AUTOIMMUNE PROTOCOL DIET (AIP) IS HELPFUL TO SOME WITH IBD

What is an Autoimmune Protocol, or AIP?

An autoimmune protocol (AIP) integrates food, physical activity, sleep, stress management, and symptom management into one comprehensive plan for treating those with IBD and autoimmune diseases.

What is the AIP diet?

The AIP focuses on improving diet quality and discovering food triggers. For example, an AIP diet minimizes refined sugars, starches, saturated fats, and omega-6 fats (see Paleo Diet). In addition, the diet emphasizes fresh foods, bone broth, and fermented foods like yogurt and kefir.

Overtime, the diet in addition to the rest of the AIP should improve symtpoms. Once you feel better, you can slowly reintroduce other foods into the diet (see Phase 2: reindtroduction).

Results

To see how well the AIP diet works for IBD, Dr G Konijeti and the Scripps Clinic tried it for 15 adults over 11 weeks (Inflamm Bowel Disease 2017, pages 2054-60). For the first 6 weeks, the participants slowly integrated the AIP diet. Afterwards, the participants used the full autoimmune protocol for the last 5 weeks. By 6 weeks, 11 participants (73%) felt better and went into clinical remission . The remaining 4 participants didn't do as well or dropped out of the study.

Overall, the AIP was a helpful tool in managing IBD. As a result, the diet is being tested in more patients and is being compared to other diets. Nutrition4IBD will keep you informed.