Paleo Bread

Disclaimer: The information shared here is simply what we've found to work for us. It is not to be considered medical advice.

For many who are battling IBD, gluten and grains wreak havoc on the already sensitive gut. I've been on a mission to find an alternative to bread for quite some time. My search may have just ended. 

I ordered this Paleo Bread from Julian Bakery and it arrived on our door step last week. My 3 year old Boy Wonder was excited and so was I! We immediately grabbed a couple of slices to try. He was VERY impressed. Me, well, it's definitely not the yeasty gluten filled bread most are used to eating. Personally, I love almond flour. I like the full feeling it provides and how it feels as you're chewing. It's satisfying. 

Boy Wonder likes both of the varieties equally. The almond flour variety (which actually contains almond flour and coconut flour) is softer. It's far superior to the yeast free rice loaf I have been purchasing. The rice loaf is very dense and not at all soft. The crust is so hard that Boy Wonder would always leave that part so I began cutting the crust off; something I said I would never do for my kids! *sigh* Back to the almond flour bread. It is delicate. I leave it on the counter as I'm spreading our desired filling on to it so it doesn't fall apart. Once it's put together, it holds up well enough. It doesn't have a big flavor, which is great really. I load it up with almond butter and raw honey or apricot jam.  devours it, crust and all. Win-win!

The coconut flour variety isn't a whole lot different except it does hold together better. The crust is a bit harder but still pretty soft all in all. I like it with a bit of Nutella. Yum!

Bottom line: This bread is a wonderful alternative for those who are seeking a grain free/gluten free option. It's pricey at $7.99 per loaf, especially when you factor in shipping. Next time I order, I will buy more in order to save on shipping costs. I may even attempt to make this on my own! 

A Day in the Life of an IBD Parent.

Being the parent of a child with IBD is a roller coaster. I hope this post will be informative, inspiring and remind all of you that you're not alone. There are many others going through challenges very similar to yours. Hang in there! This post is written by a mother of a son who was diagnosed with IBD at 20 months of age.

My journey with finding lasting healing for Landon, while still maintaining a career, jumping in head first to help run The Love 4 Landon Foundation, managing a household, making efforts to keep friendship's alive, having a loving relationship with my husband AND finding a tiny bit of time for ME has not been easy. As a matter of fact, it's been the hardest thing I have ever been through. 

As of now, my son Landon truly is doing well. I'm thankful every single day we wake up for the healing he's found. It doesn't stop the chatter in my head though. When you are a parent of a child with a chronic illness, you never really relax. It's a balancing act of remaining optimistic while still being aware of watching for any kind of sign or symptom returning.  

Every single day I think about his poop. Has he pooped yet? How many times has he pooped today? Were they normal? Were they soft? Did they smell different? Was there any mucus present? Are those flakes of the kidney beans he ate at lunch or is that {gasp!} blood? Is he more gassy than usual? What does his color look like? Is this rash related to his medication or is it a normal kid rash? Is his tummy distended? Are his lips pale? Is he lethargic? Does he seem to have his normal energy level? Is he grumpy because his tummy hurts or is it just normal 3 year old grumpiness? What will I do if symptoms return? Am I ready to delve in and do FMT again? I think of these things every single day. When I am at work, I even text my Mom (who is with him on the days I can't be) inquiring about his poop. Luckily, she gives me good details and sets my mind at ease. Thanks Mom!

Often times people see Landon now and assume he's all well and healed. I can't tell you how many times I've heard the phrase "I'm sure he'll grow out of this!" or "He looks so good! I know he will be just fine." You know what? No. He won't grow out of it. This is an autoimmune issue. It isn't something he will ever outgrow. We hope to have him symptom free for many years but with something like this, the future is undetermined. You know what else? There is no way you can know he will be just fine because we don't even know that! Please, if you're reading this and have a friend or family member with an autoimmune issue, don't ever say these words to them. For those of us going through this every day, those words are very hurtful. It absolutely diminishes the trails and difficulties we are faced with on a regular basis. 

I'm an optimist by nature, I used to even be a bit of a Pollyanna. Now, I consider myself to be optimistically real. I understand on a much deeper level the road ahead. I'm ready for it and I will face it head on. My husband will face it with me and we will always advocate for our son. Together, we will make sure he always has what he needs, nutritionally, medically, spiritually and otherwise. 

I understand now why people who have a child with health issues or other special considerations often times end up in front of a judge seeking a divorce. Things like this can absolutely tear you apart as a couple. You don't have any time for each other because you are both 100% focused on your child. Your relationship is pushed to the brink, emotionally, physically, intimately. You stop talking and connecting. Sex. HA! What is that? Those are the facts, as ugly and frightening at it may be. Luckily, for my husband and I, we weathered it. It was difficult to say the least. It still isn't easy but it's a whole lot better than it was a year ago. We are connected again and we do love each other dearly. We are committed to one another, to our son and to our marriage. 

I hope this post doesn't come off as negative, as that is not my intention. I just wanted to give you all a small glimpse in to what I deal with, while letting you know you aren't alone if you have any similar feelings. I AM grateful, every single day, for my husband, for Landon, for my family, for my friends, for my job, for the air I breathe. Sometimes, I even think about the person who built my desk or paved the roads I drive on and I send forth gratitude for them, whoever it was. I choose happiness, love, contentment and goodness for my life.

Thank you for taking the time to stop by IBD BLOWS! 

Nutrition and IBD

Dinner is served! Rice pasta with kidney bean sauce, avocado and an almond/rice flour pumpkin muffin.

First off, I want to say, each person struggling with IBD is different and what works for one, may not work for another. Today I am sharing what works for our Boy Wonder. It is not professional advice, simply what we've found to be best for him.

Inevitably, when people find out Landon is vegan, their response is, "Wow! What on Earth do you feed him?!" I completely understand it too. I never, ever thought I would have a child living a vegan lifestyle. My husband and I sure don't eat that way! Although, I am making changes and strive to have meat free days at least a couple of times a week. 

The thing is, when we removed animal protein from Landon's diet, he made some really great strides in his healing process. I'm not saying it's for everyone, but it certainly does work for him. 

He is also gluten free, grain free (with the exception of rice) and food dye free. Basically, we feed him REAL food, not a bunch of processed stuff. 

Many people wonder what he eats and how he gets the proper amount of nutrition for his growing body. Lucky for you, that's exactly what I'm talking about today. 

First off, I want to say, removing animal protein from Landon's diet did not happen over night. It was a somewhat gradual process, where we removed beef first, followed by cheese and yogurt, followed by turkey and chicken. Each time we eliminated something, his body would shift and he would get a little better. We realized very quickly this was going to be a lasting thing for him.

In the beginning I was very concerned on how to get enough protein in him. Now, I don't even think twice about it. Did you know beans and rice together make up the perfect protein for human consumption? He has that at least once a day, most days twice. We are very fortunate to have a kid who isn't a picky eater. He will thrown down on pretty much any food we put in front of him.

I have learned to get creative in the kitchen and the reward has been a much healthier, happier kid.

Here's an example of what he eats in a normal day:

Breakfast:  1 Pumpkin muffin or waffle (made from almond and rice flours), rice cereal with applesauce, raw local honey and cinnamon and Almond Milk.

Lunch:  Rice pasta with bean sauce (I blend a variety of beans in the food processor to form a sauce) and squash.

Dinner:  Rice pasta with bean sauce, avocado and applesauce.  

Snacks:  Nut crackers with almond butter, pureed squash and pear pouches, rice crackers, applesauce, carrots.

Of course, there are other foods that I didn't list here but that gives you an idea. Lucky for us, his foods are expanding and his body is able to tolerate more as he continues to heal.

One thing we do religiously is give him supplements every day to make sure he's getting what he needs. He takes iron, calcium, zinc, B12, Vitamin D, cod liver oil and a chewable multi vitamin, as well as probiotics and saccharomyces boulardi every morning. That may sound like a lot to some of you, but it's what's necessary for him and it's working!

Here is a  healthy boy who loves his food!

Welcome to IBD BLOWS

Hello Readers!

Welcome to IBD BLOWS!

Let me a take a moment to introduce who we are and what we're doing here.

In December of 2011, my son Landon was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis, at 20 months of age. He was hospitalized for a total of 5 weeks, received numerous blood transfusions, and has traveled  a long journey to regain his health.

We did a lot of research and discovered a real need to help others who are battling Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD). IBD encompasses Crohn's Disease and ulcerative colitis, which affects 1.4 million American's; 10% of those being children.

In October of 2012, The Love 4 Landon Foundation was founded, in honor of our Boy Wonder. Our mission is to help others struggling with these sometimes debilitating diseases, by raising awareness, helping to educate regarding the availability of complimentary treatments and to provide financial assistance to those in need.

Check back here for everything related to IBD!

IBD BLOWS! However, you are not alone and you do NOT have to suffer in silence.

You can also find us on Facebook or visit our website.