Food is Medicine: My AIP Journey, year 1

Summary

This video chronicles a personal journey with the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet, which was adopted after years of unexplained health issues, including fatigue, joint pain, anxiety, and chronic illness. Despite initial resistance from multiple doctors, the individual found a supportive healthcare provider who recommended AIP. After a year on the diet, the individual experienced significant improvements—reduced bloating, joint pain, and anxiety, along with noticeable weight loss. The video emphasizes the importance of a diet-based approach to healing, advocating for AIP as a sustainable, natural remedy to chronic health problems.

Takeaways

• 😀 The speaker started the AIP diet on July 11th, 2019, after struggling with health issues for years, including anxiety, depression, joint pain, and chronic illnesses.
• 😀 The speaker sought medical help after experiencing symptoms like bruising, fatigue, and bloating, which were dismissed by previous doctors as 'normal' or related to their lifestyle.
• 😀 After receiving a referral from a dance parent, the speaker found a doctor, Dr. Engelman, who listened and recommended the AIP diet after ruling out serious conditions.
• 😀 AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) is a strict elimination diet that removes foods like nightshades, grains, legumes, dairy, and caffeine to heal the gut and address autoimmune symptoms.
• 😀 The speaker began the AIP diet 'cold turkey,' despite the difficulty of such a sudden change, and noticed immediate improvements in symptoms like bloating and fatigue.
• 😀 Within three months of starting AIP, the speaker lost a significant amount of weight, mostly due to reduced bloating and inflammation, not changes in exercise or lifestyle.
• 😀 AIP helped the speaker address underlying health issues, including chronic low platelet count, vitamin D deficiency, and a positive Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) test.
• 😀 Key benefits of AIP for the speaker included decreased anxiety, fewer illnesses, improved sleep, more energy, and almost complete resolution of joint pain.
• 😀 The AIP diet isn't just about weight loss, but about healing chronic symptoms and restoring the body’s natural function through food and lifestyle changes.
• 😀 The speaker shares their ongoing journey, still managing some health issues, but seeing significant progress in their overall well-being and autoimmune markers.
• 😀 The speaker encourages others to consider AIP for healing, stressing the importance of finding a doctor who listens and working towards natural, sustainable health solutions.

Q & A

What was the main reason the speaker decided to try the AIP diet?

The speaker decided to try the AIP diet after years of experiencing various health issues, including anxiety, depression, insomnia, joint pain, bloating, and chronic fatigue. She was seeking a natural way to improve her health and address these symptoms, especially after multiple doctors dismissed her concerns.

What were some of the symptoms the speaker experienced before starting the AIP diet?

Before starting the AIP diet, the speaker experienced symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, frequent sickness, excessive bruising, joint pain, bloating, inflammation, and purpura (small red bumps on the skin). These issues had been present since childhood.

How did the speaker find the doctor who helped her begin the AIP diet?

The speaker was referred to Dr. Engelman at Fusion MD by Melody Gallimore, a dance parent at Everything Goes Dance Studio. Dr. Engelman was the first doctor to listen to the speaker's concerns and recommend the AIP diet after ruling out other serious conditions.

What is the autoimmune protocol (AIP) diet, and what foods are restricted?

The AIP diet is a strict elimination diet designed to heal the digestive system, particularly leaky gut. It eliminates foods that can cause inflammation or negative reactions. These include cane sugar, nightshades (such as tomatoes, potatoes, and peppers), seeds, nuts, grains, legumes, dairy, eggs, and coffee. Instead, the diet encourages foods rich in healthy fats, such as avocado and olive oil, and fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut.

What is the main goal of the AIP diet?

The main goal of the AIP diet is to heal the gut and reduce inflammation in the body by eliminating foods that cause negative reactions. The diet is intended to heal damage to the stomach lining (leaky gut), improve overall health, and reduce symptoms associated with autoimmune conditions.

How long did it take for the speaker to notice changes after starting the AIP diet?

The speaker started noticing positive changes within the first three months of starting the AIP diet, although the first two to three weeks were challenging. She saw significant improvements in her symptoms, including decreased bloating, reduced inflammation, and more energy.

What were the speaker's weight changes after three months on the AIP diet?

The speaker lost 39 pounds within three months, going from 176 pounds to 137 pounds. However, she emphasizes that weight loss was not the main goal of the diet, and the weight loss was primarily due to a reduction in bloating and inflammation, rather than changes in exercise or sleep habits.

What medical issues did the speaker continue to deal with even after starting AIP?

Despite the improvements from the AIP diet, the speaker continues to deal with a chronically low platelet count, a condition that is still being monitored. She also experiences occasional purpura (red bumps on the skin) and has elevated copper levels, which are still being investigated.

How did the AIP diet impact the speaker's energy levels and sleep?

The AIP diet significantly improved the speaker's energy levels and sleep. She now experiences more natural energy and has fewer issues with exhaustion. Her insomnia also improved, allowing her to sleep more soundly through the night.

What advice does the speaker give to others who might be considering the AIP diet?

The speaker advises others to find a doctor who listens to their concerns and to consider a diet like AIP if they are looking for a natural way to heal their body. She emphasizes that AIP is a long-term process, requiring dedication and patience, but it can lead to significant health improvements without the need for long-term medication.