In 2017, Deanna Fulcher, RN became the first certified GAPS practitioner in Eastern Utah and one of only 10 in the state of Utah. Now, she uses her business, deemed Eating to Heal, to provide nutritional counseling and classes to Castle Country residents. She took time to explain GAPS and her business model during a lunch and learn event at Castleview Hospital on Tuesday afternoon.
Gut and Psychology Syndrome (GAP Syndrome or GAPS) is a condition that establishes a connection between the functions of the digestive system and the brain. This term was coined by Natasha Campbell-McBride, MD in 2004 after working with hundreds of children and adults with neurological and psychiatric conditions. According to Dr. Campbell-McBride, the condition is behind many mental and physical problems such as autism, hyperactivity and attention deficit, dyslexia, dyspraxia, depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, eating disorders and more.
Fulcher discovered GAPS after a near 20-year struggle with her health. Beginning in 1990 with prescriptions for depression and anxiety, her issues morphed into migraines, tremors, vertigo and more with multiple trips to consult with specialists. Finally, in 2016, she discovered the GAPS protocol and began implementing it herself. After just a short while, her symptoms were resolved and prescriptions deemed unnecessary. With great success in her personal life, Fulcher took her career as a registered nurse to the next level and became GAPS certified in order to help others navigate the protocol.
The GAPS protocol involves reducing inflammation, healing damaged tissue, restoring proper microbial balance and removing toxins from the body. Then, those following the protocol aim to restore nutritional deficiencies, repair proper digestion and restore immune function. Those undertaking the protocol are essentially aiming to restore health and integrity to the gut to heal the body and varying ailments.
With Fulcher’s GAPS certification, she can now guide people through their healing journey with the protocol, which includes GAPS diet, supplementation and detoxification. Two clients of Fulcher’s were on hand at the event to give testimonials, praising the protocol for results such as medication reduction or elimination, easement of chronic conditions and even weight loss.
Fulcher is now aiming to broadcast her knowledge of GAPS through an upcoming series of classes, which begin Jan. 22. The 10-week course will feature a morning session from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. and an evening session from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. each Tuesday. The classes, hosted in Price, will include instruction, PowerPoint lectures and demonstrations. Class participants will see demonstrations on how to make healthy ice cream, candy, muffins and pancakes as well as kombucha, sauerkraut, coconut milk and more. Fulcher even demonstrates how to remove unnecessary toxicity from a patient’s life through examples of personal care products, cleaning products and more.
“I will guide you in what to do and how to do it, but you have to do the work,” Fulcher said. “You will have a learning curve as you actually implement the concepts into your life. It is not easy, and you will need to be motivated.”
For more information on Eating to Heal and the upcoming classes, call or text Fulcher at (435) 630-3985.