AIP

Autoimmune Protocol

I had no idea what this was until a few days ago. As I sit and write this post I feel so overwhelmed at the thought of starting this process. It’s daunting, but it’s something that I can control about this process. So much of this is so new and the more I read and learn the more I think I have had this for a lot longer than originally thought and I wish I would’ve been diagnosed sooner.

Anyways, back to the protocol. Autoimmune protocol is basically like the whole 30 on steroids. You eliminate basically all inflammatory foods from your diet that could be making your symptoms worse, keep it SUPER strict for 30 days then begin to reintroduce certain foods back into your diet to figure out what your trigger foods are.

I have been gluten free for a little over a year now and this was before this diagnosis, so honestly I think some parts of this will be easier because I already don’t eat gluten. The big one is DAIRY. I LOVE me some cheese and milk. This is going to be so hard, but I really want to try to stick with it. I am by no means going to be perfect and I know that. I am also not going to socially isolate myself because of my dietary restrictions. I had a bad mental spiral while dieting in college that led to social isolation and I definitely don’t want to go down that path again.

I want to be able to just make adaptations if I am going out or doing things with friends. It will definitely be more difficult than just eating gluten free, but I am going to do my best. I know there are going to be slip ups and times where I eat the cheese or something and I am just going to give myself some grace because 97% clean is better than 0%.

I also want to reinforce the idea that this is not a diet. I am not doing this to lose weight. I am doing this to reduce the inflammation in my body and try and see some relief with my condition. I want to fuel my body to be the best that it can be.

If you want the down and dirty on AIP check out this article from Healthline. I found it super helpful.

Here are the main takeaways-

What you can eat for the first 90-

• Vegetables

• Fresh fruit

• Tubers: sweet potatoes, yams, artichokes

• Minimally processed meat: wild game, fish, seafood, and poultry; meats should be wild, grass-fed or pasture-raised, whenever possible

• Fermented, probiotic-rich foods: nondairy-based fermented food, such as kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, and coconut kefir

• Minimally processed vegetable oils: olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil

• Herbs and spices

• Vinegars: balsamic, apple cider, and red wine vinegar, as long as they’re free of added sugars

• Natural sweeteners: maple syrup and honey, in moderation

• Certain teas: green and black tea at average intakes of up to 3–4 cups per day

• Bone broth

What you should avoid-

• Grains: rice, wheat, oats, barley, rye, etc., as well as foods derived from them, such as pasta, bread, and breakfast cereals

• Legumes: lentils, beans, peas, peanuts, etc., as well as foods derived from them

• Nightshade vegetables: eggplants, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes

• Eggs

• Dairy

• Nuts and seeds

• Alcohol

• Coffee

• Processed vegetable oils

• Refined or processed sugars

• Food additives and artificial sweeteners

We will get more into reintroduction when I get to that point in a few months.

I am going to try and share recipes and things that I am doing that seem to be working, so follow along for more.