GAPS INTRO DIET

The six-stage GAPS INTRO DIET (click to enlarge)

The Introduction Diet is tough. With its limited food choices it is not only boring but absolutely and fully challenging for both body and mind, not to mention the spirit, it gets killed in a day or two. You will have to master all your strength and willpower to fight yourself through the INTRO stages.

How does it work? It is the most effective way to restore the damaged gut, to give it the chance to step on the road of healing. One step at a time. When you done with one you can proceed to the next one. How to know when a stage is done? The book isn't clear on this one. It says something like you will feel, you will know. Basically when you have no digestive issues, symptoms, problems, or difficulties you can step to the next stage BUT if you experience any trouble step back and spend more time in the previous stage. Because every person is different and the degree of damage to every gut is different there is no way of telling how long are you stuck in one particular stage. Some people spend two days in the stages, some spend months, so the book says. Not very encouraging, is it?

My story with the Intro Diet. I have started the Introduction Diet after I was comfortable with the whole GAPS concept. I was following the Full GAPS Diet for around 6 to 8 weeks when I started the INTRO. There was broth day and night. On the first two days I felt fine. I felt I can do this for weeks, months if I have to. On the third day it was still manageable but on the forth day I felt like a tiny weak fruit fly and I have spent most of the day lying down. On the fifth day I have found myself gorging on Full GAPS foods. I was eating creamed coconut by the spoon almost 200 grams at one go. My second run ended up the same way. I was ping-ponging between the first and second stage. Eventually I gave up the INTRO DIET, and still gathering the strength to start it all over again.

[i] For GAPS recipe ideas please visit my GAPS recipes selection.