I was diagnosed with celiac disease while nursing my youngest son. He tested positive for the gliadin antibody, but I would never have considered a biopsy and do not believe he has celiac disease. He was the only one of my babies to exhibit allergic symptoms and the only one who had eczema.? At the time that I was diagnosed, I had a ferritin level of 5 and was literally willing myself through my days. I think the only way I kept going was through martial arts--I trained 5 days a week and felt if I stopped training, I would simply stop living. I had been misdiagnosed and incorrectly treated for several years, all the while getting sicker and more disoriented. For all of my training, I had virtually no muscle mass and was clearly not absorbing nutrients. Doctors kept trying to "treat my adrenals"--missing the cause altogether. Because my diet was so healthy in general, (not as compared to now--but compared to the SAD) I never experienced the digestive symptoms that others do, but the neurological symptoms were terrifying at times. Because I was a vegan for 15 years beforehand, I had far fewer foods to eliminate than others might. I eliminated gluten and soy.

I have worked with many moms with significant gut damage and whose babies have damage as well. I completely disagree that babies need to be weaned to treat celiac. Like all diseases, it is no more a physical than an emotional condition and like all diseases, it is a manifestation of energy out of balance. Healing begins with respecting the body's efforts to communicate its needs--inflammation (which we tend to name chronic disease) is a process the body attempts to access to right itself. Treating disease never heals the body.

For this mom, I wonder if the seeds she is using are doing more damage--people with gut damage often cannot tolerate fiber and chia seeds are high in fiber. I would think that juicing would be more beneficial--juices deliver micronutrients almost directly into the bloodstream--the body has little to do to access them. I personally use Joel Fuhrman's book "Eat to Live" as my guide, and juiced and used greens to alkalinize my body.

My health completely turned around within about 6 months, all the while I was continuing to nurse my son. He was over 6 when he weaned and I cannot imagine having even considered weaning him. I used no allopathic treatments for either of us and would never encourage the use of drugs that suppress symptoms, such as steroids. While I appreciate Laurie's thoughts--that keeping the baby at breast is vital to this mom, I personally would never recommend a dermatologist to anyone, with the exception of one in NY, who practices holistically.

Much as I love superfoods and also do think allergen foods need to be eliminated to assist in healing (and IMO, meat has nothing to offer this mother--she would not even have the enzymes to digest it), there is far more to healing than diet. I used gut healing herbs, supplements and foods, homeopathy, Bach Flowers, bodywork, and most importantly energy medicine. I truly believe that energy work and tools that she can use herself like EFT and TAT would be far more beneficial than anything else.

Much as I refer clients to naturopaths for many reasons, I find that the vast majority have little if any knowledge of or real respect for breastfeeding. The naturopath who diagnosed me was an exception, but his babies were born at home and his wife bf them for many years. I have done many consults for
moms as far as thousands of miles away with gut issues. If you want to
speak with me directly, please email privately. Maybe we can help her
find these resources in her area.

One last thought--just as is true for this mom--weaning my son would have broken my heart--and his as well. The body does not heal so well when the heart is so deeply wounded--I truly think they will heal together far better than they might apart.

Today, my entire family is gluten-free. My children have been vegan since birth and most of us are virtually soy-free as well. When you think in healthy terms, this does not in any way feel like deprivation. How one thinks about one's situation has so much to do with whether or not one can find healing in it.




Jennifer Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA
Intuitive Parenting Network LLC













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