The GAPS Diet - Taking the Plunge

I have been eating gluten-free for about 4 years now.  Though I believe it has helped me, and greatly reduced the stomach pain I had at the time, I have come to believe that going gluten-free is not enough for me to be healthy.  I still have pain in my intestines, and I suspect I may have other allergies to foods.  So, I am starting a pretty difficult diet that is designed to heal one's gut (digestive system) and possibly cure some allergies and other health problems along the way.  Many mental conditions can also be helped by this diet.  The diet cuts out all grains and sugar, anything processed or artificial, and some diary products.  I have some friends already doing it who have been a big help explaining things, and I have read most of the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome that gives the reasons behind the diet and the how-to instructions.  If you want to learn more about the GAPS diet, you can click here. I don't know everything about it, or if it will solve all my problems, but I know I need to try something.  When you start the diet, you eat a very limited number of foods and gradually add back in things that could be hard on your body because of an allergy or sensitivity.  Then you stay grain- and sugar-free for a long time (not sure yet how long I can/will do this :) to give your body lots of time to heal.

Even harder than the decision to start the GAPS diet was the decision to add my extremely opinionated 3-yr-old to the mix.  Felicity has had eczema since she was a tiny baby, and it has gotten pretty bad lately.  I have never limited her foods to see if she has any allergies, so this diet for her is both to heal her gut and check for allergies.  I do think it's going to be hard.  She loves food, especially foods that would fall into the "treat" category.  I think she could get very upset when I tell her she can't have certain things  that she is used to.  I pray I can parent her well while asking her to do something that is difficult.

We're starting tomorrow, but I'm pretty nervous.  I've done what I can to prepare, buy the right foods, make lots of broth, etc...  It's time to just do it!