Salicylates challenge more than expected

After 31 days of a strict elimination diet, we've finally entered the discovery phase.  Our first challenge, salicylates, was harder than I thought it would be.  For the previous 31 days I had looked forward to indulging in strawberries, mangoes, cherries, pumpkin, and apples, and once again enjoying the flavor provided by curry and cinnamon.  I thought my son would too; he was absolutely fixated on pictures of strawberries.  But the food didn't taste as good as I expected, and I was surprised to discover that I didn't feel very well either.

This post has moved.  Read the entire post at http://wombats-and-cents.blogspot.com/2006/12/salicylates-challenge-more-than.html

Comments

[Dan]

I don't know if you've heard of a product called No-Fenol, but it is supposed to dramatically reduce the requirement for these elimination diets, because it helps the body to digest things like salicylates and other phenolic foods. No -- I don't sell the stuff -- I can barely afford it as I'm on Medicaid, but the last time I tried it, it really made a difference. A google search will turn up a lot of information on the product and it's many benefits for many different "allergies" or "intolerances".

[Courtney]

Thanks for the information, Dan. I can see that a product that works as No Phenol claims to work would be useful when faced with the social challenge of eating what others provide you, but my preferred way of treating the problem is to avoid the problem chemicals in the first place when possible.

I do not subscribe to the use of drugs (especially "supplements" that are not required to satisfy any FDA standards) to treat a symptom of a problem without fully understanding the problem, which is why I am trying to get away from the long term use of Cortisone to treat his skin problems. The intention of the elimination and challenge diet is to identify the source of the problem so that we can treat it at the source. Using diet to control the problem appeals to me because it does not require us to rely on drugs to treat the problem.

Of course, if I had just discovered that I wouldn't be able to eat blueberries ever again, I might be singing a different tune.

[Dan]

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted that -- I completely forgot! :)

Anyway, i would strongly encourage that you at least look into some of the other mother's stories -- I think on www.enzymestuff.com(?).

I agree with you -- it's best to avoid the causes of the problem, and ESPECIALLY all the chemical additives that are often huge sources of sals and phenols, which brings me to the FDA. Who has allowed all these artificial ingredients to be included in 95% of the stuff sold at grocery stores? Who has repeatedly denied that these chemicals don't cause any harm despite massive evidence to the contrary? I would humbly suggest that the FDA is more concerned with the food and drug industry lobbyists, than the public for whom it was designed to protect. I guess I should give them credit for finally going after trans-fats, but that's after 20=30 years of studies showing they're more harmful than saturated fats...

Just my two cents! :)

Hope you're continuing to improve -- and glad I stumbled across your blog again.

Dan

[Courtney]

Hear! Hear!