A copy of the New Yorker magazine from mid November has been sitting on my bedside table, waiting for me to get around to reading an article about Steve Jobs by Malcolm Gladwell (author of Blink and The Tipping Point) called “The Tweaker”. I have a passion for all things Apple, and mourned the recent death of Steve Jobs. My heart sank this morning to read Gladwell’s account, based upon Job’s biography, of how terribly limited Jobs was emotionally; his penchant for humiliating others, his legendary rudeness and entitlement.
This, of course, is not a new story, that someone who is so gifted and brilliant acts like this. It may sound silly to you, but it somehow shocks and saddens me. Last week I wrote about wishes. I wish there were more heroes and heroines, but people are complicated. A patient in my office said something really funny the other day. It’s funny because it’s so paradoxical. He quipped, “Once I gave up hope, everything was much better.”
The reason that I am sharing my early morning disappointment, is that one of the ways that I deal with difficult feelings, and which I recommend to you, is by participating in soothing rituals. One ritual that I cultivate is juicing every morning. Juicing is something that Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride recommends for detoxification, which is an important component of the GAPS healing protocol. Juicing is a time honored practice for healing and promoting optimal health and vitality.
Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends something that she calls “GAPS milkshakes”, which are an especially effective remedy for constipation. Juice stimulates bile production, and as many cases of persistent constipation are due to poor bile production, this is helpful. A GAPS milkshake is a combination of juice blended with egg yolks and a healthy dollop of fermented cream (sour cream). The high fat content of sour cream lubricates the bowel wall and softens the stool. I make my own sour cream. The recipe is a pint of raw cream mixed with 2 tablespoons creme fråiche, kefir or yoghurt as innoculent. Mix the ingredients together in a glass jar, put on the lid, and let it sit unrefrigerated for 24-36 hours. Voilå. Delicious sour cream.
I find the ritual of juicing comforting, and it starts my day on a good note. It is energizing. I had an old Omega juicer that was expensive and made of stainless steel. It was very inconvenient to use. The mouth where the vegetables and fruits were to be inserted was narrow, and thus it was necessary to cut everything into small pieces. It often balked and got stuck in the midst of juicing, and it was difficult to clean up afterward. It was a guilty decision to buy a new juicer when I had one that functioned, albeit with little ease. I bought an inexpensive largely plastic juicer, The Hamilton Beach Wide Mouth Juicer available from Amazon for $50, about a quarter of the price of the Omega. It works amazingly well. At the risk of sounding like an infomercial, I cannot recommend this machine more highly. It extracts the juice out of the produce very efficiently, and has true to its name, a very wide mouth which allows insertion of big pieces of fruits and vegetables, and cleans up really easily. It makes juicing effortless.
The juice is beautiful as it flows into the beaker, creating frothy layers of color; vibrant orange of carrots, lively shades of green from different leaves, and the deep magenta of the earthy beets. The smell of making juice is freshly lovely too, especially if you add herbs like mint, parsley and basil. The process gives me satisfaction and pleasure every morning.
Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends beginning with carrot juice as a base, and then adding fruit, as well as therapeutic ingredients, such as various greens; swiss chard, kale, lettuces, spinach, beet and radish tops, bok choy and cabbage, etc. The ingredients in my juice is more heavily based on greens, and less on the sweet ingredients, because of my relative carbohydrate intolerance. Over time I have become accustomed and really like juices that are more green than sweet. Adding fermented cream and egg yolks adds healthy fat and protein to the mixture, and lowers the body’s insulin response to the juice. A GAPS milkshake is more satiating and satisfying as breakfast, than plain straight juice. Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends drinking the juice on an empty stomach. For GAPS patients who do not tolerate the juice well initially, she recommends having a few teaspoonful of carrot juice a day, building up the quantity slowly as tolerated.
It is important to use organic produce, which can be expensive. I recently found bags of very small organic green apples and celery at Trader Joe’s, for an excellent price. Celery is one of those vegetables that is especially important to buy organic, as it is typically very high in pesticide residue. COSTCO does not carry much organic produce, but it does have 10 pound bags of organic carrots for $6. That is a deal.
This morning my juice consisted of chicory, celery, carrots, and a small apple. I added fermented cream, (No egg yolks for me because of my allergy. For those who can tolerate raw egg yolks, they are purported to be extremely nutrient dense and uniquely healing to the intestinal lining) and half a cup of beet kvass, a fermented beet drink, that is tasty and very easy to make. Here is link to a beet kvass recipe from a blog called the Nourishing Cook, where the author cooks all 773 recipes from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions, a la Julie/Julia style. Sally Fallon writes about beet kvass:
“This drink is valuable for its medicinal qualities and as a digestive aid. Beets are just loaded with nutrients. One 4-ounce glass, morning and night, is an excellent blood tonic, cleanses the liver and is a good treatment for kidney stones and other ailments.”
Both the fermented raw cream and the beet kvass add probiotics to this meal, which is necessary for healing GAPS conditions, as they provide needed repopulation of beneficial gut flora.
I also add a teaspoon of Spirulina, which Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride recommends for some cases of constipation. Spirulina is a blue green algae, a super food which is a complete protein, and contains many vitamins and minerals, most notably Vitamin B12, one of the few non-animal sources of this vitamin. I also toss in a few ice cubes before I turn on the blender and mix all the ingredients together.
In summary, GAPS Milkshakes: a satisfying ritual, a balm for disappointment, a remedy for constipation, a feast for the senses, a tonic to detoxify and promote healing, and the best breakfast ever.
linked to Ruth’s Real Food, Monday Mania, Real Food Wednesday
Can you use raw pastured duck eggs in the GAPS shake instead of chicken eggs? Can you eat duck eggs raw?
As far as I know, there should not be a difference between the two.
Hi Judy! I found your blog while researching constipation bin GAPS and love the way you write, so in depth and still warm and personal..thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! I wanted to ask your advice-I have been dealing with constipation for many many years (one of the many reasons I turned to GAPS )and was so hopeful that the protocol would be helpful with this. I am doing intro on stage 2 now. However I am feeling a worsening of this condition. My stomach is getting bloaty and hurts alot and also lowers my appetite and just feels like there are no bowel movements in the horizon…not seeing visible healing happening so far and trying to go through with a fine comb to see what is wrong…
From what I understand my options now (excluding buying expensive supplements) are:
1-doing the GAPS shake in the morning. Meaning that the main issue is the bile-and just focusing on helping bile be secreted … (I have yet to introduce sour cream, though I did start making Kefir-can that be used in the milkshake. or is that high protein and then I should go for the coconut oil option?)..
second-is doing the enemas or coffee enemas – I am a bit hesitant of doing so, I once used them daily during an intense juice cleanse and felt it really weekened my strengths, (physically and emotionally) and also I feel that doing an enema might be missing out on something my body is trying to tell me about the food that I am eating?
Third-Adding more Vegetables and fat to the intro stage-meaning the issue is lack of fiber and “grease” to get things moving..
Side question: there a few different lists of the vegetables allowed on stage 1 stage 2, I can’t tell which is most up to date. I also understood that broccoli is more fiberous but can cause gasiness and bloating , debating if to add that?
Fourth- I saw you wrote in the name of Dr. Ntasha, to start with full GAPS for people dealing with chronic constipation. I’m already so “in” intro and determined to go through the healing process in the most beneficial way – and it feels kind of strange to just skip out into the full GAPS, meaning I don’t want to miss out on stages that could be critical for me, especially now at a time when I am till determined and motivated 🙂
So in summary- I wanted to ask what your reccomendation would be between the three?
Just adding the milkshake? Using enemas too? Fibers and fats? Just letting go and skipping to full GAPs and come back to this later?
It is all super overwhelming-wanting to heal, and also spending so much time in the kitchen trying to understand how to make all these things Ive nerver made before, with die-off symptoms in the background (I think thats what it is im feeling 🙂 just feel like im putting in so much effort and its frustrating to feel like its making things worse :0
Thank you so much for your devotion to this life healing and changing work!
Dear Tohar,
I wrote that post in 2011, and I have learned so much since then. I do not recommend that any of my patients eat dairy. I believe that it is very inflammatory. There are many foods that are healthful that are permitted on the GAPS Healing Protocol that are not healthful for everyone. Some people cannot tolerate eggs, others have an adverse reaction to nuts and seeds, others nightshades. In my practice these days I recommend either the Paleo Auto Immune Protocol or Terry Wahl’s Auto Immune Protocol. It is important to try and determine the root cause of the constipation. Could there be mold toxicity present? I understand how confusing all of this would be for you. I recommend finding a sophisticated practitioner who you trust and getting some help. On the website of “The International Society for Environmentally Acquired Illness” there is a “GeT Help” Page, https://iseai.org/find-a-professional/, and similarly Dr. Neil Nathan has a page on his website with medical practitioners who are not just thinking according to the conventional medical model. https://neilnathanmd.com/books/ I wish you all the best.
Dear Judy — Thank you for your incisive response.
I’m 70 — a long-time survivor of incest, child sexual abuse, and abandonment — still working on these issues. It makes sense that the memories are in my body — so this program may be helping to release them as well.
L
Its all connected. Here is a post I wrote about adult auto-immunity and childhood trauma
https://www.judytsafrirmd.com/adult-auto-immunity-and-childhood-trauma/
Dear Judy —
After 9 days on gaps plan I’m now having extensive psychological symptoms– anxiety, crying spells, anger, rage, irritability, isolation, shame.
What is this about?
Thanks so much.
I, of course, don’t know. But it could be related to a change in the micro biome, a die-off reaction (Herxheimer Reaction) because of the change in diet or the addition of probiotics or fermented foods. Changes in the micro biome can manifest with psychological symptoms.
Hi Judy —
I just found your blog today. Thank you so much! I’ve been on the GAPS intro diet for about 3 days and I’m constipated — unusual for me. I took some Calm tonight. And tomorrow will try the milkshake.
However, the good news is that all of my other GI and psychological symptoms have dissipated in the most amazing way and my hoarse throat, due to acid reflux, is apparently healing. This is important as I have some lectures coming up soon.
I have had low energy for years but now I have a lot more energy. I feel calmer, no anxiety. My brain feels “light” which feels great. I used to be hungry most of the time . Now I have a little broth and soup, a little tea, and I am always satiated.
If all these good things are happening, I am excited to see what happens as I go through this program.
I put a link on my website to GAPS and I’m including the information in my book that should be coming out within a week or two. ALTERNATIVES FOR EVERYONE
Lauren
Wow, Lauren, so great to hear the benefits you have experienced. A great blessing.
I have some Natural Calm from when I used to use it a while back. I am on the GAPS intro now and dealing with some constipation. My question is the CALM I have has the raspberry lemon flavor and stevia. Is that ok to use in GAPS? I know the non flavored is recommended, but I don’t want to waste the money that I spent on the other container. Any thoughts?
My answer would not be Dr. Natasha’s answer. I think it would be OK to use it up. I do not think she would think so. There is another product that I really like for constipation. Its called Mag 07. Just as with Natural Calm, you will need to figure out the dose that is appropriate for you. I take 2 in the AM and 3 in the PM. Here is the link to the magnesium. I suggest reading through the product review.
Hi Judy, Thanks for the informative post. I have been gluten & dairy free for the last year due to Leaky Gut but haven’t been able to cure my issues. I came across your website while looking for GAPS juicing info. Very helpful and will buy that juicer you recommend. What a steal it is!
What caught my eye was your comment on Natural Calm. My 4YO has had problems with constipation since she was a baby. After a trial, I determined that dairy was a big culprit and cut back on her cheese and ice cream. She now drinks almond milk instead of cow’s milk. Either I haven’t cut back enough or she has other issues because she still needs a bit of Miralax and she is constantly complaining at bathroom time. Do you recommend Natural Calm for kids? I’m hesitant to start her on the GAPS diet since I just don’t know what the problem is. Thanks for all your work on your blog.
Take a look at my recent posts about the Paleo Auto Immune Protocol vs. GAPS. The Paleo AIP is what I am using now in my practice in combination with GAPS principles. I feel that it is important to identify if there are particular foods that are causing symptoms and to eliminate them from the diet. My own health is much improved since omitting gluten, dairy, eggs whites and nuts and seeds from my diet. There is a great site called Phoenix Helix that has much very useful information about the Paleo Auto Immune Protocol. I do use Natural Calm for children. It is best to start conservatively with a 1/4 teaspoon in a glass of water and to work up from there. If the child does not like the carbonation, you can let it sit for 15 minutes and then it will be less fizzy.
Hi Judy,
I just found your website and was curious about constipation. If you want to call going only about once a week since starting the GAPS that. I’m on Stage 4 and am wondering if I should do something about only going once a week. I have Ulcerative Colitis and am currently tapering off Prednisone, (this medication takes forever to come off of, I still have another 4 weeks before I will be completely off). Would you suggest waiting until someone is off medication before jumping to something like CALM? I’m hesitate only because normally with UC diarrhea is the issue and I don’t want to go back to that either. I don’t feel uncomfortable or anything but I just don’t think only going to the bathroom once a week is good.
Thanks so much!
Diane
I agree that it is definitely not healthy to have a bowel movement only once a week. I recommend trying the Natural Calm in a small dose, maybe a teaspoon, and working your way up to an effective dose.
Hi Judy,
I can’t find clarification in Dr NCM’s book that Gaps Shakes are allowed from stage 1.
We have been on modified full GAPS for 2.5 years (low fruit/no nuts/no honey) and I am wanting to do the intro diet. We have started Gaps Shakes with good results and have been having them for 1.5 months every morning.
Does NCM clarify in the training/seminars whether it would be ok to continue with the GAPS shakes on the intro if already tolerated? It would sure add some colour to an otherwise dullish repetouire of broths, soups and stews in the early stages. 🙂
Thank you so much for your reply.
Nicola
I do not remember Dr. Natasha addressing this issue. But I think it would be fine. I would be curious to hear about the good results that you have gotten. What were the conditions you were hoping to heal. I admire your stick-to-itiveness
Thank you so much for your very quick reply. We started GAPS for my son, 3, due to rashes and itching all over torso and limbs to the point of bleeding.
The rashes stabilised for the first 7 months on the diet but didn’t decrease until I realised the histamine connection. Once I reduced all histamines that caused us issues, and unload our bucket so to speak, I was able to start kefir at a teaspoon and work our way up from there.
He is currently now tolerating larger helpings of kefir with no reactions. His rashes are 99.9% gone. Failure to thrive, moodiness, apraxia, mood swings, fussy eating, grumpiness, are all great side issues which cleared up quickly (and some not so quickly) on Gaps. He is now a healthy 6 year old, radiant skin, bright as a button, beautiful temperment and healthy active child.
Histamine seemed to be our problem – but eliminating high histamine foods, and then starting at a tiny amount of the high histamine *healing* foods (kefir) and working up slowly seems to have done the trick.
My DD also benefited after the histamine issue was addressed by reducing anxiety, mood swings, tantrums, melt-downs, rashes, and hyperactivity. She is now a different child – much calmer and happier.
Although we haven’t technically done intro, except for a 5 day (1 stage per day) stint which I found very challenging (!), I was wondering whether we should do it before we transition off of Gaps to seal the deal, so to speak – seal in the healing.
I don’t want to have put in 2.5 years and transition off, only for the bad bacteria to make a comeback and be back to square 1.
So I was considering doing intro, and having the Gaps shake from day 1. What are your thoughts?
Thank you from all the way from Australia, and I hope you have a wonderful day!
xo
I am so impressed with what you have accomplished. How totally wonderful that you have persevered and healed your children! As I said, I do not recall Dr. NCM talking about this specifically, but I think it would be OK to include the GAPS shakes, even from Day 1. You are no longer symptomatic and they are so nutritious. All my best
I just was looking at FAQ on Dr. NCM’s website. She wrote this: Some people start from the Full GAPS Diet, and then later on, if there is a need, they do the Introduction Diet. Some people, particularly those without severe digestive symptoms, never do the Introduction Diet; they get well with the Full GAPS Diet alone.
You may not need to do the Intro diet. Your kids symptoms were not primarily digestive and they seem to have healed.
I was wondering if we could drink this for breakfast instead of meat/bone stock? We are on Stage 5 of GAPS Intro and still battling constipation.
Absolutely. The remedy that I recommend in my practice for constipation until a person is healed is a magnesium powder called Natural Calm. Dr. Natasha recommends enemas, but not everyone is up for that, and constipation is very toxic to the system and should not be allowed to persist. The dosage of Natural Calm varies and needs to be tailored to the individual.
My daughter is taking 2 tsps of calm and it barely does anything. She is 2.5 years old. We started with 1/4 tsp and worked up, but she keeps getting used to dose and it no longer works. :/ She is also on 2,000 mg non gmo vitamin C and 20-40 billion probiotic and still no go. We are convinced she has yeast (due to vaginal infections and symptoms), but are unable to detox her until we get bowels moving more regular. She has numerous food allergies as well such as eggs, nuts, dairy, gluten etc… What do you recommend when Calm isn’t doing it?
That is not a lot of Calm. I recommend to my patients to increase the dose until it is effective.
Hi Judy,
I have started making the GAPS milkshake for breakfast. I feel jangly and ungrounded until I’ve eaten soup or stew, even though I feel full. I’m not juicing fruit. I don’t have a gallbladdder, but I use ox bile & HCL & pepsin to help me digest the fats. I make it with 2 egg yolks and coconut oil rather than sour cream due to a dairy intolerance. (I hope to introduce raw dairy soon).
I’ve had chronic constipation since starting GAPS & this has started alternating with diarrhoea since starting to have this twice a day, which I prefer to being blocked up, so I want to continue with the milkshakes, but feeling so jangly is not ideal.
How long do I have to wait after the milkshake to eat soup or stew? I know it’s best taken on an empty stomach and don’t want to take the edge of it’s efficacy. I’d appreciate any guidance you may be able to offer.
Thank you.
I am not sure how to answer your question. I think if it were me, I would experiment with having soup or stew for breakfast which may help you feel grounded, and then later in the day have the GAPs milk shake. I would not worry so much about the empty stomach.
While it is still warm, walking outside in the garden barefoot is also excellent for grounding. You can imagine sending your jangly feeling down into the earth to absorb. These sorts of visualizations are surprisingly powerful. I would be interested to hear if any of this is helpful.
Thank you very much for your suggestions, Judy. I will try both of them and let you know how it goes, in a few week’s time. Spring has just started here in New Zealand, so there will be plenty of opportunity for bare foot walking in the coming months! Thanks again.
You are most welcome. It’s fun for me to imagine a reader in New Zealand.:-)
I should also note that he eats a ton a of vegetables (squash, carrots, onions, leeks, garlic, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, zucchini), lots of dark yellow, delicious egg yolks, and rendered animal fat from pastured sources.
Hi Stacey,
I’m just another mom who had a very constipated little boy like you. After being pretty much constipated from infancy on and a trip to the ER at 2.5 because he was backed up with poop he went on Miralax. I knew that wasn’t a good option so I looked for something else. We had good luck with diluted prune juice (not sure that’s GAPS legal) and Natural Calm. He called it his medicine juice 🙂 We would give it to him a few times a day and if he developed loose stools we backed off on the amount. It took time for his colon to shrink back down to a normal size after being stretched out for so long. Over about 2.5-3 years we slowly decreased the amount of prune juice (which was a treat since he mostly had water) and magnesium until he no longer needed it. I’m going to begin GAPS for myself soon and then hopefully once I get the hang of it can start my children on it as well. We certainly all need the healing although constipation is rarely a problem for him anymore.
Hi Judy, We are doing the GAPS diet for our 2 1/2 year old late talker and have been thrilled with the results and we are no longer worried about any type of developmental delay…more language, better social skills, more imaginative play, great eye contact. He is no longer hazy! But the huge caveat is he went from mildly constipated before the diet where he would have a very hardy and healthy looking BM every few days to almost nothing maybe once per week, oftentimes longer. We’ve been having to give him glycerin suppositories to help. He is getting tons of broth, probiotics, organ meats, juice/FCLO, and now we’ve added in the raw sour cream/raw egg yolk/fresh pressed juice smoothie. Still no luck. I’m thrilled that he is not reacting to the sour cream as he still reacts to ghee and homemade 24 hr fermented yogurt. Do you have any suggestions? Or how much more we should be giving him? We feel like we will be golden when we can get his bowels moving on a daily basis. He doesn’t seem to be scared or holding it in as he easily goes on his potty chair; and it actually seems like he has no desire to go. Thank you so much in advance!
Hi Stacy, How wonderful that you started helping your son with GAPS and have had such good results! I admire your on your dedication to your child. Dietary changes are not easy to implement any stretch of the imagination. I really cannot give specific medical advice in this format. There is a product called CALM that is a magnesium powder that I use myself for constipation and is non toxic. Our diets are typically deficient in magnesium. There is also Vitamin C that promotes defecation. Both of those products can be mixed with water and drunk. It will be necessary to titrate the dose so that he does not get diarrhea. But you are correct to be concerned. Constipation is not healthful. Hopefully with a longer amount of time on the diet, his constipation will resolve as well. Let me know what happens.
Judy,
I Just found your website this morning, what a blessing! Question about the cream, does it have to be raw? I am not by any means afraid of raw dairy, my family consumes raw milk, although my cream is very valuable to me for making butter. I was wondering if I could culture a very good quality organic cream for this application? I make creme fråiche regularity as a substitute for store bought or American sour cream.
Thanks so much
Katie
Hi Kate.
Thanks so much for writing. I am so glad you like my website!
When you ferment dairy, it loses some of the bad aspects of pasteurization. Dr. Natasha said that if raw dairy is not available, by all means use organic dairy to make fermented dairy products. The fermentation makes the dairy far more digestible and adds all the healthful probiotics. How wonderful that you make your own butter. That sounds delicious.
Dear Judy,
I’m glad I found this blog. I have just started my third week on the GAPS intro diet which I started to help with IBS particularly chronic abdominal bloating and moderate but also chronic constipation and it is interesting to read your article on how to address constipation and the responses above which I had not really come across from reading the GAPS book. I do have some concerns though and now more so after reading some of your other posts about people suffering from fatigue because the diet can be too low-carb, as I have some issues with carbs in particular the suggestions for juices, fruit and honey in the diet. I am not sure if I will be able to tolerate these well and would like to know if there is a way to tell for certain. By way of background, (and sorry for the long post):
My abdominal bloating became severely chronic around a year ago when I decided to try fermented cabbage juice to try and heal my gut (I have had the Nourishing Traditions cookbook for around 8 years but while I had dabbled with fermented drinks and vegetables in the past I never really stuck with it). It turns out that this was a big mistake as my stomach, which would usually start the day completely flat in the morning and get more and more distended during the day with food, became permanently distended on the cabbage juice. I also felt terrible on the juice in general, with fatigue, colds, insomnia anxiety, irritability and obsessions on which I will elaborate on a little later. After two weeks I threw in the towel and although the bloating reduced slightly, I became permanently distended by around 3 inches all the time, even on waking.
So when I found out about GAPS a few months back, I knew not to go near the sauerkraut or the cabbage juice! The issue I have though – and this will bring me back to the mood issues I mentioned above – is that having been gradually recovering from a severe case of anxiety characterised primarily by obsessions (I was diagnosed as having suffered a severe nervous breakdown in 2006), I have since learnt that staying away from a number of foods helps to keep my symptoms at bay. I know that sugar and fruit juices are a problem for me and this is one of my difficulties with the some of recommendations for GAPS. I used to ‘tolerate’ these foods prior to the onset of my breakdown but after that, I began reacting with psychiatric (anxiety, anger, depression, obsessions) along with the usual the digestive issues that I have had for around 20 years.
Having said that, I must say that I had been drinking mostly pasturised fruit juices but I am still afraid to try fresh juices and even honey as sugar is another major no no for me. I will do anything to avoid another psychiatric episode as these can last for months after I stop eating the trigger foods as was the case with the cabbage juice. I tried the sensitivity test with honey and it was fine but to be honest, I don’t know if I really believe in it.
I really don’t know why I developed these food intolerance after the breakdown. From my research, it would appear that anything that converted to glucose to quickly was exacerbating my already high stress levels and certainly generally avoiding like the plague, foods that are not low glycemic have helped me avoid recurrences of the anxiety et al, but I don’t have other symptoms of hypoglycemia and I can go for long periods without eating and not be impacted. I also react with anxiety symptoms to high sulphur foods which I discovered after taking MSM and which might be the reason why I have a problem with cabbage
juice which is high in sulphur; magnesium citrate (Calms); fermented cod liver oil (the capsules provoked a stronger reaction than the liquid which made me wonder if this was because of the beeswax in it) and stevia which is meant to be no carb. So it would seem that my case is not that straightforward.
I wish there was a way to tell if I would be ok on the fruits and juices as most are low on the glycemic scale and the juices are diluted with fats but I have stopped eating everything sweet at the same time a while back to be on the safe side once I discovered that the pasturised juices were a trigger for me (although I do find that I can eat plantains and sweet potatoes with no problems). I would love to be able to introduce some of the fruits and honey to avoid the going too low-carb and also as it helps with constipation but don’t quite know how to proceed. Do you find that the sensitivity test is accurate in the sense that it will predict any reaction to foods not just digestive ones.
Thanks in advance and sorry it took so long to get to my actual question!
Hello and thank you for writing. I think each of us is so different, and you are going to need to experiment to see what works for you and what does not. I think for most people pasteurized juice is not a good plan. Juice should be freshly pressed at home, and depending upon your carbohydrate sensitivity, you are going to need to figure out what you tolerate and what makes you feel well and what makes you symptomatic. It can be really hard to sort out. I know for myself a bit of honey and fruit is OK, but I get into trouble when I over do it. But I do feel better with a bit of it, than when I go super low carb. I wish I had a more definitive answer for you, but it is a process of trial and error. It can be helpful for some people for a period of time to write down what they eat and how they felt afterwards. The whole issue can be very confusing. It is my experience, that it is very important for most people to get many of their calories from healthful fats. It also seems like for many people its not a good idea to snack constantly, but to have a satisfying meal complete with good fats, and to give the digestive system a rest in between. I do not know the answer to the sensitivity test question. You might want to consult with Erin Chamerlik, a holistic nutritionist, who works with people on-line, if you feel like you need professional support to sort it out for yourself. The link to contact her is:
http://getbetterwellness.com/About.html
She’s a good person to work with.
Hi Judy,
Thanks for the response, I think you are right, it is a matter of being brave and doing the trial and error to see what works for me. Before starting GAPS I was able to tolerate a range of low glycemic index carbs fine (brown rice, wholewheat/grains soaked in yoghurt, yams) and even potatoes without any effect on my mood and I know I will be fine with these foods after GAPS. This is why I wonder about fruit and raw honey but I have not been brave enough to try them since psychologically I seem to have conditioned myself to believe that sweet = bad. Indeed most of the research I have done seems to suggest that raw honey helps anxiety and other mood disorders but as you say everyone is different. Thanks for the referral, I will try to get in touch with her shortly.
Thank you for the insight Judy!
I had no idea that it was less important for constipation to go through the intro diet. Hopefully that will mean that i move through it faster than expected!
Unfortunately, I’m also facing a host of other issues, including Candida, SIBO, and possibly some liver/leaky gut issues. I committed to a Paleo diet/lifestyle for a good year +, and unfortunately it didn’t resolve my daily issues of intestinal pain, bloating, and constipation. So I’ll probably do the intro diet for some gut healing and cross my fingers that the sour cream and yolks don’t prevent healing!
I will certainly check out the Magnesium powder! Throughout my life, Magnesium citrate is the only thing that has helped me have even a small BM, but I have to take it in increasing dosages or it stops working :(. I’m at a pretty high dosage right now, so hopefully juicing and the GAPS protocol will help ease me off such a high dosage of Mag Cit.
I’m so glad I found your blog! Thank you again for your input!
Its amazing, Erin, since I have started to make this more of a specialty, I am learning how many people suffer so much with digestive problems. I used to feel like I was the only one in the world, but its remarkable how much of a source of suffering it is for so many people. Such an every day basic function, becomes such a focus and such an energy drain. I am glad that you find the blog useful. That is so nice to hear. Happy juicing. Its a rewarding habit on many levels. Blessings for the New Year.
Judy, you just made my day!
I’m about to start GAPS (have been prepping food for a couple of weeks) and have been on the fence about juicing. I have suffered from chronic, severe constipation for as long as I can remember, so as I was standing in a store today looking at all the juicers I decided to take the plunge and grab the Hamilton Beach Big Mouth – looks like I got the right one!
Quick question – I’ve been drinking a couple of TB of store bought organic carrot juice for a couple of weeks now, and I know Dr. Campbell-Mcbride suggests juicing straight from the beginning for people with severe constipation, but I’m not sure if we are supposed to be adding the egg yolk and sour cream/coconut oil on day one (intro diet, phase 1). If you know the answer to this, could you please clarify?
Thank you so much!
Erin
Hi Erin.
You are going to be so happy with that juicer. Yes, Dr. Campbell-McBride recommends juicing from the beginning, especially for constipation, and adding raw sour cream and egg yolks. It is much less important for people with constipation to do the intro diet. In the training, she said that for some people with constipation, the intro diet would not provide enough fiber, and she would recommend beginning with the Full GAPS diet, plus juicing adding sour cream for lubrication, which is lacking in people with constipation. She also recommends coffee enemas for people with constipation. Constipation is very unhealthy and should not be tolerated for any length of time. I have good results for my self and patients in my practice with a Magnesium powder called CALM. Its a powder that mixes with water, and is good to drink before bed. Our diets are generally deficient in magnesium, and magnesium promotes sleep. I hope you have a good experience as you embark upon your GAPS voyage.
Judy – I don’t really understand the Beet Kvass recipe you link to. Can you outline the basic procedure at a high level? Do you have to add cultures of some kind? I would be making the dairy-free version.
Thanks – Andy
Hi Andy,
Thanks for writing.
The only way I know how to make it is with whey, which is from yoghurt, but it tolerated by most people.
Recipe:
3 medium or 2 large beets, peeled and chopped up coarsely
1/4 cup whey
1 Tablespoon sea salt
filtered water
Place beets, whey and salt in a 2 quart glass container. Add filtered water to fill the container. Stir well and cover securely. Keep at room temperature for 2 days before transferring to the fridge.
When most of the liquid has been drunk, you may fill up the container with water and keep at room temperature for another 2 days. The resulting brew will be slightly less strong than the first. After the second brew, discard the beets and start again. From Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions Cookbook.
Greetings,
I’ve been doing a somewhat similar “milkshake” for breakfast a couple times a week. But mine is not sweet at all. It’s very filling and I’ve grown to like the flavor, although it might sound pretty terrible to the uninitiated. I just threw together a bunch of stuff I figured would be good for me. Apparently, I wasn’t too far off base:
1 cup goat kefir
1 cup bone broth (chilled)
2 oz. raw beef (or bison) liver
2 raw egg yolks
1/ 4 cup ea. raw carrot & spinach
1/8 cup fermented beets
salt & white pepper to taste
Prepare in a blender.
I’m intrigued by the spirulina. I’ll try adding that. Cheers!!
Mike, wow, that sounds challenging to me with the raw liver or beef. It does sound like it would be super nutritious. I am curious about the goat kefir. I would like to try that. I take it this is not a hot mixture? With the bone broth and meat I have trouble imagining it as palatable cold, but you must be drinking it that way, or at room temperature, or otherwise you would kill the ferments. Thank you for taking the time to write. I love getting comments.
Hi Judy, Yes, It is probably near room temp when I drink this crazy concoction. I used to warm the broth until it became fluid (my broth is very gelatinous / chicken feet & oxtail – 3 hr in a pressure cooker), but, as you mention, if it’s too hot it will kill the cultures. Now, I use the broth cold, and it still blends up fine.
Goat milk kefir is available from Redwood Hill: http://www.redwoodhill.com/kefir-milk or I make my own with local goat milk (sadly, not raw).
I find liver to be more palatable raw. Cooking creates the strong flavor that puts people off. Admittedly, things like raw liver , “meat jello”, plain yogurt, etc…can be a little scary at first. But I’ve found that the mind and palate can be trained to accept and enjoy these things.
I’ve just recently found your blog and I’m looking forward to reading through it. Thanks.
Muita Saúde! Mike
Mike, Your broth sounds great. You are clearly an adventurous soul, and your body will surely thank you for the nutritious cocktail! Thanks again for writing.
The juicer I mentioned is such a bargain. I hope that you get as much pleasure out of it as I do. It’s one of those reassuring touchstones, that helps me cope with all the complexity and stress of my life.
Well, a new computer, of necessity, is coming for Christmas…so, perhaps a juicer for my birthday…
My interest is pique’d and I think I could make this juicing combo work for me as I can mix and match the amounts of sweet vs not, so it can work for me metabolically as another relatively starchy carbohydrate intolerant person and very sugar intolerant person.
Thank you!