Things I've learned from my Autoimmune Protocol elimination diet

In June 2020 I felt stuck. Yes, we were all stuck at home during a crazy pandemic, but I felt especially stuck with my body that was struggling, once again, with ulcerative colitis. I just didn't know what to do anymore!
I was struggling for a long period of time with this inflammation that got worse since we learned about the pandemic. I was already watching what I ate carefully and kept a food & symptoms diary; but nothing helped my inflammation.

I was put on steroids, which helped, but I was afraid of the moment I would finish the dose. Will my body recover? Will the inflammation come back? Taking steroids felt terrible and I didn't want to continue them, but I also wanted the inflammation to finally be GONE.

This is when I found out about the Autoimmune Protocol diet through some Google searches. While I tried elimination diets in the past, I had never tried this specific one that is supposed to target autoimmune conditions. Here are a few of my thoughts about this elimination diet:

1. It seems like a very limited menu. IT IS! But it does get easier when you find your favorites and plan around them. I found most of the recipes online for free, and only purchased one cookbook to help with variety.

2. Get ready to experiment in the kitchen and expect to fail sometimes. Many of these recipes are not your regular go-to, and some use unique ingredients and cooking techniques. I had to find patience with myself and not get too angry if something didn't turn out well, or didn't sit well with me. For example, gelatin eggs are recommended in many recipes but I just couldn't stand it... I had to let it go, even after I spent $20 on a big container of it...

3. It's a high maintenance journey. I was working from home during my time on the AIP diet, and I don't know if I could have done it successfully if I had to leave my house for work every day. It takes lots of cooking and prep time! Also, at home there are less temptations or reminders of other foods. I think finding a timeframe that works for you with no big events in the future is the key to success of this program.

4. Focus on what you CAN eat. Fill your house with lots of AIP compliant foods and don't be hungry. While it might be a by-product of this diet, this system is not for weight-loss! I was eating whenever I was hungry, and always had snacks nearby.

5. Get your support system involved! I got my husband to try (and happily eat!) most of the foods I made. It's much easier if you have a buddy to go through the process with you.

6. Find shortcuts. There are ready-made foods and snacks in some grocery stores like Sprouts and WholeFoods! I lived on Rotisserie chicken and some paleo puffs during the whole diet. Learn to read labels and do the research at home, then find them at your grocery store to save some time in your kitchen. They do exist! (Like grain-free pasta, no tomato sauce, etc.)

7. Some of these special foods are very pricey. I wasn't even aware of cassava flour or coconut yogurt before, and they are NOT cheap. Also, counting on high quality protein and vegetables as your main nutrition really adds up. BUT it is worth it, especially if you know you won't be doing this restricting menu forever.

8. Simple, basic foods with 1-4 ingredients are the way to go, even in our post-AIP life. If you can eat basic foods that are not processed, that is the best possible thing you can do for your body. Replace snacks with raw fruit and veggies, and eat meals with products that only have a few ingredients. The key is in the preparation and quality of the produce!

9. Final conclusion? This diet helps you restart your body, and it gives your system the opportunity to heal. Before this experience I generally knew which foods did not make me feel well. As a result of this diet I didn't discover any new ones, but it reassured my suspicions. I do feel like this was a harsh but needed restart, while I cut out any foods that were possible offenders. As of when I am writing this, my inflammation did not come back yet. I'm still avoiding many foods, but at the same time, I experiment with consuming some of them in small doses or once in a while.

For my case, the AIP diet was totally worth it, and I hope my remission will last for a while!