GAPS Intro: For Gut Healing and Sealing
Last modified on 2013-05-08 17:27:28 GMT. 122 comments. Top.
What the GAPS Intro diet is
The Gut and Psychology Syndrome introduction diet is a diet focused on intensive rest and healing for the gut lining, as well as slow introduction of fermented foods to repopulate it with friendly microorganisms.
Different ways to use the Intro
Some, as we did, start the ‘intro diet’ right as we are starting GAPS, others go on ‘full GAPS’ for a while and then go down to the introduction diet. If you are overwhelmed, this may be the better choice as doing full GAPS will help you see improvements without being so restrictive.
Now, after my daughter has been on GAPS for a year, I wanted to put all three of us on the intro diet for a month before we went into warmer weather. Re-going on the intro diet after being on GAPS for a while can give you increased healing and can help get rid of any health symptoms that you didn’t get rid of the first time around.
As a baby, my son had eczema, but when we went on GAPS intro when he was 11 months, it wasn’t seen again until this winter (over a year later) when it’s starting a tiny bit again. So I’m curious to see if running through the intro diet can get rid of those symptoms.
It’s not that eczema is a serious condition, but I know that it’s a symptoms of some underlying imbalance in his little body, and I’d like to do what I can to correct it.
Most of you know that we primarily are doing the GAPS diet for my little girl with autism, and we have seen great results with her on it so far- but we’re always wanting more healing for her, so I hope she can make leaps of progress as well with this repeat intro portion of the diet.
To Heal Allergies
I also would like my children to be less sensitive to diary- my son sleeps better when he’s off dairy, and my daughter
I have a 1-1/2 gallon Berkey that I use to filter all our drinking water
gets ‘allergic shiners’ (dark undereyes) which are a symptom of a dairy allergy (yes, even with raw, even with cultured, even with goat! Though we haven’t been able to find raw goat milk to try yet, but we did tryculturing goat milk from the store) The last time we went through the introduction portion of the diet I was able to heal my dairy allergy in just a few weeks- which has been great!
Meal Plans
I’m working on a 30-day meal plan for the Intro Diet, and for that I summarized from the GAPS book what is allowed on each stage, which I’ll share below. I would
not try to do the intro diet without first reading the GAPS book and understanding the philosophy of the diet, I know the book is expensive, but it costs less than even one doctor’s visit :) You can purchase the GAPS book here.
- Learn more about the GAPS Intro Meal Plan Here- called What Do I Eat Now?
GAPS Diet Intro Stages
You can eat on stage 1:
• Meat or fish stock
• Well boiled broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions, leeks
• Squash, winter and summer
• Boiled meat
• Sea salt,
• 1-2 teaspoons a day of sauerkraut juice
Stage 2
You can eat on Stage 2:
• Meat or fish stock
• Well boiled GAPS-legal vegetables (no starchy root vegetables)
• Squash, winter and summer
• Boiled meat
• Sea salt
• Fresh herbs
• Fermented vegetables; sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles
• Fermented fish
• Egg yolk, organic, carefully separated from the white
• Homemade ghee
• Stews and casseroles made with meat and vegetables
Stage 3
You can eat on Stage 3:
• Meat or fish stock
• Well boiled GAPS-legal vegetables (no starchy root vegetables)
• Squash, winter and summer
• Boiled meat
• Sea salt
• Fresh herbs
• Fermented vegetables; saurkraut, kimchi, pickles
• Fermented fish
• Egg yolk, organic, carefully separated from the white
• Homemade ghee
• Stews and casseroles made with meat and vegetables
• Ripe avocado mashed into soups, starting with 1-3 teaspoons a day
• Pancakes made with nutbutter, squash, and eggs- fried in fat or ghee, start with one a day
• Scrambled eggs made with ghee and served with avocado if tolerated and cooked vegetables.
Stage 4
You can eat on Stage 4:
• Meat or fish stock
• Well boiled GAPS-legal vegetables (no starchy root vegetables)
• Squash, winter and summer
• Boiled, roasted, or grilled meat (not burned)
• Sea salt
• Fresh herbs
• Cold pressed olive oil
• Fermented vegetables; saurkraut, kimchi, pickles
• Fermented fish
• Egg yolk, organic, carefully separated from the white
• Homemade ghee
• Stews and casseroles made with meat and vegetables
• Ripe avocado mashed into soups, starting with 1-3 teaspoons a day
• Pancakes made with nutbutter, squash, and eggs- fried in fat or ghee, start with one a day
• Scrambled eggs made with ghee and served with avocado if tolerated and cooked vegetables.
• Freshly pressed juices, start with a few tablespoons of carrot juice
• Bread made with nut flour, eggs, squash, tolerated fat, salt
You can eat on Stage 5:
• Meat or fish stock
• Raw legal vegetables, peeled
• Squash, winter and summer
• Peeled, cooked apple, pureed
• Honey, up to a couple tablespoons a day
• Boiled, roasted, or grilled meat (not burned)
• Sea salt
• Fresh herbs
• Cold pressed olive oil
• Fermented vegetables; saurkraut, kimchi, pickles
• Fermented fish
• Egg yolk, organic, carefully separated from the white
• Homemade ghee
• Stews and casseroles made with meat and vegetables
• Ripe avocado mashed into soups, starting with 1-3 teaspoons a day
• Pancakes made with nutbutter, squash, and eggs- fried in fat or ghee, start with one a day
• Scrambled eggs made with ghee and served with avocado if tolerated and cooked vegetables.
• Freshly pressed juices, carrot, mint, cabbage, lettuce, apple, pineapple, mango
• Bread made with nut flour, eggs, squash, tolerated fat, salt
Stage 6
You can eat on Stage 6:
• Meat or fish stock
• Raw legal vegetables, peeled
• Squash, winter and summer
• Peeled, raw apple
• Other fruits, raw, introduce slowly
• Honey, up to a couple tablespoons a day
• Boiled, roasted, or grilled meat (not burned)
• Sea salt
• Fresh herbs
• Cold pressed olive oil
• Fermented vegetables; saurkraut, kimchi, pickles
• Fermented fish
• Egg yolk, organic, carefully separated from the white
• Homemade ghee
• Stews and casseroles made with meat and vegetables
• Ripe avocado mashed into soups, starting with 1-3 teaspoons a day
• Pancakes made with nutbutter, squash, and eggs- fried in fat or ghee, start with one a day
• Scrambled eggs made with ghee and served with avocado if tolerated and cooked vegetables.
• Freshly pressed juices, carrot, mint, cabbage, lettuce, apple, pineapple, mango
• Bread made with nut flour, eggs, squash, tolerated fat, salt- use dates and dried fruit to sweeten.
Just curious; have you heard any stories of it helping with HSP (Heinoch-Sloch Purpurra), as it wound up affecting my twin girls. It supposedly is not contagious, and it hasn’t affected my other kids, but was wondering if it would help them. One of the side affects the oldest twin is suffering is bowel problems. I have reluctanly put her on large doses of laxatives. Any response is truly appreciated!
Herb
Hi Herb, I have heard of many people going on GAPS just for bowel problems, so I think it would be worth a try! The juicing especially should help, but the whole introduction diet would be good as well. I haven’t heard of HSP specifically though.
Herb, my now-19-year-old was diagnosed with HSP when she was 10. It was supposedly a mild case not requiring medication and it still knocked her and the rest of the family for a loop! The illness resolved itself on its own with symptoms resembling fibromyalgia for the following 6 months or so. If only I had known back then about the possibility of helping her with the GAPS diet, we would have been spared much trauma. Now she’s 19 and less easily coerced :P into eating this new diet, but I have high hopes for luring her in once the rest of the family have seen good results, which I’m sure are right around the corner as soon as the rest of us get started on it! :) Anyway, just wanted to thank you for posting this question–the first mention I’ve seen of HSP in a long time.
Herb Arce: Fascinating, I had HSP as a child myself. This is the first time I’ve seen it spelled out so I could Google it. I believe I recovered without any specific intervention that helped. I was temporarily lame until it resolved itself. Ironically I was looking here because I have had long time gut issues and have been looking into GAPS. I wonder if there is any connection between the gut and this funky immune disorder.
Cara-
I have a few questions for you. I am about to put my entire family of 8 on this diet. Every child has their own minor issues(dairy and gluten intollerance, acne, slight ADHD). I am really just using this program to jump start the healing of their gut. This is what I am trying to figure out. How do I know when to go to the next stage? She does not really talk about how you know when you are done with each step if the intro diet. I will be transitioning over to NT. But any idea how I will know when they have been on the full GAPS long enough?
Hi Shirley, it’s my understanding that you’re supposed to introduce the foods slowly (at the most one a day, it’s really better if you can wait a couple days between foods to watch for reactions) and then just go back if you see a reaction. We moved quickly through the first couple stages, then stay progressively longer on each one.
Hi,
I was recently diagnosed with Fibromyalgia. I have undergone a lot of testing one of which was a GI panel, this revealed that my gut had a SIgA level of 5 when it should be between 400 and 880. My ND seems to think it is from food as there was not other indication of anything else. I find this diet interesting. You also have to include great probiotics into your health regimen. I have used the Nutriclean Probiotics as it has 10 strains of good bacteria. I am seeing great results. I hope this helps.
Hello,
I’m still thinking of starting my family of 7 on the GAPS, but was wondering (similar to above question)…how long does each stage in the intro. usually last? Days, weeks, etc.
So could we move through another stage within a few days??
Also, one of my children is 19 months and already off the scales in weight (small side) so am wondering if this would be too restrictive for her b/c she’s already so tiny?
Do you think I should just put her on the full GAPS?
Thanks,
Jennifer +
Our family is on GAPS and my youngest was very small when we started. She lost a little weight at the beginning but then was able to put more on – faster than she ever had before. I think it was the healing in the gut that helped her to absorb more of the nutrients she ate. It feels very restrictive at the beginning but if there are GI or immune issues (or anything autism spectrum related) this is a wonderful program that will heal in the most natural way possible.
Hi. I was wondering if you know at all if GAPS would help with Atopic Dermatitis. My husband has it and nothing seems to help but corticosteroids. We eat a “real food” type diet, which has helped somewhat. I know it is a huge undertaking and I don’t really want to put my family through it unless it would actually be helpful. ATopic dermatitis is a three-pronged hereditary condition that consists of any of these three at any point in the life-time: allergies, asthma, and dermatitis (similar to eczema). When he was a child, he had asthma and a few food allergies: tomatoes, chocolate, tea tree; he now has no asthma or food allergies, just seasonal ones. The dermatitis is so frustrating to him because nothing seems to help the itching but the steroids. Anyway, just wondering what your thoughts were. Thanks!
Charity
Hi Charity, of course I’m not a medical professional and this is just my opinion, but it sounds to me like GAPS would help, I know it helps allergies, eczema, and asthma. Would he be wiling to try the intro for 2 weeks? Most people see the fastest results on intro.
I was misdiagnosed by my doctors as having Psoriatic Arthritis & went through many treatments & NSAID drugs before I found out I was Gluten Intolerant. I had no pain for years & now some pain has come back so I was told to cut out the Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, all kinds of peppers & eggplant). That is helping, but I think I need to try the GAPS diet. My 4yr. old grandson is autistic & has been on the GAPS diet for 2 1/2 yrs & is making an amazing recovery!
Thank you for taking the time to do all this research and experimentation!
My boyfriend was diagnosed Apbergers Syndrome last year, he is also ADD and OCD..is there any chance this diet could improve his arrested development? I know his Mum fed them packaged foods, or fasr and easy foods as children and thought his siblings are “normal” they are all alcoholics, he also had drinking problems but is sober 2o years…he is a very gentle persona nd becomes overwhelmed easilya nd is startled by loud noises..please let me know what you think if the diet would alleviate a lot of symptoms? we eat organic andgrow a lot of our own food..I am off gluten at the moment and noticed a marked improvement in my focus..I thinK I have ADHD..I had gluten in a muffin the other day and got brain fog, disorientation and was overcome by the urge to sleep, well pass out really! it was incredible..We do lots of probiotics, fish oil, flax oil..and some fermented food like yogurt and sauercroute. We love coffee..and crave it..so is that an allergy?
THanks for your time..CArol
Yes, the GAPS diet will likely help you :) I had originally started it for my daughter who has autism, but it benefited everyone in our family, even me as an adult.
I am getting ready to start a GAPs/SCD diet for myself and my nursing 11 month old daughter. I have celiac disease and have been gluten free for 2 years and still haven’t seen any improvements in my health. My daughter has terrible eczema and is a very fussy unhappy baby. She also doesn’t sleep for more than an hour or two at a time. I’m nursing very often still and think the intro may be too much. I’m hoping to see good results and then go back to intro later. Anyway, my question is do you have any portable snack ideas for the baby? I have 2 older children and we are on the run a lot and to keep baby happy in her stroller at soccer games and grocery stores, I often give her puffs, cereals, rice cakes, etc to munch on. Any ideas for a grain free snack options? I’m so anxious about this diet…I really hope it works for us as I am running out of options! Thank you.
I hope it works for you too! We started grain free just before my son really started solids. I did jerky ( you have to watch them of course,but he loved it), dried fruit, cubes of cheese, cubes of steamed carrot, apple sauce, nutbutter pancakes in stage 3. It’s messier than puffs and stuff, I can’t deny that… but if she started sleeping more and her eczema improved it would be worth it, right? :)
Cara, Thank you so much for these resources. I have two questions. I need to be on a low glycemic diet due to PCOS and pre-diabetes/glucose intolerance. I realize you’re not a doctor but I’m wondering if your grain free program is high glycemic. Also, do you have any advice on how to do this program with older children who are in sports? Won’t they be too tired on the intro without carbs? Thank you!
For intro, it’s low glycemic. The full diet allows fruit, which is highish glycemic. Kids in sports- maybe try doing it while they’re between sports? Most people do go through a low energy phase as part of intro, I’m not sure there’s any way around that. The last time I went through it I had lots of energy, but that was my 2nd or 3rd time through.
This looks like something I would definitely try, just stumbled upon your website! I have food allergies (whey, eggs are at the top) which I have never had before and dark circles under my eyes as well (which I would love to get rid of). Would you recommend the intro GAPS as a good place to start? Thanks!
Im bolstering support within my home so we can go Gaps. We have already been Gluten free for 3 year.. and this pulled my son out of full blown autism ( never vax’ed).. but we still have yeast issues, the kids have always had dark under eye circles ,and our son still has a few moments where he is just “off”. I am excited to see the healing begin :)
Hi, you mentioned dark under eye circles, my son has this…what do you think it is from?
I have MS, and find the ‘MS diets’ very hard to stick to, as well as always being tired when on them. I’ve had gut problems for the whole time I’ve had MS (11+ years) – so I’m getting ready to start GAPS soon… Feels daunting though…
Sounds like more of us need to live closer together, so all the “starters” can share food and feel a little less overwhelmed. I would love to have a friend in town to do this with… but alas, they all think I’m the crazy one and this is yet another crazy venture, so I’ll be doing it alone.
My family just started this today. We have been planning to start for a few weeks now. Two of my children have GI issues, I had thrush with my last nursling and have several auto immune diseases and my dh would like a fresh start in healthy eating.
I’m considering trying GAPS to improve the health of our whole family. I have a few allergies and am just ready to feel better over all.
I want to do the GAPS diet because I just recently found out I have a gluten allergy. I’ve had digestive problems my whole life it seems. I even had surgery for acid reflux because it was so bad. I had postpartum depression with both of my sons, the oldest one is almost four and has a dairy allergy. He and I both had a lot of antibiotics as toddlers for ear infections. He is very hyper, and I am very anxious. I think this could really help our family.
I have thought about the GAPS Diet for quite a while. I find that when I leave grains out of my diet I have much more energy. I deal with reflux & have had thyroid problems. (could GAPS even address a thyroid prob?)
How is this different from Paleo? I have been trying the Paleo diet lately and am now reading about GAPS and am curious as I don’t see much difference.
I want to get my family on the GAPS diet for the sake of my husband. He has had chronic diarrhea for the last 8 years. We went on a 2 week scd diet and his symptoms went away, but we didn’t stay on it long enough to let the healing occur (I convinced him to do 2 weeks to see if anything happened) Now we need to commit to it for real.
Hi Cara, I’m so glad I saw this. I’ve been planning to start GAPS for months now…i just haven’t had the motivation to do it. I desperately need it as my body is developing more and more food allergies and my list of foods that I can tolerate is getting ever smaller. My daughter also has many food allergies and my husband has terrible sebopsoriasis that flares up occasionally. I know GAPS can help all of us. Thank you for your resources and encouragement.
5 family members with innumerable allergies and eczema = need to do GAPS!
We are ready to try GAPS diet! A step by step meal plan I am sure would be a major key to our success! I am a stay at home homeschool mom of 3, and I need all the help I can get! All my children have trouble digesting dairy, but my middle child has severe dairy, egg, gluten, and mustard allergies, and countless other minor allergies. We are ready to take the next step and get on this intro diet! We have already started making broths here and there, and trying to ease our way into it, and collecting and trying new recipes when we can. I am sure it will be great for all of us! My husband has suffered for years with IBS. So we are ready to start now, and would be extremely greatful for a free e-book! Thank you,
Jennifer and family
I have been on the Gaps diet for almost a year but never did the Intro. I’m entering the contest on Cheeseslave for your Intro ebook because I think I am finally getting ready to go back and do the Intro. I can’t deny that I believe it will be a good thing- it has just seemed so extreme and I am afraid of feeling really deprived. But I have not seen the improvement I had hoped for and I am hoping that the Intro will help. Thanks for your good work.
I have been wanting to try the GAPS diet for some time now to see if it will help my joint pain and clear my skin. A step-by-step meal plan would be so helpful.
I’m entering the Cheeseslave contest and would love to win your meal plan for GAPS. I did the SCD for 6 years starting in Jan 2002 and then went off it slightly. It helped but did not heal my gut. I’ve had Crohn’s for 30+ years. I have had diarrhea since Nov. 2004 and it hasn’t let up yet. I haven’t had a formed bowel movement in 7 years. I am going to try the GAPS version of SCD to see if it will help. Would love to have the support of your e-book.
I want to try out this diet (Cheeseslave contest). I think I have some food sensitivities, digestive issues, etc. & this looks like a healthy way to go.
I am interested in winning your ebook to help my gut and my husband with psoriasis. Thank you!
I have several health issues and I believe that the GAPS diet would help me TREMENDOUSLY. I just think getting started is VERY overwhelming. I think this would give me the boost to start what I need to do.
I am excited to do GAPS to help my addiction to sugar/bread. I also need to lose a few pounds and would love the inspiration these recipes would give me.
My husband has lots of food allergies, digestive issues,hives and skin issues that have gotten worse as he ages. It seems to run in his family as several members develop life threatening allergies as the grow older and I wish to spare him.
I would love to try this diet, but have been too afraid to jump in and do it. I think your ebook would be so helpful!
I want to try out this diet too (Cheeseslave contest). My daughter (now 7) suffered with GERD at birth and was on meds till 15 months…it took 3 months to get to EBF but it was worth all the pumping and crying and so on. She nursed till into her 4th year before finally losing interest. Even with that, as a baby she would have green stools and other signs of food sensitivities, digestive issues, etc., and she has stubborn rough patches on her jaw margins, back of arms and knees. She used to HATE all grain and starchy foods but sadly finally grew to love them (my hubby encouraged it but now he is sorry he got her started on them) and asks for sweet foods and carbs all the time. I have digestive issues myself and have just found I have a low functioning gall bladder (18%) which I would dearly like to heal, and my husband has digestive issues as well. I’m apprehensive about us all being able to do GAPS, but it makes sense to me so I’m willing to try it.
My daughter and I both have food sensitivities, allergies, digestive issues, eczema…and would greatly benefit from GAPS. But I am daunted by it. I love the idea of doing GAPS all together, as a challenge, having the support and comradeship. And, of course, having the menus spelled out for me helps a whole bunch.
I have eczema, PMS and endometriosis. I love the GAPS book but am hesitant to follow it step by step. So I chose to jump to Stage 6 and simply follow that guideline — basically try to avoid carbs and sugar. Boy, my eczema is almost gone and PMS improves dramatically immediately.
But still, to really dive into GAPS seems scary (for someone who really loves food). I hope a GAPS intro e-book would ease my tension and encourage to just do it!
I found out about you through Cheeseslave. I have tried the intro on and off for years, but can’t stick to it mostly because of life. Kids, homeschooling, midwifing etc. I really hope to this time for my sake and my family’s. I have had undiagnosed neurological symptoms for 12 years now. Have lots of food allergies now too! All of my kids have dairy allergies as well as others probably too.
My family just started the full GAPS diet and will be doing the Intro in the next few months. My husband has had several digestive issues over the past several years and my oldest son has several food intolerances. I’m hoping we’ll be able to clear up several of these issues.
I also found your link through Cheeseslave. My 16 year old son has been dealing with leaky gut and many other problems including candida & possibly parasites. His first symptoms seemed like allergies that he never had before, then he started having anxiety and panic attacks. My son has never been anxious before! He’s always been a normal, healthy, athletic kid who ate much healthier diet than the average kid too. His anxiety & panic are a result of gut problems that prevented him from absorbing needed nutrients. This is proof there is definitely a gut-brain connection! I would like to start the GAPS diet for his sake and your plan would really help guide me. Thanks
Found you through cheeseslave. I am so tired of food allergies (at least 10 foods to avoid) I would love to have help to heal my gut and get rid of these issues.
Hello.
So glad to find this site . We start Gaps as a family in November due to a wedding and a move to southern IL. I started myself on the intro 3 weeks ago and am doing well,. Our Family needs healing inside and out . Really hope we can all encourage one another . Also wondering if there is a help group or a chat group to talk about Gaps. Thank you. Hope to be able to buy a recipe book from here sometime.
Leah
I’m so glad I found this website! Very informative and helpful.
Hi Cara,
I am getting in this post a little late. I think I came to it through Cheeseslave’s block about GAPS. You mentioned above that your little one started out on the small side. Is there any chance you were still nursing at the time? Do you know if that is something I can/should keep up? I am looking to start GAPS after the holiday (that was the request from my 12 yod ~ LOL!!!!) I have an 17 mod on the very small side and she’s still nursing a few times a day. Would breastmilk be considered a good food for each stage? I have questioned the quality of my milk with each baby, as it seems the more I have the worse problems they seem to have. (I have 7, BTW!) I totally prove the research wrong that breastmilk guards again allergies. :( My two oldest were formula fed and are the healthiest kids around. ALL of my breastfed babies have moderate to very severe allergies. I digress. I have been considering weaning my little one (she’s my last so I am holding on a bit longer than the rest.) But if breastmilk is still something I should consider giving her to help stave off alot of weight loss and hunger, I may keep going with it. I was just wonder if there is any chance you might have still been nursing with your littlest one when you started the intro diet? Thanks for any help and insight you can offer. Again, sorry to jump in so late on this post.
God Bless,
Karen
I would love to incorporate the GAP diet within our house but we are vegetarian. I do not see a way to get our protein within many of the steps. Can we substitute beans/legumes for the meat?
I was so excited to get Cara’s What can I eat now e-book, I forgot to use the promo code! What a HUGE help it is even tho I have the gaps book. I am printing the shopping list and taking it to the store.
Question: Is it possible to be candida (systemic) cleansing with oil of oregano (I notice it is even sold on Dr McBride’s site, gapsdietstore.com), while doing the diet. It will kill good and bad flora just like “antibiotics”. Would like to use it but don’t want to screw up diet. Does anyone know?
Hi cara, great website and article. Cara my 2 years old boiy also has eczema and as you know come winter time it gets really bad. Do you have any tips that have worked for you. I cant say i will be goign all out GAPS just yet (but I will recommend to some friends who I know are in need of it) but if there was 3 or 4 tips you could give me that would be great to help with Coop’s eczema?
Thanks for your time, keep up the great work
Grant
For latest information you have to pay a quick visit
the web and on web I found this site as a best web page for most up-to-date updates.