Update Starting the AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) diet has been an eye-opening and transformative journey for me. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions, but knowing that this is a step towards better health keeps me grounded. Here’s a peek into my experience so far: << Back To Introduction Balancing Cortisol Levels Supporting and balancing my cortisol levels often has a noticeable negative impact on my anxiety and mood right in the beginning. I’ve taken steps to lower my cortisol after a flare twice this year and it was the same feeling, so I was somewhat prepared for it, but the intensity always takes me by surprise. The second week on AIP coincided with my ovulation period when my PMS is at its worst. It was a bit of a rough ride, but knowing that this phase is temporary and part of the healing process helps me stay focused. I’ve learned to be extra gentle with myself, prioritizing rest and mental relaxation more than ever. A Trip to the Lake We went to the lake with our family for a few days at the end of week two. This presented some challenges regarding food prep, but I planned out meals that would be easy to make in my air fryer and packed everything I needed to prepare food and clean up. This way, I avoided gluten cross-contamination and stayed true to my AIP diet. I packed way more snacks than I needed, just to ensure I always had something to eat. I did forget my blender, which was a bummer because I missed my “sweet treat” of fruit smoothies and dole whips, but I survived. There’s a unique experience when trying to maintain your safety at a large gathering, especially when they don’t understand your allergies. I was able to prep my food away from everyone else to cut down on risk, but that led to some feelings of isolation. Our family hasn’t taken the time to really understand my celiac disease and I find it easier to deal with my food away from everyone than hear the jokes and often rude comments about my “little diet”. Last year on this same trip I didn’t know how to speak up for my needs and just tried my best to adapt all the meals already being prepared. But that meant I was highly involved in the process of each meal, ensuring proper preparation and having to ask a million questions which was mentally taxing – and I still got sick. I decided this year it would take less mental work to just make my own food. Coffee Break At one point, I decided to have coffee as a mood booster to help me feel grounded when things were getting a little out of control. I’m not too worried about coffee since I drink it so inconsistently and haven’t had any problems with it. I ordered it with coconut milk, honey, and cinnamon – everything but the coffee itself was AIP compliant. It was a moment where I had to prioritize my mental health, and for me, it was worth it. It didn’t cause any symptoms but I’ll continue to avoid it as best I can in the upcoming weeks. Noticing Positive Changes I’m starting to notice some positive changes, like reduced puffiness in my face and less stomach swelling. However, being at the lake made it hard to get good sleep due to late nights, noise, and just being around family, which caused more stress than usual. Histamine Reaction Towards the end of the trip, I had a histamine reaction, probably due to some veggies that weren’t as fresh as they could’ve been. This has happened to me a few times in the past few months. I get headaches, feel lightheaded, have brain fog, and a few other symptoms – nothing like my gluten symptoms however. I’ve been getting produce at Costco, but I might switch back to Walmart and shop every 3-4 days to ensure fresher veggies. We’re heading into farmer’s market season, so I might do my weekend shopping there if I have the energy and time. Despite this flare-up, I was starting to feel more relaxed and in less pain. I was walking better and sleeping more comfortably. This setback is discouraging, but it’s also a sign that I’m on the right path. I hope that with enough rest, my body will heal more, and histamine won’t be as much of an issue. When it comes to planning my menu I like to lay it out like a restaurant menu to 1) feel fancy and 2) feel like I have more options. I’ve found that it doesn’t work well for me to plan out a daily schedule in advance. As perfect as that plan may seem, I often don’t want to eat what I scheduled on that day. So instead I plan out meals for 3-4 days with flexibility, and when I run out of options I order groceries for more! I keep meals that I love and continue to make over and over again, so you’ll see plenty of repeats in this series. A lot of these meals don’t really have recipes, it’s just cooking meat and veggies – but I’ll include cooking details below. Menu for the Week View my full AIP Diet Meal Plan / Menu here! Week 1 Menu A few of my favorite things this week: Week 2 Menu A few of my favorites this week: Recipes I’m a big fan of simple recipes, so a lot of these recipes are “non-recipe” recipes, meaning there aren’t measurements or anything specific, just general instructions. As always, customize as you see fit. Coconut Yogurt Bowl: Coconut yogurt mixed with cinnamon and honey. Topped with berries and banana. Ground Turkey Hash: Brown ground turkey in a pan. Season as desired. Chop up a sweet potato into small cubes and either bake or airfry. I airfry mine at 400F for 10 minutes. Add sweet potatoes to the pan with ground turkey, load up with spinach or kale and let it wilt down. Store in the fridge for an easy heat and eat meal. Turkey Sausage Plate: These patties are so nice to prep ahead and save in the freezer, that way you always have a quick protein option you can just reheat and eat. Great as a snack or to add to any meal. Sausage Patties: 2 lb ground turkey 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp thyme 1-2 tsp Himalayan pink sea salt 1/2 tsp dried sage 2-3 TBSP coconut oil In a large bowl mix all ingredients together except coconut oil. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. When you are ready to cook, shape the mixture into 8-10 balls, then press them between your palms to form patties. Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Place patties in the pan and cook 3-5 minutes on each side, cooking in batches so each one has space to cook. Leftovers can be refrigerated or frozen. For the rest of this meal: Pair sausage patties with cooked butternut squash or sweet potatoes. I like the cube my sweet potatoes and airfry at 400F for 10 minutes. Sautee some kale or spinach in a pan. Add a sliced avocado to the side. Sweet Potato Apple Hash This one wasn’t my favorite, I thought I would like it but I just couldn’t get into it. Brown ground turkey in a pan. Add cooked cubed sweet potatoes (airfry at 400F for 10 minutes or roast in oven), slice and apple and add it to the pan to soften. You can also add kale or spinach and let it wilt down if you’d like. If I make this again I might skip the sweet potato and do a turkey, apple, bacon hash instead. Chicken Bites A staple in our house! All it is is cubed chicken breasts, seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook in the air fryer with any veggie you want at 400F for 10 minutes. Cilantro Avocado Dip Just Blend Together: 1 generous handful cilantro, chopped1/2 large avocado, peeled1/2 teaspoon cumin1-2 garlic cloves3 tablespoons lime juice3 tablespoons olive oilSalt to tasteWater for desired consistency Shrimp Tacos I use frozen shrimp that I run under water for a few minutes to thaw. Then I season them with salt, ginger, and whatever else I want. I cook those in a pan or airfryer at 400F for about 5 minutes. Then just heat the casava flour tortilla, throw on some raw coleslaw mix, diced mango and diced avocado with a spritz of lime juice and you’re done! Salmon Here’s how I cook my salmon: Thaw salmon fillet in fridge then pour a bit of coconut aminos on it, season with garlic, onion, and ginger, drizzle with honey. Air fry at 400F for 8-10 minutes until it reaches 165 degrees. Then I add that to a bowl with diced mango, diced avocado, and diced cucumber. Drizzle with more honey if desired Lemon Chicken and Asparagus (or whatever veggie you have) I make this multiple times a week! Easily one of my favs. (Original recipe linked) 2 tbsp avocado oil1 tsp sea salt, divided1 lb chicken breast, cubed1 bunch asparagus3 cloves garlic, minced1/3 cup chicken brothJuice of one lemon1 tbsp coconut aminos1 tsp arrowroot starch (I’ve been using tapioca starch cause I have it) Using a large skillet, heat the avocado oil on medium heat.Add the chicken to the skillet and lightly season with salt. Cook until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 F. Set aside.Prepare the asparagus by chopping off the thick white base, and then slice in half again. Add more oil to the pan if needed and sauté the asparagus with more salt for about 5-7 minutes or until softened and lightly crisp. Set aside.Reduce the heat slightly and add the minced garlic to the pan. Cook until fragrant.Add the broth, lemon juice, coconut aminos, and arrowroot starch to the pan and stir for about 2-3 minutes or until the sauce lightly thickens.Add the chicken and asparagus back to the pan and cook for another 2 minutes to reheat. Baked Salmon with Lemon & Herbs Honestly, not my favorite but it was a nice change. I didn’t follow a recipe and I probably should have. I seasoned a fillet of salmon with lemon juice, salt, fresh parsley and fresh dill. Air Fried it for about 8 minutes at 400F with some sliced zucchini. Beef & Broccoli Another one that quickly became one of our favorite go-to’s! (original recipe linked) Marinade 3 cloves garlic1 inch piece of ginger1/4 cup cilantro2 TBSP chives or green onions (plus more for garnishing)1/4 cup coconut aminos1/4 cup avocado or extra virgin olive oil1/2 tsp sea saltBeef, Broccoli and Mushrooms 1 lb beef (flank steak, or flat iron), thinly sliced3 cups broccoli, chopped (stems included)2 cups mushrooms (button or cremini), sliced Preheat oven to 425 FIn a food processor or high powered blender, combine coconut aminos with oil, garlic, ginger, chives, cilantro and salt. Alternatively, finely dice these ingredients and mix with salt, olive oil and coconut aminos.Slice your cut of beef into thin slices and cover with half of the marinade.Chop your head of broccoli into small florets (ensure you use up the stems too) and measure out 3 cups.Slice or dice mushrooms into quarters and measure out 2 cups.Using one large sheet pan or two smaller ones, spread out the broccoli and mushrooms evenly. Drizzle with remaining marinade and mix together with your hands to combine.Finally, add in beef. Ensure everything is evenly spaced and not crowded. This will ensure you aren’t steaming everything.Cook for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack of your oven. Then, if desired, put oven on broil and cook an additional 2 minutes for extra browning.Optional – garnish with sliced chives and/or chopped cilantro. Serve warm with sides of your choice. Steak and Veggies Basically a staple on this diet, and...