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Plant-based diet for autoimmune?
I'm wondering if any of you have had experience with or know anything about a completely plant-based diet for autoimmune diseases. The AIP diet allows meat and poultry and fish, so I'm not referring to AIP (which I did and found unhelpful). I have been having lupus flares, and several friends have mentioned that I should investigate a completely plant-based protocol. This seems to be completely contradictory to AIP tenets, which steers away from nuts, grains, legumes, etc. But there's apparently (?) medical thought supporting the plant route for autoimmune diseases.
I am already very careful about my diet as I have celiac disease and ulcerative colitis, so I steer clear of processed foods, sugars, bad fats, etc., and am strictly gluten-free.
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Hi, Lucylulu: Thanks for your input. How did you get started with your plant-based diet? Was there a particular plan or cookbook you used? I am worried in particular about not getting enough protein. Thanks for any help you can give.
Hi, cpd: I had trouble with AIP mostly because I have heart disease as well as my autoimmune issues, so am having to restrict saturated fats and could not include the more caloric items on the diet. And I have no gall bladder, so couldn't tolerate a lot of the allowed oils. As a result, I lost weight rapidly, an issue because I only weighed 90 pounds when starting. My body really was stressing!
I am on a ton of supplements prescribed by my primary care physician, and am back to eating "normally" for me -- gluten free, stay away from sugar, etc. But a couple of weeks ago I had the first UC flare I've had in years, my arthritis suddenly got worse, and I seem to be having lupus symptoms I never had before. Hence my search for some dietary help, if such a thing exists. Aside from the challenge of getting enough protein, did the plant-based diet actually cause problems for you autoimmune-wise?
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1 ReactionThanks for your input. I, too, am a Type O.
Autoimmune Protocol diet. You can find it online just by googling "AIP diet." It didn't help me, and I questioned the logic behind some of the restrictions (particularly where eggs and legumes were concerned), but other people say it has worked for them. Wishing you the best...
Thank you so much. Nothing has worked well for me especially mostly because of my ileostomy. It’s working well but not with the autoimmune food suggestions or medication! Thanks again.
I found the Wahls protocol very beneficial for autoimmune.
9 years now.
Thank you. I wonder what your symptoms are and how you were diagnosed with Vasculitis?
Hi @bayhorse - No, I don’t follow a specific plan. That’s one of the nice things about plant-based is that’s the plan - plant based foods. 😋I do try to eat the whole plant as much as possible (ex I eat edamame but not soy milk).
I’ve found that religion, politics, and protein are three topics I try to avoid discussing! But I’ll go there for you. By eating a wide variety of vegetables, nuts, seeds, and legumes each day, I get about 20-30 grams of protein per meal. If I add something like pea powder to a smoothie or use chickpea pasta, I can get about 30-40 grams per meal.
Personally, since I’ve never been told I have a protein or iron deficiency, I don’t worry about it and probably only get about 60 grams total most days.
For reference, I’m 55, strength train four days a week, and hike 8-10 miles in the Colorado mountains every weekend.
I do take a B-12 supplement as that is a nutrient you can’t get from commercially grown plants in the US.
Having said all that, I know many people who say they don’t feel their best on a diet like mine. So definitely, talk to your doctor and listen to your body.
There are so many great vegan cookbooks and chefs on social media. I really like the Oh She Glows cookbooks by Angela Liddon.
Good luck and good health!
@dancing1 , AIP is the Autoimmune Protocol diet. It’s basically meat, fish, fruit and vegetables that you stay on until your symptoms go away. Then you start reintroducing foods and watching to see if your symptoms return. You can search and find a lot of info in the net about it.
@bayhorse I had a food sensitivity test done after I had been on the vegan diet and it showed that a lot of the foods I was eating I was sensitive to. Such as avocados and pineapples and potatoes, all plant foods. So, yes, plant based caused my symptoms to worsen. When I cut out the foods the sensitivity test showed I was sensitive to and added back meat and fish, I slowly got better.