When your diet contains healthy foods, your body eventually gives you a positive result. Foods we consume today contain additives, preservatives, and other chemicals that lead to various complications in our system. These food items can also damage our intestines and allow some food particles to enter the body directly. Our immune system gets triggered by these food particles and by itself leads to an autoimmune condition. In the autoimmune protocol diet, only foods that do not cause any harm to our body are allowed to be eaten. After the immune system resets to a normal condition, other foods can be gradually added to this diet. The autoimmune protocol diet is considered to be an extension of the paleo diet. Since the paleo diet and the autoimmune diet has got a lot of similarities in them.
What is an Autoimmune Protocol Diet?
The autoimmune protocol diet aims to cut off foods that cause inflammation in the gut region, thereby resetting your immune system. The diet mainly consists of foods that provide energy and requisite vitamins. This diet could be applied for a short period, as well as for a long-term lifestyle. Autoimmune diseases affect the immune system and also damages our healthy cells.
Foods to eat:
The autoimmune protocol diet promotes the consumption of a lot of vegetables and meat.
- Coconut products,
- Olive oil,
- Vinegar,
- Unrefined salts,
- Fermented foods,
- Herbs,
- Honey,
- Grass-fed beef,
- High-quality plates of seafood rich in Omega-3 fatty acids,
- Green tea and black tea.
Foods to avoid:
The autoimmune protocol diet allows you to eat only restricted foods and therefore you should neglect the intake of the other foods. When you strict the limitation of the foods, make sure you do not fall into nutrition deficiency. Some foods to avoid when you are on an autoimmune diet is listed:
- Dairy products,
- Grains,
- Peanuts, soy, beans, and other legumes,
- Vegetable oil,
- Processed food,
- Eggs,
- Nuts,
- Butter, and ghee,
- Nightshade vegetables like the tomatoes,
- Artificial sweeteners,
- Refined sugar,
Alcohol and painkillers should be strictly avoided as it hinders the action of the immune system.
Adding on other foods:
The main aim of this diet is to restrict the foods that irritate the gut, reduce inflammation, heal ulcers, and other abnormalities, and thus protects the digestive system. Once your immune system is reset, you can start adding your favorite foods to this diet. To this effect, the autoimmune protocol diet is so tolerant that it allows you to eat new foods gradually. You are allowed to take one new food once a week and watch for the reaction you have towards it. If you find any adverse effect, you can eliminate it from your diet.
How Does it Work?
The autoimmune protocol diet mainly aims at consuming foods that are rich in nutrients which correct any deficiency or imbalance in the immune system. The gut health also is been taken care of by this diet, as foods that cause irritation to the lining of the intestine are avoided. What we eat, and how much we eat, has an effect on a variety of hormones, which interact with the immune system. When we eat too many sugary foods or eat a heavy meal these hormones are not regulated, which has a direct and detrimental impact on the immune system. Thus, this diet plays a vital role in regulating the hormones in the body.
Repairs your gut:
There may be small holes in your intestine caused by some foods that you intake. As a result, some food particles get released into your body and activate the immune system, to fight against these food particles. Hence, the autoimmune protocol diet provides you foods, which can help in repairing your intestine. This diet does not prove to improve the immune conditions but helps in mending in your gut and indirectly subdues the symptoms of autoimmune conditions.
Who can Follow This Diet?
People who have autoimmune conditions are recommended to follow this diet. The autoimmune protocol diet resets your immune system, by avoiding the consumption of foods that damage your intestine. The autoimmune condition is more prevalent in contemporary times. It has been estimated that over 50 million people in the United States are having an autoimmune system, and hence it is referred to as an epidemic. The autoimmune conditions cannot be cured fully, but following an autoimmune diet, can suppress its symptoms.
Other Measures to Reduce Symptoms of Autoimmune Conditions:
Modern medicines also reduce the autoimmune conditions but other symptoms like daily joint pain, brain fog, and fatigue are seen. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle would help you reduce these autoimmune conditions like lupus and Crohn’s disease. Thus, some of these healthy practices, you should meticulously follow which would help you suppress the autoimmune symptoms:
- Have a proper sleep of at least 8 hours per day.
- Manage your stress.
- Stay happy and set apart some time for your hobbies.
Rheumatic arthritis:
Rheumatic arthritis can be due to genetic and environmental factors. Some changes that take place in the immune system, have also been found to cause rheumatic arthritis. It cannot be cured fully, and you may have to live with it, but its symptoms can be reduced by following the autoimmune protocol diet.
Everyone would not require the autoimmune protocol diet. However, if you are able to find an autoimmune condition in your body by the foods you eat, you are welcomed to follow this diet. It would be hard to stick to an autoimmune protocol diet since it restricts most of the foods. You can also consume some foods, which though as hard for you to leave, still, would be able to get favorable results. The altered autoimmune protocol diet should not contain high-fat content in it. But, if your body shows a negative response towards a particular food it is better to discard it from your diet. A dietician would be able to assist you with this process.
