Well folks, as our “PSA Week” comes to a close, I wanted to go out with a bang, by telling you some of my “AIP confessions”. But first, if you aren’t familiar with the PSA we’ve been doing the past week (or even if you are), allow me to get you up to speed by explaining a bit more about it.

Basically we have been working as a team of bloggers and community of autoimmune warriors to start loosening some of the fearful grip that seems to have overtaken the AIP community. When I started AIP nearly 2 years ago, Dr. Sarah Ballantyne was just introducing the autoimmune protocol and thousands of individuals who had been trying various diets throughout the years were finally starting to find relief from their debilitating autoimmune conditions (including myself!) I personally used the diet to help me return to my full-time job and manage my 4+ autoimmune conditions that have perplexed and frustrated me since I was a kid.

However, as more and more research started coming out in the realm of functional medicine, nutrition and the science behind autoimmune disease, the community of bloggers, warriors and medical professionals alike became bloated and more confusing than ever, with differing opinions and “best practices” swirling from all angles. While this progress and more matured conversation was (and continues to be) inspiring and hopeful to those of us still struggling with AI conditions, it can also be overwhelming as there is now so much conflicting information out there!

The online AI environment seems to have become a sort of mass hysteria and many are left scratching their heads wondering, “Where do I turn for the ‘right’ information and direction?!”  

Long story short, that is why we’ve tried to speak up this past week about what the autoimmune protocol is and isn’t, and how you can make it work for you, your lifestyle and health needs and goals, as there are so many ways to customize it.

One of the ways I have tried to do this is – as usual – through humor and inspiration, so that’s the note I’ll leave you all with this week: inviting you to laugh along with me at my – gasp! – “Confessions of an AIP-er”.

 1. I’ve been following AIP for nearly two years now. It took me up until about year 1.5 to make my first gelatin egg.

 2. I order gluten-free sweet potato fries and a bunless burger from a restaurant at least once per month.

 3. I’ve only ever made one batch of bone broth myself.

 4. I eat carbs. Like, a lot of them.

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 5. I take all my Instagram photos with my iPhone.

 6. I do not like eating any type of tiny fish like sardines or anchovies.

 7. I buy frozen chicken from Whole Foods. I also occasionally buy their rotisserie chicken.

 8. I buy frozen organic veggies from Whole Foods.

 9. The first time I bought lard was just one month ago; I’ve just used coconut oil as my cooking fat this entire time.

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 10. I use BPA-free plastic Tupperware to store cold items (I still do not heat them up, but I am not 100% plastic-free)

 11. I eat coconut milk ice cream at least a couple times a month.

 12. I do not own a pressure cooker or a Vitamix.

 13. I have to Google or refer to the Paleo Approach at least once a month to see if something is AIP-compliant or not (goji berries are a nightshade – WTF??)

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 14. I do not buy all organic produce. I follow the “Clean 15, Dirty Dozen” guidelines.

 15. I have only reintroduced mustard and cocoa back into my diet. I do not have major plans to reintroduce a ton of other foods because they simply do not make me feel my best.

• *BONUS!* I have set parchment paper on fire in my oven more times than I can count. 

Hopefully this has shown you that you don’t have to be a chef, a scientist, a researcher or even a food photographer to truly enjoy and benefit from the AIP: you just have to be YOU!

Use the protocol as a template and loosen the reigns a bit on yourself; taking away the pressure and being able to laugh at yourself will help you to be even more successful with the diet and lifestyle practices.

And if you’re ever feeling lost or confused, just go back to the basics: Visit the Paleo Mom (where it all began), read the AIP Evolved Manifesto, or just follow your instincts! You can also re-visit the messages from this PSA week by following the hashtags #AIP4me and #HowIAIP. 

But overall, just remember to have fun and to not take everything so seriously! Yes, healing is not always a smooth path or a laughing matter, but if you can learn to take a deep breath and laugh with yourself, I can guarantee you will heal even faster. 🙂

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