Introduction - Holistic Health by Lisa Moane · GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome, or Gut...

Introduction

The GAPS dietGAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome, or Gut and Physiology Syndrome. It is a natural, diet-based treatment for autism, dyslexia, depression, dyspraxia, ADD/ ADHD as well as migraines, autoimmune disease and gut diseases.

The majority of a GAPS diet consists of meats, fish, eggs, fermented foods, and vegetables.

The GAPS diet is divided into two parts: The Introduction Diet and the Full GAPS Diet.

The Introduction Diet is intensive, and suited to patients with severe digestive issues and severe food sensitivities including chronic diarrhoea, IBS, Crohn’s, gastritis, and Ulcerative Colitis as well as patients with severe neurological conditions including autism, schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar.

It’s divided into six stages, which usually take between 3 and 6 weeks to complete altogether, however this is very individual and some patients may take longer.

Once a patient has moved through the six stages of the Introduction Diet, they are ready to move onto the Full GAPS Diet.

The Full GAPS diet can also be a starting point for those suffering from constipation and mild symptoms.

Once on the Full GAPS diet, you will stay on it for 18 months to 2 years, depending on severity of symptoms.

All content copyright © Lisa Moane 2017

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Could my family benefit from a GAPS diet?

Did your child have normal development in the first year of life, and then in the second year became autistic, hyperactive, defiant, oppositional, aggressive, obsessive, compulsive or developed other abnormal behaviours?

Did your baby suffer from colic, loose stools, constipation, eczema, asthma, ear infections orchest infections treated with antibiotics?

Did you or your child have digestive problems and allergies, was a fussy eater, then in late teens become anorexic or bulimic?

Did you or your child suffer from tummy aches, dyslexia, dyspraxia, was anaemic or vegetarian, and then developed psychotic episodes and was diagnosed with schizophrenia?

Did you or your child have urinary infections or acne, treated with numerous courses of antibiotics, and then developed bloating, abdominal pain and was diagnosed with IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)?

Has your baby been diagnosed with Failure to Thrive?

Were you not breast fed as a baby and were prone to colds and infections, and then developed an OCD (Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder)?

Did you have food allergies / intolerances, painful or irregular menstruations accompanied by migraines, and then developed depression?

Do you suffer from chronic cystitis, mood swings, anxiety, poor memory, difficulties to concentrate, narcolepsy, are underweight and just cannot put any weight on?

Do you suffer from Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis or any other digestive disorder?

If any of these situations apply to you or your family, the GAPS diet could benefit you.


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This e-book is designed to help you prepare to start the GAPS diet.

I provide check lists of how to prepare in advance, what to pack if you choose to go away to do it, and how to make the whole process a bit easier.

I am a qualified Nutritionist and Food Scientist, and I have worked through the whole process with my 3 kids (and husband!!). The information contained in this e-book is based on my scientific knowledge as well as my practical experiences.

I work as a GAPS coach, helping families to make the transition, so get in touch if you would like me to support you on your journey.

–Lisa Moane


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How to prepare to do the GAPS introduction diet:

1.It is essential to read the “Gut And Psychology Syndrome” book by Dr Natasha Campbell McBride. It would beunwise to start the GAPS diet without reading the book. It is not a light read however, so allow yourself some time to do this. Break it down in chunks and read a small bit at a time, to make sure you fully understand it.


2. If you are on a standard Australian diet (a SAD diet), make the transition to a whole foods diet first. Move away from takeaways and processed food, and on to a diet with good quality meat and vegetables. This will make the transition to GAPS easier, and makes it easy for your body to deal with physically.

3. Set a date to start. The date might be a year away or a month away, but you should plan towards it. Things you might want to achieve between now and starting might include: getting you partner involved, learning how to make fermented food, cleaning up your pantry and reducing takeaways. It is easier to start introduction withkids at the start of the school holidays. You don’t have to worry as much about packing soup in their lunch box, or peer pressure from their friends. It also makes it easy to win them over with rewards, like going horse riding, some surfing lessons or just a day at the beach.

4. It can be really worthwhile getting a GAPS coach early on as you transition. They will help you understand your physical symptoms and guide you on foods and supplements. They also motivate and encourage you to keep going.


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5. Buy a few recipe books. My favourites are “The Heal your Gut cookbook” by Hilary Boynton and Mary G Bracket, and “Life Changing Food” by Jo Whitton and Fouad Kassab. These books explain how to make the ferments, soups and casseroles. The first book talks you through each stage in detail.

6. Make some sauerkraut juice. You can buy sauerkraut if you don’t want to make it yourself, just buy an unpasteurised brand. It is hard to buy plain sauerkraut juice, and it gets extremely expensive to buy sauerkraut just for the juice. So about amonth before you start, make some sauerkraut juice so you have it available to add to every bowl of soup. I made a video to explain how to make it http://holistichealthbylisamoane.com.au/sauerkraut-juice/.

7. Work out your best source of grass fed or organic meat. It is cheaper to buy meat in bulk, and keep in the freezer. Do some research and find outwho delivers in your area, and have a chat to them about their farming practices. Ask if they sell any packs which contain a lot of the joints of meat, like lamb shanks and lamb necks. If they supply offal too, that is good, as it can be hard to source organic offal.


http://holistichealthbylisamoane.com.au/sauerkraut-juice/

8. Detox your home. If you use a lot of cosmetics and cleaning products, it is timeto evaluate if you really need them. Moving to more natural packaged alternatives can be expensive, so you might want to cut out a lot of things entirely. Most cleaningproducts can be replaced with vinegar, bicarb soda and some essential oils. Washing your child’s hair with a fragranced shampoo every day is also not necessary. A wash every week or so with a plain unfragranced shampoo is fine. Children don’t need any other products, unless they have eczema when they might need an emollient.

9. Buy a water filter. The water filter you choose depends on budget and whetheryou rent. If you can plumb in a water filter, a carbon filter is sufficient. You don’t need to buy a reverse osmosis filter for GAPS. It is also a good idea to put filters on the bath and shower so you don’t rinse in chlorine. A whole house filter might seem like a good idea, but they are very expensive, and your water might be getting contaminated by the pipes inside your house.

10. Meal planning. Familiarise yourself with what you can eat at each stage, and plan some meals you think your family will enjoy. Get your kids involved in the meal planning and recipes, to give them a sense of ownership of the process.

11. Start to reduce coffee and alcohol intake. In introduction diet, there is no coffee or alcohol. It is wise to start to reduce well in advance, otherwise you will be dealing with coffee withdrawals at the same time as preparing lots of food and dealing with children.


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Thinking of doing GAPS on aholiday?

Here are some things you will need to pack:

1. Slow cooker: The slow cooker is invaluable when you are doing the GAPS introduction diet. Put it on LOW at night time for breakfast,then on HIGH in the morning for lunch. Then put it on HIGH at lunch time for dinner. GAPS introduction is all about the soups and stews.


Lots of lamb shanks, chicken drumsticks and osso bucco.

Whatever is left in the slow cooker when everyone has filled their bellies, including the stock, puree it in the Thermomix or food processor to make soup for a snack later on.

2. Thermal cooker (Thermo-pot): The Thermo-pot is a great addition to the GAPS introduction diet when you are away from home. If you want to go out for the day, you put lunch in the Thermo-pot. At the same time put dinner in the slow cookeron LOW.

Most slow cooker recipes can be adapted for the Thermo-pot. Lamb shanks, a wholechicken, or chicken drumsticks are ready in the Thermo-pot in 3.5 hours. You just put everything in the Thermo-pot, bring it to the boil and then simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, everything has reached the right temperature. Put the inner pot of the Thermo-pot in the outer part of the Thermo-pot, lock the lid and put it in the boot of your car. Come lunchtime, food is ready! Even if you aren’t doing GAPS, I think this is a great way to eat when you are on holidays and avoid fast food and poor foodchoices.

3. Probiotics & Cod Liver oil: You will need a good quality probiotic and cod liver oil for GAPS introduction. The will need to be ordered from a practitioner before you leave. Probiotics are critical to the success of GAPS, so pack enough for your entire trip, so you don’t get caught out in a small town without a practitioner.


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4. Sauerkraut juice: In the early stages of GAPS, the sauerkraut juice is consumed, not sauerkraut. This takes a few weeks to ferment, so plan ahead and make it before you leave. Not sure how to do this? Check out my video: http://holistichealthbylisamoane.com.au/sauerkraut-juice/. Make enough for each person to have at least a quarter of a cup per day for Stage 1 and 2.

5. 24 hour yoghurt / kefir / cultured cream: Familiarise yourself with how to make these before you go. It is a good idea to make some yoghurt and cultured cream before you go, as it takes 24 hours to incubate. Get to know what facilities you will have when you are away. If your accommodation doesn’t allow you access to an electric oven, you may want to invest in a yoghurt maker to take with you. Bring your kefir grains, and source organic milk along the way. Travelling is a great opportunity to visit local farmers markets or even visit farms and buy milk directly from them. All you need to make your kefir is 2 big glass jars, something to scoop out the grains after fermentation, kefir grains and milk.

6. Thermomix: I definitely found my Thermomix invaluable for GAPS introduction. As well as blending up the left overs from the slow cooker to make soup for snacks, I also made soup using chicken stock and vegetables. Children especially can be fussy about the texture of soup, and the Thermomix gives such a smooth, almost creamy texture. I also used it to add honey and probiotics to kefir.


http://holistichealthbylisamoane.com.au/sauerkraut-juice/

7. Enema Kit: Enemas are very useful in GAPS, especially if you are prone to constipation. If you feel comfortable with the idea, learn how to do an enema and pack the kit with you when you go. If you know the accommodation set up will not beconducive to this, you can research if there is anywhere to go for a colonic irrigation instead along the way.

8. Kitchen essentials: I bring my knives with me on holidays, as I get easily frustrated with a blunt knife! Other kitchen essentials you might want to bring include: garlic press, potato peeler, a ladle, a slotted spoon, mason jars for storing leftovers, soup spoons.

9. Epsom salts: These are great for detox baths, but many places to stay don’t have a bath. Bring them along if you know you have a bath, otherwise lots of sunshine, fresh air and ocean swimming are really helpful for detoxing.

10. Picnic set & Thermos: Buy a good quality picnic set made from either enamel or stainless steel, not plastic. When you are having lunch out and about, youwill need bowls and cups for your soup and stews. It is also the time to dig out your thermos flask. You will probably need a couple of these to keep soups warm.


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How to make GAPS easier

1.Always have a meal in progress: GAPS involves cooking every meal and snack from scratch. Once your family realise that there is nothing else to eat but GAPS food, they get very hungry! So as soon as one meal has finished, if not before, start to prepare the next meal.


2. Prepare veggies in bulk: It is a good idea to sit down with a podcast, sharp knives and lots and lots of vegetables. Spend an hour or two chopping vegetables, and store in the fridge. If budget allows, you could even pay a local teenager to do this. It makes it easy just to throw everything in the slow cooker.

3. Get educated: The first step is buying and reading the “Gut And Psychology Syndrome” book by Dr Natasha Campbell Mc Bride. Then check out blogs, podcastsand Facebook groups about GAPS. There is a lot of information available on the internet, so you do need to be discerning about what you read, and remember everyone will have a different experience.

4. Bring your partner on board: To do GAPS as a family, you need your partner to be on board. You need their help physically to prepare meals and do the dishes. You also need them emotionally to support you through the tough times, andso you present a united front to the children. If you can’t get them on board and you still want to go ahead, you need a strategy to do it without them.

5. Pick a time when the whole family can take a few weeks out of life to focus on healing: If you have school-age children, then school holidays are an ideal time to do it. Go away somewhere, to keep distracted and to make it easier to break from normal routines.

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6. Figure out what concessions you are prepared to make: We are a strict ‘no screens at meals’ family, but I found the only way to get broth into my toddler son for the first few days was while watching TV. So I prioritised GAPS over the no screen rule, and it worked. I also found I had to spoon feed my 6 year old the first few days, especially with soups. It felt ridiculous, but it literally only lasted a day or two.

7. Introduce GAPS foods over time: My babies had eaten sauerkraut in theirhigh chairs, so I didn’t have to coax them to eat sauerkraut or kefir, which made the whole process much easier. Try to introduce as much as you can beforehand, however also realise that some things they simply won’t eat until they do introduction,and everything else is taken away.

8. Variety: The typical core foods may be removed in GAPS introduction, but it is noreason to let diversity in your diet reduce. Shop around and buy as many of the GAPS-legal vegetables as you can find, preferably organic. The same with meat. We found ourselves eating kid (Goat) for the first time to keep things interesting.


9. Get the right equipment for the job: If you can afford to splurge on some new kitchen equipment, then do. Things like a Thermomix or a cold press juicer would be at the top end of the range. Something like a slow cooker is very affordable and worthwhile.

10. Plan lots of outdoor activities: Sunlight, fresh air and saltwater are very detoxifying and will keep your children busy. Children who are ‘hungry’ are very often just bored and wanting some stimulation, so find the stimulation in other ways.

“GAPS™ and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. The right of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by her in accordancewith the Copyright, Patent and Designs Act 1988”.


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