My blog isn't very informative- these are the entries. Just something to help me remember milestones. I'm hoping when I get more time and sleep I'll be able to write something retrospectively that is more helpful to others.

What do you follow on FB? I follow, and really like:
Gut and Psychology Syndrome | GAPS Diet
CHEESESLAVE
thehealthyhomeeconomist
Keeper of the Home (gets a little off track with homeschooling and such but she has great GAPS info on her blog)

The GAPShelp yahoo group is also essential.

I'm not finding the diet bad at all. I'm getting in a better groove with sourcing food and cooking. I'm enjoying finding treasures at our local farmers market. I bought local raw honey and some pork back fat from pastured, organic pigs this week. Rendered the fat and now have a big jar of organic, pastured rendered pork fat in my fridge. Which I feel pride and happiness over whenever I see it (okay, I'm wierd! ). Coming from a vegetarian that'spretty huge though. It helps that this diet focuses on pastured animals and using AL of the animal. I appreciate no waste. When I roast a chicken for example I:
- Collect the fat & gelatin from the bottom of the pan and store it in a jar in the fridge. It separates when cool. I put the gelatin into soup and use the fat for cooking vegetables.
- We eat whatever, then I strip the bones of ALL the meat and skin (plus the chickens I buy come with the neck, heart and liver so I keep those meats). I then refry the skin and scraps of meat with scrambled eggs or something later.
- I use the bones to make bone broth.

I was a MAJOR carb addict. I would happily have toast for every meal and snack a day. Otherwise though I was eating pasta, chips, tortillas, corn chips, baked potatoes... Then there's the sugar. I ate chocolate EVERY day. And not just a little bit. Plus ice cream, muffins, cupcakes... whatever. So anyway, this diet is a huge change even with the fact that we were vegetarian too. And I'm not struggling like I thought I would. I still dream of sweets every day. My pining for toast is subsiding. But I want to walk into every coffee shop I see and buy a chocolate chip cookie! But I don't. Breastfeeding helps me keep my resolve. I'm working on cutting back the fruit. It's not good to eat that much fructose and I'm managing to cut it down now I'm adjusting. I make these amazing brownies and have been having one for afternoon tea every day and it's SUCH a treat! They taste "normal" to me.

Honestly, if I knew the effect my gut flora would have on my children I wish so much I had done this before having them. Read the book. Even if you're not sold on the doing the diet it's an awesome read about nutrition and there are great ideas you can do you make your cooking healthier, like cooking in lard and not oil. Personally I would suggest reading the book, practicing the diet while away in small ways (trying to eat a grain free breakfast, sugar free snacks etc) then go onto full GAPS (forget the intro diet) for TTC. Or if that seems too much then perhaps go onto the after GAPS diet, Nourishing Traditions. If you can improve your gut flora to pass on to your children they'll thank you for it.