Question and Answer Gut and Psychology Syndrome

Question-What disorders are addressed by GAPS?
Answer-Listed below are some of the symptoms and disorders that are very often related to the gut, and that have been greatly impacted by the GAPS diet: ADD, ADHD, learning disabilities, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, asthma, bed wetting, thrush, finicky eaters, chronic ear infections, IBS and intestinal bowel diseases (colitis, crohn’s), multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, type-1 diabetes, chronic cystitis (bladder infection), colic & eczema.

Question-When Does GAPS Begin?
Answer-GAPS children and adults all have digestive problems. Colic, bloating, flatulence, reflux, constipation. The fecal compaction and abnormal bathroom habits results in a rotting gut environment providing the perfect breeding ground for all sorts of parasites, bacteria, fungi, and viruses.

Question-What is GAPS associated with?
Answer-There is an approximate 50% overlap between dyslexia and dyspraxia and a 30-50% overlap between ADHD and dyslexia. In addition, GAPS children frequently suffer from autoimmune disorders such as eczema, allergies, and asthma. Children who suffer from severe eczema in infancy often develop autistic characteristics later in childhood.

Question-What are the main principles of GAPS?
Answer1) Healing the gut- By avoiding all foods that irritate it, and by consuming only foods that will nourish and heal it.

2) Repopulating the gut with beneficial bacteria- This is done by avoiding all foods that feed opportunistic (bad) bacteria/gut flora. As well, high quality probiotic supplements and fermented foods are used to actively repopulate the gut while all this cleansing/starving of the bad bacteria is taking place.

3) Getting rid of toxins- This happens in a number of ways. By limiting the diet to only foods that can be easily digested and eliminated, by strengthening the gut and the beneficial bacteria so that they can deal with toxins thoroughly, and by fresh juicing to speed up the elimination of toxins.

Question-How do toxins affect brain chemistry?
Answer-Detoxifying is one of the most crucial benefits of the GAPS diet. When there is poor digestion of foods, overgrowth of yeast, bad bacteria, fungi, parasites and anything else that stems from gut dysbiosis (an unhealthy, improperly functioning intestinal tract), myriads of dangerous toxins are produced. These toxins are able to alter brain chemistry, cause auto-immune reactions, severely hamper immunity against infections and more.

Question-How do I implement GAPS diet protocols?
Answer-GAPs is a carefully prescribed diet program with multiple stages to facilitate gut healing and symptom improvement over a 6 month-2 year period. It is not a quick fix solution and is best supported with the help of a GAPS educated nutritionist or health practitioner. An overview of the diet stages/program will be presented in this seminar.