going, strains it, gets it in jars,

cleans everything up, etc. With two small children, it is a challenge. Also, my

chicken stock NEVER gels, and my beef stock gets thick but not totally gelatious

when refrigerated. This, despite getting the best quality ingredients I can come

up with. Also, how long do most people simmer their chicken stock? I do 24

hours, which makes for nice broth, but I can't stand the taste of the leftover

chicken meat afterwards...

***My stocks don't always gel completely. I think it has to do with how much

cartilege is in the bones. Different bones yield different thicknesses of soup.

My meat soups yield the most gelatin when I use the feet. When I make chicken

soup, after about an hour I remove the meat from the bones and put the bones

back into the pot. This way, the chicken is edible, and the soup benefits from

the bones. Parenthetically, when I leave the bones in until they turn to mush in

my hand, I don't find the soup as tasty. If the chicken simmers for much longer

than an hour or two, it's really not edible, because all the good nutrients have

been leeched into the soup.

***, thank you for making your email so well organized and easy to answer.

Regards,

Nenah

[Guest guest]

> Hello, I have been " lurking " for a few weeks, or trying to (it's

hard to find the time to read so many interesting messages). You all

have already answered so many questions that I had, but I have quite

a few more that I'd like to put out there.

>

Hi ,

i just wanted to welcome you and say i *DID* read your entire post

and found it very interesting and am looking forward to reading what

people will reply.

just want to offer my support to you...tho i really don't have any

answers for you! (sorry!)

but it sounds like you have made some amazing progress adapting to

the WAP way of eating...it certainly is a perplexing journey at

times, isn't it?

wishing you all the best...

laura in nj

[Guest guest]

>>>>>>. 2. FEEDING KIDS, PART ONE: DAIRY: My 5-year-old used to be a

fabulous eater who would eat just about anything. However, he had clearcut

dairy allergies from the getgo

3. FEEDING KIDS, PART TWO: GRAINS: Both of my sons seem to have an

insatiable " grain tooth. " >>>>>>>>>>>

Hi ,

2. If your child has shown any sort of difficulty with milk, don't give your

child milk products of any kind. Period.

3. Find out if your children have the celiac gene HLA DQ2 and/or HLA DQ8 and

if they do, keep them away from most grains, particularly wheat. If they're

allergic to milk they have a pretty good chance of having problems with

gluten so I'd check if I was you.

I wish my parents had kept me off cereal and milk. I am paying a big price

for it now.

~Robin

[Guest guest]

Hello :

You are from Chapel Hill, the city where the Sun Magazine is

released? I was a subscriber for a very long time, you know.

I will not attempt to answer all your questions, which may require

more nutritional knowledge than I can normally exhibit, but I will

take the risk of giving you tips on some of your doubts, either from

my own experience or my readings.

I might want to ask you a few questions as well, but maybe I will do

so privately, if you don't mind.

1. Have you ever tried WELEDA toothpastes? Are we allowed to

carry on some propaganda on this list? They are a little more

expensive, but it pays to use them. If you eat grains and tubers

(starches) and especially sweets, try to limit your consumption to

two or three meals a day (breakfast, lunch, dinner). Never snack on

anything starchy or sugared. Use fresh fruit or, in cold weather,

dried fruit or nuts as a snack. Clean your teeth quickly after each

meal, especially if you have eaten a sweet dessert.

2. Some suplements may be necessary for tooth health. Consider

those including seaweed and oyster. Contrary to general belief, dairy

in some cases is not the best source for calcium (much of the calcium

in dairy can be lost through your feces). Best sources: sardines,

seafood, nuts, raw cabbage, watercress, dried figs, mung beans, beet

leaves etc...

3. Try not to make starches more than 30% in weight of your

whole diet. (This is probably bad English, but I think you get what I

mean.)

4. School food can be a real problem. Yes, most school

nutritionists look at grains and dairy as the solists (the most

important performers) in the health orchestra. Ideally, you should

try to get your kids (or maybe the elder one, who goes to school) to

eat grains only at the main meals, never as a snack (as said above).

Again use fruit as a snack. And can't you give them the whole fruit

rather than a smoothie? We have a similar problem with my three-year-

old boy: the only fruit he ever eats are bananas or maybe a slice of

pineapple, but then we give him the whole fruit, not mashed or

anything. A question of patience for you, you know. Don't feel

defeated at the first/second/third ... unsuccessful attempt.

5. Now, it is another story: if your kids aren't fond of milk

and dairy, why insist? Do you fear they may suffer from deficiencies?

They won't if you can make eat a varied diet, not turning any kind of

food into a sole star, but rather making use of all categories (meats

and seafood, vegetables and greens, starches/carbs, fruit and nuts)

in combination.

6. Have they been tested for worms?

7. We are somewhat authoritarian parents at times. If the boy

asks for more rice on his plate, we tell him he will get some more

only after he finishes some of his meat. And if he doesn't eat the

meat, we tell him he won't get the dessert, if there is one. Ok, this

looks like blackmail, but if we bend our heads to every whim, they

will only eat crap, you know. However, if we notice that he is only

stuffing himself in order to get his sweet, then we throw off his

mask by telling he would better to stop before he gets sick and can't

have his pudding anyway. Dinner table is not always a bed of roses,

you know. There is a lot of dispute going on around it. After some

time of being " politically incorrect " , we have noticed that he more

often than not eats everything on his plate (even the greens – we

tell him they make one taller) (besides, as parents, we never leave

one single grain on our plates, so we can " pose " as examples), and he

is satisfied with a smaller piece of dessert (we often use homemade

desserts).

8. Oh, am I telling grandmother how to suck eggs? Such a long

message... I hope this was fun to read, anyway. And a little helpful,

maybe, if I can be more hopeful. At best I hope you didn't get

confused.

Cheers,

José

> Hello, I have been " lurking " for a few weeks, or trying to (it's

hard to find the time to read so many interesting messages). You all

have already answered so many questions that I had, but I have quite

a few more that I'd like to put out there.

>

> First, a brief introduction. I found my way to WAP a few years ago

in an attempt to heal my now 5-year-old son of his terrible chronic

eczema, which he developed at about 8 months. Alas, I was a

vegetarian for many years, including during my pregnancy with him and

for about a year-plus afterwards. Also ate a nutrient-poor grad

student diet for many years... Anyway, we've been trying to make up

for it ever since, and I gradually have been trying to incorporate

the key elements of a WAP diet. I gave birth to my second son 20

months ago, he has beautiful skin and seems to be doing well (though

more questions about him in a moment). Both sons, unfortunately, were

born by c-section (despite being attended by midwives, first one at a

birth center, second one at home, both ended up in hospital

transfers, both were in posterior position). Okay, here are my

questions! WARNING: very long!!!

>

> 1. TEETH: I am grappling with emerging major dental problems. I

already have 3 crowns, and now have a temperature-sensitive cracked

molar (due to fillings) plus another molar that seems to have

extensive decay. Just found a WAP dentist but can't get in until

September. I have been taking 1 tsp of CLO and 1/2 tsp of XBO for a

while now, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Any recommendations on

reversing decay? I assume the cracked tooth is beyond help at this

point? My husband is also suffering from cracked teeth and recently

had his 3rd lifetime root canal - ugh (note: he is a

WAP " nonbeliever " !).

>

> 2. FEEDING KIDS, PART ONE: DAIRY: My 5-year-old used to be a

fabulous eater who would eat just about anything. However, he had

clearcut dairy allergies from the getgo (part of the whole

eczema/allergy syndrome, I think) and for the longest time I would

only give him butter (which he seemed to tolerate) (this was also

before I knew about raw dairy). About a year ago, we found raw milk

and I have been trying that, but the problem is that he doesn't like

it now (and his face still gets blotchy when he has raw cream). The

things that I can get him to eat are raw cheeses (LOVES any kind),

butter (we get cultured but not raw, too expensive to mail-order),

and small amounts of homemade yogurt. He won't touch kefir and

doesn't even like fruit smoothies with kefir. My 20-month-old liked

kefir initially but now won't touch it, but will drink kefir

smoothies and will eat yogurt. Neither will drink milk straight, but

I'm not much of a fan of uncultured milk anyway. Any suggestions?

>

> 3. FEEDING KIDS, PART TWO: GRAINS: Both of my sons seem to have an

insatiable " grain tooth. " I am aware of the disadvantages of too many

grains (even whole grains, properly prepared) but it is hard to

figure out what else to feed them sometimes. My compromise is to try

to give them as many of their grains as possible cooked in bone

broth, and served with lots of fat. How to get kids to be less grain-

fixated, and what kinds of snacks do you all give your kids? Also, my

oldest is in a Waldorf school environment, and ALL of their snacks

are grains, they seem to think that is the healthiest thing! They get

porridge, rice, bread, millet pizza, etc. It has become an issue we

struggle over, my son is constantly exclaiming " but I want GRAIN! "

when I try to offer something different. I am pretty good at standing

the line, but even so, it seems as though we end up with 2-3 grain

servings a day...

>

> 4. FEEDING KIDS, PART THREE: FRUIT: I have read so many conflicting

things about fruit. Dr. Cowan (on the WAP Foundation board)

discourages too much, perhaps with the exception of berries in the

summer, or pears in the winter. But this is really tough, with

children. Especially the banana issue - how would I ever make

smoothies without bananas? Any suggestions?

>

> 5. FEEDING KIDS, PART FOUR: THE BABY: My 20-month-old is still

nursing and has, thus far, shown every sign of being a picky eater,

which is completely discouraging. He refuses eggs in any form (unless

I sneak raw yolks into his smoothies), and still spits out many many

foods (he only has 4 teeth so far). He has a really erratic list of

things he'll eat (and then, only inconsistently), such as NT blue

cheese dip, soups (sometimes), smoothies, oatmeal, bread of any kind

(but he hates it when I put butter or coconut oil on it and tries to

wipe it off!), likes sucking on bacon and sausage, likes sucking on

kimchi and pickles (sometimes), and loves homemade almond butter. I

don't know what to do except keep trying? (He also has really

inconsistent poops, sometimes several days apart, sometimes quite

constipated.)

>

> 6. RAW CHEESES: We mostly buy raw cultured cheese at our local food

coop from Morningland Dairy, but it is made with vegetable rennet. I

assume that this probably isn't optimal from a WAP standpoint, but

this is the most economical cheese we can find (we can get many raw

cheeses from France but they are so expensive, we have a local

creamery that makes a delicious raw cheese but again it is

prohibitively expensive, as is most mail-ordering). Does anyone have

experience with Morningland, or any comments on the vegetable rennet

issue?

>

> 7. CLO: I have read that cod fish stocks are endangered, what are

the implications for the present and future of CLO? Are we

contributing to overfishing by consuming CLO? This is an ethical

dilemma for me...

>

> 8. MASON JAR LIDS: Those metalish lids that come with Mason Jars

always rust, so I have turned to using the plastic lids but they

don't seem to seal as well. What is the optimal way to seal jars for

kefir, stock, fermentation, etc.?

>

> 9. KOMBUCHA: How does one decide how long to hang on to a " mother "

before composting her and starting up again with a " baby " ? Also, I

read in some of your past posts that many of you believe kombucha

retains its caffeine, I was shocked to read that, because I thought

the caffeine got used up during the fermentation process and I drink

it every day (while nursing). I have not felt as though I am

ingesting caffeine, which I otherwise gave up many years ago...

>

> 10. STOCKMAKING: How do people keep on top of making stock? I find

it to be time-consuming by the time one gets it going, strains it,

gets it in jars, cleans everything up, etc. With two small children,

it is a challenge. Also, my chicken stock NEVER gels, and my beef

stock gets thick but not totally gelatious when refrigerated. This,

despite getting the best quality ingredients I can come up with.

Also, how long do most people simmer their chicken stock? I do 24

hours, which makes for nice broth, but I can't stand the taste of the

leftover chicken meat afterwards...

>

> Okay, I think that's all for now. I thank any of you brave enough

to read this, and kind enough to reply to any of my questions!

>

> , Chapel Hill, NC

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

I can tell you really do have your hands full!

I agree with the recommendation to remove the chicken from the bones

after about 1 hour. That way, the meat is still delicious. But do

put the bones back in the broth to cook longer.

If you can get chicken feet, I understand they do help make the broth

gelantinous.

Regarding the teeth and the baby's constipation: I'm wondering about

whether your family is getting enough magnesium.

It is needed to help form good bone, and it helps alleviate

constipation.

It is hard to get enough from food. Here is an excerpt from the WAPF

mineral primer page:

" Magnesium: This mineral is essential for enzyme activity, calcium

and potassium uptake, nerve transmission, bone formation and

metabolism of carbohydrates and minerals. It is magnesium, not

calcium, that helps form hard tooth enamel, resistant to decay. Like

calcium and chloride, magnesium also plays a role in regulating the

acid-alkaline balance in the body. High magnesium levels in drinking

water have been linked to resistance to heart disease. Although it is

found in many foods, including dairy products, nuts, vegetables,

fish, meat and seafood, deficiencies are common in America due to

soil depletion, poor absorption and lack of minerals in drinking

water. A diet high in carbohydrates, oxalic acid in foods like raw

spinach and phytic acid found in whole grains can cause deficiencies.

An excellent source of usable magnesium is beef, chicken or fish

broth. High amounts of zinc and vitamin D increase magnesium

requirements. Magnesium deficiency can result in coronary heart

disease, chronic weight loss, obesity, fatigue, epilepsy and impaired

brain function. Chocolate cravings are a sign of magnesium

deficiency. "

That page is here:

http://www.westonaprice.org/basicnutrition/mineralprimer.html

" Hard " water tends to be high in magnesium. If I were going to use

hard water, I would first try to find a good source from a well.

Hah! I just remembered a friend who grew up in west Texas, when he

joined the armed forces, the dentist who was examining him called his

colleague over to look at my friend's teeth. He said, " Those are

west Texas teeth! " My friend never has cavities, I assume because he

grew up drinking hard water that contained a lot of magnesium, as

well as other minerals.

Avoiding starch and sugar is wise to help retain magnesium. Whenever

you eat sugar and starch, the body has to produce insulin to deal

with the rise in blood sugar. Producing insulin consumes magnesium.

It really is best to get minerals from food and water, but if I knew

I was not getting enough magnesium, I would try Milk of

Magnesia. It is sold as a non-stimulant laxative, but I find it to

be a helpful source of magnesium whenever my neck is stiff or I've

overworked my muscles. I started doing that when I learned from an

email pal in New Zealand that a stiff, crackly neck means you are

deficient in magnesium.

Lastly, another way to get magnesium is to soak in an epsom salt bath.

Regarding desserts--we unapologetically require our child to " eat

something green " before she is allowed to eat dessert. Fortunately,

she has always been good about eating her green veggies. It works

best if you're consistent and matter-of-fact about the rule. ;-)

BTW, unsoaked whole grains and nuts will have phytates which will

bind to the minerals like magnesium and carry them out of the body.

Even though grains and nuts are listed as good sources of magnesium,

if they are unsoaked, they will tend to deplete you of it.

> 1. TEETH: I am grappling with emerging major dental problems. I

already have 3 crowns, and now have a temperature-sensitive cracked

molar (due to fillings) plus another molar that seems to have

extensive decay. Just found a WAP dentist but can't get in until

September. I have been taking 1 tsp of CLO and 1/2 tsp of XBO for a

while now, but it doesn't seem to be helping. Any recommendations on

reversing decay? I assume the cracked tooth is beyond help at this

point? My husband is also suffering from cracked teeth and recently

had his 3rd lifetime root canal - ugh (note: he is a

WAP " nonbeliever " !).

>

> 5. FEEDING KIDS, PART FOUR: THE BABY: My 20-month-old is still

nursing and has, thus far, shown every sign of being a picky eater,

which is completely discouraging. He refuses eggs in any form (unless

I sneak raw yolks into his smoothies), and still spits out many many

foods (he only has 4 teeth so far). He has a really erratic list of

things he'll eat (and then, only inconsistently), such as NT blue

cheese dip, soups (sometimes), smoothies, oatmeal, bread of any kind

(but he hates it when I put butter or coconut oil on it and tries to

wipe it off!), likes sucking on bacon and sausage, likes sucking on

kimchi and pickles (sometimes), and loves homemade almond butter. I

don't know what to do except keep trying? (He also has really

inconsistent poops, sometimes several days apart, sometimes quite

constipated.)

>

[Guest guest]

Robin wrote:

>3. Find out if your children have the celiac gene HLA DQ2 and/or HLA DQ8 and

>if they do, keep them away from most grains, particularly wheat. If they're

>allergic to milk they have a pretty good chance of having problems with

>gluten so I'd check if I was you.

I'd second that. One thing you CAN do as a step is to

make some goodies only make them without the gluten

grains. Like, we make Tinkyada pasta. What I've found is

that they lose the " addiction " part of wanting grains once the

gluten is out of the picture, and then they start wanting other

foods more. Right now my family eats very little in the way

of grain products, tho they do eat GF toast on occasion.

It's a lot easier to *switch* grains as a first step rather

than kicking them cold turkey, which rarely works. I asked

my dd once why she didn't mind us not eating wheat. She

said " Well, for one thing I'm not really sure what wheat IS! " Few people

can tell

the difference between gluten and non-gluten food, if it's

made well.

And getting the tests will give you better data to work

with!

>I wish my parents had kept me off cereal and milk. I am paying a big price

>for it now.

Ach, me too! Plus you have all those " childhood loving memories "

to contend with. Cake=Mom=Love. Well, mine are getting used

to the idea that Smoothie=Mom=Love.

-- Heidi Jean

[Guest guest]

>>>> >I wish my parents had kept me off cereal and milk. I am paying a big

price

>for it now. ~Robin

>>>>>>>>>> Ach, me too! Plus you have all those " childhood loving memories "

to contend with. Cake=Mom=Love. Well, mine are getting used

to the idea that Smoothie=Mom=Love.

-- Heidi >>>>>>

My memories of mom are cheerios & milk (Carnation Instant Low Fat Milk at

that,) so I try (hard!) to remember other things I can love her for :-)

~Robin

[Guest guest]

I forgot to comment on your photos...I think Luke would be an excellent

candidate for banding. You might want to check with your insurance first, some

companies require a certain amount of repositioning before they'll approve a

helmet, so that might be a reason to wait it out a little longer. But, if you do

decide to band now, his head could be corrected (or close to it) by the time he

is 6 months old. Waiting until 6 months is still a good time though too, so you

really just have to follow your heart.

Jake-2.5 (DOCBand Grad 9/08)

Jordan-5

>

> Hi Everyone! I was wondering if anyone has time, if they could look at my

son's photos and tell me what they think. It's under Our Plagio babies-L

Luke-right, Luke-right2 and Luke-left.

>

> I had a long labor and delivery and he came out with a pointy head that has

developed into a definite flatness in the back. I think he had some torticollis

when he was born too and slept face up even when I tried to reposition his head

until recently.

>

> My ped told me at his 4 month appointment to wait until his 6 month

appointment, but my gut is telling me that a helmet is the only way that will

correct this problem and prevent future issues. After many emails and phone

calls, he finally agreed that he thinks Luke can benefit from wearing a helmet

(he's 4.5 months old now).

>

> Questions:

> Is there somewhere that I can find out what is " banding " as opposed to

helmets? (or are they the same thing)?

>

> Has anyone dealt with Arimed in NYC? Postive, negative thoughts?

>

> There is a cranial tech in paramus, NJ. Are they the best to go to?

>

> Is there somewhere that I can find out the difference between DOC bands, Star

band, Hangars, Boston bands? (I've been trying to follow the group emails, but I

can't figure out which would be best for my son:)

>

> THANK YOU so much! This group is so great!

>