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Paleo diet: Yay or nay? |
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I say yay. My dad has been on a modified Paleo way of eating for quite awhile and feels better than he has in years. The inflammation in his joints has gone away, he no longer needs a lot of the meds he was taking before when he was eating the SAD, he's energetic and he's lost over forty pounds. I have been struggling with losing those last ten pounds - decreased calories, increased exercise, nothing has been working. After seeing the success my dad has had I thought trying his eating plan may be a good idea because I definitely was eating far too many carbs in the form of grains, bread, rice, etc. I had followed WW for my initial weight loss but I was always hungry and always felt it was a little carb heavy for me, I always do better with more protein. I am currently on my fourth day of a modified Paleo way of eating. I guess it's probably more Primal as I am having a small amount of dairy in the form of heavy cream in my coffee in the morning and I am still using stevia sweetener because I'm not ready to switch to coffee without it. I'm eating as clean as possible with protein, fats (coconut oil), veggies and a bit of fruit. I drink plenty of water and even though today I'm feeling a bit tired I think it's probably carb withdrawal and it will pass. In the end people need to do what's best for them, everyone is different and what works for one person may not be great for another. What I like about a Paleo/Primal plan is that it encourages eating healthy, whole, natural foods. Some people don't like that it eliminates entire food groups, but from my experience when dieting there is always something being eliminated or at least strongly curtailed. WW for instance, in my opinion, is way too restrictive when it comes to fat, no matter what kind it is, even healthy fats and I have always taken issue with it. I'm pretty sure that a spoonful of organic, raw virgin coconut oil is going to be much better for you than an overly processed diet snack bar that is no doubt full of things you shouldn't be eating. Just my two cents, to each their own and I wish everyone success no matter what plan they follow!
~ Ashley
| Pounds lost: 16.5 |
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a little of both
"Maintenance of a major weight loss sometimes means dealing with the regains." ~ Me
"Constant vigilance." ~ Mad Eyed Moody
| current weight: 125.2 |
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Nay.
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YEA. We have a food allergic family - so I am more tolerant I guess of eliminating entire food groups (including wheat and dairy), and unsafe food alternatives (sugars). My boys have Celiacs and are lactose intolerant, my middle son is also Type 1 Diabetic, so was not a hard switch to Paleo. The most surprising results for us was the improvement in skin quality (zero acne for three teenage boys!) and blood sugar levels are a lot better controlled; we had the assistance of the diabetic team at the children's hospital to help us make the switch safely and with a focus on nutrition density. I find that people who eat Paleo often eat the widest variety of healthy foods, have the biggest focus on veggies, and take a healthy lifestyle approach vs a diet outlook.
My past does not equal, nor does it dictate, my future.
| Pounds lost: 7.0 |
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Good info EXOTEC! As always, the eating plan you follow consistently tends to work! My daughter's pediatrician recommends Paleo. -- I personally think some of the presentation of "history" is without real documentation (ie. "were you there!?!"), BUT the idea of avoiding all things processed AND eating real food from its source without chemical add-ins, seems to be far more of a healthy choice than not.
"We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."
~C. Malesherbes~
"Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD)
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nay
"Sometimes you climb out of bed in the morning and you think, I'm not going to make it, but you laugh inside — remembering all the times you've felt that way."
— Charles Bukowski
| Pounds lost: 16.2 |
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I'm always struck by folks who hear a word they're not familiar with and reject it simply because it seems a "scary" concept. Research it a bit. It's not restrictive or fad-ish. And it's pretty evident it DID work for our paleolithic ancestors...or else how would we be here now to discuss it? They ate something! and you can pretty well count on the fact that it wasn't Fruit Loops and McD's! Paleo/primal/ancestral diets are simply whole, "real" foods. Unprocessed foods like our even more recent "ancestors" lived on. Farm-raised animals and their products, naturally grown veggies, fruits in season and in moderation...some will also eat some dairy, in moderation. It's dense on meats (and ditch that no-skin super lean stuff!) and veggies, and anything processed is just anathema. That's not a "paleo" thing -- that's just good healthy eating! On the prescription of our endocrinologist, we follow a restricted-carb diet, which I try to dovetail with paleo. It works very well for us. I've lost a huge amount of weight (so far), my health issues are resolving, and my husband's type 2 diabetes is getting under better control. We're told he may soon be able to eliminate meds for that condition completely. We're not ridiculously strict about any of it, other than to keep the carbs down. I don't lose when that creeps up, and I start in with cravings and malaise. So I have my own internal checks to help me stay with it. I don't find it restrictive in the least, beyond the fact that I'm simply a carb addict. That has nothing to do with our nutritional plan - it's just a fact of my nature. Any plan has to be one you understand and agree with. If those things aren't present, you won't be able to make it work for you because you won't stick with it. You mustn't consider it a temporary "fix." It is truly a change in the way you will eat from onset forward. Good luck in finding a plan you are comfortable with. Do some good research. There's plenty of reliable data out there now. Mark's Daily Apple website is a great starting point.
...the problem with people these days is
they've forgotten we're really just animals ...
(attributation forgotten)
We did not create the web of life; we are but a strand in it.
~Chief Seattle
We don't have souls. We ARE souls. We have bodies.
~C.S. Lewis
| current weight: 218.0 |
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Yes - its worth a try.
I Love to collect SPARKPOINTS !!!
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I feel I need to add ........ My husband who is diabetic tried it and his meds conflicted w/ the pills you take on the cleanse and so he had to stop! ....... (I think if a person is diabetic, they should most definitely check with their Dr. first) ............
~Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." .... Mother Teresa
~ What I do today shapes my tomorrow. ~I will seize the day~
~To gain friends is to first become a friend~
| current weight: 157.0 |
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YES I did it ....... Just finished and I think it was the BEST thing I ever did!! My Dr. (Acupuncture) also thought it was fantastic and said it would AID in the healing of inflammatory processes in my body! ............... I never felt more satisfied and followed it all the way! .............. (If you have more Q.s come visit me on my page) .......... 
~Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." .... Mother Teresa
~ What I do today shapes my tomorrow. ~I will seize the day~
~To gain friends is to first become a friend~
| current weight: 157.0 |
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I havent heard of this..but I will check it out.. if its to restrictive I wont be interested. I have enough trouble losing weight.
I CAN DO THIS
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nay
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YES, YES, YES it is not for everyone but if you are struggling with metabolic syndrome, pre diabetes or diabetes it is for YOU! Studies showing gluten is not that great for you, causes inflammation in body, inflammtion leads to disease.
| Pounds lost: 15.0 |
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Nay
Maggie from Auckland the City of Sails in New Zealand.
Member of Silver Spies BLC 18 & 20
"Scar tissue is stronger than regular tissue. Realize the strength, and move on." Henry Rollins.
| Pounds lost: 119.5 |
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I have a friend trying it, but may for me.
"We are all here to bring out the God colors in the world."
-Matthew
| current weight: 198.4 |
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nay
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Nay
You can feel sore tomorrow or you can feel sorry tomorrow(YOU CHOOSE)
| current weight: 173.0 |
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I just bought the paleo book, but haven't started it yet (had a gift card at a bookstore). This is an interesting thread -- so I'm looking forward to reading the book now!
"Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass -- it's about learning to dance in the rain."
"The real competition isn't between you and other people. It's between you and that little voice that wants to quit."
Everyone could use more SparkFriends -- please add me!
| current weight: 168.8 |
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I think before passing judgement on the Paleo Diet or ANY other type of diet or workout, for that matter, you should go get some information about it and LEARN. Don't just Yay or Nay something based on a gut feeling before you even hear the case. I'm sure there are good and bad points to Paleo, just like any other diet. You have to find what works for YOU, regardless of what other people do or don't believe in.
| current weight: 146.0 |
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haven't heard of it.
Your encouragement is greatly appreciated!
| current weight: 156.0 |
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Yay! - Many worthwhile points in that diet lifestyle!
"We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible."
~C. Malesherbes~
"Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD)
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nay
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avoid anything processed as much as possible and stick with as close to natural as possible. avoid animal fats and stick with healthy fats (olive oil, nuts,you know the drill) eat, fruits and veggies and try to go with lean cuts, skinless poultry, and safe fish as much as possible there is a sensible way to do anything
Leader Temptation Busters Team. USA EST
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Nay
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I don't know if you got an answer yet on how to make it work for your daughter's lunches. I thought I would give you these links in case you still need some help. Paleomama.com and Paleoparents.com. I am not on Paleo but stayed up til 4 this morning surfing the web trying to decide if it is right for me. Best wishes!
Went looking for faith on the forest floor, and it showed up everywhere. In the sun, and the water, and the falling leaves, the falling leaves of time. - Neil Young, You're My Girl
| current weight: 140.0 |
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Edited by: GINNY1647 at: 1/31/2013 (01:52)
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Nay
https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hph
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I love how people say they are not on a diet, but a lifestyle change. It is still a diet. We all eat. As far as I can tell a " lifestyle change " just means you stick to your diet. I have been on Atkins for 4 years, and lost 145 lbs. I plan on eating this way for the rest of my life. You can do the same with Paleo. So I am wondering why they are calling it a fad diet. Maybe because they are making too much money treating the sick, and selling chemically enhanced foods? The real fad diet is the one pushed since the 1970's when they cut the fat, and upped the carbs in our diets. In that time we have an obesity epidemic, and our cases of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes have grown exponentially, as well as mental, and neurological issues. All while supposedly eating " healthy ". We hear that cavemen tried and failed, eating this way, but we are here, so obviously they didn't. Despite none of the comforts we enjoy today, and no medicine available, they chased down their dinners, and thrived as a species. Today, half of us are obese, with high BP, or diabetes. If this had been the case in the past, the Earth would be barren of homo sapiens. Today we can eat the same way. Healthy meats, eggs, fish, fruits/vegetables, nuts/seeds. We will live longer than cavemen, because we can hunt at the grocery store, without fear of being stabbed by a mastodon tusk, or dying from influenza, or pneumonia. Cavemen didn't die from the diet. We are the first generation dying because of the diet we eat. Any diet you can stick to, and get to a healthy weight is a good diet. If that is Paleo, or vegan.. it is good for you.
Russell - current BMI 32.5
197 - bmi-30
164 - bmi-25
| current weight: 239.2 |
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Nay
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for your meals on busy nights - use your slowcooker put food in the morning - eat when you get home do one large cook day and freeze up dinners leftovers we always have chicken breasts cooked up in the fridge and maybe leftover beef and boiled eggs - so handy! If you have the protein ready then veggies take no time to prepare- they steam in no time I believe it is harder for young people and don't know how a young person with gluten allergies handles it. It must be hard when friends want to go out for fries and burgers. However, she could take salads topped with any protein some days and you could take advantage of some of the gluten free breads that are available and make her sandwiches to go with her fruit and raw veggies. Or use lettuce for a wrap.
Janet
Always look through the windshield and not the rearview mirror
| Pounds lost: 27.0 |
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Hi and Help, I am looking at trying the Paleo diet for a week to see if it helps my husband and then changing our life style to it. My concern it how does one handle a Paleo diet when one cannot cook all the meals. Our youngest daughter is a very busy High School Athlete and we are always make all her BB games, XC meets or track events. How does one handle eating out on those nights. ALso I am looking for suggestions for my daughter for lunch, that does not involve heating food up as she cannot do this at school? What kind of meat can I fix for her lunch? The veggies and fruit I am good with. I guess I am looking for a pracitaly way to make this work. Need your suggestions. Is there a differenct community on spart people that I should belong to. WE belong to a CSA and a CSF (Community Supported Fishery) and we try to eat grass fed beek and chicken. Hubbie was just laid off so we need to find and iinexpensive way to do this.
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I'm all positive for paleo.
------- Carolyn -------
----- Ontario Canada ----
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I have been Paleo for the last three weeks. I tryed it once before and felt great then, but stopped because I got some kidney stones and I lived off of chicken noodle soup and it took me awhile before I could get back to it. I have chronic knee pain, I have had it for years. When I eat this way my knee pain is gone. I don't have to worry if I jump that the next day I am going to be paying for it. I am not a hard core Paleo, I do eat a little bit of dairy, and don't buy grass fed meat.
The first step is always the hardest.
| current weight: 213.0 |
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Moderation works for me. Cutting out certain foods makes me feel deprived.
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I don't really have feedback or tips, and what you choose for a menu plan is something that you have to be able to stick with for life, as far as I'm concerned.
While my diet recently (and I only use diet in the strictest sense of the word - meaning my lifestyle eating habits) has morphed, wherein I add/subtract items that I am more comfortable with, I don't follow any one plan "religiously".
I like the sound of the paleo menu, but am not comfortable giving up certain items - quinoa, for instance. I just discovered this wonderful seed, and find it's healthy and makes me content to eat it as part of a healthy menu.
What you choose is your own option - whether you stick with anything strictly, or use it as a springboard to give you ideas on how to adapt your menu to healthier options.
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nay
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Why not? Paleo is not a fad diet. Many people have lived and sustained this way of eating for centuries. I am on a vegan raw food diet. It is 100% sustainable. I get in all my nutrients. I exercise and have plenty of energy and usually more. I sleep better. I will NEVER EVER EVER go back to the standard american diet.
:)
| current weight: 250.0 |
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Nay. Diets are about what you "can" or "can't" eat, which is going to trip you up sooner or later. Lifestyle change provides real weight management. I've lost 50 pounds and kept it off for a year with portion control and keeping an eye toward balance and healthy eating, with daily exercise. Before this, I had tried and failed at a number of diets. I'll never diet again.
@scribblin on Twitter
Tony Masinelli on Facebook
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yes yes yes yes
------- Carolyn -------
----- Ontario Canada ----
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ETHELMERZ
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1/8/13 9:43 P
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It didn't work for the cavemen, and it won't work for the average person now, and, paleo also can become boring and tiresome, same as any other plan. I don't know one person who went on it, who has ever lasted more than a month, plus, it sent them on a binge trip. Just another plan making money for some authors, so called "experts", and yes, this industry ain't a Billion Dollar Business for nothing.....................and so, the beat goes on.
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I love it! I've been eating Paleo for almost a year now and have never felt better. It's amazing how many things you can do with vegetables! For those of you naysayers, it's NOT about meat and nothing but meat. It's about eating quality, real food and avoiding processed food of all kinds. It's NOT a low-carb diet! Some people eat that way on it, but you definitely don't have to. You can certainly get plenty of carbs (along with some actual nutrients) by eating veggies (and especially fruit) instead of grains. However, you DO have to cook if you're going to go Paleo. It's almost impossible to try to eat restaurant/convenience food and stay Paleo. You also still have to pay attention to portions and calories. When I first switched, I was eating a can of coconut milk a day! 
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don't know what it is
Nancy from Iowa and
North Carolina
God
Family & Friends
Kure Beach, N.C.
Proud member of Onyx Outlaws BLC15, BLC 16, BLC 17
Proud co-captain of Onyx Outlaws BLC 18, BLC 19
BLC 20, BLC 21
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I'm surprised there's not more support for the paleo diet on here. I'll never follow it because I'm a vegetarian, and I also take do issue with it not allowing beans and legumes. However, it's a lifestyle based on eating REAL FOOD, and it's sad that this is considered extreme in our culture. For anyone interested in learning more about it, I'd suggest checking out this site: http://www.marksdailyapple.com
Edited by: JEN_IN_CA at: 1/8/2013 (17:24)
26 yrs old, 5'7.5
| current weight: 145.0 |
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I say YAY to Paleo! There is so much science to back up what grains do to our bodies, its all about doing your research. Grains contain sugar, sugar causes inflammation, inflammation causes disease, its pretty simple. There are thousands of testimonies of people who have had great success not only at losing weight but at curing other ailments such as IBS, Asthma, even skin conditions. Its not about what cavemen did and yadda yadda more that we have seen a notable change in our health since the agricultural revolution and more so in the last century with the processed food and GMO's. I look at eating processed food as poison. I have never had a problem feeling satisfied or lacking things to eat. Its about making reasonable substitutions and not having your whole meal focused around bread! I can easily wrap a taco in a leaf of lettuce as I can a tortilla as well as using things like eggplant and squash in place of pasta. I even found a recipe for Cauliflower rice! I think people who think its to difficult are looking for an easy fix. Do you have to do most of your own cooking, Yes, and you should be anyway if you want to be healthy. It takes some planning but I have found lots of great recipes and ideas for paleo friendly food online and in tons of cookbooks. Get creative, enjoy the process of feeding yourself! I have lost 50 lbs following the Paleo diet and I am working on my last 40 now. The crux of the science is that we have turned our bodies into sugar burners instead of fat burners like our paleolithic ancestors. When you take the sugar out of the equation your body turns to your stored fat. Also Mark Sisson stresses in his Primal Blueprint book that most people only need to follow a strict Paleo diet 80% of the time and will still see results. If you want carbs, that's fine, just have them in the morning and have your dinner be meat veggies and fat. The main thing I notice is that I'm just generally not as hungry whereas when I ate bread, pasta and the like I could feel my blood sugar drop and would be starving. If you still have doubts, I would recommend reading the success stories on www.marksdailyapple.com or reading "Wheat Belly" which also explains a lot of the science behind it. Best of luck! I will continue to eat this way the rest of my life because of how great I feel! There are plenty of options that mimic grains that don't carry the same glycemic load (almond flour, coconut flour etc.). Get creative and get cooking. Cheers to good health!
| current weight: 216.0 |
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I'm a big fan of paleo. I would say do some research from referenced websites and books, and see what you find out. Paleo is definitely not restrictive especially if you have time to cook. I lost ten pounds, have more energy, and enjoy my food.
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Nay- I have to say I agree with a lot of posters on the board by saying I think that the Paleo diet has good guiding principles, but I am wary anytime a diet restricts entire food categories. I prefer the lifestyle approach because I don't think I can restrict things for any sustainable period of time. I do like the idea of limiting processed foods though
Kristin
Goal Weight
5/31/13:165
actual:
6/30/13: 160
actual:
"I am learning every day to allow the space between where I am and where I want to be to inspire me and not terrify me." - Tracee Ellis Ross
| current weight: 167.4 |
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Nay
Edited by: DURANGOREDDOG at: 1/7/2013 (13:06)
Bernie from Durango, CO
MST
What you do Today can improve all your Tomorrows!
| current weight: 180.0 |
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STHUMANN glad to hear your results were so good. I do not have health issues so have not had any bloodwork done since I made the switch as I am not due for my annual checkup/blood test until the late spring. Just know I feel better! And I really can't see why things are not still normal as I feel our meals are so well rounded. We likely eat more veggies then most of the nay sayers as we usually have 3 or 4 as side dishes with our main meal. How long have you been practicing Paleo?
Janet
Always look through the windshield and not the rearview mirror
| Pounds lost: 27.0 |
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?? not familiar with it.
11 For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome. Jer 29:11
I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency].
Philippians 4:12-14
| Pounds lost: 17.2 |
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After being on Paleo for a month, I have to say yea! I feel better, have lost weight, look good. What more could I want? As far as being restrictive, nothing could be further from the truth. You eat all you want and are never hungry. I even went through the holiday season without issues. All the fruits, vegetables and meat you want, what more do you need. My suggestion is to try for 30 days. I think you will feel better, if not then quit
Edited by: JANAMP09 at: 1/7/2013 (07:32)
Janet
Always look through the windshield and not the rearview mirror
| Pounds lost: 27.0 |
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From what I've read, Paleo is "whole foods". Basically, if it comes with a label, don't eat it. Eat as close to nature as you possibly can. Sounds like good advice. Dr. Dean Ornish and many others have written nutrition books telling us to eat mostly plant foods with little to no meat. Paleo allows quite a bit of meat. I don't care if it is grass-fed and organic -- meat is still not good for you. Ask Dr.s Oz, McDougall, Ornish, Barnard, Weil and so many others who have come to a similar conclusion -- Americans eat far too much meat! Paleo vegan might be ideal, but hard to follow. It's worth going in that direction, IMHO.
On to road to victory!
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My son's Dr travels and lectures about IBS and diet. He also wrote some books on it. His name is Gerard Guillory. He recommends a modified Paleo. Most importantly, make sure MSG, aspartame and wheat gluten are not part of your diet. You can google him for more info -- he is in Aurora, CO.
On to road to victory!
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I think it just looks too hard.
Yes, you can!
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After reading these posts, I can honestly say NAY.
"It is easier to raise good children than to fix bad men" by Fredrick Douglas.
Co team leader for Living With Diabetes team.
Co Leader for Healthy Hearts team.
Leader of Gilbert Speaks team.
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