Fix Your Brain by Repairing Your Gut

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One of the best things you can do for recovery of chronic illness, whether it’s an autoimmune disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, cancer or pretty much every other affliction, is to repair your gut.

With chronic illness comes a lot of brain fog, and by now, you’ve probably heard of the gut-brain connection.

For more than 15 years, I was somewhat vegetarian. For animal products, I ate eggs, dairy, and seafood. Later on, it was seafood only, until 2014.

It had been a long time since I’d eaten land animals, so when my naturopath suggested that I try out the GAPS diet (GAPS = Gut and Psychology Syndrome), I had to think very hard about it because its main features were meat broth and bone broth.

I did some reading about it and found that GAPS was coined by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride. She found that there was a correlation of children with autism and a damaged gut. She also found correlations between a damaged gut and other illnesses, such as neurological and psychiatric conditions, ADHD, and schizophrenia.

After reading that and taking a hard look at where my health was going at the time (downhill), I decided I would do it.

Abandoning Vegetarianism

When it came to meat, I decided I would start eating it for just the amount of time the GAPS diet suggests you do the meal plans, a minimum of about six weeks. I thought to myself, Maybe after that I will go vegetarian again.

Well, I have to say that doing the GAPS diet was one of the best moves I have ever made when it comes to getting better.

Luckily, I had my mom to help me out in the beginning – she was a wizard in the kitchen and wasn’t afraid of handling raw meat, so I let her do her thing in our kitchen and cook for me. (Actually, I think she was excited that she and I could finally eat some of the same stuff again).

The six weeks proved beneficial, so I stayed on the full GAPS diet after that (there are stages of the diet where you cut out a lot in the beginning, without starving yourself, as a way to give your gut a break. Then, you reintroduce various foods at a time until you’re on the ‘full’ GAPS diet).

A Continuing Process

Nowadays, I stick mostly to GAPS or some combination of GAPS, Paleo, and keto, and I have never gone back to being full or somewhat vegetarian. I eat meat regularly of the best quality I can find (i.e. local, grass-fed, organic and non-GMO whenever possible).

I find there are lot of similarities between these styles of eating, and I have found some amazing recipes in all of them… and they don’t hurt my gut! In fact, they help it.

Overall, if you’re dealing with brain fog, chronic pain, or especially digestive issues, then give GAPS a shot.

I have a few favourite cookbooks & GAPS websites are listed below (Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links, which means that if you purchase an item through one of those links, I may receive a small commission from it).

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Books

The Heal Your Gut Cookbook – by Hillary Boynton & Mary Bracket. This is my ultimate FAVE and is the best, in my opinion, for just starting out. You will only need this book to start.

Recover With GAPS – by Pamela Jenkins. This has some nice bread recipes.

Paleo Gluten Free Slow Cooker Recipes by Beth Gabriel

Websites with Recipes

18 Grain-Free Christmas Cookie and Treat Recipes! by the Nourished & Nurtured Blog

100 Coconut Flour Recipes by Empowered Sustenance