Webster’s dictionary defines the word “gap” as “a pass or way through a range of hills.” I am writing my story after following the GAPS diet protocol for one full year.
I decided to write on this day to share my story of healing – my path through the hills.
For those of you who are not familiar, GAPS stands for Gut and Psychology Syndrome, the bestselling book written by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride MD. It is a natural digestive healing program.
It has been used to successfully treat many diseases/conditions including Crohn’s disease, Ulcerative Colitis, IBS, Autism, ADHD/ADD, Allergies, Depression, Anxiety, Asthma, Eczema, Schizophrenia, and more.
The GAPS Diet protocol rebuilds the gut by healing the damaged and permeable gut lining. This is the root cause of autoimmune diseases.
Managing Ulcerative Colitis With Drugs
At the time, I was receiving Remicade infusions for the management of Ulcerative Colitis.
I had been dealing with this for over 10 years.
Ulcerative Colitis is a type of inflammatory bowel disease characterized by abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea.
Remicade is not a “treatment; it only manages the symptoms; therefore, it does not address the root problem.
To manage and “hide” symptoms throughout those years, I went through the typical pyramid of conventional medications, beginning with Asacol, Colazol, and Prednisone.
Finally, Remicade was prescribed when a major flare-up landed me in the ER. In the hospital, I was first given the highest dosage of IV Prednisone possible in an attempt to stop the bleeding and cramping.
When that wasn’t successful, they told me the only other option besides surgery was Remicade, an intravenous drug that suppresses the immune system.
It had just recently been approved for Ulcerative Colitis when previously it was only approved for Crohn’s Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis.
At the time, I had never heard of Remicade but I desperately wanted to stop the pain and bleeding so I started infusions in the hospital. I was soon released with directions for further Remicade infusions and a very high dosage of oral prednisone. In about three weeks surrounding my hospital stay, I lost about 15 pounds but I was encouraged by my doctors that the Remicade would get me better.
In time, I slowly tapered off prednisone and per the advice of my gastro-intestinal (GI) doctor, I began taking Mercaptopurine/6MP (another immuno-suppressant drug).
The Remicade indeed “managed” and hid my Ulcerative Colitis symptoms.
Fortunately, I was able to wean off the Mercaptopurine/6MP. This medication is not safe for fetuses and I eventually planned to have a child.
I remained on the Remicade infusions (a 3- hour intravenous process administered in an outpatient hospital setting).
I received these infusions every 8-9 weeks, continuing without any signs of symptoms.
According to the world of conventional medicine, it appeared that I was doing well with my health and Ulcerative Colitis. I had no signs whatsoever of my disease and I went through college and early adulthood “healthy”.
Unfortunately, this is the typical approach by our conventional healthcare system today – give the drug that hides the symptoms to make you forget that your body is at war underneath. And so, I was only reminded of my disease when I went in for my infusions, the drug that disguised my body’s ill state.
Remicade managed my symptoms, bleeding, and abdominal pain. However, I soon realized that I wanted out of the “managing symptoms cycle”.
You may be wondering why would I want to risk flaring, risk spending more time in a hospital, risk more pain and bleeding, and risk facing many health uncertainties.
There were several reasons that surfaced. First, I usually felt “uneasy” during infusions. It’s a difficult feeling to describe.
I never had any allergic reactions to Remicade and so I never needed to prep the infusion by taking other medications that other patients required. Following infusions, I usually felt a little “out of it” and I usually didn’t plan much for the remainder of the day.
So although I never had any direct reactions to the infusion, throughout the years, I became even more troubled at infusion times.
I also had the “uneasy” feeling (it sort of felt like a string was being pulled within my stomach) when I thought about my hidden disease and what my body was going through underneath the Remicade mask.
I guess that was my gut giving me a sign that something wasn’t right. This wasn’t the way to deal with my body’s ill state for the rest of my life.
I tried explaining my feelings when my Gastro-Intestinal (GI) doctor asked me “Why?” when I approached him regarding my desire to heal myself naturally and get off drugs.
I had just begun the health coaching certification program through The Institute for Integrative Nutrition and I wanted to jump on the right track and embark on my own journey for true health.
In addition to the “uneasy gut feeling,” the possible effects of Remicade are very serious. They can include a weakened immune system, infection, liver damage, tuberculosis, and lymphoma (cancer); not to mention the unknown long-term side effects since Remicade was only approved in 1998.
My answer to his question was that I wanted to address the core problem and heal the chaos that my body was experiencing while hidden under the meds. I also was extremely terrified of all the side effects and the unknown future ramifications of the medications.
Remicade is classified as chemo-therapy when billed to an insurance company (each infusion costs about thousands of dollars!) My GI doctor seriously recommended that I continue Remicade.
He cautioned that if I were to stop infusions, I could build resistance and it would not be effective the next time. It was odd to me that he questioned why I would want to stop a “treatment” that was successful.
His approach was to keep his patients on Remicade as long as his patients don’t develop an immediate reaction.
Well, I don’t consider that successful. He also said that he didn’t know about any natural treatments.
He then said that IF I chose to stop Remicade, he wanted me to transition to another oral anti-inflammatory medication.
Of course, that medication came along with another list of side effects. Obviously, we weren’t on the same page and not even in the same book!
My objective was to heal my disease without the dangerous medications that are pushed upon patients too quickly every day. I wasn’t worried about building resistance to Remicade because I knew I wanted to stop putting that poison in my body and never go back.
I decided that I wasn’t going to receive the support that I needed from him. That was the last time that I saw a GI “specialist.”
My Search for Natural Healing
So, that brought me to my search for natural healing.
The role of food, which passes through our digestive system several times a day, was NEVER discussed during the 10-plus years dealing with Ulcerative Colitis.
I was told that I would have to manage the disease by taking medicines for the rest of my life. My former GI doctor mentioned that certain foods may trigger a flare-up but it is different for everyone. I was never questioned about my regular food intake.
Gluten is a well-known digestive irritant but I was never tested for a gluten allergy until I requested the test.
The test came back negative but that didn’t matter to me. I suspected gluten sensitivity in my body. After removing gluten from my diet, the chronic knee pain that I experienced for years dramatically decreased.
I found it very hard to believe that food didn’t play a major role in our gut health. But that is what we are told by most physicians.
Through the program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, I was introduced to the teachings of Weston A. Price and the true meaning of health with traditional, nutrient-dense, and real foods.
I immersed myself in that lifestyle and approach to life and health. It resonated very deeply with me and my body.
Even though I did not return to my GI doctor, I decided to continue with infusions until I had a clear plan for healing. It was during a Wise Traditions Conference that a good friend talked to me about the GAPS program. She was about to begin it for her own personal healing.
After reading and learning more about it after the conference, I decided that it would be my path to healing.
Next, I consulted with Dr. Thomas Cowan, a physician who utilized the GAPS healing program. We determined how I would taper off Remicade meanwhile implementing the GAPS diet program.
GAPS Diet Heals Ulcerative Colitis
So, I prepared for GAPS. Fortunately, I was living the traditional food lifestyle already, so the transition wasn’t as shocking as I can imagine it could be.
However, there were still many procedures, routines, and foods that the GAPS diet highly stresses and I needed time to consistently incorporate them into my life. After a few months of preparing, I started the GAPS Introduction phase.
As I look back at this year on GAPS, the food aspect was of course challenging. Obstacles, trials, and of days of utter frustrations with food were always present.
It wasn’t easy.
I remember staring often into my refrigerator and thinking “I have nothing to eat!” even though I just spent HOURS preparing food ahead for several days.
Sometimes, especially in the beginning, I just got tired of stock and ferments. One time, I had a minor breakdown over acorn squash! I couldn’t find jars full of acorn squash that I had roasted over the weekend.
I prepared them ahead of time so that I would have some ready for meals during my busy work week. Oh, that was a fun morning, when I realized that I would just need to cook and prepare even MORE food than I already had in the previous days.
I remember bawling to my cat, Lewis, saying “I just don’t want to MAKE any MORE food!”
That happened often in the beginning. Also, a GAPS girl always has to be prepared!
Traveling with lunch bags/coolers, thermoses full of homemade stocks and soups, and my trusty mini-crockpot to reheat homemade meals in hotels was (and still is) a must!
There were many times when I just wanted to have some gluten-free bread (grains are not allowed on GAPS). I often thought, what would happen if I just had one piece? Or what if I just had some roasted sweet potatoes?
Those thoughts definitely flew around in my mind. It was in those times, I had to dig even deeper, and envision my life healed and free of medications. I refocused and kept on.
The most challenging aspect of GAPS, especially during the first 8 months, was my body’s unknown reaction in reference to my previous symptoms.
I had NO clue what to expect while tapering off Remicade in addition to introducing a limited food regimen.
Questions such as “Will my symptoms return?”, “What will I do if they return?”, “Am I ready to possibly go through those severe symptoms again?”, “Will I be able to work?”
Since I had not experienced any symptoms since being on Remicade several years earlier, this was very scary for me. I had read several successful testimonials about healing digestive disease with the GAPS program.
I even found a new friend, a former patient of Dr. Cowan, who healed her Crohn’s disease with GAPS. She was and still is a great support throughout my GAPS journey. However, I was unable to find someone that decided to completely forgo “successful conventional treatment” (which was managing the symptoms of digestive disease) and choose natural healing when symptoms weren’t at all present.
All of the testimonies and stories that I encountered thus far were about taking on the GAPS program while symptoms were present and conventional medications were not managing symptoms. It was scary and I was in the dark.
While I began to taper off Remicade and start the GAPS program, I was also finishing up my health coaching program at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I was working on building my health coaching business.
I had a lot on my plate, literally!
At the same time, I knew I needed to rest and let my body figure out how to heal. I remember countless days on end (I called them “healing weekends”) when I experienced setbacks. I stayed in the house, wore my pajamas for days, looked a wreck, slept, drank stock, sat in the sun, and didn’t do much at all.
My energy was greatly affected and I lost about 14 pounds; definitely not weight I needed to lose! However, I kept on with my journey, one day at a time, keeping my heart on true healing. I continued on and I began to see improvement.
While I once managed symptoms with the icy cold Remicade infusions, I was now finding true health through the warmth of the deeply nourishing homemade stocks.
Drug-Free At Last
It has been quite a year on GAPS. With any natural healing process, there are ups and downs, plateaus, and hills. It’s a long road. So far, through it all, I can say today that I am doing very well and I trust in my heart and gut, that this is the path for me. I have regained most of my lost weight — a sign of healing.
From the extra nourishing GAPS diet, my triglycerides are a record low! By the way, I am consuming a ton of fats! My energy has also increased. I remain on GAPS and I plan to do so in order to heal completely. I know that I have come a long way but I have more healing to go.
In addition to more gut healing, loads of pharmaceutical drugs throughout the years took a toll on other aspects of my health and GAPS will help in regaining balance with those aspects as well.
As I look forward, I am positive and full of thankfulness. I am so appreciative of all the support from my friends and family this past year.
Their continued love and support have been a tremendous reason for my success so far. In addition, Dr. Cowan’s continuous guidance has been nothing short of supportive and genuine care.
I hope that my story has inspired you to take a step toward natural healing. I truly believe that anyone can take back their health.
If you or anyone you know is dealing with any of the conditions I mentioned at the beginning of my story, I encourage you to read the book Gut and Psychology Syndrome by Dr. Natasha McBride.
While it is slow progress, it is REAL progress and TRUE healing. It is extremely worthwhile. I wake up and I know that pharmaceuticals aren’t masking my body’s signs and feelings.
We all deserve to be well and to experience optimal health. We CAN get to that place naturally, without pharmaceuticals, with the strength of our bodies and heart, and with REAL, nourishing foods Let your healing journey begin!
For an update on this inspiring story, click here!
More Information
GAPS Diet: Heal Your Autoimmune Disease Now
Overwhelmed by the GAPS Diet? Help Has Arrived
FPIES: Resolving the “Other” Food Allergy
How to Speed Healing and Shorten Time on the GAPS Diet
The Five Most Common GAPS Diet Mistakes
Hannah’s Story: 2 Years on GAPS Diet Heals Autism
Chronic Stomach Pain and Bloating Gone!
hi everyone, I don’t want to sound too dramatic but i am 4th week into Gaps intro, doing everything by the book and feeling generally good. so 2 days ago decided to take myself off salofalk (canasa) suppositories since didn’t have any blood for a week and guess what only 2 days off and already i’m getting blood even without BM. i feel deflated and like I’ve done all that work for nothing. does it mean the diet is not for me or am doing something wrong or should i find another way to deal with my UC. I know it is such a negative post but i feel really down right now
Hi Iana – You don’t sound too dramatic, this is a tough journey. Try not to beat yourself up about the blood returning. It doesn’t mean that you’ve “done all that work for nothing”. There are always bumps in road, and it’s rarely a steady uphill climb. It’s not to say that GAPS isn’t a part of your healing journey, and it’s also not to say that other things can’t be a part as well. I know that sounds very general but as a health coach, I don’t feel comfortable providing recommendations through this post, since everyone is different and there are many pieces to look at when one is going through this. I’d be glad to help you on an individualized, personal basis off this post. It’s hard to say if it was perhaps too soon to go off the canasa. Also, even with doing GAPS “by the book”, everyone is different, so there can be some areas in which need more focus for different people. Hang in there! Again, I’d be glad to coach you along more personally if you’d like.
Lana- I suffered with ulcerative colitis for many years-massive doses of prednisone, etc. Please contact me- I am sure I can help! (I am not trying to sell you anything- won’t cost you a penny.) Do not despair-it WILL get better.
M Stormont, BS, RN [email protected]
Hi Gina, Thanks for sharing your encouraging story. I wanted to ask what you think about the amount of carbohydrates on GAPS for a child healing from UC or Crohn’s? We’ve been given advice that it is too low carb for children but only OK for adults to do the diet. A dietician told us OK to do the diet but to add bread or potatoes.
What do you think about this low carb aspect on GAPS for children?
Hi Claire – You are most welcome. Also, that is a very good question. The GAPS diet is not intended to be low carb. That’s one of the many mis-interpretpations about the protocol. If one really knows the GAPS diet, they know it’s not low carb. It DOES however take out certain carbohydrates, the complex ones that are offenders to the gut in distress. GAPS is NOT GAPS if there are breads/grains and potatoes involved – those are offenders to a distressed gut! The way I coach is to make sure that is understood (along with other mis-understandings) and applied as it can be very confusing. So, again, GAPS is not supposed to be low carb – any practitioner/dietician that thinks that and gives advice like that does not understand GAPS and in my opinion, shouldn’t be providing guidance about the diet. I hope that helps! .
Thanks Gina for your clear reply. I think the problem is most people out there iew carbs as mainly potatoes/grains. I understand fruit/veg and honey have carbs but do the equal as much carbs as potatoes/grains?
How many GAPS carbs do you think should be eaten to not be low carb?
Also is it true that children need a higher percentage of carbs than adults? (as was implied by the dietician).
Many thanks. I really appreciate your reply.
That’s absolutely a problem – that most people see carbs solely as potatoes/grains, they don’t know nutrition. If particular carbohydrate rich foods are hard on the gut (which they are when they contain multiple sugars that the gut usually has a hard time digesting, especially in those showing GAPS symptoms), then it does not serve the body at all to force those carbohydrates to the body..it’s like trying to put a square peg in a round hole…it’s not serving the body any benefit. The body can’t digest it, it’s taxing on the gut, therefore not serving the purpose of healing the gut! The amount of carbohydrates “needed” depends on the person. GAPS needs to be tailored and individualized for the person. One can move through it accordingly depending on how their body is speaking to them…I hope this helps more. Again too, the GAPS diet is generally 1-2 years commitment, but sometimes younger ones respond sooner….Still need to heal the gut but sometimes it’s quicker than an adult who has suffered for 10+ years!
Hi Lakshmi – I can understand your feelings. It is tough to understand the deeper meaning but it comes along with the transitions. I’d be glad to help you individually in personalized sessions. If you connect with me off this blog post we can talk about working together. I help my clients with GAPS, both in working up to GAPS and through it. It’s a challenge, but completely doable and I would be glad to guide you in your recovery and start your life fresh. Best wishes for health Lakshmi.
Hi,
I am 28, and diagnosed with UC in Mar 2013. I had no symptoms and started having bloody stools on a Monday morning and that has taken a toll over my life. I have a 14 month old daugher and I feel sad that I am not able to enjoy or spend time with her because of my illness. I feel very tired and some days sick due to excessive gas and bleeding. I love being a mom, wife and a daughter! I love to cook and now I cry that I am not able to eat anything. I am a vegetarian and have already taken away dairy products out of my diet. I really need help so I can heal with this illness. GI specialist prescribed 3 800mg Asacol initially and when that didnt help he increased from 3 to 5. Even taking 5 tablets didnt change a bit and hence started on Uceris. The symptoms go down for a few days/weeks and come back up even if there is no change in diet. I am frustrated, scared and feel helpless. I want to look into GAPS diet and start my life fresh! Please advice.
Lakshmi
Hi Gina, i started the GAPS today with chicken broth and chicken and i am already in trouble – i developed pretty bad diarrhea with a lot of mucus and a little blood. i just want to ask is it normal for the first day? is my body just getting used to fats? do i still proceed for a few days with just broth and meat or do i add some vegies?
thank you so much for answering my questions as i am pretty new to the whole thing i feel lost most of the time.
Hi Iana – I would need to know much more to be able to guide you here. I totally understand the lost feeling as that’s why I do what I do! As you can imagine, it’s quite individualized so I work with my clients in individual private coaching sessions to be able to fully know what’s going on (detailed history, detailed symptoms, detailed application of the diet with methods/procedures etc, preparation steps, etc), which goes far beyond this blog and that isn’t on the website or online. The online outlines are just that – a general outline. I’d be happy to help you through it but to be able to help the best I encourage you to message me directly off this blog so we can communicate more effectively and efficiently. Very generally speaking, there is usually some adjustment period that looks differently for different people but there may be some things to tweak specifically for you depending on other things. Again, I would need to know more in order to guide you the best. I can also share the detailed experiences that myself and other clients have had too to help even more with relatedness. Thanks for your understanding and again, I’d be glad to help you further. [email protected]
Thank you Gina, i am going to try the diet just need to find where i can get the book or a complete plan. i am going to see naturopath but it’s going to be next saturday. currently i am day 2 on water fasting, just trying to give gut a rest.
Best of luck of course. http://www.gapsdiet.com has an outline online too. If you need any guidance through it, you can reach out to me. I often guide clients through it:)
Hi everyone, i am so glad that i found this site. i feel like i am drowning in all information that is completely different from each other, some say go on this diet, others say it doesn’t work try another one. i’ve been diagnozed with UC a month ago, have prescription for steroids but never used them, had solofalk supposeties prescribed but only used it for 5 days – it did stop the bleeding, but as soon i stopped it the bleeding came back along with urgency and mucus. today i was informed that i have helicobacter in my stomach. i have pretty bad pain in the upper stomach when i eat therefore i was on the diet of eggs, chicken, kefir and veg juice for the whole month. i am sick of inability to eat, pain and blood and willing to try anything. my question is will the GAPS diet help with helicobacter as well or do i still need to take antibiotics?
thank you for all the information you posted it really helps to know that i am not alone
Hi Iana. I feel your frustrations! The GAPS diet aims to re-balance gut flora. The fact that helicobacter has been able to thrive in your gut is indicative of the need of building up of the good guys. If I were you, I probably would see if the GAPS diet helps, before resorting to the antibiotics. Another additional thought – Perhaps a naturopath in your area has a natural herbal option too for the helicobacter?
I just read this whole page and all the comments- approaching my fourth infusion of remicade, on the 21st, im thinking there has to be something to “fix” me. Im home early from work today because for some reason my stomach went hay-wire. My manager doesn’t understand it, and i just wish there was something more i could do. I was diagnosed my senior year of high school, been to 5 GI docs and finally found a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic to alleviate some of my issues. Im miles from where i was a year ago, but still have issues traveling…making long trips and dealing with dietary inconsistancies…suggestions? How does this work..im at that “willing to try anything” point just to feel decent again.
Mel, it’s awesome that you are at this point. It was when I got to the point of saying “I’m going to do whatever it takes to get well”, that things started to turn around for me.
Try the GAPS diet. It involves some commitment, but you have the motivation, it certainly won’t hurt you and will probably help.
Hi Mel, I completely hear and feel your frustration and pain. It’s hard for people to understand digestive disease unless they’ve been through it. I am so blessed to have been down that road and then healed so that I can help others in their own journey towards recovery. I see so many great things from people making the decision to go through GAPs. I can help and guide you if you’d like – feel free to email me. I completely believe that GAPS is a well-deserved shot. Like Susan said, it certainly won’t hurt and as you can see from so many comments that it helps and has the capability of changing your life, as it did with me. Best wishes, hang in there and most of all, know that there is another way for you.
Donna, it’s terrific that you have found this information so early in your diagnosis. I have Crohn’s too, am in Australia and am doing GAPS with a family. I’ve already been through surgery and I wish I had found GAPS before then.
Send me an email (you can contact me through the site linked to my name) and I would be happy to share more details with you about how to implement the diet and how it has helped me.
Chin up! It’s going to get better from here. 🙂
Thanks for your support Donna!
I have just reading this entire page and comment thread and am crying my eyes out with a combination of fear, relief and recognition. I was diagnosed with Crohns in December and in the short time since have been on mezalazine (salofalk) prednisone, and mercaptapurine (I’m in Australia but I think they are the same names) with limited success. My specialist is now talking about the iv drug which I think is the same as remicide and surgery as the only options remaining to me. This terrifies me! I’m 26 by the way. I have been researching diet and lifestyle changes for a few weeks now and stumbled across GAPS online. My concern is if I make the change (which at this point I’m fairly sure I will) how do I integrate it with my husband and two year old? I am going to buy the book tomorrow to read but from what I have read online I will need to do the introduction diet to heal my gut. Do I wait until I’m on the full diet and then slowly introduce GAPS friendly food for the rest of the family? Thanks for taking the time to read this, I’m slightly terrified of the magnitude of this all but no where near ad much as I am of major abdominal surgery before I’m 30 🙂
Hi Donna – Deep breath. I understand where you are right now. The good thing is that you know of another way. When I was presented with stronger meds as the only options, I didn’t know anything about dietary approaches. Many of my clients come to me with the fear of this situation but also the uncertainty on how to truly make it a lifestyle transition for themselves and their family. It’s definitely challenging but start introducing GAPS friendly food to the family as you embark on your transition. It may not mean that they are doing exactly the same meals/foods as you are but that they are incorporating them in. OR, you could just cook GAPS foods/meals for everyone. I do want to say that the GAPS food lifestyle is very beneficial for many people, not just those with digestive disease. The principles and main pieces of GAPS (ferments, homemade stocks/broths, fats) will be wonderful for your family also. I coach people through this, so if you need more individualized support, be sure to reach out to me. Wishing you the best of health, recovery and healing!