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September 29, 2018

Genuine Keto Diet Tips: Resources, Recipes, & More

Keto is all the rage, but there is a lot of misinformation out there, and keto can be done in a number of ways, both healthy and unhealthy. These keto diet tips will help you sift through the information to help you determine if keto is right for you.

Keto Diet Tips: Resources, Recipes, & More | The Family That Heals Together

What is “keto?”

In a nutshell, the keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet with moderate protein. Proponents boast the benefits experienced by eating bacon, butter, and avocados while avoiding bread and sugar.

While green veggies are a staple in a healthy keto diet, gone are potatoes (both white and sweet) and other starches.

A ketogenic diet is based on the practice of eating in such a way to cause your body to create ketones for energy, vs. running on glucose, as the standard American diet, full of refined carbs and sugars, primes us to do.

What are ketones? Ketones are produced when you don’t have enough insulin in your body to turn sugar (or glucose) into energy. Your body then turns to fat instead.

Your liver turns this fat into ketones and sends them into your bloodstream, where your muscles and other tissues can use them for fuel.

Is a ketogenic diet anti inflammatory?

While there have not been extensive studies done on humans, studies on animals have found a ketogenic diet to reduce inflammation.

Particular attention has been paid, however, to the anti-inflammatory affects of a ketogenic diet on the brain, especially for those with seizure disorders.

According to an article from Psychology Today, ketosis “means a lower seizure risk and a better environment for neuronal recovery and repair.”

The same article goes on to point out that a ketogenic diet also boasts:

  1. Increased GABA (a calming, inhibitory neurotransmitter) in the brain, and decreased aspartate (an excitatory neurotransmitter which can be neurotoxic).
  2. More efficient production of ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate), the main source of energy for most cellular processes.
  3. More efficient energy usage in the brain with less toxic waste that is likely to result in brain inflammation.

How long does it take to get your body into ketosis?

So ketosis sounds pretty good, but you’re worried about “keto flu” and how long it will take your body to adjust?

For most people, staying under the optimal carb limit (we’ll talk more about that below), you should be able to get into ketosis in a few days, but for others, the process can take up to a week.

As with any kind of diet change or detox, you may go through some uncomfortable symptoms as your body transitions. Many people experience what has been dubbed the “keto flu,” which includes fatigue, achiness, headaches, and even feeling weak or faint. Keep reading for keto tips to help you make the transition more easily.

How do you know when your body is in ketosis?

Besides the above symptoms as you begin to transition into using fat for fuel, there are a few ways to know you are in ketosis.

Your breath or urine may change smell. There can be a sweet or even acidic/acetone smell in your breath or urine once you’ve hit ketosis. This should go away after your body gets well-adjusted.

You can test your blood or urine. You can use ketone test strips to test your urine or a ketone meter to test your blood. However, these may not actually measure whether your body is efficiently using ketones.

You drop weight like it’s hot. Ok, not everyone drops huge amounts of weight straight away, but rapid weight loss may be a sign that you’re hitting #ketogoals.

Can a ketogenic diet help you lose weight?

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched shows like The Biggest Loser and cringed as well-intentioned coaches demanded their wards eat low-fat diets full of skinless chicken breasts, steamed vegetables, and whole grains. I cringe because, while restricting calories will eventually lead to weight loss, the process may be slower and less efficient than simply cutting carbs.

The answer is, yes, the ketogenic diet can help you lose weight. A long-term study of a ketogenic diet for weight loss found “The weight and body mass index of the patients decreased significantly.”

While other studies have questioned the safety of long-term ketogenic dieting (whilst demonstrating the benefits of a short-term keto diet), the study demonstrated the beneficial effects of a long-term ketogenic diet:

[Keto] significantly reduced the body weight and body mass index of the patients. Furthermore, it decreased the level of triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and blood glucose, and increased the level of HDL cholesterol. Administering a ketogenic diet for a relatively longer period of time did not produce any significant side effects in the patients. Therefore, the present study confirms that it is safe to use a ketogenic diet for a longer period of time than previously demonstrated.

So how many carbs can I eat?

Everyone wants to know- how many carbs can you eat per day on a keto diet?

Here’s where we get to the nitty gritty, and the answer will depend largely on what your goals for doing keto are.

Brain inflammation or autoimmune disorder? Probably want to stay very low carb.

Trying to lose weight or support hormones (especially for women)? You may benefit from carb cycling.

Struggling with your relationship with food and worried about falling back into bad habits like binging or behaviors that may look like an eating disorder? You may benefit from having a “cheat day.” (Though I don’t really like the connotation of the word “cheat.”

Zero/no carb- also known as a “carnivore diet,” which literally does not include carbs, so therefore no vegetables or fruits. While I’ve heard of good results on weight loss and autoimmune conditions, and have heard of children on the spectrum doing well with only meats and animal fats for a short period of time, this may not be a good choice long-term, particularly for women whose hormones depend on carbohydrates for proper functioning.

Low/moderate carb- this is where most keto diets fall. To stay low carb and encourage ketosis, you need to eat less than 50 grams of net carbs per day, meaning you subtract the grams of fiber from the grams of carbs in foods.

Carb cycling- most days, total carb intake will be below 50 grams, but on days when you cycle up, carb intake may reach up to 150 grams, but should come from healthy foods like fruits and veggies.

Cheat days- while I don’t like to use the word “cheat,” because I think we should make a plan and not feel guilt or other negative emotions related to what we eat, for the sake of explanation, a “cheat” day simply means you allow yourself a day each week to have food freedom and not count carbs.

Keto sweeteners

There are lots of low carb sweeteners that can be used on a keto diet, most notably stevia, xylitol, and erythritol. A newer sweetener is becoming popular, called monk fruit, though most contain erythritol as well.

I’ve never been a huge fan of zero calorie sweeteners, though I think they can be ok in moderation. I’ve personally found that I can stay in ketosis and still enjoy small amounts of raw honey in fat bombs. Many low carb sweeteners are corn-based, so our family avoids those for this reason.

One mistake some people make is by switching over to artificial sweeteners. Some people call this “dirty keto,” which means that technically you can be in ketosis, but it’s not a “clean” or healthy way of eating.

Keto Diet Tips: Resources, Recipes, & More | The Family That Heals Together

Our favorite keto diet resources

Ready to give it a try? Here are some keto diet tips to get you started!

Keto diet tips from the pros

From The Castaway Kitchen:

My Healing Story: AIP and Keto and Self Love

Keto Vs. Paleo

AIP Keto Reset (shopping list and meal plan)

From Flab to Fitness:

A Sane Guide to the Keto Diet

From Keto Summit:

The Ultimate Guide to the Ketogenic Diet

What Are The Optimal Ketone Levels For A Ketogenic Diet?

From Beauty and the Foodie:

Low Carb Keto Diet Help

Keto cookbooks you’ll love

Made Whole: More than 145 anti-inflammatory keto-paleo recipes to nourish you from the inside out. Our family especially loves the Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken Tenders on page 210, but there are tons of tempting recipes, including plenty of desserts and treats! Get the book here.

Keto: The Complete Guide to Success on the Keto Diet. The simplified science behind a ketogenic diet, complete with no-cook meal plans. Grab it here.

Keto Made Easy: 100+ Easy Keto Dishes Made Fast to Fit Your Life. Classic recipes, remade keto-style. Grab the book here.

Keto recipes

We have a few keto-friendly recipes here on the site, but you can find just about any keto recipe these days by searching “keto ________” in your favorite search engine.

Try these:

Keto Fat Bomb Ice Cream

Fudgesicles with Keto Option

Homemade GAPS Chocolate Chips

Dairy-Free Queso Dip

Grain-Free Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Keto products we love

Embarking on a keto diet is really a lifestyle change, so here are a few things to help you along and to consider stocking your kitchen with.

Not sure where to start or which products or supplements are safe? Try the Onnit Keto Box. It’s filled with keto-friendly products and arrives month after month with fresh ideas, yummy snacks, and supplements to help you get and stay in ketosis. Check it out here.

In addition, you’ll find that Onnit has a whole array of supplements and foods to support a keto lifestyle. I especially love their Trilogy Nut Butter, Krill Oil, and Total Gut Health (essential for helping break down all those fats you’ll be consuming!).

Mr. Incredible really loves receiving his monthly box of keto goodies and has enjoyed the Powerfood Active to get him going in the mornings. He also never misses his Total Human supplement pack, which comes in convenient day and night packets so he’s able to get his brain moving in the mornings and calm it down at night for restful sleep. Check it out here.

You already know I’m a huge fan of MCT oil, and there are lots of great ones to choose from. Onnit has a quality MCT oil, as well as flavored Emulsified MCT oils to make your morning cuppa extra yummy, and even a savory MCT oil for soups and salads.

Be prepared and go for it using these keto diet tips

Using these keto diet tips, you can be prepared for a new keto lifestyle. Figure out what carb level works best for you, what your goals are, and what to expect as you make the transition and you’ll be a keto pro in no time.

 

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog · Tagged: adhd, autism, brain inflammation, eating fats, gluten-free, good fats, keto, low carb, low carb high fat, paleo, seizures, weight loss

May 9, 2018

Salmon with Mango Salsa

Salmon is a favorite around our house, and I continue to try to come up with inventive ways to serve it. Recently, I’ve been making this salmon with mango salsa and our family has loved it so much, I knew I had to share it here!

One of the top questions I get asked by desperate mamas hoping to make healthier changes for their family is “How do I get my kids to eat healthy food?” My answer is simple: you make it for them.

And though it really is just as simple as that, the task of making healthy food for your kids isn’t quite so simple. First of all: what is even healthy?! And what if it’s a far cry from what your kids are eating right now?

Listen, I’ve been there. Don’t cover your head in shame as you take a mental inventory of the frozen chicken nuggets in your freezer and boxes of pasta in the pantry. Those were once staples in my kitchen, and rest assured my kids now eat food like this salmon with mango salsa. And they love it!

So how did I get from standard American diet to nourishing, paleo-style foods? I just went for it!

Salmon with Mango Salsa | Paleo + Keto + GAPS | The Family That Heals Together

My tips for going for it: how to make healthy food kids will eat

Here’s the honest truth: when I got married at 18, I couldn’t even make a box of mac n cheese without messing it up. I always overcooked the noodles. And try as I may, I bombed every cookie recipe I tried meticulously to follow.

Cooking did not come easy to me. So when I had kids, I looked for the easiest route to feed them too. Enter frozen and canned foods and processed jarred sausage-like meats. I gag a little now thinking of what I fed my precious babes in those early years.

When I knew I needed to make changes for our health, I was determined to learn how to cook, and to cook food my family would actually enjoy.

Here are the five things I did to overhaul our diet:

  1. I “healthified” our favorites, Jaclyn-style. If I hadn’t continued making the foods we loved, but in healthier ways, I don’t know if any of us could’ve made the transition. At first, it was making homemade breads, tortillas, and treats with whole wheat flour and less processed sugar, but eventually, I learned to make grain-free, paleo-style versions of our favorites like biscuits, tortillas, chicken nuggets, and even sugar cookies. This ensured that my children ate the healthy foods I put in front of them.
  2. I stopped buying junk. As moms and grocery getters, we have a lot of power over what our kids eat. If there isn’t junk food in the house, the KIDS CAN’T EAT IT! It’s a no-brainer.
  3. I made my kids try it. I generally do not force feed my kids, but early in those healthy eating days, I just started out by putting a scoop of veggies on my toddlers’ plates. They may have turned their noses up at first, but I required them to try at least one bite. Eventually, they began eating all their veggies and now they love most of them! (It helps that I’ve learned the most yummy ways to cook green vegetables- hello butter roasted everything!)
  4. I was persistent. When flops did happen (and they still do!), I kept trying my hand at new and yummy recipes. A few failed paleo recipes didn’t mean it wasn’t worth pursuing this new way of cooking, it simply meant I needed some really great cookbooks and a little determination.
  5. I got creative. Listen, when I first began cooking at a young newlywed, I didn’t even use salt and pepper. True story. Mr. Incredible still salts and peppers everything that comes out of my kitchen because I scarred him in those early days with tasteless, bland food. These days, I’m not afraid to get a little creative with flavors so that things stay interesting in the kitchen, and I encourage my kids to try new things and expand their palettes. That’s why I love this salmon with mango salsa so much- and so do my kids!

I really used to hate fish, but once I began getting creative, I realized that salmon held so many possibilities. Not only do I love a simple oven roasted salmon, but I adore adding fresh flavors like mango and spices with a Latin flare.

Salmon with Mango Salsa | Paleo + Keto + GAPS | The Family That Heals Together

Notes on this salmon with mango salsa

Combining salmon with the fresh flavors of mango salsa and spices like chili powder and cumin puts a unique spin on dinner! I kept this recipe mild because my kids and I don’t really like spicy foods, but you could easily add a diced jalapeno and some cayenne to turn up the heat. Find the recipe below.

Print Recipe

Salmon with Mango Salsa

Prep Time30 minutes mins
Cook Time40 minutes mins
Total Time5 hours hrs 10 minutes mins
Servings: 4 Servings
Author: Jaclyn

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs fresh wild-caught salmon
  • 1 mango peeled and cut into 1" cubes (about 1.5 cups)
  • 1 onion peeled, quartered, and cut into 1/2" slices (about 1.5 cups)
  • 1 large avocado peeled and cut into 1" cubes
  • 1 pint cherry tomatoes cut in halves
  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro coarsely chopped, divided
  • 1/2 cup avocado oil
  • 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin
  • Optional: 1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne powder and 1 jalapeno diced

Instructions

  • Combine avocado oil, lime juice, cumin, chili powder, salt, and garlic powder in a large ziploc baggie. Mix around a bit, then add the salmon. Seal and place in refrigerator for 2-4 hours to marinate.
  • Preheat oven to 425, then place chopped mango, cherry tomatoes, onion, and 3/4 cup cilantro on a large baking sheet. Stir to combine, then leave a space in the middle of the pan.
  • Move salmon to the baking sheet, in the middle of the vegetables, then pour the remaining marinade over the vegetables.
  • Roast for 15 minutes, stir vegetables, then roast for 15 minutes longer. Turn oven to broil to finish the last 5-10 minutes and crisp up the vegetables. Keep a close eye on them and stir every few minutes.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool before adding chopped avocado and remaining cilantro to the mango salsa. Serve salsa over salmon portions. (I find it much easier to cut salmon into portions once cooked vs. while it's still raw. You can also ask them to cut it into portions at the seafood counter before you bring it home. If it is pre-cut, you will want to remove the salmon before broiling the veggies at the end, or it will likely overcook it and cause the salmon to dry out.)

Notes

If you'd like to spice this recipe up, add cayenne powder to the marinade, and dice up a jalapeno or two and add to the vegetable mixture before roasting.

Salmon with Mango Salsa | Paleo + Keto + GAPS | The Family That Heals Together

 

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog, Gaps Diet, Recipes · Tagged: dinner, easy recipes, gaps, gaps diet, gluten-free, keto, low carb, paleo, recipes, salmon, savory

August 18, 2017

Why I Quit Paleo

This week I spontaneously decided to do a sugar detox. I thought it would be a great way to reset my sugar cravings, increase my energy and well-being, and improve my overall health. Instead, I’m feeling worse, and reflecting on why I stopped eating a strict paleo diet in the first place.

Yeah, I’ve probably been eating too many organic chocolate bars and homemade treats, but really, I’ve felt good regardless. Truthfully, I think part of the reason I’ve felt well is because I quit paleo, not in spite of it.

Why I Quit Paleo | The Family That Heals Together

Why I quit paleo

To say paleo gave me my life back would not be inaccurate.

As I began my healthy living journey, I essentially restricted foods until I finally felt better.

First, there was msg and high fructose corn syrup.

I tried veganism soon after that, which was really more an exercise in self-punishment than seeking health. I didn’t feel a bit better on a vegan diet, but it did begin my love affair with getting creative in the kitchen.

Following that failed experiment, I began sprouting and grinding my own wheat berries and making traditional sourdough. Surely this would be the key to easing my debilitating symptoms. But it didn’t help much. And was a LOT of work for a mama of several tiny children.

Desperate for relief, I eliminated all refined sugar, which helped, but finally pulling the plug on grains was the real catalyst for change in my health.

By day five, the joint pain and constant bloating were gone. I felt like the clouds had parted and angels were singing. Surely this was the way to health.

And for many people it is.

But after time, my symptoms began to return.

Breaking up with paleo

My path to quitting paleo has been a slow fade, a single drop in the bucket of balance.

I spent a long time on a low carb, grain-free diet, and it worked for me. I really felt good.

But migraines persisted, albeit less frequently, and the stress of remaining on a “perfect” diet was constant. After having my fourth son, I was back to feeling worse than ever, despite still eating mostly grain-free.

I was mystified as to how I could be back to feeling so awful. I thought if I could just stick with the right diet, and keep everything under my control, I would get better. I got more stressed and sicker.

Ketosis: the holy grail of paleo eating

I had done the GAPS diet in the midst of all of this, and during the intro portion, actually felt really well. My son did really well on it too.

The GAPS intro diet sends most people into ketosis, a state where your body begins burning fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates. It’s effective for weight loss. It helps with neurological conditions, as high fat diets tend to really fuel the brain.

Later, when I felt out of control with my health, I attempted to return to the GAPS diet, with disastrous results, which goes to show that if something works at one time, it might not work the same at another time, because our bodies (and needs) are constantly changing. And that if you don’t enter into big changes with thoughtful prayer, you may miss the Holy Spirit’s warning (more on that later).

As I began the sugar detox this week, my body began to enter ketosis. I was a mess. Short and snappy as I homeschooled my kids, mean to my husband. I experimented with adding some carbs back in, but it wasn’t enough.

My breaking point was a couple of nights ago, when I was on the verge of throwing up. I finally ate a handful of fruit and instantly felt better.

Detox vs detriment

I’ve been through a number of detox diets. Usually, I see enough benefits that I want to keep going.

I know what it feels like to feel good as you fuel your body with what it needs and cut out junkie foods that make you feel bad. I also know what it feels like to stress my hormones by restricting carbohydrates, as my hair falls out, insomnia and panic attacks return, and I become so tired and grouchy I can hardly stand myself.

Today’s 4:30 am wake up call was the last straw. I simply cannot afford this insufficient, disturbed sleep. It’s far harder on my body than eating fruit and sweet potatoes. (Which actually aren’t bad for me at all.)

The truth is, prior to starting the detox, I’d been feeling really great. My mood has been the most stable I can remember it being in a long time. I’ve had no joint pain, migraines are becoming scarcer, and I’ve finally, blessedly been sleeping through the night.

This sugar detox has been detrimental to my health, and I’m not too proud to say I made a mistake. At this time, my body needs more than I’m giving it, and I cannot be so rigid and punish my body into submission.

Which brings me back to why I quit paleo in the first place.

Does paleo cause eating disorders?

I recently read an article about how the paleo diet gave Karen Pendergrass, the CEO of The Paleo Foundation, an eating disorder. While I didn’t relate strongly to the article, it gave me pause.

Has restrictive eating caused me to have disordered eating? I don’t think so. But I do think we have to be careful about sticking with something just because it’s what we’ve been doing, and any changes will be viewed as weakness.

It’s not weak to admit you may be off course and your body needs foods you once thought of as “bad.” Foods you once warned everyone against eating. It’s not admitting defeat to try eating those things again.

Eating grains again

Throughout the last several years of eating strictly and not-so-strictly, moving several times, seeing my son totally healed from behavioral disorders only to regress nearly completely, and experiencing total healing myself only to regress completely, I’ve learned that eating a stricter paleo diet doesn’t really help.

It turns out that just eating a balanced diet has been what has helped me feel better. And minding my stress and sleep.

I needed to cut grains from my diet for a period. Going through ketosis has been helpful at times. I needed to work on healing leaky gut in order to begin properly digesting my food again. Eating a paleo diet allowed me to do that, as I ate easier-to-digest foods while my gut healed.

After time, though, it’s become clear that unnecessarily restrictive eating can lead to nutritional deficiencies, and may not be good for long-term health. At least for me.

Carbohydrates aren’t the evil I thought they were.

Women need carbohydrates. Lost of ’em. They are essential for proper hormone production, and when we restrict carbs long-term, hormone imbalances tend to occur.

For years, I’ve preached a low carb diet. And I think it bears repeating: a grain-free, low-carb, keto-style diet can be super healing, but I don’t think it’s a good solution long-term.

I’m starting to see lots of paleo bloggers beginning to incorporate grains and even traditional gluten into their diets. The paleo police have had a field day, but these are the same folks who will yell at you for eating a potato. I wonder if these bloggers are experiencing what I’m experiencing. Yes, I felt great at first, but eventually my symptoms returned, even while continuing to adhere to a strict diet.

As I’ve began to let go of my need for strict control of my diet and incorporate foods I tolerate well back into my meals, I’m feeling better.

I don’t know if I’ll ever tolerate gluten well, but for now, I’m eating a balanced diet, which includes unlimited meats, vegetables, eggs, raw milk, cheese and other dairy products, gluten-free grains like rice, corn, and quinoa, starches like cassava and tapioca, and treats when I feel like it. I feel really good and I don’t want to change that.

No more detox for me

I’m throwing in the towel. The truth is, I didn’t pray about starting this sugar detox; I just decided on a whim to do it. I think if I had prayed, I would’ve heard a Holy Spirit whisper warning me that right now is not a good time to put my body through this.

That right now, my body is better balanced than it’s been for a long time, and sending it into a tailspin is foolish.

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, ‘He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness.’ 1 Corinthians 3:19

Do as I say, not as I do.

Does that mean I think you should stop eating in a way that works for you? Of course not! If a sugar detox feels good- do it! If eating low-carb, grain-free is healing your body, go for it!

But pay close attention to how you feel; watch for symptoms of hormonal imbalances. Don’t over restrict yourself in an attempt to get healthy.

You can’t punish your body into health. Trust me, I should know.

Why I Quit Paleo | The Family That Heals Together

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog · Tagged: diet, eating disorders, gluten-free, grace, low carb, paleo

January 3, 2017

8 Mistakes You’re Making on the GAPS Intro Diet

8 Mistakes You're Making on the GAPS Intro Diet | The Family That Heals Together

You’ve decided to take the plunge and do the ultimate gut-healing diet: the GAPS intro diet. You’ve done your research and all the prep and you’re ready to go. But there are a few errors folks make on the GAPS intro diet. Read below so you don’t fall prey to these common mistakes.

First: what is the GAPS intro diet?

If you’re not familiar with the GAPS intro diet, I’ll give you a quick rundown.

GAPS intro is a temporary, intensive healing diet that can heal everything from food allergies, to autoimmune conditions, to autism, ADHD, and related behavioral disorders. “GAPS” stands for gut and psychology syndrome and was created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride as a means of healing psychological and developmental disorders.

GAPS intro eliminates grains, starches, and sugars, and involves six stages, beginning with soups made with slow-cooked meats and veggies, as well as fermented veggies and dairy, then working up to eventually adding in fresh vegetables and fruits.

Our family is currently doing the GAPS intro diet for the third time (I think it’s great to do it once a year!), and we have healed our son’s behavioral disorders, plus a number of food sensitivities for us all. It’s truly been life-changing for our family, but we’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way. Learn from my mistakes so you don’t make them!

Get the book here.

Eight mistakes you’re making on the GAPS intro diet

Avoid these mistakes to improve healing and make better progress on GAPS intro!

1. You’re eating bone broth.

Yep, you heard that right. You’re not supposed to eat bone broth on the GAPS intro diet, at least not until later stages and much healing has been done.

Wait- what? Isn’t broth the main food to eat on GAPS intro? Nope, it turns out, you should be eating meat stock, not bone broth. Long-cooked bone broth releases free glutamates and is tougher on the gut, while shorter cooked meat stock is gentler and more healing to the gut.

To make meat stock, use meaty, bone-in cuts of meat like whole chickens (read how to make a poached chicken for meat stock here), chicken thighs, drumsticks, and wings, whole wild-caught fish, and steaks or roasts. The key to meat stock is that you are cooking meat along with the bones, which will include the cartilage and yield a nicely-gelling stock.

Place your meat in a large stock pot and fill with water. You can add salt if you’d like. Bring to a boil on the stovetop, then turn down to a simmer for another two or three hours, until meat is tender. You can then use the cooked meat and stock in another pot to create a soup by adding veggies.

I typically remove the stock and some meat, leaving some meaty, cartilage-y bones behind, then add more water and make another round of stock to stretch it further. Once you’ve picked the bones clean, you can freeze them for use later on in the diet, or toss them.

2. You’re skipping a therapeutic probiotic.

While homemade fermented foods like sauerkraut are a staple in the GAPS intro diet, it’s imperative that you also use a high-quality, therapeutic probiotic. You simply cannot get enough strains of probiotics in a concentrated enough amount to make the same impact with food as you can with a good probiotic.

Need help choosing a good probiotic? Learn how to choose a good probiotic here.

I’ve tried a number of probiotics. Seriously, a lot of different ones. There is one brand I trust above all others to really make an impact on our gut health, which is Smidge. In the past, our family has used a gentle probiotic from Smidge, called Sensitive Probiotic Powder. It’s an excellent choice, particularly for very sensitive individuals. It’s highly concentrated, so it’s very effective, but is completely allergen-free and uses gentler strains for gentle gut improvement.

During our first time doing intro, I used a popular probiotic suggested for the GAPS diet, but since it was in capsule form, it was hard to get our little ones to take it, plus we went through it very quickly. I kept having to order more, which ended up being very costly in the long run. Smidge’s probiotics are a little pricey up front, but they last our family all through intro, plus months beyond. They are actually the cheapest probiotics I’ve found per dose for our family, as well as the most effective, so they’re worth their weight in gold, if you ask me.

Get Smidge here.

3. You’re not consuming enough meat stock.

I always tell myself we’re going to drink our meat stock all day, every day on the GAPS intro diet, yet it never seems to go that way. The kids get sick of it and start complaining. We run out. It’s just hard to drink enough stock.

But you’ve got to if you want to get all you were meant to get out of GAPS. I aim for soup at least three times a day at meals, which means we’re all getting around a cup of stock in, as well as a cup of plain stock before and between meals for 3-4 more cups a day.

I’ve found that if I use plenty of real salt, it tastes better and the kids are more likely to drink it, and once we introduce ghee, that helps with flavor sometimes too.

My best trick for getting the kids to drink stock, though, is stainless steel straws. They just prefer sipping through the straws rather than chugging straight from the mug. I generally put it in stainless steel cups as well, which seems to help too.

4. You’re moving too quickly.

Slow and steady is the name of the game; let’s not forget the story of the tortoise and the hare.

I know it’s so hard to be patient when you’re so restricted, but if you can dig in and find the strength to go nice and slow, you will experience so much more healing than if you move too quickly.

Particularly, stages one and two are incredibly healing for the gut. Spending a good week or more on these two stages can heal and seal the gut, allowing you to heal food allergies in short order.

I find that once we add juicing (which is highly detoxifying), fresh veggies, and nut-based foods, we start moving rather quickly and want more and more tasty foods, which is fine, and the ultimate goal… but staying satisfied with the super healing soups as long as you can manage will prove more beneficial in the long run.

8 Mistakes You're Making on the GAPS Intro Diet | The Family That Heals Together

5. You’re eating too much honey.

That one time, when we did GAPS intro the first time and I gorged on honey and made myself super sick? That wasn’t fun. At all.

It’s so hard when you’re having terrible die off (bacteria, yeast, and parasites begin to die off as you starve them and heal your gut- it’s a painful, but very beneficial process). You crave all the foods that will feed harmful pathogens. They don’t want to die and they cause you to crave the foods they need to survive.

This can lead to eating way too much honey or other foods that are technically allowed on the GAPS intro diet, but should only be consumed in small amounts. While it’s very helpful to have a little raw honey in tea or gummies here and there to stabilize the blood sugar, that’s all it should be used for and should not be eaten by the spoonful. I’m saying that for a friend. I’ve never done that.

6. You’re not supporting detox.

When die off happens, it does not feel good. There’s no way around it. It may result in headaches, tummy aches, skin rashes, and even puking.

It’s necessary to get the toxins out of your body to heal, though.

If you’re not supporting your detox pathways, you will feel worse, and those toxins will just re-circulate in your body, rather than leaving.

There are a few primary ways your body detoxes: through the skin, the sinuses, kidneys/bladder, and the bowels. You must do what you can to help these systems along. Here’s how:

  • Skin- take detox baths, with water as hot as you can stand, adding epsom salts, bentonite clay, apple cider vinegar, or baking soda. I typically use 2 cups of epsom salts per bath, or one cup along with another cup of one of the other ingredients.
  • Sinuses- try not to swallow the mucus that builds up in the sinuses, and, instead, do your best to blow it out. A neti pot can be helpful, as well as saline nasal sprays to loosen mucus. Additionally, I’m finding that using herbs like astragalus, echinacea, and ginger root are helping to clear my sinuses.
    For sinus issues that threaten to become an infection, try these remedies to stop it in its tracks.
  • Urination- Drink plenty of filtered, room temperature water. You may add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to further support detoxification. Drinking your stock in between meals will also help keep the toxins moving through the kidneys and bladder.
  • Bowels- you must use the bathroom, preferably once or more per day. There is no way around it, if you’re not pooping, your bowels become filled with toxins, which then re-enter the bloodstream. Support bowel function using the suggestions in the following section.

7. You’re not pooping.

You will not get the healing you deserve if you’re not pooping. Your body cannot appropriately deal with toxins if they’re not being moved out through your bowels. In order to keep your bowels moving:

  • eat plenty of fat via coconut oil, lard and other animal fats, creme fraiche (aka sour cream), avocados, and other GAPS intro-allowed fats
  • ease up on high-protein dairy like kefir and yogurt in the case of constipation
  • eat coconut candies
  • consider enemas
  • try magnesium
  • take a good probiotic

8. You go too low carb.

GAPS is, by default, low carb. When you remove grains, starches, and sugars, you will be lowing your carb intake.

However, you may feel worse than you have to by going too low carb. Going too low carb can also cause adrenal fatigue, which is not desirable.

To avoid going too low carb, I make a soup every day with carrots and butternut squash, two of the highest carb veggies allowed on the GAPS intro diet. Peas, rutabegas, and turnips are also good options.

While ketosis (a function your body enters when it begins burning fat instead of carbs for energy) can be therapeutic, especially for those suffering from seizures and other neurological disorders, and can help with weight loss, it may cause more damage than good long-term, so be mindful of how you feel and adjust your carb intake accordingly.

Being too low carb is especially harmful for breastfeeding and pregnant mamas, because it restricts nutrients for baby, and encourages detoxification.

Have you made these mistakes on the GAPS intro diet? Have no fear! It’s not too late to adjust and receive ultimate healing.

8 Mistakes You're Making on the GAPS Intro Diet | The Family That Heals Together

Be sure to share using one of our links so friends don’t make the same mistakes on the GAPS intro diet!

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Blog, Gaps Diet · Tagged: gaps, gaps intro diet, grain-free, gut health, low carb, probiotics

June 28, 2016

Severe Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome: How I Recovered

If you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue syndrome, you know how hard it can be on your body and emotions. Below, you’ll find tips on how to recover and feel like yourself again!

Severe Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome: How I Recovered | The Family That Heals TogetherWhat is adrenal fatigue syndrome?

The adrenal glands are responsible for all sorts of functions in your body:

  • they regulate stress (cortisol) and reproductive hormones
  • they regulate blood sugar and blood pressure
  • & they regulate your sleep/wake cycle.

When the adrenals become stressed due to poor diet, poor sleep habits, or high stress levels, they struggle to maintain all the functions they are responsible for, and adrenal fatigue syndrome begins to set in.

What are the signs of adrenal fatigue?

  • abnormal fatigue
  • blood sugar roller coaster
  • excessive crankiness
  • weight gain or loss
  • insomnia or other sleep disturbances
  • lack of interest in sex
  • hair loss

You may find yourself feeling excessively tired. You may wake up starving and spacey in the mornings, and find that your patience wears thin quickly.

How do you cure adrenal fatigue?

If you know you’re suffering from adrenal fatigue syndrome, you can make a plan of action. Here are some tips:

#1- eat a balanced diet

Eating a clean, paleo-style diet can help with adrenal fatigue. However, beware that female stress and reproductive hormones need a fair amount of carbs to stay stabilized and you may need to increase your good carb intake by way of sweet potatoes, fruit, and the occasional side of rice or quinoa.

Cutting out refined sugars, artificial ingredients, caffeine, and processed fats will help too. Replace those ingredients with natural sweeteners like maple syrup and honey, and up good fats like ghee, avocado oil, butter, and olive oil.

For best results, be sure to cut out gluten entirely until you feel better. Some find that cutting out dairy can help too.

#2- drink sole water

Sole water is one of the easiest and cheapest ways to support your adrenal glands. It’s made from only two ingredients, and packs a huge nutritional punch, as it’s chalk full of minerals.

It’s made by putting one cup of mineral-rich salt (good choice are Real Salt and Himalayan salt) into a quart jar (with a plastic, non-reactive lid), then fill the remaining way with filtered water. Let sit overnight, then take a teaspoon each morning in a glass of water.

Start with a tsp in a full glass of water and slowly work your way up until you find a dose that feels good.

Read all about sole water here.

#3- eat fat bombs

A tasty adrenal fatigue syndrome recovery tool, fat bombs are both incredibly healing and delicious! They’re made by mixing your fat of choice (good options are butter, ghee, and coconut oil) with some raw honey.

You can make fat bombs like these coconut melts, or, in a pinch, you can dig out a spoonful of raw honey, then dip it in a block of softened butter and go to town! 

Read in detail about fat bombs here.

#4- eat liver

Not many people love liver, but it is a hugely important food to help heal the adrenal glands. Liver is full of vitamins and minerals, especially b vitamins, which help support energy levels. Please read about how this superfood should be part of your adrenal fatigue syndrome recovery protocol here.

There are a few ways you can get liver into your diet on a daily basis:

  • Take liver capsules. This is the easiest way to eat liver every day. Just pop a few high-quality, grassfed liver capsules and you’re good to go. Get them here, or make your own with this tutorial.
  • Thaw liver, soak in water with a little lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, then puree in a blender. Scrape into molds and freeze, then store in a sealed, freezer-safe container. Throw a couple into ground-beef meals, especially those with lots of sauce and spices, and no one will be the wiser!
  • Thaw and soak as above, then chop into tiny pieces. Freeze on a tray, then transfer to a sealed freezer-safe container. Pop a handful every day like pills and wash down with a swig of sole water to help mask the taste. (This doesn’t taste bad, really!)

#5- adaptogenic herbs

Adaptogenic herbs are those that adapt to what your body needs. They can be helpful to take in the morning to increase energy, but also at night to help you sleep because they lower cortisol (the stress hormone) levels.

Adaptogens are especially supportive for the adrenals because they help the body deal with stress while supporting its ability to cope with anxiety and fight fatigue.

For calming a stress response, try ashwaghanda. Get it here.

For improving energy levels earlier in the day, try rhodiola rosea. Get it here.

There are lots of adaptogens and they work well when used together. Read more about adaptogenic herbs and how to make your own adoptogen tincture here.

#6- support restful sleep

Not only is is important to be sure you’re getting to bed early (getting to sleep by 10 pm is really important to support you circadian rhythm- the internal clock that helps your body wake, sleep, and maintain energy levels), but you may need some extra help to sleep restfully.

First- you should block out blue light once the sun goes down by installing blue light-blocking apps on your devices, or using tinted glasses like these.

If you need more help, you can use an herbal remedy to help you fall and stay asleep. Some good options include:

  • lavender extract- lavender is soothing and relaxing. Get it here.
  • passionflower extract- passionflower calms the nervous system. Get it here.
  • valerian root capsules- valerian relaxes the muscles and calms the nerves. It is a very stinky herb, so you may prefer capsules vs an extract. Get them here.

Or learn to make your own herbal sleep remedy here.

#7- take high doses of vitamin C

Did you know that vitamin c is found in the highest concentrations in your adrenal glands?

The adrenal glands use vitamin c to produce cortisol, so when your stress levels are high and constant, your body becomes depleted of vitamin c quickly.

Unfortunately, the most natural, food-based vitamin C supplements are not enough to saturate your body with the vitamin C it needs. Instead, you need a more potent form, such as sodium ascorbate.

To get your body fully saturated with vitamin C, try weekly vitamin C “flushes.” Take one teaspoon of vitamin C powder every 15 minutes until your bowels become loose. However many teaspoons it takes is your bowel tolerance, then you can take maintenance doses throughout the day the rest of the week.

Vitamin C flushes can go a long ways in recovering my energy levels. We like this doctor-recommended vitamin C powder.

#8- kick the coffee… but keep using it

Finally, when you’re recovering from adrenal fatigue syndrome, you want to limit your intake of caffeine, which will further stress the adrenals.

However, that doesn’t mean you don’t want to keep coffee around for other purposes.

During adrenal fatigue recovery, you want to be sure you are supporting your detox pathways. Detoxing too quickly uses up the body’s resources and puts stress on the adrenals.

Coffee enemas can help your body flush out toxins quickly. They are really not as scary as they sound, and once you try them, you will feel so great that you’ll get over the “ick” factor.

Is exercise good for adrenal fatigue?

Exercise can actually exacerbate adrenal fatigue syndrome, so it’s important to be gentle with your body. Instead of high-impact, cardio-style exercise, focus on gentle stretching and walking.

How long does it take for adrenal fatigue to heal?

Recovery can take 6-18 months, but incorporating the above tips can help you start feeling better quickly. Stay patient with your body and allow it the rest and care it needs.

What supplements help adrenal fatigue?

To sum up a good supplement protocol, you can try the following:

Liver capsules- get them here.

Adaptogenic herbs- this is a great one to start with or make your own using this tutorial.

Sleep support- try this sleep supplement or use this tutorial to make your own.

Vitamin C- we like this one.

You can recover from adrenal fatigue syndrome

It took me a few months to feel like I was recovering, but now, over six months since my initial crash, I feel so much better, and I have lots of goofy baby hair growing! This hair regrowth, combined with stable energy levels, and a happier wife and mama, lets me know that I’m no longer suffering from the severe adrenal fatigue that was kicking my tail last year.

Give my protocol a try, and you can begin healing from adrenal fatigue syndrome too!

Have you suffered from adrenal fatigue syndrome? Share this article using a handy button below for friends who may also be suffering!

Severe Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome: How I Recovered | The Family That Heals Together

By: Jaclyn · Filed Under: Beautiful, Blog, Healing Happens, Remedies · Tagged: adrenal fatigue, adrenal fatigue syndrome, adrenals, fat bombs, liver, low carb, sole water

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