Emily T Posted January 19, 2014 Share Posted January 19, 2014 I don't have an autoimmune disease but am trying the AIP as an experiment to see if it will help clear up some problems that I believe are associated with leaky gut. I've completed 1.5 whole30s - the first in August 2012, and the second started January 1 of this year. I decided to go off of it in favor of the AIP. The level of restriction is such that I am not concerned about trace amounts of sugar in food, hence why I am over in this forum. To recap, the AIP is the same as paleo with added restrictions: No grains, legumes, soy, dairy, alcohol, or processed foods, plus no nightshades, nuts, seeds (including spices from seeds, such as cumin), and eggs. For the time being I am also eliminating pepper. I am quite sure I have no problem with dairy products (THANK GOD) - after my last whole30, yogurt returned me to "regularity." When I did a modified whole30 in November, I included yogurt and never became constipated (I maintained the other restrictions). After becoming severely constipated this time, I can only assume it was the elimination of yogurt that caused my constipation. As such, I am reintroducing yogurt tomorrow morning (which will be day 3). Fingers crossed this elimination will help me to heal and identify what foods are triggering my variety of issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 19, 2014 Author Share Posted January 19, 2014 Onto the food logging: Day 1: Breakfast - Skipped it, still feeling queasy from the day before Lunch - Chicken (cooked in oil and maple balsamic), avocado, and bacon with mesclun greens, tossed with EVOO and vinegar; applesauce with cinnamon Dinner - Marinated flank steak (ginger, garlic, coconut aminos, lemon juice, salt, olive oil) cooked in ghee; roasted root vegetables (squash, carrots, parsnips, garlic, rosemary, salt, olive oil); an apple Supplements: Digestive enzymes, probiotics, aloe vera, zinc Day 2: Breakfast - Robb Wolf's grain free paleo stuffing adapted for Whole30/AIP: I swapped out apple cider for wine, omitted the eggs, and used crispy bacon instead of pecans. I also added cranberries. Lunch - Leftover marinated flank steak, roasted root vegetables, applesauce Dinner - More stuffing, a little mixed greens with balsamic and vinegar, apple Supplements: Digestive enzymes, aloe vera, zinc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Emily - I really hope the AIP is going to get you some answers. Continuing with what wasn't working doesn't make sense. That is a lot of restriction though. Hopefully you'll be able to refine the problem spots to a couple of items! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 20, 2014 Author Share Posted January 20, 2014 Thanks, Sara. I think it might be helping already (I am afraid to say it is and jinx it!) - I am at least not having allergic reactions (stuff nose, puffy face) at the moment. Progress! This morning I had yogurt with breakfast. Fingers crossed there is no reaction or anything - if there is, its something newly developed. I am not concerned about digestive problems, but rather I am worried that with all my new immune reactions, that yogurt could cause a weird allergic response. I really, really want my yogurt! Day 3 Breakfast - Robb Wolf's grain free paleo stuffing adapted for Whole30/AIP; whole milk grass fed yogurt with homemade raspberry preserves Lunch - AIP friendly "curried" chicken salad: chicken, coconut milk, olive oil, garlic, turmeric, ginger, onions, raisins, over mixed greens Snack - Banana Dinner - Carrot ginger soup (carrots, coconut milk, coconut oil, onion, ginger, garlic) topped with shredded chicken and avocado Supplements: bone broth, aloe vera, digestive enzymes, probiotics At the end of the day, I am still not sure about the yogurt. I've had a rumbling tummy all day, but that started right after lunch, so its hard to tell if its the yogurt. I got slightly gassy after lunch but my guess is that is the raw onion in chicken salad. I think I might start cooking my onions to eliminate that as a cause of troubles going forward. I suppose this is why you are supposed to wait to introduce things though (duh). I am considering freezing the yogurt (I hate to waste it) - I will avoid tomorrow and eat the exact same diet to see if I feel any different. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek` Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Emily, Nice to see you over here again I hadn't really seen your posts in the W30 log forum. Best wishes with the aip. Hoping it goes well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Emily - I swear every time I say my regularity issues are getting better, I have issues immediately. The hairy-eyeball jinx! But I'm glad you are feeling better. Fingers crossed on the yogurt... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 21, 2014 Author Share Posted January 21, 2014 Day 4 - I went to the doctor today who ordered me a comprehensive stool test and blood work, so I am excited about that. I am not having racing heart, allergy-style reactions to anything (so far). So that is a plus. In addition, I am sleeping a little better than I was. This may or may not be related to caffeine - I have given up black tea with the AIP. Even though I only drank it in the morning, it might have been impacting my sleep. Things that have not improved (yet): digestion (not going into details here) and a skin rash that started with my tomato issue two weeks ago. But its only day 4. Breakfast - Robb Wolf's grain free paleo stuffing adapted for Whole30/AIP (skipped the yogurt) Lunch - AIP friendly "curried" chicken salad: chicken, coconut milk, olive oil, garlic, turmeric, ginger, onions, raisins, over mixed greens I had the same reaction today as I did yesterday to the lunch I made, so I am going to assume its a raw onion situation. Dinner - Mixed greens with bacon, sweet potato, apples, and caramelized onions; a carrot Supplements: bone broth, aloe vera, digestive enzymes I'll be honest, I am really feeling very exhausted and crappy because of my digestive issues that continue to bother me. I've been going to the bathroom - actually RUNNING to the bathroom - every couple of hours for a few days now. I am sure its dehydrating me, but the more water I drink the more I go. Sigh... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 22, 2014 Share Posted January 22, 2014 If you are running to the bathroom every few hours, no wonder you are exhausted. Ugh!!! I'm so glad the doctor ordered some tests for you, hopefully you will get some answers (fingers crossed). Hang in there and be kind to yourself. Your body is taking a beating right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Day 5 - Moderate improvements? I think my skin rash is going away. Knock on wood. I might be just getting used to it. Digestion - better than the previous day. But that is because I realized/discovered that aloe vera can cause some serious problems. Supplements are so frustrating. I am not taking the aloe anymore. Back to just broth and enzymes. On the downside, now I am (once again) experiencing constipation and (at times) abdominal cramping and bloating. I also had a VERY VERY stressful day at work. Came home, did some more work, and I am now trying to relax. Already looking forward to the weekend!!!! Breakfast - Robb Wolf's grain free paleo stuffing adapted for Whole30/AIP; whole milk grass fed yogurt with homemade raspberry preserves Lunch - Mixed greens with bacon, sweet potato, apples, and caramelized onions, EVOO and balsamic Dinner - Ground turkey with onions, garlic, and herbs; mixed green salad with avocado, EVOO, balsamic; two carrots; half carton coconut water Supplements: Enzymes, zinc, bone broth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 This has been a crazy week at work with the weird weather. Hopefully your stress is over for the week! Supplements are frustrating. I never know what I should actually be taking and it is very hard to say if they are helping (or hurting). I'm taking what feels like a ton of stuff right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Supplements are just so crazy and you should always take them under a doctors supervision, but I have such terrible luck with doctors unfortunately. Day 6 - I think it is safe to say my skin rash is fading. In addition, I want to say there is tentative improvement in my digestion. Thank God for yogurt!!! However, I am getting BORED with the same food over and over...I miss spicy foods. I mean REALLY miss them. Its insanely hard to follow this protocol and I have to cook everything because everywhere you go has nightshade or seed based spices in their food. Breakfast - Robb Wolf's grain free paleo stuffing adapted for Whole30/AIP; whole milk grass fed yogurt with homemade raspberry preserves Lunch - Mixed greens with bacon, sweet potato, apples, and caramelized onions, EVOO and balsamic Dinner - Ground turkey with herbs and garlic, 1/2 baked sweet potato with ghee, applesauce with cinnamon, and carrots Supplements: Enzymes, bone broth, zinc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 When are you getting your tests done? Yay on improvements in digestion and the rash. Try to hang in there with the food. Hopefully going through this process is going to teach you something and then you will be able to add a lot of the foods back in, or at least know how you tolerate them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 When are you getting your tests done? Yay on improvements in digestion and the rash. Try to hang in there with the food. Hopefully going through this process is going to teach you something and then you will be able to add a lot of the foods back in, or at least know how you tolerate them. Hey Sara. Blood tests were done Tuesday and I am dropping off samples for stool testing today. I hope to hear back from them soon. In addition, I have had a really stressful few days at work, which helped me to get my mind off of my food troubles for a few days. Day 7 - I am definitely feeling better. Digestion is normalizing; I believe this is the yogurt. Gas after meals is also less - likely from eating more cooked vegetables (instead of raw) and digestive enzymes. I am not having allergic reactions anymore, and my skin rash is definitely lessened - I attribute this to the autoimmune protocol. I am extremely bored with this food but am trying to give it at least one or two more weeks before attempting any reintroductions. I know I should wait longer, but I am not sure I can do it! Breakfast - Robb Wolf's grain free paleo stuffing adapted for Whole30/AIP; whole milk grass fed yogurt with homemade raspberry preserves Morning snack - Apple (raw) Lunch - Ground turkey with herbs and garlic, 1/2 baked sweet potato with ghee, and carrots Dinner - Aidell's chicken and apple sausage, mixed greens with EVOO and balsamic, apple sauce, and sweet potato chips My heart started racing after dinner and I had pretty bad gas. No idea what caused it.... Supplements: Enzymes, bone broth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Interesting about the yogurt helping your digestion. If I can get some weeks of good eating behind me, I may do a test of yogurt again. I'm glad you're feeling better overall. Good luck holding out! It's hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 Interesting about the yogurt helping your digestion. If I can get some weeks of good eating behind me, I may do a test of yogurt again. Isn't it? I mean, I was taking probiotics on the whole30, but maybe there is something special about the probiotics in yogurt. Anyway, it is making my belly happy and regular again. I posted last night that after dinner my heart seemed to be beating very fast, and I also became very itchy all over! Its very hard to tell if this is just my mind playing tricks on me because I was paranoid about reacting (specifically, to the Aidell's chicken sausage - its processed with "natural flavors" which is very likely to contain nightshades) or if I was actually reacting. I felt fine today. But if I was reacting, I am really freaking bummed. If that trace amount of nightshade particles causes me to have a problem, then I really might lose my mind. I cannot live my life like that - in constant stress over what to eat, never being able to go to a restaurant again.... Day 8 Breakfast - Just yogurt today with jam. I'm all out of stuffing - making some more for the next week today. Lunch - Aidell's chicken apple sausage, sweet potato chips, raw carrots I didn't really see a major reaction this time, or I do not think I did. But I think I will avoid the sausage for a while before I test it again. Dinner - Lemon and garlic chicken (adapted from these chicken gyros) with tzatkiki (yogurt, cucumber, dill, vinegar, garlic, lemon), cucumbers and carrots; an apple Supplements: Enzymes, zinc (out of bone broth - but its cooking and will be ready tomorrow) - Also I ordered some good quality fish oil, hoping that arrives next week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 25, 2014 Share Posted January 25, 2014 I can't wait to hear about your results! As for the reaction, I have read about a lot of people who have severe reactions in the beginning, but then as they heal their insides they are able to tolerate more things, especially in small amounts. I guess you can always test the sausages again and then you'll know if you need to leave them out at least for awhile. I'm also intrigued that the yogurt is helping. I haven't had yogurt since I started the W30 back in October. It is something I would be willing to give a try. Especially because I really don't love eggs and can't really settle on something for the morning (although I don't mind my weekday frittatas, but eggs on the weekends throws me off). By the way, how much yogurt are you eating daily? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 25, 2014 Author Share Posted January 25, 2014 I can't wait to hear about your results! As for the reaction, I have read about a lot of people who have severe reactions in the beginning, but then as they heal their insides they are able to tolerate more things, especially in small amounts. I guess you can always test the sausages again and then you'll know if you need to leave them out at least for awhile. I'm also intrigued that the yogurt is helping. I haven't had yogurt since I started the W30 back in October. It is something I would be willing to give a try. Especially because I really don't love eggs and can't really settle on something for the morning (although I don't mind my weekday frittatas, but eggs on the weekends throws me off). By the way, how much yogurt are you eating daily? I eat about 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup every day. I buy whole milk grass fed yogurt from an Amish vendor. I either mix in jam or apples, nuts, and cinnamon for a fall treat. Obviously its not for everyone, but it appears to be the only thing that keeps me from getting constipated. I am profoundly grateful that I figured that out. I do think that the reactions to nightshades are so new that they cannot be permanent (or at least I really hope so) - just in the past few weeks I have been getting allergic symptoms for the first time. So my grand hypothesis for all of this is that overuse of antibiotics, birth control pills, smoking, drinking, and poor diet created a systemic candida overgrowth (evidenced by skin yeast infections, toenail fungus, brain fog, weight gain, and constant gas and bloating beginning in spring 2012). Following a paleo diet and quitting birth control helped me eliminate yeast as a problem. In 2013, I quick smoking, and did my first whole30, and switched to an 80-20 paleo lifestyle. But I still had gut dysbiosis (it takes a long time to heal) and a leaky gut, which ultimately led to the development of certain intolerances (such as an allergic reaction to alcohol, and more recently, nightshade intolerance). This is all conjecture but I do think its the most realistic explanation. My hope is that by healing the gut and reducing inflammation, I will be able to enjoy nightshades again (as well as grains and legumes in moderation - these foods never really bothered me but I avoid them in case they might bring inflammation). So for reintroductions, I have already successfully introduced dairy. I think seeds and seed-based spices will be next (toward the end of next week), followed by nuts. After that, I will try egg yolks, then whole eggs (mayo!!!). Then legumes (lentils, chickpeas - no soy). By the time all that is introduced, I will ideally be around 30 days nightshade free, and I will give them a shot. I MISS TOMATOES AND BELL PEPPERS :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 26, 2014 Share Posted January 26, 2014 Thanks for letting me know about your yogurt. I'm not sure if dairy is helping or hurting me at this point, but I may give it a try. I think your hypothesis of what happened makes a lot of sense. And from everything I've read, gut dysbiosis can take a really long time to heal. I think your plan is solid. Hopefully when this is all said and done you will be able to have back all the foods you love and be healthy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 26, 2014 Author Share Posted January 26, 2014 Day 9 - Really struggling with cravings today. For anything but mostly tomatoes. And bell peppers. And peanut butter and chocolate.....like desperately needing that today. Also coffee? I have never drank coffee but I am craving a latte like nothing else. It is probably not helping that I am spending much of the day going through recipe books and Food & Wine magazine trying to organize my collection of recipes. Sigh. Breakfast - Grain free stuffing, yogurt with apple and cinnamon Lunch - Leftover lemon garlic chicken with tzatziki, baby carrots, sweet potato chips, half an apple I ate the chips about an hour after lunch, not with my meal, and immediately got a stomach ache and gas. So, perhaps it was the chips that made me feel like crap Friday night, not the chicken. Which is fine. I can avoid sweet potato chips easily! Dinner - Ground turkey with herbs, garlic, and onion; jicama and pear salad with orange-ginger vinaigrette; some baby carrots; a banana Supplements: bone broth, enzymes, zine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 Glad you solved your Friday night mystery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjena Posted January 27, 2014 Share Posted January 27, 2014 It's funny how we start craving things we can't have. I hope the reintros of nightshades go well. Interesting about the yogurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 27, 2014 Author Share Posted January 27, 2014 Day 10 - Woke up today feeling great, now I am feeling not so great. Headache, running nose, and I feel bloated and stopped up again. My face/eyes feel very puffy. Is this allergies? Will it ever end? Breakfast - Stuffing, yogurt with raspberry jam, banana Lunch - Lemon garlic chicken, tzatziki sauce, cucumbers, carrots Dinner - Braised cabbage and carrots sauteed in vegetable broth with garlic, ginger, and turmeric, with leftover ground turkey Dessert - Whipped coconut cream with fresh raspberries and maple syrup I waaaay overdid it on the coconut cream. I ate more than half the can. :x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaraRuns Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 That definitely sounds like an allergic reaction. How are you feeling today? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emily T Posted January 28, 2014 Author Share Posted January 28, 2014 Feeling fine today - was back to "regularity" last night. I have no idea what caused it. I mean, I keep eating the same foods. It does not make sense. Day 11 Breakfast - Stuffing, yogurt with raspberry jam, banana Had half a cup of black tea. I didn't like it too much. Hurt my tummy and just overall I did not feel great. Lunch - Braised cabbage and carrots sauteed in vegetable broth with garlic, ginger, and turmeric, with leftover ground turkey; coconut cream with raspberries Afternoon I got a couple of really bad "flash" headaches - just a severe and sharp pain, then went away. My eyes feel puffy again. Dinner - Braised cabbage and carrots sauteed in vegetable broth with garlic, ginger, and turmeric, with leftover ground turkey I went to happy hour and drank soda water with lemon/lime. Felt fine but very exhausted. Supplements: Bone broth, fish oil, enzymes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Physibeth Posted January 28, 2014 Share Posted January 28, 2014 Did you start feeling bad after the coconut cream? What is the recipe for the sweet potato chips? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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