FAQs

Lactobacillus reuteri is a beneficial bacteria species that has declined dramatically in modern humans due to antibiotics, processed foods, and glyphosate exposure. L. reuteri produces antimicrobial compounds that suppress pathogenic bacteria while promoting beneficial species. Unique benefits include: increases oxytocin production (the "bonding hormone" linked to social behavior and wellbeing), improves skin appearance and wound healing, increases vitamin D receptor expression (enhancing vitamin D utilization), reduces inflammation systemically, and improves insulin sensitivity. Dr. William Davis developed a yogurt-making protocol using specific L. reuteri strains (BioGaia Gastrus) that produces therapeutic levels—far higher than commercial products. Consuming L. reuteri yogurt (2-3 tablespoons daily) can dramatically improve gut health, mood and metabolic function. It is a powerful addition to the GAPS method.

Arterial plaque forms when chronic hyperinsulinemia and gut-derived inflammation damage arterial walls. The damage triggers a repair response: cholesterol, calcium, and immune cells accumulate at the injury site, forming plaque. Contrary to outdated theories, dietary cholesterol is not the primary cause—insulin damage and lipopolysaccharides (from intestinal permeability) are the drivers. Plaque buildup narrows arteries, restricting blood flow and increasing blood pressure. Emerging research shows plaque can stabilise and even regress when insulin resistance is reversed and gut inflammation is addressed through VLC diet, fasting, and gut healing protocols.

Autophagy ("self-eating") is your body's cellular cleanup process, activated during fasting when insulin levels drop. Autophagy breaks down damaged cells, clears misfolded proteins, recycles cellular debris, improves insulin sensitivity, reduces inflammation, and may prevent neurodegenerative diseases. It typically begins 12-16 hours into a fast and peaks at 24-72 hours. This is why intermittent fasting (16-18 hour fasts) is so powerful for metabolic healing. Autophagy cannot occur while insulin is elevated—you must fast long enough for insulin to drop. Combined with VLC diet, fasting activates autophagy daily.

Content: Beta cells in your pancreas produce insulin. With chronic insulin resistance, they must work 2-3x harder, producing massive amounts of insulin to maintain normal glucose levels. After 10-20 years of overwork, beta cells become exhausted: they lose function through apoptosis (programmed cell death), become inflamed and damaged by glucotoxicity (high glucose), and accumulate amyloid deposits (toxic protein aggregates). By the time Type 2 diabetes is diagnosed, you've lost 50-80% of beta-cell function—and conventional medicine says this is irreversible. However, emerging research shows beta cells can recover if you: eliminate glucose demand (VLC diet), activate autophagy to clear amyloid (intermittent fasting), and reduce inflammation (GAPS protocol). Studies show 47-85% remission rates when intervention occurs before complete beta-cell death. The key is early detection through HOMA-IR testing and immediate action.

Content: Bone broth is the cornerstone of gut healing, providing nutrients that directly repair tight junctions. When you simmer bones (with cartilage, joints, and marrow) for 24+ hours, you extract: gelatine and collagen (which seal and heal the gut lining), glycine (an amino acid that reduces inflammation and supports detoxification), proline (repairs connective tissue), glucosamine and chondroitin (restore cartilage and reduce joint inflammation), and minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus in highly bioavailable form). Bone broth also contains glutamine, which is the primary fuel for intestinal cells. We recommend consuming 1-2 cups daily during the GAPS Intro phase. Use bones from grass-fed, organic animals and include chicken feet or knuckle bones for maximum gelatine content. Bone broth is medicine—it's non-negotiable for intestinal permeability reversal.

Cardiovascular disease is caused by insulin resistance, chronic hyperinsulinemia and gut-derived inflammation, not dietary cholesterol or saturated fat (which have been exonerated by research). The mechanism: (1) Chronic insulin elevation damages arterial endothelium (inner lining), creating inflammation. (2) Lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from intestinal permeability enter the bloodstream and attach to damaged arterial walls. (3) Your body attempts to repair this damage by depositing cholesterol, calcium, and immune cells—forming plaque. (4) Plaque narrows arteries, restricts blood flow, and increases blood pressure. (5) Plaque can rupture, causing blood clots that trigger heart attacks or strokes. Cholesterol is present at the scene but isn't the culprit—it's the repair material, not the cause. The real criminals are insulin damage and bacterial endotoxins. This is why reversing insulin resistance and healing intestinal permeability prevents and can even reverse cardiovascular disease.

The cholesterol-heart disease hypothesis has been debunked by modern research. Cholesterol is essential for life: it forms cell membranes, produces all steroid hormones (testosterone, estrogen, cortisol, vitamin D), creates bile for fat digestion, and forms myelin sheaths that insulate nerves. Your liver produces 75-80% of your cholesterol because you need it. Half of heart attack patients have "normal" cholesterol levels, while many people with high cholesterol never develop heart disease. The real marker of cardiovascular risk is: triglyceride-to-HDL ratio (should be <2), insulin resistance (measured by HOMA-IR), and chronic inflammation (measured by hs-CRP). LDL cholesterol is largely irrelevant—unless it's oxidized by chronic hyperinsulinemia and inflammation. Focusing on cholesterol is chasing the wrong target. Address insulin resistance and gut inflammation, and cardiovascular risk plumets—regardless of cholesterol levels.

Ayurveda recognises three fundamental energies (doshas) that govern all biological processes: (1) Vata (air/space) governs movement, circulation, and nervous system function, (2) Pitta (fire/water) governs metabolism, digestion, and transformation, and (3) Kapha (earth/water) governs structure, lubrication, and stability. Each person has a unique combination of these doshas, creating their constitutional type. Understanding your dosha helps personalise nutrition—for example, Vata types need warming, grounding foods; Pitta types need cooling foods; Kapha types need light, stimulating foods. We integrate Ayurvedic principles with VLC and GAPS for optimal individualisation.

Ectopic fat is fat stored in organs where it doesn't belong—particularly the liver, pancreas, and muscle tissue. Unlike subcutaneous fat (under the skin), ectopic fat is metabolically toxic. When insulin resistance develops, your fat cells become "full" and insulin-resistant themselves, so excess glucose gets converted to fat and deposited in organs. Fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) affects 25-30% of Western populations and directly causes insulin resistance—it's a vicious cycle. Pancreatic fat surrounds and infiltrates beta cells, impairing insulin production and accelerating diabetes progression. Intramuscular fat prevents muscle cells from absorbing glucose, worsening insulin resistance. Ectopic fat cannot be detected by BMI or scales—you can be "thin on the outside, fat on the inside" (TOFI). The only way to clear ectopic fat is through very low-carbohydrate diet and intermittent fasting, which force the body to burn stored fat for fuel.

Fasting protocols vary by duration and frequency: (1) 16:8 Intermittent Fasting (16-hour fast, 8-hour eating window)—ideal for daily metabolic maintenance; autophagy begins around hour 12-16. (2) 18:6 or 20:4 (longer fasts)—more aggressive for active insulin resistance reversal; deeper autophagy. (3) OMAD (One Meal A Day / 23:1)—advanced protocol; maximum autophagy and fat burning. (4) 24-hour fasts (1-2x weekly)—powerful for breaking weight loss plateaus. (5) Extended fasts (48-72 hours)—therapeutic for severe metabolic dysfunction; medical supervision recommended. We personalise fasting based on your Ayurvedic constitution: Vata types may need shorter fasts (16:8) with warming foods; Kapha types thrive on longer fasts (20:4 or OMAD). Start conservatively and increase gradually. Combined with VLC diet, even 16:8 fasting produces dramatic results within 90 days.

Fermented foods contain billions of beneficial bacteria (probiotics) that recolonise your gut microbiome and crowd out pathogenic organisms. Traditional fermentation also pre-digests food, making nutrients more bioavailable and reducing digestive burden. Key fermented foods in GAPS: sauerkraut (lactobacillus-rich, vitamin C, enzymes), kefir (diverse bacterial strains, easily digestible), kvass (probiotic beverage from beets or vegetables), fermented vegetables (kimchi, pickles made without vinegar), and yogurt (from grass-fed milk, if tolerated). Start with small amounts (1 teaspoon of juice) and increase gradually—fermented foods can cause die-off reactions as they eliminate pathogenic bacteria. Homemade ferments are superior to commercial versions, which are often pasteurised (killing beneficial bacteria). Fermented foods restore microbial diversity lost through antibiotics, processed foods, and stress.