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Nourish Me Free. Eating for Heath. Allergy friendly, AIP and Paleo recipes.
  AUTOIMMUNE PROTOCOL 
Seeking health +
autoimmune wellness
with nutrient dense
foods and a balanced
lifestyle
' MY PERSONAL MANTRA '
Eat for health.
The right food will nourish me,
it will nourish me free.
Food is nourishing, but not all food is for everyone. For some it can hinder our health. For me AIP has helped me to navigate what foods cause me inflammation and pain.
What is the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)?

AUTOIMMUNE DISEASE
 

Autoimmune protocol (AIP) uses diet and lifestyle to regulate the immune system, with the aim to reduce and ultimately put an end to flare ups and give the body the opportunity to heal.

 

Each autoimmune disease condition brings unique symptoms however the cause is the same - our immune system which is our natural protector turns against us and attacks our own healthy tissue and organs. This can result in inflammation, organ or join damage, pain and fatigue. Genetics are thought to account for one-third of the predisposition for developing an autoimmune disease, the other two-thirds are thought to come from diet, environmental and lifestyle. An AIP diet and lifestyle eliminates a number of autoimmune triggers that may help with a noticeable improvement of symptoms. (Learn more)

 

Types of autoimmune disease are rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, thyroid, hashimoto and celiac disease.

 

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AUTOIMMUNE PROTOCOL (AIP)

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The AIP uses a science-based approach to diet and lifestyle for the relief of autoimmune disease. It is a stricter version of the Paleo diet, which focuses more on nutritional quality and how foods should be eliminated and then reintroduced. 

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HOW DOES AIP WORK?

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The Autoimmune Protocol focuses on regulating four factors : (Learn More)

•  Nutrient Density  •  Gut Health  •  Hormone Regulation  •  Immune System Regulation

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The diet focuses on protein, vegetables and fruits with foods nutritionally dense in vitamins and nutrients, and foods that should not trigger an autoimmune response. It achieves this through eliminating certain types of food that might be contributing to factors such as inflammation, leaky gut, allergies. 

 

Working closely with a Qualified Nutritionist will help you to identify areas of concern specific to you. It will give you the support to get started, and sustain benefits from the Autoimmune Protocol long term.

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THE GOAL
'The goal of the AIP is to flood the body with nutrients while avoiding any food that might be contributing to disease (or at the very least interfering with efforts to heal).'
–  Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, PHD
The AIP process

  • Omit all non compliant AIP foods from diet

  • Stock your AIP pantry

  • Eat nutrient-dense and well balanced meals

1.

Transition

PHASE

This phase eliminates specific foods and drinks from your diet, and replaces them with nutrient dense foods to support your bodies healing. This can be done gradually over weeks or quickly. AIP Foods

  • Build nutrient dense diet

  • Reset, restore & reconnect with your body

  • Allow time to maximise healing before phase 2.

Maintain

Once transition is complete, allow time to maximise a nutrient diet to support healing. This stage can take 1 - 3 months, it's unique to you so take the time to reset, restore and reconnect with your body. It may require the support of a nutritionist if you see no progress.

  • Follow stages 1 - 4 for reintroducing foods.

  • Note reactions. If one occurs this food may need to be excluded long term.

2.

Reintroduction

PHASE

Time for discovery. Foods are slowly introduced to establish what non-AIP foods your body will love, and what may be bothersome. It's individual, and should be well rounded nutrient dense, and sustainable long term. This is a good time to check in with your nutritionist again.

AIP Reintroduction

WHEN TO START

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When to start the reintroduction phase is completely individual. Some say you should only stay on the elimination phase for 1 - 3 months. In my experience I remained on the elimination diet for 10 months, until I was symptom free and tuned into my body, this allowed me to clearly read how I reacted to a new food being introduced.

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If you're feeling really good after elimination, it's definitely daunting shaking up this new happy place.. but you can run the risk of it backfiring on you, developing more food sensitivities or the lack of nutrient diversity in the diet having other knock on health effects. So keep the momentum even if it's one 1 or 2 new foods back in with each reintroduction attempt, just keep it going! If you're not getting the relief, it's time to get help from your Nutritionist / Naturopath / Integrative Doctor, be kind to yourself and take the steps you need.

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PREPARATION

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  • Firstly, get organized. Pick which foods you want to reintroduce from the food chart (guide below) and schedule them on your calendar. Allow at least 3 days in between each food. Note any interruptions such as your menstruation or holidays, and skip reintroducing on those days as it may upset your response.

  • Track reactions, symptoms, changes - the physical, mental, or emotional response with each food. Note any variables that may be interfering with the response. A food and mood journal can be helpful for this.

  • At the end of the week review the food and decide on what stays or what needs to be revisited. Don't overlap reintroductions as you’ll feel confused about which food caused which symptom.

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HOW TO REINTRODUCE FOODS

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  • Select a food to reintroduce from the stages chart.

  • Start with half a teaspoon, wait 15 minutes. If there are reactions, stop.

  • No reactions, eat one full teaspoon and wait 15 more minutes. If there are reactions, stop.

  • No reactions, eat one-and-a-half teaspoons and wait two-three hours. If there are reactions, do not go any further.

  • No reactions, eat a normal portion of the food and wait 3–7 days. Do not reintroduce any other foods and track reactions during this time. 

  • If you have no reactions, that food can be brought back into your diet.

  • You may find a food is tolerated when you eat it occasionally, but not when eaten regularly. Often the poison is in the dose, so when make sure you rotate your foods.

For full resources and information visit Dr. Sarah Ballantyne and autoimmunewellness.com.

Anchor 2 AIP Reintroduction

FOOD GUIDE

 AIP REINTRODUCTION

STAGE 1
 

Egg yolks

Fruit & seed-based spices

Seed & nut oils

Ghee (grass-fed)

Coffee, occassional

Cocoa or chocolate

Peas & legumes with edible pods (green beans, sugar snap peas, snow peas, etc.)

Legume sprouts

STAGE 2
 

Seeds

Nuts

Chia seeds

Coffee, daily basis

Egg whites

Grass-fed butter

Alcohol, small quantities

STAGE 3
 

Eggplant

Sweet peppers

Paprika

Peeled potatoes

Grass-fed dairy

Lentils

Split peas

Chickpeas

STAGE 4
 

Chili pepper spices
Nightshade spices

Tomatoes

Unpeeled potatoes

Alcohol, larger quantities

Gluten-free grains
Pseudograins

Legumes (Soaked/sprouted or fermented)

White rice

Specific foods for you.

Nourish Me Free shares my personal opinions and journey. It provides basic educational information and should not be taken as professional health or medical advice.  

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