Autoimmune diseases are conditions in which the immune system attacks healthy cells in the body mistakenly. Such conditions can come in various forms such as inflammatory bowel disease, lupus, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and many others.

While there are many medications available to manage autoimmune diseases, specific diets are also essential in controlling symptoms. Here, we will explore the four best diets that can help heal autoimmune diseases naturally.

: 1. The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Diet

The Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) diet is an elimination diet that involves cutting out all foods that can possibly lead to inflammation and then slowly reintroducing them. This diet is based on the Paleo diet but has some additional restrictions.

With AIP, you remove all grains, refined sugar, processed foods, alcohol, dairy, legumes, and nightshade vegetables. These foods are known to cause inflammation in the body and negatively impact gut health.

Instead, the AIP diet includes a variety of nutrient-dense fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and grass-fed meats.

When following the AIP diet, it is essential to adhere to the elimination phase strictly. This eliminates the potential for continued inflammation that might occur if the re-introduction phase is not done properly.

After elimination, certain foods can be reintroduced gradually, one at a time, to monitor how the body responds to them.

: 2. The Wahls Protocol

The Wahls Protocol is a diet created by Dr. Terry Wahls after she improved her symptoms of Multiple Sclerosis by changing her diet.

The Wahls protocol incorporates healthy fats, vegetables, and proteins while focusing on excluding foods that cause inflammation.

The diet is centered around a foundation of 9 cups of non-starchy vegetables, including 3 cups of leafy greens, 3 cups of sulfur-rich vegetables like cabbage or onion, and 3 cups of brightly colored fruits and vegetables.

The Wahls protocol also recommends including grass-fed meats and organ meats, wild-caught fish, good fats, and fermented foods. In addition to these foods, it requires you to remove gluten and dairy products, refined sugars, and processed foods.

: 3. The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD)

The Specific Carbohydrate Diet (SCD) is a diet that aims to provide relief for digestive conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, and other digestive disorders.

The diet eliminates specific complex carbohydrates that are difficult for the body to digest, including certain types of grains, dairy products, and many processed foods.

SCD focuses on eating fresh fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, and seeds.

The basic premise of the SCD diet is to eliminate foods containing complex carbohydrates and sugars, starches, lactose, and other complex sugars that are challenging for the digestive system to break down. As the diet progresses and the digestive issues subside, other foods like legumes and grains can gradually be added back into the diet.

: 4. The Low Fodmap Diet

The Low Fodmap Diet was created to help people suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition that frequently results in abdominal pain, discomfort, bloating, and abnormal bowel movement patterns.

FODMAPs are short-chain carbohydrates that are not easily absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract and can cause digestive distress.

The Low Fodmap Diet follows an elimination and re-introduction process, with the elimination phase typically lasting around 6 weeks.

Foods that need to be avoided during this phase include common IBS trigger foods, such as lactose, onions, garlic, wheat products, and some fruits and vegetables such as apples, pears, and beans. After the elimination phase is complete, foods can be gradually reintroduced to identify which trigger symptoms.

The Low Fodmap Diet is not suitable for anyone suffering from chronic constipation or has fructose malabsorption, but it presents itself as an excellent anti-inflammatory diet to follow for preventing autoimmune diseases.

: Conclusion

The diets discussed above have helped thousands of people with autoimmune diseases to reduce inflammation, improve gut health and control symptoms.

While each of these diets is unique from one another, they all eliminate common inflammatory foods such as processed foods, refined sugar, gluten, and dairy. Switching to a natural way of eating and supplementing with regular exercise promotes optimal nutrition and ensures the reduction of bodily inflammation levels.