The Low Iodine Diet

In preparation for Evan's next radiation scan, he was put on a low iodine diet.
If you aren't up on your thyroid health knowledge, the thyroid is the only organ in your body that takes up iodine. So for the next 4 weeks, Evan is supposed to starve his body of iodine in hopes of making any remaining thyroid cells in his body very hungry. He will then be given a tracer dose of radioactive iodine. The starving cells should then take up all of the radioactive iodine very quickly (because they are starving) and when Evan is scanned for radiation, the cells should glow.
Our hope and prayers are that nothing glows. Because no glowing means no thyroid cells means no cancer. And we have had it with cancer.

And in case you are wondering, iodine is in everything. The basic rule is, if you can pick it or slaughter it, you can eat it. With the exception of turkey, potato skins, and shell beans which naturally contain iodine..
Dairy is completely off limits, as is anything processed, frozen, canned or boxed.
Restaurants are completely off limits. Anything with red coloring is also not allowed.
And even meat is limited to 5 ounces or less each day. So in other words, it's a strict diet.
But I'd like to think that the first four days for us have been ok. So far everyone in the family has cooperated and eaten everything I've made. And we've really tried to explain to our kids that what we are eating now is really what we should be eating all of the time.


It has also forced me to really think and plan what we eat. After all, most of the seasonings and ingredients I would use are off limits. The most obvious of which is salt.
And in case you are new to this blog, I don't actually cook. I am anticipating a call from the gas company asking us why we have started using our oven.
I have cooked 4 days straight. I am positive that is a new record.

What have I been cooking you ask?


Here's what we've had so far-


Breakfast for Evan has been shelled (non-salted)almonds and bananas. He also has oatmeal and raisins he can eat. And I purchased egg whites for a possible weekend breakfast.
Lunch is usually leftover dinner or natural peanut butter and jelly on whole grain bread and fruit.
And now where I come in- dinner:


Day 1- Chicken marinated in Italian Dressing (pan seared), whole green beans (steamed) and squash (steamed with onions)




Day 2- Flank steak marinated in salsa, grilled and cut against the grain. Sauteed peppers, onions and mushrooms. Fresh guacamole. All served on a bed of lettuce and tomatoes for a Fajita Salad.






Day 3- Spaghetti with homemade natural tomato sauce.
Forgot to take a picture! But our kids loved it


Day 4- Pan seared pork medallions (seasoned with pepper), asparagus (steamed) and mashed sweet potatoes seasoned with cinnamon and syrup (yes, he can have syrup)



So that's it so far. Basically, we'd love some pizza. But every ingredient is forbidden. So we will continue to eat like rabbits, all in the name of getting Evan cancer free. And if that's what it takes to get him healthy, I'd eat grass if we were told to.
And if you don't mind saying a little prayer for Evan's scan that will be August 13th, that would be great. Thanks in advance!