Kickas.org Forums Treatments, Drugs and Alternatives NSD and diet-related; Nightshades and AIP

Hi folks. I've heard about the AutoImmune Protocol on this site previously. I'm considering giving it a go, as the NSD didn't work. If any of you have tried it, could you give some feedback on your experience? Also, and maybe related, who among you has investigated the role of nightshades on your symmptoms? Please share, and thank you!

I cannot touch nightshades or I really pay for it. I love salsa but the pain the next is not worth it for me.

I think you will do great on AIP, it is great for those of us that are sensitive to lots of food. I basically stick to fruits and veggies & fish/turkey/chicken. I feel best this way. I do sneak in (regretablly) frozen coffee drinks made with coconut milk, but I should give those up, so I try limit the junk because it makes me feel crummy.

One man's meat is another man's poison

I avoid nightshades 100%. So over the years I have created recipes like my Strawberry Balsamic Pizza Sauce, Plum Ketchup, Plum Salsa, Huckleberry and Black Currant BBQ Sauces, and Herb Pestos to use in place of nightshades. I don't miss tomatoes or peppers at all these days.

As for *Full* AIP I personally think it is way too starchy for me and many of us with AS. You can attempt a modified version, without the AIP starchy foods (this would mean excluding all of the plantain, arrowroot, cassava, tapioca, sweet potato, winter squash used on AIP), for a shorter time of a few months, but I think eventually you may not find enough variety as starches play such a roll in the full AIP meal plans. Though if you are super creative in the kitchen you might also be a rock star with it! And who is to say, maybe your body will thrive on full AIP!?

I personally did the SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) diet which is very similar to the Low Starch Diet. I only had to tweak a few things about SCD to adjust and switch over to LSD. SCD is also built on the foundation of healing the gut. GAPS is another approach which was built off of the SCD foundation.

If anyone does SCD, I recommend avoiding the dairy in the homemade yogurts, especially in the beginning. Or when you are ready to try the homemade cultured yogurts only using goat or sheep milk, or coconut milk. Most people I have met over the years with AS also have a sensitivity to cow dairy, as it is also stated here on kickas below the food guide charts that dairy can often be a problem for folks with AS.

I too find the SCD/GAPS guidelines to be helpful.

Also, not to make things even more confusing but I'm reading Terry Wahl's book now and finding a lot of her advice useful. She has 3 levels of strictness to her diet. I found that I've been almost accidentally doing the level 3 of her diet without even knowing it. For instance on the strict version of her diet you don't cook carrots or beets because they become too starchy. Before reading that I had already found that I was fine with raw carrots but less fine with cooked (didn't cause me to flare but I definitely felt more tired and slow after eating them.) She does not rely on starches, in fact the strictest version of the diet is also basically NSD. I think she has good insight into how to get good nutrition while eating so strictly.

Thank you Betty. Really sorry that I took so long to respond, but for awhile I forgot I even posted this. (Brain fog). Thanks for the detailed information. Nightshades are one of my most beloved food groups (heavy sigh), as I love spicy food. When I go AIP, as I imagine I will shortly, I may hit you up for your recipes- although I believe you have your own website, not so?

THanks for the info everyone.