I’ve never been one for dieting, I just eat what I eat. I try to eat healthily but taking notice of everything that goes in my mouth just drives me nuts.
When I was young my weight was never an issue, I was naturally skinny. Apart from two of my pregnancies, I was skinny during my 20s and my 30s. Then I hit my 40s and had three kids! This took its toll on my body and for the first time ever I went up a dress size. I thought about doing something about it but in the end I decided that it didn’t really matter that I was carrying a few extra pounds.
Now I’m sick and I take a lot of drugs which make me put on weight. I’m very close to going up another dress size and I’m really bloated. But, there is something much more important that needs fixing other than my weight and that’s why I’ve been researching the Paleo diet.
I have an auto-immune disorder, my own body has attacked itself. I know the culprit, it’s called the glycine receptor anti-body. I don’t know why it attacked my central nervous system and took away my ability to walk. But I do know that before it happened I had gastric problems and a scan had told me that my gut was leaking.
So I did some Googling about auto-immune disorders in relation to diet and a leaky guts and I came up with the Paleo diet.
It sounds drastic but if it helps me cure my gut then it might just help me start to repair my body. I am waiting on a treatment in the future which could help me lots, but it doesn’t work permanently so what if I repaired my body by dieting, or at least made it work a little better? Maybe, the treatment would last longer, or not have to be repeated too often.
I’m at the stage now that I’m not so worried about what I look like, but being overweight can be really unhealthy and carry risks. I’ve already been told that I have tested positive for a blood clot. I’m not very mobile and can’t exercise much so I really do need to address my weight.
So, why have I chosen the Paleo Diet?
Firstly, because it’s diet that addresses a leaky gut and auto-immune disorders. It can help repair the basis of what is wrong with me.
Also, I really do think I can do it.
I believe that everything should be done in moderation so although I know I need to be strict to make this work, if I find that cutting something out of my diet is too difficult I won’t beat myself up about it. However, there are so many alternatives available these days I’ll be sure to try them all.
What does the Paleo diet involve?
You should avoid, grains, rice, beans and pulses, dairy products, processed foods, sugar, artificial sweeteners, soft drinks, ready meals, refined vegetable oils, chocolate and sweets, refined table salt.
You can have, meat, fish, seafood, vegetables, nuts, seeds, fresh fruit, olive oil, coconut oil, nut oil, hoeny, coconut sugar, nut and seed milks, and even coffee and alcohol in moderation.
It’s not that bad is it?
No chocolate and cake…eeek!
There are always alternatives though. I’ve been checking out some sweet recipes just in case my sweet tooth tries to break me.
My pinterest board for Paleo recipes is filling up nicely
I have my supplies and I am working on my meal plans, so I’m all set to go next week!
Have you tried eating Paleo? Do let me know in the comments of your experiences, or feel free just to wish me luck with mine.
Good luck with the new diet….
Reading what you can't eat didn't sound too good but when you read what you can eat it doesn't sound that bad at all…Well apart from not eating chocolate….
I definitely need to experiment on making my own chocolate…oh and it's ok to have a little dark chocolate, I think, as a treat 😉
Ooh this will be interesting. I'd love to hear how you get on. The paleo diet makes a lot of sense to me, I just don't have the willpower to try it yet! #BlogCrush
I think it is brilliant you are giving this a try. The more I find out about gut health the more I believe there is definitely something in it! I make my own kombucha and sauerkraut now (good for gut health) and when I take biotics it is the mega strong saccromyces boulardi ones. Sugar also wreaks havoc with my body and I felt so much better last year when refined-sugar free. Had such a set back this year though that I desperately need to get back on track. Amelia Freer has lots on gut health on her website and I really trust what she writes as she is a properly qualified nutritionist. It was her 'eat nourish glow' book that got me started properly on healthy eating last year. TerraSacra has a great 'stone age' paleo bread recipe – which can be sliced and frozen. Henrietta inman's recipes are amazing if you want to keep your sweet tooth satisfied whilst staying refined sugar, gluten-free and dairy-free (including a homemade chocolate recipe on her website). She also has a brilliant gluten free bread recipe too. I never thought i could give up bread but for most of last year I was bread-free too. Once you get started I'm sure you will get on brilliantly – it was the first few weeks without sugar that was the hardest, and then after that I no longer craved it and it really was like my mind had been re-set. I lost loads of weight after the first couple of months of sticking with it. but sadly this year i felt i had such a set back with my health that things went pear shaped! Wishing you all the best and really looking forward to seeing how you get on. one last point – i actually ate loads and never felt hungry but it was just lots of good stuff that i was eating – so that felt great. xxx
sorry me again…One more thought, when J went through a spell of gut problems causing pain and hives last year, the herbalist recommended 1 tablespoon of linseed soaked in a cup of water overnight. Then strain and drink the water the next day (still tastes quite normal but slightly gel-like from the seed gel), then I used the actual seeds in porridge or smoothies etc. Such a cheap and simple thing that seemed to help. We also took magnesium citrate (viridian brand is good) half a teaspoon in water each evening (not for longterm use as far as i can tell) but helps get gut in good order and i believe also helps with curbing the cravings for sugar. I still take it once in a while. Each jar seems expensive but lasts absolutely ages. xxx
Thank you Rebecca, such a lot of helpful info there. I'll be sure to check out those websites and the linseed idea sounds good, I already have some too! All my life I've never really worried about what I eat, at least I have the chance to make sure my kids are more careful. We do rely on processed foods too much these days and it's not good.
Oh I've never been any good with diets but I totally understand why you've decided to go for this and I really hope it works out for you. Your condition sounds miserable. I hope we get an update soon to let us know how you're getting on.
#blogcrush