The following are some of the many success stories from people who have gone off a casein-free, gluten-free diet (and many times other food-free diet) with Peptizyde enzymes. At this time many people have been off the diet for nearly 2 years or more, and only report more gains as they continue on enzymes. Medical practitioners have very different views on this depending on their training, and business and professional affiliations, it is good to consult with your health practitioner whenever making any medical decision, including going on restrictive diets or using anything other than a standard dose of supplements. It is up to each individual family to decide what is the most appropriate amount of food elimination and enzymes for them, but if you are wondering if it is at all possible, the answer is "YES, many have done this successfully."
From Kristin:
My 8yr old daughter has been off the gfcf diet for a couple of weeks now and just keeps doing better and better!! Her language skills are improving daily-so much more spontaneous speech(we were at the dr's for a sinus infection a couple of days ago and I was walking ahead of her in the hall and she yelled"Wait for me!" Such a great thing!) She has gained weight(finally hit 50 lbs after staying at 45 for quite awhile.) She is doing great in school-her new report card has her knowing 68 out of 77 spelling words for the marking period-she is reading everything-I can hardly keep up with her when we are out shopping because she is reading me everything she sees. Much more interaction with her baby brother. She can tell me when she doesn't feel well what is wrong-she had a headache from this sinus infection and told me...she also said "it hurts"-she just didn't do this before. I am soooo excited!! Having her eating "real" food again is also just wonderful-nice to have the option of a "reward" ice cream cone again lol. Her lunchbox comes home cleaned out instead of 90% full these days and tomorrow she gets to enjoy a birthday cupcake the same as everyone else in her class and she is buying her lunch at school(pizza day.) This is like a dream come true for her Dad and me.
From Leslie:
Hi group
My son continues to do very well in his program - I have started working and can't spend as much time with this group as I would like! Thought I would update you on his progress - six months on Houston enzymes and return to normal diet (10 months GFCF diet prior to this) Although he would like to live on peanut butter sandwiches lately!! (his grandma says dad was the same way!!)
After seven months of home based ABA, his team has decided it is time to reduce the number of hours spent at home at the table, and get out into the community on many field trips for more natural teaching environments and to work on considerable social deficits. He is flying through the programs at the table, and needs to practice these skills in a more natural environment now. He is amazing his ABA teacher consultant who designs his IEP for preschool - he meets all the goals within a month and she has to do a new one up! His speech is coming in, slower than I would like and with terrible (but improving ) pronounciation, but he can use three and four word phrases now. His turn taking and imaginative play are awesome with therapists. Follows around and horses around with his older sister like a normal three year old. LOVES to have books read to him. Knows the words to many of them. Knows how to sight read many words – knows alphabet (upper and lower), can count to 29 . Loves music therapy (used to hate music - especially if sung to him) Will help shop for groceries, filling the cart, empties it to the cashier, and will help carry bags to the car (used to just run around and scream in the store)
Sensory issues are MUCH reduced - can tolerate messy hands/feet in the wet sand (will actually dig in with his fingers happily), swimming in a pool, having a mucky face etc (used to freak out with tactile sensations) The list goes on and on. Almost always happy - screaming problems (when frustrated) are almost gone. Stims are still present (verbal ones are increasing, but we were warned this might happen as he gets more speech), but we are able to redirect him fairly easily. Poops are MUCH better since the Colustrum was added (although the enzymes helped him with getting rid of the undigested food in there, they were still always too soft and runny) Overall, we are thrilled with Nick's progress to date - we have a long way to go, but we seem to be on the path!
From Pam:
SO MUCH HAPPIER OFF DIET!!!
just have to tell you all that everyday we have been adding "stuff" back into my son's diet. Like saltines with soup (an old favorite) bologna and whole wheat bread with mayo!!! HE is really happy! And with the addition of the no- fenol (getting graphic here so watch out) his bowl movements have really firmed up. (No more hanger's on as my son put it!) that is a big improvement for him. So once again Devin thanks for the big and little favors. I am still trying to regulate how many of each enzyme he needs and keep erring on the side of too many just to be on the safe side. I will let you know how he keeps doing good or bad but so far only positive things.
More from Pam:
Well friends it looks like the diet is a thing of the past for us. It started with that piece of pizza a couple of weeks back and that pizza led to another and than last night for my daughters birthday we gave our son more pizza and ice cream cake and he is great! This morning I gave him gf waffles that had soy in them (my son could not have soy) and then for lunch we just went whole hog and went to burger king. HE LOVED IT! He said again what he told me after the first pizza treat. "the reason I am so crabby all the time is cause I dont get to eat what I want". Well for those of you who know my son's behavior "issues" I need not explain, but for those of you who don't I will let you know that he can be EXTREMELY oppositional and defiant, yelling at me when he does not get his way and VERY obsessive compulsive. I told him that if I had known that letting him eat "regular" food would have made him (shall we politely say) LESS CRABBY I would have done it A LONG TIME AGO!! LOL I really feel though that being gf/cf/soy free for almost a year and on Devins enzymes for 6 months, I now have the courage to do this. (so much for being conservative) We are all feeling like we have gotten a missing part of our life back. My daughter said it was much more fun eating chicken nuggets and fries when you can eat it with your little brother! I will keep you all posted!
From Leah:
a little back ground for those that don't know me.... david was 9 in june. which is also when we went gfcf.... had some progress but nothing major or fast.... went on houston's enzymes on halloween... 3 days later david had a real sense of humor!!! soon after he began reading.... went from 1st grade 1 sem to 2nd grade in 1 mo!! he began to do his chores and to try wriggle out of them too!!! interaction with his family and friends!!!! lots and lots more stuff too...
he seems to have settled in to a routine now... of a little regression just like an infant ant the a gain of some sort.... letter sounds have finally started to click as verbs both regular and irregular... he is not perfect with them but darn close!! his tap danceing is really coming along!! He hounds me about things in a normal kid way and dresses the dog in clothes!!!! let me explain.....
the other day david was in the back yard playing with the dogs as he always does now... we have a bassett hound that is his...(perfect dog for a companion VERY patient VERY sleepy) the neighbor was getting a new roof so there were roofers looking down upon our yard....hubby came home and nearly fell down laughing.... david was playing soccer and poor george was the other team....uniform and all!!! he had put a shirt on him and then somehow put a pair of shorts on him!!! now this is no small feat as poor george weighs in at about 55lbs!!! the roofers had been watching to see what would happen when georgie had to use the bathroom!!! OH AND he was dressed in bright yellow!!! shirt and shorts!!! i think he tried to put soccer shoes on him too as they were also in the back yard!! poor george now sports all sorts of things from binoculars to action man strapped to his back!!
davids gains are not in a real measurable way as in number ans such but as in age approiate things... still not age appropraite how ever much better that before!! yahooooo!!!!
we have now decided to go completely off of the gf/cf diet as we have daily infractions anyway...seems that we are still getting gains so ............... may as well stop kidding our selves and stick with what works for us... i know that many of you feel that this is bad but there seems to be no problem for us. so please don't flame me...devin houston's enzymes have made our lives sooooooooooooooo much better an real quality of life that was not there before.... thank you Dr. Houston!!