Our Experience With The GAPS Diet & Reversing Food Allergies (GIVEAWAY)
There are a lot of reasons that I am dismayed by the mainstream medical community. The lack of real science behind their studies and the fact that they seem to exist only to sell pharmaceutical drugs for starters.
But what makes me mad and sad and all sorts of outraged is the fact that the focus is almost entirely on treating symptoms rather than addressing a more systemic problem. Heartburn is treated with stomach acid-lowering drugs when the problem is not enough stomach acid. Statins are prescribed to lower cholesterol, the very substance that helps heal inflammation in your body.
Food is Medicine, Medicine is Food
When I heard this story on NPR the other day (which Kristen also mentioned) I was not surprised by their findings. What did shock me was when the on-air journalist said "Researchers are now finding that ADHD can actually be treated with Diet." As if it is shocking that one’s diet could in any way effect their health and well-being.
And so it is with food allergies. We tell people to avoid foods because they make them sick, but never address why that food makes them sick or why they become sensitive to more foods or why their children become sick from still more foods.
Something is wrong.
Our Experience With the GAPS Diet
I can not say that I know exactly what it’s like to have a food allergy in the family because our family has never been officially diagnosed with one. We have had our own health struggles, though.
After our oldest son was born I had an infection which resulted in me taking antibiotics, which meant that our newborn son also got antibiotics. He and I have both struggled with symptoms of candida over the past few years. And while there are still occasional flare ups (usually due to too much sugar), I seem to have finally shaken off those annoying symptoms, as has our four-year-old.
And how did we do that? Diet. (gasp)
More specifically, we followed a very similar protocol to the one Ann Marie is basing Reversing Food Allergies on in which we:
- Removed all problem foods and started with a very basic diet of bone broths, meats, and vegetables.
- Took high quality probiotics and started eating more fermented foods like sauerkraut, yogurt, and kombucha.
- Slowly reintroduced foods like fruits, nuts, beans, grains, and dairy. As we reintroduced those foods we watched for any symptoms or stomach discomfort.
That is why I recommend the GAPS diet to anyone who suffers from anything related to food. I’ve just seen it work in my family and others.
And that is why I am excited to share Reversing Food Allergies with you. The class is based on the GAPS protocol and for those who need it, the leg work of knowing how to detox, cook, and plan is already done for you.
The GAPS protocol and this class are not promising that your food allergies will be completely reversed like Ann Marie’s.
What it does offer, though, is hope and help to truly heal the body rather than just treat the symptoms. The materials include:
- 12 Weeks of Online Classes
- 50 Video Tutorials
- Over 200 Printable Recipes!
- Online Support Forum for Members Only
Giveaway!
And today Ann Marie is giving away free enrollment to one of you! Just leave a comment below answering the question:
Do you have any food intolerances?
The giveaway will close Sunday night and I will announce the winner Monday morning. You can also check out the full class schedule, including recipes and video topics.
I can’t always handle full-fat milk… but it would be great if I could! I know how unhealthy the 1/2% is… :-/
I don’t, but while I was nursing I had to cut out dairy or my daughter was hurting. I’m due with baby number 2 in less than two months and would love to do the course while I’m nursing so I can heal this baby’s gut if there are any issues this time.
I do not have any food intolerance nor does anyone in my family, but I have a couple dear friends who do and can not afford to do AnnMarie’s course. I would love to be able to gift it to one of them.
I fear that I do….
I found out about 5 years ago that I can’t tolerate wheat, dairy, sesame, beef, shrimp, and a few others. I’d love to attempt to reverse these allergies, not to mention improve my overall health.
oh, please, pick me! I am so convinced that the GAPS diet will help our ENTIRE family – especially my son, who has been diagnosed as allergic to everything to some degree except rice and beans. We do not SEEM to have problems with gluten, but who knows? My husband has issues with dairy and acidic foods like tomatoes, and I have struggled my whole life with sugar…
I’ve been sick for years and have digestive issues but can’t pinpoint which foods are causing them, it seems like everything I eat upsets my stomach or makes me feel bad. I don’t know how to go about finding the offending foods nor do I know how to heal my body by diet. I’d love to win this giveaway!
I have had psoriasis for 18 years. Just figuring out its due to toxin overload. I need to do the GAPS diet but have hesitated because it seems so labor intensive. These classes would be right up my alley!
I do not, but my 10yo son does. My TCM practitioner doesn’t believe in food “allergies” per se and so I am very interested in this. Thank you for the opportunity.
Yes, I have approximately a zillion food intolerances right now :-P. Antibiotics hate my body. I’m on GAPS right now, and would love this class.
I have had to give up dairy and soy while nursing my 3rd baby and have wondered if I should give up other things. This sounds good!
No, I don’t have food intolerances but I have problems with digestion.
I don’t have a food intolerance that I know of…but I have some good friends that have been struggling with gluten intolerance, and I would love to have resources to share with them and would also love to have resources to help my family eat healthier.
I emailed this link to a friend who’s daughter is struggling with food allergies.. they think. She’s been ill and experiencing stomach pain all year and it’s been such a struggle for them. I pray this may be helpful to them. When you change the way food is viewed, prepared, and sourced all at once it’s very overwhelming. Then if you have a child who is in need of an immediate food change it must be even more of a struggle. I’m blessed to have chosen our real food path simply as a lifestyle choice and not to have it suddenly thrown at me due to a medical need. It’s a long path which requires so many baby steps along the way. Sorry for the long comment.. I got lost in my thoughts ;o) Thank you for always making me ponder my food choices 🙂
YES!
Gluten, dairy, corn, soy, citrus, yeast, all the biggies, but also broccoli, chicken, eggs and most nuts, which are what has kept me from going for it, since they are such staple foods for it. I have been contemplating GAPS/SCD for years now, because of my sons see-saw gut issues, autism traits, and yeast/bad bacteria. Always up and down, always a roller coaster ride. My son is 6, and going to kindergarten next year. I feel this is my last chance, its now or never. But I need help considering his restrictions.
Gluten intolerance here that I know of.
I was on antibiotics multiple times a year as a child. I suspect candida issues and am having multiple problems right now that I suspect could be due to food intolerances as I usually have some indigestion, usually minor. I’d love to win the course to help my own health and two of my children that I suspect may have some candida problems as well.
yep tree nuts. i would love to eat almonds again . . .
I am gluten intolerant and my son has celiac. I am intrigued by the GAPS diet because even though we have been gluten free for years, my son still has symptoms.
Do I have food allergies? Not that I know of. 🙂 I’m currently on a wheat-free, gluten-free, starch-free, sugar-free diet to see. 🙂 We’ve been eating whole foods (raw milk products, yogurt, grassfed meats, etc) for over a year now and seen improvements in health. I’d love to learn more about food allergies though!
Yes…recent blood tests revealed a lot of them which I only just found out after dealing with chronic fatigue for over 15 years and seeing countless doctors as well as a couple naturopaths who had me on a “candida diet” which only made me weaker. A couple weeks ago I was led to GAPS info and have been spending a lot of time researching and becoming overwhelmed. I have two small children who have issues related to mine and I’m sure that this is the route we need to go. Problem is, I have zero energy for cooking and meal planning and haven’t been eating much because I don’t have anything prepared that I feel good about eating. My husband has graciously been filling in for me in the kitchen when possible, but all he knows about the diet is what I’ve been trying to teach him. I would LOVE to take this class, hopefully along with my husband as our weekly date and hopefully find some shortcuts and make it manageable for us. All that to say, I’d be really blessed by this enrollment!
I suspect that I have some intolerances. I was diagnosed as lactose intolerant and almost diagnosed with IBS, but changed my diet and can now drink milk. (I wish I could find a raw source here in NC!!!)
Two of my children are sensitive to citrus and my third child was inundated with antibiotics during his stint in the NICU.
Thank you for all of this great information!
Out of curiosity, do they believe that this system works with children who have *always* had allergies? Also, does this apply to the serious allergies (causing inability to breath, possible death, etc) as well as the less serious ones that simply cause discomfort?
I have a few that may be related to gallbladder issues – blech!
What a fabulous giveaway!
My son has just had a recent break out of eczema. We eat a traditional diet but now I am thinking that out guts need some healing! I’ve been looking at this course and would so LOVE to take it! Oh, I hope I win 🙂 So in short, I don’t know of any food tolerances but I think there’s something…
I need this so much, nursing a baby and suddenly battling terrible food allergies!
I was looking at her class today. We so desperately need it! My 8 yr old has had severe eczema since she was two years old. I’ve tried so many different diets and natural remedies and nothing has helped long-term. My issues are many, as I am older. I am daunted by the thought of putting all seven of us on GAPS, but am getting desperate!
Yes- dairy, sugar, alcohol are dramatic, and my immune system takes a dive when I eat lots of wheat that’s not been fermented through souring/sourdough.
Lately my ears have been all congested, which usually goes away when I avoid dairy, but it’s been tenacious for weeks.
Definitely ready to try a new strategy!
Oh my goodness, I am allergic to gluten and dairy and have been considering the gaps diet for a while, but it’s so intimidating… this would be just what I need to get started!
I’m much better, but in the past I could not eat tree nuts, peaches and strawberries (most likely a pesticide issue in fruits). All 4 of my children so far have gluten intolerance as well as many chemical sensitivities (including GMO). My baby has a dry patch on his face and my 2 year old cannot even handle raw milk. It makes me sad that they cannot have the simplest foods.
Oh how I would love to win this! I suffer from very severe endometriosis and have been researching and “treating” myself with dietary changes for the last 8 years. Last summer after my 5 year old son suffered from severe grass and tree allergies we converted to the Paleo diet and have been feeling so much better. Continued education on this subject is always so valuable though – and I know this would be a treasured resource. Diet and health are also of special importance to me as my 3 children are adopted – they were all exposed to drugs, alcohol or both in utero. I want to be sure and give their little bodies the best possible foundation as they grow and learn.
My husband and I have decided that the whole family is going to do the GAPS diet. We’re just waiting for the book to arrive and then to figure out where we’re going to get this new food. He has IBS type symptoms from dairy, I am suspecting I have a wheat intolerance – don’t know for sure what makes me feel unwell, but I’ve had fatigue, headaches and sinus issues for as long as I can remember and am now having intestinal problems that started about a year ago, our oldest has eczema – not sure what from, and our two youngest (2 year old twins we brought home from Africa a few months ago) both struggle with eczema and some other things that I am pretty sure are related to the very, very poor diet they had the first year of their lives in an orphanage, and the several rounds of antibiotics they had during the second year of their lives while they were in foster care. So I’m pretty sure the whole family will benefit greatly! It’s quite daunting after reading what it entails, but I am strongly convinced it is just what we need. Thank you for generously offering this giveaway.
Hypocrites said. To be healthy your 4 temperaments must be in balance. And to balance them you must balance the 4 important areas of your life.
Food
Sleep(rest)
Exercise
Air(I think I remember this one wrong though, I’m going to have a look at my books later today to check)
I don’t know if I have any food sensitivities, but my hubby gets indigestion from tomato products and gas-issues from beans. I’ve been researching dietary changes for a while to help my family and this class looks great – I just can’t afford it right now.
My hubby’s family have all been diagnosed with crohns/colitis and he doesn’t seem far behind. My son is autistic and has sensory processing issues as well. Our daughter is pretty typical, though she does have some difficulty paying attention and focusing on tasks when she doesn’t want to and she goes “crazy” when she gets sugar in her system. Personally, I’m struggling with adrenal fatigue. Needless to say, changing our diet is a high priority, but the know-how is the challenge.
Thanks so much for sharing this info and hosting the giveaway. I really hope you pick me!
Blessings!
Suspected (but not proven) gluten intolerance.
Gluten, fructose and lactose Intolerant. Eczema my whole life, diagnosed with iIBS when I was 18 (after two years of symptoms after a strong series of antibiotics for pneumonia). Have never been able to increase my iron stores so have always taken supplements to avoid severe anemia. Fatty acids levels show I’m not processing fats properly in addition to the aforementioned sugars. Have felt much better since changing my diet and seeing naturopath these past couple years, but it’s definitely just made a dent in the problem, not really brought healing or wellness. And I’d so love to eventually be able to eat a rich, varied diet and know that it’s nourishing my body, not harming it.
Yes, I am intolerant to dairy and gluten, and my son has true allergies to peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, milk, soy, and corn.
I suffer from gluten sensitivity.
My son has a rare condition called Ollier’s Disease. I know in my heart and in my gut that his condition could be helped through diet–I have been wanting to implement GAPS for some time now, but found the idea overwhelming. This course would certainly be helpful in giving me the support I need to get started.
Yes. I never knew I had them until my now grown son was three and ended up in the emergency room with what ended up being an all over allergic reaction. They gave him shots and said it must have been something he ate or got exposed to on a camping trip we had just returned from.
Through the years, he had skin flare ups and eventually they noticed places on my skin during appointments and said I had allergies worse than his!
I have 6 adopted and homegrown children between them we eliminate; milk, eggs, store bought eggs, soy, wheat, all gluten foods, corn, almonds, and shell fish.
Unfortunately, I have no idea. I have never taken the time to adequately investigate this for myself or my family. The class would surely help, right?
Nothing confirmed but I think we have several including milk and possibly gluten. My youngest exhibits ADHD symptoms when eating certain ingredients and we’re working on diet as a means to help him.
I have ulcerative colitis and am pregnant with my third child. My second son also can’t tolerate dairy. I really think GAPS could help us, but I find it very overwhelming. I think this course would definitely help.
Yes, I have a whole lot of food allergies! I’m currently on the GAPS diet, but it’s been a year and I’m still struggling with the allergies (along with other health related issues). I would LOVE to take this class to see if there is something I could improve/change that would help me overcome these allergies and regain my health!
My family has many food allergies, but mainly my son has problems with grains and I am allergic to food dyes (not that i’d eat them anyway if I were healed). I KNOW that this course would be great for everyone in my little family!
I don’t have any food intolerances but my daughter has struggled with food allergies and atopy her entire life (she’s 9) with slow improvements over time. She was anaphylactic to dairy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, flax until age 6, when she was able to start tolerating milk and eggs. The nut/treenut/seed allergies remain. She still won’t really eat eggs or milk (even raw) though she lets me put raw cream in her oatmeal and I make smoothies with raw milk and yogurt. And despite “tolerating” these foods, we struggle with her very dry skin, patches of eczema, constantly cracked heals, brittle nails, etc. We’re a trad foods family but our daughter is very picky (she’s getting better that way) and despite doing many of the *right* things (CLO, coconut oil, bone broth but not as much as we should) I suspect that she may still have issues with some “tolerable” foods and just doesn’t assimilate all of her nutrients…leading us back to her gut health. I’ve been thinking about GAPS for a while but not sure if she will go along with it…. Anyway, we’d love to be entered in the drawing for Anne Marie’s class 🙂
I am gluten sensitive and my son has celiac. I hope I win so that our whole family can benefit and have better health.
Yes, my husband and I both have food allergies which I would live to deal with and eliminate!
I have an intolerance to dairy. My oldest son has eczema and digestion issues so I believe he has intolerances too. I have been reading the GAPS book and am becoming more and more convinced that this is what we need to do. This course would be so helpful!