Six months ago, my then 1.5 year old Son & I made the long journey back to my home town of Melbourne Australia to celebrate my Mum’s birthday. We visited for 3 weeks, and while we were there Miles Storm developed a scaly rash all over his body and face. I really did not think anything of it at the time. I figured it was dry skin due to the climate change and would eventually clear up.
When we returned to New York City, the rash was considerably worse so I made an appointment at our local “Willy B” traditional-medicine-minded Tribeca Pediatrics to hear what their opinion was. I was kind of surprised when I was told it was eczema, just because I have always had bouts of psoriasis (a similar condition) and the like, and it really did not look like that to me.
I was more shocked when the Doctor told me what I should do – rub hydrocortisone (topical steroid ointment that reduces inflammation) over his body 3 times a day until it cleared up! I mean, was this Doctor crazy? Hydrocortisone can be dangerous for adults in high doses let alone a baby! There are also theories it can affect a child’s growth. More so for me though, it is just not natural. I was totally dumbfounded, and I knew that there was absolutely no way that this was the Road we were going to travel down with my Son’s skin condition.
Instead, I made an appointment at our holistic-medicine-minded Bambini Pediatrics upstate NY for a second opinion. Thankfully, I was given some advice that I appreciated. Nurse practitioner,Somer DelSignor, told me to simply cut out all gluten (originating from the Latin word Glue, it is a protein composite found in foods processed from wheat) and cow milk protein (casein) from my Little Boy’s diet immediately.
My husband and I did this, and 2 days later the body rash had 100% disappeared!
It was as simple as that. Miles Storm’s rash has come back twice since then, once when he ate a piece of bread and another time when he ate a piece of milk chocolate! The proof really is in the pudding as far as I am concerned. In our house now, we do not consume cow dairy products or gluten products and we are all happy and healthy.
So why is milk protein bad and why is gluten bad? The general vibe I am receiving from the many questions I ask, (and to put it simply) – most foods we eat are so ravished with steroids, chemicals, GMO’s and all kinds of additives that bodies are fighting back by not coping and breaking down. So many people have food allergies these days & so many more people have cancer these days. I think it is important to realize that there are many procedures our food goes through before it arrives on our tables, and we must be aware of that ESPECIALLY if we are parents. The best way is to just eat as clean as you possibly can, and you will surely see less health complications if you do so.
You just have to wonder, are all those things the crazy Hippies have been telling us for years actually right? It appears so, and I am happy I was listening way back then!
- Miles Storm enjoying a gluten-free goat-cheese pizza upstate NY Redhook at Gigi’s Market Place.
