GAPS Introduction Diet

The GAPS Introduction Diet is the deep healing phase of the GAPS Diet, it is designed to heal and seal the gut lining quickly. In this post, I’m sharing my experience and tips to help you on your healing journey.

What is the GAPS Diet?

The GAPS Diet is a nutritional protocol created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, that is designed to heal and seal leaky gut and help individuals achieve better health. Learn more about it here.

There are two main phases:

• GAPS Introduction Diet
• Full GAPS diet

In this post, we dive deeper into the Introduction Diet.

What is the GAPS Introduction Diet?

The GAPS Introduction Diet is the deep healing phase of the GAPS Diet. It is designed to heal and seal the gut lining quickly and involves eliminating all foods that might irritate the gut, and then slowly reintroducing certain foods to see how your body responds.

The six introduction stages focus on nutrient-dense and easy-to-digest foods that are high in amino acids, gelatine, glucosamines, fats, vitamins, and minerals to aid in the rebuilding of the gut lining and healing leaky gut.

Food is prepared using specific cooking methods during each stage to remove irritants such as crispy edges, baking, and raw foods that slow down the healing process.

Beneficial bacteria from fermented dairy and vegetables are then added to repopulate the gut.

Stages 1-3 help to starve out the pathogenic bacteria and clear the way to repopulate with beneficial bacteria during stage 4 and onwards.

How to implement the GAPS Introduction Diet?

Switching to the GAPS Diet from another way of eating can be challenging and it takes some planning.

Getting ready for the GAPS Introduction diet could take you a few days or it could take you a few months depending on your individual situations.

But whether you are the type of person who jumps head first all in or someone who prefers baby steps these are some tips that I have learned from my experience with the GAPS Introduction diet.

1. Master GAPS cooking methods
2. Source and food prep ahead of time, batch cooking is your friend
3. Clear your schedule so you can focus your energy on healing
4. Keep a food journal so you can track any reactions
5. Don’t forget to support your body with detox activities (Epsom salt baths, enemas, dry brushing etc)
6. Get Support – family, friends, or a GAPS Coach

Being properly prepared will help make the experience more manageable, reducing stress and overwhelm so you can focus on rest and healing.

Who should complete the GAPS Introduction Diet?

Dr Natasha recommends starting with the GAPS Introduction Diet in the following situations:

• If you have severe digestive symptoms, such as diarrhea (which may be alternated with episodes of constipation), abdominal pain, bloating, or flatulence.
• If you have an inflammatory bowel condition such as celiac disease, Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative colitis
• If you are on the autism spectrum
• If you have severe learning disabilities
• If you have severe food allergies and intolerances
• Diarrhea of any type: from a virus, bacteria, parasite, travel, or other tummy bug

Depending on your current way of eating and lifestyle factors you may also choose to transition to Full GAPS and complete the Intro Diet later.

What can you eat on the GAPS Introduction Diet?

The GAPS Introduction Diet starts with core healing foods that are nutrient-dense and soothing to the digestive system. Below is a summary of the stages for full details read Dr Natasha’s books, Gut and Psychology Syndrome and Gut and Physiology Syndrome.

Stage 1

• Meat, bone, and fish stocks
• Soup made with meat stock & vegetables
• Probiotic/ fermented foods: dairy (whey, yogurt, sour cream) and sauerkraut juice
• Ginger, mint, or camomile tea with honey

Stage 2

• All stage 1 foods
• Start to increase amounts of fermented foods per day
• Raw egg yolks, then soft-boiled eggs
• Stews and casseroles (meat with vegetables)
• Fermented fish and Swedish gravlax
• Homemade ghee

Stage 3

• Increase amounts of fermented food and start eating the sauerkraut or vegetables (this is a fiber test on the gut)
• Ripe avocado
• Pancakes made with egg, nut butter, and squash
• Scramble eggs or omelette
• Increase animal fat consumption

Stage 4

• Continue to increase the volume and variety of fermented foods
• Roasted and grilled meats
• Cold-pressed olive oil
• Freshly pressed juice and GAPS shakes
• Homemade nut/ seed bread

Stage 5

• Baked or pureed fruit starting with apples, must combine with fat to stabilise blood sugar.
• Raw vegetables
• Increase the variety of fruits and vegetables in juicing

Stage 6

• Raw fruit, starting with a raw peeled apple
• Can increase the honey amount
• Baking cakes and muffins

Cooking Methods by Stage

• Stage 1 – boiling, simmering and fermenting
• Stage 2 – stewing, casseroles and juicing
• Stage 3 – sauteing and light frying
• Stage 4 – baking, roasting, broiling/ grilling (heat from the top)
• Stage 5 – raw vegetables and citrus
• Stage 6 – frying and dehydrating

Common mistakes on the GAPS Introduction Stages

In GAPS Coach training and from personal experience, I have come across some common mistakes that people make during the introduction stages.

• Introducing more than one food at once – As you introduce each new food you want to be looking out for any reactions as this is a sign that your body may not be ready for that food yet. When you introduce two or more foods at the same time it is then impossible to tell which food has caused the reaction; and you will need to eliminate them both and reintroduce them at a slow pass, thus slowing down healing.
• Moving through the stages too quickly – The introduction stages are designed to build on each other, healing is a slow process that can’t be rushed. Time on each stage could be days to months to years depending on the individual.
• Thinking that healing is a linear path – Healing takes time and is not always a straightforward path. It can be like a dance, one step forward, two steps back. During the healing process, your body may feel safe to release stored toxins and this may lead to the return of previous symptoms or even new symptoms.
• Including starchy and fibrous foods – Some fruits and vegetables are not included in the introduction diet as fiber irritates the gut lining and provides food for the pathogenic microbes in the gut.
• Not supporting the body enough to manage die-off symptoms – As you stop feeding the pathogenic microbes and start to introduce good ones your body’s microbial community readjusts and this may produce die-off symptoms. An important part of the GAPS Diet is supporting the body’s normal detoxification processes with activities such as Epsom salt baths, enemas and juicing.

To learn more about the GAPS, please read Dr Natasha Campbell- McBride books, Gut and Psychology Syndrome and Gut and Physiology Syndrome.

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GAPS and Gut and Psychology Syndrome™ are the trademark and copyright of Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride.