I had forgotten this part.  This is the stage of the GAPS diet where we experience die-off (or Herxheimer reaction).  This isn’t caused by eating the fresh, healthy food son plan, but rather a reaction from all of the unhealthy foods I’ve been feeding my body over the past year.  They’ve been stored up in my body and it’s time to let them go.  I tend to react very quickly and recover quickly as well.  It’s interesting to me that the slight symptoms I have from my auto-immune condition (swollen lymph nodes, pressure in my right ear and jaw line, congestion) seems to be worsened as I start the diet, but then as the drainage subsides I start to feel very, very clear headed.  I’m looking forward to that.  Sticking with the allowed foods through the next few days is the hardest part, but I’m encouraged because I know what the end results will be.  Taking only a digestive enzyme (stopping all other supplements), lots of water, skin brushing and detox baths seem to help me make it through even faster.

I’ve already attended two social gatherings where the food looked delicious, but was off plan.  I took some chicken stock with shredded chicken, onion and carrots with me as well as some cooked vegetables.  I did really well and recognized that the energy that I would have put into the food was redirected to the people who were present.

Last night when the kids had gone to bed I experienced my first huge craving for something “special”.  A small glass of wine, a piece of dark chocolate.  I realized that I had become very dependent on small treats throughout the day when moments of craziness or solitude brought up feelings I need to work through.  I was able to sit down by myself and work through some of those.  A hurt from a few years ago that I’m having trouble letting go, a sense of loss as my son reaches manhood, fear about our future as we search for a farm.  While I’m fairly good at thinking things through I often avoid the hard work of really spending time in prayer over things, asking for forgiveness and most important forgiving myself.  I’m looking forward to making more time for letting go.

The most important thing to remember is BE PREPARED!  I’m stocked up today with chicken stock, chicken soup, shredded chicken and cooked vegetables.  I’ve got a pot of beef stock on the stove and have plans to make fish stock tonight (friends are gathering for a picking party & fish fry).  I cannot stress how important surrounding yourself with loving and accepting people becomes.  I’ll make sure that there is plenty for my family to eat as well.  Because the best thing about this way of eating is that all of the food is packed with nutrition, grown locally and exactly what generations of folks have been eating for centuries.  The concept is what sent our great-great grandparents after the chicken soup when someone was ill (it was never meant to be the Campbell kind).  So I’ll encourage Nathan and my kids to drink as many cups of stock as possible and to nibble on chicken, beef and vegetables when they are “hungry”.  And if they choose they will start to eliminate the bad stuff on their own.

Nourishing Farm Meals {GAPS Diet-Stage One}