Start Here Part 3: Digging Deeper & Troubleshooting

Unfortunately, there may come a time when you feel it’s one step forward and two steps back. When that happens, it can help to dig a little deeper into the do’s and don’ts and start some troubleshooting.

I’m going to get on my soapbox here for a moment here,
so brace yourselves!

1. Tracking

Proper tracking is essential to know what’s working and what isn’t. By tracking, I mean everything you consume, your daily activities (work, sleep, exercise, relaxation, self-care), stress levels, reactions to foods and supplements, medications, and more. Reactions can be subtle — things like itching, skin problems, dizziness, congestion, or pain.

I call this type of tracking a food/mood/poop journal. Yes, it’s a real thing! Even if you’re not ready to start a full journal yet, here’s why it’s so important:

• Reactions can be delayed: Effects of foods, supplements, or medications may show up up to 72 hours later. Without tracking, you won’t remember the details.
• Weight can be informative: While AIP isn’t about weight loss, weighing yourself daily can help detect subtle inflammation and pinpoint triggers.
• No fancy tools needed: I used a simple Excel spreadsheet stored in the cloud — easy to update and searchable, so I could quickly review patterns.

2. Give it an Honest Shot

It’s only by truly giving the Autoimmune Protocol your full attention that you’ll know what’s really working.

• The Elimination Stage is a minimum of 30 days, but some don’t see noticeable improvement unit the 60–90 day point.
• Slow and steady wins the AIP race. Don’t expect miracles! You didn’t get sick overnight, so you won’t get better overnight.
• If you’ve given it an honest shot and aren’t seeing improvement, it may be time to troubleshoot underlying issues with professional help. It’s important that you do this, rather than starting to eliminate more foods from your diet.

Check out my post on Finding Your Root Cause for guidance on identifying what might be holding back your progress.

3. Did You Really Follow the Protocol?

Before troubleshooting, ask yourself: did you truly follow the protocol correctly?

• If you haven’t yet explored Mickey Trescott’s resources, now is the time. Her books are our gold standard starting point, and cover everything from transitions through elimination and reintroduction stages, and troubleshooting. 
• Grab a copy from my AIP Amazon Storefronts — USA / Canada /UK

If you’re ready to troubleshoot, keep reading.

4. Progress & Patience

Sometimes people experience what’s called a “healing crisis” — where symptoms temporarily flare when the begin the elimination phase.

If you’re feeling worse than before you began, you may be scared or want to give up. I suggest considering these resources:

• Read Is a Healing Crisis Really Healing? for guidance on what to expect.
• If you feel like progress isn’t obvious, see How to Gauge Success on the AIP When Progress Isn’t Obvious.
• Impatience can be an obstacle — Eileen Laird’s Is Your Impatience an Obstacle to Healing? is a great read.
• Temporary flares are normal. I have to remind myself often: even on a personalized AIP plan, flare-ups happen — because life happens! (Spoiler Alert: It’s not always about what you’ve eaten.) Check out Autoimmune Flare Self Care for tips.

5. Troubleshooting

The best article I’ve found on troubleshooting the AIP is by Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Wellness: Troubleshooting the Autoimmune Protocol — A Guide. She explains:

• When to troubleshoot (and when not to)
• First steps to investigate
• Three key areas to explore
• Her personal experience troubleshooting AIP

6. Professional Help

If you’ve gone through the above steps and still can’t pinpoint the problem, I highly recommend consulting a Functional Medicine Practitioner or Certified AIP Health Coach.

Without addressing underlying issues, the AIP can feel like “putting a band-aid on a battleship.”

Find professional support here, including a list of Paleo-Friendly Autoimmune Specialist MDs.

—-

NOTE: As with any significant dietary change, you should only undertake the AIP under the guidance of a trained nutritional coach or physician.