‘He Won’t Know It’s Paleo’ – a Review

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Book Review, Cookbook, Cookbook Review, Elimination Diet, He Won't Know it's Paleo, Paleo

Bre’anna Emmitt, of He Won’t Know it’s Paleo fame, makes you feel like you’re in on a joke. Not a nasty joke, mind you. Rather, one with the very best of intentions. A joke with a small ‘j’…

You see, Bre’anna started to feed her husband a ‘Paleo-style’ diet – reducing sugar, cutting out processed frankenfoods, removing grains (gluten) and trans fats, and increasing vegetables – in an effort to encourage him (and their family) to be more health conscious.

Only – small omission –  she didn’t actually tell her husband about her grand plan.

But here’s the thing:

The food Bre’anna cooked was so good, he didn’t even notice!

Fast forward six months of Chris (Mr Bre’anna) unknowingly eating this way, and he is feeling so fit and fabulous, she feels it’s time to come clean on her sneaky healthy eating regime.

When she confides in him, he’s so impressed, he encourages her to start sharing her recipes. How cool is that?

The ‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ blog is born.

He Won’t Know it’s Paleo Scalloped Sweet Potatoes
LM calls this ‘Kumara Bake’. You say tomato…
(Image by LM for TSL)

Bre’anna starts to share her recipes with a fast-growing and appreciative audience. About this time, she also starts experimenting with the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) in an effort to mitigate some of her digestive issues.

And – fast forward to present day – we come to Bre’anna’s inaugural ‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ cookbook – over 100 AIP healthy and tasty recipes at your fingertips.

I love this growth in autoimmune protocol-friendly cookbooks as more and more of us experience significant health improvements through adopting the principles of AIP.

‘He Won’t Know it’s Paleo’ is chock-full of great AIP-compliant recipes. But, it’s more than that. There’s a great section on stocking your pantry and a few of the basics – things like making gelatine eggs are well covered.

Do yourself a favour and check out Bre’anna’s book. It’s so very worth it!

The Scalloped Sweet Potatoes recipe is dinner-party worthy (especially, unlike me, if you cut your sweet potatoes with a mandolin!) and a fantastic alternative to regular potatoes…

Scalloped Sweet Potatoes

• Servings: 8
• Time: 55 minutes
• Difficulty: easy
• Print

Ingredients:

2 pounds/900g sweet potatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick (about 3 medium potatoes)
1 medium yellow onion, sliced 1/8-inch thick 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I used fresh!)

Method:

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/350°F.

2. Layer the sweet potatoes and onion in an ungreased 3-quart (just under 3 litres metric!) pan.

3. Whisk the remaining ingredients together and pour over the sweet potatoes and onions.

4. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. If desired, finish by turning the broiler on for the last 3 to 5 minutes, until the top is browned.

E N J O Y !

The GREAT Autoimmune Protocol Update – One Year On

Tags

AIP, Andrew Weil, Autoimmune Protocol, Elimination Diet, Gut Health, Health, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, HS, Paleo, Sleep

One Year On
(Image by TSL)

Next week I hit my one year anniversary on the Autoimmune Protocol. On Tuesday, to be precise. Not that I’m counting. Much.

Not sure what the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is?

It’s a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system.

You can read more about it here.

It’s been a wild ride, this past year. Life changing, even. So much so, that I thought I should share some of the experience with you.

Did you know?

Autoimmune diseases are on the rise across the western world. Here in Australasia, they currently affect 1 in 20 people. In the United States, there are over 50 million sufferers. Pretty sobering stuff.

What exactly is an autoimmune disease?

According to the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy, Autoimmune diseases can be defined as,”a broad range of related diseases in which a person’s immune system produces an inappropriate response against its own cells, tissues and/or organs, resulting in inflammation and damage. There are over 80 different autoimmune diseases, and these range from common to very rare diseases. Some autoimmune diseases affect mainly one part of the body (such as multiple sclerosis, autoimmune thyroid disease, type 1 diabetes) whilst others can affect many parts of the body (such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis and systemic vasculitis).”

As with many life-altering events, an autoimmune illness is almost guaranteed to cause you to re-evaluate your priorities.

― Joan Friedlander, ‘Women, Work, and Autoimmune Disease’

 

My particular autoimmune issue is Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), sometimes known as acne inversa. HS is a painful, chronic skin disease that causes abscesses and scarring on the skin – usually in very uncomfortable places. Frankly, it’s horrible.

I have suffered from HS for over twenty years. And until this year, I never talked about it.

What I have learnt in the past year on AIP

In a nutshell, I have learnt that it is possible to put my 20+ years of autoimmune related illness into remission by making dramatic changes to my diet and lifestyle.

– TSL

And, if that was all I learned, then I would be a very happy little Vegemite.

But, here’s what else I learned…

Diet

Hippocrates said, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”. And, when it comes to what we eat, the Autoimmune Protocol is literally a manifestation of this. The protocol removes all potentially inflammatory foods from the diet to enable the body to heal.

Hippocrates
(Image from here)

And yes, it does take work. And planning. And requires a level of commitment that many of my friends have found difficult to understand.

But. In return, as you start to heal, you feel F A N T A S T I C. Truly. Brain fog lifts. You wake in the morning feeling energised. Bloating disappears.

You will develop an appreciation for the sort of food your grandmother (or maybe even great-grandmother!) probably cooked. Fresh. Seasonal. Local. Full of flavour.

I don’t even go to the supermarket anymore. The farmers market is my supermarket.

Gut Health Matters

Really, the protocol is all about improving gut health. But there are two things that I now do religiously that I believe have significantly improved my health.

And, they are all to do with my gut.

1. Bone Broth

I now make bone broth regularly from a mixture of bones from pasture raised animals. It has become a staple within our diet here at Casa TSL. I make it into soup, use it in sautéed veggies, add it to gravies and just drink it.

I alternate the type of broth I make so I am maximising the vitamin and mineral benefits. Last week it was beef bone broth. The time before that, it was duck.

2. Fermented Vegetables

We eat at least a tablespoon of home-made fermented veggies with every savoury meal. Think sauerkraut. I make the fermented vegetables about once a month from vegetables and salt. That’s it.

Fermented vegetables add all sorts of beneficial bacteria to my gut that I would not otherwise have in my diet.

And, one more thing – both bone broth and fermented veggies are ‘cheap as chips’ to make.

The latest ferment
(Image by TSL)

Sleep

It is becoming more and more apparent, in this fast-moving era of getting twice as much done in half the amount of time, that we are not getting enough sleep. This is making us sick. We are designed to need sleep. It’s when our bodies regenerate.

In my case, I had a home invasion just over ten years ago. Bit scary. Three men in balaclavas decided to have a look around my home at 4.30 in the morning and I caught them. Fortunately, they weren’t very interested in me. Just my stuff. But – it messed badly with my ability to sleep.

Now, I make sure I’m in bed between 9.30 and 10pm. Every night.

And, I really understand the value of a good night’s sleep. But it took some work. And some time. And it involved resetting my circadian rhythms by implementing my own personal ‘Operation Sleepy Time’ ritual.

I’m pretty sure LM will tell you I’m a nicer person to be around as a result.

Stress

I didn’t know I was stressed. I didn’t know I was a constant worrier. Until I worked out that I was a complete stress head. And, on top of that, I managed to hide it from almost everyone. Can anyone relate?

Of all the changes I have made over the course of the past year, and that I continue to work on with the AIP, how I manage stress is the most difficult for me. By far. In fact, it’s a biggie for many people. Sarah Ballantyne wrote a great post on her personal battles with stress recently.

Andrew Weil
(Image from here)

Coming up with strategies that work for you are key to managing stress. Yoga didn’t cut it for me. Meditating on my own sends me to sleep. But. I love walking in nature.

And my fabulous doctor, Kate Norris recommended the Buddhify app. It’s a personal meditation assistant that really seems to be working for me.

And, I’m a great fan of Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 breathing technique.

Community

We human beans are social creatures. Even us introverted types. Connecting with quality people really matters and has an impact on our health*. This AIP caper has unexpectedly connected me with an amazing and generous community of other autoimmune sufferers around the globe. I am immensely grateful.

So what now?

Now, I keep going on the protocol.

In terms of my diet, I keep slowly reintroducing foods. I know more of my food triggers than before. And, I know that these are different for everybody. Gluten will never be my friend. And, HS sufferers seem to have big problems with nightshades – so, I’m a little scared to try tomatoes and eggplant and chill. Although I do miss tomatoes dreadfully. Bizarrely, the odd white potato doesn’t seem to be an issue.

I keep working on managing stress and making sure I get enough sleep. I make sure I move everyday. Bella (the poodle) gets lots of love!

My autoimmune affliction has affected me in many ways – physically, emotionally, and no doubt psychologically. But, in a weird way, I’m a little bit grateful to have it.

Without it, I wouldn’t have overhauled my eating habits. I’m healthier now than I’ve been in years. People comment on how wonderful my skin looks. Me, who had chronic acne as a teenager.

I would not have addressed my stress levels and less-than-stellar sleeping routine. And, my hormones and gut health would have further deteriorated.

I am lucky. My autoimmune issues are not life threatening. I won’t die from HS. But, they have been serious enough to give me a big wake up call about what really matters to me – my health. My loved ones. A meaningful career.

And this past year on the autoimmune protocol has been life changing.

If you have any questions about the Autoimmune Protocol or Hidradenitis Suppurativa, feel free to drop me a line.

*conversely, spending too much time with ‘energy sucking’ people can be detrimental to your health!

 

 

The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook: A Review

Tags

AIP, Angie Alt, Autoimmune Disease, Autoimmune Protocol, Diet, Elimination Diet, Health, Mickey Trescott, Sarah Ballantyne, The Paleo Approach

A picture I stole from Angie’s website – along with my favourite quote from her fabulous book
(Image from here)

Disclaimer: Before I begin this post, I should advise that Angie Alt and Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Paleo are ‘shining lights’ in my Autoimmune Protocol world. They are two pioneers of kicking autoimmune issues into remission through adopting dietary and lifestyle changes. I am lucky enough to now be able to call them both blogging friends – perhaps with a small ‘f’, at this stage… 

I wish Angie had published her book two years ago. 

And, not because of the great recipes. Don’t get me wrong, they are great recipes (and there are more than 55 of them)…

Here are a few that particularly caught my eye and are currently bookmarked here at Casa TSL:

Pork and Sprouts Breakfast Skillet. Otherwise known as a fry up in this neck of the woods

“Cheesy” Chicken Bites with Pesto. And yet, not a hint of dairy anywhere in the recipe.

Bacon-Burger Mega Meatballs Cinnamon Meatball and Sweet Potato Soup. MEGA meatball. Need I say any more?

Turmeric and Ginger Roasted Cauli Steaks. Magic anti-inflammatory spices with my favourite vegetable.

Orange Blossom and Honey Parfait. AND – it’s 100% AIP compliant!

Rosemary Tea Time Biscuit. It’s a biscuit. On AIP. Yippee!

But, I really wish Angie had published her book two years ago because then I would have felt I had someone to hold my hand at the beginning of this wacky AIP caper that I’ve been on for the past year or so.

Autoimmune disease can be isolating and deeply private. It is also frighteningly common AND on the rise – 1 in 20 people in Australasia. Scary.

Within this growing community of autoimmune sufferers who are dramatically and positively affecting their health through making changes to their diet and lifestyle, Angie has a reputation for being one of the warmest and most responsive peeps around.

And, her book reflects this. It’s a personal insight into how she has successfully used Sarah Ballantyne’s Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to mitigate her Multiple Autoimmune Syndrome.*

Choosing to adopt AIP is literally a revolutionary act. You are making a choice for your health that is the antithesis of our culture right now. (Angie Alt)

The Autoimmune Protocol is hard work. And one of the most difficult parts of the process is the lack of understanding from others who don’t get how just changing your diet and making a few alterations to your lifestyle can materially affect your life.

But it can. I know it can. It has changed mine.

And, Angie shares how it has changed her life. But also, provides practical ways to implement the strict elimination diet that makes up the initial phase of the protocol, as well helpful pointers around how to start reintroducing foods.

She gives useful charts that break the protocol down into manageable chunks.

In addition, she offers insights into denial, anger, fear, grief and acceptance – all things she experienced as part of her autoimmune experience.

Angie wrote this book with her sister, Jenifer Beehler. For me, it makes the Autoimmune Protocol far more approachable.

When people ask me what books I would recommend to help in understanding how their autoimmune illness might be put into remission, I always suggest Sarah Ballantyne’s, ‘The Paleo Approach’ coupled with Mickey Trescott’s, ‘The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook’. They have been invaluable for me. Now there’s a third book on my list. Angie Alt’s, ‘The Alternative Autoimmune Cookbook’.

*about 1/4 of all autoimmune sufferers will develop 3 or more autoimmune disorders

A Week of AIP-Friendly Breakfasts (a Photo Montage!)

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Breakfast, Breakfast Hash, Easy Breakfasts, Elimination Diet, Paleo

(Original image from here)

“When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last, “what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” said Pooh. “What do you say, Piglet?”

“I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet.

Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said.” (A.A. Milne)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here. And, if you want to know why I’m on the sugar-free version of the Autoimmune Protocol, you can read about that here.

I think my Dad and Pooh have a lot in common when it comes to breakfast. I suspect Dad wakes up thinking about what he’s going to have for breakfast most mornings. I can’t blame him one bit – breakfast is probably my favourite meal of the day. And, when you’re following the autoimmune protocol like me, the question you get asked most often is “What do you eat for breakfast?”.

Way back in March of this year, I wrote about the magic that is the No Recipe Breakfast Hash. And, I’m here to tell you, nothing has changed. If anything, my love of the breakfast hash has grown. Once you get over the fact that you can longer eating cereal or toast, that the carbs you know and used to love are off the table, the advantages of the hash are many.

Here are a few:

• Hash is an awesome way to get more vegetables into your system. Your Mum was right about eating your greens (most of us still don’t get enough)
• Hash is a great way to use up all those leftovers in the fridge. Less waste has gotta’ be a good thing – for your wallet and for the planet!
• Hash tastes seriously good. Especially when it’s made from last night’s leftover slow cooked meal. Our current favourite is the Jamie Oliver Inspired Four Hour Lamb. I’ve worked out I can fit two shoulders of lamb into my le Creuset and this gives us extra meat for days!
• Hash is a great way to get more healing bone broth into your tummy
• Hash is quick. It takes me less than 10 minutes to whip up my basic hash with leftovers and a few wilted greens. You could even do enough for the week, portion everything up and then zap it in the microwave when you get to work.
• Hash tastes even better with a side of fermented vegetables. A great way to get even more nutrient-dense goodness into yourself.

Today, I thought I would show you just how much I love my breakfast hash. A picture paints a thousand words and all that!

So, without any further ado, here are my last five days of AIP-friendly breakfasts…

Day 1
A medley of shredded sprouts sautéed in coconut oil and a little bone broth, smoked mackerel and diced avocado, served with leftover salsa verde
(Image by TSL)

Day 2
Bacon and leek sautéed in bacon fat and a little bone broth, and served with half a diced avocado (market day tomorrow – the fridge is looking a wee bit bare)
(Image by TSL)

Day 3 (Brunch with LM)
Meatloaf Hash – LM’s world-famous AIP-friendly meatloaf sautéed with bacon, red onion, leek, and shredded sprouts in coconut bacon fat and bone broth
(Image by TSL)

Day 4 (another brunch with LM)
Leftover 4 hour lamb and minted gravy with last nights leftover roasted veggies, cavalo nero and leek
(Image by TSL)

Day 5
The last of LM’s world-famous AIP-Friendly meatloaf and the last of the minted gravy hashed with leek and shredded sprouts sautéed in coconut oil
(Image by TSL)

Instead of telling the world what you’re eating for breakfast, you can use social networking to do something that’s meaningful. (Edward Norton)

I’m choosing to believe that Ed Norton may just be wrong on this occasion. The autoimmune protocol can be a daunting exercise to kick off – especially at the beginning. And, I think breakfast choices require the biggest mind shift. It is fair to say that I still miss having eggs and I’m certainly looking forward to the day that I can reintroduce them. But, for now the AIP-friendly breakfast hash is a winner here at Casa TSL.

If you’re on the autoimmune protocol and have any alternative breakfasts to share, please feel free to comment!

The Autoimmune Protocol – an Update

Tags

AIP, AIP Reintroduction, Autoimmune Protocol, Clean Eating, Dairy allergy, Elimination Diet, Gluten Free, Paleo, Phoenix Helix, Weight Loss, Woody Harrelson

…except I don’t live in Hawaii and I’m am not vegan. Also, I eat animal protein, cook my food and can’t remember the last time I smoked pot…! But, otherwise – we’re almost like twins, really.
(Image from here)

Here in TSL-land, we’ve now been on the Autoimmune Protocol for ten weeks. I know – ten whole weeks! I can hardly believe it. And during that time, while LM has fallen off the wagon every now and then, I’ve been pretty religious about following the protocol.

In case you need a wee reminder, that means:

• No eggs 
• No nuts
• No seeds (including cocoa, coffee – yes, coffee! – and seed-based spices)
• No nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums, chillies, cayenne, and all spices derived from peppers, including paprika)
• No fructose consumption in excess of 20g per day (that’s a couple of pieces of fruit)
• No alcohol
• No NSAIDS (like aspirin or ibuprofen)
• No non-nutritive sweeteners (yes, all of them)
• Cutting out all other food additives

The pros:

All in all, I have to say, it has been much easier than I expected. The food is fresh, clean and tasty. I’m never left hungry – thanks to the fat content. It’s not complicated to prepare. And, as long as I have a fridge stocked with a variety of fresh veggies and happy protein, I don’t struggle with what to eat at all.

I have become the master (mistress?) of both slow braises and of the veggie hash for breakfast. Homemade lacto-fermented vegetables are eaten daily. Bone broth is always in my fridge. I’ve discovered the magic that is frozen banana ice cream. Even though I ate a reasonable amount of vegetables before AIP, I reckon I’ve about tripled it. In fact, I now actively look for opportunities to eat more vegetables. I’m eating a greater variety, too. And that can only be a good thing.

Surprisingly, because people tend to associate a ‘Paleo’ style diet with high quantities of animal protein, my protein consumption has actually gone down. All those vegetables!

In addition, my sleep is much better. I wake feeling refreshed. I’m not waking during the night. And, while I didn’t realise it before, I think I’m a nicer person to be around. Less anxious, maybe? I don’t seem to sweat the small stuff as much.

As for my autoimmune issues? Or, at least the one I knew about – completely in remission on the Autoimmune Protocol. Gone. After 23 years. Pretty powerful stuff.

Oh – and, I’ve lost 6 kilos. Slow and steady wins the race, they say!

The cons:

Although the regime has been easier than I expected, it does have some drawbacks. I think the biggest one is that you really do have to spend time in the kitchen. For me, this isn’t a hardship. I love to cook. And, it is possible to spend a few hours over the weekend preparing food for the week ahead. My sister does this every Sunday – so, I know its do-able. Batch cooking truly is your friend.

Its hard on your social life. I think we’ve been to a restaurant twice in the last ten weeks. Dining out with all these dietary restrictions is almost impossible. For me, the way around this is to entertain at home. But, when I consider that LM and I were, until recently, known amongst our friends as the foodies who dined out all the time, life is very different now.

Re-introduction takes time and must be controlled. When I started this protocol, I already ate pretty clean. I knew I had an issue with gluten, so that wasn’t a big deal for me. This past weekend, my Mum has been visiting from New Zealand. I decided, after over 9 weeks of this caper, that I would indulge in some red wine, some coffee (with cream) and some homemade chicken liver pâté made with cultured ghee… BAD IDEA! Something in that medley of yumminess did not agree with me. Within 12 hours, my autoimmune symptoms were back. I’m pretty confident it was the dairy (and – please, please, PLEASE – not the red wine or the coffee), but I just don’t know for sure. So, its back on the strict protocol for two more weeks before I start reintroducing foods one at a time and in a controlled fashion.

And, just like magic…

As if she read my mind, the very talented Eileen over at Phoenix Helix has literally just this week launched an e-book on Reintroducing Foods on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. I think she must be psychic. Are you psychic, Eileen? The book provides a step-by-step guide to reintroducing foods in a structured and controlled way. And, she provides recipes. I suspect it may become my bible over the coming weeks.

I’ll keep you posted…

I Think I May Be a Jerk…

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Protocol, Elimination Diet, Food Obsession, Food Politics, Health, Jeanette Winterson, Obsession, Taking a stand, The New Yorker

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

 Once you start recognising your own obsessions, you know you’re getting old.  (Jeanette Winterson)

Oh, goody! Now, according to Jeanette Winterson, not only am I (slightly) obsessed, I’m officially getting old. The hits just keep on coming…!

I’m having a bit of a moment today. I don’t have them that often, but today’s one of those days. Here’s the thing – an old school friend, with whom I recently reconnected, posted the following cartoon from the New Yorker on Facebook this week.

(Image from the New Yorker)

It hit a wee bit of a nerve with me.

I had to stop and ask myself if I am a jerk…?

It is true that the extreme restrictions created by the autoimmune protocol severely limit our – LM’s and my – ability to dine out. I think I’ve been out to dinner once since I started this caper at the beginning of February. And, it is also true that LM and I have jokingly started referring to ourselves as ‘Jack Sprat and his wife’, due to the long list of things we can’t eat while on the AIP.

At least, we were until I saw this cartoon…

But, is this obsession that I currently have with food and getting healthy making me into a person others don’t want to spend time with? And, if the answer is ‘yes’, how do I really feel about that?

I am being a jerk (with a small ‘j’).

So, I think the short answer is that I am being a wee bit of a jerk. And, I will continue to be one – at least for the duration of the AIP.

I’m ok with that.

I’m ok with that for 2 reasons.

#1 – I’m not doing this to be difficult. I’m not doing it because it’s trendy. I’m doing it to give myself the best shot possible to be healthy. And, I’m starting to see some results. So, I think it is worth the sacrifices.

#2 – I get that some of my friends think that this is an extreme approach to take. I’m pretty sure one or two of them don’t buy into it at all (although nobody has actually come out and said that to my face!). And, that’s ok, too. I think dining at the golden arches or at the colonel’s is crazy. It takes all sorts.

As I read more and more about the food system we human beans in the western world are party to, I become more and more convinced that the processed product we consume is making us both sick and fat. That same product is filled with ever-increasing levels of genetically modified foods, trans fats, high fructose corn syrup (sugar) and, additives and preservatives that we can’t even identify, let alone pronounce. There is no doubt in my mind that it has made me both unwell and overweight.

So, if being aware of exactly what I’m eating and saying no to processed food makes me a jerk, then I can live with that.

 

Things I’m Learning on the Autoimmune Protocol

Tags

AIP, Autoimmune Disease, Elimination Diet, food, Healing, Healing through diet, Healing through Food, Health, Hippocrates, Liver, Observations, Paleo, The Autoimmune Protocol

(Image by TSL)

I’m currently on the Autoimmune Protocol, a nutrient-rich elimination diet that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system. You can read more about the protocol and why I’m doing this here.

Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity. (Hippocrates)

People who know me well will tell you that I’m a moderately impatient woman (I prefer to think of myself as ‘passionate’). When I set a course of action, I want it to happen. NOW. So, with that in mind, given I am now five days into the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP), it will be of little surprise to you when I say changes are not happening fast enough… Never-the-less, I thought a wee update on my observations – so far – might help me to pace myself.

Once you get your head around what the AIP involves, there are really two key things to understand, even if you forget everything else:

Planning is everything: You really can’t decide at the eleventh hour what you’ll be having for any given meal. It just doesn’t work. I am finding I plan (loosely) about a week out. I’m doing this on a Friday so that I can pick up as much as possible at the farmers market on Saturday morning. When you get home late from work and you’re tired and the kids are yelling at you and the dog needs a walk  – the last thing you feel like doing is planning what to eat for dinner.

As part of the AIP planning phase, it’s also critical that you give your pantry (and fridge) an overhaul. Get rid of all the non-AIP food. My brother-in-law happily received all the chocolates I had made. I got rid of mustards and other ‘illicit’ foods that were just waiting to call out to me at a moment of weakness.

Learn to love your kitchen: Seriously. You will definitely be spending more time in it. It is impossible to truly undertake the AIP without preparing food from scratch. There are no packets of pasta. In fact, there are no tins of tomatoes, either. (A staple for me before AIP).

To be honest, I find myself enjoying this aspect of the protocol. I get a kick out of creating good food from quality ingredients. I like experimenting with different cuts of meat and I find myself looking at unusual vegetables at the farmers market, wondering how I can incorporate them into a meal.

(Graphic by TSL; Kitchen Image from here)

OK. We’ve moved past the two key things to remember. What else have I discovered?

Mindfulness

Sounds a tad weird, but I am definitely becoming more mindful about what I’m eating. When you limit your food to primarily fresh vegetables, quality animal protein, a little fruit and healthy fats, you really start to notice flavours. Partly, this is because there are no heavily spiced sauces to accompany your meals. And, yes – this has taken a little getting used to. Because seed based spices are out, I’m using a LOT of garlic, my fresh herb intake has increased and I’m finding all sorts of uses for mace.

Full disclosure: a good friend of mine in New Zealand sent me an email in response to my last post introducing the AIP. She said, “I will confess that I am in shock – no more COFFEE. You were the original coffee queen back in the day (before coffee was even the thing!).”  I was dreading giving up coffee. Absolutely DREADING it. You know what? – It’s been easy. But, what I
R E A L L Y miss are eggs. That is taking some getting used to.

Mood

As crazy as it sounds, I think my mood is lighter. I’m feeling more positive generally. I had read that this would happen and I was a smidge sceptical. But, it’s true. AND, we’re only on day 5. I could be dangerous by day 20!

Batch Cooking Saves the Day

If you know a recipe works, when you next make it, double it. Use the leftovers for the next day or freeze them for the day you can’t face cooking another meal.

Roasts go a long way. Depending on the cut of meat, leftover meat can be made into shepherds pie, be added to a salad, or chopped up for breakfast hash (with leftover sweet potato). Then save the bones for bone broth.

And, I’ve discovered you can get a pretty good gravy by roasting onions with your meat. After cooking, while your meat is resting, pour a cup or two of bone broth into the roasting dish that still has the onions and all the good crusty bits in the bottom. Bring it to a slow boil and scrape up all the goodies from the bottom of the pan. Whip out your stick blender and whiz it all up. Pretty damn tasty!

Easy Ways to Incorporate Liver 

Increasing consumption of organ meat is a key pillar in the AIP. And, liver is arguably the best for us of all of them. The liver is a storage organ for many important nutrients (vitamins A, D, E, K, B12 and folic acid, and minerals such as copper and iron). When we eat the liver, especially from pasture raised, hormone-free, happy animals; these nutrients give us some of the tools we need to get rid of toxins. And, we don’t eat enough of it any more.

I now have the Paleo Mom’s chicken liver pate recipe on rotation. I love it. But then, I like liver. I have no recollection of where I read this tip but, a great way to incorporate more liver into your diet is to dice it finely and freeze in ice cube trays. Every time you make a braise or ragu, throw a couple of blocks in. Unless you are my sister, you won’t even know its there.

Soups

You can make very good soups FAST by cooking your vegetable of choice (broccoli, cauliflower, parsnip, carrot) in chicken bone broth, then adding an avocado (mace optional) for a few minutes. Throw everything into a blender or food processor and blitz. Check for seasoning.

Great way to incorporate your bone broth AND more vegetables into your diet. We had a broccoli number last night as an entree (starter). It was surprisingly tasty. And, the avocado adds a creaminess. YUM!

So, at day 5, I’m humming along quite nicely on the AIP. Really, I think it was a bigger mental shift to give up gluten (grains). But it is early days, yet.

I’ll keep you posted!

An Introduction to the Autoimmune Protocol

Tags

Autoimmune Disease, Autoimmune Protocol, Chris Kresser, Elimination Diet, Gluten Sensitivity, Healing through diet, Nora Gedgaudas, Paleo, Sally Fallon-Morell, Sarah Ballantyne, Skin Problems, Weight

(Image by TSL)

One quarter of what you eat keeps you alive. The other three-quarters keeps your doctor alive (Hieroglyph in an Egyptian Tomb)

So, you know how I mentioned things were going to be a bit different in TSL-land this year? Well, I wasn’t kidding. We’re really shaking the tree here at Casa TSL. And it begins today. Today is the first day of our Autoimmune Protocol (AIP).

Before I give you my take on the AIP – the un-scientific take (because I am no scientist) – first, let me preface it by acknowledging that this decision will probably have its detractors. The idea that food can be medicine is not a universal one. But, it is one that I hold.

My interest in the correlation between the food I eat and my health probably began when I started to suspect that the chronic skin issues I have been plagued with for decades seemed to fluctuate depending on what I ate. I started to take more notice. To cut a very long story short (and to spare you all of my health story!), just over a year ago I gave up grains (gluten), pulses, all trans fats and processed food. My dairy intake reduced greatly (LM is allergic). And, you know what? – pretty quickly my skin issues cleared up. Almost completely. There is no doubt in my mind that I have a sensitivity to gluten.

And, I started reading. I read a lot. About diet, nutrition and health. There’s a short list of some of my favourite books at the end of this post, if you’re interested. Along the way, I discovered that the skin problems that run in my family are a form of autoimmune disease. I learned that while I have a predisposition to autoimmune problems (along with other stuff!), the way I choose to eat and live also contributes. And, I learned that I’m lucky. I could have developed a much worse autoimmune problem – Coeliac disease or Multiple Sclerosis, for example. Some of that is due to my genetic blueprint. Some of it is due to my diet and lifestyle. And, some of it is just dumb luck.

While my skin issues have cleared up significantly, not all my health issues have. And, as I get older, I want to ensure, as much as I can, that I have a quality of life that allows me to move freely and not be limited by ill health. I want to be a healthy old person! So, I am undertaking the AIP in an effort to make it easier to reach this goal. And, lovely LM has chosen to join me. And, I didn’t even have to twist his arm or resort to bribery!

(Image from here)

So, what is the Autoimmune Protocol?

The AIP is an elimination diet. But, it also more than that. It is a nutrient-rich approach that removes foods that irritate the gut, cause gut imbalance and activate the immune system.

(AIP) helps heal the gut, to restore normal/healthy gut microorganisms, to reduce inflammation and to regulate the immune system both through healing the gut, regulating hormones and addressing micronutrient deficiencies. (Sarah Ballantyne, ‘The Paleo Approach, Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body’)

A leaky gut and imbalances in gut microorganisms are believed to be involved in all autoimmune diseases. They are directly related to diet and lifestyle. According to the very knowledgable Sarah Ballantyne, the AIP helps to heal the gut, to restore healthy gut microorganisms, to reduce inflammation and to regulate the immune system both through healing the gut, regulating hormones and addressing micronutrient deficiencies. Count me in!

But, what does it mean in practical terms? Well, here at Casa TSL we have already cut out all grains, pulses, refined sugars, trans fats found in modern vegetable oils and processed food. My pantry looks nothing like it did a few years ago. Dairy of any kind (even grass-fed ghee) will also now be avoided for a while. But now, we’re cutting the following foods out, too:

• Eggs (which I’m not looking forward to)
• Nuts
• Seeds (including cocoa, coffee – yes, coffee! – and seed-based spices)
• Nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, eggplants, capsicums, chillis, cayenne, and all spices derived from peppers, including paprika)
• Fructose consumption in excess of 20g per day (that’s a couple of pieces of fruit)
• Alcohol
• NSAIDS (like aspirin or ibuprofen)
• Non-nutritive sweeteners (yes, all of them)
• all other food additives

So what CAN we eat?

The primary focus on the AIP is eating a nutrient-rich diet. Deficiencies are the strongest diet-related factors contributing to increased risk of autoimmune disease. And, just as some foods will be eliminated, there is also a focus on eating more of the very nutrient-rich foods:

• organ meat and offal (chicken liver pâté is my new best friend)
• fish and shellfish (more of a challenge at Casa TSL given LM’s shellfish allergy)
• vegetables of all kinds (lots and LOTS of fresh vegetables)
• quality meat (grass-fed, pasture-raised and happy is best)
• quality fats (pasture-raised/grass-fed and happy animal fats, fatty fish, olive, avocado, coconut)
• fruit (keeping fructose intake under 20 g daily)
• probiotic foods (things like fermented vegetables, kombucha and kefir, and probiotic supplements)
• glycine-rich foods (anything with connective tissue, joints or skin, organ meat, and bone broth)

We’re going to be eating like this for at least 30 days. After that, depending on how we feel, we’ll either continue or we’ll start reintroducing foods – one by one – to see if they cause a reaction. And, I’m going to be writing about it. Here.

Of course, diet is just one element of continued good health. Getting enough sleep, moving every day, spending time outside in the sunshine and managing stress are all important factors, too. All of this is detailed far more comprehensively in some of these books:

The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body, by Sarah Ballantyne, PhD

Your Personal Paleo Diet, by Chris Kresser

Primal Body, Primal Mind, by Nora Gedgaudas

Digestive Wellness, Strengthen the Immune System and Prevent Disease Through Healthy Digestion, by Elizabeth Lipski, PhD, CCN

and, of course, the book that started it all for me,

Nourishing Traditions, by Sally Fallon-Morell

So, a change in direction for TSL. Clearly dining out is almost impossible on the elimination stage of the AIP. That means I’m going to be spending a lot of time cooking. There really is no escaping the need to cook on this regime. I’ve stocked the freezer – lots of braises made from happy meat, bone broth and chicken liver pate. 

Here’s hoping we experience some positive results…!

*By the way – I know there are going to be purists out there who notice the corn, capsicums and tomatoes in the top image. These are not part of the AIP. Call it ‘artistic licence’!