So I made it through for one year on GAPS.
The changes I have seen in the last six months were not as dramatic as the first six months, but I have a few things that I can report.
- I was able to quit taking my asthma medication (I was on a corticosteroid called Flovent) and have been off it since the end of August
- Blood sugar has stabilized even more, I’m able to eat only three meals a day now
- Continued weight loss (official weight loss is now 50.4 pounds)
- Constipation issues non-existent
- Increased energy
- Pain free periods and no PMS. My periods were never horribly painful, but I did experience cramping. Not anymore, in fact it is hard for me to tell when my period is going to start now. This is great. The Fiber Menace author Konstantin Monastyrsky suggests that PMS and painful periods are caused by fiber. This from Mr. Monastyrsky’s site:
The impact of fiber’s side effects is particularly profound prior to menstruation. The physical metamorphosis that precedes menstruation—water and sodium retention, enlargement of the endometrium and ovaries, egg movement through the fallopian tube(s)—predisposes women to premenstrual syndrome. The ensuing symptoms, such as Mittelschmerz (middle pain, a condition related to the enlargement of ovaries during ovulation), cramping (primary dysmenorrhea, a condition not related to physical anomaly), abdominal pain, and backache, are often related to undue pressure by the distended intestines on the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, which become hypersensitive during ovulation.
Correspondingly, the emotional aspect of PMS isn’t related to hormonal changes so much, but to the constant presence of pain and discomfort, which trigger the continuous release of stress hormones. In turn, stress hormones cause migraine headaches and patterns of social interaction typical for PMS sufferers.
PMS is often accompanied by intermittent constipation and diarrhea. Evidently, both conditions are usually already present before menstruation. They simply become more pronounced and noticeable during this period.
A few issues have cropped up over the last six months. I have the grey teeth issue which Baden has discussed at length on her blog; a dental cleaning from my dentist did not clear up the problem with my teeth.
I reported six months ago that pain in my hands and wrists had disappeared; however, two weeks after going off of the Flovent I began to have worse pain than I’ve ever experienced in my hands and wrists. I suspect arthritis of the thumbs and/or carpal tunnel syndrome. When I take Glucosamine Chondroiton regularly, along with cod liver oil, I feel some relief. Sometimes my wrists and thumbs even feel normal. I’m very disappointed in this new development. I do not believe it is caused by GAPS. I suspect that the corticosteroid I was taking was keeping the inflammation down and going off the medication allowed the inflammation to flare up. UPDATE: Not too long after this update I decided to taper down on the Vitamin C in order to do a round of intro, with hopes of discovering if anything I was eating was causing my hands to ache so terribly. Once I tapered down off the Vitamin C, my hands began to heal and are now pain free. What a relief.
Thanksgiving Dinner was a huge success, in part thanks to Sarah Schatz’s Heart of Cooking Thanksgiving meal planner. Christmas is just around the corner and I’m sure I’ll continue to do fine and not be tempted. There’s the staff potluck Christmas party at work, and it looks like my husband and I will be going to his parents on Christmas Day, and to a friend of his on Christmas Eve. There are a few things I cheat with, and many excellent substitutions so I know I’ll be okay.
I did step on the scale on the 1st, but I was fully dressed for work, and I figured I wasn’t going to like the number too much. I weighed exactly 186. That’s up from last month. So I decided to wait until Friday to step on the scale again. I am usually wearing shorts and a sleeveless top (what I typically wear to bed) and shoes. That’s what I wore on Friday and the scale said I weigh 181.2#. That’s much better than 186#! 
I’m glad to see the number still going down.
I ordered the new 2010 edition of Gut and Psychology Syndrome, I wish I had waited to order from Amazon because they I would have gotten the new cookbook Internal Bliss for only five dollars more!
This week is going to be very busy for me as I will be going in to the office an extra day.
How are you doing?
Wow! Congratulations!! One whole year. So great to hear about the health benefits you’re continuing to reap. I am doing well… one month off sugar has helped my cravings immensely. They’re not gone, but they’re a 2 out of 10, instead of 8. My energy has been erratic, but I recently started a food journal and think I may be able to figure out what the culprits are.
Keep it up!
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Thanks, Churyl! It sure did go by fast. I’m glad you’ve found that being off sugar has lowered your cravings. I need to do a food journal for my hands as I have a feeling something I’m eating or not eating is making them better or worse. Have you had any luck with figuring out your energy issues with your food journal? It’s been a couple of weeks since you posted. Thank you for commenting, I really need to be more responsive in my comments!
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