GAPS update

We're over a month into the GAPS diet, and I'm pleased overall with how things are going. The children finally got their energy back after about three or four weeks and no longer lounge on the couch all day--thank goodness. They are still eating a CRAZY amount of food. We're going through two dozen eggs a day!

We've moved to stage 6 of the intro diet, which means we can have fruits as snacks (introduced one at a time) in addition to all the other things we've been able to have. I also got a nice juicer I'd been saving up for, so we've had fun the last couple of days coming up with fun combinations to try (carrot, cucumber, radish, apple, kale, celery, blueberry). Nate isn't a fan of the juice (go figure), but Lucy and I are loving it. I've also reintroduced probiotics (stopped them when first beginning the diet) and cod liver oil.

Here are some of the dinners the kids have loved this week:
- lettuce wrap tacos (use lettuce instead of tortillas, then add browned ground beef w/garlic, tomatoes, and avocado. The boys eat all the items separately.)
- egg scramble with leftover taco meat, green onions, tomatoes, avocado
- steak stir-fry with onions and mushrooms, served with butternut squash fries

Individual progress notes:
Me - I've kept off most of the initial two-week weight loss, which is nice. Unfortunately, the diet has not helped my skin at all. I'm really disappointed about that. Otherwise, I'm feeling good, not starving, and mostly enjoying the foods.

Nate - I have noticed some really great things in Nate. First, he is eating a lot of foods that he either would never try or didn't used to like. Yesterday he ate a big leaf of romaine lettuce with lunch. This morning he had two slices of cucumber with his huge plate of scrambled eggs, hamburger patty (with cauliflower, onion, and carrot mixed in), and guacamole (mashed avocado). Second, Nate has had a huge decrease in hyper behavior. It is wonderful. Before the diet, he had a really hard time keeping his hands to himself, especially when we were getting in or out of the car (he was always pestering Levi). This behavior has now decreased 99%. This improvement alone almost makes the diet worth it!

Lucy - To be honest, I haven't seen much improvement in Lucy. She is a tough one. I'm still hopeful that her sensory issues and OCD tendencies could calm down.

Levi - Levi has been whiny whiny whiny. Some days I feel like I might scream from all the whining! I think some of his behavior has actually been die-off; perhaps he had more "tummy issues" to resolve than I had thought. He is generally eating the foods well.

Another really nice improvement I've noticed in daily life: it is no longer horrible taking all three children to the store. Checking out at the grocery store used to be the worst: children going in different directions, fighting with each other, taking things off the shelves, pushing to "help" load the conveyor, etc. No matter how much preparation I'd give or how many consequences I'd impose afterward, the store was always a nightmare. Now, with the decrease in hyperactivity, they are much calmer. They are able to stand still much better in the checkout line. I know this doesn't sound like much, but it has really made life much more pleasant.