Change for the BETTER?!?!?!

Tomorrow starts the official Feingold Program for our family!!! I'm paranoid, scared, hesitant, and excited all at the same time! Paranoid because I have to monitor everything we eat even if I am not around. Scared that this program won't work and help my O.D.D. child. Hesitant to "change" our lifestyle. Excited about the positive outcomes that the Feingold Program has proven time and again that "changed" behaviors all over the world in persons with ailments such as O.D.D./ADHD.

A summary of the program to get a better understanding:

"The Feingold Program is a form of elimination diet. It shows you how to run a short-term test to find out if certain foods and/or food additives are triggering any of the symptoms you are seeing. Major offenders include but are not limited to: food dyes, artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, three preservatives (BHA, BHT, or TBHQ), aspirin and natural salicylates."

After 3-6 weeks, you can start gradually reintroducing the natural salicylates and aspirin back into your diet. Easy right????? Well when you think about ALL of the crap manufacturers place into our food, I pretty much felt screwed. He (WE) can't eat ANYTHING! But after looking over the materials the past few weeks, I realized we CAN eat alot of our favorite foods. It is the BRAND that I have to watch. Luckily the Feingold Program sent me a very very detailed list of foods (brand included) to buy and stock my pantry with. Yes a lot of the brands are organic, pricey, and hard to find. It has been a challenge to re-stock my pantry as I have had to visit a few different stores. But I know once we get into this, it will get easier. Kind of like driving a car for the first time. You have the gas, brakes, mirrors, blinkers, etc. Lots of parts, but after a bit it all falls into place and you can do it blindfolded (I DON'T RECOMMEND THIS :)  )  You get the point....

The next few weeks will be challenging and different. But change is good and if I can change my son's ailments simply by what he eats, I'm up for the challenge! Wish us luck!