This is one of my favorite quick meals: a couple of bags of broccoli slaw and some pre-cooked salad shrimp get magically transformed into this Paleo-adaptation of a take-out favorite, all in under 20 minutes.  You can even use frozen shrimp, with a mere extra minute or two of cooking time.  To make this Autoimmune Protocol-friendly, simply omit the chopped cashews at the end.

Paleo Shrimp Pad Thai Recipe

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves: 2 to 3

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons coconut oil or other cooking fat
• ¼ cup fish sauce
• 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 12-oz bags broccoli slaw (8 to 10 cups)
• 2-3 large carrots, julienned or thickly grated
• 12-16 oz salad shrimp, precooked and tails off
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 2-3 green onions, sliced
• 1/3 cup chopped roasted unsalted cashews (omit for AIP)

Directions:

1. Heat a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add coconut oil, fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, broccoli slaw and julienned carrot. Cook stirring frequently until broccoli slaw and carrot are cooked al dente, about 5-7 minutes.
2. Add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes just until shrimp are warmed. Add cilantro and green onions, cook 30 more seconds.
3. Garnish with chopped cashews.

The post Shrimp Pad Thai appeared first on The Paleo Mom.

I often say that my main motivation for everything I do now is to help people find the answers they need without having to hit the health lows that I did before finding the Paleo diet and the Autoimmune Protocol.  But, I do also want to recognize that, in many ways, growing up with autoimmune disease forged who I am.  While my intelligence and talent are innate, I believe that my ambition and work ethic were borne out of striving for academic excellence while feeling exhausted and in pain almost all of the time (being too tired to get into teenage mischief helped too).

My stubbornness and resolve arose from being mercilessly bullied as “the fat kid” on the playground, too often facing misogyny as a woman seeking a high-profile career in male-dominated scientific fields, and the experience of rising up from the poverty of my childhood. My passion for helping others was ignited by decades of seeking help from medical professionals and being figuratively patted on the head and told that I was just a stressed student who needed Prozac and to count my calories and exercise.  Without the qualities developed from those experiences, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing now: leading a revolution in the alternative health community by educating autoimmune disease sufferers on the role that diet and lifestyle play in both their disease activity and in disease management.

If you’d asked my in my teens or twenties, I would have told you that my health problem [problem, singular] was being overweight.  Those dozen diagnosed chronic health conditions didn’t seem separate to me from being obese.  And obesity, to me, felt like wearing a sign at all times that read “Look at me!  I’m unhealthy!  I’m a failure!”. Despite my academic achievements (including graduating with distinction with an Honors Bachelors of Science, earning my PhD in medical biophysics by the age of 26, numerous scholarships and awards for research excellence,  securing post-doctoral research positions in some of the highest profile laboratories in the country, getting my own grant funding as a post-doctoral research fellow, and publishing highly-cited papers in top-tier journals), being morbidly obese was an undercurrent that eroded all sense of accomplishment that I should have felt.  I made up for it by cursing regularly, dying my hair crazy bright colors (blue, purple, platinum, fire engine red…), wearing power suits, and generally putting on a show of assertiveness that I never really felt, covering up my impostor syndrome with a confident exterior. So, I naively thought that, if I could just lose the weight and solve that problem, everything in my life would fall into place.

Then in 2007, I had my first daughter.  Still obese when I conceived, my pregnancy was complicated by gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia.  My newborn had colic and rarely slept more than 45 minutes at a time.  She wouldn’t latch onto a bottle, so I was up all night nursing her.  And, I couldn’t do it.  I was too sick to balance motherhood and applying to tenure-track faculty positions, the expectation being that I would continue to work 80-hour weeks until I had established my own research program and a perfect self-renewing cycle of grant funding, a process that typically takes years.  I had wanted to be a medical researcher from the time I was 7-years old, and here I was, unable to take that final step.  The autoimmune diseases that fueled my stubborn desire to succeed were now stopping me from achieving a two-decades-old life goal.  And, yet denial is powerful force: I still blamed my weight; I said that I was inspired by my mom staying home when I was young; I credited a program by the National Institutes for Health (called reentry grants for women) for giving me the option to take a few years off; and I called it “a break”.

My Paleo First Steps

After losing 100 pounds on a low-carb diet (spurred by realizing that I had developed type 2 diabetes when my oldest daughter was one year old, and facilitated by the fact that I wasn’t working), I was frustrated to discover that my life wasn’t magical unicorns and rainbows. In fact, while losing weight reversed my metabolic syndrome and normalized by blood sugar levels, all of my other disease symptoms worsened—my migraines were more frequent, my joint pain was more unrelenting, my asthma and gastrointestinal symptoms required higher doses of medication to manage, my depression was bigger, my anxiety attacks were more frequent, and my skin was a mess!  I had eczema, acne, and my two autoimmune skin conditions—lichen planus and psoriasis—were in full flare.  I had lost most of the weight I needed to lose, but it still felt like I was wearing that failure sign plastered across my forehead.

In the summer of 2011, I was sitting in my second daughter’s bedroom watching her play (she was 1  1/2 years old at the time), wearing long sleeves and pants to hide my skin, the weather in the mid-90s (mid-30s Celsius), hot, miserable and in pain… when I had my epiphany.

The words thin and the words healthy don’t mean the same thing.

I was active, and only 30 pounds from my goal weight, but I wasn’t healthy.  I was missing something.

That’s when I started to think about diet in terms other than what I needed to eat (or not eat) to lose weight. Gazing at my inflamed skin, I remembered a tidbit I had picked up somewhere about eczema being linked to egg allergy; and, I began to wonder if my collection of skin conditions were caused by the food I was eating.  I turned to Dr. Google and found an article on the original version of thepaleodiet.com talking about lichen planus and the Paleo diet; Professor Cordain linked to a few scientific studies at the bottom of that article.  I thought three things:

1. “oh, this is that weirdo diet that Chad is doing” (my friend from undergrad who actually introduced me to my now husband);
2. “there’s no [expletive] way I’m doing this [expletive] crazy diet and cutting out all those foods”; and,
3. “ooh, scientific studies to read!”

The science was my hook. I took the next few months to read as much as I could about the Paleo diet.  I read The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf and The Paleo Answer by Loren Cordain.  I dove into PubMed and read the studies that Professor Cordain cited.  And, it all started to make sense.  I started to understand lectins and antinutrients.  Despite conducting medical research on the immune system and the gut barrier, all of my research background was either focused on basic science or drug development (as most medical research is).  I needed to teach myself nutritional sciences.   Fortunately, I had experience switching scientific fields, so teaching myself a new branch of science was something I had the skills to do.  Eventually I had learned enough to realize that I had nothing to lose, but I would see Robb Wolf’s “try it for 30 days and see how you look, feel and perform” and raise him another 60 days.  On August 31st, 2011, I dove head-first into Paleo, with an initial commitment of 3 months.

From Paleo to The Paleo Mom

After two weeks of a standard Paleo diet, I was able to discontinue all six prescription medications I was on at the time (medications for asthma, allergies, GERD and IBS).  I haven’t had a migraine since (except for the few times I’ve accidentally consumed dairy).  My IBS and GERD completely disappeared.  My anxiety attacks stopped.  My energy improved. My aches and pains diminished greatly. My asthma no longer required daily medications to control.  My weird allergies (like breaking out into a rash every time I touched cardboard) went away.  My eczema and acne cleared. I started losing weight again despite having been plateaued for months.  And, I became a zealot.  I was all in.  Like, let’s start a blog as an outlet for my enthusiasm level dedicated to the Paleo cause.

I never intended my website to become a career.  As far as I was concerned, my plan was still to return to medical research once my youngest daughter was in school.  I was simply nerding out over the science behind Paleo and enjoyed the exercise of writing about it in my own words—doing so provided me a link to the career I so deeply missed. I decided to transition my husband and kids to Paleo (read more about their stories in About Dr. Sarah’s Family) and I enjoyed sharing that experience with the anonymous internet.  I was having fun experimenting in the kitchen and was proud to share my creations.  ThePaleoMom.com was a great hobby.  And then, it took off.  People love the way I explain complex scientific concepts.  They love my recipes.  My story resonates.  My audience grew, rapidly and completely organically. And, ten short months after I wrote my first blog post, I was offered book deals from two different publishers a week and a half apart from one another.

My AIP First Steps

As magical as those first few months of Paleo were, it wasn’t enough to actually fix everything.  I still had lichen planus lesions and scalp psoriasis.  I was convinced of the role of diet in my health, but I needed to dig deeper.  That’s when I discovered that lichen planus and psoriasis are autoimmune diseases.  Autoimmune.  That word.  Where had I seen it before?  Ah yes, page 201 of The Paleo Solution, a three-quarter-page inset titled “Autoimmune Caveat”.  Robb recommended additionally eliminating eggs, nuts, seeds, tomatoes, potatoes, eggplants and peppers for a month or two for anyone with autoimmune or inflammatory issues (in addition to grains, legumes, dairy and manufactured foods—a typical definition of the Paleo diet in those days was a list of foods to avoid).  In Chapter 9 of The Paleo Answer, Professor Cordain recommends that autoimmune disease sufferers additionally eliminate nightshades, alcohol, NSAIDS, oral contraceptives, and antacids (again in addition to strict avoidance of grains, pseudograins, legumes, and dairy—no 80/20 rule for us autoimmune folks).  I found two websites at the time that combined these two overlapping-but-not-identical lists of foods and that dubbed them “The Autoimmune Protocol”.  I decided I needed to try it, so as a New Year’s resolution for 2012, I eliminated all of the above.

The scientific explanations for these additional eliminations weren’t robust enough to satisfy me (I continue to this day to dislike the typical diet book formula, where the assumption is that the reader doesn’t care about science so all of the scientific evidence is glossed over, oversimplified, and reduced to ridiculous analogies), so I dove into the scientific literature on immune function and the intersection with prolamins, agglutinins, phytates, glycoalkaloids and lysozyme.  Dr. Terry Wahls’ TedxIowaCity talk had just gone viral and I was learning about the roles of vitamins, minerals, amino acids, fatty acids, phytonutrients, and fiber.  I was sold on nutrient density, so I worked on upping my vegetable intake and eating organ meat.  My oldest daughter started sleeping through the night for the first time (at 5 years old!) after we eliminated gluten from her diet, and how much better I felt got me interested in the role of sleep in immune function.  That got me interested in other lifestyle factors.  All of the immunology that I had learned in grad school suddenly became very relevant.  And, already, my website was transitioning from a mommy blog to the comprehensive health education site that it is today.

I felt like I was figuring out what the Autoimmune Protocol even was while I figured out how to implement it—not because there was a need for additional communication (although there was), but because the protocol itself was so rudimentary at the time that it was hard to even apply the term protocol. I researched all of the details, expanding the protocol and writing about each facet as I learned, adding the pillars of nutrient-density, sleep, stress management and activity, and making calls on those gray-area foods for which there was no guidance, solidifying the eliminations.  I was integrating my other knowledge into the protocol, changing its focus from the negative what to avoid, to the positive what to eat, emphasizing lifestyle in addition to diet.  I was developing recipes, trying to figure out how to eat AIP on a tight budget, and trying to understand what was specific to my body versus generally applicable and supported by scientific consensus. I bonded with a small group of other bloggers who were also implementing the AIP for their own health reasons, and who were following along with my research and also refining and writing as they went, and helping to spread the word to their own audiences (Mickey Trescott and Angie Alt of Autoimmune Wellness, Eileen Laird of Phoenix Helix, Christina Feindel of A Clean Plate, and Whitney of Nutrisclerosis). We were the small seed of what is now a vibrant AIP community, and we supported each other in both our health and professional journeys.

Popularizing the AIP

While technically the Autoimmune Protocol predated by entry into the Paleo and AIP communities, I recognize that it would not be what it is today without my research and my writing.  Truly, I was just trying to figure out the missing pieces of my own health, but I intuitively understood that I’m not alone in this struggle, nor am I the only supernerd hungry for the scientific evidence in the world.  As I researched the reasons for each AIP elimination, I started being able to rank their importance, and make judgment calls on the many foods and ingredients for which no prior determination had been made.  And I started to understand the nutritional requirements of the immune system, I integrated a nutrient-density focus to the AIP.  As I took a more holistic approach for my own health, I started to write about how lifestyle factors impact immune function.  I didn’t realize at the time that my research was transforming the Autoimmune Protocol from an obscure fad based on a basic list of eliminations to a valid and comprehensive dietary strategy to support people with autoimmune disease.  I didn’t realize that my core belief in the importance of representing scientific evidence in an unbiased and nuanced way brought scientific validity to the AIP.  And I certainly didn’t realize that, while I was counting down the days until my youngest started kindergarten so I could return to the research lab, that I was actually creating a new career for myself, something much more important.

When deciding between my book deal offers, I was choosing between writing a Paleo desserts cookbook (one specific book deal offer) or a book of my choosing (the other offer).  It was actually a really easy decision!  The world needed a book about the Autoimmune Protocol.  And, I had the glorious opportunity to write a book the way I wanted to, not shying away from science, but instead leaning into it.  I didn’t need to gloss over scientific evidence, nor to condescend to banal analogies to belabor my points; but instead, I could take the time to explain detailed scientific concepts in a way that was approachable and accessible to a general audience.  I could respect my audience, break free of the diet book mold, and create something unique both in format, and I hoped, in usefulness!

It took about 14 months from signing the contract to The Paleo Approach making it onto book shelves. Originally, The Paleo Approach and  The Paleo Approach Cookbook were going to be one book, but my publisher realized when I turned in the first part, that my original plan was too ambitious and the book needed to be divided into two.  Because I worked on both in tandem, they were both published in 2014. It was such an amazing learning experience to write a book, and I loved it (why I continue to write books!), like working on a review article (or seven) but dropping all the pretentious scientific jargon.  I had not only found something that I was uniquely qualified and skilled at, but I also found something fulfilling beyond what I had ever experienced working at the lab bench.

Thanks to referencing over 1200 scientific articles and to my writing style, The Paleo Approach became the definitive guidebook on the Autoimmune Protocol — creating the comprehensive protocol that exists today.  I subsequently wrote two AIP cookbooks, The Paleo Approach Cookbook and The Healing Kitchen (the latter a collaboration with Alaena Haber of GrazeandEnthused.com); collaborated with Mickey Trescott and Angie Alt of AutoimmuneWelness.com to create the AIP Certified Coach practitioner training program; and created the AIP Lecture Series for autoimmune disease sufferers and their caregivers.  My other interests led me to write Paleo Principles (now the definitive Paleo guidebook), The Gut Health Guidebook and The Gut Health Cookbook, and found Nutrivore.com, which will be launching soon.

But it took me years to release an e-book guide on the Autoimmune Protocol, something that, looking back, seems like it should have been an obvious resource for me to have created from the very beginning.  The reason for the delay is wrapped up in my reluctance to take ownership of the AIP (holdovers of having worn that failure sign for so long), and, because my career as an author and health educator is an accidental one, my lack of understanding, until recently, that the most robust online educational medium that I can use to communicate with people is all of them, everywhere, all at once.

Taking Ownership of the AIP

This is the hardest part of my AIP journey for me to write about, and something that I’ve never discussed publicly before.  I was reluctant to be viewed as an, or even the, AIP leader and creator.  I acknowledge that the AIP would not be what it is today without my extensive work, the overly simplistic origins would likely have fizzled into obscurity. I took something that existed only in a very rudimentary form, and through my research and writing, I expanded it, refined it, fine-tuned it, gave it scientific credibility, and popularized it.  But at the same time, like a master baker creating a gorgeous wedding cake using a collection of ingredients that likely came from different sources, I had a starting place, inspiration and mentors, colleagues and likeminded individuals, all in addition to my research skills and my own passion—my own ingredients to use to create something beautiful. And, just like that master baker needs a community to elevate them, so too did I have that community, an amazing group of AIP bloggers to amplify my work so that it could take on a life of its own. This is why I resonate with the term creator, rather than founder or inventor or originator or architect or engineer or developer, because it can encompass both my invaluable work to make the AIP what it is today but also acknowledges the contributions of so many others…. like the master baker could not create her masterpiece without the chocolatier or the florist or the farmer.

Now, the majority of people find the AIP through my work, and the now vibrant community of AIP bloggers who all rallied behind The Paleo Approach as their singular definitive AIP guide.  With the success of The Paleo Approach (it’s a New York Times bestseller), I became the deciding voice on whether or not some ingredient would be considered part of the Autoimmune Protocol or not. I actually always enjoyed this responsibility — for me, it just means spending a few hours searching around PubMed for compelling reasons to include or exclude the food in question based on its impact (or lack thereof) on the immune system, hormones, the gut barrier or the gut microbiome.  That’s fun for me.   Many AIP bloggers then took it upon themselves to police the AIP, calling out any recipe or packaged food labeled as such that included verboten ingredients, to protect everyone following the AIP from erroneous information and potentially problematic foods, maintaining the clarity and integrity of my AIP messaging.  And, this wonderful group of AIP bloggers enhanced the AIP community with their recipes, tips, strategies, and personal stories.

Also, I’m a scientist.  And as such, I believe that knowledge belongs to everyone. The Autoimmune Protocol is based on scientific knowledge, something everyone should have access to.  It felt conceited and power-hungry to view the AIP as my singular responsibility, as my possession.  I’m also terrible at self-promotion, perhaps driven by some lingering impostor syndrome (I can’t express how challenging it is to write about myself and my vulnerabilities like this!).  I’m much more in my element when I’m reading scientific papers, writing or teaching. It’s taken years for my perspective to shift, and not to one where I feel like the AIP belongs to me, but rather I feel like, as the person who created what it is today and best understands all of the science that goes into it, I am best equipped to protect the Autoimmune Protocol.  Not ownership per se, but stewardship. That doesn’t mean keeping the AIP static.  In fact, I strongly believe the AIP needs to adapt and update as new scientific studies that inform various aspects of the AIP are performed and as we start so see the results of AIP clinical trials (see Updates to the Autoimmune Protocol).  But, I want to protect the AIP from commercialization, pyramid schemes of supplements that somehow mean you don’t need to do the hard work, from bastardization, unjustified modification to the point where the therapeutic potential is lost, and from dilution, where the central message behind the AIP is drowned out by a cacophony of unfocused, useless recommendations.

I am indebted to the Autoimmune Protocol for my current good health, for the influence I’ve been able to have on the medical community and the alternative health community, and for my ability to truly make a different in people’s lives.  And, the best way for me to return the favor is to work to maintain the integrity of the AIP, to keep it freely available, to support the AIP’s current transition into the mainstream, and to embrace my role as the world’s leading expert and authority on the Autoimmune Protocol.  It’s not a position I sought,  but it’s one I feel obligated and honored to have.

Part of my transition to feeling comfort in my role as the AIP creator and steward was recognizing the need to enhance my ability to communicate with the hundreds of thousands of people using the Autoimmune Protocol to mitigate their diseases.  That was the major driver behind creating The Autoimmune Protocol e-book.  In one digital resource, I was able to update the Autoimmune Protocol, provide a quick-start for anyone new to the protocol, help everyone well into their AIP journeys hone in on the most important facets of the protocol to get the most out of it, and develop a method to communicate directly with you regarding all things AIP.

In a normal world, I would have written The Autoimmune Protocol e-book long before ever getting a book deal.  The e-book would have gone through iterations, and when I did finally write an in-print book, it would have been based on a refined version of my e-book.  Because my audience grew so quickly out of the gate, I ended up writing The Paleo Approach first.  And then, I was scared that if I released an e-book on the Autoimmune Protocol, that it would cannibalize sales of The Paleo Approach, a terrifying prospect given that I have long relied on book sales to support my website and team. That’s why it took me 5 years to put together The Autoimmune Protocol e-book. I think I needed the experience of creating the AIP Certified Coach practitioner training program and teaching The AIP Lecture Series to realize that my resources layer on top of each other, that each of these ways of learning about the Autoimmune Protocol support each other. The best way that I can increase recognition of the Autoimmune Protocol, to perform my stewardship duties, is to provide as vast a collection of AIP resources, all at different levels of detail, as possible.  And on the bright side, The Autoimmune Protocol e-book is a really darned awesome resource, far better than I could have created five years ago!

The Common Themes of My Journey

Let’s face the bitter truth:  my experiences of facing prejudice and bullying, of not being taken seriously by my doctors, of struggling with symptoms for decades before I knew the name of my autoimmune diseases, of being so defeated by my symptoms that I believed I deserved how I felt. . . those experiences aren’t unique to me. Variations of those experiences are the common theme of life with autoimmune disease.  And it just shouldn’t be that way!  But what’s also amazing is that my experience of feeling so inspired and indebted to the AIP that I committed my life to educating others about it isn’t unique either!  There are so many talented AIP bloggers out there creating AIP resources, recipes, cookbooks, all to help drive this movement forward.  And, each one of them has an inspirational story of healing.  Here are just some of my favorite stories from AIP bloggers:

• Phoenix Helix: My Experience with the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol
• A Squirrel in the Kitchen: Reversing Hashimotos The Story of my Recovery
• Joanna Frankham: Hidradenitis Suppurativa My Story (Video)
• Wellness Unraveled: My Autoimmune Protocol AIP Story
• LissMS: AIP and ME. Why I Started and my First Three Months
• Lichen Paleo, Loving AIP: My Health Journey 
• Real Food and Love: Healing Update (Hopefully the Last?)
• Emotional Autoimmunity: Part 1 – Getting Sick, My Autoimmune Disease Symptoms  & Part 2 – Diagnosis, Cronic Disease and the ‘New Normal’
• The Unskilled Cavewoman: My Health Journey (Podcast)
• Adventures in Partaking: My Story: Endometriosis and Infertility
• Healing Family Eats: Children and the AIP – a Teens Honest Account
• Kirstie Howard Living Well: Hashimotos, AIP & Me!
• Bon AIPpetit: My Autoimmune Story
• Reversing Autoimmune Disease: My Five Year Anniversary on the AIP
• Healthy Fat & Fit: What it’s Really Like to Live with Hypothyroidism
• Real World AIP: My AIP Story- how I put celiac into remission and fixed my leaky gut & brain fog! (Video)
• Cook 2 Nourish: This is my Fight
• Hashimoto-co.de: My experience with the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)

I hope that my story and those of the above AIP bloggers inspire you to learn more about the Autoimmune Protocol, dive deeper, and take your next step on your path to health.  So, if you want to learn more about the AIP or share resources with a friend or family member, here’s my suggested order to go through my resources:

1. Read my summary webpage on the Autoimmune Protocol here. (There’s lots of links to specific articles too.)
2. Get my free AIP Quick-Start Guide here.
3. Grab a copy of The Autoimmune Protocol e-book (it’s only $20 and your purchase helps support this website).
4. Read The Paleo Approach. (You can also cook out of The Paleo Approach Cookbook and The Healing Kitchen.)
5. Sign up for the next session of The AIP Lecture Series.
6. If you’re a healthcare professional or wellness provider, check out the AIP Certified Coach practitioner training program.

And please note that any purchase from ThePaleoMom.com helps to support me, my team (without whom I couldn’t do even a fraction of what I do), and the costs of operating this site.  Thank you!

The post My Personal Journey with the Autoimmune Protocol appeared first on The Paleo Mom.

Of all of my cake recipes, this is my favorite so far.  The cake flavor and texture is fabulous and what better (or more classic) way to top a vanilla cake than with a light and fluffy dark chocolate frosting (you can also skip the whipping step for a more ganache-like texture).  You can definitely serve this cake to non-Paleo company (I just did at my daughter’s third birthday party and everyone loved it!).

I have made this cake both as a layer cake and as cupcakes.  It works very well either way.  A note on frosting:  I actually like to make a 1.5X batch of this frosting for a three-layer cake, but I’m a big fan of Pollyanna style cakes, piled high with light creamy frosting (anyone else love that movie as a kid?).  I wrote the recipe this way because it’s a perfect quantity for the cupcakes, and if you aren’t too generous with the amount of frosting in between layers (or if you prefer using something like raspberry jam).  The first time I made this cake, I used the frosting unwhipped.  I definitely prefer the texture whipped, but thought I would include both options.  You can control how sweet the frosting is by how dark of chocolate you use.  I used semisweet for my daughter’s cupcakes but 80% for my husband’s birthday cake.  Just remember that adding palm shortening to the chocolate will dilute the sweetness.

This recipe makes three 8” or 9” round layers or makes 24 cupcakes (this would probably work as a sheet cake too, but you’ll have to experiment with the cooking time).

Yes, this recipe calls for a whole lot of eggs.  No, it is not a typo.  No, it does not make for an eggy cake.  Trust me on this one.

Vanilla Layer Cake with Dark Chocolate Frosting

Prep Time: 20 minutes + frosting preparation

Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Yields: 1 cake or 24 cupcakes

Ingredients (Whipped Dark Chocolate Frosting):

• 8 oz semisweet to bittersweet chocolate
• 1 cup palm shortening

1. Melt chocolate and palm shortening together on the stove top or in the microwave, being careful not to burn.  Mix to completely combine.
2. Let cool to room temperature (this takes several hours, but you can hurry it up in the fridge).  Use as is, or:
3. Whip frosting in a standing mixer with whisk attachment for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.

Ingredients (Vanilla Cake):

• 12 eggs, room temperature
• ¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
• ¾ cup palm shortening
• 1 cup honey
• ½ cup arrowroot flour
• ¾ cup coconut flour, sifted
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp vanilla
• Beans scraped from one Madagascar vanilla bean pod
• Palm shortening and arrowroot powder to grease and flour the cake pans

1.  Prepare cake pans or muffin pans.
   • If using round cake pans:  trace the bottom of the pan on a piece of wax paper and cut out the circle (3 of them, actually).  Grease the pan with palm shortening, lay the wax paper circle over the bottom and then grease the wax paper.  Add a little arrowroot powder (1-2 Tbsp) to the pan and tap and swish around the pan to coat (discard any leftover after then pan is coated).  Repeat with the other two cake pans.
   • If you are using muffin pans for cupcakes: line each muffin cup with a paper liner or silicone muffin cup liner.  I think you could probably grease and flour each muffin cup if you wanted to, but I haven’t tried so I can’t vouch for how cleanly the cupcakes would come out.
   • If you are using silicone cake pans or muffin pans, then lucky you!  You don’t need to do anything!
2. Preheat oven to 350F.
3. Beat eggs in the bowl of a standing mixer for 1 minute.  Add honey, palm shortening, coconut oil, and vanilla.  Slice vanilla bean open lengthwise with a sharp knife.  Scrape the seeds out of each half of the pod with your knife and add to the batter.  Beat to combine (don’t worry if they don’t really come together yet).
4. In a separate bowl, combine arrowroot powder, sifted coconut flour, baking soda and salt.  Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.  Beat on high for 1-2 minutes, until batter is smooth.  Allow batter to sit for 1-2 minutes to thicken.
5. Pour batter into prepared cake pans, dividing evenly.  Use a rubber spatula to spread batter out to the edges.  If making cupcakes, fill each liner approximately 2/3 full.
6. Stagger cake pans or muffin pans in the oven.  Bake round layers for 27-28 minutes, until starting to turn golden brown on top and a toothpick poked in the middle comes out clean.  Cupcakes only take about 22 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cake pans cool on a wire rack completely before removing from pan.  Cupcakes can be removed from the muffin pans earlier.
8. To remove cake layers from round cake pans, first run a knife around the edge of the cake.  Put your hand over the top of the cake and invert the pan.  The cake should fall into your hand (if not, try putting the pan upside down on a cutting board and tap the bottom gently).  Put a plate or cutting board where the pan used to be and flip back right side up.  Voila!
9. Now it’s time to frost!  The frosting doesn’t pipe that well, but you can if you want to (it tends to melt with the heat of your hand, but if you can work quickly, go for it!).  If you’re frosting cupcakes, just spread a nice dollop over the top with a pastry knife.  If your frosting a layer cake, place layer one on your serving dish, add some frosting and spread it over the top of the layer, add another cake layer, repeat with the frosting, add the last cake layer.  Use the rest of the frosting to coat the top and the sides.
10. Enjoy!!!!

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As I discussed in My Personal Journey with the Autoimmune Protocol, my work both popularized the AIP and helped transform it from an obscure fad to a valid dietary strategy to support people with autoimmune disease. My core belief in the importance of representing scientific evidence in an unbiased and nuanced way brought scientific validity to the AIP. I wrote The Paleo Approach (which remains the definitive guide to the AIP), based on collective insight gleaned from over 1200 scientific studies. Since its publication in 2014, hundreds of thousands of people have successfully used the AIP to manage and mitigate their autoimmune diseases.

But the most exciting thing that has been happening is the increase in medical studies that have formally evaluated the benefits of the AIP on serious clinical health conditions.  These studies are building the type of concrete proof that has the capacity to transition the AIP from a complementary approach to first-line course of treatment, advancing the AIP to the mainstream. It is the culmination of nearly a decade of my work in conjunction with the AIP community at large, and something for which I am immensely proud.

Autoimmune Protocol Clinical Trials

Let’s review the clinically-validated benefits of the Autoimmune Protocol (so far)!

Konijeti GG, Kim N, Lewis JD, Groven S, Chandrasekaran A, Grandhe S, Diamant C, Singh E, Oliveira G, Wang X, Molparia B, Torkamani A. Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Inflamm Bowel Dis. 2017 Nov;23(11):2054-2060. doi: 10.1097/MIB.0000000000001221.

This 2017 study evaluated the efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol for management of inflammatory bowel disease.

Fifteen patients with active inflammatory bowel disease—9 participants with Crohn’s disease and 6 with ulcerative colitis, and 47% of which were on biologics—were placed on the Autoimmune Protocol by transitioning gradually over 6 weeks (using the SAD to AIP in 6 program), followed by 5-weeks maintaining the strict elimination phase of the AIP (see The 3 Phases of the Autoimmune Protocol). Patients were closely monitored and given access to health coaching. They were also given two books The Paleo Approach by Dr. Sarah Ballantyne, PhD and The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook by Mickey Trescott, NTP and Angie Alt, NTC, CHC, as resources for following the protocol. This study evaluated disease markers for IBD including the Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) for those with Crohn’s disease, and Mayo Score for those with Ulcerative Colitis—both of which are pain and symptom scores—as well as endoscopy improvements and laboratory markers.

For patients with ulcerative colitis, the Mayo scores at 0, 6 and 11 weeks were significantly improved from 5.8 to 1.2 to 1.0. And for patients with Crohn’s disease, the mean HBI was improved from 7 to 3.6 and finally to 3.4. The mean fecal calprotectin (a serology marker of inflammation) improved from 471 to 112 at week 11. Endoscopy improvements were also noted in 6 of the 7 participants who completed a follow-up endoscopy at week 11.

Clinical remission was achieved by week 6 in 11 of the 15 (73%) study participants, and all 11 maintained clinical remission throughout the study’s maintenance phase. The authors did not expect to achieve clinical remission so early into the study, and remarked that 6-week remission “rivals that of most drug therapies for IBD.” The authors note that dietary therapy and modifications can be used as an adjunct to current IBD therapies and medical practices in those even with moderate-to-severe disease.

Some limitations of this study include the lack of detailed follow-up with regard to the non-dietary aspects on patient improvement, such as: close follow-up with practitioners, stress, sleep, physical activity, social support etc. Treatment for IBD relies heavily on reducing overall inflammation and isolating the effect of all factors independently was not considered. Nutrient repletion was also utilized for participants with deficiencies in vitamin D and iron, which may have impacted the results for those few patients.

Chandrasekaran A, Molparia B, Akhtar E, Wang X, Lewis JD, Chang JT, Oliveira G, Torkamani A, Konijeti GG. The Autoimmune Protocol Diet Modifies Intestinal RNA Expression in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Crohns Colitis 360. 2019 Oct;1(3):otz016. doi: 10.1093/crocol/otz016.

This 2019 study evaluated the effect of the AIP diet on gene expression for those with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), by extending the data analysis from the above-described 2017 trial where 73% of IBD patients achieved clinical remission by 6 weeks on the Autoimmune Protocol.

This data extension included examining changes in mucosal RNA expression from baseline to the end of the study. In this previous cohort, 5 participants had biopsies collected for analysis at both time points (at the baseline and end of diet implementation). There was only 1 patient with Crohn’s disease, therefore the analysis was limited to the 4 patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) only.

The results of the study illustrated that there were 324 significant differentially regulated genes, of which 167 were down regulated—that is they were “turned down”, and 157 genes were up regulated—that is they were “turned up”. The study found beneficial modulation of functional pathways involved in inflammation, DNA repair, metabolic processes, and cellular proliferation.

In particular, the gene expression changes observed are associated with downregulation of inflammatory T-cell-mediated responses, which drive tissue injury in autoimmune disease, so turning down these genes is a great thing! And, there was also concurrent upregulation of regulatory T-cell responses and function, the insufficiency of which is a hallmark of autoimmune disease. Regulatory T-cells are crucial for regulating the adaptive immune system—these cells suppress the activity of immune and inflammatory cells to shut down T-cell-mediated immunity toward the end of an immune reaction. So, turning up these genes is also a great thing!  Other functional pathways that were modulated indicate increased gut mucosal healing (yay!), including protein synthesis, fatty acid synthesis, and DNA repair.

The authors conclude: “Results from this RNA substudy would suggest dietary elimination, along with emphasis on a nutrient-dense diet, has the potential to positively modify inflammation and reduce symptoms in UC.”

Chandrasekaran A, Groven S, Lewis JD, Levy SS, Diamant C, Singh E, Konijeti GG. An Autoimmune Protocol Diet Improves Patient-Reported Quality of Life in Inflammatory Bowel Disease. Crohns Colitis 360. 2019 Oct;1(3):otz019. doi: 10.1093/crocol/otz019.

This 2019 study is another data extension from the same IBD cohort in which the improvement of quality of life (QOL) scores were evaluated for the participants with irritable bowel disease (IBD).

This study also evaluated disease markers for IBD including the Harvey-Bradshaw Index (HBI) for those with Crohn’s disease, and Mayo Score for those with Ulcerative Colitis—both of which are pain and symptom scores—as well as endoscopy improvements and laboratory markers. The participants also completed the Short Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (SIBDQ) at baseline weeks 3, 6, 9 and 11, which is the most commonly used tool for evaluating the quality of life in patients with IBD. The SIBDQ uses total scores ranging from 10-70 and ≥50 being a good quality of life. Upon completion of the 11-week trial, patients mean Mayo score improved from 5.8 to 1.0 and the HBI improved from 7 to 3.4. Laboratory inflammation markers showed marked improvements, and for those with follow-up endoscopies, there were observed improvements also.

While the SIBDQ survey completion percentage reduced throughout the study, the final analysis revealed that mean scores improved from 46.5 at baseline to 61.5 at week 11. Some limitations of this study were dietary compliance, survey responsiveness, and the effect of health coach interactions on QOL independent from actual clinical improvement. Additionally, the cohort was a relatively small sample size at 15 people, and a control group was not incorporated. This study was intended to act as a pilot study for the potential efficacy of AIP on people with IBD.

The study acknowledges that the AIP has the potential to significantly improve quality of life measurements in patients with IBD, and that larger randomized controlled trials are warranted. I agree!

Abbott RD, Sadowski A, Alt AG. Efficacy of the Autoimmune Protocol Diet as Part of a Multi-disciplinary, Supported Lifestyle Intervention for Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis. Cureus. 2019 Apr 27;11(4):e4556. doi: 10.7759/cureus.4556.

This 2019 study studied 16 middle-aged women diagnosed with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and the impact of the Autoimmune Protocol on their symptoms, quality of life survey and serological testing. Currently, there are few, if any, efficacious treatments for Hashimoto’s thyroiditis outside of thyroid hormone replacement.  Similar to the IBD study design, study participants were placed on the Autoimmune Protocol by transitioning gradually over 6 weeks (using the SAD to AIP in 6 program), followed 4-week maintaining the elimination phase of the AIP, and facilitated by health coaches.

Patients experienced a statistically significant improvement in health-related quality of life scores as measured by the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey and Cleveland Clinic Center for Functional Medicine’s Medical Symptoms Questionnaire (MSQ). In fact, the clinical symptom burden, as measured by the MSQ, decreased from an average of 92 at the beginning of the study to 29 after the 10 weeks. There were no statistically significant changes in thyroid function including TSH, free and total T3, and free and total T4, and thyroid antibodies. Inflammation however was significantly decreased by 29%, as measured by C-reactive protein (a measurement of systemic inflammation)!

The study concluded that a diet and lifestyle program facilitated by a multidisciplinary team could significantly improve the health related quality of life and symptom burden of women with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and could reduce systemic inflammation and even modulate the immune system (as evidenced by changes in white blood cell counts in the serology of participants).

The authors highlight that “[t]he role of the physician, health coaches, and NTPs, as well as the participants’ communal group environment, cannot be understated and appears to be the primary mediating elements behind the high rate of adherence.”

There are some other AIP studies in the works and I’m excited to share them once they complete the peer-review process and are published!

If you’re looking to deepen your knowledge on the AIP, the AIP Lecture Series is without a doubt my most effective and comprehensive resource for learning about the Autoimmune Protocol, thanks to my careful layering of information with a multimedia approach plus the interactive nature of this online course. I teach every aspect of this course and provide individual support within a private Facebook group, where I connect with every student and answer ever question posed during the session. Of the (many) benefits of this type of intensive educational experience is the opportunity to:

• emphasize the comprehensive and holistic nature of the Autoimmune Protocol;
• maintain a positive focus on what to eat (rather than perseverate on what to eliminate);
• dive into the nitty gritty why’s behind, and scientific evidence for, each facet of the protocol;
• discuss how to troubleshoot and individualize the AIP; and
• address mindset, balance, and sustainability when it comes to utilizing the AIP as a complementary approach to healing.

Over the last 4 years of running my course, I have learned that this deep understanding and learning about the AIP is not only interesting and helpful for students, but it is a keystone to the true empowerment and confidence that transforms autoimmune disease sufferers into disease warriors!!

However, my virtual classroom is far from the only way to learn the ins and outs of the AIP!  You can also do so through self-education (reading my books [especially The Paleo Approach and The Autoimmune Protocol] and/or the vast collection of freely available and up-to-date articles on the AIP on my site, for example), 1-on-1 coaching (like working with an AIP Certified Coach), or group coaching (like SAD to AIP in Six).

Additional Dietary Elimination Protocol Studies – The Wahls Protocol

The Wahls Protocol is the most similar approach to the Autoimmune Protocol out there, and because Dr. Wahls has led the way with her rigorously-designed studies, her protocol is a reliable additional proof of concept that a nutrient-dense diet and healthy lifestyle can improve autoimmune disease.

The Wahls Protocol diet is mainly focused on eating 9 cups of vegetables per day (3 cups each of green veggies, colorful veggies, and sulfur-rich veggies), animal and fish protein while encouraging fish oil consumption, nutritional yeast consumption, kelp and algae consumption, allowed non-dairy milk substitutes, limited non-gluten containing grains, and completely eliminated dairy, gluten, and eggs. The biggest point of differentiation between the Wahls Protocol and the Autoimmune Protocol is the inclusion of nightshade vegetables if tolerated, but also the inclusion of nuts and seeds and limited servings of some other non-AIP foods like quinoa, corn, rice, gluten-free oats, soy, lentils, dried beans, and peanut butter. If you’re familiar with my work, you’ll recognize most of those as early AIP reintroductions. So, while the Wahls Protocol leaves room for self-experimentation and has added the Wahls Paleo and Wahls Paleo Plus levels that have more eliminations, the AIP take the approach of eliminating all of the possible culprits driving inflammation and immune overactivation and then methodically testing individual tolerance through a reintroduction phase. Both diets heavily promote nutrient-density including eating tons of veggies (the AIP does not put a firm serving amount on any food but does suggest aiming for a minimum of 8 to 10 servings per day), organ meat and seafood. Exercise and meditation are also endorsed on the Wahls Protocol, although the lifestyle focus on the Autoimmune Protocol is more rigorous.

With that said, there have been some amazing studies including the Wahls Protocol in recent years and the following section summarizes them as an important inclusion to the healing power of food, and the similar principles of AIP. See also The First Clinical Trial Using a Paleo Diet for Autoimmune Disease.

Wahls TL, Titcomb TJ, Bisht B, Eyck PT, Rubenstein LM, Carr LJ, Darling WG, Hoth KF, Kamholz J, Snetselaar LG. Impact of the Swank and Wahls elimination dietary interventions on fatigue and quality of life in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: The WAVES randomized parallel-arm clinical trial. Mult Scler J Exp Transl Clin. 2021 Jul 31;7(3):20552173211035399. doi: 10.1177/20552173211035399.

In this brand-new 2021 study, 77 participants were studied over a 12-week interval and 72 participants were continued onto a 24 week study period to determine the effect of dietary modification on the impact of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). Trial participants were randomized into two different dietary protocol groups: the Swank diet or the Wahls Protocol. The Swank diet is a low-saturated fat diet, whereas the Wahls Protocol centers around the Paleolithic elimination diet focusing on high nutrient density and elimination of specific dietary antigens such as gluten, casein and lectins. The Wahls Protocol was randomized with 39 participants completing the primary endpoint, and the Swank diet had a cohort of 38 complete the 12-week duration. The primary evaluation points were to measure the change in perceived fatigue as determined by the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Secondary results evaluated the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS), the mental and physical quality of life (MSQoL-54 score) and the 6-minute walking test (6MWT).

The results showed significant mean reductions in FSS from baseline for both diets with the Wahls Protocol outperforming the Swank diet at the final 24-week endpoint. Additionally, both groups saw a reduction in MFIS with the Wahls Protocol group significantly outperforming the Swank diet at all time intervals. The MSQoL-54 measurements revealed the Wahls Protocol participants again achieving clinical significance through both time points and achieving significantly more improvement when compared to scores in the Swank diet group. Additionally, the 6MWT groups in the Wahls Protocol group severely outperformed the Swank diet participants and achieved the mark of clinical significance at the 24-week mark.

The findings of this study illustrate that both diets achieved significant reductions in fatigue and QoL for participants, however the Wahls Protocol was superior in all metrics at the final 24-week endpoint. “In addition, two trials show that dietary modification improves the mass and diversity of the gut microbiota in people with MS. Evidence suggests that people with MS have reduced mass and diversity of their gut microbiota compared to healthy controls, which likely promotes inflammation.”

Chenard CA, Rubenstein LM, Snetselaar LG, Wahls TL. Nutrient Composition Comparison between a Modified Paleolithic Diet for Multiple Sclerosis and the Recommended Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern. Nutrients. 2019 Mar 1;11(3):537. doi: 10.3390/nu11030537.

The goal of this 2019 paper was to assess the nutritional content in of the Wahls Protocol in relation to the dietary reference intakes (DRI) of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) Healthy US-style Eating Pattern (HEP). Different dietary protocols are often utilized in people with multiple sclerosis (MS), but due to the lacking scientific evidence there is limited guidance for patients on how to improve outcomes outside of medical treatment. The concern is that the Wahls protocol eliminates large food groups, and therefore has the potential to be deficient in nutrients. The analysis also took into account the nutrient composition and inclusion of any dietary supplements recommended on the Wahls protocol. Several iterations of the Walhs protocol were modeled with varying vegetable and fruit consumption amounts, and the subsequent nutrient sufficiency of 17 vitamins and minerals was evaluated.

The study found that the Wahls Protocol was of similar sufficiency as the HEP in all modeled cases, including variations in the serving numbers of fruits and vegetables. While the protocol alone demonstrated a shortfall of vitamin D and magnesium, the supplementation recommended alongside the diet protocol corrected the deficiencies in all cases modeled. However, supplementation did not correct the other shortfall nutrients such as iron and calcium, linoleic acid, choline, dietary fiber, and potassium. Some nutrients that were exceeded on the Wahls protocol include sodium, vitamin K, and saturated fats. Additionally, the high amount of nutritional yeast that is included in the diet results in high levels of B vitamins. Dr Wahls hypothesizes that some of the higher vitamin concentrations are helpful for remyelination (that is the growing of new myelin sheaths around the axons in the central nervous system), thus helping to ‘heal’ the body from the effects of multiple sclerosis. The study culminated in guidance for practitioners to closely monitor in their MS clients who are on the dietary protocol, especially with regard to lipids, vitamin D, bone, vitamin K, and iron status. The study was not able to determine levels of polyphenols, iodine, sulphur compounds, and biotin because data was not available.

Titcomb TJ, Bisht B, Moore DD 3rd, Chhonker YS, Murry DJ, Snetselaar LG, Wahls TL. Eating Pattern and Nutritional Risks among People with Multiple Sclerosis Following a Modified Paleolithic Diet. Nutrients. 2020 Jun 20;12(6):1844. doi: 10.3390/nu12061844.

Similar to the previous study, the goal of this 2020 paper was to determine the nutrient sufficiency of the Wahls Protocol diet on 19 participants, through means of dietary recall (that is, the participants were tasked with remembering their meals for the study periods), and the diets were analyzed with a nutrition software. Three 24-hour non-consecutive dietary recall entries were taken from each participant and modeled for analysis. Blood markers were collected from the participants both at the baseline and completion of the study period to determine any biomarker changes.

The study concluded that the micronutrients intake from food was sufficient in all clients, except for vitamin D, choline, and calcium. One participant exceeded the upper limit for zinc, one exceeded the limit for vitamin A, and 7 participants (or 37%) exceeded the chronic disease risk reduction (CDRR) limit for sodium. When vitamin intake from additional supplements was included, several individuals exceeded upper limits for magnesium, zinc, sodium, and vitamins A, D, C, B₆, and niacin. “Serum values of vitamins D, B₁₂, K₁, K₂, and folate significantly increased compared to respective baseline values, while homocysteine and magnesium values were significantly lower at 12 months. Calcium and vitamin A serum levels did not change.” The study concluded that the Wahls Protocol, otherwise known as a modified Paleolithic diet, is associated with minimal nutritional risks. However, the use of supplements alongside the dietary modification could result in exceeding upper limits of nutrients, and may be of concern.

Lee JE, Titcomb TJ, Bisht B, Rubenstein LM, Louison R, Wahls TL. A Modified MCT-Based Ketogenic Diet Increases Plasma β-Hydroxybutyrate but Has Less Effect on Fatigue and Quality of Life in People with Multiple Sclerosis Compared to a Modified Paleolithic Diet: A Waitlist-Controlled, Randomized Pilot Study. J Am Coll Nutr. 2021 Jan;40(1):13-25. doi: 10.1080/07315724.2020.1734988.

In this randomized controlled study, 15 participants with multiple sclerosis (MS) were randomized to 3 groups to determine the effect on fatigue and quality of life:

• modified Paleolithic diet (Paleo group: 6 participants)
• medium-chain triglyceride (MCT)-based ketogenic diet that included coconut as a fat source (Keto group: 5 participants)
• usual diet (Control group: 4 participants)

“Participants had blood drawn every 4 weeks to monitor nutritional ketosis. Participants completed 4-day weighed food records, measures of disability, fatigue, quality of life (QoL), cognitive function, and physical function at baseline and 12-weeks.”

The macronutrient intake and measured blood levels of β-hydroxybutyrate indicated that the Keto group had achieved nutritional ketosis by week 12. Macronutrient intake and blood levels indicated that neither the Paleo group nor the control were in nutritional ketosis at week 12. “The Paleo group had significant within group reductions in fatigue scores and maintained cognitive function scores compared to the Control group. The Keto group had significant reductions in fasting glucose and insulin compared to baseline values; however, no clinical outcomes significantly changed.” The study concluded that while the Keto group was able to obtain nutritional ketosis, it was not associated with significant clinical improvement, whereas the Paleo group experienced significant clinical improvement when compared with both the Keto and the Control groups. The study concludes that larger randomized controlled trials are required to determine the efficacy and safety of the modified Paleolithic diet for patients with MS.

It’s worth noting that I’ve written about the limitations and problems with a ketogenic diet before, so I’m in no way surprised that it was ineffective and comparable to the control group in this study. Read more in How Ketogenic Diet Wreaks Havoc on Your Gut, Adverse Reactions to Ketogenic Diets: Caution Advised, The Case for More Carbs: Insulin’s NonMetabolic Roles in the Human Body and TPV Podcast, Episode 140: The Danger of Ketogenic Diets.

Irish AK, Erickson CM, Wahls TL, Snetselaar LG, Darling WG. Randomized control trial evaluation of a modified Paleolithic dietary intervention in the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis: a pilot study. Degener Neurol Neuromuscul Dis. 2017 Jan 4;7:1-18. doi: 10.2147/DNND.S116949.

In this 2017 study, 17 patients were evaluated to determine the dietary effect of the modified Paleolithic dietary intervention (MPDI), for the treatment of fatigue and other clinical symptoms on relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The control group was 8 participants including one male, where the intervention group was 9 participants including one male. Study participants in the control were given training on completing food diaries, where the intervention group was trained on filling out a more detailed food log, to properly capture the detail required in the intervention group. The study length was 3-months and measurements were taken at baseline and at 3 months.

“Significant improvements were seen in Fatigue Severity Scale score and also in Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 and time to complete (dominant hand) 9-Hole Peg Test from baseline in MPDI subjects compared to controls. Increased vitamin K serum levels were also observed in MPDI subjects postprotocol compared to controls.”

The study concluded that modified Paleolithic diet may be useful in the treatment and management of MS, by reducing fatigue scores, increasing quality of life (both mental and physical), increasing exercise capacity, and improving hand and leg function. The results also showed that intervention participants had higher vitamin K serum levels than the control group, which may also reduce inflammation.

In Summary

The benefits of the AIP, and similar dietary approaches such as the Wahls Protocol, are gaining validation both in practice, and in the scientific literature. Those of us with anecdotal experience in the success of AIP for supporting our health goals are relieved, excited and understandably emotional about the validation offered by the scientific community.

I continue to anticipate further randomized controlled studies to further validate the impact of the AIP (there are a couple in the works!), and I look forward to all of the autoimmune disease warriors who will be helped in the future when the AIP becomes standard practice and a recommended adjunct therapy to the current medical interventions and treatment protocols.

Acknowledgements

I would be remiss to not offer my support and a shout-out to Mickey Trescott and Angie Alt of Autoimmune Wellness, whose organization works to provide funding and support of studies relating to the Autoimmune Protocol. Without their passion for AIP and the scientific method, many of these works would not be published today. Also, I must comment on my immense respect to Dr. Terry Wahls and her tireless mission towards providing infallible science to support her fellow MS disease warriors.

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