Here it is, the first AIP Spotlight of 2017! {See all interviews in this series HERE.} It's an extra special once for you this time, as I share this interview with not one, but two lovely ladies. They have many years of experience between them with both autoimmune disease and AIP living. Meet Kacy and Kara!
I love the insights they shared in this interview. It is truly valuable to get different pserspectives and ideas when following a healing lifestyle like the AIP. The interview with these ladies will give you encouragement to keep at it! Enjoy the read and then don't forget to share your thoughts after!
To start, tell us a bit about yourself.
Kacy: I am one hot mama ;) to a lovely daughter and have been married for 11 years to my fab hubby. I have 16 (yes, you read that right) diseases, conditions or syndromes. I’m all about intentional living, sharing all aspects of my story in the hopes of providing help for those that suffer be it physically, spiritually or emotionally. I am super silly and deep, messy but love organization, spiritual but not religious, a planner but love spontaneity. Kara: I’m a mom of 2 boys (9 & 6) a wife of a husband that works out of the country for a month at a time, I homeschool 3 days a week and kids go to school for 2 days, I am one of the Sisters of the Sister’s Undercover blog, and I have Multiple Sclerosis. I love food and coming up with recipes as well as researching how food can be medicine and how it can be detrimental to your overall health. I love to find products that fit into my new greener, cleaner lifestyle and share them. I wanted a place to go to when I was starting out my journey that would give me options of clean products that I could try and see if they worked for me. That is what we are building right now over at SistersUndercover.com How long have you been following the Autoimmune Protocol, and what prompted you to try it? Kacy: I did hardcore AIP for almost 2 years with very little introductions. I now eat a combo of Paleo and AIP. Kara: When I was officially diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in June of 2014 I read the Wahl’s Protocol. Dr. Wahl’s is a neurologist that has MS and has a great TED talk that I watched and then immediately devoured her book. She has a few different paleo plans to help feed your mitochondria and I jumped onboard right away. After using her protocol Paleo Plus I decided I wasn’t getting the results I wanted and slowly weeded out out other foods until I realized I was following AIP. I have reintroduced a few foods now, some seeds, some nuts, black pepper, but I have also eliminated others, onion being a big one for me. What have you found most challenging about following the Autoimmune Protocol? What helped you to overcome the challenge? Kacy: The depravity of choices. I was eating AIP before I knew AIP existed. When I did realize there was a label for how I was eating there was like 2 or 3 blogs that existed that had recipes…thank God! I originally started gluten free, then dairy free, then sugar free, then Paleo, then AIP so it felt like I went through a continually grieving process every time I transitioned to a new way of eating. I was able to overcome due to my hardcore stubbornness and my hope for healing. Kara: The most challenging aspect of following the Autoimmune Protocol was social situations and that people don’t get it. Since the Whole 30 and Paleo diet in general has become very popular people understand it more now. The people that are closest to me have seen the results of changing my lifestyle and eating habits so they are supportive. Although they still don’t always fully get it, they are along for the ride and you can’t ask for anything more really. Thankfully my husband is 100% supportive as long as I don’t make him eat this way! I now know a couple places I feel safe going out to eat and I don’t try to educate people that aren’t really interested in AIP or changing their health through lifestyle changes. It is hard for me because if I may see someone that has been through many different prescription drugs and treatments and nothing is working for them, if you aren’t open to it, suggesting that someone just trying gluten or dairy free for a month sounds insurmountable. Other than food, what aspect of AIP living have you found to have the biggest impact on your health? Kacy: Sleep…when I can get it. Kara: Stress management and patience. First, meditation and gentle yoga have had huge impacts on my overall wellness, sleep is in the stress management category as well. Essentially self care. The other thing is patience, patience with those I love and patience with myself. It is a difficult road dealing with autoimmune disease and then add on the food restrictions. People have a hard time eating things in front of me or I feel like I am ruining an evening because someone in the kitchen of a restaurant put margarine on my “steamed” veggies for the third time. Patience, one of the biggest lessons for me. Patience with the medical profession is a big one as well. I have been very lucky with the doctor’s I currently see, but it is hard when you feel like you are trying to educate your doctor with every appointment. Patience. Share 1 thing you wish you had known when you started the Autoimmune Protocol. Kacy: Not to be afraid of reintroductions. I was paralyzed with fear, thus I stayed on strict AIP for almost 2 years with very few reintroductions. It is empowering and important to do those reintroductions. Kara: You set the rules. I have battled anxiety over food after starting AIP. I feel so great, as a result I can get fearful of what will happen if I get glutened or if I do eat something on the “no” list. Will all the work leading up to that day be for nothing? I went gluten and dairy free two and half years ago and I haven’t knowingly eaten gluten or dairy again, BUT that isn’t what everyone’s journey is going to look like. You set the rules, if you are strict AIP for three months and need to reintroduce things, try it, see how it goes, don’t stress yourself out about it. This is an ongoing struggle I need to remind myself of frequently. What exciting or rewarding results have you seen from following AIP? Kacy: When I first went AIP, my inflammation levels were high, I was just diagnosed with another autoimmune disease and after adopting AIP my CRP (inflammation) levels dropped dramatically, so much so that it barely registered on my blood work to my doctor’s surprise. I also lost 40 lbs and had more ability to live life versus being on the couch or in bed all day. Kara: I lost about 30 pounds in 6 months (total bonus), less brain fog, less joint pain, less fatigue, more energy and also the feeling I was taking my health into my own hands. I think that was an enormous realization for me. Feeling like I have the power to improve my health by eliminating foods that are causing my inflammation or leaky guy. Getting results quickly (for me) and realizing how crummy I actually felt and how great I can feel. Do you have a favourite AIP resource? Kacy: I like Autoimmune Paleo. Mickey’s cookbook was my first AIP cookbook and I related to the recipes and they tasted SO GOOD! Kara: The Autoimmune Paleo Cookbook by Mickey Trescott, Dr. Wahl’s Protocol Book helped lead me to AIP, Phoenix Helix, Paleo Mom, Dr. Amy Myers Autoimmune Summit. I really can’t choose they are all so helpful in their own way. Name one of your go-to AIP recipes. Why do you love it? Kacy: I legit make my Cucumber Salad recipe ALL of the time. It is for sure my most used and my most popular recipe on the blog too. (Link below.) Kara: Ginger-Lime-Salmon from our website. This is a recipe my entire family loves, the kids beg for it and it's easy. I usually have asparagus and kale chips with this salmon. I ate fish maybe once or twice a year before going AIP so this is huge for me. (Link below.) Click the photos below to get their recipes!
What are your top 3 AIP pantry items? Kacy: Avocado Oil, Saucy Lips Zesty Cilantro, Artisan Tropic Cassava Strips. Kara: Cassava Flour (love making tortillas), I have also used it to thicken sauce and I am currently working on some dessert recipes, Coconut Amino’s (I use this for any old recipe I have that uses Soy Sauce) and Avocado Oil (I use this on anything that will be cooked on the grill because of it’s high smoking temperature. We know our thoughts & emotions play a large role in AIP healing. Do you have a favourite phrase, or mantra, if you will? Kacy: Two words. Surrender & Grace. Kara: I pause hourly to deep breathe. I have an article on our blog about it because it has been so incredibly helpful for me. Some days I will say a certain phrase or word depending on where I am in that moment. It is usually something about patience, being present or acceptance. Following the Autoimmune Protocol affects more than just ourselves. How did you incorporate AIP into your household? Kacy: My husband is super supportive so he was all over it and willing to cook and menu plan with me. My daughter is a Paleo kid so it wasn’t a uber hard thing for us. Although my husband does not eat Paleo for himself we do eat Paleo or AIP dinners together as a fam. Kara: Thankfully my boys are 6 and 9 so now they can do many more things in the kitchen safely. They actually make their own breakfast and most days lunch too (unless we are doing something special or when the 6 year old is not in the mood!) and I make dinner which is AIP, I sometimes add potatoes or couscous (the kids fave) for my husband and kids. Usually everyone eats the same thing. With my husband's schedule it has actually made it easier on me because I don’t have to take another adult’s wishes into consideration much. He is a meat, veggies and potatoes kind of guy which falls in line quite well with AIP. I am just very conscience of cross-contamination. Some (my sister Kacy) may say a little anal or crazy. Not everyone understands why we choose to live & eat the way we do. How do you deal with the negative nay-sayers? Kacy: I develop a hearing problem and just don’t listen. It is my life and I don’t need the background noise. BOOM! Kara: I may be at a place where I don’t really take into consideration if others understand or if others agree with the lifestyle change. I’m in charge of my health and I’m the one that deals with the consequences. It is an extreme diet in some peoples eyes (mine too sometimes), but if done properly there are no negative health ramifications. There are peer pressure issues, social discomforts, but I think when you eat this way it makes others pay attention to how they are living and eating and that can bring serious issues to the surface for them. It has taken some time for me, but those issues are not my problem. It is a big help that my sister is also AIP, support from those you care about makes it much smoother.
Thank you, Sisters!
What an inspiration for all of us trying to heal. Don't forget to go show them some love on their site or on Instagram! Make sure to stop back next week for the next article in the AIP Spotlight series! I have many more awesome interviews to share! (Contact me if you or someone you know has AIP experiences to share. I may just interview YOU!) Good health to you, Bethany xoxo Scroll down to leave a comment. I'd love to hear your thoughts!
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AuthorThe Emancipated Epicure, Bethany. I'm a Foodie & Autoimmune Warrior who loves to cook. Working at healing with the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol. Archives
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