Leaky Gut? Take the GAPS Diet Challenge!

Learn About GAPS

 Many inflammatory conditions, including food sensitivities, and even some food allergies, can be caused or exacerbated by a "leaky gut". The GAPS Diet is a gut-healing protocol that can be very powerful for some people. It isn't easy, however, unless you have the right support. The Tender Palate has compiled a group of experts to help you through the most difficult stages of the diet in a cost effective and informative way.

Learn more about GAPS

Read Holistic Nutritionist Brooke Kaufman's Story

Read Elisabeth's Story

Listen to the first webcast: Is the GAPS DIet for You?

Sign Up for the GAPS Diet Challenge!

The Challenge Program Outline

You can begin anytime between June 14 and June 21 and receive virtual nutritionist support through July 5.

Cost for entire challenge: $75

Here's what the full plan includes:

1. DAILY EMAILED TIPS & INSPIRATION: to keep you creative and learning in small bites.

2. FREE MEAL PLANS W/ FOOD ALLERGY ADAPTATIONS: We'll supply you with meal plans "curated" by nutritionist Brooke Kaufman.

3. PERSONAL NUTRITIONIST SUPPORT: Everyone has unique circumstances. Nutritionist Brooke Kaufman will provide each participant with answers to 2-3 email questions per week.

4. DISCOUNT ON CUSTOM MEAL PLANS: If you need more support, all participants will receive a $10 discount on 1 week of custom meal plans with nutritionist Brooke Kaufman.

5. TEACHING & SUPPORT WEBCASTS W/ Q&A: The GAPS Diet provides a great opportunity to learn about your body & the diet. The more you learn, the more fascinated you will become with how healing works, and the more successful you will be with GAPS. After each webcast there will be time for questions from the experts, as well as support from Brooke, Elisabeth, the guests, and the group.

LIST OF WEBCASTS INCLUDED (you can also register separately, outside of the Challenge):

#1: Listen Online Now (free): Is the GAPS Diet for YOU?


#2: The Gut / Brain Connection with GAPS Certified Practitioner Toni Fairman
*June 14, 2013; 12:00 pm EDT.... 9:00 am PDT
- Challenge Participants: Included
- Purchase separately: $15

#3: The ART of SUPPLEMENTATION & DETOXIFICATION
*June 21, 2013 12:00 pm EDT (9:00 am PDT)
- Challenge Participants: Included
- Purchase separately: $15

#4: MEDITATION – Dealing with Change & the Emotional Issues of Eating
....w/ Carol Hendershot, Mindfulness Based Meditation Instructor
*June 28, 2013 12:00 pm EDT (9:00 am PDT)
- Challenge Participants: Included
- Purchase separately: $15

 Are you ready to begin?

The GAPS Diet. A Nutritionist's Personal Story.

Brooke Kaufman, Balance Within Nutrition

Written by Guest Blogger, Brooke Kaufman, Holistic Nutritionist

I first learned about the GAPS diet when I ran into an in-depth interview of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride (the creator of the GAPS diet) on Dr. Mercola’s website. You can listen to the interview here.

Why I started GAPS

After listening to the interview I was intrigued, and what she was saying about the connection between gut flora and mental health and behavior all rang true to me, and mirrored what I had learned in my studies as a Nutrition Consultant. My interest was piqued, and so a couple of months later when I started noticing that “something just wasn’t quite right” with my digestive system, the GAPS diet came to mind. I started preparing myself and my kitchen to begin the intro phase of the diet using the on-line resources, but decided it would probably be wisest to go ahead and purchase the GAPS book and the corresponding cookbook, Internal Bliss. I wanted to make sure that I wasn’t missing anything essential in this carefully laid out, gut healing protocol.

Wondering what the GAPS diet is?  Read an introduction.

Healing Medicine for a Long-time Vegetarian

Luckily, I had gotten a pressure cooker from my mom for my birthday, because it is definitely a big help with implementing the GAPS diet, which requires that you pretty much constantly have a big pot of broth or soup cooking on the stovetop. I had never had or made bone broth before in my life. I had been a strict vegetarian for fourteen years, and was just beginning to experiment with adding some small amounts of high-quality animal protein into my diet. Normally, buying grass-fed beef bones and putting them in a pot on my stove would have been a very edgy thing for me…but this was no ordinary pot of bones. This was healing medicine that I was determined to cook up for my inflamed digestive system. There is something sacred and empowering about making medicinal food for yourself, and it is just as magical to make medicine for a loved one. It’s all about bringing the intention of love and healing into your kitchen.

Nourished Without Raw Greens?

I did the intro phase of the GAPS diet for a few weeks, and during that time felt more deeply nourished than I had ever felt in my life. I had to eat several times a day and was constantly making bone broth and soups/stews. I was amazed at how I could feel so nourished while eating absolutely no leafy greens, and eating nothing raw! In my previous way of eating and thinking, I truly felt that if I went even one day without a leafy green or a salad that I was seriously compromising my immune system, and missing out on much needed nutrition. While there is no denying the health benefits of eating leafy greens and raw fruits and vegetables, they are only beneficial to you IF you can properly digest and assimilate their nutrients.

When Can You Best Digest Raw?

Despite the naturally-occurring enzymes that plant foods contain that aid in digestion, some people still become uncomfortably bloated and gassy when eating these foods. Donna Gates, author of the Body Ecology Diet says, “The ancients were well aware that raw vegetables were difficult to digest; in Chinese Medicine, for example, it is well known that raw foods are best eaten by someone with strong “digestive fire.” A major cause of poor “digestive fire” is that our adrenals and thyroid are both poorly nourished and taxed by toxins and daily stress.”

Nourishing and healing the digestive system with gentle, easy to digest, soothing foods and probiotic foods is essential for health and the purpose and main goal of the GAPS diet.

What is Optimal Nutrition?  Perception Shift.

My Experience with the GAPS diet (along with my other experiences and research) completely shifted my ideas about what optimal nutrition really is. It helped me to tune in to what is truly nourishing for my unique body type and genetic predisposition. It was like pressing the “reset button” on my digestive system. After doing the intro diet for a few weeks, my bloating and burping symptoms after meals went away. I did experience some initial detox symptoms (low energy and some dizziness and nausea) for the first week, as bad bacteria in my intestines died off and released their toxins, and as I started to get the hang of the diet…keeping a nourishing soup on the stove at all times, I began to feel stronger and healthier than ever.

I was only able to do the introduction part of the diet for three weeks, and then I went on a road trip which pretty much took me right off the diet, though I did stay away from all grains, sugars, and processed foods.

Join Me & Elisabeth for a GAPS Diet Challenge!

I'll be giving it another "go" with Elisabeth Veltman, owner of The Tender Foodie & The Tender Palate, and with YOU during our GAPS Diet Challenge.  I want to help further heal and seal my gut, as well as help you.  If you are allergic to nuts, which is a big part of GAPS or are sensitive to other foods on the diet, we'll be offering custom phone calls and nut-free options for you.

 Here's how you sign up for the Challenge (click here)!

Or Just Sign Up for Our Upcoming Webcasts Separately!

June 14, 2013: The Gut / Brain Connection wtih Toni Fairman, NTP, Certified GAPS Practitioner

June 21, 2013: The Art of Supplementation & Detoxification

June 28, 2013: MINDFUL MEDITATION - Dealing w/Change & the Emotional Issues of Eating with Carol Hendershot, Mindful Meditation Instructor 

Why Many People Do GAPS

Doing the GAPS diet for many people is motivated by their desire to help heal their child’s digestive and/or behavioral issues. For parents doing the diet for and alongside their child, I applaud you and admire your willingness to take the health of your family into your own hands. Although it is not easy at times, dedicating several weeks or months to healing is a small price to pay in comparison to years of struggling with illnesses and disorders for which the western medical doctors have no cures for; only prescription medications that are temporary surface solutions to underlying long-term issues. There are resources and solutions in the GAPS diet book, and on-line for strategies to successfully do the diet with your child.

How I Got Started

1. BUY THE BOOK & RECIPES

Whether you decide to do the diet on your own, work with a GAPS Practitioner, or join our virtual support group (The GAPS Challenge), its really essential to buy the book and read it. Our challenge helps break down the more difficult concepts of the book, and helps guide you through the gobs of information the book provides, but there is no substitute for using the book as a reference.

2. GET A PROBIOTIC

The first thing I did in preparation to begin the GAPS Introduction diet, was to go to my naturopathic doctor’s office and purchase a medical grade probiotic supplement. It was a little pricey (around $40 for a month’s supply) but definitely worth it. Some people advise that if you have severe digestive issues, to wait till you’ve completed the intro phase of the diet to begin taking the probiotic. I decided to begin taking it right away, though began with only one pill a day and didn’t increase to two pills per day for a couple of weeks.

Read "Hidden Allergens Abound in Supplements & Medication" (If you are really sensitive / allergic to dairy, see recommendations in the article)

3. MAKE A GROCERY LIST

The next thing I did was make a grocery list of the foods that I would need to buy at the store to keep myself properly nourished. The list of ingredients was short (there’s not much you can eat during this phase), and I seriously underestimated the quantity of food I would need to buy, which was fine because I prefer to shop frequently anyway for meats and vegetables so that my ingredients are always fresh.

4. DOWNLOAD A MEAL PLAN

To help make life a lot easier, use a meal plan. I've created & curated a meal plan for 3 weeks during the challenge for your GAPS intro diet adventure. We'll post a few recipes along the way for everyone to try, as well. Start with the bone broths below.

5.  MAKE BONE BROTH

Then I began making a big pot of bone broth. This was my first adventure into the world of bone broth, which I found to be quite fascinating. I was taught in my nutrition studies how deeply nourishing bone broths were, especially for those who are recovering from serious injury or illness. I found a way to make a rich bone broth that was very palatable to my tastes (smooth, rich and not too strong of a meaty flavor). You can see the recipe here.

You can find more information on how to do the introduction to the GAPS diet here: http://www.gapsdiet.com/INTRODUCTION_DIET.html

Once you are going strong on the Introduction phase of the GAPS diet, you can begin to test more GAPS-approved foods. To test a food before introducing it to the diet, do the Sensitivity Test.

Here are some bone broth recipes:

Nourishing Bone Broth (pressure cooker)

Nutrient Rich Beef Bone Broth (slow cooker / crock pot)

Tip: Roast Your Beef Bones Before Making Broth

6.  DO SELF-SENSITIVITY TESTING

Take a drop of the food in question (if the food is solid, mash and mix with a bit of water) and place it on the inside of your wrist at bedtime.  Let the drop dry on the skin, then go to sleep.  In the morning check the spot: if there is an angry red reaction, then avoid that food for a few weeks, and then try again.  If there is no reaction, then go ahead and introduce it gradually starting from a small amount.

If there is no symptom with the sensitivity test, then you continue to introduce more and more foods from the list of allowed foods, until you are doing the full GAPS diet. A list of allowed foods can be found here: http://www.gapsdiet.com/The_Diet.html

Leaky Gut & A Tender Foodie Story.

Elisabeth Veltman, The Tender Foodie

My Story - The Short Version

Holistic Nutritionist Brooke Kaufman and I were speaking on the phone one day, and I shared with her some of my own food allergy struggles. I don't open up about that very often. Even though global understanding and eradication of food allergies are passions of mine, and even though I HAVE to talk about them to both do my job and stay personally safe, and even though I counsel people regularly to embrace their allergies and not be embarrased by them . . . I'm embarrassed by mine.   Most people are incredibly kind and understanding, but a few have not been. So I hesitated when I chatted with Brooke and said, "I'm a strong chick, but my gut is weak. I need to do something about it, and do it now, or I"m afraid that my health will once again spiral out of control."

So I"m telling you part of my story, chapter 27 or so, of this epic gumshoe tale where trenchcoated, sillouetted figures appear and disappear in the billowing smoke, revealing themselves either as red herrings or hardboiled facts. OK. I'm telling you this part of the story, because it might help some of you.  I hope it does.

Like a 1940's Film Noir - Chapter 27

I had been on a fairly even keel for a while, had a pretty set diet, and felt OK, not great, fairly stable.  Like many of you, I had a list of allergies and sensitivities ranging from very severe to seemingly mild. I was instructed by doctor and allergen testing company alike to rotate those foods that tested low, and then remove the more highly allergenic foods on the list. I hadn't touched the top allergens in years, so I removed the new / low ones believing that they would eventually go away. That often happens, some delayed reactions can go away if you avoid the food for a while. I did this, and then one day, my beloved blueberries and strawberries made my lips swell, my spine inflame, my hands and joints swell and my heart palpitate. It felt like a cloak and dagger event, where something I trusted and loved betrayed me. These two berries were on the rotation list.  The instructions were, "Don't eat more than every 4 days", which I abided by diligently, until summer came. My beloved berries became the "berries fatale" in a 1940's detective-style film noir.

At the moment of the reaction, I cut out every bloody thing on my list of allergens. Read every label for my entire list of allergens, even things sweetened wtih fruit juices. This helped. But sure enough, when I did eat parsley by mistake, for instance, the same symptoms returned. Plus a lovely knife through my head, and the feeling that cold, steel fingers wrapped around the back of my neck and into my throat. I have had constant pain in my right side and lower back from inflammation in the gut for a number of years.  And no one could tell me what to do about it. Even smart people. And I worked with some great detectives.

Going Grain-less - Not Without Surprises

But after cutting my entire allergen list from my diet, I simply didn't feel quite right and decided to cut out grains and seeds, as well.  Some grains, and grain-like seeds like Quinoa, have a similar enough protein structure to gluten that some folks' immune systems might mistake it for gluten. I went all Paleo (grain-free) and started consuming Tapioca in the form of this incredibly delicious bread. Tapioca is also a replacement for soy lecithin in chocolate.  Much to my chagrin, tapioca can also cross react with / as gluten. I found this out as an allergy to it started building. It started as a runny nose every time I ate it, then I felt exhausted, bloated, and watched as this lovely fat began building around my mid-section, and my pain became worse and worse. Then I had to run from a yoga class because I started sweating profusely and it felt like I was about to hurl an alien being henceforth from my stomach. I wasn't sure which food was causing this discomfort at first, then went into a bit of denial. I mean, tapicoa is yummy, and it just couldn't be that!. I ignored the clues. Then one night about 2 hours after I had worked on a recipe for a lamb pizza w/ tapioca flour, consumed it, and had eaten some tapioca-based chocolate, I woke up with heart palpitations so severe that I nearly called 911. I've had heart palpitations many times before but had never, ever had them this badly. I started down the stairs to drive myself to the hospital. My face was hot and terribly swollen, as were my hands. I decided to sit by the phone for a bit and wait to see if my heart and breathing calmed down. I didn't call because I didn't want to (YOU should call). I was also afraid they would use epinephrine on me. I have a severe reaction to epinephrine - go figure, it makes my heart palpitate quite badly. Finally, the reaction calmed enough so I could breathe again, and I got a few hours of sleep. I didn't have any Benedryl in the house.  Now I do. And believe me, I'm also researching other means of rescue besides an Epi-pen and will pass this on when and if I find it.

Grainless Had Unexpected Benefits, Too

Going grainless has given me an unexpected benefit: I no longer need thyroid medication. At least not right now!  Hallelujah. There could be other factors that have contributed to this small miracle, but it seems that others have let go of their thryroid meds as well after going Paleo. I don't plan to keep grains out of my life forever, because I do feel like my particular body  needs them. We are all unique, after all. I will reintroduce them carefully, however, and start with fermented grains as the GAPS Full Diet suggests (after finishing the intro gut-healing phase).  Right now, I feel like grain-less is the right move to be able to heal my gut.

The Last Egg

As I adjusted to the Paleo Diet, I found myself consuming many more chicken eggs than normal.  Guess what, my intuition started warning me to lay off the eggs (pun intended). I noticed a similar kind of build up that I experienced with tapioca, so I took them out of my diet as well, and felt better.  Then one night I decided to try them again and woke up with a swollen face, hands and all of those other symptoms.  The reaction was not as bad as the tapioca reaction, but a repeat performance of THAT was not a desireable situation. Plus I took Benedryl immediately which helped. But chicken eggs are now out. New swear words are in.

Could This Spiral Out of Control?

So I spoke to Brooke, the Holistic Nutritionist, because I fear that this vicious cycle will spiral even more out of control. This was simply not an option. Constant testing is very pricey, can be inaccurate, and simply not desireable - even though there are new tests out there now which I intend to explore further for us all. I had been taking lots of medical grade supplements to heal the gut, prescribed by my wonderful doctor, but nothing was working. I had been researching different diets and had heard some amazing things about the GAPS Diet.

So I've decided to try it, and invite you to try it with me!

Nutritionists Who Know Their Stuff Are Awesome

In my conversation with Brooke, she said that she had healed her gut by doing the Intro portion  - the gut -healing phases - of the diet a few years ago. As we talked, I decided to do the GAPS Intro, and then get retested for allergies later.  I asked her if she would help me, because this diet is not easy. If you have the right information, it isn't that hard, but without it, it seemed overwhelming.

Brooke is not only a Holistic Nutritionist who makes great recipes, she was a vegetarian in a great deal of distress at one point in her life (read her story here). The GAPS diet helped her heal and as she says, "it changed my entire paradigm about food and diet."

I've been on the diet for four days now, and already my right side and lower back pain have already greatly subsided.  The Intro Diet is meant to "heal and seal" the gut lining so good bacteria/ flora can thrive and have the strength in numbers to elbow out the bad stuff. Bad bacteria and any parasite overgrowth are also starved of their food - they love starch, sugar, and fiber. A leaky gut (aka, the entire digestive tube) attracts these nasty little buggers, and allows unbroken-down food proteins past the intestinal wall, and this is what puts the immune system on high alert for multiple foods, creating more sensitivities and even allergies. A healed and sealed gut reverses both of these problems.

I plan to go through the entire 6 week intro phase to heal my gut with Brooke's support. Many of the foods on the diet I'm allergic to, so she is helping me find alternatives. She will support all who participate in the Challenge, through 3 of these stages. That's 21 days, the ideal time that experts say it take to make a change! 

I look forward to the rest of this healing journey.

Join Me!

If you are ready to join me in this challenge, Brooke and I have developed a program that gives you the maximum support for a very reasonable cost.  If you feel the GAPS Diet is for you, join us next week! 

 

Healing the Gut with GAPS – An Introduction

What is the GAPS diet?

The GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) diet is a gut-healing protocol developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to help heal her son’s autism, and later to help hundreds of other children with multiple food allergies and many overlapping psychological and immune disorders.

She discovered the SCD Diet (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) and changed it slightly to fit the needs of her patients. It was actually her patients who coined the term “GAP Syndrome” or simply “GAPS”. The diet that she prescribed for them became known as the GAPS Diet.

More Than One Condition - Always

In her book titled “Gut and Psychology Syndrome”, Dr. Campbell-McBride describes how after years of working with children in her Cambridge clinic, she hardly ever met a child who presented with only one condition.

“Every child has two, three or more of these health problems at once. For example, a child would present with allergies; at the same time the parents would describe a couple of asthmatic episodes and eczema and then would talk about their child’s extreme clumsiness (dyspraxia) and learning problems.…many autistic children have severe allergies, asthma, eczema, dyspraxia and dyslexia.”

Gut First

She further illustrates how the underlying condition of all of these disorders lies in the digestive system. She feels that the gut must be healed if any of the symptoms are going to be fully addressed.

Here’s the thing: knowledge about the connection between gut health and brain health is still not in the mainstream. Interesting, huh?

Does Insanity Lie In the Gut?

In 1807, the Father of modern psychiatry, French psychiatrist Phillipe Pinel concluded:

“The primary seat of insanity generally is in the region of the stomach and intestines.”

Dr. Pinel had been working with mental patients for many years, yet his knowledge has been virtually ignored by modern psychiatry. Dr. Campbell-McBride refers to Pinel’s work when she discusses that digestive symptoms begin at the time of weaning and when formula is introduced at infancy. Symptoms then increase as more and more foods are introduced to the already compromised digestive system.

As a nutritionist, and as someone who has used this diet to heal her own gut, this is very interesting to me. The success of this diet shows us how much more education is needed around how to care for our own health and the health of our children. What did our ancestor’s diets look like before modern “conveniences” existed like infant formula, pasteurized dairy or refined grains? Every traditional diet contains fermented foods…what are the fermented foods that your ancestors used to maintain good health year round?

The Purpose: Heal & Seal

The purpose of the GAPS protocol is to “heal and seal” the inflamed and irritated digestive system. There is an intro phase to the GAPS protocol that can last as long as one needs in order heal the gut. Fermented foods and a probiotic supplement aid in the colonization of good bacteria in the gut; while vegetable juice is used to help the body to eliminate toxins. The second phase of the GAPS protocol is a systematic re-introduction of foods that are on the list of GAPS approved foods, which includes vegetables, fruits, legumes, gluten-free grains, and fermented dairy products. If there are symptoms present when a food is reintroduced, then you go back to the intro diet until symptoms subside and another food can be “tested”.

Six-Stage Protocol (to Follow Diligently)

There are six stages of the GAPS diet. This is not a quick-fix, by any means. The diet takes time and dedication. If you don’t follow the healing protocol carefully and diligently then you won’t get the full benefit. You must remove all starches and grains, and purchase a very high quality probiotic supplement. You must also maintain a constant supply of bone broth/soup, which is time consuming (much less time consuming if you have a pressure cooker!) but which is a key ingredient for success. It can also take a good amount of time to heal the gut, since in many cases the damage has been done over a period of many years, although immediate improvement in many symptoms may be noticed on the GAPS diet.

What You Can Eat & Why

In the GAPS intro diet meats and fish, eggs and non-starchy vegetables are allowed. Bone, meat and fish stock soups are the staple of the intro part of the diet. They are soothing and healing for the inflamed gut lining and help aid in digestion. Probiotic foods are also very important during the intro and full GAPS diet, such as raw sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables. Raw egg yolks can be added to soup if no egg allergy exists.  This provides excellent nourishment and protein.

After the intro phase of the diet, fermented dairy like homemade kefir and whey, yogurt and sour cream are gradually added if there is no adverse reaction and you are not allergic to dairy. Homemade ghee is also gradually added into the diet, again, if not allergic to dairy.  We can find alternatives for dairy allergies.

What to Avoid

• All grains and anything made from these grains (both gluten-containing and gluten-free grains): wheat, rye, rice, oats, corn, barley, millet, spelt, quinoa, buckwheat, etc.

• All starchy vegetables and anything made out of them: potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, parsnips, cassava, arrowroot, etc.

• Sugar and anything that contains sugar.

• Starchy beans and peas: soybeans, mung beans, garbanzo beans, bean sprouts, fava beans.

• Lactose and anything that contains it: milk, dried milk of any type, commercially produced yogurt, buttermilk and sour cream, processed foods with added lactose.

There is a cookbook that goes along with the informational book that is excellent if you are going to be taking on the GAPS diet and are determined to heal your and/or you child’s gut. The intro diet is pretty straight-forward (though challenging!), but as you begin to heal the gut and are able to introduce more foods back into the diet, you may want to get the cookbook which I personally found to be a valuable resource.

Get Started with Bone Broth

If you aren’t ready to dive into the full diet, get started by changing a few habits (like giving up soda, or better, all processed sugar) and adding foods from the allowed list.

Here is my own personal recipe for a deeply nourishing bone broth, which can be used as a rich base for any soup. Bone broth is a key part of the GAPS diet. Give it a try, and enjoy!

Resources

To learn more about Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride and the GAPS diet, please visit the official GAPS website.

For a full list of foods to avoid, see the book:  Gut and Psychology Syndrome: Natural Treatment for Autism, Dyspraxia, A.D.D., Dyslexia, A.D.H.D., Depression, Schizophrenia by Natasha Campbell-McBride

About Brooke

Brooke Kaufman is a Certified Holistic Nutrition Consultant who creates customized meal plans for her clients with multiple food allergies and intolerances, and for those who are on the GAPS diet. She enjoys helping people eat nourishing food that is easy to prepare and tastes delicious. She believes that having food allergies and intolerances can be a positive challenge that inspires creativity, and brings a higher level of awareness when it comes to what you put in your body. Brooke believes that when we deeply nourish ourselves inside and out, we can attain optimal health…which includes healing our damaged and inflamed digestive systems.

Brooke received her nutrition education at Bauman College, and has learned through her own personal experience with food intolerances, she also works as a cleanse coach for Cleanse Organic, a 28-day, guided whole food based cleansing program.

Find her at:  Balance Within Nutrition