GAPS vs Pat's 14 Steps for Healthy Guts

[Tracy McCullough]

Hello!

So I just need some clarification about the best way to go about truly healing a leaky gut and the digestive system. I've read this site fairly thoroughly and lots of the discussions, and Pat's 14 steps make perfect sense to me - eat the most nutrient dense foods and your body will heal itself.

 

My story: I'm 24, dealt with mild acne my whole life and mild-ish digestive issues which I accepted as normal since they didn't bother me that much, such as bloating, loose stools, constipation, etc. This culminated in developing severe acne about two years ago, and I've been trying to holistically heal myself ever since, learning new things every day! 

 

I managed to get rid of my acne completely naturally within three or so months (I assume because I was getting more nutrients than ever before), but I still struggle with mild on and off acne and the digestive problems have never really gone away (well... less constipation now). I now generally try to eat something close to a WAPF style diet - no gluten- no dairy - rarely any soy - rarely any corn - etc. Green smoothies :)

 

Anyway... I realize that I've obviously not done enough to undo the damage to my intestines and I'm preparing myself to embark on a serious gut healing endeavour to heal myself once and for all - I just want to know the best way to do it. 

 

So I've been reading this site and its forums, and I've been reading all about the GAPS diet... what I'm confused about is the issue of "cutting things out" (using WAPF as a baseline here). GAPS obviously cuts out starches, grains, certain beans etc and whatever else is on its list while you heal.

 

From what I have gathered, you (Pat) seem to suggest that you don't need to cut these things out as long as you are getting enough nutrients and probiotics to detoxify your body, as per the 14 steps. Is this correct?? What is your opinion on the GAPS?

 

Also what I'm wondering about is the issue of food sensitivities. From what I (used to) understand, you need to cut the things you've become sensitive to in order to let your gut heal and then reintroduce once you're better. I notice GAPS incorporates this too by utilizing the intro diet and then challenging yourself.

 

So is cutting out food sensitivities still part of the 14 step plan?

 

The reason I ask is because I have never had obvious reactions and have so far only ever been able to tell my food sensitivities by getting tested with a naturopath. I don't have a clue what my current sensitivities may be and I'm curious if it's something I need to even worry about. 

 

Thank you so much!

 

[Pat Robinson]

Tracy, this is an informative read.

Pat

[Jac]

Pat, you mention you are wary of nursing moms on elimination diets becoming nutrient deficient.  This is exactly my concern at this time, as I'm figuring out my 4 month old's food triggers!  You also mentioned you've seen *more* food become triggers through such diets - which also concerns me.  Do you have any specific suggestions for a nursing mother in such a situation?  The nutrient dense diet I was eating before my daughter's birth has been turned on its head and I'm feeling lost at sea :). Thanks!  (mama to Phoenix and Zia)

Pat Robinson said:

Tracy, I don't really know the answer to your question.  I trust that each individual is on her own healing journey and has different priorities.  For myself, I was able to identify food intolerances after my son was born and his reactions were a clue about MY food intolerances.  I wished I'd heard of many of the healing foods long before pregnancy --- alas, we live and learn. :-)

I have only skimmed through the GAPS protocol.  I bought the book finally about 6 months ago and really want to read through it!  But I have read many people referencing GAPS (and every other diet under the sun) over the years on Mothering.com.  Then, I would research the nutritional benefits of individual suggestions.

Originally, I coined the 14 steps as a tool for a mom on a budget looking for an 'affordable, high quality multi-vitamin supplement'.  I prefer nutrient-dense foods, instead.  I don't claim that those foods alone, alongside a SAD will "cure" anyone of anything.  However, I do believe that the nutrient-dense foods will replace many of the empty (and toxic) calories and cravings, address microbial imbalances, and nourish the body's ability to heal itself.

Many people have reported significant benefits from "The GAPS Protocol".  Just eliminating food toxins will help most people!  Personally, I'm not keen on experts and "cure-alls" and dogma/rules.  LOL   So, I don't believe that GAPS (or any "diet") would fit in my life.  However, if you find that the food eliminations would be helpful to identifying your food triggers, that sounds helpful, imo.  We learned our triggers through strict food awareness and food eliminations while our son was a nursing infant.  Many people seem to prefer an "GAPS Approved" and "Not GAPS Approved" list of foods, as a starting point.

In retrospect, ten years ago, I didn't know much about creating nutrient deficiencies or choosing nutrient-dense foods. I gravitated toward salmon, lamb, seafood, sweet potatoes, eggs, butter, asparagus, chicken and rice and ate a lot of that for a couple of years. Fortunately, those provided a lot of the critical nutrients we needed: Omega 3, vit A and D, folate, iron, proteins and were gluten/dairy-free.  I probably didn't focus enough on including fruits and veggies as I was most concerned about macro-nutrients: proteins and fats.  I lost a lot of weight, detoxing into my breastmilk, I imagine.  And I have amalgam (silver mercury) fillings which increased our toxin exposure.

So, as a young woman, without an intention to conceive within a year, I might do a strict GAPS food elimination for a short while.  But, I'm frequently concerned when I see nursing moms (and kids) doing extensive food elimination diets for longer than a few months.  Often, nutrient deficiencies develop and then MORE food intolerances snowball as a result.  I've seen prolonged and increasing food intolerances develop in many, many people on elimination diets!  Additionally, nutrient deficiencies lead to toxin excretion concerns, as does caloric-restrictions. 

[We store toxins in our fat and release the toxins into blood circulation, as we lose weight. During this process, we need MORE (and specific) nutrients to safely and effectively remove the toxins from the body, rather than just mobilizing and redepositing them. Food restrictions can lead to nutrient deficiencies. Thus a cascade of issues.]

Gluten is often ignored as a huge inflammatory culprit and an unwillingness to avoid gluten (or dairy) is a whole other paradigm than GAPS.  So, the 14 steps are helpful even for people who are consuming a SAD and trying to heal.  I don't believe any "diet" is a panacea; but the body is amazingly resilient.  The 14 steps are ways to ADD nutrient-dense foods, for improved gut health.  I'm not sure there is a measurable "healed gut" endpoint. The closer I eat to our ancestral diets, the healthier I feel!  I've been pondering raw meat, for instance.  I've found that food is much more than culture, nutrients and toxins.  The more I learn, the broader my exploration of food becomes. 

I don't believe there is One.Right.Diet. for everyone.  I trust that you can listen to your body for messages.  I would just caution about nutrient deficiencies developing on strict food elimination diets for any duration, without a strong focus on ADDing nutrient-dense foods.  Again, many people don't want to eliminate large groups of food (such as dairy, wheat, corn, soy, grains, legumes, salicylates, phenols, oxalates, goitrogens...the list goes on and on!) - but the 14 steps will help them, in my experience.

On the other hand, many people want "The Right Answer" and many diet gurus will tell you their diet is the panacea.  Maybe it is, but (vegan, raw, cooked, paleo, wapf, gaps, Mediterranean, weight watchers, low fat, high fat, low carb, low cholesterol, macrobiotic, localavore, fruitarian, vegetarian, body ecology, failsafe, GFCF, cleanses, HCG, Hallelujah diet, sugar-free, fasting, candida, detox, Atkins, Blood Type, Gerson, ketogenic, juice fast, etc. etc.) dogma doesn't work for me.

I understand wanting a short-cut of 'How To' healing tools.  There are many variables to health, including the toxins from our environment (water, pharmaceuticals, food additives, air pollutions), our beliefs and emotions, and our genetics (and sunshine, sleep, exercise and the love vitamin).  ;-)  But, those variables become clearer, and more complicated, the more we listen to our body.  To me, food is a journey, not a prescription. 

 

Bottom line, the 14 steps is not a "diet".  I don't believe in diets, personally.  They seem to be an external expert for YOUR body.  I trust that each person is the expert for her own body!

Pat