Tag: Paleo

AIP for Chronic Inflammation

autoimmune protocol
~ Loreeebee ~ Leave a comment

While researching nightshade vegetables and their effect on people with sensitivities to them, I came across something called an AIP. This stands for an autoimmune protocol, something I had never heard of. However, through the years I know I have inflammatory issues and suspect they may be related to underlying autoimmune factors.

What is the AIP?

To clarify, the AIP or autoimmune protocol is a diet somewhat related to the Paleo diet, but slightly more restrictive. Nicknamed the hunter and gatherer diet, Paleo supports a back-to-the-basics approach. In addition to foods restricted in the Paleo, AIP also eliminates nightshade vegetables as well as other inflammation-triggering foods like eggs, seeds, nuts, and most sweeteners.

What’s left to eat on the AIP? In short, foods that fight inflammation such as leafy greens, fruit, lean meat, healthy fats, and cruciferous vegetables are all permitted.

To sum things up, this chart shows what is allowed or not, and how to swap the bad for the good. It comes from AmyMeyersMD.com:

AIP for chronic inflammation

Chronic Inflammatory Conditions that the AIP can Alleviate

Many things cause chronic inflammation. Exposure to chemicals, foods we consume, and autoimmune disorders are all culprits. Research shows that autoimmune conditions and inflammatory diseases are often connected. Both of these can be genetic, but it is the ability to be allergic that is genetic, not the specific allergy. Healthline lists some well known autoimmune conditions and symptoms:

  • joint pain, rheumatoid arthritis
  • gout
  • irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease
  • chronic fatigue, trouble concentrating, brain fog
  • skin rashes and conditions like eczema, scleroderma, psoriasis,
  • phlebitis, deep vein thrombosis, vasculitis
  • multiple sclerosis
  • systemic lupus erythematosus
  • type 1 diabetes
  • hair loss
  • low grade fever, achy muscles
  • numbness and/or tingling in the hands or feet

Long Term Goals

Treatment of many of these conditions and symptoms may require medication to reduce inflammation. Furthermore, exercise more, quit smoking, eliminate stress, and change diets. These actions can alleviate autoimmune and inflammatory symptoms over the long term.

Most importantly, the autoimmune protocol is never a quick fix. It may take several months for chronic inflammatory and autoimmune symptoms to subside.

Do your own research. Find reputable sites online or do your research the old-fashioned way by reading a book. Here are a few selections from Amazon on the topic:

Paleo Diet, All the Details

paleo diet
~ Loreeebee ~ 2 Comments

Many specific diets have come and gone in popularity over the years.  We have had the Atkins, Nutrisystem, Bernstein, Zone, Weight Watchers, Mediterranean, South Beach, Raw Foods diets, and more.  Some are long gone, others still around.  The Paleo diet, short for Paleolithic, (think caveman era) is based on what our ancestors supposedly foraged for and lived on centuries ago.  I say supposedly because which one of us was around to confirm the info?

What does the Paleo Diet Eliminate?

It is not that difficult to realize that all the additives, preservatives, and other highly processed and or hydrogenated ingredients were not around back then.  The Paleo diet urges people to eliminate such items from their meal plans.  That includes salt sugar and artificial sweeteners, iodized (table) salt,  omega-6 oils (unrefined, organic coconut, olive, flaxseed, and avocado are allowed because they are omega 3s), dairy (except butter and ghee which are allowed.)

Beans and legumes (with the exception of green beans and snow peas) are not allowed on a Paleo diet either because they are (for most people) hard to digest.  The same applies to starchy vegetables like white potatoes (sweet ones are allowed in moderation) corn and squash, as well as all (even gluten-free) grains. Grains are taboo because of the lectins they contain that trigger allergic and autoimmune responses as well as leaky gut syndrome.

paleo diet

What Foods are Permitted?

Meats allowed on the Paleo diet are grass-fed, pasture-raised, and organic. Fish choices should be wild or farmed under responsible conditions.  Eggs should be free-range. Most nuts (except peanuts because they are legumes, not nuts) and seeds are allowed too.

What the Paleo Diet Does for You

This diet is supposed to prevent and eliminate immune responses and many disease states, including cancer.  I must admit, other than eliminating dairy (cheese is a personal weakness) beans and gluten-free grains like brown rice and quinoa (actually not a grain, but included in that category) my current choice of diet follows these Paleo choices very closely.  These choices came from figuring out (over many years) what works (and doesn’t work) for my body. 

Go figure, here I thought I was unique!