GAPS Guide » Gems from Gottschall & NCM

Neurofibromatosis, ALS, Vision Issues

Baden — Sat, 15 May 2010 14:40:49 +0000

Some readers had asked me about whether GAPS can treat neurofibromatosis, ALS and eye conditions that have progressed to the point of glaucoma, cataracts or macular degeneration.

While I’ve seen GAPS improve eyesight, as well as resolve vision issues related to blood sugar instability, I responded that I did not know the answer to the remaining questions and promised to ask Dr Natasha. Dr Natasha has kindly responded with the following:

I have had no experience with treating neurofibromatosis or ALS/Lou Gehrig’s Disease with GAPS programme, but it is worth a trial, as this programme feeds the nervous system well.

I had a number of patients whose eye sight improved dramatically on GAPS protocol, children and adults with all sorts of eye problems.

For a list of conditions we have seen positively impacted by GAPS, please click here.

“Three Month Flare”

Baden — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:13:33 +0000

Note: A longer discussion regarding unexplained relapses is offered in the book.

In Breaking the Vicious Cycle, Elaine Gottschall explained that no matter how perfectly one does the diet, one may well see periods of relapse: frightening yet temporary returns of old symptoms. Interestingly, this often occurs around the three-month mark. For some, it occurs every three months for some time.

I think my son is one of those people.

Remember that “two apples, two bananas” story I told a few days ago? The pain lasted five days, then ended almost as suddenly as it had started.

I can’t speak for my son, but I know that by the fifth night, I was cracking. I was sobbing and wondering how I was going to take care of this little man for all the terrible years to come…

I do believe the extra fruit triggered the relapse, but this was so beyond beyond beyond… He also had the tell-tale yeast rash on his bum, a mark otherwise unheard of in him.

True to form, when it ended, he was in better shape than ever! His language and expression have improved that much more and, despite our move, he has been profoundly happy, cheerful and easygoing.

I only wish I had realized earlier what was going on because while I knew to remove the excess fruit, if I had really been on the ball, I would have given him way more detox baths –and patience, too.

Again, watch for those 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, etc, marks. You or your child may breeze through them with nary a hitch, but for those that stumble at these momentous points in the Great Pathogen Battle, awareness will give you extra strength, patience and arsenal!

Salicylates & Phenols

Baden — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:09:56 +0000

A lot of folks come to GAPS with quite a bit of experience and knowledge in foods and reactions. From them, we learn that many children with GAPS symptoms display behavioural issues specifically upon ingestion of high-salicylate foods. Thus, the parents remove those foods, some following a formal low-salicylate program.

In her book, Gut and Psychology Syndrome, Dr Natasha Campbell-McBride discusses the matter of salicylates and phenols.

Essentially, she sees these as helpful. In NCM’s perspective, they actively detox the body (hence the reaction). Now, she recognizes that some detox reactions are bigger than a little body can cope with and suggests, in such a case, that the problematic food be removed for up to six weeks, then reintroduced in a minute amount and progressively increased. This way, the body can detox gently and the person can progressively build in a whole new range of foods.

My favourite method for introducing powerful foods is this:

Day 1: 1 tsp

Day 2: None

Day 3: 3 tsps

Day 4: None

Day 5: If no problems, eat this food freely. (Very ill or sensitive people might opt to continue a slow increase.)

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