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Quirky Cooking

Isaac’s Story, and Quirky Cooking for Gut Health

QuirkyJo by QuirkyJo
July 5, 2016
in Dairy Free, GAPS, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Gut Health, Health, Health Tips, Paleo, Tips
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Healing Anxiety & OCD - Quirky Cooking for Gut Health
foods

Well, here I am, finally sitting down to share Isaac’s story with you all, and to explain why I developed my online program, Quirky Cooking for Gut Health. For the first few months after Isaac’s health went downhill I didn’t want to talk about it much. My blog was neglected, and I was mostly in survival mode. But as he healed and I began to share his story, so many people began writing to me to ask for help. They were going through many of the same things we had, and were desperate for help. I knew I had to find a way to share what we were learning – it wasn’t going to be enough just to say, ‘Hey, do GAPS, it worked for us’! So much overwhelm. Been there, know the feeling. So a team of my friends and I got to work and put this program together to teach you cooking for healing, in the hopes that it would be the support that many families badly needed. And we have seen so much good come out of it.

Here’s our story – may it give you hope for your own healing journey.

Isaac’s Story

Quirky Cooking, Isaac's StoryTwo years ago, my son Isaac seemed to be just like any other happy, healthy 13 year old boy. He loved to hang out with his friends, he played futsal, climbed trees, road bikes, worked hard on his schoolwork (mostly), ate well, and was a bit obsessed by Minecraft, like a lot of kids his age. He had occasional bouts of worrying or needing to be talked through odd fears, he was very claustrophobic, and sometimes washed his hands too much, but I thought that was just his sensitive, pedantic personality. Once, about a year before, he’d gone through a few weeks of feeling very stressed and crying a lot, but with lots of ‘mum time’ and being strict with how he ate for a while, it had passed and he seemed fine again. Sometimes he reacted to foods, so we were careful with his diet, keeping him mostly dairy and wheat free, with plenty of veggies and wholefoods, and not too much sugar. Except when he was out and about, as it was hard to monitor that, so I pretty much just told him to do the best he could at those times. 80/20, you know?

Everything was going fine, then one day Isaac came and told me that he was worried he was too attached to Minecraft. In fact, he was thinking it was taking over all his thoughts, and it kind of scared him. He said that even though he was only supposed to play it for one hour a day, he never stopped thinking about it, and he couldn’t seem to think about anything else. So he wanted me to know that he had decided to stop playing it. I said ok, good idea, best to have a break from it… and was pleased he’d made the decision himself. 

The Downhill Spiral

The next day it all began. Isaac began obsessing over the strangest things. It was like he switched from an obsession with Minecraft to lots of other obsessions, adding more and more every day. All his small fears and worries from the past grew into gigantic ogres overnight. He began having weird visions of rocks closing in on him, and he was scared he was going to be crushed. He’d scream and cry and flail his arms about in the middle of the lounge room, trying to ward off invisible rocks. He thought he was going to die. He thought his family was going to die. He thought he was getting diseases. He thought snakes were biting him in his bed. He had to walk a certain way, talk a certain way, think a certain way, get in and out of cars a certain way, get dressed a certain way… the list was endless.

If he did anything slightly wrong, or had the wrong thought while doing something, he would have to start over, or he might die. He couldn’t dress himself – something might happen if he changed into another shirt, especially a grey shirt as that was dangerous! He couldn’t go to the toilet or have a shower without shutting and opening the door many times over, flushing the toilet constantly, turning the taps on and off, on and off… He finally refused to shower at all. He couldn’t feed himself, because he was scared of the spoon touching his teeth. I had to feed him, and if I accidentally bumped the spoon on his teeth he’d try to fling it across the room. He couldn’t hang out with his friends, he needed to stay near mum at all times, as I was the only one who could (sometimes) calm him. Thankfully we homeschool, so I could keep him close by me, but he couldn’t do his schoolwork at all. He found it very hard to go anywhere – he had to repeatedly put the seatbelt off and on, off and on, so it took a long time to get in and out of the car. He would take ten minutes to climb the ladder to his bed, going up and down, over and over, trying to do it ‘right’. Then he couldn’t get the covers on ‘right’ and would put them off and on for another ten minutes or more. Then he’d lay there holding them off his chest, because they were actually ‘rocks’ which could crush him… until he fell asleep from sheer exhaustion an hour or two later. He cried constantly, bursting out into loud sobs for no reason that we could see, waking up his brother and sisters at night, making them cry with the strangeness of it all. What had happened to their brother?? We were all so stressed.

When Desperation Set In

I didn’t know what to do. All I could think of was to hold him, rock him, talk to him in a soft voice, pray with him, reason with him about his fears. In moments of lucidity, Isaac told me that he felt like he was living in another world. He knew it was not rational, that it didn’t make sense, but there was nothing he could do – he was stuck in a nightmare world, and he had to do everything his mind told him to do or he would die there.

Quirky Cooking, Isaac's Story
Holding a crying son – a photo I took and never shared at the time

I began desperately searching the internet, trying to work out what was wrong with him. It seemed to be more than just anxiety or depression – it was like he was going crazy! It scared me so much. One day while researching online I felt like a voice in my head said, ‘Maybe it’s OCD?’ I hardly knew what OCD was. Actually, I thought it was being scared of germs, washing your hands a lot, and cleaning all the time. But I remember someone on my Facebook page once commenting that it was a lot more than that, and not something to joke about, and something in me said, ‘look it up’. So I did. And he had every, single, one of the symptoms. Fear of germs, fear of dying, obsessions, compulsive behaviour, phobias of certain people, paranoia… it was all there.

So first thing the next morning, I took him to the doctor and told her what had been going on. Just talking about it was tough, Isaac and I were both crying, and I was so desperate for help. The doctor confirmed my thoughts about OCD, and said we needed to get him to a psychologist, and onto medication. I said, ‘Give us the medication now, we can’t cope another day.’ Just so you know, I’m not the medicating type – I’ll take a natural approach above pharmaceuticals any day – but I was so stressed out I didn’t think we could cope for another day without something to dampen Isaac’s fears and phobias and calm his crying. I was at the end of my rope. So we got the medication, Isaac started on that, we began counselling, and I continued researching to work out what else I could possibly do to help him.

The Search Continues

Now if there’s one thing you should know about me, it’s this: I’m persistant. My husband calls it stubborn. Whatever. I don’t give in easily, and if something needs fixing, I’m going to work on it til it’s fixed, or die trying. So the last thought on my mind was ‘just get him on medication and it’ll all be fine’. It was, ‘Ok, we’ll use medication at first if we have to, so we can all cope, but something is wrong and I won’t rest until we fix it’! Medication was only ever going to be a short term thing, something to temporarily calm him while I worked out what to do, but the long term approach was to work out what was causing the problems and fix that, no matter how hard it was or how long it took to fix.  

Quirky Cooking, Isaac's Story

My first thought, of course, was diet. I knew Isaac was the one in our family most likely to react to foods, and I remembered how dairy had made him constipated and lethargic and anxious as a child. I’d heard that anxiety and mental health issues were linked to gut health. And I knew there was a diet out there called the ‘Gut and Psychology Syndrome’ diet (GAPS for short) for healing the gut, but I’d always thought, ‘we don’t need that, we don’t have gut issues’. Ha. Again I heard that little voice inside of me, telling me which direction to look. So I started researching GAPS. I rang friends in the health world and asked what they thought, and they agreed it was rooted in gut health issues. After talking to them, I realised that not only did Isaac have the classic symptoms of gut dysbiosis, so also did the rest of the family, in varying degrees.  

 

 

And so… We began GAPS

Sounds simple. You just go back to really basic foods – broths, soft cooked meats and veggies – and then you slowly add foods back in as the gut heals. Reality hit after a few days. This was actually a lot of work if you didn’t know what you were doing, and you hadn’t prepared! I needed to stop and reassess! I took everyone back to full GAPS (which was close to how we’d been eating before, but without the starches and grains) and Quirky Cooking, Isaac's Storystarted reading all I could find on GAPS. (Especially the GAPS book, “Gut and Psychology Syndrome” by Dr Natasha Campbell McBride.) We had a busy month, with a wedding to fly to, a youth camp, parties, etc, so we just did the best we could with full GAPS until we were back home and things had settled. Thankfully, the medication had calmed down Isaac’s symptoms, and although he was a bit like a zombie, at least he wasn’t screaming and crying and could sleep at night.

On October 1st, 2014, we began Intro GAPS. I downloaded a program from the internet to help with recipes, but that only lasted a week or so as I found the recipes boring, so I struck out on my own. I decided to record what I was cooking, and write down any recipes I made up as I went along. Some I shared on the blog and Facebook, some just got shoved into a folder or stored on the notepad on my phone. (I really didn’t have much time for blogging that year.) I started to really enjoy the food, and so did the family. Even the kid’s friends would comment on how delicious it was, and say, ‘I wish we ate GAPS food!’ (Until I reminded them they wouldn’t be able to have bread – ha ha!)

The Road to Recovery

As the first few weeks went by, I realised Isaac was already so much better. I asked the psychologist, ‘Could it just be the medication? Or do you think the diet is helping?’ She said, ‘It’s definitely much more than the medication – he’s getting better so quickly. And usually the doctor has doubled the dose by now!’ So that was very encouraging!

Quirky Cooking, changes in 1 year on GAPS
The changes in my face in one year

The kids had been upset about starting GAPS at first, but as they began to see the improvements not just in Isaac’s health, but in their own, they stopped seeing it as an imposition on their lives and began to thank me for making the changes. My daughter’s candida issues and problems with cramps, dizziness and skin tingling went away. Her moods improved. My older son’s sinus problems, snoring, and hay fever decreased. My skin looked healthier, my legs stopped itching, I finally gained some weight (I’ve always struggled with being underweight), my husband lost weight (which he needed to do), and our eyes looked brighter.

And most importantly, Isaac’s OCD, anxiety and depression disappeared. He was back to his happy, bright self, and if anything was even better and brighter than before! He had started teaching himself to solve the Rubik’s Cube and before too long he could solve it in less than ten seconds. His school work took off, he began learning the piano, he started growing (he is very small for his age), and he became very confident and outgoing. Before a year was up, he got a job at the local supermarket working at the checkouts, he began speaking with me at seminars in front of hundreds of people and – best of all – he was able to go off his medication. Completely. In Isaac’s words, ‘My greatest accomplishment has been to get off my medication’. He is so happy to be medication-free, and says he feels like his mind is so much clearer now, and the brain fog has gone.

Where We Are Now

We are now two years down the track from beginning to change over to the GAPS diet, and we are so glad we bit the bullet and just DID it! We don’t feel deprived, the food is delicious, and it has helped us all so much. And best of all, Isaac’s terrible symptoms of OCD, anxiety and depression have not come back.

We still feel like we are working on improving – I don’t think anyone ever reaches perfect health in this world – but we have learnt so much about our bodies and how to have better health; what makes us feel well and what doesn’t; and we aim to keep learning, and sharing what we learn as we go.

To listen to Isaac’s story in his own words, listen to this interview with Fouad Kassab, on our podcast, ‘A Quirky Journey’.

Isaac is now an ambassador for Youth Mental Health for the MINDD Foundation.

You can connect with Isaac on Facebook and watch his cooking videos on YouTube.   

 

So now you can see why I want to share Isaac’s story, and what we did to help him to heal! Food really is medicine. And gut health really is super important for anyone struggling with health – whether physical or mental. If you are stressed out and overwhelmed like I was, even thinking about what to cook for dinner can be too hard, especially if you have to change the way your family is eating. I totally understand. That is why I have put together everything I wished I had when starting the GAPS Protocol into one place.

The Quirky Cooking for Gut Health program includes:

  • cooking videos
  • bulk buying tips
  • kitchen set up videos
  • fact sheets & tips
  • allowed foods lists
  • 6 weeks of meal plans
  • 6 recipe ebooks
  • helpful resources
  • a support group
  • plus a podcast documenting our journey from the beginning, with lots of interviews from parents and professionals who I found helpful. 

Below you will find a video to tell you more about the program, and some reviews from program members. If you have any more questions, please feel free to contact us at [email protected] and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks for listening to our story, and I hope for you a similar story of healing in your own family.

Blessings,

Jo xx

 

What program members are saying about Quirky Cooking for Gut Health:

“Jo Whitton, you are a star! Today we started intro again (for my husband who has an autoimmune disease called Myasthenia). We did intro as a family back in January but probably moved through it too quickly to keep the kids happy. It was stressful trawling through pages and books finding recipes and coming up with yummy meals. This time around it is wonderful, just being able to look at what we are eating day to day and know all the planning and thinking is taken care of is such an enormous relief! I also love that we have options for stovetop, thermomix and slow cooker so I can really make the most of using my appliances at once. Thank you so much Jo, your hard work is SO appreciated!!”                                                       

– Heather Streatfeild

“The quirky GAPS program is a unique and easy guide to reduce the stress and anxiety of positive change for long term gut health, healing and wellbeing. It acts as a blueprint to assist in planning with easy to utilise recipes which are simple, delicious and easily adaptable to a wide range of dietary requirements, preferences and age groups. Thanks Jo for holding our hand and teaching us so much on this journey towards long term health and wellness with your awesome program!”

– Tamara Taylor

“Before I had Jo’s GAPS recipes life on the protocol was very tedious. It was too time consuming trawlling through new recipes regularly with all of our ever-changing food exclusions, which meant I cooked the same few safe dishes over and over. Once we began Jo’s program eating felt normal again. I could cook all of the meals we used to enjoy without the stress of working out how to adapt them. Everything tasted great with plenty of flavour and variety of ingredients. More importantly for a hectic Mum they are straight-forward, uncomplicated recipes laid out for each stage. It was a complete relief to have the program for me. We are now past the Intro stage of GAPS but Jo’s basic, beginner meals still make up our standard weekly menu. Everyone loves them.”

– Katie Payne

“If you’re considering doing GAPS, Jo Whitton’s ‘Quirky Cooking for Gut Health’ eBook series is a must!  These eBooks give you the recipes and the meal planners to make a busy time in your healing journey that much simpler.  You need someone who has been there and done that before you and these eBooks will guide you and quickly become your GAPS bible.  We printed them out as soon as we got our hands on them and we refer to them everyday!  We can’t emphasise enough how much time, effort and energy this e-book has saved us… thank you Jo!”

– Andrea & Bryce Holdaway

“What I love so much about our new way of eating is the simplicity.. Thank you Jo Whitton my days are very busy and to have dinner in the slow cooker in the morning and on the table at 630pm with all the family at home, what a blessing!…. I absolutely love to cook and have eaten a whole food diet for many years, however watching my teenagers … become less tired, less cranky (one HSC student) and filled is amazing … thank you Jo Whitton a success in our home … finally an eating plan we all love … Tonight we had the Slow cooked Lamb Dinner with veg and Cauliflower and Leek Mash … that was a real hit.”

– Glen Mitchell

Tags: anxietycookingdairy freedepressionFood is Medicinegapsgaps dietGluten FreeGrain Freegut healthhealingHealth TipsOCDpaleoWhole Food
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Comments 46

  1. Susie says:
    6 years ago

    Thank you for sharing this very personal story. It must have been horrific to experience. I’m so glad you did share it as I was a little perplexed as to why you promoted so many recipes in your book that you clearly no longer ate. I love your book by the way and would love to explore some of your GAPS recipes. (I’m coeliac and am sure they would benefit me). Fortunately I don’t feel the need to so much – more out of curiosity. However knowledge is power and I’m so glad everything is working out for you all. Thank you.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Thanks Susie! Yes I’m sorry for the confusion – I have explained here and there but needed to get it up on the blog. I feel my first book and older recipes are great for those just beginning on their health journey, or not needing to do GAPS. We worked up to GAPS by using mostly gluten free and dairy free recipes, then slowly reducing grains and sugars until we were ready to start Intro. Once we finish GAPS we will slowly add in some of the foods we used to eat, but not gluten, and not refined sugars. Our next book continues the journey past GAPS with a few starches and grains added back in now and then (like red rice, quinoa, buckwheat, tapioca – but not too often). Hope that helps! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Kelly says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo
    Could I do GAPS with IBS? I can’t eat onion honey or apples and I’m sure there are other foods.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Yes, for sure!! It’s very helpful for people with IBS. You can leave out the foods you can’t have and bring things in slowly as you heal.

      Reply
  3. Jo says:
    6 years ago

    Such a beautiful post Jo! I have been following your journey on the peripheries for so many years and this brought tears to me eyes. Go Isaac! 🙂

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Thank you, Jo xx

      Reply
  4. Vanessa says:
    6 years ago

    I’ve heard your story many times before but you have managed to put in even more details in this account. Good on you for persisting in turning Isaac’s life around and helping all your family in the process to achieve better health. Your gut health program is truly a Godsend.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Thank you, Vanessa, I’ve been wanting to write it all out for a long time, and there’s still so much more I want to explain – but little by little! xx

      Reply
  5. Sarah says:
    6 years ago

    Such an inspiring story.. I’d be the same I’d research everything before accepting meds as the answer! What a journey you’ve been on and now you must feel so proud and relieved and even healthier! would you recommend gaps to anyone who wants to just heal their gut or reboot? Do you need specific reason to go onto the GAPS protocol?

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Thanks Sarah! I’d recommend it to anyone – we all suffer from way too much overload on our systems in our society, with pesticides, antibiotics, medications, chemicals in our water, stress, lack of sleep, reduced nutrient dense foods, etc… Some may find a few weeks of eating this way will just give them a good pick me up, clear up skin issues, and help them to listen to their body. It’s great for anyone. 🙂

      Reply
  6. Nina Waenerberg says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo
    Thank you for sharing your personal GAPS journey, thank
    You thank you thank you! What an amazing approach and outcome!!

    I’m a quirky cook 80 percent of the time and eat anything and everything the rest of the time. (My version of 80-20)
    We do milk kefir, beet kvass and bone broth already and try and keep grains to minimum. We do have dairy but rather minimal.
    I’m interested in your GAPS program. I never really feel ready for it but I guess my biggest concern is, will I have the time to make those recipes if there are zero shortcuts?
    I’m a single mother so not only is money limited but also time. There’s just this voice inside me telling me I’ve got to jump.
    How achievable are the recipes for a working, studying single mom? I already don’t do a lots of quirky cooking recipes as the cooking or prepping time is too long – it’s got to be ready in 15-30 minutes or it won’t be fast enough ???

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Hi Nina, the actual prep time of slow cooked recipes is very quick – the first few weeks of meal plans you’ll find very simple! You will need to increase the amount of time you spend chopping veggies though – that’s what I found. If your kids are old enough to help that’s perfect – if not you may want to find a teenager who is willing to help you do some prep on the weekends for some pocket money! But yes, it’s definitely achievable, and if you need to do it just bite the bullet and do it!! xx

      Reply
  7. Nicole says:
    6 years ago

    Wishing you every blessing Jo, Isaac and family. What an amazing journey and a wonderful outcome for your whole family. Our children are such incredible teachers and now you are helping so many others. Well done. xxx

    Reply
  8. Skye says:
    6 years ago

    Thank you so much for sharing. What a journey you’ve had! I’m often wondering if my family are eating the right foods for our bodies and how we can improve our energy and mental health. Gut health is coming up more and more for me. I can’t wait to read more on this. Thanks!

    Reply
  9. Ilona says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo, I think I am ready to try the program in August (we are currently overseas). One son has eczema and bad farts, two sons have dark circles and now the third son has just developed a rash behind his knees. I know we are not eating properly while travelling, but it’s time to start. Thank you for your story and making it less scary.

    Reply
  10. Fiona says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo,
    Thank you for being so open with your personal challenges. As a mother with a young son who has many health needs like wise I’ve found – determination is a necessity. We are a nut free, sesame free household ( our son is Anaphylactic) keen to improve our gut health and manage the affects of recent medications – are there substitutes for these items as part of the GAPS program? Thank you.

    Reply
  11. Julie says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo,
    I’m considering trying the GAPS diet and I read that after your youngest you experienced headaches, digestive problems and feeling exhausted. Did the GAPS diet clear up these symptoms? I’m feeling the same after having my second baby. I’ve tried different things but nothing has helped clear it up.
    Do all the recipes have instructions for the Thermomix?
    Thanks
    Julie

    Reply
  12. Steph says:
    6 years ago

    Bravo Jo! My 18 year old son needs convincing of this but unfortunately his (recently discovered) spectrum issues are such that he is oppositional to getting ANY help. He lives (with his dad) in chronic pain, social isolation, disordered sleep, poor executive function, addictions, as well as unhealthy genes from both sides of the family going a couple of generations back (bi-polar, schizophrenia, downs syndrome, cancer, allergies). I wish I could just take him to somewhere lovely where we could heal internally and externally – just to get past the feeling of deprivation that comes from a restricted diet. Long enough for him to see improvement in his health and functioning. That he could have a life instead of just existing. As you would appreciate, its so incredibly hard to see your child suffer. I’m thinking along the lines of Bali . . or am I just desperately clutching at straws. Food for thought.

    Jo, would you mind advising me if your gut healing protocol is possible to do whilst avoiding histamine foods as I believe that may be an issue for me.

    Thanks for listening.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Hi Steph, so sorry I’ve just seen this – I find it hard to keep up with blog comments! I think it would definitely help your son to do GAPS. We’re looking at running a GAPS retreat sometime, but it would only be a few days – it would be good to take him somewhere for a month and help him really get a good start with it. And yes you can heal histamine issues with GAPS – it takes time though and you have to tweak the diet to reduce histamines. I would recommend getting a GAPS practitioner on board to help you!!

      Jo x

      Reply
  13. Jaye Williams says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo, this program looks perfect for our family, particularly for my daughter who has ADHD and anxiety. We are currently travelling Australia in a caravan, but when we settle, I would be very keen to start your program. I couldn’t seem to find anywhere that mentions what the cost of the program is? Thank you, Jaye Williams

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Hi Jaye! It’s on the actual program site, gaps.quirkycooking.com.au – the usual price is $199, and sometimes there’s specials. Happy travelling!!

      Reply
  14. Rebecca says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo,
    Thanks so much for all your hard work, it’s been so encouraging to me. I’ve just read The GAPS book and feel a bit overwhelmed. I’m keen to get your programme but just have two questions. Are there many school lunch box recipes ? I feel like this would be a real challenge. And what did you do when your children went to friends houses etc?
    Thanks so much,
    Blessings,
    Rebecca

    Reply
  15. Louise says:
    6 years ago

    Hi Jo, I’ve recently been to see a paediatrician regarding my 6 year old daughters anxiety. Between that, my eldests Aspergers diagnosis, my youngest showing strong signs on being on the spectrum, and my own history with depression, anxiety, IBS, and non-coeliac gluten intolerance, she strongly recommended GAPS. Her family are a GAPS family, and everything she explained, and everything I see written here is so unbelievably familiar to me. Our life is chaos right now, and I have to say the change to GAPS diet both excites and scares me, but to have a program such as yours with it all set out is a god-send. Even with the program, I do feel a bit alone; I know I will get resistance from extended family and friends. I am determined to do what is right for my family though. I truly believe food is making my family sick, and it’s time to turn it around.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Hi Louise, first of all BIG HUGS, I know what you’re feeling!!! You’re doing a great job, mama, good on you for making the changes your family needs, even thought it’s hard. Secondly, are you in the program support group? You’ll find so many like-minded mums in there working hard to heal their families, and they will offer you lots of encouragement which is sometimes desperately needed. Feel free to email via the blog if you need help with the program or with getting into the support group if you’re not in yet. All the best with it, Jo xx

      Reply
  16. Janelle says:
    6 years ago

    Thank you for sharing Jo. I have learnt so much from following you over the years. I’m so glad everything is going well for you and your family.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      6 years ago

      Thanks so much, Janelle xx

      Reply
  17. Linda says:
    6 years ago

    I have a daughter that has leaky gut and is vegetarian and is also has a tolerance to gluten and dairy. I was wanting to know if the GAPS would suit her?

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      3 years ago

      It is difficult for vegetarians as the GAPS protocol is based on traditional foods for healing, so that includes animal products, especially meat stocks. The amino acids in meat stocks help to heal and seal the gut lining, building new cells. If she could manage fish or chicken stock, and animal fats like ghee and butter, she would find it really beneficial!

      Reply
  18. Emma says:
    5 years ago

    Can you do Gaps whilst pregnant?

    Reply
  19. Caroline hu says:
    5 years ago

    Hi, I’ve just been told I’ve got Crohns. I was just wondering if you think this would help me as I now to change the way and things I eat?
    Thank you

    Reply
  20. Jessica Gordon says:
    5 years ago

    Hi Jo,
    Did you ever consider that your son might have PANDAS? My daughter is very similar to your son and was diagnosed with this recently. I’m hoping this GAPS diets might help her as well.

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      5 years ago

      Hi Jessica, he doesn’t seem to. I really hope GAPS can help your daughter as well!

      Reply
  21. Cat Barrett says:
    5 years ago

    This afternoon I read Isaac’s story out to my nearly 12 yr old son, and the similarities between my son’s situation and what Isaac went through are scarily uncanny. My son has OCD for sure, diagnosed as such, and I could have written parts of Isaac’s story myself, from what my own boy has gone through. Ups and downs, same as Isaac and worse when the diet is ‘loose’. He stays g/f and off cows milk, whole foods etc but it’s not enough.
    I’m trying to persuade him to give gaps a try, but he doesn’t like soup at all, so it’s a hard sell. My husband is not particularly supportive about the food/diet aspect, so he’s no help in this.
    I’ll have to find the right ‘carrot’ to dangle, as I think my boy is (intermittently) feeling desperate enough that we will jump in soon.

    Funny, I’ve followed you Jo since I was given my thermomix nearly 11 years ago, and I remember reading about Isaac’s troubles a while back. So glad he’s doing so well now!

    Reply
    • Quirky Cooking says:
      5 years ago

      Hi Cat, so sorry to hear about your son – it’s tough!! I hope that he can take it on board to stick to a healing diet himself – I know it’s not easy for kids. Just make sure he knows it won’t be all soup!! We cooked things in broth then scoop them out and had them on a plate so it wasn’t always soupy (eg. roast and veggies, meatballs and veggie sticks) – the recipes in my GAPS program would be really helpful for you as it covers all this kind of thing, and makes the food appetising! Big hugs, and all the best with him! xx

      Reply
  22. Mandy says:
    5 years ago

    Your story is inspiring for such a short period of time. I would like to know if certain kitchen equipment is required for your recipes, eg. Slow cooker, multi cooker etc. Thanks

    Reply
  23. Sonia says:
    5 years ago

    Hi Jo, i have a 9 year old little girl with autism due to a duplication of chromosome 15 she has alot of anxiety, stimming, behavior, emotional regulation issues. I know food plays a big part in her behaviors, i try and do gluten free and salicylates free and think we see results she may be calm for a few days and we are like yes its salicylates then she goes back to the bad behaviors or salicylates sneak in or we dont do it for long enough , its hard when all she eats is pasta, bread (i try and use spelt mostly) yogurt, sometimes she will have some roast chicken, potatoes, chips, she wont eat salad or veg – my question is this – Do you think this would be for us, its such a rollercoaster and i know some foods she reacts to, we took.away additives and preservatives when she was 5 because she was just crying alot and upset we noticed a difference straight away. Thanks for your time, sonia

    Reply
  24. Kate Henning says:
    5 years ago

    Hi Jo,
    I have a child with a intestinal parasite called Blastocystis. After deciding not to go down the road of hard-core antibiotics suggested by the gastro-enterologist (with limited possibility of it actually working) I tried a number of things (over a year) such as bio-resonance, herbal medications from the naturopath and I also tried to cut out as much as possible wheat and dairy. The symptoms of gut pain and headaches have certainly decreased a lot but it is still not uncommon for him to get headaches and stomach aches. I have never been totally strict with a gut-health diet and I think I have recently been recommended to do that (along with some other alternative supplements to eliminate the parasite) . I am not sure if I should do GAPS or paleo. Any advice?

    Reply
  25. Leah Holmes says:
    5 years ago

    Wow, thank you so much for sharing this beautiful human story. It’s so beautiful because despite the agonising struggle and stress that must have been endured, you listened to your inner guidance to find a path – that wasn’t easy but was needed to heal your family. And then, you’ve not only served your family and yourself, you’ve served many in the world. And now you continue to do so by continuing to share more and more helpful information and inspiration. Thank you so much for being you and doing such a great job. The program looks amazing. And while I don’t think my family or I need to do GAPS I plan on doing the online program as I can access it whenever I want and it seems there is soooo much information in there that will help me nourish myself and my family more easily, enjoyably, smartly and cost-effectively. Thank you so much.
    I also loved your and Fouad’s workshop I attended in Perth 👍🏽

    Reply
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  30. M says:
    7 months ago

    I know this happened years ago for Isaac, and I’m so glad he’s well. I want to put this out there for others who may be going through similar and looking for answers – it sounds like he had PANS/PANDAS. It’s caused by brain inflammation and the symptoms are abrupt onset OCD and a range of other things including irritability, anxiety, behaviour regression, impairment of motor function (think terrible handwriting, clumsiness, etc). My son is being diagnosed for this at the moment. It’s not very well known but everything you’ve said ticks the boxes. If anyone out there is going through this, look into PANS because it can be treated with antibiotics. Absoutely focus on gut health too as reducing inflammation is key – that’s why I’m here 🙂

    Reply
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  32. Leisa McKim says:
    2 months ago

    Hi Jo,
    I am struggling with peri-menopause and weight fluctuation and lack of energy. Just wondering if you’ve had any feedback from anyone else that GAPS works for them and the same situation?
    Thank you for sharing!
    Blessings
    Leisa

    Reply
    • QuirkyJo says:
      1 month ago

      Hi Leisa, gut health is of major importance for hormone health, so yes GAPS can help – but I would suggest getting in touch with Well Belly Health Clinic for advice: http://www.wellbellyhealth.com.au. All the best. x

      Reply

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Book signing at @athertonorganicfarmerscoop this F Book signing at @athertonorganicfarmerscoop this Friday, 12-1pm! 🎉🎉🎉 Come have a chat and get your books signed - they will be available to buy in store if you don’t have one yet. 🤗

#cookbooks #booksigning #quirkycooking #jowhitton #athertontablelands #farnorthqueensland #author #cookbookauthor
Not the sight you want to see when you get up in t Not the sight you want to see when you get up in the morning and open your kitchen blinds… 🐍😱😬 

Photo taken by my mum this morning - the snake fell down and slithered off into the bushes next to the workshop where Simi and G’Pa were working on boards all day 🙈So far no snakes have popped out of the woodwork. Phew!! 😁

PS More wooden chopping and serving boards will be up on the site later this week! 😍

#fnqlife #snake #farnorthqueensland #athertontablelands #farnorthqueensland #straya #countrylife
Roasted veggie salad with tahini dressing for lunc Roasted veggie salad with tahini dressing for lunch today! I was feeling the need for a veggie boost 🎉🎉 The recipe is in Simple, Healing Food, or there’s another version in Life-Changing Food with a vinaigrette dressing. I love the tahini dressing as it makes it so filling and tasty - you could add a good sprinkle of toasted seeds too if you like! Serve on its own for a light meal, or with roast lamb or grilled fish or steak (or whatever you like really 😄) for a bigger meal. Yum!!

#roastveggies #roastveggiesalad #salad #tahini #tahinidressing #tahinisauce #cleanoutthefridge #veggies #recipes #guthealth #healingfood #wholefood #health #healing #glutenfree #grainfree #quirkycooking
"Almost everything will work again if you unplug i "Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes...Including you."

- Anne Lamott

Afternoon swim at our local volcanic crater lake - the perfect antidote to too much time staring at a computer! 💙 

#timeout #afternoonswim #afterwork #quirkycooking #ilovewhereilive  #relax #swim #lake #craterlake #volcaniccrater #lakeeacham #athertontablelands #farnorthqueensland #tropcalnorthqueensland #fnqlife #explorefnq #exploreaustralia #australia #queensland #explorequeensland #discoverearth #discoverqueensland #seeaustralia #seequeensland #gooutside #adventure #shotoniphone
Friday is podcast day! 🎉🎉 You can listen in Friday is podcast day! 🎉🎉 You can listen in via the Quirky Cooking YouTube channel or on your podcast app. 🎧 

Today’s podcast is with David Westbrook @dave_westbrook_, a farming and business coach at @farmownersacademy, and we’re chatting about working smarter, not harder!

[Swipe left to see my most recent podcasts!]

In our frantically busy society, it's easy to get caught up in the "busyness equals success" trap. In this podcast, David shares his insights on how to stop glorifying "busy" and transition to working in a way that aligns with your values, and working smarter rather than harder. He gives plenty of down-to-earth, practical advice that will benefit your daily life, whether you're a farmer, a business person, a busy mum trying to keep up with all the cooking and organising for the family, or a teenager working on keeping up with school assignments!

We chat about:
- how a health crisis in David's family led him to regenerative farming
- how he changed the way he worked so he could focus more on health and family life
- top tips for time management
- slowing down to speed up, and working smarter not harder
- making a 'stop doing' list
- the 'brick theory' (also known as the 'brain dump')
- the 'traffic light theory' for prioritising tasks
- setting goals & creating your ideal week
- making a 'default diary'
- the power of your thoughts
- harnessing your dreams to change your life

Follow David at @dave_westbrook_ and also the @farmownersacademy for podcasts and tips that will inspire you to work smarter not harder! ✨

#quirkycookingchats #podcast #jowhitton #quirkycooking #quirkycookingpodcast #worksmarternotharder #work #family #worklifebalance #farming #farmer #regenerativeagriculture #farmbusiness #business #businesscoach #businesstips #timemanagement #slowdown #organising #lifecoaching #davidwestbrook #farmownersacademy #farmlife #lifeskills
Oh guys, I’ve been meaning to tell you… I star Oh guys, I’ve been meaning to tell you… I started podcasting again!! 🎉🎉🎉 It’s been a while - I couldn’t keep up with everything while I was finishing my cookbook so my podcast “Quirky Cooking Chats” was a bit hit and miss last year! But baby, I’m back!! 😍 Tune in on Fridays!

Here’s part of the intro of my last podcast, “Creating Healthy Habits” - all about building new habits with tiny steps so they’re sustainable… then nurturing them so they grow and become an everyday part of your life. Tap on the link in my profile then on this video to watch the whole podcast.

You’ll find “Quirky Cooking Chats” on my YouTube channel, and also on Spotify and Apple and Google Podcasts. I’ve moved over to my own channel so this is kind of like “Season 2”! You’ll see 2 episodes so far on the new channel, with another being released tomorrow. Woo!! 🎉🎉🎉

Got some suggestions of topics you’d like to hear about or people I should interview? Pop them in the comments below! ❤️

https://bit.ly/QCchatsyoutube

#quirkycookingchats #quirkycooking #podcast #habits #healthyhabits #tinyhabits #health #wellbeing #jowhitton #lifestyle #healthtips #guthealth #healing #businesswomenaustralia #organiseyourlife #timemanagement #selfimprovement #mumlife #selfdevelopment #selfcare
I’ve had a few requests for the recipe for this I’ve had a few requests for the recipe for this delicious potato bake I shared in my stories on Monday - another amazing creation by my sister Joye. 😍 The lemon zest is a genius addition! So here it is, in her own words… she took a quick break from her gardening to write this down for us!! 😁🤗

✨Potato Bake✨

Equal amounts potato and sweet potato, peeled, sliced thinly, parboiled.
(I used 3 sweet and 3 regular)

Butter baking dish, layer potatoes.

Sauce:
1 cup cream
2 Tbsp natural yoghurt 
1/2 c chicken stock
1/2 tsp garlic powder 
1 tsp onion flakes
Zest of a lemon
Sprinkling of thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste

Mix together and pour over potatoes. Cover with grated cheese, bake etc

You'd have to adjust liquid amounts, so that it doesn't just coat it. It's got to be sitting in a puddle of it, so to speak.
————————————————

Yep, she’d rather be cooking or gardening than writing recipes 😄 so I’ll add some more details below in case you need it…

- If you don’t cope well with lactose, you could swap the cream for 24 hour sour cream and yoghurt*, or make cashew milk and use that without straining out the pulp so it slightly thickens, plus a little coconut yoghurt if you like. 

(*24 hour fermenting results in an almost completely lactose-free yoghurt/sour cream - tap on the link in my profile then on this photo for my 24 hour yoghurt and sour cream recipes and info). 

- Use as much cheese as you like, or leave it out if you’re dairy free. For dairy free, you could add a little non-fortified savoury yeast flakes to the sauce for a cheesy flavour - about two teaspoons.

- We used a 26x18cm dish.

- Oven temp was 180C (fan-forced) and it baked for about 30 mins (just until lightly browned).

Easy peasy! Enjoy 🤗🤗

https://bit.ly/24houryoghurtsourcream

#potatobake #simplefood #familymeal #familydinner #sidedish #creamy #bake #dinner #recipe #quirkyfamily #quirkycooking
I think Quirky Cooking is turning into Quirky Wood I think Quirky Cooking is turning into Quirky Woodwork but I’m ok with that. 😄😄 Ha ha just kidding, but the handcrafted wooden chopping and serving boards are going OFF and it’s so fun! My trainee, Bea, is polishing and photographing some more boards this morning, and Simi and Grandpa have gotten a new load of maple slabs, so they’re excited to get started on another batch… Keep an eye on your emails and we’ll let you know when they’re up! I’ve put my order in for a coffee table because the Qld maple is so beautiful! (What do you think, Quirky coffee tables next? 😂) 

Board orders from the weekend are being posted out today and tomorrow, can’t wait to see what you think of them! 🎉🎉

#quirkycooking #handcrafted #kitchenware #woodenchoppingboard #woodengrazingboard #grazingboard #servingboard #choppingboard #familybusiness #trainee #woodartisan #smallbusiness #athertontablelands #farnorthqueensland #australia
I forgot to post my “Monday flowers” from my s I forgot to post my “Monday flowers” from my sister Joye’s garden, this morning! Some happy zinnias to brighten your evening ❤️

#zinnias #happy #flowers #monday #garden #flowergarden #lovemysis
As promised, I shared a video of how to make my ve As promised, I shared a video of how to make my very simple, nourishing and delicious Pumpkin Pie in my stories on the weekend - here it is again in case you missed it! 😍 

If you’ve never tried pumpkin pie before, you need to!! I love how such basic ingredients like pumpkin, honey, coconut cream, egg yolks, butter, spices and almond meal can be transformed into a creamy, spicy, comfort-food treat the whole family loves! (Especially when it’s served with a dollop of cream or ice cream… 😁) You can find a few different ice cream recipes in my cookbooks, but we had a “treat day” and served it with ice cream from our local, organic dairy, @mungallicreek. ☺️

This Pumpkin Pie recipe is in my “Simple, Healing Food” cookbook, and in “A Taster” eBook. ❤️ The recipe is gluten free, grain free and free from refined sugars and starches, and there are instructions for equally delicious nut-free, dairy-free and egg-free variations. 

I hope you love it! 🤗

[Cover photo by @luisabrimble for Simple, Healing Food]

#pumpkinpie #glutenfree #grainfree #guthealthy #gaps #paleo #wholefood #grainfreepastry #almondpastry #refinedsugarfree #baking #homemade #nourishing #dessert #treat #delicious #pumpkinrecipe #butternutsquash #pie #spices #pumpkinpiespice #quirkycooking
Oh hey, Friday, so nice to see you! 🤗 Seems lik Oh hey, Friday, so nice to see you! 🤗 Seems like a good day for pumpkin pie… I’d rather be baking than sitting at the computer today. 🙃 But first, I have a new podcast to edit and release, and lots of beautiful wooden chopping boards and grazing boards to release on the website! And a massage… 🙌🏻 Then it’s pumpkin pie time! 😄

Have you tried my pumpkin pie recipe from Simple, Healing Food? It’s an easy recipe, and so yummy! A creamy, spicy, not-too-sweet filling in an almond pastry crust. Mmmmm 😍 

Let me know if you want a video how-to! 

(I love this photo taken by @_housefrau when she was up here doing a photoshoot for my book - the dress is from @mahasheclothing and the vintage wallpaper is in a room at my sister Joye’s house. 💚)

#pumpkinpie #glutenfree #grainfree #nutfree #dairyfree #recipevariations #recipes #quirkycooking #simplehealingfood #cookbook #jowhitton #baking #fridaytreat #nutrientdense #wholefood #nourishing #dessert #gaps #paleo #realfood #foodismedicine #fridayvibes #vintage #vintagewallpaper #vintagepatterns #homemade #handcrafted #artisan
I had visitors this morning, and half an hour befo I had visitors this morning, and half an hour before they arrived I was desperately trying to find something for morning tea 🤔! I had no treats in the freezer, no blanched almond meal left, the pâté was frozen solid… I did have some whole almond flour and some raw cashews though, so I made a half batch of my Almond Meal Pastry using a mixture of milled cashews and whole almond flour. I pressed the pastry into muffin cups and baked for 10 mins or so at 180C, while making the lemon butter. While the pastry cooled, I chilled the lemon butter in the freezer, then filled the tart shells and topped with whipped cream. My friend Gabi (who grows and dries the freeze-dried raspberries and fruit you’ll see in my online store) brought some of her freeze-dried butterfly pea flowers for me to play with, so I sprinkled some over the whipped cream… Voila! An amazing morning tea without too much effort! Sooo delicious. I think I need to get these butterfly pea flowers in my store, don’t you?!! 😍

You can find the Almond Meal Pastry recipe in my cookbooks and also on the blog (the Chicken Pot Pies recipe); and the Lemon Butter is also on my blog. Another delicious variation is the Passionfruit Butter Tarts in my Simple, Healing Food cookbook! 😍 

#lemontarts #lemonbutter #almondmealpastry #grainfree #guthealthy #honeysweetened #treat #morningtea #butterflypeaflower #delicious #quirkycooking #simplehealingfood
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Copyright Notice

I love it when my readers are as excited about my recipes as I am, and want to share them! I only ask that if you do share my recipes on your own blog or on social media, you only share an excerpt or link, not the entire recipe. Full and clear credit must be given to Quirky Cooking with a link back to the original content. If you’d like to share one of my photos, please contact me for permission. Thank you! Jo x

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