Whole30, Paleo, AIP Diet

[Shaysuekirk]

Has anyone tried these and seen improvements? We are looking at trying Whole30. For chronic conditions, it mentions that it could take longer than 30 days and more like 3-6 months. It's a big change in food. Would love to hear from anyone else with results - good, bad or neutral.

[PMRpro]

I googled it - never having heard of it. Wiki says "It was selected as one of the worst health trends for 2013 by Health Magazine.". Now I don't know how good Health Magazine is...

You might find this interesting: thekitchn.com/i-tried-whole...

and in the comments is this link to a blogger who DIDN'T do it! planestrainsandrunningshoes...

However - any diet you decide to adopt needs to be something you can cope with in every sense. This sounds like hard work and needs a LOT of planning according to the first blog. And it REALLY has no logic - as the second blogger says. Though at least it does allow for a reintroduction of the banned foods one by one - so YOU can identify what isn't good for YOU.

I think there is someone on the forum doing the AIP. I know someone who did it for a couple of months - and said she felt great (she has some form of inflammatory arthritis/vasculitis, rheumy has no idea what) but couldn't manage it long term as she found it too exclusive.

The concept in all of them of restricting processed foods and carbs is bound to make a difference to anyone who ate rubbish before. But is it essential for it to work? I doubt it myself. I eat low carb - I take pred and it helps avoid weight gain for me. I don't find it difficult - but then, I'm not born again about it. If I fancy an icecream or a pizza, I have it - and don't beat myself up about it. I just don't have pizza for another coupe of months. Gelato? That's a bit different...

[SjogiBear]

Never heard of the first I'm afraid although I've been reading up about the AIP diet as some people seem to swear by it. I don't think I am disciplined to go the whole way though especially as I have menfolk to cater for who would not play ball. I did go gluten free a few years ago that helped a great deal with some of the digestive issues that I had and I try to eat lots of vegetables and fruit - organic wherever possible. I am also careful what I use in my home environment such as cleaning materials and toiletries.

Extreme diets of any kind are not generally thought to be a great idea but eating healthily can only be a good thing. By doing something like changing eating habits it gives us back a sense of control when we have a chronic condition that is out of our control and that can be extremely beneficial to us psychologically as well as physiologically.

[Treetop33]

I'm doing AIP, which sounds quite similar. I do feel significantly better, but that could also be the meds. It's totally knocked the Gerd on the head, which is good. And I'm sleeping better.

I think hardcore diets are a good way to deal with the food environment and my suspicion is I don't deal with sugar very well. AIP has taught me a lot about food and lifestyle (lifestyle is important, and eating high density nutrients is also important), so while I'll start adding stuff back in, I don't imagine I'll take up my bad habits again, like reaching for chocolate and dairy and drinking too much. Low carb is good, too, for stopping the Pred weight gain. You need a good cookbook though. I've recommended one elsewhere on this forum, plus anther which explains the science.

The only thing I don't like is the amount of meat you eat with Paleo. I think we should in general be cutting down on meat consumption not increasing it, for the good of the planet and all. Plus it's hard in the UK to find good quality produce (grass fed meat???). So I'd like to move to a version of the diet where I can eat legumes i.e. more Paleo than AIP.

My understand is that you continue the diet until you feel better. That's pretty tough with Lupus, because it's all up and down. I'm going to continue until my next set of blood tests.

[Hidden in reply to Treetop33]

I agree with everything you say Treetop. My experience has been similar - only for Sjögren's rather than Lupus. X

[SjogiBear in reply to Treetop33]

Really interested to hear your experience, especially that it's helped your GERD. I've recently been diagnosed with LRP (silent reflux) so it's helpful to know that the AIP can make a real difference. I've just ordered the Autoimmune Wellness Handbook and I have a recipe book for Mediterranean Paleo. I think I will have to find my own version after perhaps doing the 30 day elimination phase - like you, I really don't want to be eating the volumes of meat they advocate. I do need to cut out as much sugar and dairy as possible as I suspect they are causing me problems - the latter would be a huge step as I love dairy products I'd gladly do it if I could sleep better and feel healthier though!

[Treetop33 in reply to SjogiBear]

I find 'The Healing Kitchen' a really good cookbook too for AIP. Very simple and quick recipes. I find using mince makes the meat eating go down a bit easier, plus using Great Lakes Collagen Hydrolysate (the green one) for great protein smoothies. I'm as sparse as possible, mixing meat with loads of veg.

My Gerd was initially helped by having a gluten free, low carb diet (and also cutting out coffee and tomatoes), so identifying irritating foodstuffs is a good way to go because you can be sure it isn't doing you any good. I unfortunately kept on relapsing, silly me, even though I had an inkling my body was acting up!

Hindsight is a great thing....

[Cann]

I have never heard of it. I eat a diet that suits me. I reckon no-one can design a diet that fits someone else.

We are all different and the body changes all the time depending on what we are doing; what exercise we do; what stresses we are under no matter what level that be on - physical mental emotional or spiritual, etc. and we all need to find out what is right for us.

Eating a variety of whole food, organic where possible must be the best; after all we weren't intended to eat chemical additives and preservatives or junk food.

I haven't found one diet that suits me completely; I just eat the way I do - learnt from muscle testing to find out what my body needs and can take at that time. Eating this way helped me to recover from serious illness that has left me very sensitive to many of man's hideous ideas and actions.

[SjogiBear in reply to Cann]

I think you are right in that ideally we need a diet personalised to ourselves. I do find that if I eat something full of sugar and fats I feel it almost immediately with an increased heart rate. I should really listen to my body!

[Cann in reply to SjogiBear]

Hopefully, you can do that, SjogiBear and I am sure it will help you.

[Hidden]

I'm with all the commentators. I did follow the AIP diet for 5 weeks to the letter and have reintroduced certain foods. At no point has this diet made any difference whatsoever to my Sjögren's symptoms - but it has helped me lose much weight at least.

My main digestive symptoms remain however and, to be honest, I think a lot of these diets are faddish and I think we have to just follow our noses and try to avoid additives, refined food and for me personally, gluten and dairy are no no's.

[Cann in reply to Hidden]

Like you, Twitchytoes, I know I must avoid gluten and dairy.

[elizabethanera]

Love the pictures of your faithful friend!!xx

[mandypops]

I've been on Paleo for the last few weeks, and feel really good. I never feel hungry and have lost 7 lbs !! It's just healthy eating, cutting out many things our bodies don't need, and increasing highly nutritious foods to fuel our bodies. I'm sure being better nourished can only be good for us, and it doesn't mean that you eat loads of meat like the Atkins diet. I don't eat beef or lamb anyway, and now have more fish. Also I'm going to try vitamin B12 mouth spray as apparently most lupus sufferers are low in this ( and vit D ) although are still within the guideline range. There's loads of Paleo recipes and ideas on the Internet, I don't find it a problem at all.

[Shaysuekirk in reply to mandypops]

I'm trying to start moving in the right direction. So many things that I can improve. We are trying ghee, bone broth and just more whole/less processed foods! That one is tough when you have 4 kids and are in a hurry!

[mandypops in reply to Shaysuekirk]

Must be tough, but your kids will be healthier too in the long term, and learn a lot about healthy eating. Keep going with it and I hope you soon feel the improvement in your health.

[Twinkle_12]

The AIP diet has radically improved my life. I have lost three stone and my Lupus, Sjogrens and RA have dramatically improved. I was an athlete before I got sick and am a qualified (not practising) nutritionist so I have always eaten pretty well. I think that cutting out the inflammatory foodstuffs has helped me hugely. I also switched to organic skincare, washing powder etc and the reduction of 'toxic load' helps too. Good luck!

[mandypops in reply to Twinkle_12]

I also now only use organic skincare and natural cleaning products, mostly making my own now. I admit I'm a bit fanatical about it , but I think we do have to help ourselves the best we can, I don't want to be taking medication forever. I think the AIP would be too restrictive for me just at the moment but I'm surprised how easy I'm finding Paleo. All the best and very well done with the weight loss 😀