So…the AIP – ever heard of it? Autoimmune Protocol. Sounds scary, doesn’t it? Well, quite frankly, IT IS!
There’s a lot of technical jargon out there about it. Science, studies, biochemistry, immunology – blah, blah, blah. Let me boil it down for you:
YOU CAN’T EAT ANYTHING YOU LIKE ANYMORE.
Yes, dear people, it’s true. Well, maybe “anymore” is an exaggeration, BUT IT WILL FEEL LIKE FOREVER. From what I’ve read, the AIP is supposed to be adhered to for at least 30 days (I’ve read some that have done it 90) and then s.l.o.w.l.y add one restricted food back in at a time. More specifically, add one food in, wait 72 hours and pay attention to any type of reaction. No reaction? Happy days are here again! That food isn’t a trigger and you may resume enjoyment of it. Then, introduce another, and so on…
So my awesome new doctor (a/k/a Super-doc) believes autoimmunity is at the root of my “issues” and strongly believes the AIP is the way to go, at least for now. This guy is really smart. I mean SCHMAAHT. He painstakingly explained a bunch of ya-ya medical, neurological and biochemical terminology to me – even used a PowerPoint to go over my test results. (A POWERPOINT?! REALLY?! Who does that sort of thing? Only Super-docs.) But honestly, my exhausted, little pea-brain could not keep up.
I DID hear him say AIP and I DID hear him ask, “If healing your body and eliminating triggers for an autoimmune disease means giving up dairy (butter, Pecorino Romano and raw cheddar), are you be willing to do it?” Suddenly, everything got dark and I felt like I was under hot lights.
“I’m full-blooded Italian. I’ve given up gluten and grains. Now you want my Pecorino?” (whiny voice) “Yes” I said “I’m willing…but I won’t like you for awhile…”
The truth is, I think I’ve finally reached the point in my life where food just isn’t worth it. I mean, I’ve always loved it, savored it, enjoyed making lots of it, eating it with friends and family. But when you feel bad every day and finally realize certain foods could be contributing to that, or even causing it, then it becomes not worth it. (at least to me at this point in life)
So here we are. No more white navy beans, peanut butter, chocolate, dairy, eggs, nightshades (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, or any spices that come from peppers like chili powder and paprika), seeds (no tahini or spices that come from seeds like mustard, cumin, black pepper), or nuts. Virtually all the good stuff. Oh! There’s also no processed foods, NSAIDS, alcohol, extremely limited unrefined sugar (such as honey, maple syrup, molasses, coconut sugar) and no caffeine. AND fruit is very restricted. (Super-doc is allowing me two servings of low-glycemic fruits per day – one serving must be mixed berries. Thank you, SD.)
Sounds fun, huh? I think I’ll throw a party! BUT WE CAN’T SERVE ANY FOOD AT THE PARTY BECAUSE NO ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WOULD COME!
I have a great attitude about this AIP, can you tell?
Where do we go from here? Well – I’ve found a couple of sources online that have been a big help. I’m going to list them at the end of this post. Lord willing, if my stress levels are down and I have the energy, I’d really like to track my meal plans and post them on the blog. Won’t THAT be fun? All of you will get (have) to see what I’m eating on a daily basis. I’m doing this in the hopes that someone else will be helped and encouraged to stay on the AIP track if they need to.
After all, If this crybaby can do it, ANYONE can. I think this video reflects my mood…Karen Carpenter singing, “I’ll Say Goodbye to Food Love”
Melissa Joulwan (of Well Fed cookbooks) – Mel charted 30 days of AIP and shared some wonderful recipes.
See where I charted 30 plus days of my AIP journey, filled with whining, musings, recipes, and fun videos (to keep my spirits up).
