About three years ago, we discovered that dairy and gluten were giving our girl tummy troubles. I'm kind of ashamed to admit how long it took me to figure this out; she was four-years-old. And she was vomiting (really, it was projectile puking) regularly. The one day, as I cleaned up the floor again, I realized that it was the milk and the wheat. I'm not sure why I was surprised. When she was an infant, she had GERD and was on Zantac until the doctor and I figured out that milk -- mine and formula -- were the issue and switched her to soy. So, why did I think she'd be able to consume it now? Not so sure.
Since that discovery, we've strived to limit her dairy and gluten as much as possible. We are not perfect. And don't worry, if you gave her a glass of milk and a cookie, she wouldn't puke all over you. Her tummy would hurt and would be hard and bloated. If she had say three or four cookies and two or three glasses of milk, then you better duck and cover. Since then, I too stay as far away from gluten as possible. Of course I cheat but I pay the price. So I have to cheat wisely. Is that even such a thing?
Anyway, I've done a lot of research on this issue and have recently begun to see more and more research that suggests it's not the gluten that makes us sick. It's the fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides used on wheat and the hybridization the grain has undergone in the last forty years. I know, I know. This is a hot button issue. And for as many reports that suggest this, there are as many that contradict it. Do the research, try it for yourself. I'm just telling you what I've read and what I've experienced. Dr Davis explains the difference between GM and hybridization really well. Plus, Monsanto will tell you that their Round Up ready wheat is safe. (side note: how did the wheat become Round Up ready if it wasn't some how modified?)
I decided to test this since gluten-free bread is 1- expensive, 2- made with rice which is GMO, 3- full of fillers and sugar and 4- generally not "bread" and more like a sponge. In the early days, I'd baked grain-free, sugar-free bread, but the chemistry and unpredictability of it all made me hate baking. So, when I discovered organic, non-GMO whole wheat bread at Sam's club, I did a cartwheel. Well, not really, I don't do cartwheels. However, I try to avoid Sam's Club as much as possible because it is a pit of money-spending hell. I swear my purse just starts dumping out money as soon as I walk into that store.
But, it worked! Gracey could eat sandwiches and toast without any problems! Yahoo! And at $6 for 2 loaves, it's a deal.
Then I discovered Montana Wheat Prairie Gold Whole Wheat flour at Wal-Mart. It's non-GMO and organic and at $4 for a five pound bag, it's a really great buy. (side note: did you know Wal-Mart is the largest retailer of organic foods?) So yesterday, the kids and I baked bread. The recipe, which I got from Montana Wheat's website, baked up two beautiful loaves. And, they loved it! It's moist and hardy, makes great sandwiches and terrific toast. It's not full of chemicals and I figure each loaf cost me only $1.50 in flour plus the kids got a baking chemistry lesson!
And, the best part? It doesn't hurt her tummy!
Since that discovery, we've strived to limit her dairy and gluten as much as possible. We are not perfect. And don't worry, if you gave her a glass of milk and a cookie, she wouldn't puke all over you. Her tummy would hurt and would be hard and bloated. If she had say three or four cookies and two or three glasses of milk, then you better duck and cover. Since then, I too stay as far away from gluten as possible. Of course I cheat but I pay the price. So I have to cheat wisely. Is that even such a thing?
Anyway, I've done a lot of research on this issue and have recently begun to see more and more research that suggests it's not the gluten that makes us sick. It's the fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides used on wheat and the hybridization the grain has undergone in the last forty years. I know, I know. This is a hot button issue. And for as many reports that suggest this, there are as many that contradict it. Do the research, try it for yourself. I'm just telling you what I've read and what I've experienced. Dr Davis explains the difference between GM and hybridization really well. Plus, Monsanto will tell you that their Round Up ready wheat is safe. (side note: how did the wheat become Round Up ready if it wasn't some how modified?)
I decided to test this since gluten-free bread is 1- expensive, 2- made with rice which is GMO, 3- full of fillers and sugar and 4- generally not "bread" and more like a sponge. In the early days, I'd baked grain-free, sugar-free bread, but the chemistry and unpredictability of it all made me hate baking. So, when I discovered organic, non-GMO whole wheat bread at Sam's club, I did a cartwheel. Well, not really, I don't do cartwheels. However, I try to avoid Sam's Club as much as possible because it is a pit of money-spending hell. I swear my purse just starts dumping out money as soon as I walk into that store.
But, it worked! Gracey could eat sandwiches and toast without any problems! Yahoo! And at $6 for 2 loaves, it's a deal.
Then I discovered Montana Wheat Prairie Gold Whole Wheat flour at Wal-Mart. It's non-GMO and organic and at $4 for a five pound bag, it's a really great buy. (side note: did you know Wal-Mart is the largest retailer of organic foods?) So yesterday, the kids and I baked bread. The recipe, which I got from Montana Wheat's website, baked up two beautiful loaves. And, they loved it! It's moist and hardy, makes great sandwiches and terrific toast. It's not full of chemicals and I figure each loaf cost me only $1.50 in flour plus the kids got a baking chemistry lesson!
And, the best part? It doesn't hurt her tummy!