What is GAPS? Gut And Psychology Syndrome also known as Gut And Physiology Syndrome (two books, same acronym, by Dr Natasha Campbell McBride)

GAPS is a nutritional protocol that can help with symptoms of:

• digestive disorders
• behavioural & cognitive issues ADHD etc.
• tics and fits
• autoimmune diseases
• arthritis
• myalgias
• allergies
• endochrine disorders
• neuropathy
• chronic cystitis
• food intolerances

Basic GAPS protocol recommends:

• all meats fresh or frozen
• fish and shell fish
• organ meats
• pastured eggs
• all veg (except starchy veg like parsnip and potato)
• ripe fruit, including dried fruit
• nuts and seeds
• fermented dairy, including some cheeses
• raw, cold extracted honey
• animal fats: butter and ghee
• coconut oil
• cold pressed extra virgin olive oil

Seems simple enough eh? I wish I had someone to help and guide me, 
when my brain fog was overwhelming,  
when the kids were having constant meltdowns, 
when I was questioning my sanity.  
If you need help, I'm here for you.  
Certified GAPS coach Emma Goodwin

I can’t thank you enough for these inspiring classes, I am SO excited by all this.  My kitchen used to feel like a prison, but now I can’t get enough of it, delicious green smoothies, muffins and stock galore, my family is also delighted.  “Prison” makes me sound so sad! it’s the drudgery and servitude of endlessly producing family food… but I feel so energised in my relationship to food now and it’s potential to heal.”   Emily Blows

My GAPS discovery.   The book Gut And Psychology Syndrome saved my life and brought my children back to me when I thought all was lost. Now I coach people through the GAPS protocol, having trained with Dr Natasha as a certified GAPS coach.  It is an absolute JOY to witnessing the transformations that can come about when we use food as medicine.

So my story goes, that despite being brought up in the 70’s by a revered and well appreciated ‘yogurt weaving’ Mother who always kept a Stock Pot and would send me down the garden path to pick peas and raspberries… despite buying organic ever since I left home in 1986… despite cooking from scratch nearly every day for my children, my family was just not thriving infact our health was failing.  I have had digestive issues and migraines since I was little and fell into a deep depression aged 28, that I accidentally ‘fasted’ my way out of, as I simply could not eat with out dissolving into tears.

When I had my children, I thought I was doing pretty well health-wise. But during the second pregnancy, in 2007, I was diagnosed with Symphasis Pubis Dysfunction, which basically meant I could hardly walk, with shooting pains up my back and down my legs, I had to come down stairs on my backside, easing down every step taking my weight on my arms.   My legs swelled up to ‘size of an elephant’! I was in a bad way.  Then, two weeks after a home birth, with no complications (which was very empowering) I came down with mastitis.  Two rounds of antibiotics later and it was all down hill for me and my precious little bundle of joy, with a 4 year old daugher to care for alongside my new born I was in no fit state for motherhood.

We all had endless snotty noses, we were bunged up, there were daily tummy aches, we were in pain, there were temper tantrums, energy levels would plummet mid-after noon, mummy had a seriously short fuse, we were always sick, ear aches, verruca’s, warts, achy joints, you name it we had it.  The worst thing was the ‘bent over double’ crying with pain and not knowing what to do about it.  We did a food intolerance tests which showed an intolerance to ALL the foods being eaten… Then there were  the behavioural issues, bouncing off the walls, I began to really question my parenting abilities. My daughter was ‘out of control’, unresponsive, not a pleasure to be with. There was a lot of shouting.  I was scared.

When my youngest was three years old she was diagnosed with a Pilomatrixoma: a growth, on her cheek. We had it surgically removed. It was a horrible experience. That was the big wake up call. If she was unable to cleanse her body on a cellular level to avoid tumours, I was obviously failing to nourish her properly.

I was failing to nourish the family.  Despite living in a seemingly ‘well off’ society,  where we are literally spoiled for choice with an almost obscene variety of ‘foods’ to choose from, we all had health issues.  I thought I was doing all the right things.  I was so wrong.

So the journey began.  By some magical coincidence I stumbled upon a talk by Dr Natasha Campbell McBride online.  She was speaking of the gut microbiome and how it was colonised by trillions of bacteria, and how they did the work of digesting our food, and how the gut lining could get damaged.  I bought her book GAPS,

I literally shed tears of relief as I read Gut And Psychology Syndrome.  GAPS answered all my questions.  Glue ear, night terrors, tantrums, hyperactive behaviour, autistic tendencies.  What I learnt in that book changed my life.  I wish I had known about it before I conceived.  I wish I had been taught about the principles of the GAPS protocol at school.

We began to introduce the new principles. We began to enjoy new things like Green Smoothies. We began to let certain ‘food-like products’ fall away from the weekly shopping list.

As I gained an education in nutrition, I began to read stories of people who had recovered from chronic conditions using food as medicine. I got really excited. I started a small cookery school at a local farm.  That was 7 years ago.  Now I am a fully trained GAPS coach and I want to offer you the opportunity to benefit from our experience and take some short cuts as you get on the road to healing and sealing the gut and recovering the strength and vitality which are your birth rite.

Maybe you feel you don’t have time to cook? neither did I.  Maybe you just feel too exhausted?  I know I did.  That’s why now, my motto is ‘chop it up and chuck it in’!  Now I have trained as a certified GAPS coach and  I trust that I may be of service to you, and truly believe that if you just start, with one small step, you will be well.  With love  x Emma

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