Making changes

How many times a day do we make choices? The easy ones, what to wear, eat or when to take a shower (before or after the coffee?).




We had to make a choice several weeks ago. Our son had a cholesterol test. To say that it was elevated is putting it mildly. Let's just say that it was OVER the allowed amount. WAY OVER the top. We had to make a choice, well many choices. Frankly, my husband thinks I am over reacting. He wasn't at the doc's office, nor did he take the phone call.



On our way to a wedding we got the news: "Change your diet or your son will die before he becomes 20." BAM.



How do we change a diet? Especially someone who has issues with texture, eating and, oh please don't get me started.

First off we were instructed to make our diet 80-90% veggies and fruit (more steamed veggies than fruit), 10-20% starches and meat. No fried foods: that means NONE, no french fries, chicken fingers, or even pizza. We told our son the truth. He was devastated to say the least. We are dive bombed and here I am scratching my head wondering if I remember how to prepare tofu.



So we started reading. First off we looked at Jessica Seinfield's book, can't rememberthe title, but we had a copy, or our son did. Pureeing veggies works for me, I had done that before and we can do it again. I am not sold on WHAT the lady makes, but we can use some of what she has. Then going back to how I used to make things...



For those who didn't know, prioir to me swearing off cooking, I was a full blown vegitarian. I made my own everything, without fats, dairy and all that stuff. A poor man's Martha Stewart. When my son and I moved back to IL I swore I was done with that. I didn't want to concentrate on food or think about what we ate. So I quit cold turkey; my son ate what the other kids ate, sometimes. Then when my husband and I got married I further proved my ineptetude in the kitchen and we decided it was safer for me to work on other things like laundry and my job. Since I haven't found a job replacement, it looks like I am back in the kitchen. Someone tell Susan K so she doesn't fall over into shock OK?



Anyway, showing my son how to make brownies without egg and oil was a bit of a shock. His response, "MOM, you are wasting perfectly good applesauce, HOW COULD YOU?" After we got them in the oven and I let him eat a little of the dough, he told me they were too sweet but might be OK after baking. We moved onto making mac and "cheese". Texturally, my son thinks mac and cheese is disgusting. He hates macaroni and it is a struggle to get him to eat it; Pureeing squash was a little weird, but then adding it to the cooked mac was beyond the normal for him. He did try it, but still hates macaroni.



We have to make some pretty rotten choices right now. We can't eat a lot of junk. Most of that we got rid of, and we aren't eating out very much. Most of what we have are salads, veggies and then a smaller than normal portion of the rest. We are hungry, but we need to not stuff ourselves and we need to exercise and work out and NOT EAT as much. Not surprising we are all overweight, we eat more than we need to and more than the portion sizes allotted. We are trying to drink more water, and eat the veggies prior to anything else.



To show our son a good example we have all cut back. It is hard. It will be harder when we are traveling or visiting and have to bring our own food becasue our son can't eat what is there. I am not looking forward to that at all. It will be an argument with both my husband and son and I am not relishing that one. Back at the over reacting, right, well not really. If my son is not able to metabolize that kindof food, then we have tomake permanent adjustments and it is better to do what we have to rather than think, "Great, he is eating (that) and it will kill him."



According to different reports I have read there is a way to flush the cravings for fat and junk out of our systems. We have to go without, recommended time is 6 months, then we can see if we want it or not or if we are heathlier or not with or without it. In the 2 weeks we have cut back, our son has lost the belly fat, is eating salad, drinking water and is staying away from juices ( high in sugar/fat) and not eating the junk food (fries, misc.) He is not happy without, but understands that it is better for him. He didn't like not getting his old favorites when we went out with Grandma, but he did eat what he was given and did decide that it wasn't so bad.



His next round of blood tests are this week. We are hoping that this diet change has helped and will make things better for him and for us.



What i am asking for is morale support, some extra understanding and no surpise if we decide our son can't eat what is served. Don't be thinking this is fun for us, it isn't; it stinks. We are already viewed as very strict and hard to take. Just wait until school starts and we have to see what he is able to eat in the cafeteria. That is gonna be a barrel of laughs (ugh).



In my own obtuse way, what I am telling everyone, "If we come by, don't be shocked if we have eaten prior to coming, or bring our own food for our son. His diet is very tenacious and we are being rather strict right now to make certain he will be able to make the healthy choices in the long term."

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