GAPS progress

This update is mostly about me! :)

I hit a wall one or two weeks ago where I was really missing my old way of much-less-restricted (yet still generally healthy) eating. I've been feeling frustrated that I haven't seen the results I wanted for myself (clear skin, big boost in energy) even though I've followed the diet to a T. I decided to cheat with a chai tea latte from Starbucks two days in a row, but I paid for it with two more days of upset stomach! After two months without a gram of sugar crossing my lips, a coffee cup full of it was too much. That probably wasn't the smartest "first cheat."

On a seemingly unrelated note, I have been feeling very "out of it" and foggy lately: someone will ask me a question, and my mind is blank. I will think of the answer 5 minutes later or something. I just haven't felt like myself. I mentioned this to Dr. Abell when Nate and I were there for Nate's appointment this week, and Dr. Abell said my brain fog is from lack of carbohydrates! What?! So I bought some quinoa and millet pronto after that appointment and had some quinoa for lunch yesterday and today.

Our lunch today: salmon patties for the kids, quinoa and tomatoes for me (and broth for Nate and me). I would have added avocado for all of us if I'd had a ripe one.

I talked with Dr. Abell about the severity of the diet, especially the complete removal of grains. He agrees it isn't a long-term solution, and we decided I will slowly introduce healthy grains (quinoa, millet, and amarynth) with the children in a couple of weeks, after they've been on full GAPS for over a month (and intro+GAPS for over two months). This definitely isn't following GAPS protocol, but I feel like doing two+ months of "hardcore" GAPS is better than nothing, and introducing those few grains while still doing the other GAPS stuff (broth, cod liver oil, probiotics, fat-full meats and oils, eggs, fermented foods) is still very healthy--and will hopefully still achieve the results we're after (though maybe more slowly).

Oh--I did make the most delicious smoothie for dessert last night! I juiced an apple, some pineapple, and a bit of orange (I love our juicer!) and added that to the blender with frozen bananas, frozen mangos, half an avocado, a few Tbs of coconut oil, three raw eggs, and a few pineapple slices. It was a filling treat.