Does the AIP Diet Work for MS?

Last Updated on December 5, 2023 by Cathy

For many years I was using food as my medicine to control my multiple sclerosis (MS). Then I discovered it was possible to not only stop the progression. But it was also possible to reverse the symptoms. That’s when I decided to try the autoimmune protocol (AIP). The AIP diet is basically an elimination diet. By removing foods that can cause a leaky gut and balancing hormones your body has the chance to heal.

Like other diets, this is not a cure. But with diet and lifestyle changes your body isn’t fighting high levels of inflammation. You can find a list of foods to avoid and enjoy while on the AIP at the bottom of this post.

How I Got Started with the AIP

I worked in the newspaper business for many years. I loved it but it came with meeting daily deadlines and stress. Then the “Great Recession” hit and took its toll on the newspaper industry. Every three months I was dealing with layoffs and furloughs. It was extremely stressful. That daily chronic stress is what set me back and caused my walking to get worse.

After several years of chronic daily stress, I was eventually laid off from my job. It turned out to be a good thing because it removed my stress. That’s when I decided to switch diets to the AIP diet and try to reverse my symptoms. Staying positive that this would be the diet that worked.

I decided to remove all the inflammatory foods for about two months. I already knew I was sensitive to eggs, they have bothered me since I was a young kid. Since they bothered me I did not reintroduce them.

When I reintroduced tomatoes my face broke out. I tried it three times and all three times I had the same reaction. Unfortunately, I had the same reaction when I reintroduced sweet peppers and chipotle. I stopped reintroducing other nightshades. Other than that I did not react to any other foods. So, I eliminated nightshades along with eggs from my diet.

What Is The Autoimmune Protocol?

The autoimmune protocol is an elimination diet. It removes common foods that cause inflammation in our bodies. When the gut is constantly irritated the lining begins to separate. This “leaky gut” allows food and toxins to enter the body where it shouldn’t belong. It’s believed a leaky gut (intestinal permeability) causes autoimmune diseases.

Foods to avoid:

• Alcohol
• Bad oils
• Chocolate
• Dairy
• Eggs
• Gluten
• Grains (oats, rice, wheat, etc.)
• Legumes (beans, peanuts, soy)
• Nightshades (eggplants, peppers, tomatoes, etc.)
• Nuts
• Processed foods
• Refined sugar and carbohydrates
• Seed oils (canola, safflower, soybean, etc.)
• Seeds

Following the AIP you will be avoiding foods that irritate the gut. Instead, you will be replacing them with nutrient-dense foods. This will reduce the inflammation and seal your gut which will help reduce symptoms caused by MS.

There is a lot of conflicting information on the internet about the AIP diet. Whenever I needed help I looked here for information:

• The Paleo Mom blog Dr. Sarah Ballantine. She also has a book The Paleo Approach that goes into great detail.
• Autoimmune-Paleo blog by Mickey Trescott. She teamed up with Angie Alt and changed the name to Autoimmune Wellness. Mickey has two books, The Autoimmune Wellness Handbook and The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook.

Keeping It Simple

If you are used to eating the standard Western diet, this can feel very overwhelming. Especially if you struggle with walking and standing for long periods. So standing over a stove for an hour is out of the question. I like to keep things simple, the fewer ingredients the better. Plus, who wants to spend a lot of money on an ingredient when you’re only going to use very little?

I ate a lot of vegetables included in salads and soups, and I especially loved one-pan meals for easy cleanup. I started the AIP diet before The Wahls Protocol book came out so I wasn’t eating nine cups of vegetables each day. Today, I consume 9-10 cups of vegetables each day by eating or drinking them like in smoothies (you could also try juicing).

Since I was trying to reverse the damage to my central nervous system I focused on LOTS of nutrient-dense foods. I ate a wide variety of vegetables and organic meats. Included healthy fats like avocados and full-fat coconut milk each day.

I used LOTS of herbs (minus herbs from nightshades) and drank herbal teas. The herbs make meals taste so much better! Don’t feel intimidated using herbs. Instead, start experimenting you may find a new favorite. Once I meant to put turmeric on my turkey burger but grabbed cinnamon instead. It tasted pretty good. Now I put cinnamon on everything since it helps to manage blood sugar.

Herbs can be very expensive so I like to grow my own. You can easily grow them indoors or outdoors. I like to dry them and store them in little jars like these. They also make good gifts to other cooks in your life.

A Typical Day of Eating:

• Breakfast – leftover dinner from the night prior is the easiest. Which included cooked vegetables and a protein plus bone broth to drink.
• Snack – an avocado or cucumber and an herbal tea to drink.
• Lunch – a huge salad with many different vegetables or soup-like Creamy Chicken Zoodle Soup. Plus, a green smoothie to drink.
• Snack – cut up vegetables like baby carrots. Or toss cabbage and carrots into a shredder, and add lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, sea salt, and fresh ground pepper.
• Dinner – one-pan dinners are my favorite like Salmon with Lemon Rub.

UPDATE: I changed my diet in September 2022 to a plant-based diet. This was due to blood work that showed I was heading toward heart disease so I’m currently avoiding meat. Instead, I eat mostly fresh fruits and vegetables at every meal.

Removing Environmental Toxins

I had already removed many environmental toxins. Such as natural body care products or natural household products. But there is always room for improvement. Every time you remove an environmental toxin that is one less thing your body has to deal with.

Stress

This is a HUGE factor for me. Even today I have to be careful when it comes to stressing out. I used to get kind of high from stress like an adrenaline rush. But, now I know how harmful and detrimental stress can be on your overall health.

Now I make stress reduction as important as diet. Every day I spend a certain amount of time doing nothing but letting my body and mind relax. I also close my eyes while taking in deep breaths and slowly letting them out. It’s not only relaxing but it also removes toxins.

Sleep

Sleep is also important for your body to heal. I used to stay up late and then get up early to get things done. However, each morning I could feel the lack of sleep affecting my body. My feet would feel more numb and I walked as if I were drunk. Now I prioritize my sleep and aim for no less than eight hours each night.

Always Learning

I have learned a lot since I first started the AIP diet. Unfortunately, none of my MS symptoms reversed which was very discouraging. I’m not sure if I gave it enough time because a few months later The Wahls Protocol book came out so I switched diets.

Eventually, I realized I was suffering from a yeast overgrowth known as Candida. I decided to do a combination of the AIP, The Wahls Protocol, and a candida diet following the Healing Multiple Sclerosis book by Ann Boroch. Along with many supplements and antifungals. I finally began to see my symptoms reverse like my heat intolerance.

Researchers have discovered people with MS are lacking in good bacteria. Following the AIP diet helps people rebuild the good bacteria in their guts. But as I found out, until you improve not only your diet but infections, sleep, and stress your body won’t be able to heal. It’s all a balancing act.

Triggers to MS:

• Diet (processed foods, refined sugar, refined carbs, food allergies, etc.)
• Infections (bacterial overgrowth, parasites, viruses, and yeast overgrowth )
• Environmental Toxins (heavy metals, mold, pesticides, plastics, etc.)
• Chronic Stress (especially emotional stress)
• Hormones (vitamin D, insulin, cortisol)
• Genetics (you can’t change your genes but you can change your gene expression by living a healthy lifestyle)

Today I fast for about 14 hours each night. I eat less meat and eat only organic food along with fermented foods for gut health. For candida, I eat a low-carb diet, which also helps keep my blood sugar level. Plus, I exercise six days each week to keep moving.

Don’t Get Discouraged

I’ll admit, this diet is hard. But, the central nervous system is one of the slowest to heal so this may be the little boost you need. The AIP is not meant to be a lifelong diet, it’s only temporary until you start seeing improvements. Give this diet a try for a few months and hopefully, you’ll see some progress.

You can do this – you are an MS Warrior!

Get Your Free AIP Foods to Avoid and Enjoy:

Get the password for the library including my AIP Foods to Avoid and Enjoy plus a wallet-sized cheat sheet here by filling out this form:

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Does the AIP Diet Work for MS?