Gaps Giving Me Trouble

[Strawberry-Jam]

hello GAPS enthusiasts.

I bought the book, read it, and believed it, then tried to start the diet on Monday. I'm still eating things here and there that aren't GAPS legal because I need to finish my food that I have and not waste it.

Nevertheless, I started out grand, making a stock from some joint and marrow bones, a heart and a tongue, then cutting up all the tissues and pouring out the marrow and adding them to a soup with butternut squash, a swede, carrots, and garlic. The original intent was to do the introduction diet by eating this pot of soup all week until it was gone then making a new one.

Because the book is all FAT IS GOOD FOR YOU EAT FAT, I didn't strain any of the fat out of the broth. Which means it gives me D, because eating too much fat gives me D.

I don't have time to make my own fermentation until the weekend, where I can start a sauerkraut (can't do dairy), but I did start a 10-strain probiotic and the cod liver oil. I also supplement with HCl and pepsin since I found that doing that significantly reduced my reflux even before this point.

how long on GAPS till I can digest fat and not have D? should I strain out the fat, cut fatty bits off, and remove the skin for a while until I can handle more fat?

I reallyreally want to do GAPS because I think the book described my own personal case pretty well, but the diet is hard enough to stick to (no eating out, cooking every day, nothing easy like buckwheat pancakes). If it gives me D maybe I don't want to stick to it >_>

[Skylark]

GAPS is driving me crazy. It's HARD. I love the fermented veggies and I'm an expert at bone broth now though. I can tolerate the fat so don't know what to tell you there. I had trouble sticking to the diet when I was traveling over Christmas, and when I am hanging out with friends. It's even harder because I am reacting to dairy so I'm practically on paleo.

Here's stuff from the gaps FAQ.

What is your advice for those of us who suffer from nausea after eating moderate amounts of fat with meals? What causes this and what are the immediate and long-term remedies?

Please, read the sections on gallstones and liver. When you are unable to release bile for fat digestion, you may feel nauseous and find it difficult to digest fats. Take ox bile with your meals for a while and introduce fats gradually. Eating fermented vegetables with your meals, particularly at the beginning of your meals will also help.

What liver support would you recommend for GAPS patients? Many patients report struggling with congested / toxic livers adding to digestive problems such as constipation and fat digestion.

Please look at the question on gallstones. GAPS people usually have lots of gallstones blocking the bile ducts. Without good flow of the bile we cannot digest fats. Three measures over time will remove the stones and restore normal bile flow. Juicing is one, particularly apple, celery and green juices. Adding some herbs to your juices will support the liver: fresh dandelion leaves, roots and flowers, burdock leaves and a little ginger root. Coffee enemas are the number two: this procedure makes the liver cleanse itself and flush the toxins out through the bile, removing the stones at the same time. Third - good amounts of fat in every meal: the fat stimulates the bile flow and removes the bile stones on a daily basis. If initially you are unable to digest fat, start from a small amount with every meal and gradually increase: use both animal fats and cold pressed oils. In the initial stages supplementing Ox Bile with every meal will help you to digest fats (you should be able to find supplements of ox bile with some additional digestive enzymes from most multi-supplement companies). There are herbal supplements for liver support on the market containing milk thistle, dandelion, phyllanthus, liquorice, burdock and other herbs. It is important to complete the Introduction Diet first before trying these supplements; it is also very important to find a supplier of good quality organic herbs to make sure that the herbs have not been grown in areas contaminated with lead or other industrial pollution.