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Essential Oils: Ingestion, Inhalation & Topical Use

 
From time to time the topic of essential oils comes up in the AIP Recipe Collection Facebook Group, and I’m always quick to shut the conversation down because it typically turns into a debate or a sales pitch from someone trying to grow their network. That said, I don’t want to leave you hanging on the topic and will provide my take on the topic here. (NOTE: I do not sell essential oils and I am in no way affiliated with any essential oils companies.)
 
Let me begin by saying that I have absolutely no doubt about the power of essential oils! I LOVE them and wholeheartedly agree that they can have a huge impact on our health. My husband I have personally seen the benefits in our lives using them for inhalation, aromatherapy and topical application.
 
It’s really only when it comes to the topic of ingesting essential oils that I really get a little worked up.
 
In my opinion there are too many folks out there selling essential oils and recommending them as “safe for internal use” and claiming that you simply need to make sure they’re 100% pure or food grade quality. I beg you please, consider factual research by completely independent, third-party outsiders rather than the opinions of someone trying to sell you essential oils – that is the only way you will get an honest answer about whether this practice is truly safe or not.
 

When I first began using essential oils, I avoided the big multi-level marketing companies – first, because of the price of their oils and secondly because I wanted a real education about essential oil and not just a superficial understanding of what to use in a diffuser, cleaning or personal products. In my research, I came across Aromahead Institute and quickly realized that these folks are the real deal, and I don’t hesitate to refer people to them for sound advice.

Internal Use/Ingestion

The following is a compilation of snippets from my research on the topic of essential oils for internal use/ingestion (click each link to read the full source article).  Let me lead with this spoiler alert from Dr. Sarah Ballantyne:

“If its from an edible thing that you want the benefits from,
just eat the thing!”

“Internal use requires knowledge of anatomy, physiology, and the chemistry of essential oils. Oils should be used via the skin and inhalation until you understand the potential interaction of drugs and essential oils, know the safe oils to use (the safety issues are different for skin and internal use), and know the right dose and route of application appropriate for internal use.  Internal use also requires an understanding of pharmacokinetics–effects of the body on the oil, how the body metabolizes the oil and eliminates it, and what organs might be effected.  —It sounds complicated because it is—and that’s why we don’t widely recommend internal use.”
  • Safely ingesting certain essential oils is wrought with caveats and debate, and it’s not recommended without guidance from a trained herbalist. “The whole purpose of distilling the aromatic components [from plants] was because we wanted to capture their smell,” says Amy Galper, aromatherapist and co-founder of the New York Institute of Aromatic Studies. “We understood the power of aroma [to affect] our mind, our spiritual life, and our physical health.” Ingesting, therefore, is outside of boundaries of essential oils’ intended use—enough reason to proceed with caution.  … Essential oils may be natural, but that doesn’t mean they’re inherently safe. “The molecules and chemical constituents that make up essential oils are irritating to mucous membrane tissue,” Galper says. Swallowing essential oils can burn the mucosa in your mouth, esophagus, gut lining, and beyond in the digestive tract.
  • Dr. Lin says, “I usually caution people against taking it orally is because it’s a really strong medicine…You can take too much, too quickly without realizing it. And that can become toxic. Nausea, stomach pain and neurological discomfort like nerve pain and numbness can also occur, especially if you take too much. Like any kind of medicine, it can affect different people in different ways, too.”
  • Moral of the story: It’s possible to ingest essential oils safely, but it’s complex and should always be done under the guidance of a trained herbalist.  A professional will know which oils are safe and work with you to administer correct, non-toxic doses.

– Source:  Well and Good – An Aromatherapist & MD Weigh in on Essential Oils

  • Phytochemicals can be anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, anti-angiogenic (prevent the formation of blood vessels, great for fighting tumors), apoptosis (helps cells dies), anti-allergy, anti-mutagenic, anti-microbial, insect repellents, etc.
  • BUT they are cytotoxic: they rupture membranes and cause cells to die. So they ARE NOT SPECIFIC to bad microbes! They’ll kill your friends in your gut! NOT GOOD!
  • Terpenes are damaging to the liver. That’s also NOT GOOD!
  • They may also cause a leaky gut.
  • Drinking essentially oils is not a great idea.
  • There are some essential oil compounds that are more specific, and effective to kill influenza and E. coli, Staphylococcus, etc. BUT some kill the good’uns.
  • Ingesting is complicated! There are many interesting studies, but lots of pros and cons. We don’t know everything that these properties do!
  • If you want these effects, just eat the whole food! 
  • Only use oral consumption with the supervision of a doctor who knows what they are doing.
  • The science is not very strong for most purported benefits (of ingestion). Most papers indicate that we need more research. But, really, if its from an edible thing that you want the benefits from, just eat the thing.

– Source:  The Paleo Mom Podcast – What’s the Deal with Essential Oils

You should bear in mind that essential oils effect every person very differently (whether they are use in aromatherapy, topically or orally) – they are very individualized and can be dangerous – and as with everything we inhale, ingest or apply to our skin there is NO one-size-fits all approach. That said, you should PERSONALLY consult an herbalist or your medical professional before you decide if ingesting essential oils is right for you. Simply finding information online that indicates it’s safe to use this oil or that oil is not wise for the reasons outlined in the references above.

Aromatherapy & Topical Use

Okay, so if it’s not advisable to use essential oils internally is there any point discussing the topic any further for our purposes on the AIP? Yes, absolutely! There are so many  aromatic and topical uses of essential oils to help support your AIP journey – relief of stress, pain, headaches, digestive discomfort, improvement of mood, skin conditions and more – that I could never hope to share them all with you. 

My use of essential oils began out of desperation with my husband’s migraine headaches. He was taking migraine medication EVERY day for a long stretch of time and was finding no relief. Add to that his debilitating chronic pain and fibromyalgia – not a good scenario. It was at that point that I started my research into essential oils, attended a few webinars and took some online courses with Aromahead Institute. I started slowly at first, simply using an ultrasonic diffuser with peppermint essential oil for him or having him use a homemade inhaler, and then branched out into some specifics for his condition which really helped.

Your next questions is probably – what did you use to help him with is fibromyalgia? What else helps with migraine headaches?  Since I’m not an herbalist or aromatherapy specialist I’m simply going to suggest this amazing reference book that can help you – it’s my go-to encyclopedia for all things essential oils! Grab a copy of “The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy” by Valerie Ann Worwood – click here.

Digestive Upset

Since many on the AIP suffer with digestive upset, this may be an area you want to consider incorporating essential oils like ginger, tarragon, peppermint, clove and oregano – but, if not by ingestion, how? 

Essential oils contain plant-based chemical constituents responsible for the powerful healing benefits. Those compounds trigger a response in your nervous system, sending signals to your brain. These signals can include calming and soothing the intestinal tract, or stimulating digestion by encouraging parasympathetic activity. Each oil is different, but just a few drops of any essential oil makes a BIG impact.

There are two ways to use essential oils to support a healthy digestive system:

1. Aromatically. When used in your diffuser, or just inhaled out of the bottle, the vapors carry active chemical molecules into your body through the nose. They stimulate the olfactory nerve, located in the nasal cavity. This nerve contains fibers that send signals directly to your central nervous system – the system by which digestion is governed. 

2. Topically. Your skin absorbs everything that you put on it. When applied as a rub, lotion or in massage the active compounds found in essential oils enter your bloodstream to support the digestive system. Remember to always dilute essential oils (click here for information about that) in coconut or sweet almond oil. I find it very convenient using roller bottles for the purpose of topical application and love having a number of blends prepared and ready to go.

Digestive Relief Massage &  DIY Blend

Click here for a Digestive Belly Rub Blend from my trusted resource, Aromahead Internation. Note, however that you may want to omit the cardamom in the elimination stage of the AIP, just to err on the side of caution.

When using the massage oil blend, start at the belly button, apply the diluted oil and then gently massage into the skin using an upward circular motion (apply gentle pressure with the pads of your fingertips, circling to the right). This can also be done on the back, over the liver and stomach. 

Quality Oils

As you are likely aware, there are many options out there for essential oils, and prices vary dramatically! I personally will not use the extremely high priced oils offered by the two multi-level marketing companies that quickly come to mind, and I won’t affiliate or sell these products because I firmly believe that people can find exceptional quality oils that are much more reasonably priced. NOW, I’m not saying go out and buy cheap oil – FAR from it – if it’s cheap, it’s likely not good quality or upon further investigation you may find that it’s “fragrance oil” – so beware! I personally choose to purchase my individual oils from Ki Aroma – their products are exceptional and their prices are reasonable but also reflect their quality. I don’t opt for their blends, as I choose to make my own and find creating my own blends more economical.

Summary

Essential oils are very personalized. What works for one might not for another, and I have found throughout the course of my own health challenges I have become tolerant or intolerant to various oils along the way.

Ingesting essential oils is NOT recommended.

There are lots of amazing health benefits that come from inhalation and topical application – explore and enjoy these options on the AIP!

The bottom line – educate yourself and use with caution and awareness.

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All-Natural Foaming Hand Soap

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The Healing Power of Lemons & Your Liver

When life gives you lemons … make lemon juice!

Today, I want to discuss the healing power of lemons and your liver.

Over the years, I’ve seen so thousands of people join the AIP Recipe Collection Facebook Group looking for help with recipes to support their healing journey. They describe serious cases of hives, unexplained rashes and reactions, eczema, digestive disorders, acne, acid reflux, cirrhosis, psoriasis, edema, hepatitis, lupus, chronic fatigue and other liver related symptoms and diseases … it’s frankly quite shocking … and most people don’t realize that they are all related to liver function! Did you know there are more than 100 types of different kinds of liver diseases. and fatty liver disease is by far the most common?

I’m posting this information here in the hope that it will help others benefit from the healing power of lemons and understand how important it is to support your liver through the use of a diet and the addition of lemons as “medicine” – if it’s right for you. (DISCLAIMER:  I am not a doctor, lemon juice may not be fore everyone, I am simply sharing my research and results, and you should consult your physician to see if this is right for you.)

My experience using lemons as “medicine” began as I struggled to find answers to my own health issues – first an inexplicably enlarged liver and edema, then an extreme case of hives that left me unable to sleep, and when I could sleep I had to sleep with ice-packs applied to my legs so I wouldn’t claw them open in the middle of the night. I’d been down the road of hormone testing, ultra-sounds and trips to the dermatologist without any answer or improvement – I was ready to try just about anything … and when I tell you what I did, you’ll probably agree, I really was ready to try anything!

While my doctors had pretty much ignored my liver in trying to deal with my symptoms I decided to circle back and focus on it on my own, and I’ve shocked more than a few (including medical professionals) with the approach I took.

Why Focus On The Liver?

  • The liver is the second largest organ – next only to our skin. If your symptoms include skin reactions, it could very well be an indication that your body is overloaded trying to remove toxins from the body, and it is therefore highly likely that your liver is either over loaded or at minimum in need of some extra support.
  • How are your albumin levels? Albumin is the main protein that is made by the liver. While there are many factors that can affect the level of albumin circulating in the blood, chronic liver disease causes a decrease in the amount of albumin produced, and therefore the level of albumin in the blood is reduced. NOTE: you do not have to be a heavy drinker to have liver disease – being under chronic stress can have a HUGE impact on liver health.
  • Our livers are over worked and overlooked! Don’t believe me – read on!

Consider this information from the Canadian Liver Foundation:

“The liver is a resilient organ that’s easy to ignore – until something goes wrong. Because of its wide-ranging responsibilities, your healthy liver can come under attack by viruses, toxic substances, contaminants and diseases. However, even when under siege, the liver is very slow to complain. People who have problems with their liver are frequently unaware because they may have few, if any, symptoms. Your liver is such a determined organ that it will continue working even when two-thirds of it has been damaged.”

“Weighing in at a little over one kilogram, your liver is a complex chemical factory that works 24 hours a day. It processes virtually everything you eat, drink, breathe in or rub on your skin; in fact, the liver performs over 500 functions that are vital to life.

Every day, your liver helps your body by providing it with energy, fighting off infections and toxins, helping clot the blood, regulating hormones and much, much more.

To give you an idea of your liver’s critical roles, here is a partial list of its functions:

  • Cleanses your blood: Metabolizing alcohol and other drugs and chemicals, neutralizing and destroying poisonous substances.
  • Regulates your supply of body fuel: Producing, storing and supplying quick energy (glucose) to keep your mind alert and your body active. It produces, stores and exports fat.
  • Manufactures many of your essential body proteins involved in: Transporting substances in your blood, clotting of your blood, and providing resistance to infections.
  • Regulates the balance of hormones: Including sex hormones, thyroid hormones, cortisone and other adrenal hormones.
  • Regulates your body’s cholesterol: Producing cholesterol, excreting it and converting it to other essential substances.
  • Regulates your supply of essential vitamins and minerals: Including iron and copper.
  • Produces bile: Eliminating toxic substances from your body and aiding with your digestion.”

Back to the Lemons!

Oddly enough, I learned my lemon, liver support protocol while watching a documentary called e-motion. If you haven’t watched this documentary yet, I highly recommend it – it discussed how our emotions and how stress, sadness, anger and even memories can be held responsible for many if not all of the diseases we suffer today … because they effect our organs, and very importantly OUR LIVER! You can watch the full-length program on YouTube – check it out here.

One of the speakers, Don Tolman – Whole Foods Nutritional & Author (“Cowboy Don” as he’s called – I knew I liked him right away with a handle like that!), talked about the benefits of lemon juice and how drinking ONE CUP (approximately THREE lemons) of fresh squeezed lemon juice every morning before food, for a period of 90 days (none of this tiny squeeze of lemon in water folks) will usually fully restore your liver in that short a period of time! (Watch a clip of him discussing this on YouTube here.)

Everything Cowboy Don was saying about lemons, an-ions, bile and digestion resonated with me and I wanted to know more, so I looked him up on the internet and found this article: “How to Restore Liver Health & Improve Function” – it’s a really good quick look at what the liver does and how it’s impacted by toxins, viruses (NOTE:  it does discuss some non-AIP products as cleanses, but we can look past that and use what will work for us here in conjunction to the AIP).

Here are a few snippets from the article:

A healthy liver is crucial to your overall health and vitality.

Unfortunately, due to modern day life, it’s common for your liver to become stressed, overworked and damaged leading to malfunctioning and eventual dis-ease.

There are a number of things you can do to reverse any damage and heal liver disease naturally without toxic pharmaceuticals or medical intervention.

WHAT IS THE LIVER?

The liver is the largest internal organ of the body. It’s located on the upper right side of the stomach and is vital for the functioning of your metabolism and immune system.

WHAT DOES THE LIVER DO?

The liver performs several important tasks including; storing blood and constantly filtering it to remove harmful toxins; it rids the body of dead blood cells; secretes hormones and enzymes; supports digestion, converting what we eat into life-sustaining nutrition; and even regenerates its own damaged tissue.

WHAT CAUSES LIVER DISEASE?

Liver disease is usually caused by internal infection as a result of exposure to viruses, medical drugs or toxic substances like chemical cosmetics which seep into the body, impacting the auto-immune process.

Since I originally researched Cowboy Don and his theory about the healing power of lemons and your liver, he’s written a new article that you may also want to read – Signs of Fatty Liver Disease and How to Recover Naturally. But, for now … continue along with me on this lemon juice journey.

Liver Rejuvenating Lemon Juice Protocol

One of the most potent and effective foods on earth for healing, regenerating and cleansing the liver is Lemons.

In fact, if you’ll drink one cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice each day when you rise, within 90 days your liver will usually restore itself.

Lemons are the only food on earth that contain “an-ions” (every other wholefood contains “cat-ions”).  Your liver produces “an-ions” known as bile which helps to release toxins and metabolic waste.  That’s why lemons have significance when it comes to restoring your liver to its highest functional capacity.

So, why does it work? The most basic explanation I can come up with is that it gives your liver a break. Since your liver has to produce an-ions to get rid of toxins from your body, manage digestion and more (as mentioned earlier in this post – your liver is pretty busy), it never gets a day off. Consuming lemon juice, which is the only wholefood that contains an-ions, you’re giving your liver the love and support it needs, allowing it to use some of the an-ions (either that it produces or that you’re providing in the lemon juice) to rejuvenate itself.

Okay – I can hear you now – seriously, ONE CUP of lemon juice every morning, 30 minutes before food for 90 DAYS!  No way, can’t be done! And, does it even work?

Well, yes, you CAN do it, I DID and YES, it worked for me! While I’m not a doctor, I’ve share what I learn with others who struggle with recurring flares of eczema, hives, rashes, psoriasis, etc., and it’s helped them too! Oddly enough, I recently chatted with my Functional Medicine Practitioner, who’s helping to put a protocol together to help with my prolonged toxic exposure to mold, and she mentioned that my crazy lemon drink theory that I’d told her about was no so crazy at all – in the course she’d been taking to become a practitioner specializing in mold exposure she learned that another practitioner uses a similar lemon juice drink to successfully to treat flares like this – go figure!

A Recipe to “Zest Up Your Life!”

Let me make this an easier “pill” to swallow. I couldn’t bring myself to take the full cup of lemon juice in additional water, I just wanted it out of the way ASAP – down the hatch!  I tried just chugging that much lemon juice, and while it’s doable, I found and modified a recipe called Zest Up your Life, that makes it a little more bearable and easier to clean up.

Ingredients

  • 3 Lemons (organic if possible)
  • 1 TBSP Honey (raw if possible)
  • 1 tsp Turmeric
  • Pinch of Himalayan Salt
  • Pinch of Black Pepper (if you’ve reintroduced)
  • 1 TBSP of Chia Seeds (if you’ve reintroduced)

Preparation

  1. Juice your lemons – I found it much easier for clean up using a citrus juicer instead of a vegetable juicer
  2. Stir in honey, turmeric, salt and pepper
  3. Sprinkle chia seeds on top
  4. Drink immediately
  5. Once you become a seasoned lemon juice veteran you may enjoy it served over ice for a refreshing summer beverage

Lemon Juice & Water

Not ready, or maybe not needing, to go “whole-lemon” into liver rejuvenation? That’s okay, but don’t underestimate the healing power of lemons! Drinking lemon-infused water daily is a great way to show your liver some love! There are LOTS of articles on the internet that discuss the incredible health and healing benefits of lemons and lemon water … so don’t hesitate to liven up your plain water with a squeeze or infusion of lemon.

Is it best to add lemon to cold, warm, or hot water?

A debate came up a while ago when I posted an old family-favorite cold remedy for Hot Lemon and Honey in the AIP Recipe Collection Group – “Doesn’t the vitamin C get destroyed in hot water?” So, in usual fashion, I went digging for information. Here’s what I learned: “Warm water helps extract Vitamin C and polyphenols from both the lemon and its peel. While vitamin C isn’t heat stable – meaning it can degrade once it reaches a certain temperature – even a boiling temperature isn’t hot enough to negate the fruit’s benefits.” You can read more about this topic here –  “The Right Way to Drink Lemon Water (For Maximum Benefits), According to a Nutritionist“

Encouragement Post: AIP & COVID-19

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

In light of the current situation with the COVID-19 / Coronavirus Pandemic I felt compelled to write a little encouragement post .. I think we could all use one about now. 

If you’re like me, you’re likely feeling a little overwhelmed, intimidated and on edge with all of the information that’s flooding your in-boxes, streaming across your T.V. screen and saturating every social media feed you subscribe to. So with that, I want to offer a little support and grounding. I’m not here to teach you how to wash your hands or tell you to stop hoarding toilet paper (I think you’re all big girls and boys and have plenty of access to information on these topics) … I’m here to encourage you and help you find gratitude as an AIPer. I know that sounds absolutely bonkers, but we honestly do have good reason to cheer and pat ourselves on the back at this point!
  1. We’re already concentrating on our health. Eating a clean diet and supporting our immune system is what we do on the AIP, so I’m looking at this as being ahead of the curve. (Score 1 for AIPers!)
  2. When you visit the grocery store there are lots of amazing foods that we’re already accustomed to using but others might be passing by (Hello cassava root, plantains, jicama, all varieties of sweet potatoes, kale, marrow bones, liver, offal, chicken necks, backs and feet … we love you and are happy to take you home and call you our own!)
  3. We’re already familiar with batch-cooking, meal prepping, freezer cooking and how to make things like bone broth so we can get the most out of our food budget, prepare in advance and not let precious ingredients go to waste .. everyone else has to figure that stuff out and come to grips with home-cooking. Meanwhile we just keep on keeping on .. and maybe even get to relax with a little self-care.
  4. As AIPers we’re already working on prioritizing stress reduction, sleep and appropriate exercise in our lives … again, we’re ahead of the curve as others are just now considering it might be a good idea to incorporate these things in an effort to stay healthy.
  5. Knowledge is power and as an AIPer I bet you have way more knowledge about how to support your immune system and specific condition than the average person does about how to avoid the common cold! We’re also aware of where we can find quality advice and information about how to protect ourselves, so we’re saving vital time and energy while others scramble to find answers. That’s win, win, win … so many I’m losing track!
  6. Quality ingredients and dedicated AIP products are readily available and are WAY healthier than the packaged “junk” that most people are out there stocking their pantries with (and we already know where to find them). We’re so very fortunate that so many creative AIPers have come before us and created such wonderful conveniences.
  7. Being anti-social is finally socially acceptable!  While I know it’s not healthy to isolate ourselves, we’re again in a position where we’re ahead of the curve … we could hibernate for months and not go stark raving mad like the rest of them will .. we’ve been in training for this for our AIP life! (I thought you could use a little humor – hope I wasn’t wrong)
  8. You’re here where you can be inspired daily to eat healthy and stick to your autoimmune healing goals and stay as healthy as possible! I’m grateful you’re here … it brings me joy to know that I’m helping others remain positive during difficult times and I hope you find health, healing and happiness in this group. 
While I could probably go on for a lot longer about reasons to have an attitude of gratitude, I’m going to move on to some practical tips ☺
  • RECIPES! You guessed it – don’t forget to use the group search in our AIP Recipe Collection Facebook Group – there are LOTS of AIP elimination stage recipes posted that will help you support your immune system, stay healthy or help you when you’re not feeling well. Use the group search for things like #undertheweather #sick #flu #cough, bone broth, etc. Instructions for how to use the group search can be found here.
  • GROCERIES – Yes, this may become a challenge in the days ahead, but there are many stores offering delivery or pick up options and even special hours for the elderly and those at risk (usually first thing in the morning after the store has been sanitized) – check your local area for what’s available. I also recommend checking Facebook Buy and Sell groups, there are some reputable farmers out there offering Grower’s vegetable boxes for delivery or pick up, and some are selling at road-side stands. Of course, Amazon is a great resource for a lot of pantry items as well.
  • ADVICE YOU CAN TRUST: NOTE –
    1) I trust Dr. Ballantyne’s Autoimmune Protocol and her advice on this situation so I simply want to share the article here for your knowledge without further discussion. “Natural Approaches to the Cold & Flu”  (UPDATE: Since writing this post in 2020, I’ve written my own blog post about strategies for “Navigating Cold & Flu Season on the AIP” – click here to read more)
    2) Autoimmune Wellness Podcast “COVID-19 Autoimmune Wellness Emergency Pod” and “How to AIP During a Pandemic”
    (NOTE: Just so as not to confuse anyone that may be new to the AIP – Not all of the suggestions in the podcast are 100% elimination stage AIP – these ladies are feeding others in their family that aren’t AIP and they’re promoting the idea that we can’t do the AIP perfectly during crisis times – do the best you can)
  • INSTAGRAM – You can follow my feed on Instagram for a different kind of motivation where I sometimes share photos of my own meals, motivation, self-care and stress-relief tips and more.
  • PRODUCTS & DISCOUNTS: Below is a list of our affiliate products, services and shops to help make your AIP life a little easier – especially in cases like this.  Online shopping is a wonderful way to help us avoid germs, and we can shop with confidence from our trusted partners who are working diligently to help us all stay healthy.
    I will add new discounts as offers come out – our partners are being kind and generous at this difficult time.

Stay safe, stay home and healthy everyone!

AIP Meals & Emergency Food :

Click on each company name to be redirected …

  • WILD ZORA
    Offering a BULK Shopping Offers to help you stock your pantry with their shelf-stable AIP Compliant products at a discounted rate AND free shipping!
    THEN look for the 2 week AIP Freeze-Dried Food Box
    COUPON CODE: ZORAFAM15 saves 15% (doesn’t apply to bulk boxes)
  • SERENITY FOODS
    Shelf-stable, Nutrient dense, top-quality baby food (meats, veg and fruits) in pouches (they have a recycling program for pouches)! Suitable for adults, kids, babies and even pets! Almost all are AIP elimination stage!

Subscriptions :

  • BUTCHERBOX
    Subscription Offers Here / One-Time Gift Boxes Here
    Quality meat you don’t need to leave your house for!
  • REAL PLANS 
    Completely customizable to AIP and additional food sensitivities! Helpful for planning to use your supplies and resources wisely with leftovers. *Since COVID-19 struck, RealPlans has added a lot of new features to the app to help us plan our meals even when we have limited supplies.*
  • truLOCAL
    Truly locally Sourced Canadian Meat! That means you’re supporting YOUR LOCAL farmers! 
  • EXERCISE – BIG NEWS COMING SOON!
    After a long search for amazing resources to help my followers, I’ll be providing information here about a program I highly recommend for those struggling with chronic illness and movement that won’t make you feel worse.

Multi-Product Shops :

  • AIP STOREFRONTS ON AMAZON – I have everything categorized to make your life easier! 
  • PIQUE TEA
    Top Quality Toxin Free Tea! Be sure to watch ingredients, avoid adaptogenic blends – see my post in the Announcements section for more on Pique Tea
  • CASA DE SANTE
    Low FODMAP seasonings

Decadent Treats :

Supplements:

While eating a nutrient dense diet is our goal and best way to get our nutrients, you may be looking for brands you can trust for supplementation.
  • PERFECT SUPPLEMENTS – Looking for quality supplements? Here’s a company I trust personally
    Coupon Code: AIP10 Saves 10% off every brand or upto 35% off Perfect Brand Products
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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.

EXERCISE – BIG NEWS COMING SOON!
After a long search for amazing resources to help my followers, I’ll be providing information here about a program I highly recommend for those struggling with chronic illness and movement that won’t make you feel worse.
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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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Why Choose Pique Tea

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

Your Secret Weapon for Gut Health – Pique Tea Crystals

If you haven’t heard of Pique yet, or you’re a little confused about why I’d consider promoting tea while for those on the AIP, allow me to explain.

  • First of all, black and green tea (read my post about Matcha vs. green tea here on the blog) are allowed in moderation during the initial elimination stage of the Autoimmune Protocol
  • Secondly, finding quality beverage options on the AIP can be a challenge. Sure we may find some good herbal, green or black tea options on the market, but often times they’re not as pure as we might think. Some are laden with pesticides, toxins and artificial flavors, additives and even gluten!
  • Pique Tea crystals are free of sugar, grains, dairy, gluten, artificial additives and fillers.
  • Pique Tea is TOP QUALITY and TRIPLE TOXIN SCREENED for pesticides, heavy metals and mold (all things that those with autoimmune disorders have to watch out for)!  Pique Tea contains TWELVE TIMES the antioxidants of regular tea in tea bags … that means WAY more healing power!

Gut Health:

When it comes to autoimmune disease, you’ve likely heard it over and over again that immunity starts in the gut, and without a healthy gut, it’s pretty much impossible to start healing.

Your gut contains over 100 trillion bacteria that play a vital role in your overall health. It controls 80% of your immune system, mood, metabolism and more.

Since we’re trying to heal our gut, it won’t surprise you to hear me say that Quality Matters – not just of the tea itself, but in the delivery method – so you’re not going to want to drink just any old tea!

Did you know that a recent study found that those silky, fancier-looking tea bags/sachets release approximately 11.6 billion microplastics in a single cup of tea!  Crazy, right!? How about paper tea bags? Well, they can be a problem too because of the chemicals used to keep them from breaking apart (aka glue). 

Pique checks all the boxes again – no bags, just powders!

Recommendations:

Not only have I done my own research about Pique Tea and tried it myself (BTW, it’s delicious and so convenient – soluble in hot or cold water, no bags, no loose tea and tea ball messes – just convenient single serving completely dissolvable tea crystals in packages you can take with you anywhere!), I HIGHLY trust the opinion and advice of Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, The Paleo Mom who’s the expert behind the science of the AIP. She has this to say about Pique Tea:

“There’s emerging evidence that tea polyphenols can improve your gut microbiome by supporting the growth of probiotic strains like Lactobacillus and suppressing the growth of pathogenic bacteria like C. difficile, even reversing obesity-related changes in the microbiome caused by high-fat diets!

But, not all teas are created equal – Pique Tea delivers up to 12X the antioxidants of regular teas and are also triple toxin screened! That’s why I am absolutely in love with the superior quality and taste of Pique Tea!”

You Get What You Pay For:

As you might expect, top quality tea with this kind of healing power doesn’t come at bargain brand prices, but you can save with bundles, collections and purchases of 5 boxes or more.

Important Note:  Not all Pique tea varieties are suitable for the AIP Elimination Stage (and Pique is continually adding new products), so keep an eye on this – stick to herbal offerings: things like Mint, Ginger, Hibiscus, Oolong and Rooibos  and watch out for adaptogens like Chaga, Reishi and fermented teas to name a few (these might not be right for you during eliminations, but they’re great options to add as you reintroduce more foods and beverages back into your life).

Learn more about our affiliates at Pique Tea on their website – click here – and read additional testimonials from the health experts. 

Your Health Is Worth It!

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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

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 15% off with code: ZORAFAM15 (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! 

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. ❤

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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.