AIP stands for Autoimmune Paleo or Autoimmune Protocol diet. This is a highly restrictive elimination diet. It is not meant for the long term, but to discover if any foods are contributing to your autoimmune symptoms and making them worse or outright causing some of them.
WHAT IS IT?
AIP stands for Autoimmune Paleo or Autoimmune Protocol diet. This is a highly restrictive elimination diet. It is not meant for the long term, but to discover if any foods are contributing to your autoimmune symptoms and making them worse or outright causing some of them.
After the initial period of elimination of these foods, which lasts anywhere between 30 to 90 days, and some people opt for longer, they are slowly introduced back. Only one food item per one week, so re introduction can take just as long as elimination. Sometimes even longer if it doesn’t go so well, meaning you are reacting poorly to most foods introduced back.
WHAT IS GOOD ABOUT IT?
I like the fact that it focuses on nutrient density, it’s what we all should be doing anyway and because choices are so very limited, you are forced to choose the most nourishing foods. Meat and veggies, loads of veggies. Most of the plate should consist of all kinds of vegetables, half non-starchy, a quarter starchy, and only a quarter of the plate is meat. This is generally a good habit that most of us need to develop. Most meals will look like that. However there are numerous recipes for muffins, cakes, and even bread that can be made completely AIP compliant, the internet is full of them. However these items should not be the bulk of this diet, but they are ok to make and have sometimes. For my fully compliant blubbery muffins check out this recipe here.
WHAT IS NOT SO GOOD ABOUT IT?
The obvious part is the highly restrictive nature of the diet. It is daunting, can be expensive, and it can also be labor-intensive. Meaning, you need to cook your food almost daily, even multiple times, or do intense food prep for the week. There are zero breaks, no take-out, no quick sandwich or wrap, etc. Although it is possible to have foods like wraps or sandwiches on AIP, it would require the prep and the making of the ingredients, there is no ready-made anything, very few items in the store are compliant.
The less obvious part is the emotional and psychological factor. It can be very intense. If you are not in the right mindset, it can set you up for feeling miserable, lonely, and downright depressed. It can also create or worsen eating disorders. I would not recommend you venture here alone if you ever suffered from an eating disorder or suffer from it now, seek support or a different approach altogether.
Another issue is that there is so much misinformation out there about it, from Facebook support groups to whole websites, it can be tedious finding truthful information on how to do it right and what to expect. For example, if you start this diet and start to progressively feel worse, one of the answers most often given is: “it is detox and you will be better soon.” Oh boy, where do I start with this? If you are not feeling well, you should stop and figure out what will make you feel better. Feeling quite unwell is not detox, it is feeling sick, for whatever reason. Although there may be an adjustment period and some cravings, it should not feel like you need medical attention. Maybe the change is too great for you and your body cannot handle the stress properly, maybe you are not eating enough. Whatever it is, you should not feel extremely sick, unable to function, this is not the purpose here, and it’s a sign something is off and needs to be addressed.
IS IT MANDATORY IF YOU HAVE AN AUTOIMMUNE ILLNESS?
Nothing is mandatory, but it could be very useful to do at least some form of an elimination diet. Depending on your starting point, this could be a quick transition or a step-by-step process. You may not end up doing AIP, but if you are dealing with autoimmunity you will need dietary changes for sure. For example, if you are currently eating SAD or Standard American Diet, changing directly to AIP would be a huge shock and potentially huge stress, it is the complete opposite of SAD. In this situation, it might be beneficial to start to switch to whole foods first, a transition to more of a Mediterranean-style diet. It is still a considerable improvement from SAD, and if you don’t see enough benefits, then transition to Paleo. If that still leaves you wanting more improvement, consider the AIP and transition back to any of these diets, other than SAD of course, once you establish your sensitivities. Doing this diet without the context of what it is meant to do will set you up for frustration and failure. Remember it’s not meant to cure you, (although there have been unofficial reports of all kinds of illnesses being cured) but to reveal if any foods are causing you to feel worse or are contributing to your autoimmune response.
BOTTOM LINE
It is an elimination diet, like many others out there, more restrictive than most, and not meant for the long term. Whether you choose to do it or not is up to you, you are not failing to take care of yourself with autoimmunity if you decide it’s not for you or that it’s not needed, or that you want to hold off. There are many ways to go about elimination diets and finding a way that works for you is very beneficial, because you are more likely to stick with the changes. However, until you are ready to dive into looking for food triggers, focus on whole foods, nutrient-dense way of eating, taking care of yourself, and thriving with your autoimmune illness, in the end, it is all very individual and each journey will be different.
Stay nourished,
Sanja.
Bone broth