#10 – Troubleshooting GAPS: Withdrawal, Die-off and Glutamates

Withdrawal

I’ve already discussed withdrawal in my previous article Ease into GAPS. Remember to change the diet gradually:
• Go dye free
• Eliminate sugar and “sugar substitutes” (honey & fruit still allowed)
• Go gluten free
• Go pasteurized dairy free (GAPS raw dairy allowed: Yogurt & Kefir)
• Start making most of your meals GAPS-compliant
• Full GAPS
• Do the GAPS Intro / Stages
• Full GAPS

Die-off

Die-off is when candida and other bad bugs die, leaving behind toxic waste products. Uncomfortable die-off reactions can include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea, constipation and skin eruptions or rashes. Die-off is induced by consuming probiotics (or anti-fungal prescriptions), and by switching to the GAPS diet (which deprives candida/parasites of their favorite food source: starches and sugars). These die-off waste products affect brain function, making you irritable. Remedies include:
• Drink more water
• Sleep more
• Take an epsom salt bath
• Take an activated charcoal capsule on an empty stomach
• Use a castor oil pack on your liver
• Do a detox footbath if you have access to one

Glutamates

I think everyone knows by now that MSG (monosodium glutamate) is bad for you. It is a known excitotoxin – it literally excites brain cells to death. But you may not know of hidden sources of glutamates. Long cooked beef/chicken bone broth (say, 24 hours) creates a higher concentration of glutamic acid and glutamates, which potentially can flare up ADD, seizure or tic issues. To be on the safe side, make shorter cooked beef/chicken stock made with meat, connective tissue, and bones. And if you purchase packaged foods, be on the lookout for hidden sources of glutamates, including: Autolyzed Yeast, Calcium Caseinate, Gelatin, Glutamate, Glutamic Acid, Hydrolyzed Protein, Monopotassium Glutamate, Monosodium Glutamate, Sodium Caseinate, Textured Protein, Yeast Extract, Yeast Food, Yeast Nutrient

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