Treatment for the GAPS Patient - Part I - Diet I

Now that I've discussed a little bit more about what GAPS is and how it is "born," the next question is, "How do we get rid of it?" 


The treatment for the GAPS Patient is three-fold:

1. Diet
2. Supplementation
3. Detoxification and life-style changes
   

All three are very important. 


I will start today with the DIET Portion I.


Dr. Natasha begins with an explanation of The Gluten and Casein Free Diet. She states, "Gluten is a protein found in grains, mainly wheat, rye, barley and oats. Casein is a protein found in milk and milk products. GFCF diet aims to remove all sources of these two proteins. The theory behind this diet is sound, the problem is the application." What happens when someone goes on the GFCF Diet is that they make "substitutions" in the form of rice, sugar, potato starch, etc. and "these sort of foods will feed the abnormal flora in the gut just as much as the previous diet did, perpetuating the viciious cycle of a damaged leaky gut."


Dr. Natasha continues on by explaining all about our villi, how they work and how they are damaged. (I strongly recommend reading her whole book for in-depth explanations!)

Dr. Natasha gives a summary of what GAPS Patients MUST avoid:

•  All grains and anything made out of them: wheat, rye, rice, oats, corn, maize, sorghum, barley, buckwheat, millet, spelt, bulgut, tapioca, quinoa and cous-cous. 
• All starchy vegetables and anything made out of them: potato, yams, sweet potato, parsnip, swede, Jerusalem artichoke, cassava, arrowroot and taro.
• Sugar and anything that contains it. 
• Starchy beans and peas: soybeans, mungbeans, garbanzo beans, bean sprouts, chick peas, faba beans.
• Lactose and anything that contains it: fluid or dried milk of any type, commercially produced yoghurt, buttermilk and sour cream, processed foods with added lactose.
• Anything processed. Period.
  

Next up...."I'm Hungry - What's for Dinner?!

I hope you all enjoyed your weekend! It's almost Christmas:)