Recently we began very slowly transitioning off of The GAPS Diet.
Although The GAPS Diet Book suggests waiting for at least 6 months free from symptoms before progressing off of the diet, we transitioned off of it a little early because we felt it was time.
We’ve seem tremendous progress with our various health issues and My Husband and I felt in our gut (no pun intended!) that it was time to move on. None of our issues had been severe to begin with, they were all minor health issues which were quickly healed.
We agreed that we would VERY slowly introduce soaked grains and watch closely for any signs of slipping backwards before continuing on with adding more Non-GAPS foods.
Our first taste of grains was Buckwheat Pancakes. I soaked and dehydrated raw buckwheat groats, then ground some into a flour which was mixed with eggs and cooked into pancakes. I made one batch of pancakes and we each had just a couple, spread with a generous portion of butter to aid digestion, as suggested in The GAPS Diet Book.
We had a couple of grain free days to watch for any reaction from the buckwheat pancakes, and to our delight, there was NONE. Mr 2’s eczema did not show up in any way, shape or form and we did not have any digestive issues.
So, I made the Buckwheat Pancakes a couple more times and once I felt that we had had our fill of pancakes, I decided to try us on bread, glorious bread!
I decided to go for a 100% Spelt Sourdough Loaf as our first taste of bread. Again, we started SLOWLY by sharing one piece of bread and watching for any reactions. And, once again, there were no reactions to the Spelt Sourdough. I make sure that each family member has no more than a couple of pieces of bread a day and that seems to agree with us all well. We used to be bread addicts – a couple of pieces for breakfast and lunch and maybe one in between.
At breakfast I tend to make a batch of GAPS Pancakes and our meal includes both pancakes and a piece of bread, so we don’t get tempted to fall into the trap of over-dosing on bread again. Spelt Sourdough is just so dense and nourishing that just a piece at a meal is more than enough to feel satisfied, when eaten along with a couple of grain free pancakes.
I see our future meals consisting of a balance of grain free and nourishing, soaked grains, adjusting as necessary if we see any reactions occurring.
Initially I didn’t alter the kids Lunch Boxes. I felt more comfortable being around them when they were consuming grains, to watch closely for any reactions. So, I sent them off to kinder with Grain Free Lunch Boxes. Once I was completely sure that they were coping well with bread, I started incorporating sandwiches back into their lunch boxes. I now supply them with a combination of bread and grain free options, providing them with an overall balanced and nourishing lunch box.
We’re now eating a fully Non-GAPS Diet and have not experienced any negative reactions. All food we have been enjoying has been lovingly homemade (by me!) and free from highly processed foods and ingredients. I’ve been working my way through cookbooks like Nourishing Traditions and experimenting with different dishes, which I’ll be sharing with you in due course.
I’d love to hear from you. Have you transitioned off The GAPS Diet? Please share your experience in the comments.
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More GAPS Diet Information:
To GAPS Or Not To GAPS
GAPS Diet Preparation
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 1
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 2
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 3
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 4
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 5
GAPS Introduction Diet Stage 6
Disclaimer – this post should not be treated as medical advice. It is meant for informational purposes only – please consult with your health professional if you have any concerns for the health of you or your family. Thank you.
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