+ AIP Articles

Below, you’ll find all my articles on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, starting with the most recent ones. If you’re an audio learner, I have a podcast too! And I also have some delicious recipes for you. If you’re new to the AIP, I wrote a book to help you get started: A Simple Guide to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol.

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Top 5 Mistakes People Make Reintroducing Foods

The paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP) has two phases: (1) eliminating potential food triggers temporarily, and (2) reintroducing them very carefully, to see how your body responds. It’s this second phase where we learn to communicate with our bodies, receiving clear messages on the foods that nourish us vs. the foods that harm us. This is very unique to each individual, and an empowering step in personalizing your diet to optimize healing. Have you tried to do food reintroductions but found the whole process really confusing? Or are you curious about the process and don’t know where to begin? In this article, I highlight the most common mistakes people make and teach you how to do it right.

What’s Up With White Rice?

One of the basic tenets of the Paleo Diet is that it’s 100% grain-free. So why are all the paleo Instagram feeds filling up with #teamwhiterice photos? In this post, I delve into the pros and cons of this favored grain in the paleo community. If you decide you’d like to try reintroducing it into your own diet, I give you the best way to cook it for optimal benefit and least risk.

AIP Food Pyramid

We’ve all seen the USDA food pyramid, and we know that’s a recipe for poor health. Are you curious what an AIP food pyramid looks like? What foods make up the foundation? Which ones are at the top and reserved for special occasions? When it comes to the paleo autoimmune protocol, we focus a lot on what we can’t eat. But the key to being happy on a healing diet is knowing what we CAN eat, and realizing that we can eat delicious, satiating food every single day, and heal at the same time.

Spices on the AIP

The trickiest category on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol is Spices. Which are allowed and which aren’t? Today, I clear up the confusion and also give some AIP-friendly tips for adding a wide variety of flavor to your recipes. Eating AIP should never be bland!

Are You Eating Enough Food to Heal Your Body?

When I first discovered the connection between food intolerance and rheumatoid arthritis pain, I went through a period of being afraid every time I sat down to eat. Finding the paleo diet was a gift, because it gave me a template of safe foods to enjoy. When I hit a healing plateau, I turned to the autoimmune protocol and learned that dairy and nightshades were inflammation triggers for me. Some people find they need to restrict further to feel their best, reducing their intake of FODMAPs or oxalates, for example. Are you seeing the pattern? In our journeys to heal, the first thing we do is eliminate foods that are the problem. The question is, are we also focusing on the foods that are the solution?

Airplane Travel on the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol

One of the most common questions I get is how to travel on a healing diet. My family is spread across the country, so travel is an automatic part of my lifestyle. In this article, I share my tips for air travel: everything from what I pack, to how I shop, to how I navigate my diet among non-paleo family members. Fear can sometimes keep us at home in our own kitchens, but there’s a big world out there. We don’t want to miss out!

Strict AIP Isn’t Meant To Last Forever – What Personalized AIP Looks Like.

A lot of the paleo autoimmune bloggers, myself included, offer our blogs as resources for people going through the elimination phase of the AIP. That’s the hardest menu to navigate, especially when you first make the switch. A lot of your standard meals are no longer an option, and it helps to have guidance on the foods you can eat. A side effect, though, is that many people think we still eat strict AIP. It’s not true. None of us do. So this article is designed to show you what life on the AIP looks like long-term. Dr. Sarah Ballantyne and other AIP leaders share their reintro journeys. I also share tips on how to personalize the AIP for you

Eating Disorders and the AIP: A Conversation with Stefani Ruper

The paleo autoimmune protocol is a powerful tool for healing, but it’s also a restrictive diet. Food is an emotional experience for us all, but if you struggle with eating disorders, that’s even more true. I’ve gotten emails from readers asking how they can navigate the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP) without triggering disordered eating behaviors of their past. I’ve also seen conversations in the AIP Facebook groups that hint at some people using the AIP as an excuse to eat less. I’ve personally experienced fear of food, once I learned how it can exacerbate my autoimmune disease. My goal with this blog is to help us heal in every way. Today, I talk with Stefani Ruper, an expert on disordered eating, on how we can navigate the autoimmune protocol in a way that’s healthy both physically and psychologically.

The Great Starch Experiment

I came to Paleo through the GAPS diet doorway, which is a low-starch version of the paleo diet. When I switched to the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol, I continued to eat low-starch. I had seen a lot of improvement and didn’t want to risk worsening symptoms. After 18 months, I decided it was time to test the low-starch theory. Did I really need to avoid them? As “safe starches” became more and more popular, GAPS became more and more criticized. I spent time slowly reintroducing starches into my diet and monitoring my body’s response. Are you curious about my results?

Ebook: Paleo AIP Reintroduction Guide with Recipes

The Paleo AIP Reintroduction Guide

A Step-By-Step Guide with Recipes – Strict AIP isn’t meant to last forever. The paleo autoimmune protocol is a powerful tool for healing, and there are two important phases: (1) eliminating potential food triggers temporarily, and (2) reintroducing them very carefully, to see how your body responds. It’s this second phase where we learn to communicate with our bodies, receiving clear messages on the foods that nourish us vs. the foods that harm us. However, it only works when done correctly. Often people rush this second step, reintroducing too many foods at once, or too quickly, and when inflammation hits, they don’t know what caused it. I wrote this e-book to guide you through this process. Click through to learn more, and enter my giveaway for a chance to win a free copy!

How to Separate Eggs & the Nutritional Power of Yolks

After years of misinformation, it can be hard to wrap your mind around the fact that egg yolks are actually good for you. In fact, they are such superfoods that Chris Kresser recommends eating 3 of them every day, and Sarah Ballantyne recommends them as a first AIP reintroduction to try after the elimination phase. Today, I share why they’re so amazing, dispel cholesterol worries, give you 11 ways to include them in your daily diet, and I even filmed a little video showing you 3 easy ways to separate eggs and get to those luscious yolks.

15 Tips for a Healthy Holiday Season on the AIP

The holidays are meant to be about beautiful things: celebration, love, family, fellowship. But they come wrapped in a package that includes stress, pressure and a tradition of foods we can no longer eat. So, how does a paleo autoimmune warrior not only survive, but thrive and enjoy the season? I share my best advice in this post.

My Experience with the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol

I started with the GAPS diet in the summer of 2012 and when I plateaued in my healing, I added the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol in January 2013. In this post, I share how these 2 diets contributed to my autoimmune health and compare my results between the two. I also honestly speak of the emotional rollercoaster of following an elimination/reintroduction protocol: the challenge of living with restrictions, the grief of failed food reintroductions, the joy of successful ones, and the wonder and gratitude of being able to communicate with my body so clearly.

Chocolate: Friend or Foe?

What’s the deal with this delicious, mythical and controversial food? Is it a magic elixir, a heinous junk food, or somewhere in between? I spent hours of research, clarifying its pros, cons, and where it fits on a healing diet. In this post, I share everything you ever wanted to know about chocolate.

Paleo AIP Road Trip

I took three road trips during my first year on a healing diet, traveling 2000 miles round-trip for each of them. I stayed on my diet without cheats. This article shows you how.

Nightshade-Free Survival Guide

Ah, nightshades – a flavorful and sometimes spicy little plant family that can cause a lot of pain and inflammation for people with nightshade sensitivity. In this post, I list the most common nightshades, explain how they can be harmful, share the symptoms of nightshade sensitivity, and offer my tips to get along without them.

Paleo AIP Grocery List

If you think the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol is restrictive, check out this list of all the foods you CAN eat! When we eat a wide variety of foods, not only does it make the AIP more enjoyable to follow, it’s also a key to nutrient density. That’s because every food has a unique nutrient profile. So, use this list to break free of any food ruts!

Paleo Autoimmune Protocol FAQ

Part of my AIP series, this post answers frequently asked questions & gives tips for success. How long do I have to stay on the protocol? Why can’t I just take an allergy test? Should I go off my medication when I start the AIP? Why is the reaction to a food stronger after an elimination diet? If I fall off the AIP wagon, do I have to start over on Day 1? How can I help myself succeed on the AIP? I provide answers to these questions and more!

Reintroducing Foods on the AIP: An Overview

The Paleo Autoimmune Protocol includes 2 phases: elimination and reintroduction. We aren’t meant to stay in the elimination phase forever. The reintroduction process is how we learn to communicate with our bodies and personalize our diets. It’s a process that requires patience, and it can be a little confusing and intimidating. Here’s a quick overview of the process.

Link Love: Traveling on the AIP

When you’re on a restricted diet, traveling can seem out of reach, but the world is too big and beautiful for us to stay house-bound. Over the years, I’ve mastered this skill for both road trips and plane travel. I’ve also scoured the internet for other people’s experiences. We can learn so much from each other! In this link love roundup, you’ll find advice for long flights, road trips, camping, cruises, traveling with children, business trips, eating in restaurants, and more.

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