The Gaps diet is a diet developed in recent years in America, to deflate the belly, resolve intestinal disorders of all types (from constipation to colic, from irritable bowel to gastritis), reduce the waistline and return to high levels of energy. The acronym of the Gaps diet stands for ” Gut and Psychology Syndrome “, translated as Psycho-intestinal Syndrome , and is a term that was invented by Dr. Natasha Campbell-McBride to emphasize the relationship between human intestinal health and the mental one. The Gaps diet was created to combat autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD / ADD), schizophrenia, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, bipolar disorder, other neurological problems, digestive and autoimmune problems.

In general, however, the Gaps diet is ideal not only for the aforementioned cases, but for those with digestive problems , irritable colon and swollen belly , but above all for those suffering from stress and frustrations that “unload” on themselves, reaching digesting poorly or not digesting anything, suffering from frequent spasms and colic. The bacterial flora is in fact closely linked not only to the well-being of our metabolism, but is a mirror of our immune defenses. When stress compromises them, the bacterial flora also worsens as a result, as well as the tendency to feel nauseated, spasms and intestinal cramps. This is because our belly becomes our lightning rod.

But it does not end there: Dr. Campbell-McBride has developed the Gaps diet because she is convinced that an impoverished intestinal flora, a diet rich in chemical additives and preservatives and impaired digestion, from stress or related disorders, are together a bomb for our brain , altering its chemistry and triggering a series of ailments. The diet has become a real protocol for people who suffer from the most diverse problems, from those of a digestive nature to mental and learning problems.

Since the Gaps diet is not easy to follow and requires a preparatory phase (introductory diet, which in turn consists of various phases), for those interested in learning more, I recommend trying these 2-3 days of diet taken from the first phase of the introductory diet , and see if there is any improvement in symptoms. The belly must appear more deflated, we must feel more energetic, digestion must improve significantly and we must feel more focused. For those interested, the book on the Gaps diet can be purchased in Italian here .
For more information on the protocol, follow this site. 
We come now to the diet.