CHEESESLAVE

Today I have a guest post from Cara at the Health, Home & Happiness blog. I’m deeply impressed by what Cara is doing to nourish her family. So many people these days have kids with allergies, behavior problems, autism, ADD and ADHD. Most people don’t even question these problems. They just accept them.

Not Cara. She’s doing something about it. She has taken her children’s health to heart and has started a protocol called the GAPS Diet to help them heal. What I love about her blog is how she takes GAPS, what seems to many as a restrictive and very difficult diet, and made it accessible and do-able.

I found some dried Christmas Lima beans at the farmer’s market and I wanted to try something different for dinner: Creole Succotash with Christmas Lima Beans. This dish is full of flavor, and it’s super nutritious. And since it’s a one-pot meal, it’s easy to make without a lot of fuss or extra pans to wash.

When I was in my twenties, I spent two years on a wheat free diet (I also avoided all sugar and took therapeutic-grade probiotics). I was recovering from candida overgrowth which was caused by the large amounts of antibiotics I was given during my childhood, and a diet full of white flour and sugar.

My two-year gluten-free sugar-free diet was worth it. I completely reversed my rheumatoid arthritis, chronic fatigue, and respiratory allergies. I went from having constant colds and being sick all the time with sinus infections to being vibrantly healthy again. The chronic joint pain and physical exhaustion had vanished.

Here’s a video excerpt from Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride’s lecture about GAPS, the Gut and Psychology Syndrome at the WAPF Wise Traditions 2008 conference in San Francisco.
Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride successfully treated her own son, who was diagnosed autistic, which prompted an intensive study into causes and treatments of autism. It was during this [...]

We’re making some changes around here.
For one thing, little Katie starts daycare tomorrow morning. I found a really great place about 5 minutes away. It’s run by a sweet Guatemalan lady and a couple of female helpers. Kate will be there from 7 am until 4:30 pm Monday through Friday.
I think this is the [...]

For gluten-free casein-free bread, this stuff is the bomb. Seriously, this tastes so much like white bread, you will be surprised.

I tried taking one Biokult today and I got a bit congested. I think I will start with sips of kefir instead and work my way up to Biokult. Maybe I’ll try 1 tsp of kefir tomorrow — or whenever the congestion clears up.
I think I’m going to try baking some coconut flour Thanksgiving stuffing. [...]

Pretty boring day as far as food goes — I was so busy I barely had time to eat. Still no sneezing. I seem to be doing just fine with the ghee — yay!
I’ll try reintroducing the Biokult tomorrow — just a tiny bit!
I need to try to drink more broth. I’m still burned out [...]

I took no Biokult today and ate no fermented foods — and voila! My congestion has totally cleared up. I am so relieved! It feels so good to not be sneezing and stuffed up.
So, rule number one for the GAPS diet: Go slow with the probiotics and fermented foods! They say it over and over [...]

I think I figured out what is wrong with me. I think I’ve been taking too much Biokult.
It was a total DUH moment this afternoon. Totally obvious — why didn’t I think of this before!
I was fine with 2 Biokult, so I figured I’d do just as well on 4.
So I’m skipping the Biokult [...]