Welcome to Lexie's Kitchen

So glad you could drop by! This website is dedicated to my son Miles who was the catalyst for change in the way this family eats. It all began with an effort to restore his neurological and intestinal health through nutrition. Unfortunate as it is, it often takes a health crisis for us to take a good look at the way we live and eat. And so it was with us.

After two MRIs, allergy testing, numerous blood draws and genetic testing, Miles has not been given a diagnosis* (and honestly, I am fine with that!). Though I could not "fix" him, I could give his little body every advantage through diet. I explored the Autism Diet, read parent testimonials and saw the possible benefits. Could such a diet help with Miles' hypotonia and gross motor and speech delays? Blood tests showed an allergy to wheat and dairy anyway, so why not give it a try? And could eliminating hard to digest proteins and unhealthy foods from his diet cure him of his 12-month run (no pun intended) of and chronic "toddlers" diarrhea? The hope I felt was enough motivation to get me off the couch and into action! What I could do for my son was get into the kitchen and cook. I could cook food that would be easy on his gut and beneficial to his brain. And with the guidance of an allergist and two naturopathic physicians, that's what I began doing in the Fall of 2009.

Stepping back in time, I was fortunate in that I was raised by parents who knew the value of whole food. Hanging out at health food stores, co-ops and with my parents' alfalfa-sprout-hippy friends are among my sweetest childhood memories. It wasn't until college that I realized that not everyone grew up the way I did! Through my 20's and 30's I'd say I ate like the average health-conscious American. But it wasn't until my 40th year that I realized how much of the "standard American diet" and its sugar-laden, preservative-loaded processed food had crept into the pantry.

Well, our family had its wake-up call and we took action. Miles and I began the journey back to health by following the Anti-Candida Diet for three months. Miles' bowels began improving and I regained my energy and mental clarity. Following the ACD we, one-by-one, began reintroducing suspect foods to discover which irritated Miles' system. Today they are gluten, dairy, eggs, corn, excess sugar/fruit, preservatives (especially that nasty sodium nitrate). Armed with this knowledge I now provide him with nourishing foods that will help, not hinder, his journey to health. And healthier he has gotten! He is more alert, has more energy and his digestive system is in top shape. It's been an amazing journey—proof to me that our health hinges on our diet! As hard as it has been, I am so grateful for Miles' health "crisis." It has been a blessing in disguise.

As so many bloggers have inspired me, I hope that this site will, in turn, encourage and inspire those with food allergies/intolerances, parents with children on the autistic spectrum and all others afflicted by diet-related digestive and neurological issues.

Thanks for your support.

Good eating!

Alexa

* I will throw this out there in the event there are families going through what we have gone through and are looking for clues: It was discovered by the very new Chromosomal Microarray Test that Miles has a duplication on his first chromosome, specifically 1p34.1 (duplication of "34" on the short arm of the 1st chromosome). My husband and I then gave blood and come to find out my husband has it, too (though had no delays or hypotonia as a child). The field of genetics is exploding but until the dust settles, the geneticists really don't know what to do with this information. It may represent a normal familial variation; however the possibility of clinical significance cannot be excluded. He is a smart, happy, thriving, loving, good-natured, hard-working boy—what more could we ask for?