AnonymousJuly 16, 2013 at 8:01 PM
Hi Janice,
First, congratulations on your pregnancy! I found your blog during an Internet search on the GAPS diet and autism. I found Sam's story tremendously inspiring. I am considering doing it for my family but am a bit apprehensive, for various reasons. Something that I keep thinking about is that you mentioned your health took a downturn. Would you mind commenting on whether you think the GAPS diet may have contributed to your health challenges? I realize it helped Sam so much, but I am wondering if it could actually be harmful to some?
Many thanks to you for sharing your journey with us!
First, congratulations on your pregnancy! I found your blog during an Internet search on the GAPS diet and autism. I found Sam's story tremendously inspiring. I am considering doing it for my family but am a bit apprehensive, for various reasons. Something that I keep thinking about is that you mentioned your health took a downturn. Would you mind commenting on whether you think the GAPS diet may have contributed to your health challenges? I realize it helped Sam so much, but I am wondering if it could actually be harmful to some?
Many thanks to you for sharing your journey with us!
Anonymous, I cannot be absolutely certain as to what caused my health problems, but I do admit that I suspect the GAPS Diet. My health problems are due to adrenal fatigue. The doctor that diagnosed me suspects that the restricted diet and the stress that goes along with maintaining a restrictive diet could play a large part in wearing down my adrenals. I think that my main problem is that I was on the GAPS Diet for two years and during that time I was pregnant with baby #4, nursing baby #4, had an early miscarriage, and was then newly pregnant with baby #5. I think my pregnant/nursing body just needed more carbs than what I was getting on the GAPS Diet. My body went into starvation mode and my metabolism slowed down to nothing. The adrenal fatigue has effected my thyroid function, my hormonal balance, my energy level, my metabolism, my ability to handle stress...I can't believe how much my body has fallen apart because of this.
I haven't noticed any negative effects on the children. Two years on the GAPS Diet seemed to be extremely beneficial to them. However, my body needed more and I just wasn't getting it on the GAPS Diet. I do believe that it is possible to have a larger amount of carbs and still stick to the GAPS Diet though. However I believe that it would take a deliberate effort to increase those carbs. I still promote the GAPS Diet because I believe that it can be tremendously healing, but I do have to throw a caution in there as well. Looking back, I think that my body would have been better off if I had transitioned off of the GAPS Diet around the 1 year mark.
