This post is about a comparison that should have struck me months ago. As someone with two unique blogs, one on losing faith in a Christian university and one on eating and living a completely different lifestyle from generally recognized health practices, one would assume this was the theme of my first post. What can I say, we'll chalk it up to brain fog.
What I mean, of course, is that health and faith quickly become two sides of the same coin. Your family's beliefs become your beliefs; simple explanations are swiftly popularized; sages of knowledge are assumed to possess understanding that mere mortals are happiest simply accepting; but most importantly, the devoted crave the company of the devotees and often either pity or resent all other paths.
(To the readers I'm quickly offending and scarring for life, these are generalizations, and gross ones at that. There are certainly excellent, praise-worthy, respectable minds and hearts in these camps. I would argue that they are the minority, but I certainly acknowledge them. And continue to compare the shortcomings of the majority.)
To the same degree that government once was, and still is for some, inextricably linked with spiritual authority, health has also enjoyed a special relationship with our belief systems. We both pray for healing and discuss our spiritual health; witch doctors and monks alike will call on one side to benefit the other. But what's especially fascinating is the experience of those who, for whatever reason, decide to assume some level of maturity and autonomy over either condition: who decide they have the capability of interpreting human history and nature for themselves instead of having it interpreted for them. Suddenly, the gods—the carbs, the prophets, the convenience foods, the fairytales, the chronic cardio, the judgmental superiority complex—begin to crumble before rationality. Of course, this is not to say the gods are always less inviting; but it tends to becomes an exercise in futility to embrace a theistic worldview when it just no longer holds up to logic.
To choose a different path from conventional health/faith is arguably one of the most difficult decisions an individual can make. It is easier in every dimension—mental, physical, social, emotional—to bumble along with the currents and flows of all the voices around you. In either case, their concern can be absolutely suffocating, whether your new course is currently bringing you brilliant success or utter misery.
I once read (and I wish I knew where, so I could link it) a man's comment that he would rather discuss religion, politics, and sex simultaneously at the dinner table than touch the "health" subject even for a minute. To accept a different wisdom from the faith in Creationism or low-fat shakes is to rock the boat almost unbearably. Eventually, we strike out on our own, and find what consolation the Internet can offer. Fortunately, this has turned out to be more than I might have thought.
To conclude, a little song I hummed while walking this afternoon:
I have decided to become primal
I have decided to become primal
I have decided to become primal
No turning back, no turning back
Though none go with me, still I will Grok on
Though none go with me, still I will Grok on
Though none go with me, still I will Grok on
No turning back, no turning back
Low-fat behind me, bacon before me
Low-fat behind me, bacon before me
Low-fat behind me, bacon before me
No turning back, no turning back
Will you decide now, to eat that whipped cream?
Will you decide now, to eat that whipped cream?
Will you decide now, to eat that whipped cream?
No turning back, no turning back
Thursday, February 7, 2013
The Zoo
Confession: I've never found the idea of animals in zoos all that horribly offensive.
Possibility: Maybe this is because modern society puts I/us into a faux habitat, chained by ultra-convenience and sub-par diets and then duly entertained. Perhaps the zoo monkey and I are equally capable of escape but, having never tasted freedom, equally incapable of caring.
Possibility B: Maybe the monkey gets out and realizes, y'know...it's kinda lonely out here on my own in the wild...
Possibility: Maybe this is because modern society puts I/us into a faux habitat, chained by ultra-convenience and sub-par diets and then duly entertained. Perhaps the zoo monkey and I are equally capable of escape but, having never tasted freedom, equally incapable of caring.
Possibility B: Maybe the monkey gets out and realizes, y'know...it's kinda lonely out here on my own in the wild...
Friday, February 1, 2013
Two Little Breath Mints
So I went to a job fair today, then got back and worked a couple hours. While the time was well-spent (one interview and one strong interest, huzzah!), I'm drop-dead tired at the end—and not quite sure how to interpret this.
Perhaps it was the two little breath mints I took off one of the job tables because, hey, when else would you ever need a breath mint more than at a job fair? The extra-thick coating on my tongue really wasn't worth it, though. And if the limp, crashed form of me currently couch potatoing in front of the TV was a direct result of clean breath, I'll take the garlic version next time.
On the bright side, my doctor signed off on my six-month plan today! Double huzzah! On the downside, résumé paper and business cards are expensive. Not to mention gas and registration fees. So I may have to stretch my food with the dining hall this coming week. :( This should be interesting…
Perhaps it was the two little breath mints I took off one of the job tables because, hey, when else would you ever need a breath mint more than at a job fair? The extra-thick coating on my tongue really wasn't worth it, though. And if the limp, crashed form of me currently couch potatoing in front of the TV was a direct result of clean breath, I'll take the garlic version next time.
On the bright side, my doctor signed off on my six-month plan today! Double huzzah! On the downside, résumé paper and business cards are expensive. Not to mention gas and registration fees. So I may have to stretch my food with the dining hall this coming week. :( This should be interesting…
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Grease
So the further I am in GAPS the more frustrated I and my roommates (they more than me) get with greasy dishes. It becomes an environmental catch-22, where any fat in the sewage system is supposedly sinful; but using strong detergents to break down the fats is damaging to my skin, body, and eventually the environment as well. Wiping dishes down with a rag doesn't improve the sewage situation and wiping them down with paper towels still uses paper/fills landfills. Frozen cans of fat in the freezer are recommended, but the problem is greasy films, not large amounts of fat (which I would eat).
Help! Is there a lesser of evils here, or some magical, better way?
Help! Is there a lesser of evils here, or some magical, better way?
Sacrifices
I posted previously on my two stumbling blocks: my job, and eating in the dining hall (aka my social life). A little over a week ago, I finally started to get a little bit of a handle on dealing with these issues, and I wanted to share the key that seems to have made some difference for me: the concept of sacrifice.
I think it's fair to say that a sacrifice cannot occur without being the direct descendent of commitment. If something is given without any form of commitment, it ceases to be a sacrifice. "Love", outside of "emotional attachment", is often defined through this pair of concepts; when we ask of ourselves how committed we are to a loved one, we generally end up asking, 'How much have I sacrificed?'
Fortunately, I've found I can use this pairing to my advantage. Instead of making a commitment and expecting the sacrifice to follow, which inevitably fails, it has ended up that when I make sacrifices for the GAPS diet and for my health in general, commitment inevitably follows.
For example, knowing that my job is one of my two key stumbling blocks, I decided to make a sacrifice and change offices for a shift. (I'm lucky to have this option available.) This was a sacrifice not just of my opportunities to snitch all the goodies I shouldn't, but also of chit-chat time with co-workers as I was in a more isolated location. In the process of giving this up, commitment to a cleaner diet started becoming easier. One slip makes others feel natural; one sacrifice makes others feel natural, too.
I'm still working through the social sacrifice. I've got to admit, this one's getting harder as time goes on instead of easier. I miss my friends. A lot. At the same time, the deeper it cuts to feel excluded, the more power I have to acknowledge that I am choosing this sacrifice, that it is valuable, and that other sacrifices can and must follow.
I think it's fair to say that a sacrifice cannot occur without being the direct descendent of commitment. If something is given without any form of commitment, it ceases to be a sacrifice. "Love", outside of "emotional attachment", is often defined through this pair of concepts; when we ask of ourselves how committed we are to a loved one, we generally end up asking, 'How much have I sacrificed?'
Fortunately, I've found I can use this pairing to my advantage. Instead of making a commitment and expecting the sacrifice to follow, which inevitably fails, it has ended up that when I make sacrifices for the GAPS diet and for my health in general, commitment inevitably follows.
For example, knowing that my job is one of my two key stumbling blocks, I decided to make a sacrifice and change offices for a shift. (I'm lucky to have this option available.) This was a sacrifice not just of my opportunities to snitch all the goodies I shouldn't, but also of chit-chat time with co-workers as I was in a more isolated location. In the process of giving this up, commitment to a cleaner diet started becoming easier. One slip makes others feel natural; one sacrifice makes others feel natural, too.
I'm still working through the social sacrifice. I've got to admit, this one's getting harder as time goes on instead of easier. I miss my friends. A lot. At the same time, the deeper it cuts to feel excluded, the more power I have to acknowledge that I am choosing this sacrifice, that it is valuable, and that other sacrifices can and must follow.
Yogrrrrrt
I. Hate. Yogurt.
Lie. I love yogurt, it's pretty much the highlight of the diet for me. (That, and honey, and both together—yay honey!!!) But somehow I landed in an apartment that is absolutely determined to sabotage all my attempts at yogurt making. Sad face.
I would like to point out: college student. This stuff ain't cheap. 24q4renkjl;dfj. So I'm currently eating attempts 7 and 9, despite their being too thin and cooked/dead (respectively). This probably means I'm getting all kinds of milk sugar I shouldn't be, but c'est la vie—I don't have the money and my roommates are tired of the oven being occupied/apartment being stuffy 24 hours at a time.
Lie. I love yogurt, it's pretty much the highlight of the diet for me. (That, and honey, and both together—yay honey!!!) But somehow I landed in an apartment that is absolutely determined to sabotage all my attempts at yogurt making. Sad face.
- Attempt 1: Yogurt in a crock pot on warm. Fail. Too hot.
- Attempt 2: Add more starter to crock pot (off), then leave with desk lamp. Fail. Too cold.
- Attempt 3: Add a bit more starter, bundle in a sleeping bag and place on top of frig with desk lamp. Fail. Too cold.
- Attempt 4: Place in oven on warm. Began as a fail (too hot), but with door propped just right and more starter, I had my first success.
- Attempt 5: Place in oven again…roommate's bf spills it everywhere.
- Attempt 6: Grocery denies my card at midnight…turns out my bank is down. Fail. No starter.
- Attempt 7: Place in oven. Fail. I don't even know why the **** why, but could be because I went back to the grocery and…someone got there ten minutes before and grabbed every container of the only plain/organic/live culture my grocery sells. I tried vanilla.
- Attempt 8: Place in oven. Fail. I get to cry over spilling the milk(/starter) this time.
 |
| Yogurt, half spilled. |
- Attempt 9: Place in oven, add more starter and milk to above. Fail. Too hot.
I would like to point out: college student. This stuff ain't cheap. 24q4renkjl;dfj. So I'm currently eating attempts 7 and 9, despite their being too thin and cooked/dead (respectively). This probably means I'm getting all kinds of milk sugar I shouldn't be, but c'est la vie—I don't have the money and my roommates are tired of the oven being occupied/apartment being stuffy 24 hours at a time.
Frickin yogurt.
Update!
Hello there blogosphere! I'm back! It's been a couple weeks, so here's what's happened in my GAPS journey thus far.
I went along pretty well for a week after my last post. The main exception was a chili cook-off; how can one make chili without sampling said chili? And that led to a downhill slope of sampling all chilis, and then having a full bowl of a couple chilis. Interestingly, the effects weren't as drastic as I was expecting. I blamed it on my body needing a "carb reload" and continued on my way. At the end of the week I visited my boyfriend's house; here I fell into another slump. I even brought my own food, but what's that compared to grandma cookies?
Which brings us to the beginning of last week. I'd had it. I was tired of the off-again on-again thing, and I finally pinpointed the root of many of my slips out of GAPS (and subsequent plunges). In addition to learning some lessons about eliminating this root, which I'll discuss more in a post about sacrifice, I started keeping a count of perfect days on my mirror in eyeliner:
Today is day 8! Woohoo! Why 50 total? Haven't the slightest idea, it sounded like a nice achievable number. Since this calendar, I've only had one bad day. (Ok, two; but I excused one due to helping a friend, skipping lunch, and ending up incredibly hungry.)
Much more importantly: as my tally counted up and I began to feel more in control of the GAPS style, my mother and I reached an important conclusion. I've decided to go off my meds and supplements for six months—minus thyroid hormone and hydrocortisone, which are subject to scrutiny. Why?
Because I've decided that over the next six months, I want to discover what it means for me, personally, to achieve my optimum health without intervention. (At the end, we'll reassess the intervention options.) This means working through GAPS. This means low stress and lots of sleep. This means some structured exercise, a whole lot of walking, and active play time.
In college. Yep. I'm crazy like that.
As for what my daily GAPS diet looks like, it's something like this:
I went along pretty well for a week after my last post. The main exception was a chili cook-off; how can one make chili without sampling said chili? And that led to a downhill slope of sampling all chilis, and then having a full bowl of a couple chilis. Interestingly, the effects weren't as drastic as I was expecting. I blamed it on my body needing a "carb reload" and continued on my way. At the end of the week I visited my boyfriend's house; here I fell into another slump. I even brought my own food, but what's that compared to grandma cookies?
Which brings us to the beginning of last week. I'd had it. I was tired of the off-again on-again thing, and I finally pinpointed the root of many of my slips out of GAPS (and subsequent plunges). In addition to learning some lessons about eliminating this root, which I'll discuss more in a post about sacrifice, I started keeping a count of perfect days on my mirror in eyeliner:
Today is day 8! Woohoo! Why 50 total? Haven't the slightest idea, it sounded like a nice achievable number. Since this calendar, I've only had one bad day. (Ok, two; but I excused one due to helping a friend, skipping lunch, and ending up incredibly hungry.)
Much more importantly: as my tally counted up and I began to feel more in control of the GAPS style, my mother and I reached an important conclusion. I've decided to go off my meds and supplements for six months—minus thyroid hormone and hydrocortisone, which are subject to scrutiny. Why?
Because I've decided that over the next six months, I want to discover what it means for me, personally, to achieve my optimum health without intervention. (At the end, we'll reassess the intervention options.) This means working through GAPS. This means low stress and lots of sleep. This means some structured exercise, a whole lot of walking, and active play time.
In college. Yep. I'm crazy like that.
As for what my daily GAPS diet looks like, it's something like this:
- All meals: soup w/egg yolk and kraut, seasoned with turmeric, cayenne, and fresh basil
- Some ginger/honey concentrate
- One meal: seaweed (nori) in the soup
- Most meals: chocolate yogurt (yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla, and cocoa powder)
- Snacks: broth, almonds, cooked veggies
This puts me somewhere between stages 2 and 3 of intro. Turmeric is just an awesome spice all around, and cayenne is listed as a candida-fighter (which, after all, is a cousin of GAPS). I know Dr. Campbell-McBride doesn't recommend nori until Full GAPS, but I put it in for the iodine to support thyroid since I'm diagnosed hypothyroid. From what I can tell, cocoa is also normally Full GAPS; you could call it my treat to keep myself sane.
The plan is to keep to this til the end of the week and then, hopefully, bring on full stage 3. Where I'm really lacking in insight, and wish I could have some professional advice, is with candida. I've had mild but chronic thrush in my mouth for years, and one of my goals is to get my tongue to a nice healthy pink. What I'm unsure of is which stage of Intro to stop on while I wait for this to happen. Ideally, I'd rather not go full stage 3 til my tongue is healthy; but I don't really see this happening by the end of the week. On the other hand…this stage is getting old…! I shall post again when I have a better feel for the best decision.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Candied Carrots
Ha-ha! I feel exceptionally successful this morning, for I have finally consumed a legal food that is not soup! Life is good my friends.
It turns out that my new-found honey allowance is actually quite inspirational. We shall see where the sweet trail leads. For now, eat your Intro-legal hearts out with candied carrots (or some other veggie, be creative).
Candied Carrots
1/4 cup broth
1 spoonful fresh ginger
2 carrots, chopped
1 spoonful honey
1 spoonful coconut oil
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon
dash of cardamom
It turns out that my new-found honey allowance is actually quite inspirational. We shall see where the sweet trail leads. For now, eat your Intro-legal hearts out with candied carrots (or some other veggie, be creative).
Candied Carrots
1/4 cup broth
1 spoonful fresh ginger
2 carrots, chopped
1 spoonful honey
1 spoonful coconut oil
pinch of salt
dash of cinnamon
dash of cardamom
- Simmer carrots and ginger in broth for about a half hour, or until carrots are tender. Alternatively, give them a few hours in a crock pot.
- Mix all other ingredients in a bowl.
- Drain carrots/ginger, and mix with candied topping. Not quite a culinary revelation—but it's also not soup, folks. Color me thrilled.
Dining Hall Soup
I've discussed that one of my college life challenges is my dining hall; that constant tug of war between socialization and infinite temptation. Not only does it offer cheap, bad quality, illegal food in unlimited quantities, it offers them Free (well, on the meal plan)—and the number one college life rule is you never, ever turn down the gods of Free. Things are only worse as you watch your friends scarf down hundreds of carbs and sit there twiddling your thumbs.
This recipe is as close as it comes to cheating in Intro, while remaining as close as it comes to legal in the dining hall. Most likely, it will include roasted, non-organic chicken breast instead of boiled, organic whole chicken with non-organic, pre-frozen veggies. In no way should it qualify as a contributor to the Intro diet. There is NO reason a college student should be incapable of putting a chicken, vegetables and water in a crock pot in their dorm. However, it is here for those who are desperate to both maintain a social life and evade the "anorexic" label—particularly when dropping pounds in Intro. Be creative and customize it to your dining hall's offerings. With no further ado:
Dining Hall Soup
This recipe is as close as it comes to cheating in Intro, while remaining as close as it comes to legal in the dining hall. Most likely, it will include roasted, non-organic chicken breast instead of boiled, organic whole chicken with non-organic, pre-frozen veggies. In no way should it qualify as a contributor to the Intro diet. There is NO reason a college student should be incapable of putting a chicken, vegetables and water in a crock pot in their dorm. However, it is here for those who are desperate to both maintain a social life and evade the "anorexic" label—particularly when dropping pounds in Intro. Be creative and customize it to your dining hall's offerings. With no further ado:
Dining Hall Soup
- Grab a bowl.
- Start with chicken. Consider taking from a sandwich, salad, or stir-fry line; if grilled sandwiches are offered you may be able to steal a chicken strip from inside. If all chicken offerings are breaded, skip the meat.
- Add veggies. Again, check salad/sandwich/stir fry lines; you're looking for carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, onions, spinach, etc.
- Season with salt, pepper, and possibly seasonings from the pizza line.
- Add a little water, cover with a plate, and microwave. If possible, set microwave to a low power to cook the veggies slowly.
- Alternatively, go to the hot drinks line and add boiling water. Allow veggies to sit for about ten minutes.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Bring on stage 2
At the end of the first week, I figure I could probably benefit from more time in stage 1, especially after my binge today; but looking over stage 2, I also think the changes are slight enough that I'm not risking a huge amount by moving on. Not like introducing fruit for example. So here's what I'm looking forward to this next week:
- Yogurt. After getting some good yogurt tomorrow I'll make my first batch ever and sensitivity test it. Yay! Looking forward to bits of frozen yogurt with honey!
- Egg yolks. My lovely roommate brought a few dozen organic eggs from break, so hoping to start using those in soup. Yummy.
- Sauerkraut. As I mentioned in another post, sauerkraut takes a week…therefore I'm a week in before introducing it. C'est la vie. Not sure what to expect with this one; it's my first foray into fermented foods! I actually found WildBrine sauerkraut in the health food store today—they seem to be legit. Does anyone have any experiences with this company's ferments? It'd be a nice way to save time and hassle making it myself. Yay college!
I can't quite express how much I'm looking forward to new foods. Similarly, I found myself desperate to add some spices into my soups this week—this is such a vague area with Intro! If anyone has comments or experiences with spices, please share.
Stumbling Blocks
Previously I posted on my building blocks, or the resources that I'm relying on to get me through the slog that is GAPS. I will now explain my stumbling blocks: my job, and eating with friends in the dining hall.
Ever since I first started trying to implement primal, my arch nemesis has been my job. The office I work in is well-stocked with free soda, junk food, coffee, and candy out the wazoo, in every room, plus the pastries and other treats that are regularly brought in. It's inescapable and so, so tempting at 8:00 in the morning when I'm feeling drained to the point of incompetency.
I had done well this week—perfect actually, except my tea two days ago and coffee yesterday!—until we had a birthday party today. I caved. It started with roasted pecans, then a half scoop of butter pecan ice cream…then more ice cream, two coconut macaroons, and a Ghirardelli chocolate. ARG. When I diet, I diet properly; when I binge, I do that properly too. The results? A vague headache, a sneeze, an itchy/runny nose, a slightly painful tummy—and several hours of my heart pounding out of my chest. The rest wasn't so bad, but the heart pounding was terrifying. I'm back on the straight and narrow for the time being with the hope that I haven't set myself back to Timbuktu.
My second stumbling block is something I think many college students will struggle with if they are accustomed to a dining hall, and I hope to hear from other students in the comments below. My relationships over dinner were the one thing that kept me from ever making the cooking-switch while I was in primal mode last semester. Unfortunately, our dining hall is buffet style, with infinite illegal foods and an Intro-legal selection of four vegetables. (Plus shredded chicken breast if that even counts.) Joyous. But perhaps this might be some small encouragement: after finally swiping in for the first time tonight: yes, the company was nice—but all I really wanted was to come home to a bowl of soup. Victory, kind of?
What are your top GAPS challenges?
Ever since I first started trying to implement primal, my arch nemesis has been my job. The office I work in is well-stocked with free soda, junk food, coffee, and candy out the wazoo, in every room, plus the pastries and other treats that are regularly brought in. It's inescapable and so, so tempting at 8:00 in the morning when I'm feeling drained to the point of incompetency.
I had done well this week—perfect actually, except my tea two days ago and coffee yesterday!—until we had a birthday party today. I caved. It started with roasted pecans, then a half scoop of butter pecan ice cream…then more ice cream, two coconut macaroons, and a Ghirardelli chocolate. ARG. When I diet, I diet properly; when I binge, I do that properly too. The results? A vague headache, a sneeze, an itchy/runny nose, a slightly painful tummy—and several hours of my heart pounding out of my chest. The rest wasn't so bad, but the heart pounding was terrifying. I'm back on the straight and narrow for the time being with the hope that I haven't set myself back to Timbuktu.
My second stumbling block is something I think many college students will struggle with if they are accustomed to a dining hall, and I hope to hear from other students in the comments below. My relationships over dinner were the one thing that kept me from ever making the cooking-switch while I was in primal mode last semester. Unfortunately, our dining hall is buffet style, with infinite illegal foods and an Intro-legal selection of four vegetables. (Plus shredded chicken breast if that even counts.) Joyous. But perhaps this might be some small encouragement: after finally swiping in for the first time tonight: yes, the company was nice—but all I really wanted was to come home to a bowl of soup. Victory, kind of?
What are your top GAPS challenges?
Intro, First Week Report
I'm at the end of my first week-ish into Intro. I'm really glad I found Plan to Eat's review in the first couple days, because otherwise I would have been pretty ticked at how lousy it's been. They also list a nice, detailed, "proper" implementation of stage 1, so I'll skip that and just explain how the week went down for me.
I started a week ago with broth from a non-organic hen; though I was loath to do this it was most feasible at the time. Carrots, onions, meat, bam. As soon as I got back to school I pulled an organic chicky out of the freezer and got it going with carrots and onions. Stripped the meat, kept the bones, simmered a few more hours with broccoli/carrots/onions/radishes and put half the meat back in. That lasted me, oh, probably about 8-9 meals or 3 days. Halfway through I started adding a spoonful of coconut oil to my bowl, which helped with intense hunger. Yesterday I broke down and added some curry—not sure I'll do it again because supposedly curry is illegal, but boy was it good. Then last night I pulled the bones back out; made more broth, then added other half of meat, more veggies, coconut oil.
A big personal switch for me was finally reintroducing the couple dozen foods I'd been avoiding for a few months based on my IgG allergy tests. One of the things that first put me on to GAPS was my suspicion that IgG tests make NO SENSE AT ALL, to the point that some doctors assume that the act of eating is equivalent with IgG antibodies forming. Dr. Natasha's explanation that food entering the blood stream undigested through a leaky gut will obviously cause an immune response was the clearest I've ever heard. Following her advice, no more "allergic" foods. Mmm…garlic…
I also grated a huge root of ginger at the start of the week and made a big pitcher of ginger tea, although I didn't add the recommended honey. I've been conditioned against honey for far too long! Today I broke down and got some raw at the health food store, but it will still be a struggle to bring myself to use it despite my desperation for a bit of sweetness.
The other thing I have not implemented yet is fermented/probiotic food of any kind. This is because I started some sauerkraut a week ago but, well, it takes a week. Just another couple days, assuming it's not a solid lump of mold! After stressing for several hours on a method, I finally just dumped salt on cabbage, worked it with my hands til it had juice, shoved it down in a jar with juice covering it and poured coconut oil over the top to solidify. (No lid, towel over it for darkness.) The success of this entirely remains to be seen—I shall report back soon!
Finally, I've done two detox baths with baking soda and some essential oils—lavender/geranium and rosemary/thyme/ginger. The second blend really seemed to do wonders.
Where have I cheated? Well, that will be a post to its own, but here I'll just cover coffee and tea. I've drunk maybe five cups of coffee (see below) and two different kinds of tea. As far as I can tell, coffee is Intro illegal; but I can also definitively say it was the only time all week I've had energy to do anything productive whatsoever, and brought me through some meetings I needed to have with other students. My first cup of tea—English breakfast if I remember right—put me into a grouchy motionless lump, but I can't say for sure how my second cup affected me.
How do I feel? Well, I had some weird skin discoloration on my tummy/undersides of my arms; not sure if this is part of detox, or what. Anyone else experienced this? But above all I feel tired. I got 12 hours, 10 hours, and 14 hours of sleep on different nights and still felt like I could sleep more. I'm so very thankful it's the first week of classes because I've done 0 work so far—and this is very rare for me. I had one lab where I spent the last half hour staring at the screen incapable of processing anything more.
Stress of new class material has been difficult to handle…my grades this semester may pay a price for this diet. But as I explained in my motivation post, I'm facing either debt for meds and supplements or the die-off from the GAPS diet. At least for the time being, my grades are less expensive.
I started a week ago with broth from a non-organic hen; though I was loath to do this it was most feasible at the time. Carrots, onions, meat, bam. As soon as I got back to school I pulled an organic chicky out of the freezer and got it going with carrots and onions. Stripped the meat, kept the bones, simmered a few more hours with broccoli/carrots/onions/radishes and put half the meat back in. That lasted me, oh, probably about 8-9 meals or 3 days. Halfway through I started adding a spoonful of coconut oil to my bowl, which helped with intense hunger. Yesterday I broke down and added some curry—not sure I'll do it again because supposedly curry is illegal, but boy was it good. Then last night I pulled the bones back out; made more broth, then added other half of meat, more veggies, coconut oil.
A big personal switch for me was finally reintroducing the couple dozen foods I'd been avoiding for a few months based on my IgG allergy tests. One of the things that first put me on to GAPS was my suspicion that IgG tests make NO SENSE AT ALL, to the point that some doctors assume that the act of eating is equivalent with IgG antibodies forming. Dr. Natasha's explanation that food entering the blood stream undigested through a leaky gut will obviously cause an immune response was the clearest I've ever heard. Following her advice, no more "allergic" foods. Mmm…garlic…
I also grated a huge root of ginger at the start of the week and made a big pitcher of ginger tea, although I didn't add the recommended honey. I've been conditioned against honey for far too long! Today I broke down and got some raw at the health food store, but it will still be a struggle to bring myself to use it despite my desperation for a bit of sweetness.
The other thing I have not implemented yet is fermented/probiotic food of any kind. This is because I started some sauerkraut a week ago but, well, it takes a week. Just another couple days, assuming it's not a solid lump of mold! After stressing for several hours on a method, I finally just dumped salt on cabbage, worked it with my hands til it had juice, shoved it down in a jar with juice covering it and poured coconut oil over the top to solidify. (No lid, towel over it for darkness.) The success of this entirely remains to be seen—I shall report back soon!
Finally, I've done two detox baths with baking soda and some essential oils—lavender/geranium and rosemary/thyme/ginger. The second blend really seemed to do wonders.
Where have I cheated? Well, that will be a post to its own, but here I'll just cover coffee and tea. I've drunk maybe five cups of coffee (see below) and two different kinds of tea. As far as I can tell, coffee is Intro illegal; but I can also definitively say it was the only time all week I've had energy to do anything productive whatsoever, and brought me through some meetings I needed to have with other students. My first cup of tea—English breakfast if I remember right—put me into a grouchy motionless lump, but I can't say for sure how my second cup affected me.
How do I feel? Well, I had some weird skin discoloration on my tummy/undersides of my arms; not sure if this is part of detox, or what. Anyone else experienced this? But above all I feel tired. I got 12 hours, 10 hours, and 14 hours of sleep on different nights and still felt like I could sleep more. I'm so very thankful it's the first week of classes because I've done 0 work so far—and this is very rare for me. I had one lab where I spent the last half hour staring at the screen incapable of processing anything more.
Stress of new class material has been difficult to handle…my grades this semester may pay a price for this diet. But as I explained in my motivation post, I'm facing either debt for meds and supplements or the die-off from the GAPS diet. At least for the time being, my grades are less expensive.
Building Blocks
For the sake of those—especially college students!—wanting to compare their situations with what I'm up against and what I have going for me in my personal switch to GAPS, here's a basic outline of the resources at my disposal.
- Two jobs (roughly 15-20 hours a week). My student development office was willing to provide me a credit for food when I scaled back my meal plan with a doctor's note—until they looked at my aid and determined I was receiving too much to get a credit. But students, seriously, work this option and you may get the funds to make the change. Or get a job—you can do it!
- Off-campus apartment with a kitchenette. This is a blessing. To be honest though, I cooked quite a bit living in the dorms as well. It just meant getting a first-floor room close to the lounge, a mini-frig, and kitchen supplies that lived in a tub in my room.
- Grocery store in walking distance. They have no meat, but they supply my organic (when I can afford it) dairy and produce if it's off season for…
- Farmer's Market. Hooray! My community has a seasonal Farmer's Market ten minutes away. Tons of local produce—I take local over organic for fresh nutrients—and also a couple meat providers. Thank God.
- Organic meat farm. A half hour drive away, but hopefully manageable to stock up every couple weeks til Farmer's Market. My first appointment is tomorrow.
- Crock pot. My roommates gifted me a mid-range one for Christmas, but I've seen them at the right stores for $15-$20. I would not be on Intro without it.
- Supportive roommates. As I mentioned a couple posts ago, my health in general was a constant, low-lying stress in my last apartment. I now have roommates who are equal parts "doesn't bother me" and "don't care". It's something I would take for granted had I not just switched into it, but for right now I'm thanking my lucky stars.
These resources did not come together overnight. They've taken quite a bit of internet research and networking. I still haven't found a raw dairy provider, which is disappointing—haven't given up yet though! I so encourage anyone considering Intro to make sure they have a similar support system in place; or at least enough for the first couple stages, as you can continue researching before moving to later stages.
Take a minute to think about your key health and nutrition resources. Share them below! Be grateful for them! Don't take them for granted! :)
What's my motivation?
"What's my motivation?" I love that question in theater. Most lines are so very ambiguous that without a clear answer to the question, they become dull and meaningless, rehearsed to oblivion. This is also the danger of a strict diet. So here's my motivation.
Over Christmas break I had a nice long chat with my doctor. My lab results were beyond out of whack: hormones, vitamins, minerals, neurotransmitters, it all pointed to one very trashed system. This at least gave me a starting point for explaining my depression, weight difficulties, and other symptoms; but I just couldn't quite swallow the prognosis of a "genetic disposition to non-absorption of vitamin B." And then I started getting a clue of just how much all this was going to cost to re-balance through supplementation. We'll call it a shocking experience and leave it at that.
On December 29, I finally made the magical connection: Vitamins? Produced/consumed by gut flora. Neurotransmitters? Controlled by gut flora. Hormones? Controlled by vitamins. For the first time in my life I saw cause and effect instead of pills. With astonishing timing, my mom's copy of the GAPS book arrived the next day. I consumed it and, for the most part, it made sense. It was magic, I tell ye, magic. I looked out and saw three options:
Over Christmas break I had a nice long chat with my doctor. My lab results were beyond out of whack: hormones, vitamins, minerals, neurotransmitters, it all pointed to one very trashed system. This at least gave me a starting point for explaining my depression, weight difficulties, and other symptoms; but I just couldn't quite swallow the prognosis of a "genetic disposition to non-absorption of vitamin B." And then I started getting a clue of just how much all this was going to cost to re-balance through supplementation. We'll call it a shocking experience and leave it at that.
On December 29, I finally made the magical connection: Vitamins? Produced/consumed by gut flora. Neurotransmitters? Controlled by gut flora. Hormones? Controlled by vitamins. For the first time in my life I saw cause and effect instead of pills. With astonishing timing, my mom's copy of the GAPS book arrived the next day. I consumed it and, for the most part, it made sense. It was magic, I tell ye, magic. I looked out and saw three options:
- Ignore it all, continuing to lose quality of life until I died of a heart attack/cancer/diabete/strokes at age 45.
- Supplement the heck out of my system and force it further and further into disequilibrium while plunging into poverty to the sound of my insurance provider's laughter.
- Try GAPS.
The rest is history. Or technically—the rest is the future.
What's your motivation in the GAPS journey? This is not exactly something one stumbles into accidentally. Comment about it!
How did I get here?
The obvious question to ask a college student embarking on the GAPS Intro diet is—what the **** are you thinking? (I should know. I ask this of myself on an hourly basis.)
Here's my story. I inherited a nice long slew of health issues from my mom—who, to her credit, has made our family's health her number one priority and has fought for both of us every step of the way. In all senses I would not be here without her now. When I was seven, she started me on Thyroid replacement hormones, how to look for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and how to eat according to "hunger and full". The supplements and hormones expanded from there. By the time I left for college, we mostly had gluten out of the house and were eating generally fresh/organic.
I went in to my Freshman year at 150 and came out at about 170. It was a brilliant year—the best I've had at college. But the summer after, a mix of a terrible job, an existential crisis and cooking (mostly poorly) for myself put me in a downward spiral. By the end of the next year I was pushing 190.
I spent this past summer studying abroad. Partway through things were really getting out of control; my blood pressure had plummeted and rendered me incapable of getting out of bed, I was missing cycles, I was missing weeks of classes. On the bright side, after tight finances and lots of walking I was somewhere between 140 and 150; but it wasn't a healthy, fit place so much as a sickly place. When I got back to the States, I knew something had to give if I were to continue college. My mother's wisdom instructed me to look into the primal movement, and it struck a cord with me.
I pulled out my year-old IgG allergy results, sat down with our dining hall management, and worked out some exceptions for the semester. I would provide breakfast and lunch for myself, and they would provide a plain piece of meat for dinner and let me add veggies/fruits from the rest of the dining hall. Mark's Daily Apple was (and still is) my surrogate home. I started with the best of intentions, but the semester quickly caught up with me; by the end I was only about 50% consistent. Not only this, but my roommates were frustrated with my inconsistency and decline since Freshman year. I left for break exhausted, depressed, and with plans for a new apartment.
Here's my story. I inherited a nice long slew of health issues from my mom—who, to her credit, has made our family's health her number one priority and has fought for both of us every step of the way. In all senses I would not be here without her now. When I was seven, she started me on Thyroid replacement hormones, how to look for partially hydrogenated vegetable oil and how to eat according to "hunger and full". The supplements and hormones expanded from there. By the time I left for college, we mostly had gluten out of the house and were eating generally fresh/organic.
I went in to my Freshman year at 150 and came out at about 170. It was a brilliant year—the best I've had at college. But the summer after, a mix of a terrible job, an existential crisis and cooking (mostly poorly) for myself put me in a downward spiral. By the end of the next year I was pushing 190.
I spent this past summer studying abroad. Partway through things were really getting out of control; my blood pressure had plummeted and rendered me incapable of getting out of bed, I was missing cycles, I was missing weeks of classes. On the bright side, after tight finances and lots of walking I was somewhere between 140 and 150; but it wasn't a healthy, fit place so much as a sickly place. When I got back to the States, I knew something had to give if I were to continue college. My mother's wisdom instructed me to look into the primal movement, and it struck a cord with me.
I pulled out my year-old IgG allergy results, sat down with our dining hall management, and worked out some exceptions for the semester. I would provide breakfast and lunch for myself, and they would provide a plain piece of meat for dinner and let me add veggies/fruits from the rest of the dining hall. Mark's Daily Apple was (and still is) my surrogate home. I started with the best of intentions, but the semester quickly caught up with me; by the end I was only about 50% consistent. Not only this, but my roommates were frustrated with my inconsistency and decline since Freshman year. I left for break exhausted, depressed, and with plans for a new apartment.
So here goes!
Hi there! I'm a college student attempting the GAPS diet—from Intro. And that, my friends, is a pretty darn scary way to start a blog.
(Not sure what I'm talking about? Check here.)
Hopefully, a blog of this experience will provide several things:
(Not sure what I'm talking about? Check here.)
Hopefully, a blog of this experience will provide several things:
- Insight! GAPS tends to be golden in theory, and clear as mud in practice. I'm looking forward to seeing people jump in and help me where I'm just missing it. Intro, especially, seems to be a bit lacking in an online community—this is my attempt at starting to resolve that. (Filling in the GAPS! Get it? Hmm? Anyone…?)
- Encouragement. College is a draining experience without a radical diet change halfway through. But I'm pretty sure there are other students out there who might be interested in giving it a go. Above all else, I intend to prove that this is POSSIBLE.
- Discipline. I am not a routine person; too much of the same and I quickly start to lose it. I'm the last person in the world who should have any success on a rigid diet. Or blogging for that matter. But I'm also highly motivated, and hopefully blogging will keep me chugging away.
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