#3 Start Here – Digging Deeper & Troubleshooting

Unfortunately there may come a time when you feel it’s one step forward and two steps back. In cases like this you might want to dig a bit deeper into the do’s and don’ts and do a little troubleshooting.

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

TRACKING – There is a REAL need for proper tracking and monitoring to know what’s working and what’s not. By tracking, I mean everything we consume, what we do daily (work, sleep, exercise, relaxation, self-care), our stress levels, reactions to food, medications and more – this can be more than just an upset tummy so if you’re not sure what else this may include, read up on reintroductions (even though you may not be to that stage yet), things to watch for include itching, skin problems, dizziness, pain, congestion etc. I call this type of tracking a food/mood/poop journal, and yes, it is a real thing! If you’re not doing it, I highly recommend you look into it (one of these days I’m going to write a post about it), but for now you should know a few things:

1) Reactions to foods, supplements, etc. can happen up to 72 hours later (trust me – you’re not going to remember this type of detail 3 days later unless you journal it!),

2) While the AIP is NOT about weight loss I highly recommend you weigh yourself every morning and keep track of it – reactions can come by way of subtle inflammation, and weight fluctuations can help you pin-point your triggers,

3) You don’t need to buy anything fancy or find some special app for this – I used an Excel spreadsheet and kept it in the cloud so I could update it on the go. The best part about a spreadsheet is it’s searchable, so I could easily look back when exploring problems and reactions.

GIVE IT AN HONEST SHOT – It’s only by truly giving the Autoimmune Protocol your full attention that you’ll really know what’s working and what’s not. The Elimination Stage is 30 days minimum, but 60 – 90 days is not uncommon before most see marked improvement in symptoms. Don’t expect miracles … slow and steady wins the AIP race. IF after giving it a REAL and HONEST shot you’re not seeing seeing the improvement you expected it is time to start the troubleshooting process as you may be dealing with underlying issues that you may need professional help to get to the bottom of and start treating.

DID YOU REALLY? – I hate to be a nag, but did you REALLY give it an honest shot? Did you really follow the protocol properly?  First and foremost, if you’re struggling but have never considered The Autoimmune Protocol book by Dr. Ballantyne, I will again suggest it to you. Not only does she include information about the basics and reintroductions, but she includes troubleshooting as well. If you’re honestly ready to start troubleshooting, keep reading.

Do’s & Don’ts

I’ve saved this until part three because I really want you to keep it simple starting out, and because, let’s face it, nobody wants to be faced with an even LONGER list of restrictions and directions after trying to adjust to the foods allowed and omitted. This article by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, AIP Do’s and Don’ts (click for article), is an amazing compilation of issues she’s helped people like us work through on their healing journeys. There are almost literally a bazillion links to other articles shared in her post, so if you’re not feeling up to digging really deep at this point, be careful to look at this with a more high-level or basic approach – read the introduction and them simply consider each numbered headline and assess whether it’s something you think might be one of your pitfalls, something you’re skipping or not giving enough attention to on your journey. Once you determine your weaknesses, look further at those as a starting point – don’t read items that don’t apply to you, this will only cause yourself overwhelm and confusion.

Progress & Patience

From time to time you’ll hear people mention “detox,” “Herxheimer” “withdrawl” or “die-off” reactions when you begin the elimination stage of the AIP – and if you’re feeling worse than before you began, you may be scared or want to give up. I suggest taking a look at this well-written post  – Is a Healing Crisis Really Healing?

If you’ve been on the AIP a while and you think it isn’t working or feel your healing journey has stalled, be sure to read – How to Gauge Success on the AIP When Progress Isn’t Obvious.

Another common pitfall is our own impatience, and who can blame us, we just want to feel better! check out Eileen Baird’s article here – Is Your Impatience An Obstacle to Healing?

Maybe you feel like you’re taking one step forward and two steps back? If you’ve seen some progress and are discouraged because you feel like you’re backsliding, you may just be suffering a temporary flare. I personally have to remind myself of this frequently! I’ve been on my personalized AIP for quite some time and I start to think as though I’ve come this far, surely there should be no going back. Unfortunately, that’s simply not the case and from time to time we’ll face a flare of symptoms for one reason or another. If that’s you, check out this very helpful article – Autoimmune Flare Self Care.

Troubleshooting

Probably the best article I’ve read on this topic is written by Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Wellness. She delves into when you do and when you don’t need to troubleshoot, first steps to troubleshooting, three areas to explore and her own personal experience troubleshooting the AIP. Click here to read the full article – Troubleshooting the Autoimmune Protocol – A Guide.

Professional Help

If you’ve come this far and still don’t know where you’re going wrong, I highly recommend you consult a Functional Medicine Practitioner or Certified AIP Health Coach so that you are sure to address any underlying issues. Without getting to the root cause of your illness, the AIP can feel a bit like putting a band-aid on a battle ship!  Click here for where to find professional help and even a list of Paleo-Friendly Autoimmune Specialist MDs.

 

NOTE:  As with any significant dietary change, you should in fact have only undertaken the AIP at the recommendation of a trained nutritional coach or physician. 

AIP – Beyond Food

As you know by now, the AIP involves more than just dietary changes – it’s a holistic approach to health.

To be truly successful on your journey to autoimmune wellness you will need to consider the additional lifestyle changes Dr. Ballantyne discusses in her e-book, The Autoimmune Protocol. These lifestyle changes are known to be important modulators of immune function, gut health and hormone health, so don’t discount their significance.

If you haven’t picked up a copy of The Autoimmune Protocol yet, I definitely recommend it – it contains everything you need, all in one place – get yours here.

Below are a few additional resources that go hand-in-hand with the e-book and expand upon it.

Sleep

This is HUGE! Are you getting enough? What’s right for one might not be enough for another.

Did you know that not getting enough sleep causes inflammation and increased susceptibility to infection – even in healthy people! Studies show that one night of poor sleep causes higher insulin resistance than six months of bad diet! In fact, scientific studies show that sleep may be even more important for our health than diet! Now, if that’s not enough to make you take a serious look at your sleep routine, I don’t know what is! Check out my expanded post on Sleep Struggles – Click Here.

It’s recommended that we get to bed by 10 pm for optimal rest and recovery, and that we get 7 to 10 hours of sleep per night (for autoimmune sufferers it might be 9-10 hours or even 12 hours every night to heal).

Sleep is so important that Dr. Ballantyne has written an e-book that is full of information about the science behind sleep, how it effects every aspect of our life, tips for creating a healthy sleep environment and bedtime routine, good sleep hygiene, troubleshooting insomnia, FAQs along with nutritional and supplement guidance. Dr. Ballantyne also includes a 14-night challenge to help you track your progress. Grab your copy of Go to Bed! – Click here.

Stress Management

Did you know that for every five minutes of upset it takes your body six to eight hours to calm down biochemically! Those numbers are staggering. Imagine what long-term, chronic stress is doing to your body. Without getting into a bunch of science about cortisol, adrenaline, hormones and more (I’ll leave that to the experts – check out this article from Dr. Ballantyne – How Stress Undermines Health), simply know that when under stress, your body misuses its precious resources leaving your immune system weak and your body vulnerable to disease.

Finding effective ways to reduce and manage stress is imperative for our healing journeys – it’s been one of my biggest challenges, and I still need regular reminders. It’s essential for maintaining a healthy gut, normal immune function and balanced hormones. Each of us will need to find effective ways to deal with our individual stressors. For some it may be as simple as learning to slow down, scheduling deep breathing exercises and meditation, healthy self-care activities like yoga or gentle autoimmune safe exercise (see below). For others, more may be involved and you may need to seek the support an guidance of a professional to help deal with past or present traumas, personality traits or difficult situations. If you’re looking for a motivation on this, join me on Instagram.

Activity

Everyone knows that exercise and activity are good for our health, but what should you do when you’re faced with chronic illness and you often don’t have the energy to do much more than get out of bed in the morning?

Not surprising then that the most commonly avoided part of the autoimmune protocol is exercise.

There are lots of ways to incorporate light activity into your day. For some it might be just a reminder by way of a timer on your phone to get up and stretch or move around a little. Short walks, yoga, rebounding and stretching might be as much as you can achieve, while others may feel they’re capable of more but are unsure of how to approach an exercise program safely so they don’t face setbacks.

Thankfully there’s an amazing program, called Autoimmune Strong, that’s available to help us add a healthy, balanced routine of exercise to our lives without making things worse.

Autoimmune Strong will help you break the cycle of flares and recovery caused by over-exercising or exercise intolerance – it helps you find the “sweet spot” that’s right for YOU and YOUR autoimmune challenges. It’s the only online exercise program tailor-made for YOUR condition, even if you have limited mobility, are bed-bound or in a wheelchair!

You can sign up for a 7-day FREE trial and decide if it’s right for you.
If you decide Autoimmune Strong is right for you, you can sign up for the program monthly, by the year or join a small group coaching program for 12 weeks! Check it out and get Autoimmune Strong!

Alcohol & The AIP

By now you probably realize that alcohol is out on the AIP … but you’re likely wondering the whys behind it and how you’ll possibly manage to get through family functions, social events, the holidays and what are you possibly going to do to constantly dodge casual drinks after work!

This post will cover they whys, a glimmer of hope and my take on the situation. If you haven’t already seen my post on Surviving Social Life on the AIP, you’ll want to make that your next stop after this post, because what ever you do, you don’t want to isolate yourself just because the AIP can be hard. You’re strong and you can do hard things … you’ve got this!

Why is Alcohol Out on the AIP?

So – what’s the real deal about alcohol? So many health gurus are touting it as “good for your health” – especially wine! So why do we need to avoid it on the AIP?

Be sure to read Dr. Sarah Ballantyne’s full article – The Whys Behind The AIP: Alcohol – click here. (The following are a few of the most important snippets and are direct quotes taken from the article.)

Highlights From the Article: 

  • Alcohol consumption directly causes an increase in intestinal permeability (i.e., leaky gut)
  • The “holes” that alcohol makes in the gut epithelial barrier are known to be big enough to allow some very large molecules into the body, … If it gets into the blood stream, it stimulates systemic inflammation, stimulates the immune system, and damages the liver.
  • Alcohol consumption feeds gram-negative bacteria such as E. Coli to create bacterial overgrowth of these more toxic bacteria… Excessive alcohol consumption is also correlated with gram-negative bacteria growing very high up the digestive tract, in the duodenum and sometimes even the stomach.
  • Even fairly small amounts of alcohol can damage the lining of the gut; specifically, alcohol leads to “mucosal damage in the upper small intestine with a loss of epithelium at the tips of the intestinal villi, hemorrhagic erosions and even hemorrhage in the lamina propria.” If that sounded bad, that’s because it is. It’s similar to the damage caused by gluten in celiac patients.

Why This Is EVEN MORE IMPORTANT If You Have Autoimmune Disease:

  • If you have autoimmune disease, you have a collection of genes that makes you more susceptible to developing a leaky gut and to having an exaggerated immune reaction to substances that leak out. This means that anything that increases intestinal permeability should be avoided.

Will I Ever Be Able to Drink Alcohol Again? 

  • Dr. Ballantyne advises to avoid all alcohol until you are starting to see some success on the autoimmune protocol.
  • There is some good news, but I want you to read Dr. Ballantyne’s full article first. You’ll find out more there about what, when, and how often you can try a reintroduction.

Read the full article – The Whys Behind The AIP: Alcohol – click here.

You may also want to consider this article – Understanding Your Social & Emotional Relationship With Alcohol – click here.

My Two Cents on Alcohol and The AIP

I’ve taken a lot of questions from distraught members about this topic, so I’m compelled to include some personal comments and reminders here to help you keep this all in perspective. Trust me, you’re not alone, this is not the end of the world, you will get through this too! You’ve got this!

  1. You’re not the first person to have to say no to a drink. While I know this is not the same thing, think about those recovering from alcoholism – saying no is not that unusual – don’t feel awkward about sticking to your healing plan.
  2. There are LOTS of people on various diets these days that avoid alcohol – some for health reasons, some for weight loss – again – you’re not alone – don’t feel awkward about saying no to alcohol.
  3. One of my favorite sayings since I started AIP is “Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail” – set yourself up for success! Think IN ADVANCE about how you’ll handle the situation – this is covered well in my Surviving Social Life on the AIP post – check it out – lots of great advice!  Own it and act natural! Or as Angie Alt of Autoimmune Wellness says “Don’t Be Weird”! If you don’t make a big deal about it, no one else will either. When it comes time to order, simply defer to a mocktail or non-alcoholic sparkling beverage and don’t apologize for it or miss a beat. If asked you could say something as simple as “I’m taking a break from alcohol right now” – that might be all that it takes!
    TIP: I have a friend who manages feeling awkward about ordering by getting to the restaurant or work function early so she can speak to the bartender – she orders a mocktail or a spritzer in a fancy glass and asks the bartender to remember her order – no one questions if it has alcohol in it or not and she feels better about not having to create a dialogue about why she’s not drinking. You can use the same plan of attack at a family gathering, wedding or a party – no one notices, no one really cares.

Take Me To The Mocktails!

Looking for some great alternatives to alcohol on the AIP? There are LOTS of great recipes posted in our Facebook Group – simply use the group search feature there and look for “mocktail” “cocktail” or “beverage” or the exact name of what you’re looking, for like “iced tea” “lemonade” “egg nog” or “mule” – I even use a hashtag there called thirstythursday, so you can search for that too! Trust me, there are LOTS of great options so you won’t feel left out! ♥

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In Case of Emergency

This post contains affiliate links.  Click here to see what that means.

How to Manage the AIP in an Emergency

Whether you live in an area prone to tropical storms, earthquakes and wildfires or not, this post is important for anyone on a restricted diet. (Note, you may also want to read my article on the AIP & COVID-19 for more advice and support)

Wait! What are we talking about here? This topic could easily be misconstrued by readers, because let’s face it, an emergency when you’re on the AIP could simply mean having no energy to cook or to go to the grocery store! Keep reading … some of these emergency tips and suggested rations to have on hand could be a different kind of “life saver” when you’re worn out or in a rush.

Now … Back to our regularly scheduled PSA!

Most governments these days suggest that folks keep a “Go Bag” or “Bug Out Bag” and that they have emergency rations on hand in the event of power outages or emergency evacuations. Do you take it seriously? Do you have a go-bag with emergency AIP food you can safely eat?

As with everything on the AIP, preparation is key, so I’m hoping this post will help you to prepare in advance so you won’t experience additional stress in the case of an emergency.

Below is a list of some AIP rations I suggest keeping on hand at all times along with your family’s standard rations like water, first aid kits, a change of clothing, etc. There are lots of great Bug Out Bag prep lists on the internet – use Google to find a list of essentials suitable for your location and family.

Advice from an AIP Authority

The following is from an Instagram post Angie Alt shared a while back. If you don’t already follow her, you should – she’s awesome! I love her funny and sometimes pointed posts, and in her usual style she nailed this topic too. ♥ Here’s what she wrote:

PSA – PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:

In an emergency situation you just do whatever is necessary to be safe. Period.
AIP can be an important component of your long-term health with autoimmune disease, but short-term safety beats AIP every time. Life has hierarchies.

I’m sharing this message today because over the last several years leading SAD to AIP in SIX groups we’ve had members go through all kinds of natural disasters. I wanted anyone in our community preparing for or evacuating ahead of Hurricane Florence to hear it from an “AIP Authority” that your best is good enough right now and you and your family’s safety is priority number one .. 100%

That said, here are some resources that might help should any of you need them.

AIP Hurricane Prep – Video

Thank you @wendisaipkitchen – Sending the best vibes for safety and little to no damage for all the folks facing this right now. The AIP community is thinking of you. ♥

Recommended Emergency Rations

MEAT SNACKS & BONE BROTH

Our Partners at Fully Healthy (formerly Shop AIP_ are dedicated to all phases of the AIP. They offer lots of snacks, canned and packaged goods and ingredients that will help you stock your pantry and your Bug Out Bags. While you should always watch the labels, this shop caters to those on the AIP and marks the products elimination stage or according to what reintroduction stage they are appropriate for.  You can SAVE 10% off your first order with code: AIPRecipe

Meat Snacks
Bone Broth, Soups & Stews

Perfect Supplements – Powdered Bone Broth – Beef or Chicken – Just search “broth”

FREEZE DRIED AIP MEALS, SOUP, STEW & SNACKS

Wild Zora – Delicious Freeze-Dried Stew, Soup, Meat Bars & Fruit Snacks – Shop the AIP Compliant menu
Wild Zora even offers BULK Shopping Offers to help you stock your pantry with their shelf-stable AIP Compliant products at a discounted rate AND free shipping!  SAVE 10% off first order at Fully Healthy (formerly Shop AIP) (excludes bulk boxes).

SHELF-STABLE FOOD POUCHES

Serenity Kids – Shelf-stable, nutrient-dense, top-quality baby food (meat, veg and fruit) in sustainable pouches – they’re suitable for babies, kids, adults and even pets! SAVE 15% off your first order with code: AIPRECIPES

AIP SHOPS ON AMAZON – PACKAGED AIP SNACKS & MORE! 

Since I know a lot of folks shop on Amazon, I’ve gone to great lengths to set up my own shops with AIP compliant items to make your life a lot easier! As always, check ingredient lists (I have before I added them to my recommendations, but products change from time to time, so always be safe!).

Amazon USA / Amazon Canada / Amazon UK

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5 Stages of Grieving Over Illness

5 Stages of Grieving Over Illness

When I was first diagnosed with my autoimmune diseases I started a blog so my friends and family could check in on me.  For me it was therapeutic and helped a lot not having to answer a dozen or more texts and emails every day asking the questions I hated (and still hate to this day): “How are you feeling today?” “I thought you were getting better?”

I found my blogging forced me to remain up-beat, and I always tried to put on a strong front.  I’d always been a strong person and surely I wasn’t going to let this defeat me!  Because of that I researched how to deal with chronic health issues and was fortunate enough to stumble across a great article that explained how facing such a diagnosis is really not that different than dealing with the 5 stages of grieving the loss of a loved one.

I wish I could share that post with you today, but sadly the blog has since been taken off-line.  While I’ve looked around for other posts to share with you I’ve not found any that were as well written, so I’ve decided to take a stab at it myself.

❤   Denial   ❤   Anger   ❤   Bargaining   ❤   Depression   ❤   Acceptance   ❤

Grieving over the loss of your health (or even your spouse’s health or your child’s health) is a very real thing.  You’re left facing not just the loss of your health but the loss of plans you may have had for the future.  You may be faced with the loss of your career, or even the loss of the ability to start a family.  The list of losses can be long and the emotions that come with with can be very painful.

While the symptoms and severity of chronic illness differs from one case to the next, we all typically face in one fashion or another the 5 Stages of Grieving Over Illness: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.  We may not go through them in this set order and you may in fact revisit some stages as your healing journey goes on … because unfortunately healing is rarely linear and while we may see improvements, we may also encounter relapses that can be very discouraging.

No matter what stage you are in, it’s healthiest to accept it and the emotions we’re feeling.  Don’t rush the process, just let it happen naturally and know what you’re going through is completely normal.

Denial

Any change or loss in your life is likely to bring denial, and learning that you have n autoimmune disease will likely deliver up large doses of it.  If your illness or diagnosis came about suddenly you may literally not believe it to be the case.  You may seek second and third opinions hoping you’ll find a better outcome.  You may try to research your way out of it and turn to Dr. Google for a better prognosis – surely it must be something else!  For people like us who embark on the Autoimmune Protocol lifestyle, denial may even come in the form of not wanting to eat properly or rejecting medications because we don’t think we need to – surely it can’t really help.

Anger

What often fuels denial is anger … you’re angry that you’re that “one in 10,000” to get a disease, or angry that you’re joining the throngs of what seems to be an epidemic of autoimmune disease suffers.  At some point you’ll probably want to yell and scream and maybe even throw things, after-all, it’s just not fair!  Anger may also be self-directed, meaning you may blame yourself and mentally beat yourself up for not noticing the signs or taking better care of yourself.  And, while I’m not diminishing the frustration of a chronic illness diagnosis at any age, dealing with an autoimmune disease can be especially difficult for young people and those “in the prime of their life.”  Watching your plans for the future disintegrate before your eyes is extremely frustrating, not to mention scary … you’re going to get angry.

Bargaining

Try as you might you can’t go back in time … but if you could you’d do anything to make your illness go away!  You’d eat better, you’d exercise more, you’d slow down, take less overtime, you’d find ways to manage your stress.  Sadly it doesn’t work that way and we can’t bargain our way out of our situation.  You might find yourself researching and bouncing back to the denial stage wondering if perhaps it’s really something else that ails you.  Wouldn’t we all rather trade our current illness for something less intense?  Unfortunately no matter how hard we try, bargaining won’t work, but we can turn those thoughts around and start using them to our benefit … START NOW with eating better, exercising to the extent possible for our situation, step back and allow yourself to say “no” to all the demands on your time and learn how to manage our stress … these are all of vital importance to making your healing journey a success.

Depression

We all end up here eventually.  It’s just shy of acceptance, we’ve given in and feel defeated or we’ve decided to throw in the towel – we just can’t deal with it anymore.  We’re overcome by the feeling that nothing we do is going to make a difference and we’re never going to feel well again … all is lost.  This stage is frighteningly easy to slip into and painfully hard to climb out of … but it’s completely normal.  Having said that, it doesn’t make it any easier to deal with!  It’s frustrating and depressing when you can’t do what you once could, you feel like you’ve entirely lost who you were, you begin to feel like a burden and keeping up appearances becomes almost impossible.  Being with friends and family when you’re dealing with any illness can be difficult, but especially so when you’re on an restricted diet.  It feels like your social life has vanished – you’re on the grain-free, nut-free, gluten-free, soy-free, fun-free diet … and who wants to be around that?  While it may feel easier to simply isolate yourself, it’s best not to allow yourself to slide too deep into this stage of grief, or return to it too many times.  Easier said than done … don’t I know it!  But I’m hoping the information you’ll find throughout the pages of this website will help you learn ways to manage your grief and depression.

Acceptance

It may feel like it’s taking forever but sooner or later we all finally get to a point where we come to terms with our “new life.”  We accept that “it is what it is.” We learn ways to cope with the changes to our bodies, the pain, the fatigue, and the multitude of other potential symptoms you might personally be facing.  We realize that we can go on … because we have so far!  We learn to celebrate the small victories and obstacles we’ve overcome – whether it’s one week on the AIP with no slip ups, several months and symptom free, starting reintroductions, coming off meds, or just getting out of bed and managing to make it through the day without bursting into tears … it’s the baby steps that count and they’re what will carry you through.  As you realize what’s possible for you in your new life it becomes easier and easier to accept, but never feel bad if you circle back and find yourself  re-visiting other stages of grief again … it happens.

As I said at the outset, you may not find yourself facing the stages of grieving your illness in this order, there’s no right or wrong here and there’s no time limit either.  One thing you should know however … facing each of these stages, as difficult as they may be, are all necessary to your physical, emotional and psychological well-being.  NEVER, EVER be ashamed of how you feel!  Embrace the process and try simply to find ways to manage the emotions.

I find it helps to try to remain positive … notice I said try?  I know that’s way easier said than done, but if you make it a regular habit of finding something to be appreciative each day it can help you snap out of self-pity mode and move forward on your healing journey.

Keep a journal.  Take a head-to-toe approach, write down all of your complaints and symptoms (from head-to-toe) … you’ll be amazed and encouraged when you look back and see how far all those baby steps have taken you!

If you haven’t already read my motivational message, be sure to visit the page by clicking this link.

If you’re looking for additional support please be sure to read my blog post in the FAQ section: Where Can I Find Support – you’ll find a long list of suggestions and groups there.

The Emotional Impact of Autoimmune Disease

After I wrote this article I found a wonderful lady on the internet – Kerry Jeffery – she’s been a huge motivation for me and I follow her on social media for insight and motivation. You may want to visit Emotional Autoimmunity – Navigating the Emotional Side of Life with Chronic Illness – you’ll find lots of amazing information there.

Be sure to sign up for Kerry’s VIP list and you’ll receive a FREE e-book called “Moving through the Grief of Chronic Illness”

You may also want to listen in to The Autoimmune Simplified Podcast where Kerry was a guest – it’s such a powerful episode. Not only does she take you briefly through the 9 stages of grief related to chronic illness, she shares her own story as she lives with four autoimmune diseases as a single mom – she’s such an inspiration!

Listen to the Podcast on your favorite platform (click the appropriate link below).
•    Apple   •    Stitcher    •    Spotify    •

Healing Mindset

AIP Healing Mindset by Eileen LairdAnother amazing resource that I highly recommend you check out is the book by Eileen Laird called “Healing Mindset.”

What is a healing mindset? Simply put, it’s the practice of harnessing the anti-inflammatory power of our minds to support autoimmune health. It’s realizing that some thoughts and behaviors ramp up inflammation and others tone it down. This book is a roadmap to doing less of the former and more of the latter.

Inside, you’ll find over 90 mind-body techniques written specifically for people with autoimmune disease. It also includes beginner tips, advanced troubleshooting, and testimonials by fellow autoimmune warriors who have felt the power of the mind-body connection in their own lives.

Available from the Author, Eileen Laird as a PDF E-Book – Click here to purchase
Buy it on Amazon –   USA   /  Canada  /  UK

 

I’m hopeful you’ll find some help and encouragement from this post and that you’ll use it from time to time when you need to snap out of the anger and depression, stop bargaining with yourself about what food you can and can’t eat and accept it by re-evaluating how far you’ve already come. ❤

Where Can I Find Support?

Experts, Support Groups & Meet-Ups

While I’m not a huge one for “support” groups sometimes you just need someone to bounce things off of, ask questions, get a little motivation and most importantly not feel like you’re all alone.

I have just one word of warning for you on support groups – always be sure to educate YOURSELF and do NOT rely on information you receive in support groups as the be-all, end-all word on any topic.  You should always seek appropriate medical guidance or nutritional assistance over advice you find in support groups.  I’m saying this here because I’ve left many support groups because of wildly varying and inaccurate advice – I think they can be very dangerous and prefer to do my own research within the parameters of experts I trust, and when necessary discuss my concerns with the experts. You should know that even groups put together by the experts openly admit that they are NOT closely moderated, and that they rely on “peer-support” – so please BEWARE!

That said, I’m going to start with where to find expert advice.  Sadly you may have to search further than your G.P. or medical specialist.

Experts

Reliable Advice Online
There’s a LOT of information out there … and while Google is a wonderful thing, it is so easy to spend copious amounts of time trying to sift through the good, the bad and the down-right scary!  I can tell you from experience you’re better off to find a few exceptional resources and stick to them like glue for your information.  Sure, from time to time you may need to branch out, but if you have a solid foundation of online resources that you know are reliable you’ll save yourself valuable time and precious energy.

My top-3 recommendations for exceptional, reliable AIP information online are:
Autoimmune Wellness
The Paleo Mom – Dr. Sarah Balantyne
Phoenix Helix

You’ll find a few key articles on the Resources Page listed under the title Advice for Beginners.

Functional Medicine Practitioner
As with any significant dietary change, you should in fact only undertake the AIP at the recommendation of a trained nutritional coach or physician.

If you’ve only started on the AIP due to personal research and you’re unsure whether it’s right for you and your condition, I highly recommend you seek the advice of a Functional Medicine Practitioner.  You can find one near you using this listing – Functional Medicine Practitioner Listing, and you can read more about it here in my post – Finding Your Root Cause.

Paleo-Friendly Autoimmune Specialist MDs
Yes, they do exist, but they can be hard to find. Thankfully, Eileen at the Phoenix Helix has complied and maintains a list on her website – check it out here.

Personal AIP Health Coaches
If you know you need to be on an AIP diet but are struggling to personalize it to your own needs and health condition, you may want to consider the services of a Health Coach.  This listing will take you to a list of coaches certified by the experts in the Autoimmune Protocol – Certified AIP Health Coach Listing.

AIP Coaching Programs
Beyond hiring a personal AIP Health Coach there are some options for joining online guided group support programs. There are three that I recommend, plus one for autoimmune exercise – you can learn more about them on my Coaching Page.  The one you choose will depend largely on your comfort level with making diet and lifestyle changes and whether you’re a self-starter or need more of a support group surrounding you.

AIP Medical Research
I get asked by a lot of members joining our Facebook Group as to whether there is really any proof that the AIP works for autoimmune disease, and I always reply with an emphatic, YES! If you’re interested in learning more about the medical studies that have been conducted about the efficacy of the AIP, you can keep up to date via the Autoimmune Wellness website here.

Living Matrix Health Timeline
Whether you’ve seen a Functional Medicine Practitioner yet or not, you’ve probably heard a lot about the importance of finding the “root cause” or “underlying cause” of your autoimmune disease.

To help you get the best support this little tool can help you provide your medical team with a thorough health history and potentially will help you find your root cause, making it easier to achieve healing.

The Living Matrix offers something called MyTimelineTM it’s a powerful tool that enables you to easily document the unfolding phenomena that lead to your ill health – a process that often occurs over many years, perhaps even a lifetime. It gives you and your practitioner the “Big Picture” so you can take the necessary steps to build back your health.

The process to complete your timeline can be long and require a bit of work, but it prompts you to think about your symptoms and issues and – just as importantly – when they may have begun. It also asks about key events in your life so that you can begin to see the patterns – it’s really very amazing!  The process was an eye opener to me and can really help your Functional Medicine Practitioner to quickly grasp your health history.  Click here to go to the access page and get started building your own timeline (don’t be afraid to add extra details you feel are important) – you’ll even be able to print out a summary when you’re complete. You can read more about it here in my post – Finding Your Root Cause.

Meet Ups & Support Groups

Location Specific Groups
Looking for support and want to connect with fellow AIP-ers in your own local area? Maybe you need advice where to find AIP compliant ingredients locally but are having a hard time – who better to ask than someone that lives in your area!
Be sure to check out this comprehensive list of support groups compiled by Autoimmune Wellness … it’s wonderful!
You can find a full list here – they’re constantly updating this, so just select the latest list.

Basic AIP Support Groups – NOT closely moderated – they all leave me wishing I could find a good one to suggest to you:
AIP Support
Strict AIP Support A-Z
AIP Elimination Diet Support Group

Topic-Specific Groups
Emotional Autoimmunity Website – Navigating the Emotional Side of Life with Chronic Illness – there used to be a support group but it has been closed down – probably too much work because this one WAS closely moderated.
Facebook – AIP Instant Pot Recipes
Facebook – Coconut-Free AIP Recipes Group – If you have an allergy to coconut but need to stick to the AIP Diet, you may wish to try this group.
Facebook – AIP Canning, Preserving, Dehydrating and Fermenting 
Facebook – Low Histamine AIP
Facebook – AIP During Pregancy and Breastfeeding
Facebook – Low FODMAP Recipes & Support – NOT AIP but you may find it helpful

Motivation

If you haven’t already read my motivational message, be sure to visit the page by clicking this link.  It may just be what you need for a little pick-me-up, and it also directs you to my article on the stages of grieving over illness.

Is Fruit Allowed on the AIP?

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Confused About Fruit on the AIP?

Since we avoid refined sugar and sweeteners on the AIP (read more about that here), is fruit allowed? 
 
In the beginning you may have a recommendation from your AIP Coach, Nutritionist or Functional Medicine Practitioner to avoid fruit (and you should always follow your medical professional’s advice), but for the most part it’s not forbidden on the AIP – yay!
 
It’s actually important that we make sure we’re eating enough of the right fresh fruits, because they contain plenty of nutrients! Think hydration, fiber and good carbohydrates folks. 
 

“… fruit itself is not restricted on the Autoimmune Protocol. Different varieties of fruit (especially colorful ones) come loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which are a great compliment to a healing diet. While fruit can have a lot of sugar, that in itself is not reason enough to avoid it. When we eat fresh, whole fruit, we are getting the nutrients in a nice little package with fiber, nutrients, and water.” 

– (Read the full article on AutoimmuneWellness.com)

 
But what about dried fruit? As you might have guessed, dried fruit is VERY high in sugars (not to mention many commercially produced options contain added sugars or non-compliant oils and preservatives we need to watch for – for compliant options, shop here), and it should be consumed in extreme moderation as an occasional treat or as part of a desert or as a sweetener in a recipe (some folks will add a date to a veggie smoothie to add some natural sweetness).
 
“Dried fruit, however, can be problematic because of its high glycemic load, and should be reserved for the occasional treat. I find dried fruit particularly easy to over eat and only reserve the use of say dates in a dessert or something, never as a snack.”
 
– Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Wellness
That said about snacking, I will admit that when I first started the AIP I found that consuming just one or two quality dates filled with solid coconut oil or coconut butter and pinch of salt was enough to keep me on the straight and narrow. So, if a piece of dried fruit is going to help you keep your AIP sanity, just eat it! Remember – it’s progress over perfection that we’re looking for, – you’ve got this!
 
I’ve compiled some reliable references for you below so that you can dive in and learn more about fruit on the AIP.

References:

Fruit and the Autoimmune Protocol– Mickey Trescott, Autoimmune Wellness

I’m Confused About Fruit on the AIP – Could You Explain?  – Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, The Paleo Mom

Why Fruit is a Good Source of Carbohydrates– Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, The Paleo Mom

For the most up-to-date list of AIP fruits and foods and their order of reintroduction, my #1 recommendation will ALWAYS be Dr. Sarah Ballantyne’s The Autoimmune Protocol book, as it’s the most comprehensive I’ve seen. Other than that, be sure to grab a food list or two by clicking here.

Disclaimer:  On the topic of dried fruit, treats and desserts, this feels like an appropriate place to add this message. I often get folks criticizing me in my searchable AIP Recipe Collection Facebook Group because you’ll find a LOT of recipes with dried fruit and sweet treats (especially around seasonal holidays) – yep – I’m guilty! Guilty of providing LOTS of options so you have a variety to choose from when you have a special occasion or need an indulgence. The disclaimer in the group’s pinned post reminds members that all sweets and treats are to be consumed in moderation – so, please don’t judge me for providing options – it’s always up to you to make the food choices that are right for you.

On The Go & Travelling on the AIP

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Managing a restricted diet while travelling is a hot topic.  Thankfully there are plenty of resources to help you make your next trip a success.  Below you’ll find a collection of great tips and tricks for how to stick to the AIP when you’re away from home.  What ever you do don’t leave home without preparing … you can’t count on finding AIP compliant food on your travels.

 

“Failing to plan is planning to fail.”

Conveniences:

If you’re living in the USA and you’re road-tripping or travelling for work or pleasure but don’t want to have to cook and prep all of your own AIP meals, you should consider Paleo On The Go.  This high-quality meal delivery service is used by many AIPers to help keep them sane and give them a little break for vacations, travel or even those times when you just don’t feel up to cooking.  Read more in our dedicated blog post or jump right in and place your order – just click the the image to go to their site.

Looking for more great convenience foods to pack for your travels, visit our Food Sourcing page for lots more great ideas and reliable AIP shops – in this case, be sure to check out Wild Zora (they have some very tasty free-dried AIP stews, soups, instant no-oatmeal, meat bars, etc.), Serenity Kids food pouches make great snacks for kids AND adults, and of course Fully Healthy (formerly Shop AIP) (I’ve got discount codes for you – visit the Coupons page).

You can find more ideas and discounts in my AIP Snack Guide – click here, and be sure to check out my AIP Amazon Storefronts too – you’ll find snacks, pantry items and sustainable living options for your travels, like stainless steel bento box sets, electric lunch boxes and so much more!  Shop Here: USA / Canada / UK

Self-Catered Vacations:

Since I went gluten-free many years ago I’ve found vacations much more enjoyable when I know I’m in complete control of my food.  One way we do that is to take self-catered vacations.  You can read more about this on our travel blog – What’s Your Holiday Style? ❀ All-Inclusive ❀ Hotels & Restaurants ❀ Self-Catered ❀ and an early article I wrote about Travelling with Food Allergies.  I really do need to write a dedicated post about travelling while on the AIP … one day!

For us, Airbnb, Booking.com and Cottage Rentals have been a life saver!  Having a fully equipped comfortable kitchen in our own little cottage or apartment makes all the difference in the world … and we’ve enjoyed travelling in Canada, USA, the Caribbean and Europe all while sticking to my restricted diet. 

I’ve also found a very helpful group on Facebook that you may want to consult for some details and suggestions on various destinations – Allergy Travel Groups helped me a lot when it came to taking food on the plane for International travels, and they’re helpful for lots of suggestions!

Looking for more articles and tips?

Dining Out on the AIP
Surviving Social Life on the AIP
AIP in an Emergency – Tips for Power Outages & Natural Disasters – Might help campers too! 

Autoimmune Wellness:

Travel Food Tips While On The AIP
Guide to AIP Travel:  Road Trips
Guide to AIP Travel:  Flying
Guid to AIP Travel: International Trips
Seven Reasons Why Camper Van Travel is Compatible with the AIP

Phoenix Helix:

Airplane Travel on AIP
AIP Road Trip
Podcast: The World is a Big and Beautiful Place

Miscellaneous Sources:

Navigating a Cruise on the AIP
How to Eat Healthy While Travelling on a Restricted Diet

Recipes:

You guessed it, try our searchable Facebook Group – click these quick links for #onthego #travel #snacks to get started. Sign up here, and try searching for specific recipes such as fat bombs, muffins, meatballs, jerky, granola, etc. You’ll even find campfire bananas, s’mores and more – The options are endless!

What is Batch Cooking & Meal Planning?

You’ll hear me say it again and again, “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” There’s seriously nothing worse than getting caught completely exhausted with nothing to eat and nourish yourself.

Batch cooking and meal planning are two wonderful ways to make your AIP life easier!

Love it or hate it, on this protocol we all have to cook. If you want to cut down on the days you spend in the kitchen – learn to incorporate batch cooking and meal planning into your life.

Success on the AIP is so much easier when you have a few good tips, tricks and tools under your belt (spoiler alert – there’s an app that’s a game-changer on the AIP – RealPlans and you can read about it in my review here) it could save your sanity on the AIP! Visit my Meal Planning page – click here for lots of information and resources.

Where Else Can I Find Meal Prep & Batch Cooking Recipes?

Many recipes can be adapted for batch cooking just by doubling the quantities.  Some are perfect for dividing up into pre-portioned containers (meal prepping) for lunches, breakfasts and snacks on the go.  With the AIP you’ll find the need to think outside the box a little, but once you get used to it you’ll find it a breeze!

For more batch cooking recipe ideas, try searching in our Facebook Group – try search terms like “batch cook” or “sheet pan” or “freezer dump” or “meal prep” or simply look for things like whole roasted chicken or beef roasts and sides that can be used for multiple purposes or portioned out for later use.

For detailed posts about freezer cooking and batch cooking, check out Mickey Trescott’s AIP Freezer Cooking Guide, and Batch Cooking 101 – she’s my go-to on the topic if you want some great tips and tutorials. You’ll also enjoy the post by Angie Alt, Time Management in the Kitchen. These great extra tips and tricks will help you even more and be applied within your RealPlans app… You honestly can’t help but be winning at the AIP by pairing this combo!

Bone Broth 101

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When you start the AIP you’re likely going to read a LOT about bone broth and the gut healing powers it possesses.  You may even be told by your health coach, nutritionist or Functional Medicine Practitioner to start with a very limited diet that includes home made bone broth while you give your body a chance to heal.

For some this is a daunting thought – home-made broth, sourcing high-quality ingredient, the time involved … Yikes! 

Don’t freak out though, it’s not really that hard, and there are excellent options below if you just can’t bring yourself to make your own.

Bone Broth FAQs

The first article I wanted to share with you is excellent, but there seems to be some issues with the website, so I’ll provide a link to these Bone Broth FAQs an note the Whole9Life.com as my source but include the details below so we don’t lose the valuable information! 

  • What kind of nutritional benefits does bone broth offer?
    Bone broth is a source of minerals, like calcium, phosphorus, magnesium,  and potassium, in forms that your body can easily absorb. It’s also rich in glycine and proline, amino acids not found in significant amounts in muscle meat (the vast majority of the meat we consume). It also contains chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine, the compounds sold as supplements to reduce inflammation, arthritis, and joint pain. Finally, “soup bones” include collagen, a protein found in connective tissue of vertebrate animals, which is abundant in bone, marrow, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.  (The breakdown of collagen in bone broths is what produces gelatin.)
  • What are the benefits of consuming a properly prepared bone broth?
    Proline and glycine are important for a healthy gut and digestion, muscle repair and growth, a balanced nervous system, and strong immune system. In fact, a study of chicken broth conducted by the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that the amino acids that were produced when making chicken stock reduced inflammation in the respiratory system and improved digestion. (There’s a reason your mom always made you chicken soup when you were sick.)The gelatin in bone broth can help to heal a leaky gut, which may be of specific benefit those with inflammatory or autoimmune disorders. These compounds also reduce joint pain, reduce inflammation, prevent bone loss, and build healthy skin, hair, and nails.
  • Can I just buy broth from the grocery store?
    Nope. Broth (often labelled “stock”) from the grocery store relies on high temperature, fast-cooking techniques, which result in a watered down, non-gelling liquid, so you’re missing out on some of the benefits of a gelatin-rich broth. In addition, unnatural additives (like MSG) and flavors are often added. If you just need a small amount for a recipe, store-bought stuff will do, but if you’re interested in the healing properties of bone broth, you have to make it yourself.
  • Where do I get bones?
    Your local butcher, a local farm (ask around at the farmers market), a friendly hunter, your local health food store (if they have a meat department), or order bones online from U.S. Wellness Meats (SAVE 15% with Coupon Code: AIPRECIPE. You can also save the bones if you roast a whole chicken, turkey, duck, or goose.
  • What kind of bones should I use?
    You can use bones from just about any animal—beef, veal,  lamb, bison or buffalo, venison, chicken, duck, goose, turkey, or pork. Get a variety of bones—ask for marrow bones, oxtail, and “soup bones.” Make sure you include some larger bones like knuckles, or feet (like chicken feet), which will contain more cartilage, and therefore more collagen. You can even mix and match bones in the same batch of broth—some beef, some lamb, some chicken—but know that will change the flavor. (Most folks prefer to stick to one animal source at once.)
  • Do I have to get grass-fed or pastured bones, or organic bones?
    You should. The animals have to be healthy to impart the maximum health benefit to you, and factory-farmed animals are the furthest thing from healthy. (And we don’t want to encourage more purchasing of factory-farmed animals.) Do your best to seek out pastured chicken or 100% grass-fed beef bones from a local source.
  • Do I have to skim the fat?
    Only if you want to. Feel free to drink your broth as-is, but if you prefer a broth with less fat (as we do), then follow these instructions: After you’re done cooking, remove your broth from the heat, and run it through a strainer as usual. Then let your broth sit in the fridge for several hours, until the fat rises to the top and hardens. Scrape off the fat with a spoon, and your broth is ready to go. We think skimming off most of the fat is more important if you’re using bones from animals that are conventionally raised.
  • What kind of things can I add to my broth to help with the flavour?
    Here is a list of vegetables, herbs, and spices you could add. Feel free to mix and match, or invent your own recipe. 

    • Onion
    • Green onion
    • Leek
    • Carrot
    • Garlic
    • Celery
    • Salt
    • Pepper / Whole peppercorns / Red pepper flakes 
    • Parsley
    • Bay leaf
    • Rosemary
    • Thyme
    • Sage
    • Ginger
    • Avoid using broccoli, turnip peels, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, collard greens as they will make your broth bitter.

    TIP:  Mickey Trescott of Autoimmune Wellness recommends NOT adding anything at all to your broth by way of herbs, spices, veggies or salt. She’s a purist cook/former chef and she likes to keep her broth basic during cooking since she’ll use it in many dishes. If you want to “spice up” your flavours, she recommends doing it later in the cooking stage so that your broth does not become bitter. 

    If you’re having success and like how your broth tastes when you do add veggies, herbs, etc. during cooking … you do you!

    I personally keep veggie scraps and freeze them in a bag until I’m ready to make broth – then I toss them in the pot so nothing goes to waste!

  • Why do you add vinegar to the broth?
    Adding an acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) will help to extract minerals from the bones.  Use a mild-flavored vinegar, like apple cider or rice wine, as white vinegar may taste too harsh in a mellow broth.
  • Should I roast my bones first? 
    You can—roasting will impart a rich flavor and color to your broth—but you don’t have to. If you choose to roast your bones first, place them in a pan in an oven set to 350 degrees, and roast for one hour before continuing with your favorite broth recipe.
  • Why does my broth look so jiggly?
    That’s the gelatin—when cool, it makes your broth look a little like meat Jell-O. No worries—just heat it gently on the stovetop and it will return to a liquid state.
  • My broth doesn’t look jiggly – why didn’t it gel?
    This article from the Healthy Home Economist lists five reasons your broth didn’t gel, but in our experience, it’s generally one of two reasons. First, you might not be using enough bones (or enough of the right type), or you simply might have added too much water. Bones with more visible cartilage will yield more gelatin. Another common reason is that the broth was not cooked for long enough. The remedy? Set your crockpot or burner to the lowest heat setting and just let it go for at least 8 hours (poultry) or 12 hours (beef)—if not longer. Less than that will likely not draw enough gelatin into the stock from the bones. A good rule of thumb: the larger the bones, the longer you’ll want to cook it.
  • Can you reuse bones for another broth?
    You sure can—Paul Jaminet of The Perfect Health Diet says you can reuse bones to make multiple batches of broth until the bones go soft. (Make sure you use fresh vegetables, herbs, and spices each time, though.)
  • What’s the longest you can leave bone broth to cook?
    Chicken bones can cook for 24 hours, beef bones can cook for up to 48 hours.
  • What do I do with my broth?
    We like to drink a mug of it, just like you would coffee or tea. In fact, a warm cup of broth is a great way to start your morning—try drinking 8 ounces a day, every day. Of course, you can use it in recipes wherever it calls for broth or stock, or turn it into a base for your favorite soup.
  • How long will broth keep in the refrigerator and freezer?
    Keep broth in the fridge for no longer than 3-4 days. It should keep in the freezer for up to a year.
  • How should I store frozen bone broth? 
    For an easy addition of small amounts of broth to recipes, store some in an ice cube tray in the freezer. One cube is about an ounce, so recipes that call for 1/4 cup of broth would take 2 cubes, 1/2 a cup is 4 cubes, etc. You can store larger amounts in glass mason jars, but be sure to let the broth cool down before transferring to glass. Finally, make sure you leave enough space in a glass container for the frozen broth to expand—otherwise, the glass could break.
    You can also read my article here – Food Storage Basics)

More Resources

What Is Bone Broth & What Are The Benefits?
Bone Broth FAQs
Troubleshooting Bone Broth

Is Bone Broth Risky Business?

Some have challenged bone broth and say it’s risky stuff.  Learn more from AIP expert, Dr. Sarah Balantyne – Paleo Mom, in her articles:

Broth: Hidden Dangers in a Healing Food?
Bone Broth Risks: Skim the Fat!

Bone Broth Recipes & Sourcing

Chicken Bone Broth
Fish Bone Broth
Beef Broth (Lamb can be used too)
Instant Pot Beef Bone Broth (my favorite – I follow the same recipe for chicken as well)
Veggie Bone Broth

For More Bone Broth Recipes and ways to use it (soups, stews, smoothies and more) please use the group search function in my AIP Recipe Collection Facebook Group.

Where do you get your bones? Quality matters! Be sure to buy the best quality bones you can afford (organic, grass-fed, antibiotic and hormone free) Check out US Wellness Meats and grab a discount! Get 15% Off with Code : AIPRECIPE

No Time for Bone Broth?

Many people tell me they just don’t have time to make bone broth or they just can’t stand the whole process.  Fortunately there are some options for quality bone broths that are AIP compliant.

Fully Healthy (Formerly Shop AIP) is our affiliate store and they carry lots of AIP compliant brands. They have upgraded their offerings to include products that are suitable for the reintroduction stage of the AIP, so be sure to use broth that’s right for your stage of the journey.  Follow this link and you’ll be taken to their selection of broth offerings. (Be sure to grab a coupon code from our coupons page.)

Paleo-on-the-Go offers bone broth among other amazing time-saving top-quality AIP meals that are delivered right to your door.  (Be sure to grab a coupon code from our coupons page.)

Vital Proteins offers the convenience of powdered bone broth … this stuff is seriously amazing!  You have the option of organic beef or chicken and it’s even available in single serve packets if you wish. (Note:  While not all Vital Proteins products are AIP compliant, you can be sure their bone broth is.)

Perfect Supplements carries powdered bone broth and so much more! (Be sure to grab a coupon code from our coupons page.)

Bare Bones offers top-quality, ethically sourced, super convenient pouches of bone broth that can be ordered online.  Unfortunately they’ve changed some of their recipes and they’re not AIP elimination stage compliant, so be sure to check the labels and only use the ones that are suitable for your stage of the AIP. 

Wild Zora offers DELICIOUS pre-made freeze-dried soups and stews! They don’t have plain bone broth but thought I’d recommend them here since so many that are prepping bone broth are using it to make their own homemade soups and stews or are looking for on-the-go convenience.
(Be sure to grab a coupon code from our coupons page.)