By Chef Murph

Autoimmune Protocol Diet 101 Overview:

Problems with autoimmune diseases effect more than 23 million Americans in the US each year. It is one of the top 10 causes of death among women who are less than 65 years old. There are literally hundreds of different autoimmune diseases, which are diseases in which the body’s immune system attacks its own tissues.  Some autoimmune conditions include Grave’s disease, Crohn’s disease, and type 1 diabetes. Lupus is another autoimmune disease that causes antibodies to attach the individual’s kidneys and connective tissue.

Because there is no cure for autoimmune diseases, it must be managed by things like diet and exercise. There is a special diet, known as the autoimmune protocol diet or AIP that reduces the symptoms of the various diseases and heals the imbalances caused by living with a body that is flooded with inflammation.

The autoimmune protocol diet helps decrease inflammation and helps heal the gastrointestinal dysfunction that is so common with the disease.

The Autoimmune Protocol Diet

This is a diet that focuses on giving many nutrients that reduce inflammation. It is filled with hypoallergenic foods that cool the immune system and allow the symptoms to abate. It addresses the problems with the digestive tract, which is usually functioning poorly, causing hyperactivity of the immune system. By acting on the GI tract, the diet can allow the immune system to take a break from fighting off your body’s tissues.

The diet starts with simple Paleo principles. This means that you need to avoid the following:

• Grains
• Gluten
• Legumes
• Sugar
• Alcohol
• Dairy products

Gluten is especially inflammatory to the gut and should be avoided completely. Legumes and grains are taken away from the diet because they contain Phytic Acid and Lectins, which are inflammatory molecules. Alcohol and sugar are eliminated from the diet because they are both very inflammatory and don’t provide any type of nutrition to your body.

Vegetables To Avoid

There are certain vegetables you need to avoid, which include the nightshade vegetables. These include eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and onions. These inflammatory vegetables lead to skin irritation, joint pain, and gastrointestinal problems.

Stay Away From Eggs

Eggs are to be avoided in the autoimmune protocol diet because the enzymes and proteins found in eggs (especially the white part) can get into the lining of the gut. People with autoimmune diseases often have leaky guts and the particulate matter from the eggs can get through the gut’s protective barrier. This causes stimulation of the immune system and makes it hyperactive.

Stay Away From Seeds And Nuts

Seeds and nuts contain Phytates and Lectins, which have a great deal of allergenic potential. This can result in increased food sensitivity in those who suffer from autoimmune disorders. The ratio of omega 3 to omega 6 fatty acids is not optimal in many varieties of seeds and nuts. Too much omega 6 fatty acids result in a pro-inflammatory condition.

Other Things To Avoid

You should limit the number of fruit servings you have each day to only one or two servings daily. This will prevent you from having wide fluctuations in blood sugar and will keep you from absorbing too much fructose, which irritates the GI tract.

You need also to avoid certain food additives, such as Carrageenan and Guar gum. These offer no specific health benefits to you and will result in a leaky gut syndrome. You should also avoid additives such as nitrites, which are also inflammatory.

How To Start An Autoimmune Protocol Diet

There are many things in this type of diet that you can eat. These include meats that are wild caught or raised in the wild. Stay away from meats that are farmed in a factory and seafood that is farm-raised. There are no grains you can eat, including no rice, oats, quinoa, wheat, millet, or gluten-containing foods.

Among the legumes, you can eat string beans and snap peas but avoid peanuts and soy-containing foods. Among the vegetables, you should avoid nightshade vegetables but can eat just about any other type of vegetable, including asparagus, cabbage, leafy greens, broccoli, cucumber, beets, and cauliflower.

All fruits are permitted but should be limited to 1-2 servings per day. You can drink coconut milk instead of dairy products like cheese, ice cream, butter, yogurt, and half-and-half. You can eat only fermented foods such as kefir, kimchi, and sauerkraut but avoid fermented soy products.

Among fats, you should avoid butter and ghee, all types of margarine and canola oil. Stick to avocado oil, Avocados, coconut oil, olive oil, and lard. You should also avoid all kinds of Non steroidal anti-inflammatory medications.

Starting The Diet

You should try the diet for a couple of weeks and see if your symptoms improve. Please always work with your team of your doctor and a nutritionist. If you experience an improvement in your symptoms, this should be the diet to stay on for the rest of your life. All the best do your research hope that it helped.

XoxoX

Chef Murph

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