Yummy Inspirations: GAPS Introduction Diet

It took us 3 weeks to reach the 6th and final stage of The GAPS Introduction Diet.

The 6th Stage "new foods" include - raw fruit, introduced slowly, and a wider variety of baked goods, in addition to the bread introduced in Stage 4.

I was ecstatic on my first farmers market shopping trip when I could actually buy fruit again. We're in the middle of Summer here in Australia and I've been coveting the vibrant Summer fruit all through the GAPS Intro. And you'll be happy to know that our first plums from the farmers market (pictured above) were simply divine!

The first bite of raw apple was just pure, sweet deliciousness! The boys' apple slices were virtually eaten before the plate even hit the table.

After a couple of days of fruit Mr 2's eczema became increasingly inflamed, so we took a break from fruit for a few days to see what happened. His skin did clear a bit from removing fruit and we left it another few days again before trying fruit again. I found that fruit also irritated my mild dermatitis so also took a fruit break for a few days before attempting to re-introduce it again.

We spent a good couple of weeks on the 6th stage, slowly introducing fruit until Mr 2 tolerated it and experimenting with delicious GAPS baked treats. I followed a number of recipes from "Indulge - 70 Grain Free Desserts" (You can Download a Sample of the Book Here). Each delectable dessert has been greedily received by the family. The kids particularly enjoyed making natural, GAPS Legal coloured sprinkles to decorate their pancakes with.

We have since progressed onto The Full GAPS Diet and are going strong. Mr 2's eczema is improving with each day and we have noticed improvements in his language and in his brothers. Their overall moods have improved over the course of the GAPS Diet.

To say my Husband has LOVED the food on The GAPS Diet would be an understatement. Even before GAPS his favorite foods were lamb shanks, bone marrow and liver pate, so he's been a dream 'patient' - never complaining about the food and always eager to enjoy whatever food is on offer. (Can you tell I love the man!) He went onto The GAPS Diet to support the rest of the family and for his overall health. He is feeling better than he's felt in a long, long time and his clients are regularly complimenting him that he is looking more youthful and vibrant. He could happily be on the diet indefinitely, but I've told him that it's for a limited time and one day we will re-introduce grains again... when that is, I don't know...

And me.... well I've also felt the best I've felt in YEARS... I often used to suffer from stomach cramps, itchy skin and headaches and don't remember having any of those symptoms through the GAPS Diet. My skin has also become super smooth, even the annoying "rough patches" on my elbows and knees!

The diet has definitely been a challenge at times - from the constant cooking to keep up with everyone's appetite to making sure the kids are eating enough of the 'right' foods. However, the results speak for themselves and it's been an incredibly positive experience.

Thank you for sharing our GAPS Introduction Diet Journey with us. I look forward to sharing our experience of The Full GAPS Diet with you in the coming months (and years!). Be sure to Subscribe to receive all the updates delivered FREE to your inbox - Click Here to Subscribe!

I'd love to hear from you - please share your GAPS experience in the comments below. Thank you!

All the recipes in my book The Grain Free Lunch Box are Grain, Nut, Dairy and Refined Sugar Free and are all GAPS Legal. The Grain Free Lunch Box will help you prepare balanced lunch boxes while adhereing to The GAPS Diet protocol. Click here to download The Grain Free Lunch Box now.