(PERSONAL BLOG)

I haven’t posted on my progress for awhile, so I thought I’d put this up–

I am finally able to eat a little garlic. This is wonderful for me because I love it in butter sauce over spaghetti pasta.  Only now I have to use spaghetti squash.  It’s still delicious, though, and garlic is a wonder food.  It was actually used in WWII for the soldiers’ ailments (before penicillin was discovered).  It’s a natural antibacterial, antifungal and is just an all-around superfood for the immune system.  So, yeah, it’s good that I can eat it…as long as it’s not too often–still have issues if I eat too much of a good thing.

I can eat green leafy lettuce now, too, which is w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l.  I discovered a simple but delicious recipe in the book How to Cook without a Book.   I’ve discovered that most gluten-free books are written by people who don’t know how to cook.  This book, although not aimed at the gluten-free crowd, nevertheless has wonderful recipes that I’ve adapted.  She gives a basic ingredient list and then gives one different go-togethers.  A favorite of mine is a basic leafy green salad with olive oil and vinegar dressing.  (personally, I prefer it without the vinegar) and she adds bacon, avocado, and tomato.  It’s the closest thing to a BLT, and I love BLT’s, but of course can’t have the bread anymore.  This is a great alternative and nutritious, to boot. 🙂

My skin looks so much better just since March, when starting this diet.  I figure if it looks better on the outside, the inside is hopefully making the same progress.

Other progress I’ve noticed is that I’m able to handle stress a lot better.  This is crucial because the adrenals take such a beating with heavy metal poisoning that they can’t put out the cortisone to calm you down when you’re in a stressful situation.  In other words, you don’t freak out over stupid stuff.

Another crucial recovery is with my sense of humor —it is more frequently there than not…because I can tell you that my sense of humor has always been a part of my personality and with mercury’s affects on my brain’s creativity and linear thinking and constant exhaustion– that precious gift had disappeared.  It’s a cruelty that at the time when I needed my sense of humor the most, with the sense of connectedness, it wasn’t there for me–I had lost “myself”.  I cannot begin to describe how it feels to lose oneself–you know you’re still *there*  but you can’t bring *her* out.  Even more cruel is that every now and then, I’d get a glimpse of *me*, but as I tried to grab hold, she slipped back *underwater* and out of my grasp.

I’m sleeping better, which probably helps all of the above.  Not great, but much better.

There are still days, though, when I want to withdraw and not talk to anyone (autistic symptoms).  And the memory stuff comes and goes…and of course, the dreaded migraines.  I do have hope, however, as others on the GAPS diet have testified that they had suffered, too, but are now headache-free (keeping fingers and toes crossed).

So…yeah…I’m…Feelin’ Stronger Every Day (James Pankow, Chicago)

Blessed.