The Autoimmune Paleo Protocol: Eggs

Throughout some of my past posts, I have mentioned different aspects of the Autoimmune Protocol that have helped significantly in fighting against Chronic Lyme Disease. However, because the who, what, where, when, and why’s of the protocol can be a lot for people to take in all at once, and certainly is too much information for me to include all in one post, I have decided to take the time and explain some of the fundamental dietary aspects of the protocol in a series of posts, starting with today’s topic of eggs.

Eggs as a Whole

Before I get started, I want to make one thing clear, and that is that for an individual with no autoimmune conditions, eggs are perfectly fine to eat. In fact, properly raised eggs are very nutrient dense, with 13 differing nutrients contained all in the yolk (not the white). That being said, with all of the fat and cholesterol dogma clouding people’s ability to think for themselves, the egg has slowly turned from a healthy breakfast food, into an artery clogging cause for heart disease. However, this statement is very misleading, as eggs (yes, the whole thing) have never once been linked to creating heart disease. Overall, eggs are rich in vitamin A, E, B, iodine, antioxidants, and fat, yes fat, an essential part of every human’s diet responsible for health all the way down to the very cellular makeup. As previously discussed in my Fat Phobia series (parts 1, 2, and 3), foods that contain the right types of fat are not what is making today’s nation obese, nor is it the cause for the rising rates of heart disease and other metabolic disorders. Therefore, despite conventional medicine telling us to limit our consumption of eggs down to a slim 3-4 per week, there truly are no guidelines to consuming organic, pasture-raised and (or) local eggs that come from a sustainable farmer committed to treating his chickens the best way possible. If you are interested in learning more on why you should be eating the whole egg, check out Liz Wolfe’s book “Eat the Yolks,” I highly recommend it.

Eggs & Autoimmunity

OK, so now that we have established the fact that eggs are perfectly healthy to consume on a daily basis, there is a catch in this statement, and that is for those with an autoimmune condition. The problem lies almost entirely in the egg white, though the yolks can also be somewhat problematic to individuals as well. Reactions to eggs are due to an enzyme known as “lysozyme,” an anti-microbial compound of which the body naturally secretes in mucus membranes to fight against harmful invaders, an example being the tears we produce when crying. However, there comes a problem with ingesting this enzyme when one is experiencing autoimmunity, due to the fact that lysozyme can cross the gut’s barrier, and thus are able to aggravate the immune system even further through various mechanisms all ultimately harmful to the body.

Egg Whites

There are two separate parts of an egg, both of which have two very different jobs. It is the egg white in particular, that contains the lysozyme enzyme, of which is present to protect the from specific, intruding bacteria. However, this strong act of defense does not get taken away when cooked or ingested, causing a problem within a compromised body. When ingested, lysozyme will connect with proteins and their fragments (some of which are present in the egg white itself), forming a compound that can not be digested by the protease enzyme in our digestive track. However, the problem with lysozyme does not only come from compounds present in the egg, but also its special ability to “pick up” other proteins from the various bacteria present in our gut. Together, with the extra proteins attached to the lysozyme enzyme, as well as its handy enzyme inhibitors (ovomucoid, ovinhibitor, ovostatin, and cystatin), it is able to get through the gut barrier and enter into the bodies circulatory system. This interesting quality of lysozyme is due to the fact that it is of positive charge, causing an electrostatic attraction to the negatively charged proteins found in intestinal epithelial cells, of which are some of the main regulators in one’s intestinal track. Because of this strong attraction between the opposing charges of lisozyme and the cells that control the integrity of our gut, lisozyme, and all of its proteins that are tagging a long for the ride, are able to rapidly absorb into the blood stream. Due to the time that lisozyme spent in the GI tract, picking up various bacterial, food, and egg white proteins, its appearance of a large, indestructible molecule in the blood stream, is not welcomed by the body. Instead, immune responses are stimulated, causing the body to attack itself, the main contributor behind a given autoimmune disease.

AIP Clarity

After on learns the interesting nature of the lisozyme enzyme present in egg whites, it is rather clear as to why one would want to avoid them if they are experiencing autoimmunity. With the Autoimmune Protocol eliminating all pro-inflammatory foods from one’s diet, eggs are inevitably one of the first to go. However, this is not to say that one will not ever be able to eat eggs again, as once the immune responses are regulated and under control, the problems that come with consuming eggs may no longer be present. For that reason, egg yolks are one of the first in the reintroduction phases of AIP, of which are later followed by the entire egg (white included). As for my own experience, eggs were first very friendly to me in my journey with Chronic Lyme Disease, and I thoroughly enjoyed them as morning an omelette. However, as the severity of my illness grew, so did the number of histamine-induced food allergies, due to increased intestinal permeability (i.e. leaky gut) from various, additional parasitic, protozoa, and bacterial infections. Therefore, it was not long before symptoms arising from the consumption of eggs became very noticeable, leading me to slowly eliminate them from my diet completely. Of course, skipping eggs for breakfast is not an easy thing to do, and can send those used to their morning omelette for a spin. However, this is where I learned to incorporate white fish into my morning routine. It may not sound very appetizing at first, but baking, broiling, or poaching fish can be a great addition to your morning meal, as is it one of the most easily digested proteins available. Not only that, but some of the most affordable types of fish are also the most nutrient dense, of which include oily, cold water fish such as wild sardines, herring, salmon, and anchovies. If you are having trouble getting over the act, or even thought, of consuming fish in the mornings, it can be helpful to start out with smoked varieties as they tend to be more palatable, especially when topped with a squeeze of citrus. Overall, avoiding eggs can seem like a pain at the beginning of the Autoimmune-Paleo Protocol, however, it is certainly necessary in regaining the integrity of one’s entire body when experiencing autoimmunity. To learn more on how to use diet and lifestyle to manage an autoimmune condition, make sure to check out The Paleo Mom, and her book, The Paleo Approach.

Proverbs 4:20-22 “My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body.”

Ballantyne, Sarah. The Paleo Approach: Reverse Autoimmune Disease and Heal Your Body. N.p.: n.p., 2014. Print.

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