GAPS/SCD mamas - Page 11

[mbravebird]

Wow, NatrlCatholicMama, that's a post to remember and return to!! Thanks!! Great summary and great helpful tips.

Velcromom, I appreciate you mentioning the gluten thing being even bigger than the grains/starches. After reading your post, I went back to gluten-free, and now, a few days later, the eczema is really reduced -- no longer red, and the dry area is thin, not thick. Whew!!

So funny, I remember being in the hospital with the baby, looking at the bagel sandwich someone had just brought me, sooooo hungry and tired. I had already begun eating rice the week before, but was clinging to the gluten free idea. And I thought, well, there goes gluten free -- and I enjoyed that sandwich SOOO much. And I ate some more wheat after that, too. But, now that I think back to it, it was a couple of days later that the eczema started.

So I hope that attempting to go back to gluten free, which is easier than GAPS, solves it for now, and then I can try GAPS again at some later date. We'll see how I do!! We are still in medical mode over here, but it's less stressful than it was before.

[newcastlemama]

Just a tip if you feel overwhemled starting GAPS with intro. Many people just try and eat off the GAPS allowed food list until they feel they are ready to start intro. (I did that) I really think intro helped me heal so much--my stomach issue stopped right away (I was having IBS-like symptoms with pain and running to the bathroom right after I ate..not good!) I was able to move through the stages pretty fast too...so if you get starving or need more variety in food then just try adding some stuff from the next stage earlier.

I just really want to encourge people who are really struggling with their health to do the intro because many seem to want to skip it (and I get that) but it works.

Also, I used Trader Joe's canned lite coconut milk sometimes because it was just coconut milk and water.

[Ravenlunatic]

What a choice find to find this thread... and the fermenting veggie thread! I have been on SCD/GAPS since last Feb, 8 months. Overall I have been doing really well and aside from some boredom struggles I can stick to the diet pretty well. I have been doing so much more reading about it that I think I will do the intro diet again soon and just revamp what I'm already doing.

I have a couple of questions though.

I have only just begun to ferment my veggies and I take in no diary right now, including not goat yogurt. What proibotic shoudl I take and how often? I think it will be one of my only real sources of good bacteria intro into my body.

Also, I have been taking caprilic acid to kill off yeast (this was recommended by a friend), but I wonder if I am damaging my already damaged gut? Is this stuff too strong? and if so what else could I take?

Thanks for reading

[joybird]

Yes, I know this thread is very old!  Curious to see if anyone is still around.  We did SCD/GAPS about 3 years ago and saw dramatic healing with dd within a few months.  Her full-body eczema disappeared completely.  All digestive symptoms were gone as well.  Then I got pregnant and lost the plot altogether.  I was pretty good about keeping her on the diet while pg but after the baby came we regressed because I didn't keep up with the diet (or the probiotics or the ferments or the broth).  Her eczema slowly returned.  Baby is now 20 months and showing some symptoms so we're going back on the diet.  I didn't keep it up long enough and I got slack after dd's symptoms were gone.  We have stayed GF and egg-free and basically sugar-free so it shouldn't be too dramatic for us.  I'm going to start just doing the restricted GAPS diet with no eggs, dairy and then transition to the intro which I did not do when dd was little.  I'm so surprised and glad to find that GAPS is more well-known now and that all the info is easy to find.  Back when we started this I had to search high and low to find anything about her and the book was almost impossible to get.  Luckily my kids love meat, fruit and vegetables.  The only real hard part for us is weaning off cereal/porridge in the morning.  I'd love to hear from anyone who's doing or has done GAPS

[momofmine]

Hi joybird!  We're still around and doing SCD/GAPS.  I haven't been to this forum in a while, and just stumbled on this and saw your post.  

We have stayed on the diet, but really have kind of been at a plateau for a long time.  I was trying to just keep with the diet and hope that was all that was needed, but I am now trying to figure out more.  I'm not sure whether or not my kids tolerate the dairy, really.  We are fine with butter, and I give them cheese sometimes, but then too much cheese and one of my kids gets congestion.  I am the same way.  So we haven't done the yogurt in a long long time.  But I think that has been something we have needed.  I have done probiotics some, but am not consistent with it.  Just in the past few days, though, I started S boulardii and saw an improvement right away.  I am just going to patiently watch and see how things go for a week or so.  I am not giving any other probiotics right now.

I am so hesitant about dairy, because I have tested positive as being allergic to it, and while I can tolerate raw butter, if I were to eat more than a tiny bit of cheese, I get congested.

I am sorry you guys are dealing with the eczema again.   As for breakfast, my kids have been eating a lot of fruit, apples with sun butter, sausage, bacon, etc.  Those are the non-egg things they eat in the morning.  

[joybird]

Hi momofmine!  We just started up the boulardii again as well.  It's definitely helping.  I had forgotten how much better I feel on this diet - moods, sleep, energy etc.  

Can you do coconut yogurt?  That was a staple for us.  I've finally found one without guar gum that isn't in a can.  It seems like probiotic foods are really necessary for the diet to be effective.  I have no idea how to do sauerkraut but that's my next project, apart from finding a good source for bones.  

I am curious, what avenues are you pursuing now beyond the diet?  I know, there are so many pieces to the puzzle . . .

[mytwomonkies]

I have a question for anyone doing GAPS/SCD with little ones. I have a 2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. We have been mostly doing the diet for a few months now except for a little sugar or chocolate here and there, and their vitamins which aren't legal. I'm looking to get strict with it. So, my question, what legal supplements are recommended? Mainly looking for a legal multivitamin and possibly digestive enzymes. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

[Sieren]

Ok--I am looking for some help and insight here.  

I am 26, and have multiple sclerosis (diagnosed at 18).  I have been eating paleo (aside from occasional cheats--mostly dairy and sugar) for about the past 2 years.  I recently started the GAPS diet about a week ago.  So far I have been eating a lot of bone broth soups (either chicken stock + winter squash, beet and carrot or beef stock + beef or beef/pork meatballs + onions, kale, spinach, carrots).  I am drinking a glass of filtered water in the morning, with lemon.  I also started adding egg yolks and carrot juice two days ago.  I am taking FCLO and Dr Ron's Friendly Flora (I have GutPro coming in the mail).  

I am currently having the first flare up of MS that I've had for several years (random coldness in the left side of my face and clumsiness in my right hand).  It seems to be slowly going away.  

Overall I am feeling pretty OK, except that I am more constipated than usual (I have always tended towards constipation, even eating paleo--hope this isn't TMI!!!!!!).  Yesterday I did a very small water-only enema which did produce results.  Today I also felt constipated and was unable to go on my own, so I did a water + probiotic enema and had some results but I think I'm going to do it again.  I also see in the GAPS FAQ's that they reccomend 1/2 - 1 tsp of sea salt and baking soda per liter of water as well.  I am considering trying the coffee enema as well...we'll see.  =P

Does anyone have any suggestions for me?  I do have some questions!!

I keep reading juices in the morning reccomended if you are constipated--apple, carrot, greens, orange, beet.  So far I haven't eaten any fruit since starting the intro...should I?   Or should I just stick with carrots and beets?

What are your thoughts on the enemas?  I just am worried about screwing up my gut flora and/or getting dependent on them.

Is winter squash constipating?  Maybe I should freeze my squash soup until this is resolved?  But I dont know how long that will be!  And we have TONS of squashes from the garden now...=S

Thanks everybody!!!! =D

[Sieren]

Originally Posted by mytwomonkies 

I have a question for anyone doing GAPS/SCD with little ones. I have a 2 year old and a 3 1/2 year old. We have been mostly doing the diet for a few months now except for a little sugar or chocolate here and there, and their vitamins which aren't legal. I'm looking to get strict with it. So, my question, what legal supplements are recommended? Mainly looking for a legal multivitamin and possibly digestive enzymes. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

I know that Thorne brand supplements don't have any fillers or magnesium stearate--I used to use their Betaine HCL.  Also, I like Dr. Rons--they have a good selection, and they are all very pure as well.  Hope that helps!

[Vaquitita]

i have a question, would you start slow on probiotic foods you've already been taking for awhile? i've just started the gaps introduction diet and it says to only take 1-2 tsp of probiotic food per day to start. well i've been eating homemade kraut, kimchi, yogurt, etc for years. and lately have been drinking storebought kefir. is it really necessary to start that slow? or as long as my die-off isn't too bad, can i do larger amounts?

eta: have a few more minutes so thought i'd add to this. we've been TF for 5+ years and grain lite for 18 months. we don't have any big issues, but all 3 kids are allergic to cows milk (but not butter or goat/sheep milk). and i can't drink it while bf either, so i figure i could use some gut help too. for the past week we've been easing into GAPS. eating some GAPS meals, broth (which i'd totally gotten out of doing, since my main use for it before was to cook rice), combined with eating up anything non GAPS in the fridge/freezer (strawberry kefir, potstickers). already my baby is no longer constipated! (he and i have been having trouble with this since i took abx for strep throat a couple months ago, despite the probiotics i've been taking). we are seeing some die-off already i think. feeling run down, runny noses. for the past 2 days we've been doing the introduction diet, but with a few added GAPS foods. like we ate roast chicken last night, and i didn't feel like denying the kids their sunday morning fried eggs and bacon (we did have broth with it and no toast). also we are doing ghee and butter. well, because we're hungry and it makes everything taste better. we haven't started with the recommended 1-2tsp either, we're used to a high fat diet and have been eating it in our usual amounts. i'm bf'ing a 13mo old so i have been eating some avocado too. the other thing  we're doing thats not gaps legal, we've continued to take our FCLO and multi vitamins (vitamin code). and we have been drinking a bit of juice or kombucha each morning to swallow our liver pills.

my questions:

do you think the introduction will be too messed up by the variations we're doing (non boiled meats, eggs, FCLO)????

no one has diarrhea, but since we haven't been strictly stage 1 i'm not sure if that means we can move on to stage 2 or not?

when are bananas introduced? i think scd has them right from the beginning, but i'm not sure where you add them on gaps. and can i add them sooner if they're cooked rather than raw?

Edited by Vaquitita - 10/9/11 at 11:06am

[harmonymama]

Hi Vaquitita,

I'm new to this thread, but 2 months into GAPS with my husband and 2 boys.  I hope GAPS intro is going well for you.  I can see this thread is not very active.  If you are still having questions you may wish to check out the GAPS yahoo group which is extremely active.  You can get all your questions answered there.  I am interested in discussing GAPS here at Mothering... Any way to revive this thread?

[bignerpie]

I'd like to revive this thread, too. I'm looking into the GAPS diet for my family, and I'm really not sure where to start. I did join the Yahoo group, but it is so active, it's overwhelming!

I'm not sure if I should jump straight into the intro diet, or start with the full diet and then do the intro diet later. And I'm thinking right before the holidays is a terrible time to start... 

[PDXMama11]

A lot of people advocate starting by moving onto the full GAPS diet and then circling back and starting Intro later on. I think this is great advice because Intro can be extremely intense. You might also want to start your child(ren) on the diet before you do. If the diet makes you feel unwell, it can feel impossible to cook enough to keep your family fed on GAPS. I did 3 months of SCD with my nursing toddler before switching to GAPS Intro. You can read more about our journey here: http://babygaps.blogspot.com/2011/04/getting-ready-to-start.html

Having been through GAPS I would vote not to start Intro until after the holidays. It can feel completely overwhelming to try to eat outside the home in the early stages. Just trying to adhere to full GAPS through the holidays will be challenging enough!

Good luck!

~Annie