beachchica Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 One thing I love about the Whole30 is the ability to mix and match proteins, veggies and good fats as long as they fit the meal template. I have had so many options whenever I've done a Whole30! I recently (like yesterday) learned I have psoriasis, and my doctor recommended eliminating nightshades and coffee. Upon further research of the autoimmune protocol (AIP), suddenly the freedom of Whole30 meal planning is out the window. No nightshades, no nuts, no eggs, possibly no coffee (gasp!), not too much chicken, maybe limit coconut. Are you freaking kidding me?! I seriously want to just give up the whole thing sometimes and deal with the consequences. I'm responsible for feeding a family of 4 (including a toddler and baby) and a dog, and do all the meal planning, shopping and cooking. This is beyond stressful that my options are even more limited now. And to add to all that, I was a vegetarian for 18 years, and only started eating meat when I discovered the Whole30 a year or so ago. So I'm not someone who can just eat some beef for breakfast. Eggs were such a good compromise for me, and I relied on them heavily as my animal protein. So removing that from the equation is just short of heartbreaking. Any advice from anyone who has gone through this? I have looked up meal options that don't involve eggs. I guess I'm looking for more emotional support at this point. My psoriasis is not bad at all, just looks like ashy knees and ankles. But I know that's just what I'm seeing. The internal damage could be worse. So I know I need to do this for my health. But can I ever eat eggs again? Will I ever be able to just sit down to a meal that didn't require such thought and careful planning? It may sound like I feel sorry for myself, but I want to be clear that I don't. I know it could be much, MUCH worse, and that having any good food to choose from is such a blessing that many people don't have. I just wanted to hear from others who have faced a hurdle like this and can say that it gets better. Thanks in advance! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachchica Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 By the way, on another thread involving AIP, one of the moderators mentioned that it's recommended to complete a standard Whole30 before introducing the AIP version. Is this true? I did my last Whole30 in August of 2014, so should my current Whole30 be standard or AIP? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Generally speaking, yes, that's what we recommend. Since you did a Whole30 before, and given your new diagnosis and doctor recommendations, AIP could be an option for you now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Tom Denham Posted March 10, 2015 Moderators Share Posted March 10, 2015 You are focusing on what you cannot have. Start focusing on what you can have. There is a huge variety of food available during an AIP Whole30. Maybe not what you are used to, but still a lot of different foods. Study the AIP shopping list and review one or more autoimmune oriented cook books. http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-shopping-list-AIP.pdf http://whole9life.com/2013/08/introducing-the-paleo-autoimmune-cookbook/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted March 10, 2015 Administrators Share Posted March 10, 2015 Well Fed 2 by Melissa Joulwan has an AIP modification to nearly all of the recipes (maybe all of them, I'm not sure as it doesn't apply to me). But her food is AMAZING so you could definitely eat well with a moderate amount of planning and prep, even on AIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators LadyM Posted March 10, 2015 Moderators Share Posted March 10, 2015 I've done stretches of AIP, and to support Tom's point, the best way forward for me was to see it as a creative challenge and to enjoy playing with herbs in lieu of seed spices, for example, and to thoroughly revolutionize my idea of breakfast--sans eggs. Just as the Whole30 way of eating can be challenging at first and then become second nature, so can AIP, with the right attitude. But to find the right attitude, I suggest getting on track with motivation. How about doing some reading on how AIP has helped people, especially those with psoriasis, and spending some time looking at AIP-specific cookbooks and websites? Also, you may not need to do AIP forever. It's possible that you can carefully and systematically reintroduce certain offenders to determine if they give you trouble or not. For example, I do fine with seed spices that aren't heat producing (cayenne and red pepper flakes are still out); potatoes and eggs are OK, but I still restrict tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant. In other words, it may not need to be all or nothing forever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachchica Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Thanks for your feedback, everyone. Thanks especially to LadyM for some perspective on how this process has evolved for you. You are all right- I need to focus on what I CAN have and challenge myself to find new ways to eat the same foods. Honestly, I was ok with taking out everything except the eggs. That one really threw me, mostly because of my hesitation to eat other meat besides chicken and seafood. I'm still not completely ok with eating meat, but I'm working on it every day. Also, my psoriasis is so minor that some exfoliation and lotion treat the symptoms just fine. So there's that part of my mind asking if I really need to eliminate those inflammatory foods. But of course I know the answer to that already. Sigh. Ok- I promise I will try to look at this with a new lens. I think I just need the surprise of the diagnosis to wear off and then move forward with an action plan to tackle it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beachchica Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 In case anyone is interested, I plan to do a standard Whole30 and then a subsequent AIP Whole30. That will give me time to really learn the AIP and try some recipes (especially breakfast) so that I can stay 100% compliant. Hopefully by then I will be well on the way to healing. Thanks again for your input! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loulabelle Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Once you get into AIP it is not that bad. I've finished my 30 days on the 2nd March and am slowly trying reintroduction. I get the eggs thing, they are quick and easy to make for a protein source but if you plan your meals it is quite easy to do without them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lyrica Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 I experimented with cutting out eggs for a while to see if I had an allergy - I found that I really enjoy eating a couple of other meals for breakfast - one is chicken soup, so weird but it's really good in the morning and easy to heat up when already made. Another I love is shredded or mashed sweet potato with homemade breakfast sausage. Now that I am eating eggs again I still eat these things sometimes for breakfast, they are so good. I think just like paleo, it's something that takes a little time to get used to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munkers Posted March 31, 2015 Share Posted March 31, 2015 Practical Paleo has really useful meal plans for AIP. I had NO idea how I was going to feed myself without eggs or seed-based spices, but that book helped a lot. LOTS of paleo bloggers are releasing AIP friendly recipes too so the number of options keep going up. My staples on AIP were a mug of bone broth in the morning, homemade breakfast sausage (either pork or beef or sometimes a mix), and prosciutto. I never figured out whether or not nitrates and nitrites mucked up the protocol so I avoided them altogether. Prosciutto baked in the oven becomes delicious bacon-y goodness and is great with a bowl of butternut soup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
autumnal_akika Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Generally speaking, yes, that's what we recommend. Since you did a Whole30 before, and given your new diagnosis and doctor recommendations, AIP could be an option for you now. Why do you recommend it? I'm starting my first Whole30 tomorrow and have RA. I was going to do the AIP, but if there's a reason why I shouldn't I'd like to know before I start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GFChris Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Why do you recommend it? I'm starting my first Whole30 tomorrow and have RA. I was going to do the AIP, but if there's a reason why I shouldn't I'd like to know before I start. We recommend completing a standard Whole30 first, as many of the rules are a new way of eating for most people. Once you succeed with that, then check in on how your feeling and any RA symptom relief you may or may not have experienced. Given that information, if you want to then embark on the AIP plan, it's an easier step to transition from Whole30 to AIP vs. normal way of eating to AIP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlaccini Posted April 1, 2015 Share Posted April 1, 2015 Also some AI conditions will clear up during a regular whole 30. I have a about 3 known AI conditions (they are all skin conditions, one is extremely painful) all of these conditions have cleared up during a standard whole 30 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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