All about the GAPS diet
What is the GAPS diet you ask? Well in a nutshell, it is a diet that focuses on healing and sealing the gut. GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome or Gut and Physiology Syndrome. These are two of the incredible books written by the creator Dr. Natasha Campbell-McrBride MD, MMedSci (neurology), MMEDSci (nutrition).
Dr. Natasha started out working as a neurologist, then a neurosurgeon. But when her son was diagnosed autistic, she began her intensive study into causes and treatments for autism. She went back to school for a second postgraduate degree in Human nutrition. She then went on to use what she had learned to heal her son, to go on and help many others.
What she learned went far beyond just autism. In fact she discovered that what the Greek physician, Hippocrates, said was true; “all disease starts in the gut.”
Who can benefit from the GAPS diet
The list of diseases or illnesses that can benefit from this protocol is very long. From the book Gut and Physiology Syndrome, the list is as follows: Addictions, alcoholism, allergy, alopecia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig’s disease), anaemia, arthritis – various forms, atopic conditions, autoimmunity, asthma, back pain – chronic, bed wetting, blood sugar instability, celiac disease, chronic fatigue syndrome, colitis, constipation – chronic, Crohn’s disease, cyclical vomiting syndrome, cystitis, diabetes- type one and type two, diarrhea- chronic, digestive illness, ear infections – chronic, eczema, failure to thrive, fatigue, fibromyalgia, food allergy and intolerance, FPIES, fussy eating, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), glue ear (chronic otitis media with effusion), gluten sensitivity, hay fever, hair loss, headaches, hormonal problems, irritable bowel syndrome, infertility, lupus, Lyme disease, malabsorption and malnourishment, ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis), menstrual problems, migraine, milk allergy, mould sensitivity/allergy, mulitple chemical sensitivity, multiple sclerosis, neurological illness, neuropathy- various forms, nephropathy, esophagitis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, PANDAS (paediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcus), parasites, PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome), PMS, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, reflux, restless leg syndrome, rosacea, rheumatoid arthritis, sinusitis-chronic, thyroid problems, ulcerative colitis, urinary problems, vaginal thrush, other vaginal problems.
How to do the GAPS diet
The diet can be followed in two ways, depending on your choice and severity of health issues. The first, is to follow through the introduction stages 1-6. The second, is to go straight into full GAPS. Full GAPS has a lot more variety of foods that you can eat, but the introduction is the most concentrated healing. The introduction stages are a very gentle healing process for the lining of the gut. The focus is on properly prepared meat stock and easily digestible and gentle foods. This provides large amounts of nourishing substances for the gut lining: amino acids, gelatine, glucosamine, collagen, fats, vitamin, minerals, ect. Your gut lining renews itself all the time by shedding off old and worn out cells and giving birth to new ones. In order to produce those new cells, your gut lining needs this nourishment that the GAPS intro diet provides in abundance. The intro diet eliminates fibre and other substances which may be irritating your gut in order to allow it to heal (so if you’re already constipated- start with full GAPS until you’ve got that fixed ).
If you are interested and want to learn more I highly recommend picking up a copy of her either one or both of her books. Gut and Physiology HERE and Gut and Psychology HERE.