Health and wellness has become a very confusing space. How do we know which diet is best? Supplements: take them or don’t take them? If you take them, don’t buy them from Amazon, so who can you trust? Vegetable oils vs saturated animal fats: that is the question! Vegan vs Carnivore for health. Do we trust what the government tells us to eat is healthy? Or do we trust the stranger on the internet that managed to heal her son with food? When does anecdotal evidence become actual evidence?And that is all just scratching the surface.
If you’ve been here for any amount of time you know that the GAPS diet saved my son, Raleigh’s life. If you are new I will give you the short and sweet version real quick. After trying the western medicine way (drugs and their methods) and seeing Raleigh only get sicker, we put him on the GAPS diet in 2017 for severe eczema, food sensitivities/allergies, edema, and asthma. Raleigh was on the diet for about 6 years before fully coming off and moving to eating along the Weston A Price guidelines. This journey healed him. He no longer suffers from severe eczema, all of his food sensitivities, edema and asthma. GAPS changed our lives.
I’ve been working with clients as a GAPS coach for five years now. Other than finding healing for my son, working with clients is one of the greatest joys for me. I know part of the reason I was called to this task was to help other people in their own personal winters.
My faith has been a big part of this GAPS journey for me. I’m thankful for it – it has carried me. I also know that when I was desperate and searching for answers with a very sick three-year-old boy at my feet, the Lord led me to the GAPS diet. I felt a peace in my spirit and knew it was what He was going to use to heal my son.
I truly believe food is medicine. That is why it is the tag line on my website. I’ve seen food work miracles. I’m obviously a big believer in the GAPS diet, overall, since it did give Raleigh his life back.
So with all the noise out there around everything health and wellness, when you aren’t sure what path to take go back to the basics. What I mean is go back to eating like our ancestors did: meat, fruit, vegetables, saturated animal fat, properly prepared grains. Cut out the processed junk and sugar. I believe food is easily 90% of the battle, maybe more. Access clean water – a natural spring water near you or this is my favorite counter top filtration system. Work on managing stress, get outside, exercise, lift weights, prioritize sleep, and pray. The basics.
Sometimes you need more than this and that is okay. But starting with cleaning up your diet is key. Take things in slowly, make changes slowly. If the GAPS diet is not sustainable yet then just start by cleaning up what you eat and feed your family. You don’t have to change it all today, just make possible today what is possible.
To me, GAPS really quiets the noise of all the health and wellness misinformation because it does just focus on food being the medicine you need. We lean into the food and less on the supplementation. Sometimes supplementation is necessary, and that can be addressed, but starting out with just food is typically best. Give the body the space it needs to heal and it will.
If you’re looking for a way into GAPS but just don’t know how to get started check out my 30 day full GAPS meal plan. The meals are simple and delicious. They are meant to show you just how easy it is to cook GAPS meals and how delicious simple, gut healing food can be.
