DIETARY STRATEGIES FOR AUTOIMMUNITY

An anti-inflammatory nutrient-dense approach

Therese Revitte, MNT720-989-8188therese@livebrightnutrition.com

TALKING POINTS

Ò Common denominator of all autoimmune diseasesÒ Key dietary concepts related to inflammationÒ Recommended diet for autoimmunityÒ Strategies for successÒ Supplements Ò Functional testsÒ Lifestyle factors that support your immune system

COMMON DENOMINATOR: INFLAMMATION

Ò The immune system is overtaxed, then triggeredÒ It loses its ability to distinguish between “other”

and “self”Ò It attacks “self” tissues as well as “others”Ò Results in high levels of chronic inflammation

GOAL OF THE AUTOIMMUNE DIET

Ò Reduce inflammation in the bodyÉ Remove inflammatory foodsÉ Increase nutrient-densityÉ Improve the microbiomeÉ Heal the gutÉ Control blood sugar

#1: THE MICROBIOME

Ò 10-100 trillion microorganisms – 4.5 pounds!Ò Beneficial, opportunistic, or pathogenicÒ Your microbiome informs your body about the

external world.

WHAT AFFECTS THE GUT MICROBIOME?

Ò How you were born – c-section vs. vaginal deliveryÒ Whether you were breastfed as an infantÒ AgeÒ GenderÒ Where you’ve livedÒ Stress – extreme or chronicÒ AlcoholÒ MedicationsÒ YOUR DIET!

#2: INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY

http://www.symmetryperformance.com/about/articles/114-yes,-mat-helps-runners-get-back-in-their-game.html

WHAT CAUSES INTESTINAL PERMEABILITY?

Ò Genetic predispositionÒ Food sensitivitiesÒ AlcoholÒ GlutenÒ ToxinsÒ Chronic stressÒ Pathogenic bacteriaÒ Poor dietÒ Medications (e.g., antibiotics, NSAIDS, acid blockers,

vaccinations)

HEALING AND SEALING THE GUT

Ò Remove foods that cause inflammation and that feed pathogenic microbes

Ò Add nutrient-dense foodsÒ Use targeted supplements

therapeutically as neededÒ Reinoculate – replace

beneficial microorganisms

http://naturalgutcures.com/

#3: CONTROLLING BLOOD SUGARÒ Carbohydrates, protein and fat all raise blood sugar at different

ratesÒ Insulin level follows blood sugar levelÒ High insulin levels cause fat storage and inflammation

http://www.lauranaturopath.com/sugar-insulin-101/http://fat-burning-machine.com/blood-sugar/

LOW GLYCEMIC LOAD

Ò Low glycemic load meals lead to less insulin, less fat storage, less inflammation.

https://heatrick.com/2013/03/04/muay-thai-and-carbs-important-part-1/bloodsugargi_1-3/

HIGH GLYCEMIC MEAL

CONTROLLING BLOOD SUGAR

Ò Remove all added sugarsÒ Remove refined grainsÒ Limit white potatoesÒ Eat only whole foods - unrefinedÒ Eat protein and healthy fats with each meal and snackÒ Do not skip meals Ò Carbohydrates should come primarily from vegetables

and some fruitÒ Fiber and acidic foods lower the glycemic load of a meal

LOW GLYCEMIC MEAL

AUTOIMMUNE PROTOCOLS

Ò Dr. Terry Wahls for MSÒ The Wahls ProtocolÒ Facebook Support GroupÒ CookbookÒ Ted Talk

THE ANCESTRAL (PALEO) DIET

Ò What is the Paleo diet?É Whole fresh foodsÉ OrganicÉ Non-GMOÉ Pasture-raisedÉ GrassfedÉ Wild caught

Ò Quality matters!

http://eatdrinkpaleo.com.au/paleo-diet-food-list/

THE ANCESTRAL (PALEO) DIETÒ Embrace healthy fats, especially for MS

https://draxe.com/healthy-fats/

PHASE 1 - SHIFTING TO THE AUTOIMMUNE DIET

#1 REMOVEÒ Remove gluten

É Gluten is highly inflammatory, causes leaky gut, causes an opioid reaction, and mimics body tissues

É Remove wheat, barley, rye, cross-contaminated grainsÉ 100% avoidance

Ò Remove dairyÉ Dairy is inflammatory to many (casein, lactose), causes

an opioid reaction, mimics body tissuesÒ Remove sugar

É Sugar is inflammatory, negatively impacts the microbiome, raises blood sugar and insulin levels

PHASE 1 - SHIFTING TO THE AUTOIMMUNE DIET

#2 ADDÒ Vegetables and fruits are key!

É High in nutrients and antioxidants

Ò 9 cups of vegetables per dayÉ 3 cups of leafy green vegetablesÉ 3 cups of sulfur-rich vegetables É 3 cups of brightly colored

vegetables and fruits

9 CUPS OF VEGETABLES (SAMPLE)

https://www.choosemyplate.gov/vegetables

Broccoli or Cauliflower 1 cup, chopped or florets

Greens (collards, mustard greens, turnip greens, kale, spinach)

1 cup, cooked

Raw leafy greens (spinach, romaine, dark green lettuce, endive)

2 cups raw tightly packed

Carrots About 12 baby carrots or 2 medium

Peppers 1 cup chopped or whole 3” diameter

Winter squash (acorn, butternut) 1 cup cubed and cooked

Cabbage, green 1 cup, chopped or shredded raw or cooked

Onions 1 cup, chopped, raw or cooked

Celery 1 cup, diced or sliced, raw or cooked2 large stalks (11" to 12" long)

PHASE 1 - SHIFTING TO THE AUTOIMMUNE DIET

#3 Reinoculate the microbiome – start slow!É Fermented vegetablesÉ KombuchaÉ Coconut yogurt/kefirÉ Raw apple cider vinegar

PHASE 2: OFFICIALLY PALEO

Ò Remove grains and pseudograinsÉ Rice, oats, corn, quinoa, millet, buckwheat, wheat,

barley, ryeÒ Remove legumes and beans

É Soy in all forms, beans, lentils, peanutsÒ Remove dairy

É Milk, yogurt, cheeseÉ Butter and ghee may be OK for youÉ You may tolerate goat or sheep cheese

PHASE 3: DIVING DEEPER INTO PALEO

Ò If you aren’t getting the results you want…..Ò Additional common sensitivities include:

É EggsÉ Nuts and seedsÉ Nightshade plants (tomatoes, potatoes, peppers,

eggplants, okra, gooseberries, gogi berries)Ò Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) removes these

É Autoimmunewellness.com

ADDITIONAL DIETARY STRATEGIES

Ò Intermittent FastingÉ Shorten your eating window, lengthen your fasting

window (12/12, 10/14, 8/16)É Eat the same number of calories during eating window

Ò Ketogenic DietÉ Very low carb (20-50 grams per day)É Moderate protein (12-15%)É High in healthy fats (70-80%) É Wahls Paleo Plus (3rd phase) keeps the body in a light

ketogenic state

PALEO DIET – HOW TO IMPLEMENT

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

Ò Mental Shift! Dinner foods for breakfast and lunchÒ Buy prep tools – Cuisinart, blender, good knivesÒ Plan to cut up and grate a lot of vegetablesÒ Buy in bulk when you can – e.g., farmer’s markets, co-

opsÒ Meal planning!Ò Create your shopping list for the weekÒ Have pantry staples on hand – don’t run outÒ Meal prep day – make double or triple amountsÒ Build a recipe file – vegetable recipes, dressings and

dips

REPLACEMENTSÒ Instead of grain products

Ò Alternative flours – almond, coconut, cassava, tapioca, arrowroot, tigernut

Ò Almond, cassava or coconut crackers/chips/tortillasÒ Grain-free granolaÒ Plantain chipsÒ Alternative noodles – zucchini (zoodles), spaghetti

squash, kelp noodles, Wonder noodlesÒ Instead of dairy

Ò Almond, coconut, hemp, cashew milksÒ Nut cheeses or vegan cheeses (read the ingredients

to ensure no gluten or grains)Ò Coconut yogurt (read the label!)

Ò Instead of riceÒ Cauliflower rice

Ò Instead of beansÒ Coconut aminos instead of soy/tamari sauceÒ Cauliflower hummus

ABOVE AND BEYOND – BASIC SUPPLEMENTS

Ò Vitamin D – 2000 iu dailyÒ Magnesium glycinate – 200 mg dailyÒ Omega-3’s or cod liver oil – 1000-4000 mg (EPA and

DHA) dailyÒ Probiotics – fermented vegetables or capsules (multi-

strain – 50+ billion)Ò B-vitamins – methylated – plus extra folate and B12 –

for detoxing

ADDITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS

Ò DetoxificationÒ Gut repairÒ Hormone balancingÒ Adrenal supportÒ Anti-inflammatories

FUNCTIONAL TESTS

Ò GI stool testsÒ Hormone testing – cortisol, sex hormones,

melatoninÒ Micronutrient TestingÒ Food sensitivity testing

LIFESTYLE FACTORS

Ò Deep restorative sleepÒ Detoxification strategiesÒ Stress managementÒ Exercise

AUTOIMMUNE RESOURCES

Ò The Wahls Protocol – Dr. Terry Wahls, MDÒ Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease

and Heal Your Body – Sarah Ballantyne, PhDÒ The Autoimmune Solution – Amy Myers, MDÒ The Autoimmune Fix – Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN,

DACBN