My son Isaac was diagnosed with severe OCD and anxiety in 2014 (when he was 13 years old), and so began our journey into healing the gut and working to improve his mental health.

For the first half hour of this episode I talk to parents of young people who need to move towards a healing diet and are not really keen to make changes, or are struggling to keep on track and focus on the long-term goals.

Isaac (now 19 years old) joins me for the next hour to answer questions from listeners.

Isaac shares:

• his initial reactions to mum saying he needed to go on a special diet
• what he found hardest about being on GAPS
• how he coped with peer pressure while trying to stick to healing foods, and his advice for social situations
• the improvements he saw in his mental and emotional health, and how long it took to see changes
• how his skin and sleep has improved, and what he finds most affects them
• the ups and downs with healthy eating (yep, it’s normal)
• how he gets back on the ‘healthy eating wagon’ when he’s fallen off
• what he would tell his 13 yr old self now he’s older and wiser
• his advice for young people struggling with anxiety and mental health issues
• how his experience with the GAPS diet has affected his thinking as an adult
• avoiding addictions in other areas besides food – doing a ‘dopamine detox’
• why he’s so much happier now, and what helps the most
• his answer to the question, “Was it worth it??”!

Cooking segment!

We didn’t manage to cook on this episode as it was already so long, so here is a link to a video of my boys cooking together that your teenagers may enjoy. 🙂

• Isaac & Simi cook Sweet ‘n’ Sour Pork (and have an unexpected visitor to the kitchen!)

Useful links:

• Starting diet changes slowly and gently – listen to this podcast with Elyse Comerford
• Working with fussy eaters
  • listen to this podcast with Beth Bonfiglio of Little Fusspot
  • listen to this podcast with Crystal Poggioli (OT) on Play Therapy
  • read this article on the ABA method for little ones needing to do GAPS
• Top tips for gut health, and making healthy swaps in your cooking – read this article
• Stress trumps all!! Reduce the stress in your home and help your kids to heal.

“It’s about creating an atmosphere of joy and peacefulness and calm, as much as creating healthy food.” – Jo Whitton