GAPS update

Not sure how often I will give updates on our gaps journey.  I suppose I'll just write about any changes I see as they come up.  We have only been on the diet for three days, but it seems like three months.  All I think about is food.  Well it seems that way.  I have to be on top of what we will be eating over the next couple of days to make sure our meat is defrosted, or we have other necessary ingredients.  I have major, major brain fog.  That is more due to the high protein than anything else I believe.  I haven't been able to remember simple words.  Nor am I able to follow some of the conversations around here.  I had to ask Saoirse to repeat herself a few times, and Moira as well.  I think they were getting a bit frustrated with me.  It was like I couldn't understand what they were saying, the words just were not making sense in my head.  Very, very weird!  I also couldn't remember the previous sentence someone spoke.  Which made following the conversation hard, as each sentence stood on it's own!  Thankfully that is not happening every minute of the day, but still, it made today a hard day, even though nothing went 'wrong'.

So are we seeing any changes?  Yes and no.  The only positive, and it's very positive, is Jed is eating a lot!  But any changes have had more to do with the increase in probiotics, causing stomach pain.  We've also seen some odd rashes pop up on a few people.  And with the increase in probiotics I have been able to eat a lot of eggs and not need the apple cider vinegar.  Very cool.  But the baby has been  more fussy the past couple of days.  That could be a coincidence as he hasn't had enough 'great' days to know if the diet is effecting him (through my milk).  Jonah had a really hard time coping with life today. The poor guy was a basket case!  Enough to have the girls ask what is wrong with him. 

I really wasn't expecting there to be any big changes.  Now if we were doing the intro diet, that might have been a different story.  I've read quite a few peoples testimonies about being on the full diet, or a similar diet and not seeing the big changes they needed to see.  Then when they went to intro they had major changes within 48 hours.  I was reading on someone's blog (hi Lusi) how that was the case for their son.  She has some great info on the reason for that.  We will continue on the full diet for the next few months and then see if we need to go to the intro diet.  I suppose the key factor will be if Jed is gaining weight. 

I made our own mayo last night.  It's easy, but very time consuming.  You have to s  l  o  w  l  y  drop in the oil to make sure it emulsifies.  It worked!  And it tastes great.  A bit too much lemon but other than that it was a big hit today to use it to make deviled eggs.  I think all my attempts in the past to get more probiotics into our diet has really paid off now.  For one thing they are not foreign foods.  So when I introduce a new fermented food it's not received with suspicion.  The mayo was fermented.  Jeremiah was saying I don't need to ferment everything.  And it's true, I won't be, but fermenting a food not only makes it a probiotic, but it increases the foods nutritional value.  Usually the amount of vitamins available increases significantly. 

So what have we been eating the past few days.  Eggs, LOTS of eggs.  I am beginning to wonder if all the chickens in NC can possibly produce enough eggs for our family alone!!! Ha, ha!! Seriously, we are eating a lot of eggs.  We've had a smoothie for breakfast, eaten a chicken salad for lunch, and a soup at dinner.  Although today's lunch we had "tacos".  I made a yogurt sour cream, beans, taco meat (I use my own seasoning), tomatoes, green onions and avocado (for me only).  We put all of  that on a Romaine lettuce leaf and rolled it up.  I figured it would be pretty good, but I wasn't expecting the girls to be wild about them!  I seriously thought they were going to have some sort of celebration over it.  Before breakfast I have everyone take a probiotic pill.  We also get probiotics from the kefir I use in the smoothie, and lots of water kefir being consumed as well.  Lots!  A fresh batch of kombucha should be ready tomorrow or Friday.  I would like to add that to our dinners.  I also have the ingredients on hand to make a fermented mango chutney.  Sounds delish. 

There are alternative flours, like almond or coconut, that I've seen used to make baked goods.  I would definitely like to try my hand at that sometime.  For now I want to keep it simple.  I made up a list of 14 meals to make for lunch/dinner.  Things that we are pretty familiar with, or are close.  I figured as time goes on and we desire more of a change, the kiddos will be more open to the new flavors. 

It is time for bed!  I will have to write a raving review of the Miracle Blanket soon!  Good stuff, good stuff.