Going Forward

After transitioning into the full GAPS diet, many people wonder when they can go back to their old way of eating. The short answer is, never. The full GAPS diet is intended to become your everyday way of eating. Once dysbiosis has been established in your gut, you’ll generally always need to avoid certain foods like refined sugars and grain, especially if you had a severe condition. The good news is that there are many more foods you can eat compared to those you can’t eat. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you move forward.

Milestone 1 The 80/20 Rule

3 TO 6 MONTHS INTO THE DIET Most people try to shoot for 80 percent GAPS, 20 percent “cheating” in their menu. Keep in mind, if you’re cheating with high-trigger foods like sugar and grains, you definitely run the risk of a full relapse. You’ll probably find that the risk isn’t worth it. Stay alert to digestive changes, and if a digestive flare-up is severe, you might want to go back to stage 1 or 2 for a few days to let things settle down again. Most people find that with the wide variety of delicious foods available, it’s better to stick with full GAPS and enjoy a symptom-free life.

Milestone 2 Testing Food Intolerances

6 MONTHS INTO THE DIET By now you’ve determined your food allergies, sensitivities, and intolerances. After about 6 months of symptom-free eating, you might want to try to reintroduce foods you were sensitive to. You can begin by trying the Food Sensitivity Test. If you have no irritation, try a small amount of the food and wait to see if any of your symptoms return. If you’re still sensitive, continue to avoid the food.

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Braised Beef Burgers are a tasty, juicy, and healing burger option.

Milestone 3 Reintroducing Dairy

6 MONTHS INTO THE DIET If you had a previous dairy intolerance, you might want to try to reintroduce it after 6 months on the full GAPS diet with no digestive symptoms. Here’s how:

1 Start by using ghee.

2 If you have no digestive flare-ups for 6 weeks, move on to butter.

3 If butter is tolerated, try homemade cultured cream. Start slowly, with 1 or 2 tablespoons, and build up to 1 or 2 cups per day, again waiting 6 weeks and looking for any signs of digestive distress.

4 The next step is kefir, using the same method of starting with 1 or 2 tablespoons and increasing to 1 or 2 cups per day.

5 If you tolerate kefir, you may begin with cheddar or Parmesan cheese, having a small amount with a meal and seeing how you react over the next 3 to 5 days.

6 If all goes well, you may begin to add other GAPS-legal cheeses, always using your food journal to see what effect the new foods may have on your body.

If, along this path, you react to any food, eliminate it and do not progress any further. You always can try again in 6 more months. Your gut might need more healing time, but it could be that you have a true allergy to dairy rather than an intolerance. Consult a medical professional if you suspect this is the case.

Milestone 4 Doing Another Intro

1 YEAR INTO THE DIET Many people choose to do a round of the introduction diet once or twice a year to shore up their gut lining, which can be compromised by abuse of the 80/20 rule or by other stressors. You can repeat the intro diet as often as needed, taking time off between to enjoy the full GAPS diet. Keep in mind that prolonged restricted diets can put you in danger of getting bored and frustrated and falling into binge behavior, which will make things worse rather than better.

Food Sensitivity Test

SKIN TEST

To test for a food sensitivity, follow these steps. (This test is best for liquid foods.)

1 Put a drop of the test food on the inside of your forearm before going to bed. If it’s a solid food, mix it with a bit of water.

2 Leave the food overnight, and check the spot the next morning. If it’s red and irritated, it’s likely not tolerated.

PULSE TEST

Alternatively, you can do a pulse test. (This is handy for foods that aren’t easy to skin test.)

1 Sit down, take a deep breath, and record your pulse for 1 full minute.

2 Take a bite of the food in question and chew it (but do not swallow it) for 30 seconds.

3 Take your pulse again for another full minute.

4 If your pulse has raised by 6 beats or more, the food is likely not tolerated. Spit out the food, rinse your mouth, and wait for your 1-minute pulse reading to return to normal before testing other foods.

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