Diet Part 3: Not just in foods

As we tried to eliminate preservatives, additives, and other artificial things from Josiah's diet, we slowly realized that these things weren't just in the food we were eating. They are in vitamins, toothpaste, and medicines.

Most children's vitamins are sweetened, colored, and flavored. It is very common for these to be artificial. Here is the list of ingredients for a common children's vitamin. The ingredients that Josiah cannot have are in red.

Flintstones Complete Children's Multivitamin / Multimineral Supplement, Chewable Tablets

Ingredients
Sorbitol , Dicalcium Phosphate , Magnesium Phosphate , Choline Bitartrate , Sodium Ascorbate , Ferrous Fumarate , Gelatin , Natural & Artificial Flavors - Including Fruit Acids , Pregelatinized Starch , Vitamin E Acetate , Stearic Acid , Carrageenan , Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil , Magnesium Stearate , Zinc Oxide , Niacinamide , D-Calcium Pantothenate , FD&C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake , FD&C Yellow No. 6 Aluminum Lake , Xylitol , Aspartame , FD&C Blue No. 2 Lake , Cupric Oxide , Pyridoxine Hydrochloride , Sucrose , Riboflavin , Thiamine Mononitrate , Vitamin A Acetate , Beta Carotene , Monoammonium Glycyrrhizinate , Folic Acid , Soybean Oil , Potassium Iodide , Butylated Hydroxytoluene [BHT], Biotin , Vitamin D , Magnesium Oxide , Vitamin B12

We were able to find all natural vitamins at Whole Foods.

Children's toothpaste typically has artificial sweeteners,colors, and flavors, also. Here is a kind of toothpaste that Josiah would have picked out before going on the diet.

Crest Kids Spider-Man Super Action Liquid Gel

Active Ingredients:Sodium Flouride (0.243%).
Inactive Ingredients:Sorbitol, Water, Hydrated Silica, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Trisodium Phosphate, Cellulose Gum, Flavor, Sodium Phosphate, Sodium Saccharin, Carbomer 956, Blue 1.

For toothpaste, we had to look around a little bit because most natural toothpastes are mint flavored which is high in salicylates. We finally found Tom's of Maine Natural Toothpaste Lemon-Lime.

As far as medicines go, we have had a much harder time finding ones Josiah can take. As for the common children's medicines here are the ingredients.

Children's Motrin Suspension Liquid - Tropical Punch Flavor

acesulfame potassium, citric acid [salicylates], corn starch, FD&C Red #40, flavors, glycerin, polysorbate 80, purified water, sodium benzoate, sucralose, sucrose, xanthan gum

Even the Children's Motrin Suspension Liquid - Dye-Free Berry Flavor has ingredients Josiah cannot have.

acesulfame potassium, citric acid [salicylates], corn starch, glycerin, natural and artificial flavors, polysorbate 80, purified water, sodium benzoate, sucrose, xanthan gum

Children's Tylenol Grape Splash

Butylparaben, cellulose, citric acid, corn syrup, D&C Red#33, FD&C Blue #1, flavors, glycerin, propylene glycol, purified water, sodium benzoate, sorbitol, xanthan gum.

Children's Benadryl

Active Ingredients:Per Teaspoonful (5 mL): Diphenhydramine HCI 12.5 mg.
Inactive Ingredients:Citric Acid; D&C Red No. 33; FD&C Red No. 40; Flavors; Glycerin; Polyxamer 407; Purified Water; Sodium Benzoate; Sodium Chloride; Sodium Citrate; Sugar.

Thankfully Josiah does not need a pain medication very often. He weighs enough now for me to crush one adult ibuprofen tablet for him to eat in a spoon of peanut butter.

We are still working on medicines that Josiah can take to control his allergies and asthma.