When I went back to the doctor, my thyroid antibodies were down significantly, and my thyroid function was balanced. I felt invincible! As I returned to my normal work schedule, maintaining AIP became impossible. So I figured, “bah, if I get sick again, I’ll just get back on it and be better within 6 weeks” …not quite.

Most of us get diagnosed while living busy lives, and shifting schedules and responsibilities around isn’t so easy. Between the stress of navigating a new diagnosis, the stress of finding the “right” way to heal, the stress of keeping up with everyday obligations despite being completely exhausted, there are simply not enough hours and energy left in the day to overcome the vicious cycle of autoimmunity.As I began indulging in my favorite pizza and quick on-the-go meals, it didn’t take long before I was right back where I started, flare ups and all. When I went back on AIP, the relief didn’t come as quickly either.

That's where I learned that AIP isn’t a miracle cure. It’s a tool to add to your bag along your autoimmunity journey. I also learned that, how long it will take for someone to feel better on AIP depends on the person and the health of their gut. That autoimmune disease can be reactivated at any point and choosing to be healthy is a decision we need to renew daily. That lifestyle is just as important as food. And that it’s ok to cry, scream, want to kick a teddy bear and pout for having to say goodbye to Gluten forever. I was eventually successful at reaching remission using AIP. But the challenges that came with the dietary portion of the protocol never went away for me. The better I felt, the more things I wanted to do. The more I did, the less time I had to cook and the more frustrated I felt having to choose between maintaining my health and pursuing my dreams. I wanted a solution that would give me the time to pursue the things I loved to do, to live, laugh, enjoy my friends and family and play. I wanted to feel nourished not just with food but with everything life had to offer. And I wanted to help others feel the same. And so Urban AIP was born. The few years that separate us from the moment the idea came to me until today were spent building every aspect of the business in order to best serve our future customers. I went back to school and graduated as a nutritional Therapy Practitioner. I partnered with a wonderful chef who shares with me a genuine passion for helping people in addition to her diverse culinary expertise. I began laying out the foundation of the business, making sure our passion for helping others would be reflected in every component of the business, from the food itself to our sustainability practices, to our giving back programs. Then we brought on a savvy and creative food scientist to help bring it all together, ensuring the best product quality and developing new AIP product alternatives. And so here we are. I am humbled and grateful to be able to share Urban AIP with you and I hope it will serve you as a tool to heal, and a tool to help you regain the freedom to follow all the things that bring you joy and happiness. To your health!