Celebrating 30 Days of following the Autoimmune Protocol

Woohoo!!! Today it has been thirty days since I started following the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP)! I can't believe it's been thirty days & I've had no crazy cravings or cheat foods. I simply feel too good to risk going backwards. It really is that serious. I cannot remember a time when I've felt as good as I do. I know I'm on the right path & I know my body is communicating with me loud & clear.....this time I am actually listening.

In addition to faithfully following the AIP, I've also been attempting to reduce my toxic load. I'm currently reading the Hashimoto's Protocol & the first part of the book is about liver toxicity. There's a questionnaire in that section (see below) & I had sixty-seven, SIXTY-SEVEN, of the symptoms for liver toxcity. That was just shocking to me. I've been poisoning myself for years, even when I thought I was being pretty healthy. 

SIDE NOTE:This book is changing my life. I definitely recommend reading it to help you on your health journey. 

Read this list of symptoms & count how many you have. 

“LIVER ASSESSMENT

Mark which symptoms apply to you.

Acne

Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness

“Anxiety, fear, or nervousness

Apathy, lethargy

Arthritis

Asthma, bronchitis

Bags or dark circles under eyes

Bad breath

Belching or passing gas

Binge eating or drinking

Bloating

Blurred or tunnel vision

Brain fog

Canker sores

Chest congestion

Chest pain

Chronic coughing

Compulsive eating

“Confusion, poor comprehension

Constipation

Craving certain foods

Depression

Diarrhea

Difficulty breathing

Difficulty in making decisions

Digestive problems

Dizziness

Drainage from ear

Earaches, ear infections

Eczema

Emotional dysregulation

Excessive mucus formation

Excessive sweating

Excessive weight

“Faintness

Fatigue, sluggishness

Feeling of weakness or tiredness

Food sensitivities

Flushing or hot flashes

Frequent illness

Frequent or urgent urination

Gagging, frequent need to clear throat

Genital itch or discharge

Hair loss

Hay fever

Headaches

Heartburn

Hives, rashes, or dry skin

Hormonal imbalances

“Hyperactivity

Insomnia

Intestinal or stomach pain

Irregular or skipped heartbeat

Itchy ears

Learning disabilities

Mood swings

Multiple chemical sensitivity

Nausea or vomiting

Near- or farsightedness

One or more autoimmune conditions

Pain or aches in joints

Pain or aches in muscles

Poor concentration

Poor memory

“Poor physical coordination

Rapid or pounding heartbeat

Restlessness

Ringing in ears, hearing loss

Sensitivity to medications and supplements

Shortness of breath

Sinus problems

Slurred speech

Sneezing attacks

Sore throat, hoarseness, loss of voice

Stiffness or limitation of movement

Stuffy nose

Stuttering or stammering

“Swollen, reddened, or sticky eyelids

Swollen or discolored tongue, gum, lips

Underweight

Unexplained weakness

Water retention

Watery or itchy eyes

“Total number of symptoms: ____

<3:        Optimal

3–12:    Mild toxicity

13–24:  Moderate toxicity

>25:      Severe toxicity”

Excerpt From: Izabella Wentz, PharmD. “Hashimoto's Protocol.” HarperCollinsPublishers, 2017-02-18. iBooks. 

It's pretty clear that my liver is not happy with me. So, in addition to following the AIP, I'm also focusing on cleaning up my kitchen & bathroom.  

In the kitchen I'm using glass & cast iron to cook, store & heat with. I've given up my lazy habit of using paper plates (they are lined with plastics & dyes). I'm using water filtered from the fridge & carrying my refillable water container with me everywhere (I'm not a huge fan of the flavor of the water, so I add fresh lemons.). I'm being vigilant about keeping aluminum foil away from my food, keeping a layer of parchment paper  in-between, if I use it at all. I'm also looking for muffin & mini-muffin pans (for my favorite meatballs) that are not tin (so many products to check into). 

In the bathroom I've probably made the most changes, as, unlike in the kitchen (I'd been using cast iron for years etc.), I'd always downplayed how harmful the products I was using in there were. I know, I know, pretty dumb of me. Gah!! I had a little bit of experience with deodorant & toothpaste. I've bounced  back & forth between all natural & store deodorant for years. It isn't a secret ;) that drugstore deodorant is filled with toxins. Up until last week. I'd never found the perfect natural deodorant for me. Its not been easy for me to find a brand that worked...there have been some not so pleasant smells at the end of the day, but, thankfully, not anymore. I think I have discovered my new favorite deodorant it's called 

Primal Pit Paste, I love lavender, but they have lots of other fragrances. I ordered ours (for my girls too) from Thrive Market. Their pricing is amazing & they ship as fast as Amazon Prime. Win/Win. To save 15% on your first order use this offer code.

For toothpaste I use a local (to me) brand

Frankie's Remineralizing Toothpaste. I use peppermint, but only because I haven't tried the cinnamon. I love how clean my teeth are after using it. It's great stuff, but it may take a bit for you to get use to the texture & lack of foaming (all things that are created in labs with chemicals). They make all of their products in small batches using natural products. I love everything of theirs that I've tried. They'll ship it to you. Be sure to tell Frank that I sent you.

I've used tampons for three decades & other than avoiding scented tampons, I'd never been concerned. Graphic thought, but we spend on average, 5-7 days per month with those toxic little things inside us. Yikes!! I looked into many brands, but for quality & price I chose to replace my grocery store cancer sticks with a home delivery service brand called Lola. For $5 off use offer code ASMILEY3. 

For bath soap I use Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap bar. I love this stuff. My skin feels baby soft & I even use it as a face wash. I'm obsessed! I use the Dr. Bronner's Castile Soap (liquid) in mild baby to make shampoo & hand soap. For the hand soap I use this recipe from Pinterest. Follow my Toxin Free board for more ideas. I get the Castile soap from Amazon.

Shampoo hasn't been an easy transition, although prior to eliminating traditional shampoos & conditioner my scalp was covered in painful sores (Seborrheic dermatitis) & within a week I had no new sores & now my scalp is clear as can be. Also, prior to the switch my hair was falling out by the handful & I do mean by the handful. 

 

 After wringing my hair after washing it (1st pic) & from brushing my hair after washing it (2nd pic). I'd  lose similar amounts throughout the day as well. These were taken on March 22, 2017. 

I took the picture, below, after my shower last week. There's an obvious reduction in hair loss. 

I've tried multiple homemade shampoo recipes, but I've learned that my hair likes the most simple recipe. It is simply 1/4 cup coconut milk, 1/3 cup liquid Castile soap (I use the baby mild), 10 drops essential oil (I use lavender). No additional oils or honey...just three simple ingredients. You will have to find the amount that is right for you, but use the smallest amount possible. Just like with the toothpaste you aren't goin to get the lather that traditional shampoo gives you (from chemicals), but if you shake it up before you use it, it will foam up and make it easier to wash-in. Make sure you rinse, rinse, rinse. My daughter uses an apple cider vinegar rinse after shampooing (your hair won't smell like ACV, but it does rinse it nicely and helps protect color treated hair). We do not use, or find that we need, conditioner. I'm looking at water filters for our shower heads, as the chlorine can impact your results. I will keep you posted on my haircare regime, but I certainly don't plan on going back to using traditional shampoo.

I'm also going to attempt laundry detergent, dishwasher detergent & dish soap this weekend.

As far as makeup goes, I have been not wearing it as much as possible and I'm researching the best and safest products for everyday use. At this point, my plan is to use my favorite makeup brands (read toxin laden) on special occasions only.

Are you ready to get your health back? Are you tired of being tired? Sign up for my FREE 7 day AIP group. What do you have to lose?

What are some of your favorite natural brands or recipes? Leave your tips for all of us in the comments below.