Auto Immune Diet Protocol (AIP)
1. The Foods You Remove
The AIP begins as an elimination diet. It is not the same as The Whole 30, a popular elimination diet which allows nuts and eggs. It's more restrictive because it has to be. The AIP permanently removes foods that are inflammation triggers or gut irritants, and temporarily remove foods that are common food intolerances.
Here’s the list:
ELIMINATE PERMANENTLY
ELIMINATE FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS AND REINTRODUCE
Is that intimidating? Believe me, I know! I think you have to reach a point where your health is in such shambles, you’re ready to do anything to get back. The AIP is hard to do, but it’s not as hard as living with autoimmune disease and there are many recipes that can make this journey not only manageable but quite yummy. Promise.
2. The Foods You Add
Nutrient density is a key component of AIP. It’s not enough to just remove inflammatory foods. You need to nourish your body with the foods that contain the building blocks our bodies need to heal: wild-caught seafood, organic meats, organ meat, fermented foods (unless you have a histamine intolerance!), bone broth, and a wide variety of fresh vegetables.
The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, lovingly called the AIP, is a method of reversing autoimmune disease through diet and lifestyle.
What does that mean? By making different choices about what we eat and how we live, we can have a powerful impact on how we feel. The effects can be transformative. However, the AIP isn’t a cure, and it doesn’t replace medication. Then why do it at all? For many people with autoimmune disease debilitating symptoms remain even while taking medication.
3. Living for Health
Your diet can be absolutely perfect, but if you’re living a high-stress life and sacrificing sleep, it won’t matter. Lifestyle choices can cause autoimmune flares, just as much as dietary choices. Here are the major lifestyle recommendations:
4. Reintroducing Foods
Strict AIP isn’t meant to last forever. That’s nice to know, right? Once you see a clear improvement in your autoimmune condition. It’s time to start reintroducing foods and learning which ones you can incorporate back into your diet. This is different for everyone. One
person might do well with nuts and seeds, but find dairy causes them to flare. Eggs might be nourishing to one body, but kryptonite to another. It’s a powerful form of communication with your body, and once you have this skill, you have it for life.
5. Troubleshooting
If you have autoimmune disease, you know your body is complex, and sometimes the path to healing isn’t a direct one. The final stage of the AIP is tweaking the protocol for you. If diet and lifestyle changes don’t give you the results you hoped, it’s time to investigate
other potential issues; hormone balance, gut infections, nutrient absorption, etc.
There is a lot of support for the AIP path on-line like the sharing of recipes. You'll end reading about Cassava, Tigernut and Green Banana flours; grain-free sourdough starter, and lots of ways to make 'ice-cream', 'cheese', and be instructed in Insta-pot recipes. You'll learn to replace your almond 'milk' with coconut 'milk'. You get to make smoothies. AIP wants you to eat 'whole foods' but a smoothie is perfect for a quick grab and go a couple times a week.
AIP Sourdough Bread
Siete Foods - grain free tortilla chips and tortillas made from Cassava root. Some of their products are made using Almond flour which you can't do but this family owned company offers yummy alternatives to assist your success on your AIP path.
Applegate Farms makes a Whole 30 compliant - no sugar- chicken & herb sausage and uncured bacon. Roast sweet potatoes and mix them with either of these then add fresh cherries for a delicious breakfast. Their organic Turkey burger and organic Beef blend burgers are also Whole 30 complaint and would be delicious served the same way.
The AIP begins as an elimination diet. It is not the same as The Whole 30, a popular elimination diet which allows nuts and eggs. It's more restrictive because it has to be. The AIP permanently removes foods that are inflammation triggers or gut irritants, and temporarily remove foods that are common food intolerances.
Here’s the list:
ELIMINATE PERMANENTLY
- Processed Food
- Grains (including corn)
- Emulsifiers and Thickeners (guar gum, carrageenan, etc.)
- Dried Legumes (including soy and peanuts)
- Refined Oils
- Stevia
- Refined Sugars
ELIMINATE FOR AT LEAST 30 DAYS AND REINTRODUCE
- Eggs
- Nightshades (both vegetables and spices)
- Dairy
- Fresh Legumes (green beans and peas)
- Nuts (including nut-based oils)
- Seeds (including coffee and cocoa and seed -based oils)
- Alcohol
- Fruit based and seed based spices - here's a list.
Is that intimidating? Believe me, I know! I think you have to reach a point where your health is in such shambles, you’re ready to do anything to get back. The AIP is hard to do, but it’s not as hard as living with autoimmune disease and there are many recipes that can make this journey not only manageable but quite yummy. Promise.
2. The Foods You Add
Nutrient density is a key component of AIP. It’s not enough to just remove inflammatory foods. You need to nourish your body with the foods that contain the building blocks our bodies need to heal: wild-caught seafood, organic meats, organ meat, fermented foods (unless you have a histamine intolerance!), bone broth, and a wide variety of fresh vegetables.
The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, lovingly called the AIP, is a method of reversing autoimmune disease through diet and lifestyle.
What does that mean? By making different choices about what we eat and how we live, we can have a powerful impact on how we feel. The effects can be transformative. However, the AIP isn’t a cure, and it doesn’t replace medication. Then why do it at all? For many people with autoimmune disease debilitating symptoms remain even while taking medication.
3. Living for Health
Your diet can be absolutely perfect, but if you’re living a high-stress life and sacrificing sleep, it won’t matter. Lifestyle choices can cause autoimmune flares, just as much as dietary choices. Here are the major lifestyle recommendations:
- Get a minimum of 8 hours sleep a night.
- Incorporate stress relief into your daily life.
- Get outside into the fresh air and sunshine every day.
- Beware of sitting too much.; if you have a desk job, get up once and hour to take a stroll around the office.
- Have an outlet for your emotions.
- Build a support network.
- Make time for joy.
4. Reintroducing Foods
Strict AIP isn’t meant to last forever. That’s nice to know, right? Once you see a clear improvement in your autoimmune condition. It’s time to start reintroducing foods and learning which ones you can incorporate back into your diet. This is different for everyone. One
person might do well with nuts and seeds, but find dairy causes them to flare. Eggs might be nourishing to one body, but kryptonite to another. It’s a powerful form of communication with your body, and once you have this skill, you have it for life.
5. Troubleshooting
If you have autoimmune disease, you know your body is complex, and sometimes the path to healing isn’t a direct one. The final stage of the AIP is tweaking the protocol for you. If diet and lifestyle changes don’t give you the results you hoped, it’s time to investigate
other potential issues; hormone balance, gut infections, nutrient absorption, etc.
There is a lot of support for the AIP path on-line like the sharing of recipes. You'll end reading about Cassava, Tigernut and Green Banana flours; grain-free sourdough starter, and lots of ways to make 'ice-cream', 'cheese', and be instructed in Insta-pot recipes. You'll learn to replace your almond 'milk' with coconut 'milk'. You get to make smoothies. AIP wants you to eat 'whole foods' but a smoothie is perfect for a quick grab and go a couple times a week.
AIP Sourdough Bread
Siete Foods - grain free tortilla chips and tortillas made from Cassava root. Some of their products are made using Almond flour which you can't do but this family owned company offers yummy alternatives to assist your success on your AIP path.
Applegate Farms makes a Whole 30 compliant - no sugar- chicken & herb sausage and uncured bacon. Roast sweet potatoes and mix them with either of these then add fresh cherries for a delicious breakfast. Their organic Turkey burger and organic Beef blend burgers are also Whole 30 complaint and would be delicious served the same way.