Health in the season of flu

I'm not even going to touch the buzz about the swine flu. Or the vaccines. Or why we or you should or shouldn't get them. Do your research. Make your best decision.

We are a healthy bunch. I think we have brought the kids to the doctor for a sick visit maybe 4 times total and that includes two visits for diaper rash (don't laugh - I'd never dealt with rashes until Pumpkin - Peanut never had any!). So when we go down, it is serious. This morning seemed fine enough; I was tired as usual (we've had a run of 2+ hour bedtime routines which is really taking it's toll) but we all got up, ate, got dressed and went to play downstairs for a while before heading out to school at the farm. At some point, I realized that Peanut was really lethargic and I suggested we all lay down. The three of us went up to the big bed and lounged - that's when it hit me how tired I was, and how my head felt kind of funny... when I snuggled up to Peanut, she felt a bit warm and she was still kind of out of it. Well she did have a little fever, so we bagged school and turned on the TV and totally vegged all day. She ate very little, but did take some homeopathics and fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. She went down for a nap and down to bed tonight without so much as a peep. Pumpkin has a little sniffle but has stayed in good spirits all day, so we will keep our fingers crossed. I'm feeling much better already, and if I can get a good sleep I'm sure it will make a world of difference. Peanut seemed a little more lively this afternoon so hopefully we have beat it.

In other health news, our family has embarked on a new eating adventure. We are making a slow transition onto the GAPS diet. Basically, this is a plan designed to kill off candida (yeast) and heal the gut which is where most of one's immune system "lives". The idea is that in some (most, actually) people there is an overabundance of yeast which interferes with the body's ability to digest certain foods, focus attention, and fight disease. So you cut out anything that yeast are likely to feed on - sugar, breads, grains - and be sure to eat meat, eggs and veggies, and lots of broth and probiotics.

Since this is a pretty intense plan, we are starting slowly, incorporating what is already in our pantry into the "approved" foods. Once the offending foods are gone from the house, we will do the real deal and add in the broth and probiotic foods that are recommended. When you read the diet, it seems restrictive but I am looking at it as a healing path with an end point. We won't stay on the full diet forever, we will at some point be able to add in things we miss in moderation. I think we will be able to benefit from doing this for several months, and like others we may determine that overall this is the best way for us to eat. But I do think it will be our choice rather than our need to continue. There are some situations that warrant this eating plan being a forever step. We have decided to do this primarily to see if it helps the boys in the family, but I suspect Peanut and I will have unexpected outcomes as well. Our doctor has taken Honey off grains, corn, sugar, and nightshade veggies (tomato, peppers, eggplant) and I'm off soy, most dairy, artificial colors, and white sugar because of Pumpkin's reflux. Pumpkin has had an ongoing yeast infection that we cannot shake, and the only thing he is eating is breastmilk, so by changing my diet, I can change his.

So we will see how this all works out. It is a lot of cooking, which I am used to, but some of the convenience foods I am accustomed to using need to disappear. So far, I am finding that we are using an awful lot of dishes and need to run the dishwasher almost every day. If that is my biggest complaint, then so be it!