Paleo diet for the autoimmune sufferer and budget resources for the Paleo eater...

The autoimmune version of the paleo diet is particularly restrictive. In fact, it's very close to some versions of an elimination diet. Like all paleo diets, it limits what you eat by not allowing dairy, grains, beans, processed foods and oils, and alcohol. On top of that, it eschews nightshade vegetables and some people suggest avoiding eggs as well...
I have to admit, that I have not been very good at following the autoimmune restrictions (or even the paleo restrictions) to the letter. I have an off again on again love relationship with dairy, and I have wine several times a week. And I love my nightshade vegetables. However, I am to a point where I need to take it more seriously if I want my LS symptoms to respond, and Megan, over at Megan's Menu has inspired me to shape up. So, I am making a pact to cut out those things which are not beneficial to an autoimmune version of this diet.
I suppose that one good thing about all this is the money savings. Some of my favorite nightshade vegetables tend to be a bit spendy in the fall and winter, and to be honest, there really aren't very good tomatoes this time of year unless you are willing to spend an arm and a leg. And I can easily overspend on wine.

Thanksgiving is approaching, which thankfully is a festival generally marked by large amounts of turkey, baked sweet potatoes (and often bacon green beans) in my family. I can live with that. All I have to do is avoid the pies and cakes and I should be all right.
As for Christmas, we will be here (probably snowed in) in Seattle. I just hope that we have an internet connection, and that our local grocery store does not run out of food (or wood for that matter) like it did last time we had a "snowstorm". Luckily, I am also within a couple of miles of a Trader Joe's, a Safeway, and a PCC, so worst case scenario I won't have to eat junk food from the gas station, and I will get some exercise. Of course, since I am prepared for the worst, it will probably not happen, but all the farmers say this year will be a snow year! I guess we shall see.

So now, after that introduction, back to the crux of it all. What to eat, on a budget this week...

Instead of posting a boring old menu this week, I thought I would give you a selection of places to go for budget ideas from the comfort of your own computer.

First, be sure to check out John Durant's recent post on How to Eat Wild on the Cheap.
Then, stop by Jen Cerino's blog to see how she is doing with her budget menus for the month. She has excellent recipes as I have mentioned before. Her budget may be a bit less tight than ours, (I think she is aiming for $150 a week) but she has some good ideas and she sticks to the grass-fed pastured for the most part, so if you have a little more room in the budget, she has some great menus.

Last, be sure to check out Balanced Bites, a great site run by a Diane Sanfilippo, a Nutritionist from San Francisco.

I am trying not to go shopping this week, and just live off of what we have in the freezer and fridge. So far we have had Karney's Paleo Stuff with eggs twice, and pork roast with veggies. I am supposed to avoid eggs due to autoimmune issues, BUT they are inexpensive and filling. I need to work on that. I have been very good avoiding dairy and nightshades however.

So there you have it, I'm still here, and will keep posting and practicing and trying to do the best I can with what I have. Oh, one more quick note. I wrote to Loren Cordain's graduate assistant the other day to volunteer for a study they are doing on autoimmune disease and the paleo diet, and was accepted! Being a part of a paleo study will hopefully give me the motivation I need to make it through the holidays without cheating excessively. Last year I backslid quite a bit around the holidays. It is just so easy to slip into bad eating habits this time of year. (Sure, I'll have another glass of champagne...chocolate is not evil...I get one open meal per week...) Next thing you know, you are eating holiday food every day for several weeks straight, and your open meals stretch out to be one per day, and you have completely de-railed yourself. More on that later. I am planning a post on yummy paleo holiday foods.