Dairy-, soy-, nut-, fish, and egg-free: A special kind of hell

My son has blood in his poo (we’re not squeamish here, mamas). That means that something I am ingesting is causing colitis, an inflammation of the colon. It’s not the end of the world. My son isn’t fussy or super gassy, and he doesn’t make a bigger deal out of pooping than any other baby I’ve seen. However, it does beg the question of whether he is absorbing all of the nutrients that he is ingesting. First, his pediatrician took me off of dairy. Still blood. Then soy. Still blood. Then eggs. Still blood. Then nuts. Yep, you guessed it--still blood. The pedi hasn’t taken me off of wheat yet, but I’m guessing that we’re not far from taking that step. 


As a mama who loves her low-fat cottage cheese, yogurt, cheese, and the occasional cold glass of skim milk, taking dairy out of my diet was tough, but after about a week, it got easier and I stopped craving it. I didn’t crave soy, so to speak, but it is in EVERYTHING! Soy flour is used as a filler in many foods, including cereals and just about everything pre-packaged. Eggs are less prevalent, as long as you’re not overly attached to baked goods. Nuts are also less prevalent, but they were one of this mama’s favorite snacks. So yes, many of my favorite foods have been eliminated, and not having the time or the energy to go on long food shopping trips, research recipes, or cook elaborate dinners, I’ve had to make do with the easiest options. 


Here are some things I’ve learned through my research and by talking to my son’s GI specialist:

• Soy oil (found in many salad dressings and sauces) and soy lecithin (an emulsifier) are okay, but not soy flour or any other soy derivatives (it’s the protein that the baby has trouble digesting, not the fat).
• If a package says “Made on the same equipment as...” you should avoid that food, but if the package says “Made in the same facility as...” you’re probably okay.  
• For wheat-free mamas, the food doesn’t necessarily have to be gluten free, but it does have to be wheat free (again, the culprit is the wheat protein).
• Many deli meats are packaged with casein, a milk-based preservative. Make sure the package says “casein free.”
• White fish can bother some babies

I found it helpful to make a list of all the foods I could eat, rather than dwell on what I couldn’t eat. Even if you eliminate all six major allergens (dairy, soy, wheat, nuts, and eggs), you can still eat a healthy and balanced diet--just be sure to take a calcium supplement and serve yourself larger portions of lean meats, poultry, and non-white fish. For example, you can still eat:

• Oatmeal
• Potatoes
• Popcorn
• Rice
• Fish, meats, and poultry
• Fruits and veggies (and lots of them!)
• Rice or coconut milk
• Pumpkin, sunflower, and sesame seeds (Trader Joe's has a great sunflower seed butter)
• Hummus

This isn't a completely list, obviously, but it's a start.



If you’re a mama who’s had to eliminate allergens from your diet, check out the Food Allergy and Anaphylaxis Network (www.foodallergy.org) for great tips and recipes and for the sweet toothed mamas, check outwww.avoidingmilkprotein.com/chocolate.htm. Also check out the following brands:

• Enjoy Life. Their snickerdoodle cookies and double chocolate brownie cookies are delicious! I would buy them even if I didn’t have to!
• When Pig’s Fly bread. It’s not wheat-free but it is soy-free
• So Delicious. Love their mint chip and chocolate coconut ice cream
• Rice Dream rice milk. The vanilla and chocolate are both good

For mamas who cringe at the thought of giving up chocolate, here is a recipe I got from a fellow dairy-free mama:

• 2 cups Enjoy Life dairy-free chocolate chips (available in the natural food section at Shaw’s)
• 1 ½ cups Kashi puffed cereal
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• ½ cup salted sunflower seeds

Melt the chocolate in the microwave. Mix remaining ingredients. Stir melted chocolate into remaining ingredients and spread mixture into a 9x9 baking dish. Refridgerate for two hours and cut into squares. You won't regret it!