Today we’re looking at the GAPS diet introduction phase stage 3. By this time, some deep healing is underway. Let’s find out what foods to add in next!
GAPS diet introduction phase stage 3
Before we jump in to the newest foods to introduce, let me congratulate you for making it this far! The earliest stages of the GAPS introduction diet are so important.
Your body is adjusting to this new way of eating. It’s rebuilding itself, and gentle cleansing is taking place. Opportunistic gut flora overgrowth is dying off, and new, friendly bacteria are taking their place.
You may have some days of feeling yucky as all of this is happening. As you progress, though, you should gradually feel better and better. Just remember to be patient and gentle with yourself.
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GAPS diet die off symptoms
As the opportunistic gut flora overgrowth dies, you’ll probably experience some die off symptoms. These are often things like headaches, tiredness, and mental fogginess.
Try to take it easy on these days. Also, remembering that die off is a good thing! The key is to go slowly, so that you can hopefully avoid feeling yucky. If you do start to experience die off symptoms, think about slowing down the increase of fermented foods for a bit.
Taking epsom salt baths really helps to relieve the die off symptoms. Eating sulphur rich foods like cauliflower and broccoli also help give relief.
GAPS diet avocado
The first new food for the GAPS diet introduction phase stage 3 is ripe avocado. Mash the avocado and add it to bowls of soup.
Start slowly. Just do 1-3 teaspoons of avocado per day. Make sure your body is doing well with it, and then gradually increase.
GAPS diet pancakes
For me, pancakes were the first really exciting food to add! After eating soups and meats and cooked vegetables, you just start to really look forward to something that is somewhat like bread.
I have a GAPS introduction diet pancakes recipe here. It’s super easy, and so yummy!
Like with all the other additions, start slowly. Begin with one pancake a day, and increase gradually.
GAPS diet eggs
By this point, you’ve been having raw egg yolks and soft boiled eggs for a bit. Now it’s time for some more variety.
Starting preparing eggs as scrambled eggs. Cook them in plenty of animal fat, like tallow, duck fat, or ghee.
You can eat the scrambled eggs with your avocado as well, for a tasty combo.
Another great way to eat scrambled eggs is with some cooked vegetables. Cooked onion is especially gentle and soothing on the digestive system, and it is so delicious with eggs!
Cook onions and other vegetables in animal fat until their very soft, and then move them aside in the pan. Add the eggs in the pan, and serve it all together with some avocado on the side.
Sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables
At this point in the GAPS diet introduction phase stage 3, you can have fermented vegetables. Up until now, you’ve just been having the liquid.
Start with a very small amount of homemade sauerkraut. Gradually increase until you’re having 1-4 teaspoons of sauerkraut with each meal. Once this is going well, branch out to other homemade fermented vegetables.
It’s important to go very slowly with this. If you previously had trouble with diarrhea, watch carefully to make sure it doesn’t come back. Before long you’ll be moving on to stage 4, and then to stage 5, and then to stage 6! I talk about how to transition to the full GAPS diet here.
If you want to read ahead on how to transition off of the GAPS diet, check out my post on coming off of the GAPS diet here. I go over supplements for the GAPS diet here.
GAPS diet introduction phase stage 3 video
GAPS Introduction diet recipes
24 Hour Raw Milk Yogurt Recipe without Heating
How to Make Sour Cream from Raw Milk
How to Make Kefir with Raw Milk
How is the GAPS introduction diet going for you?
How do you feel? What foods are you enjoying? Let me know how it’s going in the comments!
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This free eBook includes recipes for everything you’ll need to know how to make for the GAPS introduction diet: meat stock, soup, sauerkraut, yogurt, sour cream, kefir, herbal teas, ghee, pancakes, and apple sauce. Grab your copy below!
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Looking for a GAPS intro meal plan?
GAPS to Go is a 30 day meal plan for the GAPS introduction diet that tells you what to eat each day, with complete cooking instructions, and guidance on when to move to each intro diet stage. Check out GAPS to Go here.
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Hi Marisa,
My family of 5 are doing the gaps diet. My 2 year old and 2 month old have eczema, and we were controlling it my simply taking out the main allergies out of my 2 year olds diet but there was always some residual effects of eczema. When we had our second son, at the 2 month mark he started showing eczema and for about a couple weeks we simply went back to cutting everything out of my diet completely but it wouldn’t budge like it had with the other. So we thought we needed something more drastic like GAPS. We just started phase 3 eggs were the first allergen we added back in and the eczema seems a bit worse, any thoughts if this is die off or should we back off on eggs for a while..
I feel nervous because I don’t want to stop die off, but it’s like each thing we add in is a previous food we would avoid for them….
Our previous diet was very close to Weston a price, no one in our families has eczema and it came as a shock when my boys started getting it.
Anyways… love your videos and blog posts they have been very influential in our family starting this diet
Jade
I’m glad it has been helpful! That can be tough to try and figure out. Without knowing more, it sounds like it could be a sensitivity. You might try moving ahead and leaving out the foods that seem to aggravate it the most, like eggs, and try those again much later. Make sure you’re doing meat stock, not bone broth, and that you’re getting plenty of meat stock every day. Hope that helps! Sending well wishes!
I love your posts! Thanks for all the information. I am not on the GAPS diet myself, but we eat very similar anyway so I’m trying to follow along with your posts to incorporate more of that. Thanks!
Wonderful! Thanks so much!
Love reading about folks’ different journeys to achieving their best health 🙂
I do, too! So fascinating 🙂
Such great information. It’s amazing how when we give our body the tools it needs, it begins to heal itself.
Isn’t it incredible?
Hi Marisa,
Can I take the avocado without smashing it in the soup (raw), or it should be taken cook