It's all about Soups! Stage 1 of GAPS Nutritional Protocol

Because you know I'm all about that BLESS 'Bout that BLESS, no trouble I'm all about that BLESS!

I count my blessings for this beautiful life. Each day opens the door to new findings, new oppotunities, new things to experience, people to love and beloved and continue living. I have so many things and people around me to be thankful for.

With my decision to continue clean-eating and heal my gut, I landed on a site which helped me to understand better about Gut and Psychology Syndrome or also known as GAPS. Like I've mentioned many times before, I could not emphasis more on the importance of maintaining a healthy GUT. Why?? Well, when the digestive system is unwell, 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 most of them respond with some symptoms. Most of the time people with GAPS will find most difficulties to heal using mainstream medicine. Therefore, the GAPS Nutritional Protocol is designed to treat all of those conditions starting from the roots. Our digestive system holds the roots of our health. If those roots are not healthy, then the rest of the body cannot be healthy. So the treatment of any chronic disease has to start from the gut. The human gut is a long tube; what you fill that tube with has a direct effect on its well-being. Food— the person’s daily diet— is the number one treatment for any chronic disease, and the GAPS Diet is the most important part of the GAPS Nutritional Protocol. I've started religiously the Stage 1 of GAPS Nutritional Protocol (introductory stages) and soon I shall be starting Stage 2 from tomorrow onwards. This is another milestone to look forward to and to celebrate living a positive healthy life.

During the early stages, the variety is not much and it is pretty limited to what I can eat. Nevertheless I am determine to heal my gut. So bear with me and join me on this journey of healthy gut protocol after all everybody needs a healthy GUT.

Stage 1 is ALL ABOUT SOUPS. Yea, really...it is all that is! Aha. I must admit I am beginning to feel that I had enough soups already. I think my face will soon start to look like a bowl of soup too! I know the journey has just only started and the road to GUT HEALING is still a long one to go therefore I'd better be creative with the limitations of ingredients that are allowed during this stage. Keeping my mind positive and get on with it.

Also, I'd like to note here is that besides following GAPS Nutritional Protocol I still have to be mindful of my Histamine Intolerance. So, I did what I needed to do and that is by adjusting and adapting GAPS Nutritional Protocol to suit my body requirement. When it comes to healing, one has to listen to their body and play ingredients detective. Always keep a food journal so that you can identify what you've eaten works and/or otherwise. Keep a close check on this, so crucial during this introductory stage. Try to eliminate those that aggrevate your conditions. Once you have completed the Introductory Stages of GAPS Nutritional Protocol, you may be able to re-introduce the ingredients back into your system slowly and observe the feedback it provides to your body/health. Elimination is not the way forward for long term healthy living, so putting back nutritional ingredients will be the answer in the long run. But before I can fully introduce those that I am allergic to, I need to perserve and follow the list at this stage first and foremost.

So, what I have done is that besides elimination I have also make sure I am eating enough ingredients/foods that keep histamine at bay and also foods that are anti-inflammatory. These are so so crucial as part of healing. Therefore, I've started to experiement more with cauliflower, red onions, ginger, tumeric, guava, broccoli to name a few. Besides savouring soups, I continue to drink green juices which are powerpacked with so much goodness in a jar.

Here is a recipe of soup which I created recently which I absolute love and it is GAPS Nutritional Protocol Stage 1 approved too :)

LUSCIOUS GREEN SOUP RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 tbsp of organic coconut oil

1 inch of organic gingerroot (slice thinly)

3 cloves of garlic (sliced thinly)

2 handfuls of organic Kale

2 cups of organic cauliflower florets (be sure to remove the stems as they are too fibrous to be eaten at this early stages of the protocol)

1 cup of organic broccoli florets (without the stems as explained above)

100 ml coconut milk

1 -2 cups of filtered water or vegetable stock (depending on the consistency of the soup you prefer)

Sea salt to taste

Place a steamer onto the stove under medium heat. Transfer the cut and cleans cauliflower and broccoli into the steamer. Cover the steamer and allow the steaming process to take place. After 5 mins then add in Kale into the steamer and allow the process to continue for another 3 minutes.

Transfer the vegetables into a blender and add in 1 -2 cups of filtered water. Blend the ingredients into puree form.

Heat a saucepan and add in the pureed vegetables. Then add in the the coconut oil and sliced garlic and gingerroot into the saucepan. Let it simmer for 1 minute and then add in the coconut milk and some sea salt. Let the mixture continue to simmer for another 3-5 minutes under low heat.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Note: if you're not following the GAPS Nutritional Protocol then you are not restricted to using herbs and spices. So feel free to add in some fresh herbs and spices to your liking. Those who are following the protocol then please take note that no fresh herbs or dried herbs or spices are allowed in Stage 1.

I hope this will inspire your soup recipe creations :)

Additionally, please read on to know more about GAPS below. You and/or your loved ones may have the symptoms of unhealthy gut. Who knows? Knowledge is power, so seek it and heal yourself and your loved ones.

Have a great healthy life!

Lots of love,

Aina Some info on GAPS: Gut and Psychology Syndrome , or GAPS, includes learning disabilities and mental disorders such as ADHD/ ADD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, autism, addictions, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, epilepsy, eating disorders, and many other conditions, which stem from abnormal 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, sleep problems, and so on. Gut and Physiology Syndrome , also known as GAPS, includes various chronic physical conditions that stem from an 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, chronic cystitis, nephropathy, neuropathy , et cetera), asthma, eczema, allergies, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, myalgic encephalomyelitis, multiple chemical sensitivity, arthritis, PMS and other menstrual problems, endocrine disorders (thyroid, adrenal, and other), and digestive disorders (irritable bowel syndrome, gastritis , colitis, and so forth). 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, neurological and hormonal abnormalities. In almost every person 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 problems have mental symptoms (such as depression, “brain fog,” inability to concentrate, mood swings, sleep abnormalities, memory problems, anxiety, tremors, tics, fits, and more). - Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD, author of Gut and Psychology Syndrome.