14 years ago we were at the endocrinologist’s office with my son because he wasn’t growing. The doctor wanted to give him 3 months to grow on his own and if nothing changed, he would be admitted for some tests that weren't so pleasant.
I called a dear friend, who is a now retired allergist/immunologist, explained the situation and asked, "What can I do?!" He said, "Go gluten-free for 3 months. If nothing changes, put him back on gluten. Oh, and do your research, gluten is in a lot of things."
I did my research and my 2-year-old became gluten-free. At the 3-month mark, the doctor said, "He grew! I don't know what you did, but keep doing it." I told him what we did. He wasn’t sold on the diet. But I was. Next, we took him off of dairy for GI reasons. In a matter of 4 months we got him to grow, cleared his eczema, his speech came in and his GI system was functioning properly.
Recently, we had our yearly appointment. What I didn't realize is that it would be our last one. Our wonderful doctor graduated us. We did “a remarkable job and there's nothing else for me to do.” My son reached his height goal.
My 14-year experiment with his diet worked. And I would not have known to try it without the help of that one doctor. That moment changed how I cook, how I feel about food, my ability to read and interpret labels, etc. I debated getting a nutrition degree while doing this, but instead spent my time creating recipes that he would enjoy without ever feeling left out. When you read my cookbooks and notice the ingredients I use (and don’t use) you now know why. This was the spark.
Happy Cooking,
Jill
Disclaimer: Please consult your doctor before changing your diet. This is not medical advice, this is a personal, anecdotal story I’m sharing. Thank you.