About AIP, GAPS & SCD
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I think all the gut health diet bloggers and authors I follow (or a family member) were literally rescued after seeking so many other types of treatment before finally changing their diet. They regained their health, and some now for many years.
Diet Stages/Phases The three gut health diets have different stages or phases. I include all the ingredients for each item so you can determine if a baked good is correct for your current stage. |
It is best to work with a health provider who monitors your progress and ensures you are getting enough nutrients and calories.
Food Diary
It is important to keep a food diary to record all the foods you eat each day and how you felt after you ate. You (or your health provider) may find that you are not following the correct stage of your diet for your current condition.
Website for Selecting a Diet
The following website is meant for medical providers but I found it interesting and helpful in understanding the diets. It explains the history of the GAPS, SCD and Paleo Diets and how the diets compare. It also has links to the website for each diet.
www.greatplainslaboratory.com/articles-1/2015/11/13/the-scd-gaps-and-paleo-diets-how-they-compare-and-how-they-may-help-your-patients
Food Diary
It is important to keep a food diary to record all the foods you eat each day and how you felt after you ate. You (or your health provider) may find that you are not following the correct stage of your diet for your current condition.
Website for Selecting a Diet
The following website is meant for medical providers but I found it interesting and helpful in understanding the diets. It explains the history of the GAPS, SCD and Paleo Diets and how the diets compare. It also has links to the website for each diet.
www.greatplainslaboratory.com/articles-1/2015/11/13/the-scd-gaps-and-paleo-diets-how-they-compare-and-how-they-may-help-your-patients
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Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)
AIP, which is also known as Autoimmune Paleo, is a more restrictive version of the Paleo Diet. Its objective is to reduce inflammation, pain, and other symptoms caused by autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. The AIP Diet is based on the premise that certain foods inflame your gut. You begin the diet by eating nutritious whole foods. This is followed with an elimination phase, followed by a reintroduction phase. |
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You gradually eliminate the following: eggs, dairy, nuts and seeds, nightshades, chocolate, coffee, alcohol and more. When you have eliminated everything on the elimination list, you will have removed all the allergens food producers list on food labels along with a number of food items that are suspect to cause dietary issues.
Once you have stopped eating/drinking everything on the list, you need to wait and see if your autoimmune symptoms improve. People typically stay in the elimination stage for about 4 to 6 weeks before they begin adding foods back in. Some people feel so much better after eliminating everything they are afraid to start adding foods. As with any elimination diet, it’s important to not stay in this phase too long or you are at risk of not getting enough nutrients.
A health provider such as a registered dietician can help you plan meals and ensure you substitute healthy whole foods for ones you are eliminating so you aren’t missing out on key nutrients.
If symptoms have improved, then slowly start to consume the items you eliminated, one at a time, keeping track of how you feel after adding them. By doing so you will learn what foods you need to avoid.
Once you have stopped eating/drinking everything on the list, you need to wait and see if your autoimmune symptoms improve. People typically stay in the elimination stage for about 4 to 6 weeks before they begin adding foods back in. Some people feel so much better after eliminating everything they are afraid to start adding foods. As with any elimination diet, it’s important to not stay in this phase too long or you are at risk of not getting enough nutrients.
A health provider such as a registered dietician can help you plan meals and ensure you substitute healthy whole foods for ones you are eliminating so you aren’t missing out on key nutrients.
If symptoms have improved, then slowly start to consume the items you eliminated, one at a time, keeping track of how you feel after adding them. By doing so you will learn what foods you need to avoid.
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GAPS Diet
Another gut health diet is GAPS, which stands for both Gut and Psychology Syndrome and Gut and Physiology Syndrome, depending on the condition the diet is being used to treat. As the parent of a child diagnosed with learning disabilities, Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, MMedSci, Neurology and Human Nutrition, saw the critical role that nutrition played in helping children and adults overcome their disabilities. |
At the Cambridge Nutrition Clinic, which she founded in 1998, she pioneered the use of probiotics.
Dr. Campbell-McBride worked with hundreds of children and adults with neurological and psychiatric conditions, such as autistic spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD), schizophrenia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and other neuro-psychological and psychiatric problems.
She saw the link between learning disabilities, food, and the condition of one’s digestive system. This led her to coin the term Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) in 2004 for a condition connecting the functions of the digestive system and the brain.
Campbell-McBride later expanded GAPS to include the Gut and Physiology Syndrome that is comprised of chronic physical conditions that stem from an unhealthy gut, such as the autoimmune conditions (celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Hashimoto disease, etc.).
Additional conditions that GAPS can be used to treat include asthma, eczema, various allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, many endocrine disorders (such as thyroid, adrenal and others), chronic infections, many neurological diseases and all chronic digestive disorders.
Dr. Campbell-McBride worked with hundreds of children and adults with neurological and psychiatric conditions, such as autistic spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD), schizophrenia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder and other neuro-psychological and psychiatric problems.
She saw the link between learning disabilities, food, and the condition of one’s digestive system. This led her to coin the term Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAPS) in 2004 for a condition connecting the functions of the digestive system and the brain.
Campbell-McBride later expanded GAPS to include the Gut and Physiology Syndrome that is comprised of chronic physical conditions that stem from an unhealthy gut, such as the autoimmune conditions (celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, Hashimoto disease, etc.).
Additional conditions that GAPS can be used to treat include asthma, eczema, various allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, many endocrine disorders (such as thyroid, adrenal and others), chronic infections, many neurological diseases and all chronic digestive disorders.
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According to Dr. Campbell-McBride, it frequently happens that both GAPS Syndromes overlap. People with mental problems will suffer physical symptoms, such as painful joints and muscles, fatigue, skin problems, etc. And people with physical conditions will have mental symptoms, such as depression, brain fog, mood swings, memory problems, anxiety, etc.
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The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)
SCD is a diet designed to help heal the digestive system of those suffering from digestive disorders such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, celiac disease, and other gastrointestinal ailments.
Not everyone’s digestive tract is able to digest complex carbohydrates and other processed foods. If food is not properly digested, it can cause bacterial and yeast overgrowth in the intestinal tract. This can result in toxins and acids that irritate small intestine cells and cause food absorption issues.
In the 1950s a pediatrician, Dr. Sydney Haas, developed a diet for eliminating the food sources that bacteria and yeast feed on. The diet works to restore gut flora to normal levels so the intestinal tract can begin to heal.
SCD is a diet designed to help heal the digestive system of those suffering from digestive disorders such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, IBS, celiac disease, and other gastrointestinal ailments.
Not everyone’s digestive tract is able to digest complex carbohydrates and other processed foods. If food is not properly digested, it can cause bacterial and yeast overgrowth in the intestinal tract. This can result in toxins and acids that irritate small intestine cells and cause food absorption issues.
In the 1950s a pediatrician, Dr. Sydney Haas, developed a diet for eliminating the food sources that bacteria and yeast feed on. The diet works to restore gut flora to normal levels so the intestinal tract can begin to heal.
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The mother of one of his patients with severe ulcerative colitis went into remission after going on the diet. The child’s mother, Elaine Gottschall, a biochemist, spent years researching the connection between food and gastrointestinal health. In 1987 she published “Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health through Diet”. She gave the diet its name and is responsible for its growing popularity.
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In her second edition of the book she added the chapter, “The Autism Connection.” She wrote, “Most children (and adults) with autism or ADHD also suffer from digestive issues ranging from constipation and reflux to diarrhea and low vitamin/mineral levels. These issues may seem minor but according to Elaine Gottschall, the SCD-Dairy Free Diet can play a pivotal role in improving behavior, mood, cognition, and language.
“SCD proposes specific carbohydrates. This diet includes low sugar (and specific sugar) resources, no yeast products or by-products. Specific foods are to be completely avoided – which is very similar to other dietary interventions. This is due to many Autism Spectrum disorder children having tremendous yeast, parasite, gut issues and intolerances. Any amount of yeast, refined sugars, or high carbohydrates can greatly affect some children in a very negative way and throw the child out of balance.”
The SCD Diet is very similar to the GAPS Diet except when it comes to dairy. They both allow butter/ghee and hard cheese, and GAPS adds many probiotic-rich, cultured foods. SCD limits additional dairy to fermented/cultured yogurt.
SCD Website
The following website is a small encyclopedia of the SCD Diet and has links to many related websites.
http://pecanbread.com/
“SCD proposes specific carbohydrates. This diet includes low sugar (and specific sugar) resources, no yeast products or by-products. Specific foods are to be completely avoided – which is very similar to other dietary interventions. This is due to many Autism Spectrum disorder children having tremendous yeast, parasite, gut issues and intolerances. Any amount of yeast, refined sugars, or high carbohydrates can greatly affect some children in a very negative way and throw the child out of balance.”
The SCD Diet is very similar to the GAPS Diet except when it comes to dairy. They both allow butter/ghee and hard cheese, and GAPS adds many probiotic-rich, cultured foods. SCD limits additional dairy to fermented/cultured yogurt.
SCD Website
The following website is a small encyclopedia of the SCD Diet and has links to many related websites.
http://pecanbread.com/