Amine and Salicylate food allergies.

One of the first things I noticed when my now fiance and I first got together, was when changing my step-son's nappy, his stools just didnt seem normal. I have a son 3wks younger than him, so for his age group at the time, I knew what was relatively normal.

I just thought that maybe he had a tummy bug or had eaten something that disagreed with him, and told my fiance, and he said that happens quite a lot with him.

Well we put that behind us and moved on, just thinking that it was normal for Harley to have frequent loose stools. Time moved on and things only got worse, to the point where quite a few times he would run inside crying, with poo literally running down his legs in liquid form. And the smell was indescribable. Something had to be done.

On speaking to my mother-in-law about it, she mentioned that my fiance's younger brother also has the same problem, and is allergic to Amines and Salicylates. What the hell are they? I asked. Well, they are found in just about every damn food imaginable. The easiest way to describe it is, well you know how when someone has an allergic reaction when they eat something with MSG in it? Its pretty much the same thing. Amines and salicylates are quite similar, and can be found in fruits, vegetables, sauces, confectionery, herbs, spices, alcohol, asprin, fats, oils, you name it, theres probably an amine or salicylate or two in almost everything you eat.

So we were introduced to the 'Elimination Diet'. This diet involves alot of research, and not breaking any rules. The minute you break a rule, you have to start from scratch. Some of the main foods he has to avoid at all costs are:

• Tomatoes (due to the high acidity level) - only one small bite from a tomato is enough to reak havoc in the MonyQ household.
• Chocolate - This means any sort of chocolate bars, milo, chocolate cake, chocolate ice cream- basically any type of chocolate at all. I have heard carob is ok in some people but havent been game enough to try it.
• Chilli or anything spicy
• Apples- My god dont even go there!

But that is only a few. Here is a link that I found with a hell of a lot of information and even a table at the bottom of the page of foods he can and cant eat.

With following the elimination diet we have helped Harley to live a much healthier life, and put on a stack of weight, he was very underweight as a small toddler, but now, even though he is a small frame like his father, he is very solid, and is all muscle. Hes a little mini-powerhouse!

I really hope this advice has helped some other Minti-parents who were having trouble with their kids too.