The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) is a diet created to reduce inflammation in the body. It is mainly used in cases of autoimmune disorders like lupus, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and inflammatory bowel disease.
Thanks to the elimination process and the reintroduction phase, people learn how to manage their symptoms and know which ones can increase their symptoms. However, is it possible to do the AIP and keto at the same time?
In this article, you will learn how to do both the AIP and keto. We will explore topics like, what is the AIP ketogenic diet plan? Benefits and cons of following this eating plan, how to start the AIP keto diet plan, and foods to include and to avoid. And finally, a one-day meal plan and shopping list.
Let’s get started!
The AIP keto diet plan focuses on removing all foods that could cause inflammation while still having a low-carb, moderate protein, and high-fat diet.
It follows an elimination phase where you remove certain foods that could cause inflammation in the body. These foods are removed for 30-90 days and are later reintroduced slowly to check if any symptoms arise.
It focuses on adding nutrient-dense foods that are able to heal and reduce the inflammation found in any autoimmune disease.
Regarding the macronutrient distribution, it follows the traditional ketogenic composition (5-10% carbs, 20% protein, and 70-80% fat).
This diet plan is for those with autoimmune disorders like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, celiac disease, and inflammatory bowel disease. Speak to your doctor before making any dietary changes.
Although Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, people with this condition are not advised to follow this keto diet plan. Additionally, it is not for anyone pregnant or in lactation.
There are several possible benefits of following the AIP keto plan.
The most crucial aspect of following it is weight loss. Due to being a low-carb meal plan, weight loss can be rapidly achieved.
There are other benefits that may result from following a ketogenic plan:
Now let’s talk about the specific benefits of following the AIP diet. The most important benefit is that it can decrease the symptoms of certain autoimmune diseases. Several studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of using the AIP diet for decreasing symptoms.
It can also help heal leaky gut. This is a condition where the gut has a high permeability. This means that unwanted particles can invade the gut, producing inflammation. Studies show that following the AIP protocol can help make the gut less permeable.
Although there are several benefits of following the AIP keto plan, there are also some drawbacks. The biggest con of ketogenic eating is the keto flu. During the first few days, you might experience fatigue, foggy brain, nausea, and headache.
Following a traditional keto plan is difficult, and following the AIP keto diet plan might be even more restrictive. Since it eliminates several foods due to possible inflammation, finding out what to eat can be challenging. Going out or eating at social gatherings can be a complicated task.
Nutrient deficiency is another possible risk, especially in the elimination phase. Since several foods are removed, you need to be careful about balancing everything to prevent any nutritional deficiency.
Also, it could produce constipation due to the elimination of several high-fiber foods. Make sure to have a high veggies intake along with drinking plenty of water.
Additionally, even though several studies have shown improved results, it doesn’t guarantee that there would be a decrease in your symptoms. Every individual reacts differently.
When thinking of changing your eating habits, you must talk to your healthcare provider to determine if you are fit to follow this eating plan. Ather they give you the thumbs up, you can start following the next steps.
The AIP and ketogenic diets have similarities. In both cases, the first thing to remove from your list is processed foods. Sweets, pastries, candy, sugars, cakes, and most chocolate should be eliminated from the diet.
The following foods need to be avoided at least for 30-90 days. After the days have passed, you can start reintroducing the healthy ingredients slowly, as long as they are within your daily carb budget.
Now let’s talk about which foods we can include. Here is a list of all of the foods we are going to focus on in the first 30-90 days.
Now that we know which foods we will add and which to avoid, we can go grocery shopping!
Vegetables
Meats
Fruits
Fats
Probiotics
The theory might sound easy, but putting things into practice can be challenging. Here is a one-day menu of the AIP keto meal plan to help you out.
Calories: 1,599 | Macros: 49.6 g net carbs, 72.7 g protein, and 117.6 g fat
Do you still have some remaining queries about the autoimmune protocol and the keto diet? Here are the most frequently asked questions related to these topics to help you out!
Keto doesn’t have to increase inflammation as long as you manage to choose the right type of food. Pick those that are allowed in the AIP protocol and those that are also allowed in keto. For example, healthy oils, vegetables, minimally processed foods, and spices.
As long as you stay within those foods, keto should not affect the inflammation process.
Have as much variety as possible. Make sure to always eat the rainbow. This means that you have veggies of all different colors during the day. If you find this task hard to handle, pick at least three colors each day.
Another way to boost your immune system on keto is to focus on foods high in vitamins. Lemons, bell peppers, broccoli, and leafy green are great ways to add plenty of vitamin C to your diet.
The elimination phase usually lasts for 30-90 days, depending on the severity of the symptoms. The reintroduction phase can take several months.
This lifestyle needs to be achieved since you must learn how to listen to your body to know which foods generate symptoms.
Nuts are one of the foods that you eliminate in the beginning since they can cause some inflammation in the body.
Later, after several weeks you can slowly start introducing them. Stay alert for symptoms in case it causes a flare-up.
When doing keto, try avoiding the following foods since they can weaken or alter your immune response:
Some studies have shown that those who follow either a ketogenic or a Paleo diet diminish their lupus symptoms.
Still, more research needs to be done, and certain “allowed” foods on either of the diets need to be highly controlled.
