Wendy is a Certified GAPS Practitioner. She utilizes the GAPS protocol in many of her therapeutic interventions.

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What Is GAPS?

 

  Gut and Psychology/Physiology Syndrome (GAP Syndrome or GAPS) is a condition, which establishes a connection between the functions of the digestive system and the brain. This term was created by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, MMedSci (neurology), MMedSci (human nutrition) in 2004 after working with hundreds of children and adults with neurological and psychiatric conditions.

 

  Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride believes that our digestive system holds the roots of our health; GAPS conditions stem from the unhealthy gut. The list of GAPS conditions is long; she divided them into two groups:

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  1. Gut And Psychology Syndrome
  2. Gut And Physiology Syndrome

 

  Gut And Psychology Syndrome or GAPS includes learning disabilities and mental disorders, such as autism, ADHD/ADD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, addictions, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, eating disorders and many other conditions, which affect the function of the brain. Many of these conditions have no established diagnostic labels and present themselves as a mixture of various so-called mental symptoms: mood alterations, memory and cognitive problems, behavioral and social problems, panic attacks, anxiety, involuntary movements, various tics and fits, sensory problems, etc.

 

  Gut And Physiology Syndrome or GAPS includes various chronic physical conditions, which stem from the unhealthy gut, such as autoimmune conditions (celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, diabetes type one, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, autoimmune skin problems, etc.), atopic conditions (asthma, eczema, various allergies), food allergy/intolerance, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, ME, multiple chemical sensitivity, arthritis, PMS and other menstrual problems, many endocrine disorders (thyroid, adrenal and other) and all digestive disorders (such as irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis and various colitis). Many conditions do not fit into any diagnostic box and can present as a mixture of symptoms: digestive problems, fatigue, muscular weakness, cramps and abnormal muscle tone, pain and ache in joints and muscles, skin problems, hormonal abnormalities.

 

  In almost all cases the symptoms from both GAP Syndromes overlap: people with mental problems suffer physical symptoms (painful joints and muscles, fatigue, skin problems, asthma, hormonal problems, autoimmunity), while people with physical conditions have mental symptoms (such as depression, ‘brain fog’, inability to concentrate, mood swings, sleep abnormalities, memory problems, anxiety, tremors, tics, fits, etc.). When the digestive system is unwell, so instead of being a source of nourishment, it becomes a major source of toxicity in the body, nothing in the body can function well. Any organ, any system, any cell can show symptoms of distress – usually many of them respond with some symptoms.

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  GAPS Nutritional Protocol will work for all of these conditions. Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride believes that the roots of all chronic illnesses are to be found in the gut. In order to deal with any health problem fully we need to start from its roots. By following the GAPS Diet you will lay the ground for recovering from any chronic illness, even those that generally are considered ‘incurable’.

 

  The Nutritional Program for Gut And Psychology/Physiology Syndrome:

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  1. Diet. GAPS conditions are essentially digestive disorders. The digestive system is a long tube; what you fill that tube with has a direct effect on its well-being. That is why the diet is the most important and the number one treatment. Everything else takes a second place.

  2. Supplementation.

  3. Detoxification and life-style changes.

 

  The purpose of the treatment is to detoxify the person, to lift the toxic fog off the brain to allow it to develop and function properly. In order to achieve that we need to clean up and heal the digestive tract, so it stops being the major source of toxicity in the body and becomes the source of nourishment, as it is supposed to be. As more than 90% of everything toxic floating in our blood (and getting into the brain) comes from the gut, healing it will drop the level of toxicity in the body dramatically.