Elaine Gottschall (author of Breaking the Vicious Cycle) originally created the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) legal/illegal food lists. Subsequently, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride wrote Gut and Psychology SyndromeTM (GAPS) and innovated the GAPS intro diet and GAPS full program.
To reduce withdrawal, I made my own suggestions in The BrainFood Cookbook (as seen in #3 – Getting Started):
• 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
Do I have to do the GAPS “Intro”?
Yes, it’s highly advised as it serves to reboot the gut – but let me explain. Many people start on Full GAPS, then go back and do the GAPS Intro/Stages after they feel they are ready. For fullest healing, yes, you should do the Intro and all the Stages at some point. (the sooner, the better)
Once you are ready, here is the complete GAPS Intro/Stages protocol:
Intro/Stage 1
Homemade meat or fish stock
Cooked vegetables
Homemade vegetable soup with your homemade meat or fish stock.
Probiotic foods (kefir/yogurt; juice from sauerkraut/fermented vegetables)
Ginger tea with a little honey between meals
Stage 2 (in addition to previous foods)
Organic egg yolks
Stews and casseroles made with meats and vegetables
Increase daily amount of homemade yogurt and kefir, if introduced.
Increase the amount of juice from sauerkraut or fermented vegetables
Fermented fish
Homemade ghee
Stage 3 (in addition to previous foods)
Ripe avocado
Nut butter/egg/squash pancakes
Egg scrambled with plenty of ghee, goose fat or duck fat
Introduce the sauerkraut and your fermented vegetables
Stage 4 (in addition to previous foods)
Gradually add meats cooked by roasting and grilling
Cold pressed olive oil
Freshly pressed carrot, lettuce, mint juices
Bread made with ground almonds or any other nuts
Stage 5 (in addition to previous foods)
Cooked apple puree
Lettuce
Peeled cucumber
Freshly pressed apple, pineapple, mango juice (avoid citrus)
Stage 6 (in addition to previous foods)
Peeled raw apple
Other raw fruit
Honey
GAPS legal “cakes”
Dried fruit
Full GAPS
Please remember that no matter your dreams or obstacles, you have the power to change your child’s life. I sincerely hope our resources can help you do just that.
