GAPS Day 24: Feet :(

And knees :(

Well, I'm guessing that this isn't just a "normalization" of being on GAPS, I do seem to be going backwards in some areas, namely my feet and ankles. They're back to hurting a bit on waking, and while I stand on the train. Not as bad as before doing GAPS but the pain isn't 100% gone the way it was when I first started GAPS. I suspect that I need to do the Autoimmune Protocol; I've been eating nuts and eggs like crazy since going on full GAPS, as well as regularly eating tomatoes.

I've suspected that some of my problems are autoimmune in origin for a while; I have eczema, which is an autoimmune condition, and if you have one autoimmune symptom you have autoimmunity. I'm going to stick with just doing GAPS for now; the idea of limiting my diet to even further will completely drive me off the deep end. The gut is the first thing I need to get under control, after that I'll work on the autoimmunity. (Then again, my gut problems may have an autoimmune component, in which case I may have to do both at the same time waaaaaahh!!)

I felt so amazing doing intro GAPS but IT'S. SO. GODDAM. HARD!!! I will definitely redo the intro again but I'm hoping that I can do it for a month or so at a time, and not for years and years and years and years (please god no).

I've also been having bathroom issues again; I keep trying to increase my HCL dosage and it's just no good, my digestion can't handle it. But increasing stomach acid soooo important to improving digestion that I keep pushing! I've been taking one 650 mg with breakfast and snack (even though I don't eat a lot for my snack) and two with dinner. I've also been taking relatively large amounts of fish oil, which also tends to loosen stuff up. This is important but not as important as getting my digestion on track so I may try cutting out the fish oil and just focusing on the HCL. Ugh, this is so complicated!!!!

------------------------------

Breakfast (at 10:30 am as usual) was LSF crackers (I have to remember to bring in my GAPS pancakes!!!) with "Mexican" soup, just broth with shredded beef, salsa, and cauliflower. Nothing fancy. A small apple and some nuts afterwards. Snack was cucumber from the cafeteria salad bar, guacamole, salsa, and smoked salmon (with just salmon and salt - you have to read the label because they freaking love putting sugar in everything) with a Larabar (I really have to start making these!)

F came over tonight - he was supposed to come last night but forgot (hence the salsa and guacamole - I may not be able to eat corn chips but he can... also, I just love my local Mexican restaurant's salsa, and guac is always awesome!) I had egg burrito again and was going to make F a platter with the chips, guacamole, beef, etc. but he ended up coming really, really, REALLY late (10:45 pm!). And he's bought a sandwich. Huh.



Today's article:

"The Autoimmune Protocol" (from The Paleo Mom)

"Autoimmune disease is an epidemic in our society, affecting an estimated 50 million Americans. But it doesn’t have to be. Although genetic predisposition accounts for approximately one-third of your risk of developing an autoimmune disease, the other two-thirds comes from your environment, your diet, and your lifestyle. In fact, experts are increasingly recognizing that certain dietary factors are key contributors to autoimmune disease, placing these autoimmune conditions in the same class of diet- and lifestyle-related diseases as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and obesity. This means that autoimmune disease is directly linked to our food choices and how we decide to live your life. It also means that we can manage and reverse autoimmune disease simply by changing how you eat and making more informed choices about sleep, activity, and stress… and that’s some pretty darned good news!"