Shalom and Coconut Oil

Shalom is getting close to turning 12. As a newborn he was diagnosed with GERD because he would have projectile spit-up, and always in large quantities, all the time. I was concerned that he was not getting much to eat so I addressed it with the family doctor. She put him on Tagamet – at 6 weeks old! But it worked, so we kept doing it. After a time we stopped, he must have been on solid foods by then (I don’t remember).

Shalom has had some very frustrating habits over his lifetime and it seems that a few of them have derived themselves from the GERD. He would constantly clear his throat in a few specific ways (ugh) and talk about his heartburn. We had tried everything from the apple cider vinegar treatments to Tums and milk of magnesia, and back to prescription meds. In recent years nothing has helped – no medicine and no natural remedy has seemed to completely alleviate his troubles. We’ve tried to modify his diet, but were left perplexed when he would come in from the garden eating a tomato and have no ill effects yet processed or store-bought tomatoes would cause him such agony. But it wasn’t just tomatoes, there are many things that were taboo foods for him. Because we’ve tried so many different things and have always preferred a “natural” remedy, Shalom has developed a strong interest in nutrition and natural remedies. He’s our little nutritionist and naturopath.

I have been plagued with concerns for his health and the damage that is likely being done to his stomach and his esophagus from the acid. He has always had bad breath and that, too, has helped to constantly remind me of his stomach troubles. Last week we had friends over and they were sharing their newfound “wonder miracle cure” of coconut oil. They had read The Maker’s Diet and (if I remember right) it mentioned not only eating according to Biblical standards/guidelines but it also mentioned coconut oil. I asked if they thought it would be helpful with indigestion and they assured me that it should.

So on Monday we went to town and bought a jar of coconut oil. Shalom put it in his oatmeal on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. On Monday afternoon I asked him how his stomach was feeling (trying not to discuss it much with him but always having it on my mind) and he replied, “It feels soft”. Wednesday night we had spaghetti. I’ve tried not to serve him meals that send his stomach over the edge, but there are also 6 other people in the family and sometimes the budget warrants a meal such as spaghetti. Our usual routine in the past with meals like this was to give him something to soothe his stomach before we ate and keep the milk of magnesia close at hand after dinner. This time we totally forgot our before-meal routine. Part way through dinner I gasped when I remembered. How would his stomach handle this meal?

Everyone was watching Shalom closely. We had noticed that he hadn’t been clearing his throat in his usual annoying way all day, and maybe all day the previous day too. Everyone kept asking, “How’s your stomach?” after dinner. You know what? His stomach was fine! He did not need anything to soothe his stomach after dinner or at bedtime!!

We are completely amazed that after three days of putting one teaspoon of oil in his morning oatmeal that he could eat a meal that usually sent him (and us) over the edge, and have no trouble at all. I do believe that we will be buying quite a bit of this oil over the next few years. We are very pleased and I am hopeful that this will help his stomach to heal from the almost 12 years of torture it’s undergone.

I still hear his response ringing in my ears, “It feels soft”. LOL When I asked him what he meant by that he couldn’t explain it in any other way, “My stomach just feels … soft. It’s good.” What a blessing!!