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Have you read countless blogs and posts where the author dishes on how fabulous the AIP diet has been for them, only to frustrate you more because this hasn't happened for you?
Have you followed the AIP diet and then further restricted your diet even more (low FODMAPS, GAPS, SCD) only to realize that this diet plan is truly not working for you either?
There are lots of resources out there pointing to why the AIP diet is not working for you.
These direct you to ideas that you may not be eating enough seafood, liver, bone broth, or vegetables. Have you tried all of this stuff only to become even more upset with your lack of progress? How many more expectations can you place on yourself?
The AIP diet prides itself on not being just a food focused diet. Exercise, self care, meditation, and self love all are important elements of this diet. Have you dedicated a potion of your life towards this, with some progress mentally but still not feeling like your belly is happy? Did you reduce your work hours, eliminate stressors, add more meditation, and read countless books about self care and/or love?
I am a recovering perfectionist, much similar to many others out there who are suffering from autoimmune diseases. I jumped right in to the AIP diet, excited for a new "cure," because it really seemed to make sense.
(Take this survey on the relationship between personality and autoimmune disease.)
Other AIP-ers discuss how they see progress right away (don't you wish) or how it took several months (wouldn't that be nice!)
I had been on a long health highway prior to going AIP/paleo. Many years ago, I initially began incorporating a whole foods/clean eating style diet, then I moved on to dairy free/soy free/ wheat(gluten) free world. Then my lifestyle transitioned to grain free, to legume free, and finally ended on the AIP diet, somewhat combined with low fodmaps.
Where I unfortunately landed was feeling somewhat more bloated, which then lead me to being diagnosed with SIBO. Along with this I was given several other diagnoses on top of my Hashimoto's, including high in heavy metals, MTHFR mutation, and I'm sure I'm forgetting something else as well.
I was losing weight, which was nice, but I was not gaining health. I wish I stopped listening to the nutritionist and listened more to my own gut, which was getting more and more unruly.
I am not at all blaming the AIP diet for my poor health, or the AIP bloggers that I still follow on Instagram today, nor my nutritionist, nor myself for that matter. I still follow a majority of the principles of the diet today as I am trying to become more in tune with what my body needs (still to be determined.)
Once I received the diagnosis of having a co-infection of parasites, I realized that it wasn't just about my diet any longer. I was able to release the heavy burden on my body that it was my fault that I wasn't getting better, that I wasn't doing the diet "good enough", that I wasn't doing the lifestyle piece "hard enough." I realized the reason why I couldn't listen to my body prior to this was because I wasn't able to hear the messages my body was trying to give me. Those excess parasites were blocking the messages!
When I was on the AIP diet, my body never even started feeling near right enough, to even start a re-introduction, and when I thought it was ready, it would freak out on foods that had never given me trouble before. I started thinking that everything I was eating was giving me some sort of reaction. Since I was blessed with the co-infection, my body could not send me the appropriate signals that maybe I shouldn't eat this or that, because those darn parasites never allowed me to feel nice!
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It's been a total of 4 months since starting my Parasite Protocol and I am amazed with how different I feel compared to even 2 months ago. Of course, I still have my ups and downs, but I know now that I am truly healing. For the first time in years, my thyroid panel is looking close to normal (still with natural thryroid medication), I am sleeping more soundly, and the biggest news is that my stomach no longer aches or pains on a daily basis. This is huge and I was starting to have little hope that this would be possible.
So, I hope that all you AIP or Paleo dieters out there, who have been immersed in the lifestyle for awhile, but who are still struggling to feel better, stop blaming yourself and start investigating the root cause.
Need more resources? AIP Lifestyle
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