Key Principles of the GAPS (Gut & Psychology Syndrome) Diet

The Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) Diet is designed to heal the gut and restore the balance of beneficial organisms in the microbiome, or collection of good bacteria and fungi that reside in the gut. Developed by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, a neurologist and nutritionist, the GAPS Diet recognizes the profound connection between the gut and overall health, particularly in relation to mental well-being.

The GAPS Diet was instrumental in my gut-healing journey from Lyme disease, which you can learn more about my story here.

Below are a few key principles of the GAPS Diet that might help determine if this diet is right for you:

Principles of the GAPS Diet:

Elimination of Certain Foods:

The initial phase of the GAPS Diet involves eliminating certain types of foods that can potentially aggravate gut issues, like processed foods, grains, starchy vegetables, sugar, and most dairy products.

Incorporate Nutrient Dense Foods:

The diet emphasizes a whole, nutrient-dense foods. This includes organic meats, fish, eggs, non-starchy vegetables, fermented foods, and healthy fats like coconut oil, animal fats, and ghee to name a few. This also means eliminating any processed foods, oils, and sugar as these not only damage the microbiome but feed the pathogens in the gut.

Consume Bone Broth & Ferments:

check out my classic chicken bone broth recipe here

Bone broths are a large part of the GAPS Diet as they are rich in proteins that help support a healthy gut lining. You can read more about the health benefits of bone broth in my article here. Fermented foods like sauerkraut and kimchi as well as homemade yogurt are also an important part of the diet as these can help populate the G.I. tract with beneficial bacteria. Think of it as a food-as-medicine approach to a probiotic!

Gradually Introduce Certain Foods:

As the gut begins to heal, you can slowly reintroduce specific foods as your body allows. This is done in a carefully staged manner to monitor for any potential reactions.

Incorporate Supplements:

The GAPS Diet recommends the use of supplements, such as probiotics and digestive enzymes, that aid in gut healing.

Lifestyle Considerations:

Stress, sleep, and other factors are taken into consideration during the GAPS protocol as lifestyle plays an important role in overall well-being and the health of the gut.


It's important to note that while the GAPS Diet can be beneficial for some individuals, it may not be suitable for everyone so it is important to consult with a healthcare professional to determine if this is right for you.

As Seen On Colorado’s Own 2 News -- All Things Gut Health

As Seen On Colorado’s Own 2 News -- All Things Gut Health

It’s time to check your gut. The Fairy Gut Mother Carley Smith wants you to listen to your gut, including recipes to help us feed it when it needs it.

Our Fairy Gut Mothers says it’s always important to pay attention to our gut, but it knows what’s going on in the inside of your body.

You can get to know your gut tomorrow at the Alfalfa’s Market in Boulder, it’s the Get Your Gut In Gear: Gut Health Reboot for Spring event and the cost is free!

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Today, it is estimated that one out of every five American adults suffers from a mental-health condition (43.7 million Americans--more than the combined populations of New York and Florida), and the statistuc only seems to be worsening. Additionally, from 2011 to 2014, rates of youth depression increased 8.5% to 11.1 percent; many youth are unable to access adequate treatment.

The medical establishment blames brain-based imbalances for this epidemic. But could it be due to gut dysfunction?

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CO Yoga + Life Magazine -- Meditation For A Healthy Gut

Meditation: the art of skillfully taming the mind, bringing intention inward and inviting relaxation and ease into the body. There are countless health benefits of meditation, primarily its proven ability to help reduce stress levels, combat anxiety and depression and lower blood pressure, to name a few. Gut health, I would imagine, is not the first thing that comes to mind when thinking about the health benefits of meditation. However, our thoughts, feelings and emotions significantly influence the overall wellbeing of our microbiome which is home to nearly eighty percent of the immune system! Before we dive into more detail on the relationship between our emotional state and the gut, let’s first define what constitutes gut health.

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With nearly 80 percent of the immune system located in the gut, gut health is rapidly becoming a widely discussed topic as it relates to optimal health. It is estimated that virtually 30 to 40 percent of the population suffer from digestive-related issues, making digestion and gut health a critical component of overall well-being. When you think of supporting gut health, yoga, I would imagine, is not the first thing that comes to mind. However, healing is an integrative approach, and it is as important to nourish the physical body as it is to incorporate other modalities.

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Forget Junk Food: STRESS May Be WORSE For Your Gut!

I talk a lot about gut health being more of a lifestyle rather than a diet, mainly because of the negative impact of stress on the body. In fact, stress has been noted to be more damaging on the gut than junk food, making our lifestyle choices and stress management critical components in order to maintain optimal health.

The human body was not designed to handle prolonged periods of stress. Sure, it can handle the stress of a deadline at work or (most) family holiday gatherings, but the chronic everyday stress is the most important.

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Paleo Magazine: How High Healthcare Costs May Have Saved My Gut

Paleo Magazine: How High Healthcare Costs May Have Saved My Gut

Like many Americans, I also feel we need some kind of medical reform. It does not seem fair that healthcare, our basic foundation for life, is comprised of astronomical prices, subpar care, and unreliable coverage. However, as someone that tries to find the silver lining in every situation, I feel that high healthcare costs may have been advantageous. Perhaps the dysfunction of the healthcare system actually saved me rather than hindered my ability to heal.

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Yoga + Life Magazine: The Benefits of Bone Broth

Yoga + Life Magazine: The Benefits of Bone Broth

Bone broth is the newest health trend brewing up quite the buzz. Unlike the buzz from your morning long shot double espresso or perhaps your hand crafted, muddled old fashioned, this particular buzz resonates within your core, leaving you glowing from the inside out. The reason is simple and can be explained in two words: gut health.

Nearly your entire immune system is located in the gut, making gut health a primary concern when considering optimal health. Gut health is defined as a healthy balance of bacteria, or microbiome, and fungi, or mycobiome, in the gut as well as a healed and sealed gut lining.

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Preparedness is in the GUT: How Lyme Disease Helped Me Transform Fear into Trust

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Every day I am faced with the choice of fear. After being diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2014, the doctor said to me: “Are you aware you can die from this?” and “You will live like this the rest of your life.” At that moment, I knew I had two options: I could either succumb to the diagnosis of my potentially deadly and dismal future, or, I could learn to live in harmony with the disease, taking better care of my body and ultimately regaining control of my life.

I chose the latter of the two.

I started with healing my gut. Nearly the entire immune system resides in the gut and there is no better way to battle any illness then focusing on strengthening the immune system.

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Effect of Mycobiome Diet on Gut Fungal and Bacterial Communities of Healthy Adults

I am excited to share with you a recent study of mine was just published in the Journal of Probiotics & Health!

The study, Effect of Mycobiome Diet on Gut Fungal and Bacterial Communities of Healthy Adults, shows that dietary changes lead to a positive shift in the microbiome, or collection of bacteria and fungi living in the gut. Basically, we found that a diet high in fiber from resistant starches (like beans, oats, whole grains, squash…) and cruciferous veggies reduces pathogens in the gut like Candida and E.coli. For 28 days, participants consumed a diet high in fiber with moderate amounts of protein and fats and each week we collected fecal samples to monitor the changes in the gut. It was truly amazing to see the results of the study—by the end, nearly every participant had little to no signs of Candida and E.coli in the gut.

For more information and to access the full study, click HERE.

Just Eat The Bread: How Good Grains Benefit Gut Health

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Contrary to what many health advocates believe, I am actually a huge fan of grains and disagree that grains are the culprit for our health concerns. In fact, grains are incredibly beneficial for optimal gut health!  The good bacteria in the gut (aka probiotics) thrive on the fiber and resistant starches that many grains provide. Without these vital nutrients, bacteria simply cannot survive in the gut. The problem with grains, however, stems from consuming them in their not-so-properly-prepared form, like highly processed grains laden with chemicals and toxins that absolutely wreak havoc on the gut. It is no wonder why we are gluten intolerant and have problems digesting these foods. Once you work towards healing the gut lining and repopulating the gut with a healthy balance of bacteria and fungi, you can likely tolerate grains and should incorporate them into your diet, as long as they are in their properly prepared form.

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First, I would like to preface this article by stating my intention is not to dissuade people from the vegan diet, rather, highlight concerns with inherent diet-related health implications. Instead, I encourage mindfulness and inquisitive label reading so that we avoid the same health pitfalls as we did from the elimination of fats in the 1990’s. I do not believe in shaming others for their health choices. At the end of the day, we are all trying to navigate through misinformation regarding health and wellness and I applaud anyone trying to take a step towards adopting a healthier lifestyle.

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Probiotics are all the buzz these days as gut health is rapidly becoming one of the most widely discussed topics when it comes to optimal health. Nearly the entire immune system is located in the gut making gut health foundational in achieving optimal health. It seems as though probiotics are popping up everywhere from beverages to cereals as this topic gains popularity and more people look towards improving the health of their gut.

However, two recent studies published in Cell have people questioning the effectiveness of probiotics. In one study, researchers studied the changes in the microbiome of a group of people over the course of one month that were given an 11-strain probiotic combination or a placebo. In the second study, researchers, studied the effects of the same 11-strain probiotic after antibiotic use. 

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Retreats seem to be popping up everywhere and becoming increasingly more common. Wellness retreats are quickly replacing the standard vacation as more people look to take charge of their own health. After leading a recent wellness retreat of my own and seeing the positive impacts on health that these getaways have, I was encouraged to write a post in hopes of inspiring others to attend more retreats. Here are my top reasons for why you should attend a wellness retreat:

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