To GAPS Or Not To GAPS?

As the title of this post suggests, my Husband and I are seriously thinking about moving our family onto The GAPS Diet to heal a number of lingering health issues.

Firstly, for those of you who haven't yet heard of The GAPS (Gut and Psychology Syndrome) Diet, here's a brief outline of the history of how it came about, from The GAPS Website:

"Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAP Syndrome or GAPS) is a condition, which establishes a connection between the functions of the digestive system and the brain. This term was created by Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, MMedSci (neurology), MMedSci (human nutrition) in 2004 after working with hundreds of children and adults with neurological and psychiatric conditions, such as autistic spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD), schizophrenia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, obsessive –compulsive disorder, bi-polar disorder and other neuro-psychological and psychiatric problems."

So, what exactly is The GAPS Diet? You start with the Introduction Diet, which initially consists of mostly stock/broth/soup/meat/cooked vegetables. You then move through through 6 stages, where new foods are introduced one at a time before progressing onto the Full GAPS Diet. The aim of the Introduction Diet is to set the foundation for effective healing before moving onto the Full GAPS Diet.

I have read remarkable experience after remarkable experience of those who have been on GAPS Journeys and am optimistic that following The GAPS Diet will have a significant positive effect on our families health.

So, what's stopping me? Well, it takes a profound amount of preparation and dedication to properly follow The GAPS Diet, and while my Husband and I are making the decision together, I'm going to be in charge of meal planning/cooking etc. and the task is overwhelmingly daunting to me. It's not just laziness though, I'm also apprehensive about how the kids will react to a diet void of what they are used to.

We already have a mostly unprocessed/whole foods diet, so it's not like they are little sugar/carb addicts, but they do enjoy a wide range of foods that most definitely are not GAPS Friendly. I'm not sure how they will cope with having that food removed and having it replaced with soups and broths!

I'm hoping that if we do go down the GAPS road that they will adjust quickly and enjoy the healing food.

With this concern in mind, I have been bookmarking/pinning GAPS Friendly Recipes to start cooking now to judge the kids reactions and get them used to GAPS foods.

Below was one of the first GAPS Friendly Meals I prepared for the boys. The meal includes Coconut Flour Pancakes. A recipe I found from Cara's Health, Home and Happiness Website (which is a phenomenal GAPS Resource, by the way!) I have now made these pancakes 4 times in the past couple of weeks! Mr 4 just keeps on asking for them.

I used a Bear shaped cutter to cut Bears from the Pancakes, and served them along with some cooked carrots and cauliflower, cucumber stars and sour cream for dipping. Mr 2 ate everything and Mr 4 ate everything except the cauliflower - a positive outcome in my opinion.

I'll keep you posted once we have made a definite decision... I still have so much to learn. I have been reading through The GAPS Diet Book and reading every resource I can find online to further my knowledge on this healing diet.

I'd love to hear from you. If you've been on The GAPS Diet, what has your experience been like, any tips you'd like to share and how have your kids coped?

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Disclaimer - this post should not be treated as medical advice. It is meant for informational purposes only - please consult with your health professional if you have any concerns for the health of you or your family. Thank you. 

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