he's allergic to soy. and corn.

We discovered today that Pablo is allergic foods in his staple diet. Soy and corn. This is a kid who drinks soy milk and eats soy as his main protein source. This is because of two things: we are vegetarians, and he is an amazingly picky eater. Beans are a no, as are eggs. Of course he doesn't like cow milk (which is how we got to soy... he also doesn't like rice milk or almond milk or any of the other ones). I am panicking but at the same time I am glad to know, because now we can do something about it. But eliminating these two will be the hardest two things we could possibly eliminate. Except for air, I guess. Seriously, check your bread. Soy flour. Check pretty much anything. Soy flour. argh.

We plan to make an appointment with a NAET specialist as soon as possible. For those not in the know, that is an allergy elimination specialist. Because why have allergies if you don't have to? But in the mean time, we are supposed to completely stop all soy and all corn. After the treatment, we will have to be more careful with them and not use them daily.

In the mean time, we have told Pablo that he needs to become an adventurer with food and try all kinds of things he has never tried before. I reminded him that at one time, he had never tried artichokes or strawberries. He is excited about this "adventure." (In my back pocket is a sinister tool: I had started him on a new vitamin with superfoods in it and he doesn't like the taste. I told him why he needs the vitamin, but that I understand why he doesn't want to eat it. I told him that if he eats the new foods, he doesn't have to take the vitamin, but if he isn't getting enough healthy foods, the vitamins will be the only way to get him the foods he needs. Bribery, free and clear. I feel bad about it, and I hope I won't have to actually employ the method.) Right now he is into the whole adverturer thing, which I really hope will work.

I feel so overwhelmed about making the change, but also so hopeful. He has lost so much of his usual focus, and if this helps him, it will be worth all the trouble (and money)it will cost.