One of the most difficult aspects of Jade’s ketogenic diet has been her vitamins. The food she eats is not varied enough to supply her with all the nutrients she needs, so having the right supplements is essential for her long-term health.
Michael and the dietician decided to try out a specially-made supplement called “Phlexy-Vits”; they figured it would be the easiest option because it’s all-in-one. The trouble is, it tastes absolutely awful. The first time she was to take it, I mixed the powder into the cream for her evening meal. I gave it a taste. It tasted like the cream had gone sour. I dumped out the cream.
We’ve tried all sorts of ways to mask the taste. Sweetening it with stevia. Adding mint. Adding extra water to dilute it. The best way was to make it into a paste (as compact as possible) and sweetening it, but even still it was a struggle every day, with lots of tears from Jade, and heartache for us.
The alternative is to use vitamins available from the drug store, but it means giving her three different pills and an effervescent tablet. Three more pills!
One of them, though, are Bugs Bunny “Complete” vitamins. Since Jade was eating (and enjoying) chewable vitamins before she started the diet, I figured she just might go for these. We tried it for the first time today.
When I told her it was time for her vitamins, Jade said, “No!” Emphatically. I showed her the Bugs Bunny vitamin. She stared at it, then quickly plucked it from my fingers and popped it into her mouth. Then she asked for more.
I gave her the calcium-magnesium tablet next. These are not chewables, so I tried one. It didn’t have much of a flavour, but was sort of sour in the middle. I gave Jade hers. She chewed it up with no complaints. Then she got the Caltrate tablet and she did the same thing. I’d have thought that she’d spit out the non-chewable vitamins because they don’t taste very good, but I guess after the awfulness of the Phlexy-Vits, she doesn’t mind.
Why didn’t we try this sooner?
We just use Poly Vi Sol with Iron vitamin and Cal Mag Zinc II, both can go into her drink.
Tell her to hold her nose and swallow if it tastes bad. It works on my son and he’s TERRRIBLE at gagging, actually not gagging straight out puking!
Halia is absolutely gorgeous! And I’m so glad Jade seems to be doing well with the diet and vitamins. Reading back over the last week or so of your posts (sorry to be so behind; I’ve been grading papers nonstop), it seems you are all settling in. What I love best, though, is the sense of contentment I get from your tone. Things were so frazzled and worrisome before Halia was born, but now it seems like you are really so much more calm and at peace. I am delighted for you. I send many hugs.
Glad to see all is coming along and working itself out one day at a time
Still enjoy reading your posts! Halia is beautiful and I love how her name fits her day.
Best wishes,
Kelli
I just got caught up on some of your past posts….CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Glad Jade is taking the Bugs Bunny ones…Elisabeth takes those too. We have to mash them up and mix them with water though. No chewing for her
Happy Thanksgiving
How about just celebrating the new technique! Forget that it took some time to problem-solve toward it or regret not doing it sooner.
Love, love reading about your family’s journey. Thanks so much for your excellent blog. (It’s ‘thanks’ time in the US.) Also, I voted for your blog in that award-thingy.
Later.
I’m convinced that as soon as kids figure out you’re just about at the end of your rope trying to get them to do something they throw you a bone and start doing it!
At any rate, glad she’s getting her vitamins.
Did you try the Nano VM? It’s great…