Stand Strong in the Face of Criticism!

Today, I'm giving you a glimpse into the pain and struggles I faced as a mom during the early stages of our elimination diet. I'm sharing my prayer journal entries with you so you can see the inner turmoil I faced. You see, if you decide to pursue the GAPS diet, or any type of elimination diet for that matter, be prepared for criticism!

The people closest to you will give you the hardest time, but you have to be strong and stay focused on following your diet to the letter! Our bodies will not heal if we "cut back" on food triggers or if we only "cheat" every once in a while. It's very black and white... Are you eating foods your body can't handle or are you not. That's where you're going to get the most criticism, because people don't like hard lines drawn in the sand. They like a little gray. They like to blur the lines. If you want results, you MUST stand your ground!

Before I share my experience, I must say that my parents have been my greatest supporters, once we got beyond the first year of our elimination diet. It took seeing the actual data proving that our diet healed Jon David's gut before they fully understood what I was trying to accomplish, but now they see it and fully believe in food as medicine.

Food is a sensitive topic for people because so many social situations revolve around eating. When we want to get together with friends we ask them over for dinner. When we have a party, we plan our menu. When it's our birthday we look forward to cake and ice cream! Holidays are surrounded by traditional meals and we stuff ourselves until we're miserable, but that's what we're use to, and heaven forbid someone do something to change tradition.

The harshest critic I had concerning our dietary changes was my mom. She loves me and my boys more than anything in this world, but I struck a nerve with her when I said we were seriously restricting our diet in order to help Jon David's asthma. Her response was harsh and hurtful. She said I was going to "make Jon David weird," that I was going to be "the reason he gets bullied," that I was an "extreme parent." She couldn't understand how Jon David would ever be able to go to another birthday party because he couldn't eat cake and ice cream. She had a nervous breakdown every time my kids came over to her house because she had no idea what to fix them because of our restrictions. Learning how to modify recipes seemed too hard and she didn't see how changing the foods we eat could possibly help Jon David's asthma. In her opinion, it was easier to just keep giving him the medicines, and she was right! That would have been MUCH easier, but it was also just addressing his symptoms and never the underlying cause.

Hear me out. My mom is my greatest supporter and my best friend, but this was the roughest period in BOTH of our lives. She wanted to be the fun grandma that takes the kids out for McDonald's and gives them tons of junk food. She looked forward to giving my kids cake for breakfast and letting them eat whatever they want when they came to her house. So, you can imagine her frustration when I took away something she looked forward to doing with my boys.

On the other hand, I wanted to exhaust every possible natural option until I figured out how to rid my son of his asthma and food sensitivities. I didn't want Jon David on medications that could have all kinds of long-term side-effects. I was willing to sacrifice hours upon hours of my time planning and preparing meals, while working as a high school teacher, Zumba instructor, and running my kids to all of their practices. Not only did I have to read multiple books to fully understand the parameters of the diets, but I also had to learn how to cook, which I had never done before. Not only did I have to learn how to cook, but I had to learn how to modify recipes to eliminate Jon David's food triggers, which included just about every basic cooking ingredient. Not only did I have to learn how to modify recipes to eliminate his food triggers, but I had to make the food actually taste good! My recipes were complete disasters more times than I'd like to admit, but I kept on trying, and I eventually figured a few things out.

(These were supposed to be sugar cookies) (Lemon Vitality cookies and vanilla birthday cake)

Changing our diet threw a wrench into all of our family functions, but it if I wanted Jon David's gut to heal, his inflammation to settle down, and his asthma to go away, I had to stand my ground when challenged about our food. Was it easy? NO! Did I want to be at odds with my mom over food? NO! Was it worth it? YES, YES, YES!!!

Let me reassure you, your child can still be normal and have food sensitivities if you're willing to make a few accommodations. When we go to birthday parties, I bring Jon David a little cake that meets his dietary needs. I make sure to pack Jon David's FAVORITE foods when we go places so he feels special instead of left out. He brags to his friends about his special treats, so don't worry about those things. Everything will work out just fine!

Your child's attitude toward their new diet will largely depend on your attitude, so be positive. Telling Jon David how much I love him, and that I make his food special for him, is one of the ways I've turned cooking into a symbol of my love. Find your own ways to make cooking special. Make your own traditions. Have your children help you in the kitchen. These are memories you'll cherish forever!

When you're feeling down, frustrated, defeated, overwhelmed, disheartened, and unsure about your decision to go against the grain and pursue health over the Standard American Diet, remember that you're making your decision out of love. This is a selfless sacrifice that will draw criticism, but you will see HUGE benefits in the long run. Stay strong. Find an encourager that will lift you up when others are tearing you down. Seek and find strength in the Lord! Be brave! You can do this!

Three years after we began our health-food journey, my mom called and told me I made the right decision. Mind you, my mom and I had gotten through our differences long before then, but it was still so nice to hear those words. I love you mom! Thank you for all you have done to support me. I'm so grateful for you and how you love me and my boys unconditionally.

#IgG #foodallergies #asthma