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I’ve read the book “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr. Campbell-McBride several times, but recently re-read it and wanted to offer an in depth review.
You might have seen blogs or articles mentioning the GAPS/SCD diet, especially in reference to Autism, Allergies, A.D.D, etc. I first read this book several years ago, and while we weren’t struggling with any of those issues, we did add in some of the aspects of her recommendations to our diets.
Fast forward a few years and one of our children had been born premature and spent some time in the NICU. He later developed a dairy intolerance/allergy, that we suspect was a result of the steroids and antibiotics that he was given in his first days. At this point, I re-read the book and started to implement the protocol with him in hopes of reversing his dairy allergy and possible gut struggles from antibiotic use.
What is GAPS?
The protocol in Gut and Psychology Syndrome is basically an intensive nutritional program to heal the gut lining. It focuses on soothing and healing the gut lining with foods like bone broth and beneficial fats while boosting beneficial gut bacteria with probiotics and fermented foods.
Depending on the severity of the patient, one either begins with or works up to the Introduction Diet, which is the strictest part of the protocol, focused on intensive healing. There are then stages as the person begins to introduce other foods. The most difficult factor of the GAPS diet is that in order to be effective, especially in the beginning, one must be 100% compliant. This means a lot of preparing foods at home, as practically any foods prepared by someone not familiar with the protocol will have things that can aggravate the gut.
The website, GapsDiet.com, outlines some of the protocol, but the book is a much more comprehensive source of information.
On the GAPS diet, use of high quality probiotics and fermented cod liver oil are also encouraged to boost gut bacteria and nutrient levels. For many people suffering from these symptoms, part of the issue is that they are malnourished since the problems in the gut can lead to poor digestion and absorption.
Our Experience
In my experience, there are aspects of the GAPS diet that can be beneficial for everyone. Adding nutrient rich (and inexpensive) foods like bone broths and fermented foods is a good step for anyone.
For kids, boosting gut bacteria and immunity can help boost the immune system and keep them from getting sick as much. Having a good balance of gut bacteria is especially important for pregnant women, as babies inherit gut bacteria from their mothers at birth. (Note: The Intro part of the diet is not suggested during pregnancy, but the full GAPS diet is very nutrient rich during pregnancy). This is often why more than one child in a family can suffer from some of these same issues, as an underlying gut problem can be passed on to each child and then express itself due to lifestyle or nutrition factors later on.
Adding probiotics and fermented cod liver oil can be beneficial even if one isn’t on the GAPS diet, as these boost nutrient levels and can improve digestion.
In our own family, our son developed a dairy intolerance/allergy shortly after weaning. This caused him digestive disturbances, irritation, and eczema on his face. He has also always been my pickiest eater, so the transition to GAPS was not fun, but he adjusted and within a few weeks his skin had started clearing up, his digestion was better, and most surprisingly, his speech (which had been somewhat delayed due to him being premature) took off.
Since we have all been doing it together, I’ve noticed that my digestion is very regular and that I have a lot more energy, even while pregnant. While it is time intensive, our grocery bill hasn’t gone up much on GAPS, as it seems like we are just filling in the gaps (no pun intended) with bone broth and fermented foods, which are both inexpensive to make at home.
Who Should Do Gaps?
It is explained in depth in the book, but the author specifically focuses on people struggling with gut/brain issues like Autism, A.D.D., A.D.H.D., Dyspraxia, Depression/anxiety, Schizophrenia, and even allergies.
I often suggest Gut and Psychology Syndrome to parents who have children struggling with any of these issues, or even to parents whose children just have skin/allergy issues, as they almost always benefit from the protocol as well.
If you or someone in your family struggles with any of those issues, I’d definitely suggest reading Gut and Psychology Syndrome and seeing if you think it would be a good fit for your family.
Have you ever heard of GAPS? Have you done the protocol? What were your results? Share below!
Has anyone tried this for ADHD? My daughter has AHDH and I’m thinking of trying this diet for her. I’m really nervous about going through the holiday season on this diet and I’ll have to make sure her teacher is on the same page with me so she doesn’t get candy or cupcakes from school.
Has anyone had success using GAPS to help with asthma?
As asthma is an immune issue along the lines of allergies, I’d assume it would have a positive effect!
Hi, I read the book few years ago and my husband went through the GAPS diet for a short period just to regulate his digestion. Although it was adding some extra work, I tried to make it fit in our family diet (WAPF) and if fitted naturally. The results were great and the recipes at the end of her book are easy and more than affordable. Dr Natasha Campbell often lectures at the WAPF conferences, she is a great speaker.
thanks for the review! I read the book over the summer and have found it to be THE most comprehensive and clear outline of how the digestion works and gets damaged.
Is your son with the dairy intolerance the one who was born via C-section? I have to have c-sections with all my kids due to a physical deformity. I was wondering if you did anything to give your son the best gut flora possible despite not going through the vaginal canal? If not, would you do anything differently if you could have, or could you suggest anything to those who must give birth through c-sections, both for the baby and the mother (because the mother is given antibiotics during a surgical birth)? I know that probiotics are essential, but for how long and what dosage should you give the baby probiotics to give the baby his/her best start? Anything else? Both of my sons suffer from abnormal gut flora, and although all of us are doing the GAPS diet, I’m hoping to do things better next time. I’d be grateful for any advice you have.
He was the one born via c-section and our premmie who was given tons of steroids and antibiotics. I wish I knew then what I know now! I would have started the probiotics on Day 1 (snuck them in to NICU even) and put in his mouth before each time nursing. I wasn’t taking a lot back then, but if I could do it over, I would have been on Gaps before, during and after and taking major doses of probiotics to build him back up. I really wonder if this would have prevented the issues we are having now in the first place. You could also request no antibiotics, which you do have the right to refuse, though your doctor would likely not be happy! If you get to hold the babies right away, or if your husband does, he could make sure the baby gets probiotics in the mouth right away to simulate the birth canal, and you could put probiotics on your nipple before each nursing, especially at first…
Thanks for your ideas. I didn’t think about probiotics immediately after the birth. We just started GAPS in August, so I’ll probably have another baby sometime within the next two or two and a half years, during which I’ll still be doing GAPS, so it’ll be good timing.
Great idea!
In the months before I became pregnant, my Naturopath had me take bovine colostrum. Unfortunately I don’t remember the brand, –but it was in capsule form.
She told me the cows were injected with various things that made them develop antibodies, and that those would pass to me. (At the time I was getting way to many colds and UTI’s). Long story short, our son was born and got his first (mild) cold at age 4, his first (mild) fever at age 5. The pediatrician would comment on how healthy he was–I was actually getting worried that he needed to test his immune system 🙂 ! Since then (he’s 9), he still rarely gets sick.
I got the GAPS book a month ago and we’ve been kinda dabbling in it. We’re not diving in to the whole program, but I’ve amped up our bone broths and have been fermenting foods for the first time. I’m so glad to see your review, Katie! Also, your readers might be interested in knowing that my friend has two autistic stepsons, and the progress they’ve made since implementing the GAPS diet at their house a couple of months ago has been astounding.
Great overview. This book has been on my list to read for a while and I just haven’t made it there yet. I’ve seen such an improvement in both my mental and physical health as I work toward repairing my good ol’ guts. 🙂
I would love some insight on incorporating fermented cod liver oil into the diet. I can get my three-year-old to sip bone broth without much difficulty, but cod liver oil? I think I’d be wearing a few doses before I got any in his mouth!
Also, has anyone had experience with introducing fermented foods to younger, picky eaters?
The fermented cod liver oil I buy comes in a capsule. Not too hard to take.
Care to share what brand? I’ve never purchased it (and I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to get my three-year-old to swallow a pill)
Green Pastures has the only Fermented Cod Liver Oil I’ve ever found in the US. You can look at their site to see the different options. My kids like the cinnamon and licorice gels.
Even my 15 month old loves homemade sauerkraut, so that hasn’t been too difficult, but if your kids struggle, just start slow and insist on one bite per meal until his taste adjusts (and it will). For the cod liver oil, I either mix with honey if it is liquid so that they don’t mind the taste, or get the emulsified cod liver oil gel and keep in the fridge. This makes it semi-solid so I can scoop out a little ball of it, dip in honey, and let them eat it that way, which makes it more bearable. It took a little adjusting for my older ones, but they really don’t seem to mind it now that taste buds have adjusted. Good luck!
I give the fermented oil and butter oil blend – it seems to be a bit
softer on the pallet. I started giving it with a bit of honey, then
weaned off the honey and my kids really like it. For fermented foods I
started with homemade kefir – milk and water kefir.
I make my 2 1/2 year old a coconut milk smoothie every morning, and I add 1/2 tsp of cod liver oil to it. He never seems to notice, or if he does, he doesn’t mind the taste when mixed with everything else!
Use a medicine dropper and have juice ready to wash it down.
My 4 year old son loves kombucha! I have a very special glass for this (technically, it’s a red plastic shot glass!) and he only uses it to drink his kombucha. He only gets 2-3 ounces a day, but it makes it special.
There is a version of fermented cod liver oil that’s mixed with concentrated butter oil and cocoa, and my kid doesn’t mind it at all!
We did the SCD a few years ago and I’m getting ready to return to it for my son’s sake. Do you know much about it and how do you feel it compares with GAPS?
From my understanding, GAPS is roughly based on SCD but with a little more of a focus on the healing/regenerating aspects and boosting the gut bacteria. She mentions SCD quite a bit, but it might be worth reading this book and seeing how they compare to see if it would be beneficial for you guys.
Thanks, I’ll look into reading this book soon…
do you feel considerably better doing GAPS, even though it seems that you already ate a pretty similar paleo-type diet before doing GAPS? were the main difference for you adding bone broth/fermented foods and removing some of the starches like sweet potato that GAPS/SCD doesn’t allow? i do a pretty strict paleo diet and mostly everything i eat is also on the autoimmune protocol (although i cheat w/ nightshades sometimes), but i’m thinking of doing the GAPS intro this winter. i’m hoping it won’t be tooooo hard since i’m pretty used to eating this way already, although the strictness of no eating out will probably be the most difficult thing for me!
I definitely do notice a difference with adding the broth/fermented foods, and I’ve been eating sweet potatoes and more fruit too since I am pregnant. If you have autoimmune issues you are working through or just want to boost gut health, the winter is a great time to go full GAPS since bone broth always seems more appealing when it is cooler (at least to me…)
thanks for your info on the book.. SO ? someone commented that sweet potatoes weren’t on the diet ?
LOL.. I love them,, so will keep eating them either way .
also,, is the regular cod liver oil you can purchase in any store the same as fermented ?
many I know take it on a daily basis.
I LOVE fermented foods , I mmo kraut everyyear , SO good. & SUPER easy .
I also mmo yogurt.. yum
pickles in vinegar are always good for you, also fairly easy to do.
learning to can your own products is well worth the effert 🙂
lisa
Can you share how you make your fermented foods? I am struggling with this.
Fermented CLO is not the same as regular you get in the store. It’s way more potent and pure and has the natural form and ratio of fatty acids, A, and D. It’s great stuff. Check out Green Pastures. I think they have info on their website that details how their fermented product is different. I used to take the FCLO and then switched to the FCLO/butter oil blend and I noticed a difference in my energy. But every body is different so maybe that’s just me. I also find it easier to give to my kids
I am just curious if you have used the normal cold pressed CLO before and see a noticeable difference with the FCLO?
This is a breath of fresh air to read up on your site. (good fats, bone broth, fresh fruit etc)
Re: Gut health: do not believe that cod liver oil and fermented foods help that area. It is the opposite, sorry to say. Cod liver oil/fish oil in general is a major PUFA (which I think you guys know about) very inflammatory to your system and fermented foods and probiotics just forms lactic acid instead. You may feel good for the initial start but will go downhill from there. Or maybe because of the other good stuff, it helps get you by. Thoughts?
I’m new here. Your post totally on fused Jenna could you explain more.
Jade
So probiotics and cod liver oil are not good for the gut?? Why is this and what are better alternatives? Where do you get your information? thanks