GAPS Diet Days 2-3: A (Love)Hate Relationship with Bone Broth
This is shaping up to be my hardest body-as-science experiment yet. Sure, there was that time I did a bentonite clay detox for two months while cutting out red meat, only to cleanse my liver so much that I ended up in the ER with a vitamin B12 deficiency. Fair warning – bentonite clay detoxes are no joke, and should not be tried at home without the guidance of a trusted alternative doctor (and some common sense).
The GAPS Introduction Diet is certainly nutrient dense – full of rich, healing animal fats and a variety of organic veggies. So while I’m not worried about hospitalization in the near future (universe willing), this GAPS Diet is still much more challenging. My biggest struggle right now is an intense repulsion to bone broth. I have had a glass to start my day and before bed the past three days, and I literally have to choke it down. For something promising to be so healing, you would think I would like it better.
Perhaps my disgust is a throwback to my years of vegetarianism, where the thought of eating animal tissues, let alone the thought of drinking a liquid brewed from their joints and bones, was preposterous. While I am still quite passionate about animal rights and buy my meat from farmers who raise their animals sustainably (pastured and eco-friendly), humanely, and locally, I think the more accurate assessment of my disgust is due to die-off symptoms. As I begin to nourish and heal my gut lining, all those bad bacteria and yeast that have been throwing a party in my belly for the past few years are starting to be die off, and they don’t like it. So they’re causing a host of symptoms like intense sugar cravings, fatigue, sinus congestion, and sadness. That’s my theory, at least.
But even in the midst of my dislike, I will continue to drink my bone broth. I did commit to this journey of healing, after all. My goal is to stick it out for as long as my body tells me I need to. And I hope in time it will get easier. Maybe I’ll even start to enjoy it.
On day three I introduced raw, organic kefir from my favorite source for grassfed dairy: Organic Pastures. I put a drop of kefir on my right wrist before going to bed on day two, and woke up this morning without a reaction, so felt confident introduce this new food. I enjoyed doing the sensitivity test – I love the idea of letting my body tell me what it’s ready for. And it was nice to be able to add another food to the currently short list. My hope is that I will be able to introduce another new food each day until I complete the Introduction Phase. We shall see if my body agrees with this schedule.
Days 2 Foods:
Same as day one, with the addition of organic, raw Rejuvenative Foods sauerkraut (the complete food, not just the liquid).
Day 2 Symptoms:
- Difficulty waking up
- Lack of focus throughout the day
- Sugar cravings from 1-3 p.m. and 8-11 p.m.
- Runny nose throughout the day, some mucus and scratchy throat/cough
- Fatigue
- Itchy skin and scalp
- Feelings of sadness
- Fuzzy/groggy head
Day 3 Foods:
Same as previous, with Organic Pastures kefir added between meals, and organic honey from my neighbor’s hive in my ginger tea.
Day 3 Symptoms:
- Difficulty falling asleep and woke up every couple of hours
- Woke up feeling hopeful
- Constipation in the morning
- Cloudy urine
- Diarrhea at 11 a.m. after eating sauerkraut (I am convinced this is die-off, because this is the only time sauerkraut has caused a reaction)
- Lack of focus throughout the day
- Sugar cravings from 2-3 p.m. and 8-9 p.m.
- Runny nose throughout the day, some mucus and cough
- Itchy sinuses, similar to environmental allergies (which I rarely get)
- Fatigue
- Sore muscles
- Itchy skin all over after sweating during hot yoga