Incredible 3 month before and after pics!

[Nunezhall]

3 months ago today I started a diet called the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) to help address my physical and mental health issues. I'd tried the NHS Apple & Pears programme but gained weight and got sicker following it. AIP is an elimination / provocation diet based on paleo. What followed was incredible. Here's my success story so far and I thought I'd share a couple of before and after photos as the transformation is astonishing! The headlines:

- Well over 3 stone (50Ib) lost

- Over 50 symptoms in remission

- All psychiatric symptoms gone (I had been misdiagnosed with bipolar)

- All neurological issues in remission

- Fatty liver healed and I've been discharged by my consultant

- Body hair growing back and circular improving

- So much more energy

- Fibromyalgia completely gone

- Started new job after 5 years part time & unemployed

- I'm super happy and life has restarted!

The body is an amazing self-healing machine - all it needs is the right food. If I can do this anyone can.

[EllaMidlands]

That's amazing! You look so different. I follow a diet that is basically paleo too although I do have some dairy to keep my calcium levels up. Keep going, you look brilliant!!

[IndigoBlue61]

Hello and welcome to the forum 😊 You are looking very healthy, slim and well, just proof that the right eating plan is key 😊

[nightmare1]

Wow that's such a good achievement

[Ceals]

Wow! You look amazing and what a shed load of health improvements you have described. What an amazing health team to get you onto this diet that I have never heard of before. Just proves what a vital part of our lives our food is.

Do you think there was a food in particular, or a few foods that Helped?

An inspirational and motivational story, thank you for sharing.

[Nunezhall in reply to Ceals]

That's the amazing thing - I did this alone, no doctor or specialists, no dieticians or books. All it took was my own research and the advice and support of a patient support group for people with hypothyroidism.

My doctors were baffled and, to be frank, useless. I don't think doctors know half as much as we think they do.

As for a particular food that helped - it's the opposite. Gluten makes the gut leak (see extensive research from Fassano et al at Mass General) and I also have a food intolerance, as yet undiagnosed, which I've eliminated on this diet. Both of these factors along with a genetic predisposition led to autoimmunity. I'll reintroduce foods slowly until I find the one that's made me sick while staying gluten free for life.

[Ceals in reply to Nunezhall]

I have found a couple of interesting websites since your post. One of my son's has lots of food/digestion issue and I am always on the lookout for anything that might help. I will certainly be trying this. He had already cut out gluten and is lactose intolerant, uses the FODMAP diet and gets some relief but this might just help-well worth a try.

Thank you for posting this on here. Food for thought-if that isn't the worst pun in the world!

[Nunezhall in reply to Ceals]

I did FODMAP a few years ago to try and identify what was causing my gut issues, but it didn't help me find what was triggering my overactive immune system to attack my own cells. AIP is a similar diet but it's designed to elimate foods that trigger autoimmunity and the criteria for tracking symptoms is a little different. It's not quite as restrictive as FODMAP as you can eat fructans in onion and garlic for example.

[Ceals in reply to Nunezhall]

Thanks Nunezhall I had noticed some differences with FODMAPS. Unfortunately he can't tolerate onions or garlic. Maybe that will improve if we can get his gut healthier.

Here's hoping!

[Elke516]

Congratulations, what an amazing achievement!

[Hidden]

Fantastic you look like a different person well done

[Hidden]

A truly amazing and inspirational post. Thank you for sharing and I'm sure you'll be a great help to many 😊

[Hlb82]

Congratulations! The positivity within you is fantastic. Wishing you continued health and happiness x

[lucigret]

Wow, you have done so well, congratulations. You obviously feel so much better as well. That is really inspiring.

[Bong1968]

Congratulations! That's impressive! I admire the fact that you have succeeded in getting to the bottom of the issues causing your symptoms and it has paid off so well. I too am rather cynical of some healthcare practitioners. I feel that they don't have the time to dedicate, or maybe inclination, in finding the root cause and just treat the symptoms. It's frustrating to be palmed off with a prescription when you know it's not going to help. Your post shows that with determination and perseverance huge results can be achieved. 🏆

[Nunezhall in reply to Bong1968]

Thank you. Getting to my root cause has been a long and difficult process. Modern medical practitioners just aren't equipped to deal with cases like mine so I've done this on my own. I've managed to put around 60 symptoms into remission and I'm still impressed improving. I've lost another 5kg since this post!

[Bong1968]

Goodness! No wonder you look so healthy and happy in the photos! There's some truly horrible immune suppressant medication out there (I had anaphylactic shock off of one..) that I bet it's a relief to be free of it all. Amazing what research into diet can reveal. You've got yourself a healthy future to look forward to!

[Penel]

For anyone interested in finding out more about AIP diets I would recommend looking at Sarah Ballantyne's book or her blog PaleoMom.

thepaleomom.com

[Nunezhall in reply to Penel]

Her blog is excellent. I got all the support and information I needed from the Hashimoto's 411 Facebook group. It's a 60,000+ member group and is the best run group I've ever seen.I can highly recommend it: facebook.com/groups/hashimo...

[annabella71 Visitor]

Congrats! You look great and it's wonderful that your health has improved so much.