In my quest to have healthy children and a healthy home I have gained so much knowledge and I was asking myself
'Why didn't I know this and why didn't anyone tell me sooner?'
Our History
Both of my girls have been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease around Christmas 2010, the change to a Gluten Free diet has been great. Initially it was overwhelming as I cook because we need to eat not because I have a passion for cooking.
Breanna would have terrible pain in the tummy several times a day to the point she would tense up from it. Since removing Gluten it improved a lot but did not disappear. A doctor advised me she would have to learn to control it. Breanna suffers from ulcers quite regularly and in my research I found that as they are reoccurring she may have vitamin deficiencies, including iron deficiency, and folate, zinc, or vitamin B12 deficient. When I asked the doctor about this I was advised that her latest blood tests showed nothing lacking other than a slight lacking in Protein. Breanna also has a mild case of Cerebral Palsy and has accomplished so much in her young life that if I can do anything to make the rest of her health better I will.
Tashy has various allergies and would break out in HIVES several times a week in the warmer months, a blood test revealed dust mites allergies but due to it being around more in the warmer months I believe it's also seasonal. There would be days I found no reason at all so I believed some foods would set it off also. Trying to narrow down why this happens is really hard. A doctor advised me that since it wasn't life threating as in not causing any breathing problems then this is just how it is. Tashy has eczema as well and if not managed she will be constantly scratching and breaking out. Tahsy also has so much energy and doesn't sleep well. I love her energy that's what makes her Tashy but she needs to sleep. She just can't settle and go to sleep but once she is asleep she goes ok most of the time but this is a recent change she used to wake all night long as well.
I refuse to accept that all of these health concerns is just how it should be.
What I do now - Coeliac
I have removed Gluten from the girl's diet and found a big change so I researched as much as I could and this leads me down many paths.
There is lots of talk around why so many are now being diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and I have asked so many the question and done so much research. Here are the main opinions:
1. Too much wheat in our diets, wheat is in so much of our food products, such thickening agents the list goes on. (There is now beginning to be a shift and more and more Gluten free products are becoming available) The reason there is wheat in so much is it is cheap for companies to use. (A little like what is happening with our Personal Care Products and Cleaning Products, I'll get to this shortly)
2. Diagnostic methods these days are far better than in the past so more are being diagnosed.
I can't say for sure why but I believe it's a mixture of the both of the above.
Other Ingredients
In my journey I was left wondering if Gluten has made such a difference and I didn't realise it was in so much then what else am I missing. If I look at other ingredients maybe there will be other significant changes to our lives.
I looked more at foods and found there's lot I need to avoid and that they may make a difference with Tashy and her sleep and much more, I have a handy card that I carry with me so whenever I'm shopping I can check the ingredients.
Supplements
I have also learnt from my research that the soil which grows our produce isn't like it used to be and is lacking a lot of the minerals that we used to get from our fresh fruit and vegetables. So while you think you are eating a healthy diet it is actually lacking. Also produce can be harvested early and stored for long periods of time. Early harvesting and storage conditions affect the quality of our produce. By quality I mean the goodness in them, for example Antioxidants which helps fight the free radicals we have in our bodies are lacking due to the early harvesting, conditions and length of time they are stored before being available to the public to purchase.
Good quality (and I stress good quality) supplements can give us what we are lacking and improve all aspect of our health and wellbeing. It can even work on allergies and eczema which is just what my family needs. I have tried some supplements long term with no real change at all so that is why I say good quality or you may as well throw your money away.
Supplements are not a substitute for a healthy diet but an addition to your diet.
Personal Care & Cleaning Products
I looked into the ingredients in these products and found lots that are questionable but 2 that I will talk about are firstly Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) which can be found in toothpaste, shampoo, bubble bath and is also used in engine degreasers, floor cleaners and so on. It has been linked to Cancer and is a skin and eye irritant. The other product is Propylene Glycol which is used as a humectant food additive, found in cosmetics, toothpaste, shampoo's, antifreeze, solvent and so on. It has been linked to Cancer, is a skin and eye irritant and also a neurotoxin.
Again why do they use these ingredients. it is cheap option for companies to use.
The more research I did the more confused I was. Some said in small doses it's ok, others said it was bad no matter how low the dose. The above 2 ingredients are linked with allergies, eczema and much much more. I was asking myself.
'How do I know the truth and what to do?'
Then it hit me, it's all about choice and my personal choice. Do I want to risk it - NO. Do I want a change for the girls and their health - YES. So I have to get rid of all the nasty chemicals. I'm in the process of changing over so much in my house and have found some great products. If anyone wants any further info ask me I and I will help where I can. I will be doing lot more posts on my research, findings and my opinion.
For years I would just go to the shops and buy what was on the shelves trusting that it wouldn't be there if it was harmful. Not thinking enough about what was in our products. Now I always ask myself do I want to RISK it No I don't. Ask yourself the same question?
NOTE: I want to make it clear that this is based on my own research and is my own opinion. I want to share what I have learnt with others as it has been shared with me. Why do I want to share. If I can help someone else then that's a good thing.
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