AIP Can & Can’t Dos – MEPriestley

Long story short, I have been following a strict autoimmune protocol diet (AIP) since July 2019. The point of eating this way is to cut out any dietary causes of inflammation. Inflammation is at the root of so many medical issues, including autoimmune disorders. When I slip up and eat anything from the “Cannot Do” list (for example, not realizing I ate olives with citric acid in them), I often experience severe, sometimes completely debilitating pain for several days – like can’t move, excruciating-to-the-point-of-almost-blacking-out pain. When I follow this protocol, my daily pain is closer to a 3 with a touch of 5 versus an 8 with a touch of 10. Below are my list of can and can’t do foods:

CAN DO: beef/chicken/pork/lamb/duck/turkey/etc. (highest quality possible), no-sugar bacon, prosciutto, fish, shellfish, avocado, coconut, olives, fresh fruit, leafy veggies, artichokes, broccoli/cauliflower, asparagus, cucumbers, squashes, sweet potatoes, cassava, other roots like beets/carrots, plantains, mushrooms, fruits, leaf spices/herbs, cream of tartar, mace (nutmeg shell), coconut/olive/avocado/palm oil, animal fats, honey/maple syrup/molasses/date sugar/coconut sugar, coconut aminos, fish sauce, salt, tiger nuts, carob, non-fortified nutritional yeast, vinegar, arrowroot/tapioca starch, baking soda, pure teas*.

Note: The Can Do list can be deceiving. For instance, nearly all bacon has added sugar and “spices”, most coconut milk has added guar gum, fish sauce often has added sugar, broth often adds a bunch of “spices”, olives often have added citric acid (corn/soy product), etc. Nearly every processed food in the United States has some kind of thickener, additive, or preservative.

CANNOT DO: deli and processed meats, seeds, nuts, starches, legumes, pod veggies, nightshades, grains/rice, corn, white potatoes, additives, gum thickeners, seed/berry spices (i.e. black pepper), dairy, eggs, soy, gluten, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, liquid aminos (non-coconut), white sugar, alternative sweeteners, baking powder, onion**, garlic**, pain killers, nut/seed/vegetable oils.

* I’ve been off of caffeine so long that even a tiny bit can make me anxious. I tend to rarely consume black teas and mostly stick to herbal.

** Onion and garlic are fine for AIP, but I can’t seem to handle them.

Of course, foods aren’t the only inflammatory triggers. In addition to AIP, I intermittent fast 18-20 hours per day, practice Wim Hof Method (breathing, yoga, meditation, cold showers), exercise (typically indoor rowing, paddleboarding, or hiking) and try to get at least 7 hours of sleep per night.