The ThinkFoodAI auto-immune protocol essentially follows the Paleo principles of ThinkFood30. Obviously certain adjustments have been fine-tuned over time to adapt optimally to cases of chronic, autoimmune complications. To start with, the baseline approach rules out most potential allergens: anything that is known to likely trigger auto-immune responses.
Since auto-immune sufferers are inherently more susceptible and sensitive to ‘foreign substances’ in the gut (which is essentially what food is), all potential aggravators will be excluded in the beginning phase: ALL of them ALL the time until the body has found its equilibrium. One can then slowly but surely start experimenting with one thing at a time in order to identify the culprit, if there is a single one. It is not called Elimination Diet without reason and it should be clear from the start that – no matter how small the bite or drop, if its not on your plan, there is not even a crumble or trace of a drop.
The auto-immune protocol is pointless if not adhered to 100% and cheating won’t work, because we know that it can only be foolproof if followed correctly. With everyone. You will not be the only exception.
Essentially, to make it sound even worse, we’ll strip you of all your pleasures and your friends will look at you funny because you are refusing to be part of the social ‘Just Once’, ‘It’s Just a bite’, ‘Come on, one drink won’t kill you’ or the ‘Sorry, I forgot that you don’t take milk, but you’re not allergic, are you?’. Thing is, you make everyone around you feel self conscious because you are not partaking in ‘the fun’. Get used to it.
The ThinkFoodAI AutoImmune Protocol
ThinkFoodAI entails a thorough anamnesis of the participant: you. You with all your problems and history: chronic medication, recreational drug usage, cognitive state, supplement usage, hormonal treatments, nutritional habits, etc. As a matter of fact, we’ll get really personal as in your bowel movements plus what it looks like and how it smells. The flaky skin on your feet and the odd pimple in your groin. The burning eyes and the itchy scalp, the fatigue and lack of motivation, the discoloring teeth and the falling out hair but also your personal well-being in terms of social& business parameters.
In order to get to the bottom of it all, various tests serve to analyse your body’s functionality to date: blood-analysis, stool analysis, urine analysis, if need be a genetically based. The metabolic picture drawn up serves as the roadmap for treatment possibilities, which will be discussed at length. Most patients have had their fair share of experimenting, and in cases such as heavy metal toxicity, all reactions and counter-reactions to previous supplements& medications etc are of high importance.
ThinkFoodAI Protocols are always individual and unique.
If need be, doctors and specialists are consulted, both trusted on from your side or from the ThinkFoodMedNet to achieve maximal results and treatment options. As difficult as the discipline side of things might be and as alone as you might sometimes feel, we’re with you every step of the way and can be called upon any time. Never feel stupid for asking a question, seeking guidance or plainly venting off some frustration. We know what you are dealing with. Your family probably doesn’t, and it’s a difficult road to be on as is.
So before compliance is implicated in any way or about to be, rather give us a shout. The usual ThinkFoodCoPilot Phase is set for 12 months, so it’s not you and your plan after a month’s implementation. We would happily do it that way if things got cleared up that fast, but experience has taught us to be very patient and very exact, not get overly excited and wait all out until we really are sure it’s going uphill and you’ll make it up there on your own.
Why so serious and is it really that necessary?
If there weren’t so many ‘curious’ commonalities among auto-immune sicknesses, disorders or impairments, we’d be happy not to use the BIG AUTOIMMUNE BANNER, but:
- An epigenetic susceptibility has been established in all cases of AI.
- Most sicknesses manifest in early adolescence. Bacterial or viral triggers are under discussion in view of ‘infectious’ circuits: an immune reaction is set in motion by viral or bacterial infection, overly alerting the body’s self-defense mechanisms.
- The actual destructive immune reaction, the auto-immune disease, is initiated by various not yet fully established factors: environmental factors which the body is overpowered by or can not rid itself of in order to reestablish proper functioning or homeostasis. More often than not, the intestine lining is compromised, widening its ‘tight junctions’ and paving the way for harmful immune-complexes to entering your blood stream, passing previously ‘no stepping on the grass’ areas. It’s called leaky gut because that is exactly what it is: your gut is leaking stuff into the body it is not equipped to deal with. The body panics: body-tissue structurally similar to the perceived ‘foreign’ or harmful substances (protein-structures of bacteria, viruses or food) will be under fire. In the case of rheumatoid arthritis the connective tissue in your joints is under siege, in case of multiple sclerosis war is being wagered on your myelin sheaths, type 1 diabetics from birth are under attack in the pancreas department and a ‘slow thyroid’ is slow because in Hashimoto’s it being munched away from your own immune system.
- Trauma (anything from experienced stress, body or mind, to an accident or loss) weakens the bodies fortress, its immune system, opening its gates to onslaught (flare).
If we had a time machine, none of this would be a big problem. But we don’t. So forget about what could have been and what if you had known. You’re looking at the now and where we’re at. ThinkFood will hoist its flag and go into battle with you. No 1 opponent to begin with is food, as weird and fanatical as it may sound.
Breathing in a bit of polluted city air is one thing, but kilos of food and liquid being ingested every day is another.
Food is just as foreign a substance as any drug and your body has to deal with all consequence attached. We’ll limit the nutritional warlords to start off with. Once we have managed to call it a truce we are able to name the attackers, ban them from the playing field and hopefully limit short as well as long term immune reactions. We do not promise miracle cures. We give you the best possible solution in terms of a functional approach you have at the moment and will continue to inform you of any progress as soon as there is enough scientific grounding to publish it.
Prevention is the best treatment, and direct relatives involved in the immune game will do well to inform themselves properly, especially when children or the wish of having any is involved. Contact us.
Re-establishing Homeostasis: turning the motor back on.
As might be expected, we want nothing fake, artificial or mass produced in our system, as nice and colorful as it might be. It will not achieve the same result. The snack that smiles back is a hard habit to break, losing all the grain filled happiness. But think about it: do you feel like the lemon lozenge because your body needs vitamin c or because you crave the sugar? It’s a trap the nutritional industry has set for all. If it tastes like it or better even why not have it? Most of us don’t have a clue what we’re saying when answering “So what do you feel like eating?”, because the body’s been put on autopilot. Strawberry yoghurt might look like there’s been a strawberry in the mix when in actual fact your body is conned into tasting and thinking strawberry, but receives nothing but artificial flavourants and sugar, leaving you hungry for more because you didn’t get what you bargained for. The more natural you go, the more your body attunes to manual again and tells you what it needs. And you understand it once more.
2 important things to remember
- 100% compliance. The immune system has its own incredible long term memory and stays active way after the actual symptoms of an invader have subsided. The bite or drop WILL disrupt it for an indefinite time. We will know when it’s time to start introducing ‘unknowns’. Be very wary of any sauces in unlabelled bottles, spice mixes… any ready mixes… in fact, avoid all ready mixed products having to be preserved in any way. Yes, that does include tomato sauce.
- Keeping a Diary or daily planner is always a good idea. Some immune reactions happen with delayed response, and it is important to be able to backtrack in case this happens. Record meals, supplements and general state. Write down how well you slept and if you like, what the best thing about the day was. We know from experience that it is extremely difficult to remember exactly what you had for lunch three days ago or how well you slept on Friday.
How long does it all take?
There’s no real limit to this. Depending on the severity of the case, it might take its time to determine how to proceed. And by proceed we mean for the rest of your life, unless you want to go back to square one. Sometimes afore ‘symptomatic’ nutritional intakes are later tolerated in more limited quantities, sometimes not at all. The protocol and its length will be as varied as the individuals needing treatment are.
Experience has taught us that a ‘ThinkFoodAI package‘ works out for the best. It includes:
- Individual ThinkFoodAI Protocol: Personal Nutritional Plan and a corresponding shopping list.
- ThinkFoodCoPilot: 12 months telephonic& online guidance via ThinkFoodHotline
- ThinkFoodTrackRecord: Assemblage of all medical assessments, test, etc and the analytics via ThinkFood or a doctoral entity
- A practical Roadmap to get you where you need to be in terms of shopping, cooking, the ins and outs of being healthy and socially acceptable, but also how to cleanse your bowels and detox.
- On request (or on advisory) the specific testing required, and a supplement protocol to improve gut sanitation and homeostasis. We are not sponsored by any pharmaceutical or supplement based entity, hence no preferential bias to be scared of here. We function completely independently and would like to keep it that way.
When?
This is not a diet nor is it a quick intervention. It is a change of lifestyle, or rather, a change of life. It is not a light decision to make and you should be convinced of its necessity. Compliance is impossible if you are not familiar with the respective knowledge concerning environmental influences and auto-immune diseases. Please inform yourself and be as sure as you can be that it is a step you want to take. We can only tell you that you are doing the right thing.
How do I start?
01 Give us a call. Let’s meet if in any way possible.