I have now opened and closed this window about 13 times – finally, I have given in and I’m just going to write a stupid post already. I can’t promise that it will be good. It may be annoying and stupid, because there are many things going through my head right now. Instead of letting myself be overwhelmed by those things, I’m just going to start writing. Consider yourself warned.
We have recently begun a new diet, the Feingold Diet, wherein you remove all artificial preservatives, flavorings and colors from your diet and personal care products. My main goal in this endeavor is to get Eli’s behavior to where I think it should be and where I know it could be. One day not so very long ago last week, I casually Googled the symptoms of ADHD. I was shocked to find a list that perfectly described my son (and to some extent, my oldest daughter) accompanied by a full-color photo of Eli. I realized something needs to change. Since I have no interest in medicating him for this, I immediately started searching for dietary changes that could help. (Please note: I have no interest in changing my son into a zombified version of himself. I just want the best version of him possible. Someone in control of himself – he wants this, too.)
Right at the top of the Google results was a link to the Feingold website, and I immediately began reading everything. My mom bought the materials for me and while I waited for them to arrive in the mail, I started removing obvious culprits from our home. Things containing Blue-5 or Yellow-11 in the ingredients list were the first things to go. Eli and Bri were pretty calm about all this, especially when they realized this wouldn’t be like Paleo version 2 (evil Paleo has made my kids hate eggs and bacon, no joke).
After I got the materials and took my 3 hour long, multiple-grocery-stores trip for foodstuffs, I returned home with many goodies. Natural cookies and hard candy and fresh produce and cheese and meat and cereals, all safe for this diet. They realized hey…this could be good. Cookies??
So, Day 1 wasn’t all that different, though there was a bit more calm and slightly less Non-Stop Bouncing Off of Every Available Surface. Day 2 was significantly more impressive – Eli expressed how he felt to me instead of launching a chair at a closed door and screaming out, “You’re STUPID!!!!” (Yes, when he screams this it absolutely has 4 exclamation points following it, at a minimum) I felt a glimmer of home that this could work. I was excited.
Then yesterday came. And oh my sweet lord, he was in rare form. Most of the day went swimmingly, but in the afternoon he had the meltdown to end all meltdowns and I nearly lost my mind. Screaming at me, crying, throwing himself on the floor, throwing every available object at his bedroom door (it looks like Wisconsin cheese, but not so yummy, and not so inexpensive to replace), etc. For hours. He would calm down only to start up again when he got his second, third, fourth and fifth wind. ‘Twas ridiculous. I don’t even know what prompted it. Maybe a combo of physical exertion (hiking at the park earlier) and his daddy being gone overnight for work? Maybe an unexpected reaction to something he ate? He was a wreck.
Today has been better, but wowsa, yesterday freaked me OUT. I’m hopeful that he’ll continue to improve and have fewer of the meltdowns. Either way, this is a positive change for all of us, as we are eating a lot more whole, unprocessed food – which is always good. Oh and $5/loaf bread = we start making our own this weekend. Wish me luck 
I love you, nugget, and am very proud of you. Your kids are so lucky to have you. xo ~ Ant Franny
Aw, thanks, Aunt Nugget! I love you back
What a good mama you are! It’s hard to be patient through the meltdowns.
I’ve thought about making our own bread, too. I can’t believe how much more it costs to eat healthier food. It’s just nuts. Good luck!
Thanks, woman. I never feel like a good mama in those moments! I think tomorrow will be Day 1 of the bread making mission. I’ll let you know how it goes.