Day 1 and Day 2 of Intro-Sept 2011

Well, day 2 is down and we are on our way to day 3.
We have decided to introduce eggs tomorrow, so we will see how we all go on that.  For day 1 we had broccoli and onions simmered in chicken stock with a bit of salt, then meat mince patties also simmered in stock for lunch which the kids loved. 
Breakfast was a butternut pumpkin and chicken stock soup which they hated and neither of them ate. Dinner was much the same as lunch, although I used the hated pumpkin soup as the base and cooked up the meat patties, onions and some more pumpkin cubes in it.  I liked it, kids didn't, but they had been starving an hour after lunch and I had made them GAPS shepherds pie- mince simmered in stock, covered in a pureed carrot, cauliflower and stock sauce, and topped with mashed cauliflower that had simmered in stock also.  They ate that one happily so I wasn't too concerned about them not eating dinner.
Day 2's menu was very similar to Day 1's, I added some chicken stock, onion and leek slowcooked soup to the bases for the simmering too.

Today was a definate die-off day.  Maddox was extremely aggressive and angry, he was yelling and screaming and throwing things.  Mostly about how much he hated GAPS and how much of a bad mum I am for making him do it..I tried to remain calm, I explained that this was the bad bugs talking, because they are getting angry because they aren't getting fed what they want, and eventually he simmered down after I plonked him in a chair in the middle of the loungeroom and told him to stay put for a while.  I got a few menacing looks while I plodded around doing things but he did eventually calm down, and was back to his happy self soon.  He refused breakfast, and almost refused lunch until I reminded him that Phenix was on his way to 2 stars today already and he had none.  (for every meal they eat or almost completely eat, they get a drawn on star on their chart.  If they get at least 3 stars in that day, they get to put a gold star sticker on that day, once they get 15 gold stars, they get to choose a non food prize)
So he ate most of it, Phenix ate about half his, which was a good effort for him considering he is my fussy eater.  He was very lethargic and whingy today, and had gotten a cold overnight, which I think lurks in the back of him all the time, so hopefully we're getting rid of it for good this time!
Wade and I both had low grade headaches all day concentrated around the atlas, or upper neck, where the head meets the neck.  That's a good sign as Wade never gets headaches, and I think it's good for him to see some die-off happening, as even tho he is overweight, he still considers himself really healthy. (Is it evil that I want him to have die-off..? heehee..) 
I and the two boys all had a detox bath this morning with a cup of Epsom salts and Wade gave me a massage this arvo which helped my headache, I also had a sleep this arvo as I was really tired and headachey.  We've all had a lazy day.  I think we needed it.
I put on some nuts to soak in salty water tonight-cashews, almonds, and walnuts.  I will dehydrate them tomorrow after the markets, where we're stocking up on good eggs from Ellah...
So, tomorrow, we move to eggs.  We are doing it very slowly, introducing one food at a time to see how we go. 
Until next time...night!
Lov Lis xx

Day 3 Intro

I was really tired this morning, Pixi woke me at 10.30 to ask me to make him a bottle, and  was dragging myself around.  I went back to bed but then they started coming in every five minutes to ask me to put things on the computer for them to watch on you tube so I got up.  Mum came over at 2, I was very cranky, the poor kids had to deal with that.  I went back to bed a few times but only stayed for a few minutes before I had to do something else.  I wished mum had taken them yesterday, as I thought this was how it was going to be today.  I'm usually a gentle mum and I hate the way I've been treating them, yelling and getting angry.  I didn't want them here for that reason.

Still had a hideous headache, couldn't take it anymore, and took another 2 panadol rapid, which dulled it to bearable.  Had a cup of soup, a bowl of very fatty soupy stew, with 2 teaspoons of ghee and two teaspoons of sauerkraut juice added.  Also had scrambled eggs with ghee for breakfast.  Tonight I really wanted something else so I looked at stage 4 and that had GAPS bread, so I looked in the Gut and Psychology Syndrome book for the recipe, and made the GAPS cake!  almond meal, eggs, ghee, honey, dates and walnuts. Oh my! so yumm, especially slathered in butter!!  Didn't seem to affect me yet so I'll have some more tomorrow.

I'll try the roasted meat too, which is also stage 4.  Maybe i'll go get a chicken..mmm

We're looking around for a dehydrator but can't find one for the price we can pay so am thinking about looking at thehealthyhomeeconomist.com to see if she has a way I can do it in my gas oven...  I want to soak and dehydrate some nuts so I can make nut butter in my sister-in-law's Thermomix and then I can make the nut butter crepes featured on Stage three.  They are butternut pumpkin, eggs and nut butter. Sound loooovely with butter and honey hey??!

Panadol has well and truly worn off now, and the headache is a very dull ache so that's good I think.  Hope it doesn't get any worse overnight.  I was going to do a yoga class tonight but there's something wrong with the TV and hubby has unplugged it for some reason, so I'll do it tomorrow during the day hopefully. Hubby gave me a neck and shoulder massage tonight even tho he was really tired and cranky too.  Poor luv, I can't wait to be done with me so I can start him, he so needs this too.

Kids have gone now to mums so I'll hopefully sleep a lot tomorrow, I feel like I need it.

I feel like I've maybe gotten over the worst of it..?  We'll see.

My Stew Recipe

Brown a kg of cubed gravy meat, or similar, in ghee or coconut oil.
Put in slow cooker with 2 quartered onions, 5 peeled and chopped carrots, 2 peeled and chopped zuccinis, a peeled and chopped parsnip, 4 chopped celery sticks, and a chopped red capsicum. 
Set the slow cooker on high for 5-6 hours adding 3 chopped tomatoes, salt and pepper after 3 hours (or set the slow cooker on low for 12 hours, adding the tomatoes, salt and pepper after 6 hours) Don't salt and pepper too much, you can add more later if necessary.

You can also add some bone broth at the start to make it more soupy, this is good during intro as the more animal fat you consume, the faster you will recover.  I also add ghee to it when I'm reheating to eat, to add more animal fat and taste.