Back at it

Guess who's stimming again?

Things were going really good up until about the second day of school. After he came home and ate his fruit, he had a small bout. Probably less than a minute. On the third day, close to an hour. Yesterday, he was off and on for a two-hour duration. My first thought was that the food he ate was catching up to him. For Thanksgiving, he was allowed to have turkey, yams, macaroni and cheese, corn pudding, and stuffing. The Saturday before Thanksgiving, he had a cheese pizza. My daughter was supposed to get him a cauliflower crust, but with the app issues, she forgot and got a regular one. The Friday before that, he had Chick-Fil-A grilled nuggets with chips. AND this Monday, I gave him two slices of Pizza Hut pizza because I waited too late to start his dinner. But even after all that, he did not stim until returning to school. Which made me think it was something different than food or something different he gets at school.

Honestly, I can't remember when Jordan would not come home from school and stim. So I had my answer. But the reality is the answer is more complex. If it was school, he should have had a stimming bout Monday, and it should not have progressively worsened. So what was different from him being home for two weeks to calm down? Quinoa stuffed peppers. Even though Jordan is taking the supplements to help with his gut, there still has to be a part played by diet, so it doesn't negate the process. So I needed to check and see the benefits and negatives of quinoa for someone with gut issues. I was not surprised at what I found. 

Quinoa is nutritious because it contains potassium, fiber, calcium, and iron and is low in sodium. It has anti-inflammatory phytonutrients that help prevent disease and contains a small amount of omega-3 fatty acids. Lastly, it can help with good bacteria in the gut. But, it also contains a natural chemical called saponins that binds to nutrients. This keeps nutrients from being absorbed properly, leading to a leaky gut. Jordan already has an issue retaining the nutrients he gets from food because of a leaky gut. The saponins from the quinoa have been binding to the vitamins and minerals he gets, making it harder for the body to digest. There is a way you can wash the saponins from quinoa to keep this from being a problem. I may consider it, or I may go back to giving him what he gets for dinner at lunch or find another suitable meal. After all, over the break, he had a lot of foods that would have usually caused him problems, and none affected him like the quinoa did.

Although I was already thankful that Jordan caught Covid because it allowed me to observe him at home, I did not realize just how vital this observation would be. With Jordan being home, I don't give him the stuffed peppers. He just eats breakfast, his fruit, and dinner. Seeing how well Jordan started doing on the newest supplements without the quinoa being a part of his diet is part of the prayers I had been asking God for. The wisdom to know what is good and bad and how to continue this journey. Matthew 7:8 says, "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened." Even though it did not look like what I expected, my prayer was still answered. There was no way for God to answer this question without giving Jordan Covid because there would be no other way for me to see him for an extended period. As we grow in our relationship with God, He gives us discernment. I knew there had to be a reason for Jordan being the only person in the home to catch Covid again. I was not angry when it happened and looked for the silver lining. I have found it. This has also been proof that you have to praise through the storm. I can't imagine what would have happened if I had a negative mindset about the situation and how that would have affected my ability to see it. God may not have spoken because of my inability to see His hand in this. Or just me getting in my own way. When you pray to God, he may not give you the prettiest answers, but He is answering you. I just had to stop and have a praise session because He is just too good!