Diary of putting my family on the RAPH diet

[hrk]

I looked at foods with zinc, and I don't eat a lot of them.  I see acne is one of the signs of zinc issues (as many of you are mentioning skin related issues).  The dermatologist I saw recently flat out said there is no connection between skin and what we eat.  I would have to significantly disagree, as I am a complete case of it.

I did three things that helped significantly: a vitamin (which has 100% daily recommended amt of zinc, but it also has good amts of other vitamins like a, b, c, e), switched to real soap (no more of the sls or detergent soaps that were drying my skin and making it ridiculously oily, irritated; I was cetaphiled to death with no improvement), and got rid of shampoos (using baking soda water or my own homemade soap/dr. bronner's), and bragg's apple cider vinegar (helped return skin to slightly acidic ph, which is what skin is supposed to be and naturally reduces bacteria).

So, H's vitamin only has 20% RDA of zinc.  He does eat peanut butter.  What are others doing to naturally increase zinc?  It says that too much can cause abdominal pain, vomiting, and diahrrea.  Gi issues are what many of these little ones have already.  :-(  Too much and you really can't tell which is the problem...

[EloysH]

Jean, how do you take the apple cider vinegar?

True about over dosin Jean, although our naturopath says that 80 of people are low in zinc around here.   I have never focused on zinc foods as I have always been so low in zinc.   I think its basically meat and salmon  - the vegetarian diet is naturall high in copper and low in zinc.

 The biomed GP I am about to see sends you off for a zinc plasma test (blood test) so the zinc levels can be determined correctly.  You can't have had supplements for a certain amount of time before the test - not sure how long.  I will be able to fill you ladies in on everything after my appointment next Wed.  Naturopaths diagnose the low zinc through zinc tally test plus a range of other symptoms, wound healing is one, I can't remember the others but there is a truck load of things.  I guess zinc needs to be looked at in a wholistic sense -whole of body picture from a qualified practioner. I would go for a BIOMED or associated Dr with MINDD org and affiliated organisations if possible.

 I am sure the BIOMED Dr  we are about tos ee will say lay off the copper,  because high copper brings down your zinc. I think it needs to be attached from obth ends, lower copper and raise zinc. For instance drink filered water because tap water from copper pipes adds copper to your body. Once zinc is depleted it is incredibly hard to raise back up with diet alone and requires supplementation.  At that point is becomes very hard to overdose.

[Mom to M&M]

Well so far so good. Holistic doc said go ahead and put 10 drops (15 mg) ionic zinc concentrate in about 10-12 ounces water this morning and had right after breakfast. That was a little over an hour ago and so far no cramps or nausea. We will see!

[hrk]

For the apple cider vinegar (we use braggs that has the mother in it for cooking/skincare; not the sterile kind), you dilute it in a 1 to 4 or 5 parts cider vinegar to water.  I mixed up a bunch and put it in a bottle in the bathroom.  I started twice daily (or would do twice daily with bad break outs), but then dropped to once a day at night.  Because my skin is clear now, I don't feel that I need to use it.  

My favorite natural skincare books are by Stephanie Tourles.  :-)  I read a ton about skincare while trying to customize our skincare for the failsafe way of eating/living.
  

[hrk]

I said sterile, but I wanted to suggest bragg's.   It is raw/unfiltered/organic.  http://bragg.com/products/bragg-organic-healthy-live-food-products.html

[sherry lynn]

Hey Jean - I saw that bragg's stuff at the store the other day. I was curious about it we can't do anything with vinegar right now though since we are still trying to do this failsafe stuff. 

I watched the link that was on FB about Susan Dengate and the news broadcast. It was really interesting. That would NEVER fly in a whole class here. Schools can't even get with Jamie Oliver here, without so much to-do.

I forgot to mention that E is still low in Iron. I was really surprised because he is doing so much better with meat, etc. But, we had to start supplements. Curious about the iron.

[sherry lynn]

Forgot to say we are on vacation for a week, so I'll hopefully get to hear your resolts when I log back on Elo. Also, my sister gets psorasis really badly and I have eczema so I'm curious about the zinc. The failsafe diet did not take it away, although it did help it.

[hrk]

Yes, failsafe is not big on vinegar.  You are right!  I think it was Nourishing Traditions that does a bit more with vinegar.  That book is also in the food chemical free camp.  Once you weed out the chemicals to avoid in RPAH, then it is easier to broaden out. 

I know we have chatted about Jamie Oliver.  I wish schools would "clean up" their menus.  I think I am going to have to have H take his lunch to school when he starts kindergarten.  The teacher at prek is super nice about the food issue.  She gave Heath a cubby for "safe" snacks.  On a day that there are grapes/strawberries (that is my focus right now), she just pulls something out for him.  She also makes a note on his daily sheet with regards to what he had, if it was different than the other kids. 

Do you currently take a vitamin with zinc, Sher?  I really did notice a big difference in my skin with taking that vitamin.  Perhaps it's the zinc, or perhaps a combo of all the other vitamins/minerals that are good for skin.  I have never been able to take a daily vitamin until I started taking one that is iron free.  It made all the difference.  I wish I had known about the iron free prenatal ones when I was pregnant with Heath.

 

[EloysH]

For the apple cider vinegar (we use braggs that has the mother in it for cooking/skincare; not the sterile kind), you dilute it in a 1 to 4 or 5 parts cider vinegar to water.  I mixed up a bunch and put it in a bottle in the bathroom.  I started twice daily (or would do twice daily with bad break outs), but then dropped to once a day at night.  Because my skin is clear now, I don't feel that I need to use it. 

DO you wash it off or leave it on the skin?

Well I have been on the igh dose zinc one week now, so far nothing has changed with my skin.  One more week to go.

[hrk]

I wish it was working for you, Eloys.  I have done both washed it off and left it on.  I would start off just washing it off.  If it makes your skin uncomfortable, I would probably dilute it a bit more.

I also ran out of my vitamins for about a week, and with everything the same, the acne was starting to come back again.  The vitamins make a good difference. 

[kim&savannah]

I'm not sure what I've got, but I started feeling really weak, achy, dizzy, and lots of chills and one of my breasts is starting to get sore--I'm thinking it may be mastitis and now I don't know what to do.  Antibiotics are not a good idea, if I can help it, right?  Maybe its just a coincidence.  I have had a cough/sore throat, and Henry has discovered the fun of clamping down on my breast while eating and turning his head, so I've been sore off and on the last week.

Any suggestions on home remedies other than just feeding frequently and massaging the breast that's sore?

[tigerlilly905]

((hugs)) Kim!! That's terrible. Are you able to eat coconut oil? Even just off the spoon?  It has very good healing properties that might be able to bump up your immune system. I can't remember, you are taking probiotics as well, right? 

I've heard warm cabbage leaves can help. http://www.lactationconsultant.info/cabbagecure.html  It works for engorgement as well as mastitis.

On another topic, I read this about GMOs today, thought you ladies might be interested: "There's already plenty of evidence that the Bt-toxin produced in GM corn and cotton plants is toxic to humans and mammals and triggers immune system responses. The fact that it flows through our blood supply, and that is passes through the placenta into fetuses, may help explain the rise in many disorders in the US since Bt crop varieties were first introduced in 1996.
 
In government-sponsored research in Italy, mice fed Monsanto's Bt corn showed a wide range of immune responses. Their elevated IgE and IgG antibodies, for example, are typically associated with allergies and infections. The mice had an increase in cytokines, which are associated with "allergic and inflammatory responses."

Here's the full article if anyone is interested...
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/05/has-any-company-ever-harmed-the-planet-more-than-this.aspx?e_cid=20111005_DNL_art_1  GMOS have got to go!!!

[sherry lynn]

We just got back from vacation. It was great. But, a diet disaster, that's for sure. But, Lyle and Emory both coped more than I thought they would.
Also has also added a few things to his diet which is both AWESOME, amazing and disappointing at the same time.
Awesome because he is broadening his diet which we sooooo need. I think we might be up to 20 foods now. Which is the most we've had in a long long time. I'm going to make a list after I'm done with this post to send to his SLP. But, disappointing because almost all of them are "bad" for him, that I let his Great Grandma buy for him because he ASKED for them, and she said yes, and to be honest I was curious if he would eat them.
So: He has picked pancakes back up. YEY. He has added noodles, both rice and regular
And the big one his doughnuts, he's asked for them TWICE since being home.

Also, we have learned that not only are propronates (sp) not good for him, HE CRAVES them like an addict. I think he went through 1/2 a loaf in two days. So we promptly went out and bought gluten free, preservative free bread.

[hrk]

It does sound like good news/bad news.  But he is broadening; that is super!  You have to start somewhere, right?  I think the food chaining mentions that, too?  Now finding sutible substitutes may work?  I know that is a tricky one, as you don't want him to start disliking those foods again because something about them changed.

It sounds like he does better with gluten free, but he likes the "regular" bread.  Is he definitely gluten free?  I found a bread we like that uses no oil, but it does have whole wheat and unbleached white flour.  It keeps well in the refrigerator.

How is the gf cooking coming along?

And gmo's are on our avoid list, but it is hard to always know! 

[kim&savannah]

Jean--maybe you already know this, but Trader Joes brand is all GMO free.  I just found this out last week, but it was nice to know that a lot of the food we've bought the last 3 years has been GMO free since I do a lot of shopping there.