My Progress on the Autoimmune Protocol

It probably goes without saying, based on the recipes I’ve been posting recently, that I’ve fallen off the autoimmune protocol (AIP) wagon as of late.

How this started, I’m not really sure. I think one little lapse turned into a bunch of little lapses and before I knew it I was totally off track. Perhaps part of the reason for this is that I didn’t feel any different when I was strictly following the AIP. I was so hopeful that my foot pain would subside, at least a little bit, but it did not. It’s hard to be so restrictive, to feel that you’re missing out on so much, and not feel any benefit. And as for my Crohn’s symptoms, I’ve been feeling so well in that regard for such a long time that I genuinely forget I have the disease sometimes. I do not take this lightly and consider myself truly blessed in this area.

I am still following a paleo template diet (see The Paleo Cure by Chris Kresser for an explanation of paleo template) almost 100% of the time, but I am eating small amounts of eggs, nuts, and sometimes even dairy on an almost daily basis and very occasionally some nightshades. I even have coffee on occasion. Just today I had my annual Starbucks Peppermint Mocha. This may require turning in my paleo card permanently.

How do I feel about all of this? I think I should feel guilty or maybe just sick, but the truth is, I don’t. Maybe disappointed in myself? Like I’ve failed at something?

It’s a hard line between being too permissive and being too strict. I know myself well enough to know that I cannot live under the guidelines of not being able to EVER eat certain foods. Gluten being the singular exception to that. I know that gluten does terrible things to my body and frankly, it’s so easy to avoid these days, that I really don’t have to think about that one anymore.

Food is such a big part of our culture, our family time, our traditions. It would be hard to celebrate Christmas without some of these cookies I’ve been working on. If I stick to the way I should be eating for optimal health 99% of the day, then have one of my paleo cookies for dessert, I feel ok about that. Mentally and physically. This works for me.

Come January, I will join the masses of “New Year’s Resolution” folks who make a pledge to eat a certain way. I will hop back on the AIP bandwagon and stick to it strictly for several months and then in a very systematic way, begin to add foods back in and see how my body reacts.

How do you handle falling off the AIP wagon? Do you hop back on quickly or like me, do you just give yourself permission to be off for a while?

I will have more cookie recipes coming soon, but for now, I’m giving you one of my favorite, easy dinners: oven “fried” chicken thighs, baked sweet potatoes, gravy and steamed broccoli. Everyone in my family loves this and it’s totally AIP approved. Plus it’s quick and easy. I think you all know how to steam broccoli and bake a potato, but the chicken and gravy recipes will be in a separate post.

I wish you well, whether you’re on the wagon or off right now.