Yes, but she is going to fare better with the autoimmune version of Paleo - which means even more restrictions on food intake. "The Paleo Solution" is a good start. Here is an excerpt from Loren Cordain's newest Paleo book, "The Paleo Answer":

"Let me be the first to state the obvious—eating wheat is disastrous to the health of all autoimmune patients. Incredibly, wheat—consumed by nearly every person on earth, has been found to be one of the chief perpetrators of a leaky gut, not only in autoimmune patients, but also in some healthy normal people. Wheat contains a protein called gliadin that interacts with gut receptors to set off a cascade of hormonal events, which ultimately allows the intestinal contents—food and bacteria—to interact with the immune system. Gliadin is not the only problem. Wheat contains two other compounds, wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) and thaumatin-like proteins, which also increase intestinal permeability. Withdrawal of wheat and all gluten-containing cereals (rye and barley) from celiac patients completely cures their disease symptoms.

Increasingly, scientific evidence shows that this strategy may work for many other autoimmune diseases. The elimination of gluten-containing grains from your diet may even have numerous favorable health effects that aren’t necessarily limited to autoimmune illnesses. Other Leaky Gut Dietary Triggers With the discovery that a leaky gut probably represents an essential first step in the development of autoimmunity, it became apparent to me and my fellow researchers that any dietary element capable of increasing intestinal permeability should also be suspect in autoimmune illnesses. As we combed through the scientific literature, we discovered the following list of foods and substances, in addition to gliadin in wheat, rye, and barley, that also promote a leaky gut.

Many lectin-containing foods Many saponin/glycoalkaloid–containing foods Capsaicin-containing chili peppers Alcohol NSAIDS (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) Oral contraceptives Antacids that contain aluminum hydroxide

Lectin-Containing Foods

At first glance, the previous list doesn’t seem remarkable, as you may be unfamiliar with all of the common foods that contain lectins, saponins, glycoalkaloids, and capsaicin. Let me be a little more blunt and point out the problematic foods. Let’s first start with lectins. Almost all grains and legumes contain lectins, most of which promote a leaky gut. We are beginning to understand why the Paleo Diet, a grain- and legume-free diet, has such potent healing effects in autoimmune patients—it is virtually free of the lectins that may increase intestinal permeability. By eliminating grains and legumes from our diets, intestinal function returns to normal, and toxins within our guts can no longer cross the gut barrier and interact with our immune systems to elicit autoimmune diseases.

Lectin-containing foods that autoimmune patients should avoid are:

1. All commonly consumed cereal grains, including wheat, rye, barley, oats, corn, and rice—note that rice is probably the least damaging grain.

2. All beans and legumes.

3. Potatoes and tomatoes.

4. All pseudo grains, including amaranth, quinoa, buckwheat, and chia seeds.

   Almost all plant foods contain lectins, but most seem to be benign when it comes to our health, except for lectins in grains, legumes, and a few other foods that may enter our bloodstream and interact with most cells in our bodies, including those in our immune systems."

   Cordain, Loren (2011-11-03). The Paleo Answer: 7 Days to Lose Weight, Feel Great, Stay Young (Kindle Locations 3562-3599). John Wiley and Sons. Kindle Edition.