AIP DIET SERIES – Week 8 Overview – Reintroduction Phase

August 17, 2024 /

Discloser: I am not a trained health professional. All articles are based on my own experience and opinions. Please consult with a health professional before making lifestyle changes.

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Update

Last week I had a histamine reaction right before we headed to the lake for a long weekend. I was disappointed and a little stressed because I had decided to make meals ahead of time, freeze them, and reheat them at the lake. That process it’s ideal for histamine so I thought for sure I would feel like crap at the lake. But I started taking my DAO supplement and digestive bitters with meals again and that honestly made an incredible difference! I bounced back quickly and was feeling better than ever. Which really solidified to me that maybe my main issue is just histamine and not a specific food.

After much consideration this week I’ve decided to shift into a partial reintroduction phase with AIP and focus more on managing my histamine symptoms. Throughout AIP I’ve been feeling MUCH better, however the remaining fluctuating symptoms have all been histamine related. I thought about doing a full AIP and low histamine diet but quickly became overwhelmed with how restricted that felt for me. The recommended length for the AIP elimination phase is between 4-12 weeks, so I feel like I’m at a good enough spot to start reintroducing some of the foods I don’t think are the problem.

So I’ve decided to make some adjustments that are best for my body. This week I’ve started slowly introducing some AIP items so as I eliminate high histamine foods I have more options to choose from. I don’t want to move too quickly and destroy my progress, so I’m still reintroducing really slowly.

As I reintroduce items I’ll be monitoring my symptoms closely and spacing reintroductions 3-4 days apart so I can collect as much data as possible. Low histamine foods that don’t cause me to react will be reintroduced into my regular diet. Foods I do react to will be eliminated for a bit longer and reintroduced in a few more months if my symptoms do improve.

How I’m Reintroducing

I am not following the recommended reintroduction schedule because I’m balancing AIP with low histamine. This is a decision I spent a lot of time considering and have come to a conclusion of what will work for me. I have a work trip coming up so I’ve chosen to reintroduce potential allergens that, if I do tolerate them, will make my trip much less stressful.

Typically there is an order you’re supposed to reintroduce. It starts with nutrient dense, least likely to cause a reaction foods and works towards the more likely. However, the problem I’ve had on AIP is staying full. To compensate I’ve been eating more protein, which is not only expensive, but also at highest risk of high histamine for me. I’ve made a lot of changes to reduce histamine but I’m still having problems – so by reintroducing grains quickly I’ll be able to round out my meals better and consume less animal proteins which I think is best for my body.

When I actually reintroduce items this is the process I follow:

  1. Choose a meal where I can introduce the single allergen where the rest of the meal is AIP compliant (preferred) or already successfully introduced
  2. Take one small bite of the allergen
  3. Wait 15 mins and monitor symptoms (immediate reactions I’m looking for is headache/sinus pressure, bloating, stomach cramps, muscle tightness, fatigue, lightheadedness)
  4. If after 15 minutes there is no reaction I eat one small portion
  5. Wait 3 days where I go back on strict AIP compliant meals to monitor symptoms (long term symptoms for me would be joint pain, stiffness, negative mental health changes, muscle pain, nerve pain, sleep issues, getting harder to walk, mental clarity, mood changes)
  6. If after 3 days no symptoms have occurred then I move onto the next allergen and can start eating the successful reintroduced food regularly.
  7. If symptoms do occur I’ll back track to strict AIP (even the foods I’ve eliminated) until I feel back to where I started. Because I have so many favorite meals this isn’t as daunting of a task.
  8. I’m taking detailed notes of everything I eat and the reactions I have so I can reflect and backtrack if I do start having symptoms out of nowhere.

Reintroduction Plan This Week

This week I chose to reintroduce chia seeds and coffee. I’ve already reintroduced coffee and haven’t had a reaction to it. Chia seed pudding is my go to breakfast and I’ve really missed it. I swapped it out for coconut yogurt which is costing me easily $60 a month. Just for budget reasons I want to swap this back.

I reintroduced chia seeds successfully with no reaction. I’m extremely relived by that! Now I’ll be eating chia seed pudding made with coconut milk, maple syrup, and topped with low histamine fruits for breakfast for the foreseeable future.

Menu For the Week

I kept this week really simple to recover from my histamine reaction. I’ve changed my grocery shopping routine so now I’ll shop in person at Sprouts on Mondays, Wednesdays and the farmers market on Saturday for fresh produce to ensure I always have fresh produce. It’s been a rough transition to learn to shop for 2-3 days instead of a week or more. But it’s proving to be more helpful for me than anything else.

View my full AIP Diet Meal Plan / Menu here!

Recipes

Chia Seed Pudding

I reintroduced chia seeds the week successfully. This is my basic chia seed pudding recipe I really like:

1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup coconut milk (or milk of choice)
1/2 TBSP maple syrup (to taste)

I’ll top it will berries, and after I reintroduce it – nut butter. I also like this pumpkin chia seed pudding and may incorporate that soon (pumpkin can be AIP compliant but we’ll see how my histamine handles canned pumpkin)

1 cup milk of choice
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1-2 TBSP maple syrup
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (might adjust for low histamine)
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 cup chia seeds

Ground Turkey Curry

This SLAPS! I haven’t been able to do Indian food in so long with the whole nightshade thing, but this meal was so comforting and tasty. I paired it with cauliflower rice which I haven’t incorporated in AIP yet. This will 100% be apart of my regular rotation – especially because it includes so many of my pantry staples

Pesto Pasta

(original recipe linked)

Pesto:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 cup fresh kale leaves, packed
1/4 cup fresh parsley, packed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Truffle salt
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

I blended the ingredients together for the pesto sauce. Then I heated up a bag of frozen zucchini noodles on the stove, steaming for about 10 mins. Then I drained the noodles, added some avocado oil and sauteed for a bit. Mixed in a bit of the pesto and there you go! You could also add some grilled chicken to make the meal more filling. You could cut your own zucchini noodles but I found the frozen ones worked better for my routine.

Apple & Cinnamon Chicken Thighs

Another one of my favorites! (Original recipe linked)

1.5 lbs chicken thighs
2 slices bacon
1-2 apples, peeled, cored and chopped
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ginger (or use fresh minced)
¼ tsp cardamom
1 sprig rosemary, chopped
a few sage leaves, chopped
Sea salt

Heat a large cast iron skillet and add the bacon. Cook until crispy on both sides, about 5-8 minutes depending on the thickness of your bacon.
Salt the chicken on both sides. When the bacon is done, remove it from the pan and set aside to cool. Leave a thin layer of bacon fat on the bottom of the pan (if you have excess, drain it in a separate container).
Add the chicken to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes on the first side, until golden brown. After turning the chicken once (so the first cooked side is facing up), add the apples, half your spices, sea salt and pepper. (Save the herbs for the last few minutes of cooking).
Allow to cook for 4-5 minutes on this side, then flip and add the rest of the spices and herbs (and dried fruit, if using).
When the chicken has about a minute left, chop your bacon into bits and scatter it over the chicken.
Serve warm!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

This recipe is so good! (original recipe linked – it’s easier to follow on their site)

It took my a lit to set up as you need to make a “nomato sauce” for it, however now that I have a bunch of that sauce prepped and in my freezer, this recipe is really easy to throw together. The original recipe called for a TON of veggies, which is great, but I prefer it a bit simpler. Now I make the sauce and marinade the chicken, then when that’s done I brown the chicken, add some pineapple chunks, and more sauce and call it good.

Chicken Bites

A staple in our house! All it is is cubed chicken breasts, seasoned with garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasoning. Cook in the air fryer with any veggie you want at 400F for 10 minutes.

Kale Salad

I had some leftover kale (that I probably shouldn’t have used for the histamine issue but whatever – I did) so I had a kale “salad” with chicken bites and sweet potato. I cubed a sweet potato and cooked it with the chicken bites (instructions above), tossed that will some sauteed kale (I prefer it cooked) and drizzled on some avocado oil and a squirt of lemon.

Sweet Potato Toast

I wanted to switch up my breakfast options so I started making these sweet potato toasts with whatever toppings I have on hand. To make the toasts you cut a thick slice of sweet potato, airfry at 360F for about 16 minutes, flipping halfway. Then I topped it with cinnamon, strawberries, and honey or smashed avocado or shredded chicken and pesto! You can get really creative and it keeps you pretty full.

Coconut Yogurt Bowl:

Coconut yogurt mixed with cinnamon and honey. Topped with berries and banana.

Dole Whip

Frozen Pineapple (I swapped for mango this week)

Coconut Cream

Pineapple Juice (I swapped for coconut milk this week)

Honey (if desired)

Blend together a cup or so of frozen pineapple, a spoonful of coconut cream (it’s strong, so find the amount you like) and enough pineapple juice for you to reach your desired consistency. Add honey if you like, but I don’t think it needs it.

I found that I don’t use much of the coconut cream but you can freeze it and it won’t solidify so it’s always ready for another batch!

Cinnamon Sweet Potato Fries

One of my favorite sweet treats! Just slice sweet potatoes into long strips (Fries) drizzle with coconut oil and cover with cinnamon (I use alot of cinnamon) airfry those for about 10mins at 400F until you’re desired level of crispy-ness

Symptom Check In

  • Swelling/Inflammation: (Start – 8), (Week 2 – 7), (Week 3- 6), (Week 4 -5), (Week 5 -4): (Week 6 -4) (Week 7 -6): 3 – I was feeling much better after taking my histamine supplement routine. I was walking better and in much less pain. My stomach was still swollen but doing slightly better. overall pain was at an all time low.
  • Hip pain: (Start -7), (Week 2 -5), (Week 3 – 7), (Week 4 -5), (Week 5 –4), (Week 6 -5), (Week 7 -6): 4 – after taking my histamine supplements I started walking much better and my hips are feeling better at night. Still not perfect but improvement. I also started pelvic floor therapy this week and have been doing my stretches for 3 days and that’s starting to help a lot.
  • Sleep Quality: (Start -3), (Week 2 -3), (Week 3 -4), (Week 4 -4), (Week 5-3), (Week 6-3), (Week 7 -3): 2 – slight improvement in my sleep this week. I had one really good night right at the end of the week.
  • Acid reflux: (Start -5), (Week 2 -0), (Week 3 -0), (Week 4 -0), (week 5 -0), (Week 6-0), (Week 7 -2): 1- the histamine supplements helped with the hiccups a lot but I’m still having a few here and there. No burning or anything though.
  • Psoriasis: (Start -8), (Week 2 -6), (Week 3 -5), (Week 4 -5), (week 5 -4), (Week 6-3), (Week 7 -2): 2 – about the same as last week
  • Hormonal acne: (Start -6), (Week 2 -4), (Week 3 -3), (Week 4 -3), (Week 5 -4), (Week 6-3), (Week 7 -4): 2 – no new breakouts this week, just some old ones still clearing.
  • PMS: (Start -8), (Week 2 -6), (Week 5 -3), (week 6-2): 0 – I’m approaching my ovulation window where I usually start having PMS and I haven’t noticed anything abnormal yet, I may just be a few days early.
  • 28-day menstrual cycle: (Start -33 days), (second cycle – 30 days); NA
  • Recognizing myself in the mirror:(Start -2), (Week 2 -4), (Week 3 -5), (Week 4 -6), (Week 5 –8), (week 6-9), (Week 7 -7): 8 – recovered a little bit from last week, however the bloating I still have from my histamine reaction is messing with my head. But I’ve really accepted that my tummy will fluctuate and it’s bothering me much less. However the mental clarity I’m looking for here is present. When it’s bad I’m just in a fog and can’t recognize myself.

Tips

  • Make this plan your own: This week I’ve gotten really overwhelmed with the idea of doing it “right”. Especially when it comes to histamine there are so many conflicting opinions. I got really stressed and felt defeated when it comes to histamine. But I took a step back and reminded myself that I am the only one that knows what’s best for my body. So I’m going to reintroduce in the way that feels best for me and will listen to my body and feel what it can and cannot tolerate, regardless if it’s on a list or not. I hate not having a clear answer but I know this route will be best for me in the long run.

Supplements I’m Taking

These supplements support my gut and overall health during AIP. They are in no way required but people are often curious, so here’s what I’m currently taking:

Continue to Week 9 >>

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