Week 4:
Starting weight: 127
Ending weight: 125
This is my fourth week of trying to lose weight and get healthy! This week was a little different… Last week my five month old daughter was diagnosed with eczema. I felt so bad for her. Her skin is so dry and I think that it itches, causing her to be mildly fussy. The pediatrician told us to use several topical lotions including a steroid cream. Besides the side effects of steroid use, there is strong evidence that steroid use is linked to osteoporosis later in life. I have had eczema and asthma my whole life and have been on various types of steroids many times, so my chances of getting osteoporosis are very high. I really didn’t want to increase DD’s chance of complications later on. She’s only five months!
I decided instead to use coconut oil mixed with breast milk as a topical ointment and to try a modified elimination diet. The most common dietary triggers for eczema are dairy, wheat, eggs, and nuts. This week I decided to eliminate dairy from my diet to see if it would help. This is a big deal for me; I LOVE cheese, yogurt, and all things dairy. But I love DD more. I cried on the first day. For real–real tears. However, overall it really hasn’t been that bad. I have been using a blend of coconut and almond milk in my coffee and it’s quite tasty. I have also been eating almond yogurt, which is a little hard to get used to. I think I like coconut yogurt better. The hardest day for me was when I went to a mixer for the school I will be attending in the fall, and all they served was a platter of stinky delicious cheeses, crackers, and hummus. I was so proud of myself for abstaining from those amazing looking cheeses.
I am not quite sure if the dairy elimination is helping DD yet, but her skin is much softer, and she seems a little happier, so I am going to continue being dairy free for a while. The best side effect of the dairy elimination project was that I lost two pounds this week without really trying! Dairy, especially cheese, can be high in fat, especially the dangerous saturated fat. By cutting the saturated fat out of my diet, I also cut out extra fat. Amazing!
Are you on or have you ever been on an elimination diet? What did you eliminate? What was the most difficult adjustment ?
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Wow….I’m really inspired to try cutting some of those offenders out of my diet as I struggle with eczema (breastfeeding related.) I don’t eat wheat, but do a little dairy (LOVE cheese), some nuts, and eggs everyday. Way to have willpower, sister!
Great for you!! I eliminated dairy from my diet for my son and it was very difficult for me. I am also a big cheese lover. It did seem to help his stomach concerns and his skin concerns as well. Good luck!
I went dairy free for my son. It cleared up his ezcema after a few weeks. I was already wheat/gluten free and it was challenging initially, especially as dairy (like wheat) is a hidden ingredient in so many foods, Lost all my pregnancy weight and then some quite quickly. By the time he was around 1y his sensitivity seemed to have disappeared.