Twenty percent of the U.S. adult population has at least one autoimmune condition.
That’s one in every five Americans, and 75% of those affected are women. Having one diagnosed autoimmune disease increases your risk of developing additional autoimmune conditions. And there are more than 100 diseases that are considered autoimmune.
Autoimmune Disease Symptoms
Have you been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition and are still struggling with any of these symptoms?
Fatigue
Digestive issues (diarrhea, constipation, ingestion, food sensitivities, bloating, etc.)
Poor sleep
Joint pain
Weight gain or loss
Skin issues (acne, eczema, rashes, etc.)
Brain fog
Through diet and lifestyle adjustments, the Autoimmune Paleo Protocol (AIP) can help you heal and reduce — and sometimes eliminate — these symptoms. AIP is more about including nutrient dense foods than about dietary restriction. While you heal, some trigger foods will need to be eliminated. But it’s only temporary. AIP is all about figuring out which foods work best for you so that you end up with the least restrictive diet possible. And we’re all different. While one person may not tolerate eggs, another may not tolerate tomatoes.
What Causes Autoimmunity?
Current research indicates that autoimmunity develops due to a complex interplay between a genetic disposition, some type of trigger (toxins, infections, chemicals or heavy metals), and intestinal permeability (a.k.a. leaky gut).
It’s estimated that only 25-30% of autoimmune conditions have a genetic component – a predisposition. Often, it’s something in the environment that “turns on” these genes.
That leaves a whopping 70% of autoimmune conditions that are triggered by factors that are environmental, dietary or lifestyle related. And that’s good news since we have quite a bit of control over our diet and lifestyle!
Environmental triggers include exposure to toxins, chemicals, and heavy metals. Toxins and chemicals are ubiquitous. Here are some sobering stats:
80,000 chemicals are registered for use in the U.S.
800 million pounds of herbicides use per year.
Heavy metals can be found in our water, foods grown in contaminated soils, dental fillings, cosmetics, antiperspirants, toothpaste, fabric softeners, paints and wood preservatives, etc. The list is LONG.
“AIP is a science-based elimination and reintroduction diet that addresses the dietary and lifestyle elements of autoimmunity. It helps heal intestinal permeability that is an underlying factor in autoimmunity.”
Bacterial, fungal, parasitic and viral infections play a role in developing an autoimmune condition. And chronic stress can wreak havoc on your gut and sleep patterns. While we can’t control past exposures, we can limit our current and future exposures to many toxins, chemicals and heavy metals.
And lastly, intestinal permeability or leaky gut is a condition of impaired digestion that allows toxins, bacteria, viruses, and undigested food particles into the blood stream. It results in multiple food sensitivities and imbalanced gut flora. And it promotes overactivity of your immune system. With autoimmunity, this can result in damage to any of your organ systems — skin, joints, individual organs, like your thyroid, colon, glands that produce tears and saliva, etc.
How Can an AIP Coach Help?
As an AIP Certified Coach, I can help guide you through the process of preparing for the elimination phase, symptom tracking, lifestyle assessment and adjustment, and reintroduction phase. Nutritional counseling may also include supplemental support to help balance digestive factors such as low stomach acidity, inadequate digestive enzymes, and probiotics.
Most how undertake AIP see significant improvements in 30-90 days.
Better sleep and more energy
Clearer thinking
Clearer skin
Reduced join and body pain
Reduction or resolution of constipation and diarrhea, bloating, ingestion, and food sensitivities
Through the process of eliminating and reintroducing specific foods, you’ll end up with a personalized diet that promotes your long-term well-being.
Healing intestinal permeability not only reduces or eliminates symptoms that limit your life, it helps protect you from further illness and additional autoimmune diseases.
If you’re ready to upgrade your wellness journey, then AIP is for you! .
To get started, book a free 30-minute nutritional consultation with me and we’ll put together a game plan to heal your gut and reduce the number and severity of your symptoms.
