GAPS Diet - Healing Myself Through Food

I am putting myself on the GAPS diet.

For those unfamiliar, here is the LINK to the GAPSdiet page. In a nutshell, it's a diet designed for those with digestive issues, and it is supposed to "heal" the gut, so that over time, a person is able to tolerate foods that they cannot currently.

I am using it for other reasons. I have become so worn down that I find I cannot enjoy myself. I have little energy, little enthusiasm. I have a rash on my scalp that I am unable to get rid of. I have body odor for no reason. I could easily fall asleep at just about any time of the day, including just after waking up in the morning-even after a "good" night's sleep. I have been feeling bloated often, typically after eating, even if it's a small amount.

And that just ain't me. I miss feeling good! I want to wake up psyched every day. I want it back!

I believe we can make ourselves feel better as long as we have some clue as to how to get there. For some reason, obvious things can be so hard to achieve. Exercise makes us feel better. Duh. Do I exercise? Hardly. Eating garbage will likely make us feel like garbage. Do I eat garbage? I do. Staying inside all day can make us feel down and unmotivated. Do I spend a lot of time inside? I do! It's hard to change!!

But feeling like this stinks, and so I am motivated. My only indulgence over the last two days has been my morning coffee, which includes non-dairy creamer and honey. Yes, badbadbad, but it's a process. (I know, I always say that, but c'mon, I can't deal with a diet change and caffeine withdrawal all at once - I will fail!) Other than my coffee and one slice of sprouted-grain bread yesterday morning (before I had decided to commit to this,) I have eaten only what is on the Recommended Foods list on the GAPS diet website. And by some miracle, I actually feel full and satisfied. At least at the moment. I hate diets. Make no mistake! I am always hungry, which I hate. But the one thing I like about the GAPS diet is that there is a long list of foods that are ok. It's much easier to refer to that than to try to eliminate one or two things from my diet, such as gluten or milk.

So here goes nothing. I feel that I can only go up from here! I will blog my progress, for anyone interested. And for motivation.

And I am most fortunate (as I do not like to cook) that hubby really enjoys cooking, and is enthusiastic about making bone broths, which are strongly recommended for this diet.

Wish me luck.

Tired of Feeling Tired

I am tired all the time. All the time! And there are life reasons. I have 2 kids, and I am home with them all the time. In fact, I am rarely away from my children. That is reason enough to be tired all the time! But not really. I eat fairly well (I do eat junk, but both my husband and I cook, and make healthy meals) and I've been exercising more in recent weeks. And when I sleep, I sleep hard. Now granted, I don't sleep as much as my body would like. I compensate for a looooong day of parenting by staying up later than my body would prefer. So I sacrifice a little sleep for some down time. Some desperately needed and wanted down time! But there are nights I am SO tired that I can't make it through my kids bedtime, and I conk out with them. I am TIRED! And I would like to get some energy back.

I feel that while there are probably several things I could do right now that would help, the one I feel I can change right now is diet. I did some research tonight on fatigue, gluten and eczema.

In recent weeks I have had some long hoped for success with improving the condition of my skin. I have attributed this to my recent switch from steroid cream to Bergamot essential oil. And perhaps it deserves all of the credit. But I have also started taking fish oil (omega-3) supplements in recent weeks, and probiotics in recent months. These things could be making a difference too. And a brief reduction in gluten and dairy occurred as well, but I didn't stick with it for very long. So some part of this, or a combination of all of it, has helped me to improve my skin. But it plateaued again, and I want to see more improvement. So what of this am I not currently doing? The diet thing.

Oh, and after feeling fatigued and irritated for what seemed like forever I started this blog, and after working on a more holistic lifestyle, which included all of the above changes, I started feeling better. Less tired, and much less irritable! But it's coming back. It's coming back.

So I'm at it again. Now I am not going to go crazy over this and erase all gluten and dairy from my life and from the diets of my family members. But I'm going to try really hard to keep them both very low in my diet. And it's hard. I mean, in one sense, it's simple. Eat things that don't have gluten, right? But I'm a grazer, and many times throughout the day I grab a handful of this or that. I don't even think about it as I'm doing it. So today, day 1 of my renewed efforts with diet, I grabbed a handful of goldfish crackers that were out for my daughter. It was down the hatch before it even registered that I had done it. Shoot!! So that is hard for me. But I don't call the day a loss. I have not had much gluten or dairy overall.

I am less tired than I was yesterday. I had a short period of time after lunch when I felt really fatigued, but it was probably just a result of blood working on digestion rather than energy. Overall I feel better. But I am long way from feeling energized and wakeful. At the moment it's just degrees of fatigue! But I'm hopeful that I can make a difference through diet and exercise, and if my skin improves, well, this would become a life change!

But 1 step at a time. I will report back with an update in a while. So hopeful!

NRT Visit # Uh...um...er...

Well, you can see that NRT is not helping with my memory at all. But that's not why I go.

Today's visit actually seemed like a visit. That is to say that the Clinical Nutritionist I see actually spent some time with me today. As usual, she asked me how things are going. This question is so general I never know how to answer. I said, "I'm plugging along." "So what's hard?" she asks. As she did last time. Uhhhhhh.... I dunno. I told her that I was doing better with our diets, but that it's a process...blabla...... She asked about my skin, and I informed her that my skin has not been happy this week. I also mentioned that I haven't used my steroid cream in 3 weeks. (I think?) She said that it is not surprising to see a bit of a relapse. Now that I'm not "masking" the issue with the cream, she will be able to see what the underlying issues are. Hang in there. Ok. A reasonable response. Possibly even true. Hm. Anyhow, I'm still skeptical. After all, I've lived with my skin for a long time, and the issue ebbs and flows. But, I am going to give this my all (not just all my $$...) so... She asked about our water. If it's town or well water. (well) Where did I grow up? What kind of water there? Do we have hard water? (Think so....) Do we use a softener? (No) I asked if a filtering shower head was a good idea. Yes. She said tht the water is treated with chlorine. So next came my newest supplement! This one is allegedly going to push the chlorine out of my body. It's a liquid, and it gets added to my water bottle each day. One capful. It's called "Detoxosode", and it's made by Standard Process. She "tested" DS too to see if he can handle it. (He's still nursing) She rounded the visit out by telling me that I'm doing better with our diets. =) I knew that, but it's nice to hear, anyhow. I'm scheduled to go back next  week. While I do sort of enjoy my weekly "assignments" I look forward to being able to put a little space between visits.

12 Pills

I realized the other day that I take 12 pills a day. Twelve pills every day! How did I get to this point? Well....

Vitamins - I take them, as many do, to supplement what I eat, for good health.

Calcium - I read, more than a decade ago, about how taking calcium supplements can help women reduce bone loss as they age. Many women suffer from osteoporosis and related issues after menopause due to bone loss/reduced calcium absorption. I've been taking it ever since. I used to take one tablet a day until my dear midwives suggested I increase it to two per day. I did so about six years ago.

Vitamin D - At a recent visit with my midwife (for general woman care) she suggested I increase my intake of vitamin D. I take one a day.

Fish oil - I have thought for some time that I should take fish oil for the coveted omega-3 fatty acids. I don't eat fish (tuna once in a while...) so I started to take these recently. When I found out that most fish oil supplements contain PCBs, I stopped. I found some the other day at Whole Foods which claim to be PCB-free, so I got them. The bottle suggests two capsules a day, so that is what I take.

Lact-Enz - A probiotic recommended for me by the Clinical Nutritionist I see at the Natural Health Improvement Center. I take 3 a day.

Dermatrophin - Another supplement recently added by the Clinical Nutritionist at the NHIC. She told me that this one is to repair my skin (I see her for eczema/skin issues) I take two a day.

Wheat Germ Oil - Also recommended by the CN at the NHIC, this one gets squirted into my belly button. I know, I know, I think it's weird, too!! I do this once a day.

Yeah, it's crazy. Cave people did not do this. And every time I do any research on foods and health I get another person or group's opinion as to how to eat to treat yourself the best way you can, and they all disagree with each other. So is the best thing to do to eat everything in moderation? To cut out sugar? Fat? Carbs? What? I have no idea. But I'm giving the NHIC a chance to prove, or disprove, their take on things. But it is sort of funny. Hubby jokes that with all of these pills, I shouldn't need to eat!

NRT - Reaction To The Supplements?

Just a quick update on my experiences with the Natural Health Improvement Center.... As I mentioned in a previous post, the NHIC counselor I am seeing has put me on Lact-Enz supplements. They are allegedly whole food supplements that are designed to help my body "heal" and become healthier.

Perhaps this is a coincidence, but twice in the past week I have woken in the night with roiling guts. Without going into too much detail, I've needed the rest room at odd times, and with a displeased digestive system. Both times I had a gassy belly with diarrhea throughout the morning. The first time I figured it was the Indian food I had eaten for dinner. It was a dish I hadn't tried before, but it was predominantly rice, so that shouldn't cause it. But Indian food is often cooked in ghy, or clarified butter, which could have been the culprit. But the second time I had eaten vegetarian chili with rice. Hm.

Anyhow, it could be the supplements. I had, in fact, asked the Clinical Nutritionist, who suggested them for me, if anyone had stomach or gut reactions to the supplements. She said on the contrary, they help the gut. Hm. Then there's this paper that came home with me from the center that reads, "Please keep in mind that our nutritional products DO NOT cause 'side effects' as they are not drugs. Occasionally after starting a nutritional program, you may feel a temporary worsening or even feel 'sick.'" ... "Sometimes these 'flare-ups' are actually a 'Healing Crisis' which indicates your body is starting to heal by throwing off toxins that have been keeping you sick. By fine-tuning your program, we can help you get through these types of situations much more smoothly, if they even occur...." And so forth.

It will be interesting to see what she has to say when I see her Thursday. Thursday evening I will also be attending a talk at the center called "Food Demystified." I am going mostly because it is included in my treatment, and I feel that it will help me to feel that I am getting closer to getting my money's worth. Secondarily, it is strongly recommended. Once form actually says that attending at least one program within the first hour weeks of "treatment" is required, though I'm not sure how they can "require" anything. But anyhow. I'll let you know what that is like!

FYI....

Lact-Enz^®

Introduced in 1988

Lact-Enz is a gastrointestinal support product that combines digestive enzymes with normal intestinal flora. The combination of these ingredients assists in the breakdown of macronutrients and maintains a healthy intestinal environment.†

Here's a more thorough explanation of what Lact-Enz is and what it does. LINK

NRT - The Appointment

Sean and I went for our initial visit at the Natural Health Improvement Center today. I turned in paperwork for each of us, which reported our basic reasons for seeking their help. I had to list what we had eaten over the last 2 days. And anything we take every day-vitamins and the like. We were taken into a room, and a strap was attached around my rib cage, and some wire clipped to my shirt. I was told to lie on the table without talking. I had to "relax" for four minutes. Then I stood facing the wall for four minutes. After the test was complete, something printed out of the printer in the room. We were then ushered into another room. A different woman (who seemed a little unsettled at having a 2-year-old in the room) told me that she was going to quickly explain what she would be doing (with a sideward glance to DS) and explained that there is an energy flow between the systems of the body, and the energy flow can be broken when part of the body is weak. She asked me to hold a small glass bottle that contained wheat-something capsules. I held my other arm out. She placed her hand on my head, and the other pressed down on my arm. She asked me to resist. She said that when the body system is healthy, the energy flow is good, and the arm resists. When the energy flow is broken, the arm can be pushed down. To show me how this works, she placed the backs of her fingers on my head, and pushed my arm down. She then proceeded touch various areas, and said she was checking my organs. (fine) She asked if I had any scars, as from a c-section, episiotomy, ear piercings. She had me touch scar areas while she pushed on my arm. She touched areas of my skin that are currently broken out with eczema, and pushed my arm. When it was Sean's turn, he sat on my lap, I continued to hold the wheat bottle, and still held out my arm. She would touch various areas on him (organs, rashy areas) and push MY arm. His test was very quick. She then handed me a folder of info, asked me to keep a record of everything we eat, and asked us to come back on Wednesday (today is Monday.) She said that diet is definitely related to my issues. She also told me she would be emailing me some more information to read prior to our next visit. Something had not printed out yet...

The paperwork I was given to take home includes a food log for each of us, some information entitled "Scar Tissue and Disturbance/Interference Fields", a form called "Natural vs. Synthetic Vitamins", some bio information on the practitioners, a "What Our Clients Are Saying" form, a "Good Foods" list, and three pamphlets: one for the center, one on NRT, and one called "Designed Clinical Nutrition." Should make for interesting reading.

Oh, and this appointment, for the two of us, cost TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS.

Nutrition Response Testing

I have made an appointment for today for Nutrition Response Testing, for both me and my son.

This is in response to DS's skin breaking out in dry, rashy areas on his torso. Eczema. Shoot. I have seen very small patches on his skin from time to time, all of which have been easy to resolve without using steroid creams. (I used a very tiny amount two times on one patch that looked very uncomfortable) In any event, I would really like to find a way to get rid of his rashes, and if I can resolve my own, well, that would be miraculous and amazing. I have been to doctors and dermatologists uncountable, so I am going the natural route this time. It just goes along with everything else I've been experimenting with lately. I'm nervous....I'm always nervous before an appointment, especially for something I'm not yet familiar with. But here is what I know of it so far....this is a link to the Natural Health Improvement Center I found locally. Just scroll down on the page to read about NRT.

Nutrition Response Testing

A bunch of hooey? Maybe. But I think of it this way. At the least, it is another attempt at managing (and resolving?) my skin issues that I can cross off my list, and it gives me something to try to help eliminate DS's skin issues. At best, it works, and his skin rashes go away! It's non-invasive, so all we really lose by trying this is a little money and a little time. So....fingers crossed.....

To be updated!

Fish

I have never been a fish eater. Today I started. Why? Because I've read too many times to ignore, the benefits of getting those omega-3 fatty acids. As I previously wrote, I bought myself some fish oil capsules, only to find out, a day and one dose late, that they are filled with PCBs. I feel that I no longer have any excuses. I've got to eat the stuff. So I encouraged my hubby, who loves eating fish, to start cooking it. Tonight he grilled salmon, and made lots of yummy side dishes. I ate some. It may have ultimately only amounted to about 1/2 square inch total, but I ate it! And my darling son ate it with gusto! Good boy! My daughter, who has discovered that food is weird (think about it, it really is) wouldn't touch it, even though she loves lox. But it's a start. And I encourage him to prepare fish often. We'll get used to it! And we'll be better for it.

Fish Oil Supplements Found To Contain PCBs

After reading for years about the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and the benefits of taking fish oil supplements, I finally bought some. This morning I took my first capsule. Then my husband saw this news reel from Yahoo.com and sent it along to me. Wow. I guess I'll learn to tolerate fish, instead!

LINK

Exposure

Sometimes the only way to change a behavior is to expose it...that is to say, if you knew others we watching you, would you behave the same way all the time? Probably not. I realize this sounds as if I'm going to expose this major secret life, but I'm not. Sorry to disappoint! It's just about food.

At the moment I am heating up canned stew for my son and me. Here are the details:

Fat: 10g (per 1 cup)
Sat Fat: 4g (20% RDA)
Cholesterol: 30mg
Sodium: 970mg

There are some good things, but I won't list them.

My son chose this out of the cabinet, and I cooked it. While fixing it, he asked for fruit salad - in this case it was also in a can. Double dammit! I opened it and he ate with gusto.

Sugar: per 1/2 cup 11g

After a while I told him he'd had enough of that and...would he like his stew? Yuck! he said! I went through the panty naming items both good and not so good. DS chose to have plain kidney beans. I need to follow this boy's example!!!

Total fat: 0g
Sat Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sodium: 250mg
Dietary Fiber: 6g (24% RDA)
Protein: 7g

Smart kid. My punishment for even suggesting and actually serving such crap is to make myself look up healthy recipes for my next two dinner nights (tonight and Sunday.) I have mentioned how I feel about the entire meal process (I'm not a fan) so this really is a punishment of sorts. But I gotta do something. Sheesh.

Why?

Why do we crave things that aren't good for us? Why do we know we need exercise, but sit on the couch instead? Why do we stay in when getting out in the sun makes us feel so much better? Why??

Animals eat what they need. (Fat cats and dogs notwithstanding) As I write this, I am eating, and feeding my poor children, easy cheese on crappy crackers. Ugh. Yesterday I had a hummus sandwich on whole grain bread with artichokes, onion, and other totally healthy things. I have a theory that often times very healthy foods simply don't give the full feeling that crap does. For example, after eating my (tasty) healthy sandwich, I could not stop eating my daughter's seasoned french fries. I had eaten plenty, but I compulsively put one fry after the other in my mouth. Eeks! What's up with that?? And at night, almost every night, I eat junk food while sitting on the couch. Now these days hubby and I have been doing Wii workouts before sitting on the couch eating crap, but that doesn't change the fact that the crap junk food is involved in my typical evening routine. So why doesn't the fact that I KNOW it is making me feel like crap, and doing bad things to my body change my behavior? Why are people in general so bad to themselves in that way? And why is it typical of people, and not, say, squirrels? Doesn't the fact that we can think about how to take good care of ourselves help us? Or would we be better off with instinct only?

We sometimes think that convenience is more important than health. But in the long run poor health becomes very inconvenient indeed. But we have to be forced to do the right thing so much of the time.

Why? Why are we reluctant to realize that our moods probably have as much to do with what we eat as with anything else that's going on in our lives? Why are we so clueless about ourselves, but about most other things we think we know it all? Why is it so hard to take care of ourselves the "right" way? Why don't we want to get out and run when we are feeling run down and imbalanced? Why don't we crave spinach when we're iron or vitamin poor instead of milkshakes? Why?

Why? Why when we know these things or have gained an awareness of what we need to do to feel good do we still choose poor options? Why? Why can't it be natural to do the right thing? Why is there ever another option in our minds?

Sighs.

Hats off to Suzanne!

I have gotten reconnected with someone I knew years ago when I was a kid. She and I rode the school bus together. Her older brother and I were good friends. She and I have reconnected through Facebook. As I get to know her as an adult, I'm simply amazed at how much we have in common! I thought I would share with you some of the work she does. Her name is Suzanne. Suzanne has a website  on which she explains how she came to enjoy working with people to help them live more healthy and balanced lives:

"Often, life is so busy that it is challenging to find time to prioritize your needs, and especially your health needs.  I work with clients to simplify the process of making healthy choices and to help them find the time in their busy schedules for needed change."

Suzanne writes a monthly newsletter, with simple suggestions ("nuggets") for readers to help them on their path. It's short, easy to digest, and suggests simple tasks to help keep balance in your life. (i.e. this month's newsletter reminded us that we should take the time to stretch each day.) She also works with people one-on-one, and from comments left on her website, it sounds as if people truly appreciate how she works and the advice that she gives.

 One person wrote: "I feel much better, and I am in control of feeling better." Another said: "Working with Suzanne as a Holistic Health Counselor helped me to change my whole outlook on the direct relationship between my health and what I eat."


I'm sharing this because I think what she does is cool. And I think she's cool! I wish I lived close enough to attend her informational meetings on holistic topics. So check out her website. Nothing ventured, nothing gained!