For a full list of the foods permitted and not permitted on the diet have a look here.
First, I would like to list the things in the AIP diet that I haven't managed to cut out as of yet, but am intending to in the near-future. The reasons why I haven't eliminated them yet vary, but mostly it's because I am taking things at a pace that feels right for me and have found in the past that I am more successful at change (diet or otherwise) if I follow my instincts completely. The forbidden foods I have eaten in the past weeks are:
- chocolate
- red peppers (if only because I made these wonderful stuffed peppers and have yet to finish them all... my last hooorah!)
- wine (it's Italy... this will be the last to go and the first to return)
- goats and sheep's cheeses
- potatoes
- sugar
- coffee
- NSAIDs (aspirin)
Of course with a list this long of foods I'm still eating you'd be surprised to hear that I have had any changes at all in my symptoms, but I assure you I have. In the past I would eat my food and then almost immediately have brain-fog, sleepiness, crankiness and heavy bloating in my abdomen (especially gluten heavy meals like pasta). These symptoms have disappeared. I am also experiencing less hunger and nausea in between meals. It's funny, I never even realised that that weird sensation I was having between meals happened until it stopped happening. So I think the diet is working on an intestinal level.
I haven't had much relief from the arthritis or the fatigue as of yet, but working with my Immunologist we're doing some more tests and research to see if I'm going to need to change my medications. I've started taking Plaquenil again (after many years off of it) and that should start to help with the more debilitating symptoms soon as well.
I'm loving Mickey Trescott's cookbook as a guide! The weekly meal plans are awsome and take so much thinking out of prep and shopping. What a wonderful resource! I have been surprised on many occasions how good the food is! I can't get enough of the cauliflower 'rice' and am enjoying my mini hamburgers for breakfast every morning. I have had to adjust portions and sizes for my own consumption levels but otherwise the food is great! I've even prepared two dinner parties since I've started with the diet and everyone was thrilled with the cooking. Nobody missed grains, gluten, dairy or anything else!
This time around, I'm also not missing gluten at all. It's a relief because my past tries at a gluten-free life saw me consuming tones of rice, corn and potato and nothing with any real nutrients. I'm going to keep going and am aiming to be fully on the program by the end of the month.
I'm also learning a lot from this experience. Having any type of diet really amkes you think about food in general... where is it coming from? Do I want to put this in my body? Can I afford to put this in my body? Maybe these are questions everyone should be learning to ask themselves.
PS I don't like smoked herring.
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