Should I Exercise While on the GAPS Intro Diet?

This is a common question from those who are just starting the GAPS introduction diet. The first couple phases of the introduction diet consist of pretty much nothing but broths, well-cooked meats, a little well-cooked vegetables as tolerated, and healthy fats and herbal teas. Depending on what your body can tolerate eating at first, which may not be much, it does not always provide a significant caloric intake.

What is happening in your body during the introduction diet? Several things:

1. Herxheimer Reaction. During the introduction diet, most people who are doing the diet to heal significant health problems will be experiencing a Herxheimer reaction, which is a temporary worsening of symptoms due to die-off of harmful flora. Symptoms may include fever, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, flu-like symptoms, headache, etc. For myself, who was a chronic-fatigue profile with yeast overgrowth, I experienced about 10 days of mild "intoxication" symptoms. As crazy as that sounds, it is actually possible for the brain to become "drunk" from all the toxins being released from flora die-off (See Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. NCM, pages 50-53; see also multiple scientific studies/articles on "auto-brewery syndrome" here; and an interesting case report here.). I felt slightly dizzy, befuddled in my thinking, and slightly blurry of vision. Also, my fatigue increased significantly and I had insomnia - my brain just would not turn off to go to sleep. In short, I was pretty incapacitated. Obviously I was an extreme case, but if you are really sick, then chances are it won't be pleasant for the first couple weeks.
2. Sugar Withdrawal. In addition to "herxing," most people will also be having carbohydrate withdrawal symptoms. Yes, sugar is actually biologically addictive to your body, and you will probably get the shakes and grumpies from withdrawal (see this scientific study which found that refined sugar is more addictive than cocaine!). Even if you thought you weren't eating that much sugar before, you would be surprised how much sugar you were feeding your body from grains, starchy vegetables, processed foods, and that daily dessert or soft drink.
3. Metabolic Shifting. Also, the body will be learning how to switch from a carbohydrate-driven metabolism to a fat-driven metabolism. Your body has been primarily processing its energy from carbohydrates, and now it has to learn how obtain its energy primarily from healthy fats. This is a huge shift in how your body functions, and it will likely include some low blood sugar symptoms temporarily until things balance out (see this helpful article about fat adaptation).
4. Physiological Fasting. The first few stages of the GAPS introduction diet are also essentially a form of fasting. During a fast, your body is focusing less on digestion and more on detoxification and rebuilding, and numerous physiological changes occur. For example, during a fast your body cleans out old, worn out white blood cells and replaces them with fresh new ones, thereby giving your immune system a little "reset" (see a study about this here). Intermittent fasting also has an anti-inflammatory effect (see a study here). Of course, your body is working hard to do all this, and you may feel increased fatigue at first (see a helpful article about intermittent fasting here; and a scientific article about fasting benefits here).

So now that you have a greater appreciation for what your body is experiencing during the introduction diet, you should be able to make wiser judgments as to whether maintaining your workout regimen is good for you during this time. For most, if not all people, I would recommend either not exercising during the intro diet, or else, making significant modifications - like walking an easy mile instead of running three. For me personally, I did not have the physical resources to even walk around the block many days during the first couple weeks on the intro diet. Listen to your body. If you are experiencing significant fatigue, and feeling sick and "tapped out," don't push yourself. Let your body rest and do the hard "exercise" of cleansing and rebuilding itself instead. The benefits you are gaining from your diet change are even greater long-term than what you would receive from a regular exercise routine. Don't get me wrong. The body needs exercise. But there is a season for everything, and if you are doing the GAPS diet for health problems, then most likely this is a season for rest, rejuvenation, and energy conservation rather than for energy expenditure through exercise. Once your body is equipped with good nutrition and properly functioning healing mechanisms, there will be plenty of time and energy for exercise later.

Two years after my own journey on the introduction diet, I am now able to do strenuous physical exercise, like heavy yardwork, for hours on end without feeling weak or hungry. Whereas two years ago, exercise would have only been perceived by my body as an added stressor that contributed to further physical breakdown, now my body is now able to respond to physical exertion with beneficial rebuilding and strengthening.

Hannah's Phở Week!! Part 3 - Beef Phở

Below is the traditional beef version of Phở. The method is practically identical to the fish version. This is a bigger pot and should feed 6 people, or 3 meals for 2, or a full week of dinner meals for 1.

Hannah's Beef Phở

Soup Ingredients:
4-6 Pieces beef bones - soup, marrow, or joint bones all work fine
3 Pounds thinly sliced beef - eye round, top round, or tender cuts work well; cut while slightly frozen to make it easier to thinly slice
6 Small-medium sized zucchini summer squashes (yellow or green both are fine)
2 Leeks, cleaned and coursely chopped, including greens
1 1/2 Medium yellow onion, 1 washed and halved with the skin, one half very thinly sliced
2 Inch piece of ginger, washed and coursely sliced into chunks
1 Inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 c. Finely chopped Chinese chives
1/4 c. Finely chopped scallions (white portions only)
1 Bunch lemongrass (about 3-4 large stalks), cleaned, outer tough leaves removed and coursely chopped; inner tender shoot finely sliced
1 t. Fennel seeds
1 Star anise
2 t. Coriander seeds
1 Small stick cinnamon
5 Whole cloves
5 Whole green cardamom pods (or 1-2 black cardamom)
2-3 T. Fish sauce (This kind has no additives and is GAPS-legal)
6-8 Quarts filtered water
Salt to taste

Fresh Herb Garnishings:
Cilantro
Mint
Basil
Chives, chopped
Scallions, chopped
Onion, thinly sliced
Lime slices
Chili-garlic sauce

Part 1: Broth
In a 12 quart pot, place the bones. Cover with the water and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Skim off the foamy skin. Add halved onion, chopped leeks, coursely chopped ginger, tough parts of lemongrass, spices, fish sauce, and salt. Boil for 8 hours, until the broth is rich and fatty. Add more water as needed to compensate for evaporative loss. When finished boiling, cool the broth. Strain and return to the pot.

Part 2: Noodles
Use a vegetable spiralizer to made "zucchini noodles" with the yellow or green summer squash. Set aside the raw noodles.

Part 3: Soup
Add the finely chopped lemongrass, ginger, scallions and chives. Boil for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, arrange a handful of the noodles and thinly sliced meat pieces in large soup bowls. Then pour the boiling soup over the meat and noodles. The boiling water will cook them.

Part 4: Garnish
Place the garnishings on the table on a plate or in separate rice bowls. Serve the Phở and garnish individually as desired with the fresh herbs and hot sauce. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until fully satisfied!

Garden Update

From time to time, I like to try and motivate you all to take up gardening. It provides exercise, sunshine, fresh air, grounding (when barefoot), immune-stimulation (through contact with beneficial microbes in the dirt), and mood elevation. Oh, yea, and it also provides cheap organic food!

My garden has only been growing for a month, but as you can see, there are already a generous amount of edible greens available out there along with a few radishes. Most of these greens are thinnings from baby greens that were growing too close together. This mix includes spinach, arugula, lettuce, dill, fennel, chinese cabbage, bok choy, radish, kale, and even some edible flower greens from baby dame's rocket and calendula.

Hannah's Phở Week!! Part 2 - Fish Phở

Now that you've got your chili-garlic sauce fermenting (see Hannah's Phở Week!! Part 1), it's time to get some broth boiling and make that Phở! Below is a recipe for a fish Phở version. With any Phở, the broth is the most complicated and time-consuming part. But, while it does take time to prepare, Phở is easy to grab as a leftover, so it can actually save time in the long run. Personally, I like to make a pot or two of Phở broth on one big cooking day, and then have it and all the garnishes and sliced meat prepared so that I can whip up a yummy meal in just minutes throughout the week. A pot this large should serve 4 people who are large eaters easily, or at least 2 meals for 2 people. If it's just you, it should last almost the whole week!

Hannah's Fish Phở

Soup Ingredients:
4 Salmon fish heads
2 Pounds fresh or frozen salmon fillets, thinly sliced
1 Leek, cleaned and coursely chopped, including greens
1 Fennel bulb with stems and leaves, cleaned and tops coursely chopped, bulb thinly sliced
1 Medium yellow onion, washed and halved, one half whole, one half very thinly sliced.
1 Garlic clove, cleaned and whole
2 Inch piece of ginger, washed and coursely sliced
1 Inch piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 Package (2-4 oz) enoki mushrooms, washed and separated into separate threads
1/4 c. Finely chopped Chinese chives
1/4 c. Finely chopped scallions (white portions only)
1 Bunch lemongrass (about 3-4 large stalks), cleaned, outer tough leaves removed and coursely chopped; inner tender shoot finely sliced
1 t. Fennel seeds
1 Star anise
2 t. Coriander seeds
1 Small stick cinnamon
5 Whole cloves
5 Whole green cardamom pods (or 1-2 black cardamom)
1/2 c. Dried seaweed (smoked dulce or kelp is good)
5 Quarts filtered water
Salt to taste

Fresh Herb Garnishings:
Cilantro
Mint
Basil
Chives, chopped
Scallions, chopped
Onion, thinly sliced
Lime slices
Chili-garlic sauce

Part 1: Broth
In a 6-8 quart pot, place the fish heads. Cover with the water and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 5 minutes. Skim off the foamy skin. Add halved onion, chopped leeks, fennel tops and tough parts, garlic clove, coursely chopped ginger, tough parts of lemongrass, spices, and salt. Boil for 3-8 hours, until the broth is rich and fatty. Add more water as needed to compensate for evaporative loss. When finished boiling, cool the broth. Strain and return to the pot.

Part 2: Soup
Add the finely chopped lemongrass, ginger, fennel bulb, scallions and chives. Add enoki mushrooms and dried seaweed. Boil for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the thinly sliced fish pieces in large soup bowls. Then pour the boiling soup over the meat. The soup will cook the meat.

Part 3: Garnish
Place the garnishings on the table on a plate or in separate rice bowls. Serve the Phở and garnish individually as desired with the fresh herbs and hot sauce. Repeat steps 2 and 3 until fully satisfied!

Hannah's Phở Week!! Part 1 - Chili-Garlic Sauce

Well, I'm declaring it Phở week on my blog! Officially, International Phở Day doesn't happen until August 20th, but who wants to wait for the hottest month of the summer to enjoy their Phở? I say spring is the best time for a Phở craze.

I grew up in Asia, and have had many Asian friends, and Asian cuisine is some of my favorite. Alas, much of the foundation of good Asian cooking centers on rice and flour - for noodles, dumpling wrappers, etc. I've really missed cooking Asian style food since being on GAPS. But recently, I decided I needed to figure out how to satisfy my Asian comfort food cravings safely. For this week at least, Phở is my answer.

Don't know what Phở is? It is an Asian-food-loving GAPS dieter's best friend. Rich, flavorful, full-bodied bone broth with thinly sliced pieces of meat and fresh herb garnishings of cilantro, basil, mint, scallion, and lime; topped off with some Sriracha-style hot sauce (and Hoisin sauce, which I haven't figured out how to make for GAPS yet - I'll let you know if I come up with something). Traditional Phở has rice noodles in it. But the GAPS version can use a noodle alternative like zucchini noodles or enoki mushrooms to almost paralleled satisfaction.

To kick things off for my Phở craze week, below is a recipe for homemade lacto-fermented chili-garlic sauce. You'll need to get this going before you make your actual Phở, since it will take 5-7 days to ferment. Once it's ready, you'll be equipped to handle many, many bowls of Phở (and plus it goes great with steak, grilled chicken, braised greens, eggs, and just about anything else too!).

Lacto-Fermented Asian Chili-Garlic Sauce

3/4 lb. Fresh Korean red chilis
1 Large head garlic
1/4 c. Filtered water
1 T. Fish sauce (This kind has no additives and is GAPS-legal)
1 T. Raw honey
1 T. Raw apple cider vinegar
1-2 t. Salt

Clean and cut tops off chilis. Clean off skins and cut bottoms off all garlic cloves. Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender (I use my Vitamix). Puree into a sauce. Pour into a 0.5-0.75L Fido jar (lever-locking preserve jar) or other lacto-fermentation vessel. Ferment for 5-7 days, then refrigerate.

Stay tuned for parts 2 and 3 of my Phở week on Wednesday and Friday!

Please Take Action to Prevent Mansanto's DARK Bill to Protect GMO's from Labeling Laws

Most GAPS patients are well-aware of the health dangers of GMO foods. We more than care about this issue; for us, it is a matter of our health. Mansanto, one of the major biotech industries who creates GMO crops and the herbicides that go with them, is also very active to protect their interests legislatively. With the advocacy of Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.), they are currently reintroducing a bill (HR 1599) that would prohibit Congress or individual states from requiring mandatory labeling of GMO foods and ingredients. It would also allow food manufacturers to use the word “natural” on GMO products.

Mandatory GMO labeling is an important step in the fight against GMO foods. I encourage you to take just a couple minutes (literally, it only takes about two minutes) to act on this issue by clicking the link below.

TELL YOU REPRESENTATIVE: DON'T SUPPORT BIG FOOD'S BILL TO KILL GMO LABELING LAWS