Failsafe Diet

We embarked on the Failsafe Diet 2 weeks ago. This means free of additives, low in salicylates, amines and flavour enhancers. I had heard interesting things regarding kids and behaviour in relation to additives and some natural food chemicals caled salicylates and amines so I did some research. The main reason was for my eldest daughter who is bright, beautiful and interesting yet very challenging and at times very defiant. She also has trouble winding down the the end of the day and bedtime can be a very long and drawn out and loud process! So far things have gone well. She eats the foods which is a plus. We did not really eat many additives anyway so I suspect if she has a sensitivity it will probably be to salicylates. Found in most yummy fruits like watermelon, strawberries, tomatoes etc. It seems that something we were eating must have had some effect as over the past 2 weeks we have seen small changes in her behaviour. She seems to concentrate better, is calmer generally and not so overreactive to everything. She is still her challenging and interesting self but without so many irrational outbursts. Her Nana, the preschool and some friends have also said the same thing. We even got a comment about how well behaved she was from a stranger at a dinner we attended, believe me that NEVER would have happened before Failsafe. One more week of the total elimination diet and then if we feel we are at baseline we can do some food challenges, where we introduce a food and see what happens. Like my very own Science Experiment!! I just hope we get baseline because if we think things are not really what they could be then we have to eliminate dairy and/or wheat or even gluten......not something I would like to have to do but we will if need be. For anyone considering doing this but thinking it seems too hard it really isn't. It is alot harder to live with the behaviours we had before Failsafe and we are only 2 weeks in. We are hoping things continue to improve for her sake and ours. The photo is of Failsafe Pear Jam (made by my lovely Mum), Pear Muffins and some huge chokos.