The GAPS Diet (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) was created by Natasha Campbell-McBride, a doctor from Russia. There is a lot of controversy about this eating plan because of all that it eliminates from a person’s diet.
This diet is supposed to heal and seal the gut lining, re-balance the immune system, and restore the optimal bacterial ecosystem within in the gastrointestinal tract. McBride created this diet for those with autism, IBS, chronic diarrhea, Crohn’s Disease, Gastritis, Ulcerative Colitis, depression, Schizophrenia, and Bi Polar. There is no science or evidence that back the claims of this diet plan. There is in fact a lot of controversy surrounding this diet. If you choose to follow this plan, please consider talking to your doctor about it before you start it.
There are 6 stages of implementing the GAPS Diet
Stage one: Consume homemade bone broth for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, add juices from probiotic foods, and ginger and drink mint or chamomile tea with organic honey.
Stage two: After stage one you can add raw organic egg yolks, ghee, and stew made with vegetables and meat or fish
Stage three: You can now add avocado, fermented vegetables, and the whole egg
Stage four: add grilled and roasted meats, cold pressed olive oil, and vegetable juices
Stage five: Add apple cider vinegar, raw vegetables, fruit juice, and some raw fruit including citrus.
Stage six: add more raw fruit including citrus
After stage six of the introduction then you go onto the full GAPS Diet which focuses on:
- Fresh meat, organic and grass feed
- Animal fats, lard, tallow, duck fat, lamb fat, ghee, and butter
- Fish
- Shell fish
- Organic eggs
- Fermented foods
- Vegetables (non starchy)
- Coconut oil and Olive oil
This diet should last 1.5 years to 2 years. The recommendation of Dr. McBride is to eat organic when possible and eat animal fats, coconut oil and cold pressed olive oils.
As I started above there is no research to back up the claims of this diet. This diet is complicated, restrictive more so than normal diets, and takes a lot of planning and hard work.
The Team at Wellness Works NW will help you if you want to accomplish this diet, but we ask that you see your doctor before you start it.
I have included links to a menu plan and recipes, below, for those who want to eat this way or who are eating this way. If you want more advice and tips you can ask Karen Clemenson. Call or text 360-447-8061 and she will gladly answer all questions to the best of her ability.
Here are some links I would like to share with you:
- GAPS Diet by Harriet Hall for Science-Based Medicine
- The GAPS Diet: An Evidence-Based Review by Helen West, RD for Healthline
- GAPS Diet Recipes: 20 Recipes for the GAPS Introduction Diet by Kettle & Fire Staff
- GAPS Protocol Outline by GAPS Diet Staff
- GAPS Menu Plan (Full GAPS)- 1 week by Jennifer Dages at Purposeful Nutrition Healing with Food
- What is the GAPS Diet? by Jane Anderson for Very Well Fit
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Jamie Holloway is co-owner of Wellness Works NW and she is also our Research Manager and writes our Chasing Wellness with Jamie Holloway and Dear Jamie columns. Jamie is also an Independent Wellness Advocate at dōTERRA. She lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.
