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AIP Kitchen Tour is a monthly feature in which we profile a member of the AIP community and their kitchen setup in hopes that it will further inspire us to get our kitchens organized and set up for success! We’ve interviewed folks who are making the AIP lifestyle a reality in everything from college dorms and small city apartments, to large households with non-AIP family members, and everything in between. Through these interviews, we hope to share how they make it happen across a variety of budgets and living situations, and give the community a wealth of inspiration. Read more Kitchen Tours here!
Name: Susan Luschas
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
AI Disease: Lyme, as well as heavy metal toxicity, gut dysbiosis, allergies
How long have you been eating AIP? Five years
Have you successfully reintroduced any foods?
Yes: eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshades, but all of these we have re-introduced in moderation only. Spices derived from seeds we have reintroduced regularly.
How has the AIP changed your life?
AIP totally changed our lives! We have never had so much energy or focus. Our oldest child finally got rid of mysterious symptoms of autism and Lyme disease when we changed to AIP.
Size of your kitchen: About 170 square feet
Favorite thing about your kitchen:
The dishwasher! We run it once a day. Our cabinets are great too – they have pull-out drawers. What a luxury!
Least favorite thing about your kitchen:
I wish we had more countertop space.
Are there any cheap gadgets or little tools that you have found make AIP easier?
Beef Jerky gun. There’s nothing better than homemade beef jerky. This gun is cheap and the kids love to use it.
What is the biggest thing that changed in your kitchen setup when you adopted the AIP?
The pantry is no longer filled with cans and bags of grains. Now we use it for Tupperware storage.
If someone was just starting to invest in some useful but more expensive kitchen tools, which one would you tell them to buy first?
I would get the Cuisinart food processor first. We eat many, many vegetables on AIP, and cutting them is a real chore!
Are there any tricks you have learned to make AIP work in your space?
We got an old fridge and extra freezer for the garage. We order all of our meat directly from farmers in bulk and store it in the garage. We cook on the weekends and eat leftovers all week. Sauerkraut and other ferments we make in large batches and store in the extra garage fridge.
How do you deal with food for family members that are not AIP?
Our whole family eats AIP. If we have guests, they have to eat AIP too. If they don’t like it, tough! If they want to bring their own food, then that is fine too.
Are there any tools or appliances that you’ve stopped using now that your diet has changed?
Bread machine, rice cooker.
What are your favorite meals to batch cook?
Chili, and pork and cabbage stew.
What are your favorite AIP and Paleo cookbooks?
Everyday Paleo and Internal Bliss (although these not all AIP).
Do you have any tips for those starting an elimination diet and setting up their kitchens for the first time?
Get all the foods out of the house once you eliminate them. Cravings can be strong, but they are a good sign that the gut bacteria balance is shifting.
Learn more about how Susan and her family have completely revamped their health (it’s an amazing story!) on their blog, DeBug Your Health.
Would you like to be featured in an AIP Kitchen Tour? We feature members of the community who are willing to share the real spaces where they cook, as well as their stories of transitioning to this lifestyle. If you are interested, fill out our interest form!
1 comment
Great job! Thanks for sharing. The change is tough and it’s great that your whole family does it together. You sound pretty organized!