10 Nov Why the Autoimmune Protocol?
Before I discovered the Autoimmune Protocol, I had tried everything to free myself from the shackles of my disease.
I meditated, exercised, learned different healing modalities, tried different supplements, but I never had a clear, well-paced plan of action. I tried to do everything at once – not to mention, all by myself – and it was exhausting.
I didn’t want to ask for help because I thought it would deny my power. At the same time, I felt like I couldn’t slow down because there was just SO MUCH to do for my kids, my household, and my business. So I suffered in silence and fought my uphill battle alone – that is, until I found the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP).
The best thing about the AIP is that it gave me back my agency: it allowed me to regain control of my body, my health, and my life. But it took accepting the fact that I couldn’t face this challenge alone. Part of my protocol was building a support network of women who could give me strength and empathize with my struggle on this healing journey. I soon realized that asking for help reaffirmed – rather than denied – my inner power.
So, are you ready to take the reins and regain control of your life?
Well, first let’s take a look at what the Autoimmune Protocol actually is.
What is AIP anyway?
Most people think that autoimmune disease is100% genetic, but research suggests that about two thirds of cases are triggered by environmental factors like diet and lifestyle. Two thirds!
Now, that statistic might sound scary because it means that anyone could develop an autoimmune disorder. But it can also be incredibly empowering because this means that anyone can take control of their diet and lifestyle to change their condition. AIP helps you do exactly that.
The Autoimmune Protocol is a diet that seeks to reduce inflammation, fatigue, pain, and other symptoms of autoimmune diseases like Hashimoto’s, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, and lupus. Now you might be thinking: How can a diet help with my autoimmune? I thought that had to do with, you know, the immune system…
Well, here’s how it works: all foods contain beneficial and harmful compounds. While the beneficial compounds give our bodies the nourishment it needs, detrimental compounds can cause inflammation, leaky gut, and other negative side effects. So, some foods are inherently healthier (and less inflammatory) than others. But on top of that, every body responds to certain foods differently.
To figure out which foods might be holding you back from becoming your healthiest, happiest self, we eliminate inflammatory foods (which tend to be problematic) from your diet. This includes grains, nuts, nightshades, sugar, alcohol, and dairy products to name a few. By avoiding these foods for an extended period (I’d recommend at least 30 days) you allow your immune system to “reset” and your body to flush out the toxins that are weighing you down.
Next, we start gradually reintroducing some of these nutrient dense yet problematic foods according to a strict plan and take scrupulous notes on the changes you see in your body and brain functions. You’ll find that some “problem foods” don’t impact you much, where others should probably be cut out of your diet altogether.
To sum it all up, you can begin your total lifestyle transformation with just a few simple steps:
- Eliminate: We eliminate common “problem foods” from your diet for a sustained period to allow your immune system to reset.
- Test: We gradually and strategically reintroduce foods to your diet to test which trigger an immune response.
- Tailor: We take note of which foods cause trouble, then design a diet that excludes those triggering foods and sustains your unique immune system so you can step into your fullest potential!
By coupling this diet with exercise, meditation, sleep, stress management, and other attainable lifestyle changes, we can design a protocol that is tailored uniquely to your physical, emotional, and spiritual needs.
But does it work?
The simple answer is yes – for most people.
I won’t bore you with recaps of all the scientific studies though if you’re a nerd like me and love reading that kind of stuff, you can find one study on the benefits of AIP for IBD here, and another on AIP’s efficacy in treating Hashimoto’s thyroiditis here.
I can also say that AIP had a profound impact on my life. Before I created my own, unique protocol, I struggled to get out of bed in the mornings. I had to use both arms to practically drag myself up the stairs. I had lost the ability to do the things I loved and I felt defeated for it. Now I can proudly say that I feel empowered, fulfilled, and driven to make a difference in the world because I found renewed energy buried deep inside myself.
I make no claims that the Autoimmune Protocol will work for everyone, but it has certainly helped to start many of my clients on their healing journey. Let’s see if it works for you.
You don’t have to go it alone
I talk to women regularly who have tried this diet and failed again and again because they were trying to go it alone. While there is a lot of information out there on the AIP diet, it is a complex protocol and can be difficult to sustain if you don’t have the guidance of someone who’s been through it all before.
Working with a health coach is like hiring an architect to help design your house. You have a vision of what you want your home to look like. You’ve picked out the wood flooring, the windows, and the paint. But you don’t know the first thing about construction. You begin to feel overwhelmed by all the little things that have to be done to ensure your home doesn’t come crashing down around you. A health coach can translate your vision into a blueprint, along with step by step instructions for how to build the home of your dreams. The architect can’t do all the work for you, but they can offer advice and hold your hand through it all.
Even if you don’t hire a health coach, it’s essential to build a support network. Research shows that social connection and a sense of belonging is critical to not only our emotional health, but our physical health too! Luckily, I’ve already built a community of empowered and deeply empathetic women who are also grappling with autoimmune. I invite you to join us.
Join the Facebook group and get the support you need to reclaim agency in your life so you can heal and thrive!
To learn more about the services and programs I offer, simply click here.
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