Did you know between 70 – 85% of your immune system lies within the gut? The gastrointestinal tract plays a vital role in your health including digestion, nutrient absorption, defense against invading pathogens, hormone metabolism, detoxification, elimination and production of energy.
Many search out an unprocessed diet because of health issues. One of the most widely accepted steps towards better health is an elimination diet, which is a way help find the culprit to your health issue, but it usually doesn’t go the next step to heal the body and reverse the damage. If you could reverse the damage and heal, would you give that diet a try?
If you or your loved one is challenged with acne, acid reflux, ADD/ADHD, allergies, anxiety, arthritis, asthma, autism, autoimmune disorders, bladder or urinary tract infections (including chronic cystitis), Candida, Celiac disease, colic, colitis, constipation, Crohn’s, depression, dermatitis, diabetes, ear infections, eczema, fibromyalgia, gastrointestinal disorders, heart disease, hormonal imbalance, hypoglycemia, insulin resistance, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), psoriasis, sinus or yeast infections, the Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Program is something to consider.
The GAPS™ Diet is based on the work of Natasha Campbell-McBride, M.D. In her efforts to effectively heal gut-related disorders, Dr. Campbell-McBride discovered the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD), as developed by Sidney Valentine Haas, M.D. and written about in Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health through Diet by Elaine Gottschall. Dr. Campbell-McBride took the Specific Carbohydrate Diet a step further by describing the gut-brain connection in her book Gut and Psychology Syndrome™. She emphasized the importance of detoxifying the intestinal tract, healing the gut through nutrient-dense foods and sealing or protecting the gut by establishing healthy levels of beneficial bacteria, using traditional lacto-fermented foods and beverages.
The GAPS diet slowly heals the gut, strengthens the immune system and can help clear many health issues. This diet is different from a grain-free diet in that it removes all sugars (except a bit of raw honey), most dairy, most legumes and all disaccharides from the diet. It’s a diet rich in bone broths, vegetables, meats, healthy fats and fermented foods. It should also be noted that it’s a therapeutic diet (usually followed for about one year) and not meant for the long-term or for those pregnant or nursing.
I speak of this therapeutic diet in confidence based on personal experience. In November 2011 my daughter (9 years old at the time) was suffering from daily stomach aches and heartburn after every meal. We were eating a grain-free diet rich in traditional foods, and yet she was still experiencing digestion problems. I told her about the GAPS diet and how it could help, but warned her that it was a big commitment—a year to be exact (there is no cheating allowed on this diet). She thought about it for a few weeks and then came to me and said, “Mom, I’m ready to do the GAPS diet. I’m tired of feeling bad every day.” So January 2, 2012, we started the GAPS diet and from day one her stomach aches and heartburn disappeared, and have not returned. It was a challenge, but we were thankful we had the opportunity to heal her gut and make a life-long change for her immune system. We are now in the process of slowly reintroducing foods that she has avoided for the past year. If you’ve been looking for a diet to help possibly heal health issues, I think this might be the diet for you. We found much success in this diet, and while challenging, it’s a gift you can give yourself or your child.
My nutritionist, Kim Schuette, is a certified GAPS nutritionist and has a wealth of information on her website. She also has seasonal GAPS meal plans, which I highly recommend. When we did the GAPS diet I didn’t have Kim’s meal plans, and even though I regularly create recipes I really wanted help with meals.
The GAPS Full Diet Menu includes:
Five breakfast menus
Five lunch menus
Four weeks of five dinner menus (a total of 20 dinners), recipes and grocery lists for the dinners
Four snack ideas
Each recipe serves 4-6 persons.
All ingredients are GAPS approved, made from real nutrient-dense food.
Her seasonal meal plans are purchased individually and she’s offering 20% off for Deliciously Organic readers! Just use the code “WINTER” to get your discount.
Here are some GAPS diet recipes you might be interested in:
Butternut Squash Soup
Beef Stew
Pumpkin Pie Shake
Chicken Parmesan with Zucchini Noodles
Southwestern Stuffed Bell Peppers
Cottage Pie
Have you given thought to the GAPS diet? If you’ve tried it, please share your story!
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I rave about myself every night at the dinner table, “Honey, can you believe I made this??” And it’s all thanks to you!! (and teaching me that organic butter is welcomed and embraced! No more fat free, yay!!
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Would you mind sharing how you handle social gatherings and “well-meaning” family and friends while participating in these types of diets? I recently attempted a short detox program, and received a lot of flack from people when I tried to explain that I wasn’t eating wheat or dairy for the month. I can’t even imagine lasting a whole year without cheating! Good for your family!
That part was a bit tricky.
Several of my family and friends lean towards the “Have an ailment? Take a pill” so I know many have thought we were a bit nuts. But that’s ok. I’ve seen health issues reverse in my own body so while I may offend or seem a bit strange, I’m willing to do that in order to heal. I told her teacher what we were doing and so she had a little box with stickers, pencils and such that my daughter could choose from when there were foods brought to school. When we visited family, I would explain to them what we were doing and then go grab food at the grocery store. It wasn’t the easiest method, but in the end it paid off. For social gatherings, I’ve learned that as long as you have a cup in your hand (even if it’s filled with water) no one seems to know you aren’t eating. My daughter and I had many talks about how it was for one year and it would totally be worth it. We also rewarded her at the end – she chose to go to Six Flags. 
I’ve really been thinking about doing this for my middle son because he just seems “off” about his food. Very picky eating, not much eating, and I feel like it is his gut. But he’s only 3 – it would be a family thing and I struggle with doing it now or waiting until he has some mental capacity (though possibly more damage to his gut) to help him deal with the diet. We eat really well – bone broths, low sugar, and I am learning to ferment foods. But he just still seems off. I’m headed to your nutritionists site now to browse and think some more. Thoughts would be great!
I’m sorry to hear of your son’s food issues. That can be tough. If I had known about the GAPS diet when my daughter was very young, I would have done it then. It’s much easier to control their food and environment when they are young as opposed to school-age. I would give it a go. What do you have to lose?!
Kim’s office can offer support and encouragement. They have been so helpful to me and my family!
Carrie, thank you for this post. As Peter heals from his surgery and a bout with pancreatitis, I am reading as much as I can on what foods he can/cannot eat. It is overwhelming to be honest. There is so much contradictory information out there. Additionally, everyone’s body is different and responds to food differently. I feel good about the fact that I already cook/bake from scratch and buy what I can in organic and whole form. Your blog and cookbook were the first places I turned after Peter had his gallbladder removed. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us here!
I love that you left the choice up to her, and that she was so wise at such a young age, to commit to healing. I’m curious if there’s one part of the Gaps Diet over another that you credit with her healing, or if it’s the whole package? I’d also love to see a Part 2 to this article, telling us about her reintroduction process. I’m on the Gaps Diet, healing Rheumatoid Arthritis and have seen amazing results, but as I’m 44 (not 9), I expect to be on the diet longer than a year. Still, I’m so grateful to have this avenue to healing.
I would say it was the entire diet. As you know, it takes the system quite a while to heal, but we did see her stomach issues go away on the very first day. I’m certain her issues were because when she was born she had a heart issue and was on very strong medications for the first year of her life (her heart healed, so she no longer has a heart problem). Then, at 3 months she developed severe asthma and eczema and was on all sorts of antibiotics and steroids. At the time I didn’t know about a traditional, nourishing diet, so we’ve spent the last several years repairing the damage. I’m thankful there is a way to heal! I’m glad to hear you are having success on the GAPS diet!
Hi, I’m interested for my sisters sake in the diet. She has suffered mildly from depression all her life, but had an acute phase 10 years ago and then again recently following a miscarriage, however she as anxiety too now. I saw these two symptoms on the list of ailments and wondered how successful the diet could b in someone like that? What are the chances it could work?
Thanks Julie
Julie,
I am so sorry to hear about your sister’s challenges and loss. I have seen the GAPS Diet heal depression and do believe it would greatly help your sister. The inclusion of nourishing animal fats is critical to supporting healthy conception and pregnancy. Animal fats such as ghee, butter, egg yolks, raw cream and cheeses, tallow, lard (yes, lard!) and duck fat support the body’s ability to make ample progesterone, the hormone so critical to carrying a baby full term.
Please let me know if I can be of help.
Blessings,
Kim
I have been on the full GAPS diet for 10 months and nursing a big baby boy the whole time. He has had terrible eczema and I really haven’t seen much improvement with the eczema but I am feeling better so I have stuck with it. I finally got consistent with the fermented vegetables about 2 months ago and now I have eczema breakouts.
Do you know how long I may have the breakouts? I suffered from eczema until I was 16 and mistakenly thought that I grew out of it. I know I am detoxing but it is a struggle!
Also what do you do with all of the chicken when you do a broth? I love using a whole chicken to do a broth but I can’t eat all of the chicken. I freeze a lot of it but just don’t feel like eating it. I love the broth though.
I have come up with one recipe that I think may be an original. It is avocado pancakes. You can see it at http://www.natural-organic-products-and-recipes.com/GAPS-avocado-pancakes.html.
Thanks so much! I would appreciate any advice/feedback. Also the only dairy we can do is organic butter and ghee.
Tosha,
I would suggest moving to the shorter cooked meat stock for a month. It is important that you are not too restrictive while breastfeeding as you want a very balanced diet that includes properly prepared carbohydrates. Keep in mind that the GAPS Diet is a therapeutic cleansing/healing diet and may not be appropriate for pregnancy and breastfeeding. I also suggest you add coconut oil to your diet and to your skin, if you are not already doing so.
There are numerous homeopathic remedies that are safe to use during pregnancy and lactation and effective when challenged by eczema. Topically Dr. Kang’s DermRash and UNDA #270 ointment are extremely supportive.
Warmly,
Kim Schuette
Kim,
Thank you so much for your comment! The day before I received your comment, I was thinking that my breastmilk must be too toxic for my baby. He is already 12 months and I felt like I needed to stay on GAPS so I started making a dairy free homemade formula. He has been drinking it down and his eczema is about 60% improved. I am still nursing about 50% and I would like to get to a 90% homemade formula 10% nursing but I think that is the answer! Your comment was a confirmation to me that that would be a good thing and the formula I am making is so ultra nutritious that I feel really good about feeding it to my baby!
Thanks!!
Tosha,
So glad to hear. The Meat-based formula designed by Sally Fallon Morell and Mary Enig, PhD is an excellent formula for infants sensitive to dairy. Here is the link: http://www.westonaprice.org/childrens-health/homemade-baby-formula-testimonials
Best to you….
Kim
That’s funny, I went to Hippocrates in West Palm Beach Florida. It is an awesome place and there is definitive healing going on there! The best part of the experience is the food. Anyone can fall in love with the quality of their food and the way it is prepared. They put me on track to a healthier lifestyle. I am not totally a raw foodie yet, but I am well on my way. My overall health has improved considerably since the 2 weeks I spent there. The key is follow up and the trick to that is convenience. So, I took the advice of Hippocrates and get my organic produce delivered every week. There is a local place here in West Palm Beach called Organic Grown Direct that brings me my fresh veggies. I’m juicing and loving it! Thank you for the great article. I will forward this website link to all my friends…
Hi Carrie, Thanks for always sharing such helpful information. I was recently diagnosed with Hashimoto’s. I love my doctor’s office because they take a holistic approach to health. I have been started on Armour twice a day and the Doctor wants me to take it for 6 months to get some stability with my levels, then we will work on healing my gut through diet. I have subscribed to your meal plans for over a year and believe that part of my finding your blog/meal plans was divine intervention given my current circumstances and knowing your history with Hashimotos. I am so thankful for the gradual transition over the last two years as far as changing the way we eat at home and informing ourselves. This is just one more step in the right direction. I have been exposed to information for the GAPS diet several times over the last year (again divine intervention) and this morning I pull up your blog so I can print out my meal plan and head to the Farmers Market and this article is what I see. Thank you!
About a year ago, I began the GAPS diet to heal my gut and help me get through the onset of menopause. I can honestly say it was the most difficult yet most rewarding diet I have ever been on. The difficulty came in the preparation, the rewards came at the end with how I feel, terrific! When I began Kim’s Menu plan was not available, I wish it had been because it would have made my journey a little easier. I did find some amazing advice through the GAPS website, various blogs, books, and right here from Carrie.
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I’m still on my journey of getting through menopause, I hear it can be quite long, ugh. But, as long as I stick to the basics of the GAPS diet, I do quite well. I encourage a lot of people to seek good, sound nutritional advice and if you are going to try the GAPS diet, DON’T try it on your own. You will need the support and encouragement of those who have done it before.
Thanks for the offer for the Menu plan, I’m going to get it now!
Carrie, is this the diet that people do when they have FODMAP sensitivity? I went on an autoimmune paleo diet because of two autoimmune diseases. I have experienced immediate and dramatic improvements in my arthritis. However, my stomach has never been worse. Last night, after much research, I found that the foods that bother me are all FODMAPs. But now I don’t know what to do next.
I think I really need to do this! We are already learning and improving our diets to be free from processed foods but I think I need this more intense healing (acne and itchy hives on hands). What do you do for meals when away from home? Do you take your own? Make sure you are really prepared (sometimes we get caught away from home at a meal time and my young children are hungry so we pick something up)? I would love tips for that sort of thing. I think I would feel more confident and prepared with that since there is no cheating.
It takes quite a bit of planning. I always have snacks and such packed in containers when we are going to be out and about for the day. If we are on a trip, I make sure and plan out where we will eat. Many times if traveling, we will make sure to stay in a hotel that has a small kitchen, this way I can still cook good foods for the family. It’s a difficult diet, but it’s so rewarding at the end!! Here’s a link to a post I did that might give you ideas as to what kinds of foods to pack for the kids: http://deliciouslyorganic.net/lunch-paleo-gaps-grain-free-recipes/
I live in a small town and do not have a GAPS practitioner near. I am planning on starting the diet as I know that I need it. How can I get the support I need?
Kim’s office offers phone and skype sessions for those who don’t live in the area. You can get more info at: http://www.biodynamicwellness.com
I’ve been considering GAPS for the longest time now. I have some (recently discovered) food sensitivities, and my five year-old has seasonal allergies, a grass allergy and mild asthma (only seems to act up if he gets a cold). However, for the last five and a half years, I’ve either been pregnant or breastfeeding, so I’ve been weary of starting the diet. I really feel it could help everyone in the family though. Is it beneficial to do some form of the diet in a modified way while breastfeeding? Do you have any recommendations that would ensure the safety of the diet for the baby and I?
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