GAPS Diet

So, as many people know, I've been worried about my health for a long time now (about a year and a half). It actually has been roughly two years, since I lived in the Czech Republic when one day, I was keeled over in pain on the tram and could barely move because of stabbing knife in my stomach. I self diagnosed myself with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and was confident in that, especially when my med school friend, Rachel, confirmed it--her words "I'm 99% sure you have this." I changed my eating habits overnight (I'm kind of an all or nothing girl) and started to reduce processed foods, avoid milk, reduce alcohol, and started eating new breads--rye and sourdough. I felt loads better--and thought I was in pretty good shape. Then...the hair loss. Yep, I had hair loss (and those who are reading this knew how this plagued me!) It was a small spot in the front of my hairline, and God is gracious, so He made it virtually undetectable if I didn't pull my hair back in a pony. I went to two doctors and they had nothing--they said it was stress or iron deficiency. I was also suffering from fatigue and feeling weak all the time. I was really busy and was working non stop and going to school. I literally think college should have its own disease called "Undergrad Fatigue Frenzy" and it would be called "UFF" because that's the noise you always want to make. Well, I started to pray hardcore about this hair loss and I felt God was allowing it for two reasons--to show me I had a health problem that needed addressing that was hidden, and two, to clear up some vanity issues. And believe me, IT DID.
Okay, onward. So, then I found out about this little unknown organism in my intestines called Candida albicans. All my friends know this organism's name too, because I blamed it on ruining my life daily. We all have Candida--and turns out we need this little yeast organism to have a thriving microbial environment in our gut. But, I have too much. Wanna know how I know? Well, prayer...but also I have thrush on my tongue (first common sign). I also had nutritional deficiencies--and this is coming from a girl who's favorite foods are avocados and almond butter! What the heck, right? I had hair loss, fatigue, digestion issues (IBS), and fatigue. Skin problems too--little red spots on my arms/legs from Vitamin A deficiency. Yep, I knew it was Vitamin A. I've been studying this a long time! And God is also good because I discovered through my health crisis that I LOVE nutrition--and also love healing my body with nutrition. I would have studied this in college if I knew I would love it as much as I do. But I still try to evangelize my health gospel to all who want to know :)
So, I tried an "anti-candida cleanse" last summer. It was...awful. I went a whole month and basically ate like a Paleolithic cavewoman--nuts, weird grains (quinoa, millet--yep, what they put in birdseed), chicken (little red meat), and non-sweet fruits (lemons, berries), but truly little of fruits. I wanted to be hardcore. I felt like I was the living dead. I felt thin, and I was thin. I was sidewalk counseling one day and telling my friend Sue about my troubles, and she exclaimed, "That sounds like the GAPS diet!" We ended up talking for hours about the Weston A Price Foundation, and how Dr. Price travelled to 15 different countries studying how primitive cultures eat! (This was in the 1930s) He discovered key elements of their thriving, superior health was fermented foods, animal by products (if it was a vegetarian culture, such as an African tribe, they ate the blood of the cow) and also ate plenty of raw dairy products (cheese and milk). It was joy to my ears--I loved all those things! I love hearing about doing things "the hard and old fashioned way" but I also LOVE to travel, and I was so intrigued by this doctor! I ended up attending meetings called Wise Women of Weston Price and fell in love. But sadly, I was going to live in a retreat house in Scotland and had to give up control of my health. I also heard Scotland has some of the worst dietary habits on Earth. I was crossing my fingers for more of an organic food culture in the Highlands...
I ended up going out to Craig Lodge and was greeted with biscuits (cookies) and black tea (I was avoiding caffeine). Meals were tough--I had to eat whatever they served me, and that was truly a cross. Another hard thing was the whole fast on bread and water twice a week thing. Now, I do this--I always tried to listen to Our Lady of Medjugorje and follow her peace plan. However, at home I either made my own yeast free bread or substituted. At Craig Lodge, we worked all day and I was not in the kitchen, so I ate the cheesy bread and cinnamon sugar breads. I literally felt sick--those breads were NOT good for me, as a person with yeast overgrowth.  My hopes for  a self sustaining atmosphere with fresh sheep's milk, garden veg, and basically all homemade fare were fleeting.  I remember unpacking the car full of groceries (we were a bed and breadfast in a sense, so they always bought a TON of groceries) and filling the freezer full of wonder bread and tub upon tup of  "Utterly Butterly." I was very upset and asked "Why do we serve this stuff? It's so bad for you!" And the reply back was "We're living poverty. It's all we can afford." Hmmmm. There is truth in that statement--we WERE living poverty, and we can't expect to buy the highest quality butter imported from Kerry or whatever, but I still had a mind that we could supplement in some areas to buy a healthier bread (and heck maybe even make our own bread!). But, I could see this was not an area to argue. And, my yeast problems were my problems. Maybe other people in the house had iron stomachs or amazing gut flora. But onward home I went...in search of a new solution. And God always provides