I’ve Been Following The AIP Diet for Two Months: Here Is What I Cook Now

For those who may be reading my blog for the first time, I was diagnosed with methane-dominant SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth) and leaky gut syndrome in early January 2021. Symptoms I was dealing with on a weekly basis were constipation, excessive amounts of gas, bloating, and stomach cramps. Long story short, I started working with a functional medicine doctor in November 2020 to figure out what was causing these issues. Now, I am 7 weeks (holy cow) into the elimination phase of my food protocol and can definitely tell my body is healing. My body is actually digesting food now, my energy levels have increased significantly, and I cannot remember the last time I had an “IBS flare up”.

What started as an overall holistic health blog has quickly turned into stories about my journey of healing my own body through food. For more on my journey to what I like to call food freedom, check out this blog post.

As I’ve said, I hired a functional medicine doctor in November 2020 to help me investigate what the heck was going on. My doctor ran a bunch of labs to help determine the best path forward for healing. Turns out, my inflammation levels were high across the board, my gut lining was not super awesome, and I have SIBO. Put all three of these things together and you get the mix of symptoms listed above and then some. I’m not sure yet on how the order of events occurred but that is something I’m sure will get answered as I continue to heal.

In the meantime, I am following a stricter version of the AIP (autoimmune protocol) diet. Read more about the AIP diet here. Because I have SIBO, I am also following a low FODMAP diet*. The goods news is I will be entering the reintroduction phase in about two weeks (yay!), which means I start adding back foods one at a time to see if any of my old symptoms appear. This will be a long process but at the end of it, I will know exactly what foods work well with my body and which ones do not.

When I first started this journey, I felt overwhelmed by the foods I had to avoid. Thankfully, I found three great resources that have awesome recipes and more information on what the heck AIP is. Even if you do not have to follow an AIP diet, I recommend trying some of these recipes because yes, they are that tasty!

Unbound Wellness

This was the first website I found that really helped me navigate the AIP cooking life. I also purchased Michelle’s book for more recipes and tips. My favorite recipes from Unbound Wellness are:

• Bacon Ranch Chicken Poppers

  • To make low FODMAP, omit the onion and garlic powder.

• Turkey Maple Breakfast Sausages

  • To make low FODMAP, omit the garlic powder.

• General Tso Asian Chicken Wings

  • To make low FODMAP, omit the garlic powder.

• Tostones Carnitas Nachos

  • To make low FODMAP, omit the onion and garlic powder.

• Balsamic Ranch Chicken Thighs

  • To make low FODMAP, omit the garlic powder, garlic, and onion.

Heal Me Delicious

More recently, I discovered Heal Me Delicious (thank you, Instagram!). Nicole’s recipes are comforting and full of flavor! Below are some of my favorites:

• Turkey & Kale Soup

  • To make low FODMAP, omit the celery and garlic.

• Creamy Garlic Pork & Spinach

  • To make low FODMAP, omit the onion and garlic.

• Balsamic Glazed Carrots

Feed Me Phoebe

Phoebe wrote a book about SIBO that I literally cannot put down. Because SIBO is something that is likely to recur, I am educating myself as much as possible so I can navigate this lifestyle and (hopefully) avoid major flare ups down the road. Her book is full of science-based research, information related to the healing phases, and recipes tailored to specific protocols. If you suspect you have SIBO or if a friend or family member has SIBO, I recommend reading this to better understand what it is.

These past 7 weeks have definitely had their ups and downs but my body is feeling wayyy better and I am so thankful to have the opportunity to heal this way. I don’t love having to eliminate all these foods but I can see the light at the end of tunnel and am excited to start experimenting with new foods. I hope you enjoy the recipes and resources I shared!

For more meal planning tips, check out this blog post. I know following a specific food plan can be difficult, especially if you have multiple food sensitivities. If you need support, check out my coaching programs here.

*If you are interested in learning more about FODMAPs, I recommend downloading the following app: Monash University FODMAP Diet.

Photo by Becca Tapert on Unsplash