I have a newer, better blog!

At the behest of my brother, I have created a blog for the recipes that I create. I know in the past that I have made some and put them up here, but, I like the Wordpress format better then Blogger. I briefly thought that I'd be able to keep up with multiple blogs, but I just don't that that will be the case. If you like what I've done in the past, I urge you to check out my new site. It has better pictures too!

KirBear's Kitchen

Hello Again!

Hello all. I know I disappeared for three years. So...let's see. When last I wrote I was doing the GAPS diet for my psoriasis. I continued on with GAPS for a total of nine months. In September 2013, I switched to a Paleo diet and continued to lose another twenty pounds so my current weight is 123 pounds.

This is what I wore to my grandmother's repass in May 2016.

I've been quite content on a Paleo/low carb diet. It didn't cure all of my skin issues. I discovered that I am sensitive to foods that are high in histamines and so I have to watch what I eat. I also did some NAET treatments (Nupridad's Allergy Elimination Technique). NAET draws on accupuncture, accupressure, and kinesiology. It's sounds crazy and voodoo, but for me it worked. I haven't had any rash return on my hands, which is amazing. I will still get psoriatic type break outs on my knees with a lovely combination of uticaria, but it is not nearly as bad as it was a few years ago. If I am a good girl and watch my histamine intake I can keep my skin 90% clear.

Aside from my skin and diet issues, I've been keeping up with my gardening. Here's what my garden looked like in July.

Most of these plants have been harvested, and this year I am trying to get more out of my garden, so I planted fall/winter vegetables. This includes parsnips, leeks, peas, spinach, cabbage, and beets. The plants have just started to come up and will need to be thinned out and weeded before I take pictures. That'll probably happen some time next week.

GAPs Diet Update: 4 Months Down

As April comes to a close, so does my fourth straight month on the GAPs Diet. There have been good days and bad days. But through all the trials, like having to make normal chocolate chip cookies (or anything with chocolate for that matter) for the hubby to take into work, the diet on the whole is helping my psoriasis to heal. A lot.

Here are pictures from last year after being diagnosed with psoriasis.

Here is what they look like today.

Normal! My hands look normal! I still have some patches elsewhere that are healing as well. Pretty soon I will be all normal externally.

And here's what I looked like before GAPs:

And here is what I look like today:

I know, I know, I didn't do a full smile.

I feel pretty good, but a lot of the time I feel like I'm not eating enough fats. I put coconut oil in my soup, and drench veggies in ghee, but I still don't feel as satiated as if I could use butter, cream, or sour cream. I'm eagerly waiting for the day I can start to reintroduce dairy. It will open up so many more recipes and add additional fats to my diet.

I also still have an issue with having too much coconut (I think it's related to salicylates), which limits my options and the fats that I can eat. I know that in time things will get better.

Plugging Along

It's been over a month since my last update, and I have much improved. My face actually cleared all the way up and my hands are just about completely normal. I did have a minor setback earlier this week, where my face did break out in a rash, but it's almost all healed. I had some artichoke soup- and that set off the reaction. Well, it was either that (I had not had artichoke soup in several weeks and is the newest thing in my diet) or I just simply went over board with salicylate rich foods. In either case, I will be much more mindful for the time being of how many heavy salicylate foods I have in a day. Once my symptoms clear up, I will try reintroducing artichoke in again.

That tangent aside, I am stable at 139-140 lbs. and my skin on the whole is clearing up. I am very encouraged by this. GAPs it would appear is working for me! Pictures of my progress coming soon!

I've also decided to make another blog (you're all laughing I know, because I'm SO good about updating this one). I'm still going to make another blog, and I think I'll be more apt to update it. The new blog can be found at the following address: gapsrecipereview.blogspot.com.

GAPs Update

I've been plugging along on the GAPs diet. About two weeks ago, I felt it was time to move from the GAPs Intro diet onto the full GAPs diet. Once you get to Phase 6, there really isn't much difference between the two anyway.

The psoriasis is finally starting to clear up on my hands, and the patches around my eyes are gone. Today however, after having my morning glass of mineral water, I started having an itching sensation where the rash patches normal reside around my eyes. This has been consistently happening every week-on Thursdays oddly enough- and I'm not sure what's causing it. In an effort to try and find the reason (if any) I'll be starting a food journal. Yes, I know I probably should have been doing that from the beginning, but it's annoying to document everything you eat.  I think it might possibly just be my body working toxins out. I don't know. Only time will tell.

On the upside, an unintended side effect of going on GAPs is that I'm easily down 10 lbs. I haven't weighed myself in about a week and a half (I'll be doing that again soon), but that last time I was on a scale it was 144 lbs, and that was after having some mineral water. I didn't go on GAPs to lose weight, I went on it to cure my food sensitivities and psoriasis, but I'll take it.

Myself in August 2012 at a family event.

144 lbs in January 2013.

Day 12

Everything is going well on the introductory diet. I'm loving the fresh juice. Fresh carrot juice tasted really good, but when I could finally introduce apple juice, wow. It's amazing! So sweet! I just kinda ran out of apples and carrots, and that is a sorry day. I'll be headed to Costco tomorrow to stock up on some organic carrots and apples.

I'm going to be trying some almond bread today. I'm a little worried that I'll scrape up my food processor bowl, but I need the flour. I'll get over it. At some point. I like to keep my kitchen gadgets pretty, if you couldn't tell.

Today is the first day in a while that the red around my eyes is really a lot lighter. It seems to finally be healing. I'm hoping that after that goes away then the rest will start to disappear.

The other plus side...I weighed 146.4 lbs. yesterday. I haven't weighed that since college. I'm completely okay with that.

All in all, the cravings have subsided, my skin is clearing, and I weigh less. I can't really complain at this point.

I'm in phase 5, pretty soon I'll be moving to phase 6. After that I'll be on GAPs proper. I can't wait to have some coconut flour blueberry muffins.

Artichoke Soup and Carrot Juice

I am continuing on in my GAPs introductory diet, and am doing well. I was feeling really good with tons of energy, and then I upped my probiotic increase. That predictably caused more die off, which is leaving me tired and the psoriasis spots redder, but it must be done!

On the plus side, I made a really delicious soup that my mom told me how to make. It's a creamed artichoke soup. I made it as follows (it was to the best of my recollection):

3 cans of artichokes (drained of liquid)
2 quarts of chicken stock
1 large garlic clove
Ghee

I put the garlic clove through a garlic press, and then sauteed it in ghee. Then I added the canned artichoke and chicken stock. I let that simmer for about 15 minutes and then pureed it. It was awesome! I'm going to be making it again, and this time I'll be trying it with fresh artichokes.

I also made some carrot juice with my new juicer. Wow! Did it taste good! I used organic carrots and they are very sweet. I could only enjoy 2 tsps. per the GAPs diet introduction. Tomorrow I should be able to enjoy more.