By: Dr. Melanie DeCunha, ND

AIP. Paleo. Keto. Vegan. Hypoallergenic. FODMAP. Intermittent fasting. Pescatarian. Elimination.

With so many “diets” on the horizon, it’s no wonder people are more confused than ever about what they should or shouldn’t be eating.

The focus of this article is on the Autoimmune Protocol (also known as AIP or hypoallergenic), however I will preface by saying each of these diets has a unique focus and can have benefit for the right individual. The beauty of naturopathic medicine is that we tailor our treatment plan (including nutritional recommendations) to the person sitting in front of us. Some people might thrive on one diet, while another might get worse. These dietary guidelines may be used temporarily while we address certain concerns, or be adopted into a long-term lifestyle.

The Autoimmune Protocol in particular is one that many people incorporate into a long-term lifestyle. The AIP is one of the more restrictive diets, and one might argue that it might be the most difficult to adapt to. However, the benefits (particularly for those who are suffering from any autoimmune condition) will be tremendous.

What’s with this paleo eating?

In general, the paleo diet focuses on only eating “primal” foods – those that were hunted and gathered by our ancestors millions of years ago. There’s an emphasis on fresh fruits, veggies and lean protein. The foods that are restricted include all dairy, grains, legumes, starchy vegetables (eg. Potato), processed foods and sugar.

So, what is the AIP?

To put it simply, the AIP is a diet that removes the most common allergenic foods. It can be thought of as a strict Paleo diet, as it follows the same principles, but takes it a step further. In addition to the above restricted foods, the AIP also removes nuts, seeds, alcohol, eggs, nightshade vegetables, dried fruits, gum, herbs from seeds and chocolate.

Does that seem like a lot of food restrictions? Well, it is. There’s no sugar-coating it (because sugar is not allowed) – the AIP is a significant adjustment. BUT. It is doable. Check out some foods below that are allowed:

• Vegetables (except nightshades)
• Fruits (limit to 15-20 grams fructose/day)
• Coconut products
• Fats: olive oil, coconut oil, avocados, lard, bacon fat, cultured ghee (certified to be free of casein and lactose)
• Fermented Foods (coconut yogurt, kombucha, water and coconut kefir, fermented vegetables)
• Bone Broth
• Grass Fed Meats, Poultry and Seafood
• Non-Seed Herbal Teas
• Green Tea
• Vinegars: Apple Cider Vinegar, Coconut vinegar, red wine vinegar, balsamic (that has no added sugar)
• Sweeteners: occasional and sparse use of honey and maple syrup (1 tsp/day)
• Herbs: all fresh and non-seed herbs are allowed (basil tarragon, thyme, mint, oregano, rosemary, ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, savory, edible flowers)
• Binders: Grass Fed Gelatin and Arrowroot Starch

Who should follow this diet?

As so subtly suggested by the name, the AIP was designed for people suffering from an autoimmune condition. Think hashimoto’s, arthritis, SLE, crohn’s, colitis, celiac, diabetes, alopecia, psoriasis and SO many more. Autoimmune disease has become an epidemic, and is the primary concern for many of the patients that I treat.

Is it possible to change my immune system if I have an autoimmune condition?

While genetics can certainly influence your predisposition to autoimmune disease, we know that environmental factors play a very large role in whether someone actually expresses that disease, and to what extent. When a person has an autoimmune condition, it basically means that their immune system is identifying their own body as foreign and attacking it. In different conditions, it attacks different parts of the body, but it all comes down to the same: your immune system is in overdrive.

If you’ve suffered from an autoimmune condition, particularly if you’ve had a flare-up (worsening of symptoms), then you may have been prescribed medications that act to suppress the immune system. In theory, this is a great idea. We stop the immune system from attacking, and symptoms go away. Or do they? Anyone who has gone this route can probably attest to the fact that these medications caused side effects that were as bad as or worse than the original symptoms, and came back when the medications were stopped. That’s not to say that I am against medication, however in my opinion, for many people, it is not a sustainable, treat the root cause approach.

Rather than constantly play keep up with the immune system, the AIP aims to reduce inflammation in the body and modulate the immune system. This means that we bring the immune system to a balanced state so that it isn’t attacking itself, and conversely is not leaving you in a weakened state so that you are susceptible to illness.

The AIP achieves this by removing the foods that are known to have immune stimulating and inflammatory compounds. While for an ordinary person, these foods may be perfectly healthy, but for a person who’s body is already in an over-reactive state, these foods continue to add insult to injury.

Leaky Gut is also a factor in autoimmune conditions

It’s no secret that our gut health is intimately linked to our immune function. Leaky gut (and dysbiosis) often go hand in hand with autoimmune conditions, and removing allergenic foods is key to modulating the immune system. Leaky gut occurs when food triggers damage the gut lining, causing gaps in the tight junctions (the little fingers that keep the food in the intestines). When we get gaps, the little antigens that are produced when inflammatory foods are consumed can now make their way into the blood stream and cause systemic inflammation.

Do I have to follow this diet forever?

After a solid few months of following this diet (assuming you’ve had a significant improvement in symptoms), challenging the foods can be a good way to see if some of these foods can be incorporated into you diet in moderation. To reintroduce the foods, you would do one food at a time and wait several days before adding a new food. If you have a reaction at all, you continue to restrict the food. If you have no adverse reaction, you can continue to incorporate that food into your diet while reintroducing the other foods.

Of course, it’s important to make sure that you are addressing other areas that are affecting your health. Optimal sleep and stress management are key, as is incorporating regular exercise. Supplements, botanicals, hydrotherapy and acupuncture are also things I see get tremendous benefit. When combined with the AIP we can make a big difference in a person’s life.

References:

https://www.thepaleomom.com/start-here/the-autoimmune-protocol/

https://aiplifestyle.com/what-is-autoimmune-protocol-diet/