Be aware: this is only the goal of this diet, not necessarily its outcome. Results vary from person to person. Consult your doctor or dietician before starting this (or any other) diet.
The AIP Diet, commonly known as the Autoimmune Protocol or Autoimmune Paleo Diet, is a diet aimed at people with autoimmune diseases. The diet was created by Dr. Datis Kharrazian and was further developed by Sarah Ballantyne.
On the homepage you can compare this diet with other diets.
Autoimmune diseases are diseases in which your immune system attacks the body's own cells or substances. Examples of such diseases are Crohn's disease and Hashimoto's disease.
Please note: if you have an autoimmune disease and want to follow a diet, first consult your doctor or a dietician.
The authors of the diet state that the diet can also be followed by people without an autoimmune disease. If you have stomach complaints or low energy, for example, the diet would be useful according to them.
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The main goal of AIP is to find out which products you should avoid in order to (help to) reduce the symptoms of the autoimmune disease.
In addition, the diet focuses on gut health, hormone balance and the immune system. By figuring out which products to avoid and by eating products of good nutritional value, the diet tries to improve the functioning of your gut, your hormones and your immune system. Please note that this is only the goal of the diet, not necessarily the outcome.
The AIP diet is based on the Paleo diet, but is much stricter. You are not allowed to eat more products than when following the Paleo diet.
AIP can be seen as a specialized variant, or an extension, of the Paleo diet.
When you follow the Paleo diet you try to eat like people did in prehistoric times. You do not eat processed foods, no dairy products, no soya products, no cereals and no potatoes. Products with gluten are avoided as well.
You do eat, among others things, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, (lean) meat and fish.
The Autoimmune Protocol is a so-called elimination diet. This means that you temporarily stop consuming a number of products. The purpose of the AIP diet is to find out which products potentially contribute to the symptoms of an autoimmune disease.
The AIP diet has two phases: the elimination phase and the reintroduction phase. During the elimination phase, you eliminate eggs, nuts, seeds, alcohol, coffee and refined sugars from your diet. This phase lasts 30-90 days. For mild symptoms, a minimum of 30 days is recommended, for severe symptoms 90 days. The idea is that the symptoms of your illness will diminish within this period. Please note: this is the goal of the diet, not necessarily the outcome.
Consult a doctor if you experience symptoms of an auto-immune illness.
During the elimination phase you have to deal with both the restrictions of Paleo (no processed products, no dairy products etc.) and the restrictions of elimination (no nuts, seeds etc.). The diet is therefore very hard and not suitable to everyone.
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In case the symptoms have diminished (or disappeared) after 30-90 days, the reintroduction phase can start. The products you have eliminated are added back to your diet one by one in this phase. This phase is also called a provocation diet.
Reintroducing a product takes 5-7 days. This should give time for symptoms to reappear. If this does not happen, you can move on to the next product. If it does, it is an indication that the product is contributing to the symptoms. It should be noted, however, that your sensitivity to products may also change.
The AIP diet proposes to start with eating one teaspoon of the product, when reintroducing the product in your diet. Then wait 15 minutes to see if you notice anything. If nothing happens, then take half a spoonful and wait for 2 to 3 hours. If again nothing happens, eat a 'normal' portion of the product and wait 5-6 days. If there is no reaction, move on to the next product.
With this AIP diet it is recommended to seek guidance from a professional.
During the reintroduction phase, it is important not to reintroduce several eliminated products at the same time.
There are different versions of the AIP diet. These differ in what you can/can't eliminate during the elimination phase or what you can/can't eat.
In some versions, fruits should be avoided during the elimination phase. Other variants state that products with a high GI value must be avoided. Read more about GI values here.
It is advisable to seek professional guidance with the AIP diet. Consult your doctor or dietician before starting this (or any) diet.
There are many books on the AIP diet. Examples are The AIP Diet, AIP Manual and Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. There are also several cookbooks available.
The AIP diet is based on the Paleo diet. Examples of other elimination diets are the RED diet, the GAPS diet and the FODMAP diet.
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As you see fit
With the professional help of a dietitian it should be easier to reach your goals. Please contact a dietician in your area or talk to a doctor before starting any diet.
Please take note that most diets do not have a scientific basis.
Consult your doctor or dietician before starting a diet, especially if you have a chronic condition like diabetes, cardiovascular disease, lung disease or kidney disease.
If you think you might have an eating disorder (like anorexia or bulimia), it is important to look for professional help. Contact your (house) doctor or find help elsewhere. Here you can find a list of several websites that can provide (online) help. These sites also provide information for people that know someone with an eating disorder.