Our friend Chris Kresser will be joining us on an upcoming podcast episode. Please leave your questions for Chris in the comments section of this post. I will leave the comments open for one week so Chris will have adequate time to review the questions. If you aren’t familiar with Chris check out this bio below.
Chris Kresser is a health care practitioner, blogger and independent researcher. He’s the creator of thehealthyskeptic.org, a blog challenging mainstream myths on nutrition, health & disease, and he has a private practice in Berkeley, CA and consults with people around the world via telephone & Skype.
Chris practices what he calls “investigative medicine”. This means he focuses on identifying the underlying cause of disease, and addressing it at that level, instead of just suppressing symptoms. He combines the best of both modern and traditional medicine to restore function and promote optimal health and longevity. Because of his own experience with a chronic, mysterious illness, Chris specializes in working with people who haven’t been able to find help anywhere else.
Most recently Chris created the Paleo Detox program (paleodetox.com), a 30-day supervised program incorporating a Paleo diet, botanicals and supplements that support the detox process, and guidelines for movement and stress management.
Hi Chris,
I just recently discovered your blog and have enjoyed reading your posts. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2004. I was on methotrexate and plaquenil for four years while also working with a naturopath on diet (gluten/dairy free, low sugar, etc) and supplements (fish oil, vitamin D, and many others at different times). I went into remission for about two years during this time. In 2008 I took myself off all meds and unfortunately the next two years without drugs were awful. During this time I experimented with the Body Ecology Diet in hopes of reducing my inflammation and things got worse. In July 2010 I went back on meds out of desperation for a life again (methotrexate and Enbrel) and have had wonderful success. I have also been eating about 98% Paleo since August which I hope is adding to my success. My questions are 1) Any other suggestions? 2) Do you think it is possible for a person with severe rheumatoid arthritis to eventually wean from medications and live a painfree life? This is my ultimate goal. Thanks!
I have some thoughts on this too, will be interested to hear form Chris.
FYI: With the meds, my flares have reduced a lot. However, there seems to be a strong connection between digestive problems and flares.
Hi Cathy,
I have a good friend and an aunt that both have severe rheumatoid arthritis. They have tried many many things to affect a change in the condition, and found that the most impactful has been to remove nightshade vegetables from their diet. There is something about nightshade vegetables that promote inflammation, especially with regard to rheumatoid arthritis — so much so that both my friend and my aunt tell me that they have been able to stop their meds when they maintain these veggies out of their diet.
As to why, a quick read-up on nightshade vegetables on Google and Wikipedia should be enlightening, but it may have something to do with “lectins”.
Best health wishes,
Greg
Thanks Greg. In 2007 my naturopath had me eliminate gluten, dairy, citrus, nightshades, peanuts, coffee, and sugar. (I think that is it.) I was 100% nightshade free for about a year and then slowly brought them back with my naturopath’s help. When I was on the Body Ecology Diet in 2009-2010, I didn’t consume nightshades either and I was at my worst with flares.
Chris / Robb –
Love for you to address Cathy’s question re arthritis, diet, leaky gut, meds, etc.
I have Ankylosing Spondylitis and several other auto-immune conditions. I’ve been 100% strict paleo for 8mos – nothing but grassfed meat, wild caught fish, veggies, some fruit, no nightshades. Paleo has made a huge difference and I have been able to eliminate or reduce several meds [NSAIDS, prednisone, & plaquenil], but I still take sulfasalazine daily, plus weekly methotrexate injections and monthly Remicade infusions. I need to reduce my reliance on these drugs as they are trashing my immune system – last year I had staphylococcal pneumonia, 3+ weeks in the hospital.
Thanks
Awesome! Here’s a question: Chris and Robb differ on their opinions regarding fish oil supplementation. My take is that Robb is a fan, and Chris is not. Can the two of you discuss your different perspectives without coming to blows?
Thanks! John.
I was going to ask a similar question! I’ve been taking Lovaza (anywhere from 2g-4g a day), but according to Robb’s calculator, I should be taking more. (I’m a 32 yr old female, Crossfit 4-5 days a week, eat 90% paleo, and I have multiple sclerosis.) Now Chris says I don’t need the fish oil? I’m also a nurse practitioner, and tell many patients with cholesterol issues (and inflammation in general) to add fish oil supplementation. Would love to hear the fish oil debate between you two.
Thanks! You guys are the best!
Joanna
I 3rd the Fish Oil supplement question. I’m trying to get a better understanding of this and in some cases it’s just not as easy as saying take it and see how you feel. My wife has lupus and her rheumatologist has her on a maintenance dose of around 3 grams a day. We can’t reasonably get that from any food source so it makes me wonder if it’s actually doing anything for her.
I “fourth” the fish oil question and would like to have an answer on whether or not the “red eyes” (looks like minimally bursts in blood vessels) I am seeing, as well as the subjectively brighter color of my blood could be related to upping fish-oil intake from zero to 6g fish oil (~2.4g EPA) per day.
I have previously used fish oil, but stopped, because it made me feel lethargic and I experienced a drop in libido. Currently, libido was low anyway – so I decided to give the fish oil another try. It did not help, but being 2 weeks back on, I do not expect too much, other than being side-effect free.
chris, i have been paleo for 7 months now, dropped tons of weight and have seen vast improvement in my performance. However, there’s one nagging injury that’s plagued me for the last 18 months or so- achilles tendinopathy. i did typical cardio for years, particularly the elliptical, and it’s seemed to have left me with a stiff and occasionally sore achilles. i’ve done eccentric exercises for spells but whenever i go back to doing sprints, it seems to make the achilles inflamed again. i’ve seen so much information on the net about treating these types of injuries from eccentric exercises, to accupuncture to surgery. what have your experiences been with achilles tendinopathy?
+1 on achilles tendinopathy
I’ve suffered for 10+ yrs with auto-immune spondyloarthropathic enthesopathy & tendinopathy at the heel, plantar, achilles – only thing that has ever given me any lasting relief is high dose prednisone, although I had some limited success with ultra-sound. Have considered, but never tried acupuncture, PRP therapy.
Thanks Andy & Robb for the opportunity!
John: I imagine Robb & I are closer than you think on the fish oil issue, but even if we’re not, I’m a lover not a fighter!
Looking forward to answering your questions. Or at least trying!
Wonderful! A detox expert! I have a long time question: do so called “flushes” work? I mean those somewhat waky practices involving vitamin c, epsom salt/olive oil/grapefruit juices meant to “expel bile stones” or other not better defined “toxins”…is this science? Pseudo- science or quackery?
Hi Guys,
These both might be a little outside the realm of just the paleo diet, and more in the naturopathic medicine arena, however Chris looks to have experience in this arae so I thought I’d at least give them a shot.
1. Once leaky gut/gut dysbiosis has progressed or is accompanied by decreased liver function, how should one look to progress? In my experience any therapeutics that prompt a change in gut flora such as probiotics or natural anti-microbials can congest the liver, halting progress, conversely ‘stimulating’ the liver perhaps with herbs or similar is often too rough on a weak body and counter productive when gut inflammation exists. Obviously individuality plays a big role but would you have any advice for attempting to progress from this ‘toxic loop’?
2. Do you also have an opinion based on experience in the potential use of raw milk kefir for aiding a leaky gut? Seems a massively divided issue, with one camp favouring the removal of all dairy to reduce the risk of inflammation, and the other claiming the benefits and variety of the natural probiotics contained in the kefir are vastly superior to anything capsulated.
Many thanks,
+1 on leaky gut discussion
treatments to heal the gut?:
probiotics, fermented foods, bone broth, herbs, L-Glut?
things to avoid?:
NSAIDS, corticosteroids, grains, gluten, sugar, legumes, dairy, eggs, nuts, seeds, nightshades, certain fruits like bananas, cocao, coffee?
I still take some cytotoxic drugs [methotrexate, imuran] – know anything about their effect on leaky gut?
also, any thoughts on why conventional MDs are so skeptical, dismissive, even hostile to the leaky gut theory and it’s role in auto-immunity? I’ve learned not to even bring it up with any of my docs. After I had colon cancer at 28, I spent 10+ miserable years on an Ornish/Pritikin-style vegan/pescatarian diet at the insistence of my doctors – 10% fat, 70% carbs, soy, grains, etc as I descended into an auto-immune nightmare.
Thanks
Hi Chris.
I’d love to hear more about your Zen meditation practice and how you feel it has contributed to your overall health and well-being. Folks talk a lot about reducing cortisol levels by getting enough sleep and avoiding things like excessive cardio and overtraining. Seems like people might also minimize the stress response by learning how to be less reactive to during waking hours. And while we can’t ever know exactly what life was like for paleolithic man, it seems like he probably spent a heckuva lot more time staring at quiet sunsets, chilling out under trees, etc. In a sense, meditation could be a kind of bridge to that kind of quality stress-reduction time, right?
Thanks!
JoelG
Hi Chris.
I’d love to hear more about your Zen meditation practice and how you feel it has contributed to your overall health and well-being. Folks talk a lot about reducing cortisol levels by getting enough sleep and avoiding things like excessive cardio and overtraining. Seems like people might also minimize the stress response by learning how to be less reactive during waking hours. And while we can’t ever know exactly what life was like for paleolithic man, it seems like he probably spent a heckuva lot more time staring at quiet sunsets, chilling out under trees, etc. In a sense, meditation could be a kind of bridge to that kind of quality stress-reduction time, right?
Thanks!
JoelG
Not to beat a dead horse (when I could be making it into sausages), but you recently wrote a positive review of the Jaminets’ “Perfect Health Diet” (http://perfecthealthdiet.com/). Among recommendations are for most people to obtain 400 calories daily from safe starches and possibly undergo some intermittent protein fasting. Can you expound a bit more on the possible benefits (or lack thereof) of these recommendations? Can Robb debate?
Hi Chris,
Wondering if you have any thoughts on whether the body types (mesomorph, ectomorph and endomorph) are strictly genetic, or the result of genes interacting with environment (nutrition, toxins, hormones)? Another way of putting this is: Are ectomorphy and endomorphy signs of suboptimal health or inadequate nutrition (perhaps in the womb or early in life)? Or perhaps ectomorphy and endomorphy are the result of hormonal imbalances?
Looking forward to the podcast.
-Alex
I can tell you from my own lingering experience that a starved Endo looks exactly like an Ecto. Only difference is: When the Endo resumes normal eating habits, he will regain his weight easily. The Ecto, on the other hand, has a really hard time getting his weight up and mostly he will end being what I like to call a “skinny fat guy”
bottom line of this unfortunate story is that without major hormonal intervention you cannot change your body type (unless for example you appear to be an ecto because you did not have access to enough food for all your life)
Robb, thanks for all that you are doing to help people reach toward health, performance and longevity.
My question has to do with my wife. She loves her grains but I have got her to try paleo. She is looking and feeling amazing (and I am feeling better as well actually able to stick to it with her buy in). The other night was my sisters birthday and my wife had some neolithic food. She didn’t just feel bad but had a feeling like rocks in her stomach and didn’t get ff the couch for hours.
Is this normal?
With grain exposure I just feel bloated and sluggish but she had actual pain. She is upset (half jokingly) that she ‘never had problems with grains till now’.
Please help me offer her some advice!
Thank you,
Jesse
Hi Chris,
I am currently a student at Palmer College of Chiropractic and am hoping to incorporate paleo nutrition and a variety of holistic medical approaches in my practice when I graduate. I was just wondering what were some of the challenges in getting patients to be open to what for many is a new way of thinking about medicine.
Thanks
Joshua Pepping
Hi Chris,
These questions might be too specific, but I can’t find any doctors who can/will answer them. They give me puzzled looks, esp about vitamin D. (They = PCP, rheumatologist, dermatologist).
1) I’d like to know if you think if a vitamin D level of 85 is safe. I stopped taking 2000 vitamin d per day (6 months ago) and it fell to 43 (over the course of 6 months). I am not sure if supplementing vitamin d is a good idea, and I echo an above comment on the subject.
2) I’ve struggled with Chilblains (have had emboli in big toes) and Raynaud’s (numb fingers and toes), and am taking Pentoxifylline (400 mg per day is all I can handle, if I take more I can’t sleep). It has helped with circulation in the feet, but what do you think of this kind of medicating? The doc did what she called “every autoimmune test under the sun” and everything came up negative. She (doc = rheumatologist) doesn’t know what else to do. She thinks the paleo diet is crazy but I’m doing it anyway – she’s more open to it now that she saw massive improvements in bloodwork over past 6 months. I can say that wheat might as well be heroin for me – I find it highly addictive and have removed it entirely from my life, and always feel like shi** for at least a day after eating it.
3) How long do you think it takes to rid the body of birth control pill damage/residue? Since going paleo I’ve quit those (August 2010) but am having hair loss problems…
4) Thoughts on women’s hair loss – doc suggested taking a drug called spironolactone, and I’m weary. I am taking the biotin (2000 per day) but am not sure if that is safe, either. Would greatly value your opinion on what to do for the hair loss. The doctors seem to blow me off about the hair loss thing, but two dermatologists said that upon an examination, they do notice the loss, but said that the follicles are not scarred and are just “resting.” They need to get off of their a** and start growing some hair!
Thanks for any direction you can provide. I will dutifully read anything you suggest, and would very much value any information that others with similar experiences can share!
Dear Chris, Robb & Andy,
I am a 27 year old male, 5’11, 155lbs. I have been strict Paleo now for 6 months. I am benefitting everywhere but for one thing – I suffer constipation. I understand this is normal in the beginning, but 6 months? My gastroenterologist said that my condition was similar to that of a woman in her 50’s post-hysterectomy.
I remember suffering constipattion when quite young and being prescribed fibre and metamucil. Since that time my diet became very high in fibre and I had no issues, though I would notice if one day I skipped breakfast (usually 5 weet-bix and 4 tablespoons of oatbran).
I do not wish to take laxatives or supplement fibre, knowing of the potential for harmful effects and dependency. I have tried very large doses of magnesium (kruschen salts) with no effect.
You mention in one of your posts your belief that constipation is related to gut flora or attributed to dysbiosis. I would love for you to expand on this and possibly recommend a course of action or probiotic recommendation/dose.
Many thanks in advance. Love the blog and keep up the good work!
do you already take natural calm? if so, up your dose, if not take 1-2 teaspoon of natural calm or other form of magnesium citrate with breakfast. this should get you going….
Chris –
I’m not a big fan of oral mag – I have a lot of GI issues [ulcerative colitis, celiac] and there was an “incident”. Do you have any opinion on topical / transdermal magnesium oil? it’s supposed to be much easier to take as it bypasses the GI tract.
Lots of people are pushing it, including both Mahler and Poliquin, but I’m skeptical – there seems to be a lot of dubious health claims: Support hormone production, increase energy, reduce muscle soreness, lose stomach fat, and ramp up heart health with Magnesium Oil!
There was a question about it in an earlier podcast http://bit.ly/bDFyt4, in which Robb said he couldn’t see how it could possibly work – no mechanism or pathway.
Thanks.
I’d like to hear more about natural probiotics such as sourkraut and kimchi. Are thses generally more or less effective than going out and buying pills such as jarrodophillus? Any downsides or side effects?
Chris, how would you deal with constipation while on a low carb/Paleolithic diet? I have T2 diabetes and Sjogren’s (an autoimmune condition) and started eating low-carb/Paleo a year ago and went from 220 to 160. My blood sugar is under pretty tight control (5.4 HbA1c) and my lipds are great (Trigs=70; HDL=60) but I’ve been hobbled by constipation. I’ve upped fiber and water intake (a foolhardy advice if there ever was one), tried all laxative brands but it’s not helping. I think I’m suffering from acute “disbacteriosis” and need to grow back my “intestinal garden.” Any probiotic you’d recommend?
I realize that you’d recommend making yogurt at home over probiotics. But short of a fecal transplant (a procedure which I’m just not inclined toward!), how would you deal with constant constipation being triggered by disbacteriosis?
Hi Randle –
I had similr problems and found that coconut products (milk, oil) work wonderfully for constipation.
Hi Chris,
just skimmed your blogposts on thyroid problems – solid work! There is one thing, however, I am missing. The link between “underconversion” of T4 > T3 and “overconversion” of T4 > rT3, because many people will end up with low TSH, bottom range T4, bottom range T3 and high rT3.
While German Drs believe there is no such thing as rT3, because mainstraim labs cannot measure it here, I am quite sure that this is the underlying cause, why even with 150mcg T4 a vanishing TSH and top range T4 and T3 I did not feel quite well. Needless to say, my Dr did not like T4 + T3 ceiling out and took me down to 100mcg with more “inrange” values – I then ditched the T4 completely and tend to feel the same or even better now with below “normal” levels…
If you took a few minutes to comment on this issue and your views on the Wilson “T3-only” protocol (cf. eg. http://www.suite101.com/content/is-wilsons-syndrome-real-a121932) that would be great.
Greetings from Germany
ProfDrAndro
Can you please share more about your illness in Indonesia, how did you finally recover. I just returned from four years in Jakarta and my last year contracted a GI illness that went undiagnosed and untreated. After four days of not even tolerating water the symptoms suddenly disappeared. All fecal checks came back unremarkable. The illness started a cycle of 2 or 3 days without symptoms and then 2 days with bathroom symptoms. After four cycles it stopped but I experienced a year of being unwell despite efforts to stay free from other illnesses. My liver function has been off since then, enzymes elevate, thyroid levels started changing after 6 years of being stable on T-3/T-4 protocol and when I returned home this summer I was low on Vit D, folic acid, and B-12 despite eating a very healthy Gluten free diet, including yogurt for GI bacteria and having B-12 injection for over a year. I have given up with regular medical community and am wondering if there is something I might do to insure I did not come home with a sleeping pathogen.
Here is a question for Chris:
Can you please share more about your illness in Indonesia, how did you finally recover. I just returned from four years in Jakarta and had a GI illness that followed a cycle of a few days of bathroom symptoms and a few days of no symptoms. It disappeared a suddenly as it arrived. doctors could not diagnose it or treat it. My liver, vit D thyroid, folic acid and B-12 levels have all been off since then despite a very healthy Gluten Free diet and manage thyroid illness on T3/T4 protocol and receiving B-12 injections. Any suggestions to insure I did not come home with a sleeping pathogen?
Here is a question for Chris:
Can you please share more about your illness in Indonesia, how did you finally recover.
Marty, we seem to be suffering from a similar condition. If you were previously consuming large amounts of fiber before launching your low-carb diet, you could be susceptible to what Konstantyn Monastyrsky describes in his book, “Fiber Menace.” Typically, if you lower your soluble fiber intake and potassium (holds stool moisture) when you start your low carb diet, constipation inevitably results. The author recommends lowering fiber gradually before low carbing. In fact, you really don’t need fiber, especially fiber-enriched grains, which we know are counterproductive. Any rapid or abrupt withdrawal of fiber and potassium will constipate an umpteen number of low carbers. I think this phenomenon is much less publicized and we’re typically told to consume more fiber, drink more water, or consume more fat. All, I believe are useless. Once you’re already constipated for a while, like we are, it seems we may have reached “acute disbacteriosis”. In other words, we have to “grow back” our intestinal flora through probiotics or other means. I’m eager to hear what Chris and Robb have to say.
High fat diets- Re: listening to Dean Ornish (TED – healing and other miracles I think it called) states (and has the photos to show) that high fat diets decrease postprandial blood flow (and conversely low fat increases). I admire a lot of his work (reversing prostrate CA, heart dx, importance of meditation, your genes not your destiny,etc). Comments? (I suspect a Lustig-type answer would be that it was really a high carb diet turning into a high fat diet – but dont have the actual food info – and why does his contrasting “low-fat” diet improve blood flow (as it would surely be high plant based carb)? Thanks for your consideration
Hi. I was diagnosed in 2000 with Hyperthyriodism, Graves Disease, goiter, and no pituitary function. I underwent radioactive iodine therapy which left me 50 lbs heavier, approximately 3 % of a functioning thyroid, and Hypothyroidism. I take Levothyroxin daily. I have a very hard time loosing weight. I began the Paleo way of eating about 2 weeks ago. I feel better than I have felt in YEARS! however, I am not seeing much weight loss via scale or inches. I also know that eating certain foods can have an adverse affect on my hormone level and replacent therapy. Is the Paleo diet the most effective for me and will I ever see the kind of weight-loss others are seeing???
this kind of fits into my question (see above); although I have not lost my thyroid, I notice that I tend to gain weight way easier if I am on levothyroxin with values in range than if I just put this sh** were it belongs (in the dumb) and live with low levels of FT3 and FT4 (my TSH hovers around somewhere between 3.5-4.5, if I do that).
The only clue I have for this is that my body takes all T4 he gets and makes rT3 of it, which then blocks the receptor and prevents the little FT3 I have from working
Hi Chris (and Robb / Andy) –
Over the past 4 years I’ve been to numerous specialists from endocrinologists, to GI doctors, to naturopathics and acupuncturists. I was having major fatigue and Gut issues to start, in addition to chronic inflammation showing itself as edema in my lower legs and puffy eyes. I was ‘diagnosed’ (at different times over these years) via various labs with Candida, NO good gut bacteria, low-normal thyroid, adrenal fatigue, gluten intolerance (but NOT Celiac), and low immune function. At one point via the iGG ELISA food allergy testing, I was showing a reaction to 96 foods, including things like eggs, pineapple, asparagus and beef. Over the past 2 years, I’ve gotten MUCH better using acupuncture and Paleo. Just had a little setback in December with Melanoma, but that’s fine now. And I’m still dealing with low energy, mood issues, and difficulty losing the last 10 lbs.
At this point my ‘holistic’ endocrinologist has me on (YIKES!): Nature Throid for low-ish free T3 and T4, Testosterone cream, Progesterone pills, Pregnenolone, Cortef for chronic low-adrenals, and Amphoterican B for the Candida that she thinks I’m still dealing with. I do not like being on so many meds. And I still have no idea what started all of this.
OK – so my question to start: What direction would you point me in as far as a better treatment to get to the route of this? Hormonal therapy seems to just be a bandaid… Do you have any idea as to what the chicken or the egg was here? Are there any books / sites you would point me to to better deal with these issues?
Some specific history of mine that I’m thinking triggered this: 8 yrs ago went thru a very stressful divorce, job change, and moved to a new state (all within a year)…And then I got into extreme diet and overtraining while competing in Figure shows.
Thanks so much! Sorry for such a long question.
just a hint on from which side to tackle all this. If it comes to identifying the “source of all evil”, anecdotal reports suggest that adrenals is where you have to look in the first place. unfortunately this is an area of expertise most doctors (endocrinologists included) lack, so that their patients end up being treated for everything at once. with the complexity of the endocrine system this approach is yet doomed to fail.
if I were you, I’d ask my endo start where it all begins CHOLESTEROL > PREGNENOLONE. this is where the magic happens. progesterone, estrogen, testosterone, DHEA, cortisol, etc. are all down the line.
I wish it were that simple. Unfortunately, in my experience at least, there is no way to predict what’s at the root of the problem for every person. Adrenals are not always the answer. For example, if someone has a gut infection that will trash their adrenals, and any attempt to address the adrenals without first addressing the gut infection will have only a limited impact. The same is true for blood sugar. While adrenals influence blood sugar regulation, blood sugar also impacts the adrenals. The body is basically an amalgamation of these feedback loops, so there isn’t such a linear relationship as we might like.
@Chris: Agreed on that. What’s worst, however, is that mostly you wont get digestion up again until you get your adrenals fixed. And this still is an area where most docs just do not have the experience to come up with proper treatment regimens < this is unfortunately similar in the case of gut issues that do not produce at least some nasty gut related symptoms ("You have no bloating, diarrhea, bloody stool, etc? Then your gut is fine!)
Thanks to both of you for the thoughts – I’m about to do another Alcat food allergy test next week. And although this isn’t 100% accurate (I’ve heard of someone submitting 2 sets of labs under different names and results coming back totally different), at least I should be able to see what I’m currently reacting to.
I should probably do another ASI test to see what’s truly going on w/ my adrenals. Perhaps addressing the Candida and food allergies, while supporting adrenals w/ Cortef (10mg in AM / 5mg mid-afternoon) isn’t too bad an approach. I wonder if I should be on some adrenal adaptogens. I do NOT feel I have much stress at all…Sleep 8-9hrs a night and take a 45-60min nap mid-afternoon. But my perceived stress does get the best of me sometimes, as I’m an overthinker…I’ve cut back over the past year from Crossfit 6X a week to nothing but walking and 15-20min straight lifting 3X a week, if that.
thx again for any help.
I like to incorporate good ideas from wherever I find them, even if the author is not strictly Paleo. Now I find conflicting advice concerning when to eat breakfast for maximum fat loss. Martin Berkhan of Leangains says that is best to postpone eating breakfast as long as possible to extend the fat-burning that takes place overnight. Tim Ferriss says it’s important to eat protein within 30 minutes of waking to create a hormonal advantage that will last through the day. What do you say?
Are nitrates unhealthy? Do they restrict weight loss?
Hey guys,
We (more my wife, technically) are currently weaning a baby boy from breastfeeding at about a year old. Since adding solid foods, we’ve stuck with avocado, chicken, turkey, pork chop, sweet potato, blueberry, pear, other non-grain items.
We have some stored breast milk which we’ll continue to use as long as possible, but was curious as to your thoughts on options for transitioning our boy to just a paleo diet. Soy formula is absolutely out, and dairy is not ideal, but I haven’t seen a specific suggestion for an option and I know our pediatrician is going to suggest milk.
Would grass fed milk be acceptable?
Do we even need a milk-like supplement if he’s eating an otherwise solid diet?
I’ve seen your seminar topics re: pregnancy/breastfeeding, and didn’t know if this was an offshoot that you have spent time on. I think Cordain suggested a DHA & AA enriched formula in his FAQ, but I couldn’t tell if it was something he had spent a lot of time on.
Thanks!
I’ve heard Robb and Kurt Harris cover this one before. Eat your bacon, it’s safe!
Hi Chris, I am a 49 year old male. I had major surgery 7 weeks ago for a ruptured sigmoid colon caused by diverticulitis (didn’t know I had this until the rupture). I had to have a colonostomy. I just started the paleo diet 3 weeks ago. I lost 25 lbs. since the surgery and haven’t gained any back. The weight loss was mostly muscle as I was not previously overweight. I feel ready to start lifting weights again to rebuild the lost muscle. I need advice for post-workout meals as I am lactose intolerant. Also, I can’t have nuts (except almond butter) due to diverticula that still exist in the remaining part of my colon. I would appreciate any advice you can give as far as what I should eat post-workout.
Hi Guys,
I’ve just be diagnosed with Hashamoto’s and gluten sensitivity (from enterolabs.com). Is it possible to reverse these conditions with the paleo diet and if so, how long should I expect that it will take?
I’m 5’7″, 130 lb female and do crossfit and endurance work 4-5 days/week. Prior to paleo I was on the zone diet.
Thanks so much. Love the work you are doing.
Hi Ya’ll,
I have a long hx now of being just, well just not well.
Since my 30th birthday (which I spent in the hospital having my gallbladder out after a week in the hospital with sudden onset pain for the first time)-let me say at 30 I was very physically fit and I THOUGHT i ate clean, but that was low fat, low calorie clean…—
since 30 I have had gallbladder out, then almost of a year of undiagnosed chronic abd pain–ended up with adenomyosis and a hysterectomy at 32, and every since then MAJOR GUT ISSUES… Not one single day of normal BM- TRULEY. oh yeah, and MAJOR migrane issues.
I am at my witts end!!!!
Help??
Straight Paleo??
Supplements??
My main question is what should I supplement with paleo to get my gut back on track???
foods I should totally cut that are paleo even in the first 30 days???
PLEASE HELP ME!!!
Also guys,
I am a RN and ya’lls sites and the Good Calories, Bad Calories book…
I just found them 2 weeks ago.
NEVER HEARD OF PALEO.
I have to say, I took a lot of nutrition classes and bio classes in college and so much of this
is BRAND SPANKIN NEW to me.
My mouth is still on the floor at all I am learning, all I should have known.
How we handle our Diabetics???? OMG!
I just want to say thank you so much for all your hard work and dedication to the research and to getting to word out to us Americans, even those of us medical americans who have NO IDEA!
Erika from SC
Thanks Erika.
Isn’t it SHOCKING? Imaging how much better it would be if this information was common knowledge?
Hey Erika,
I’m an RN too, in New Zealand. I still remember 15 years ago reading Zone diet books and then a whole lot of others including Atkins, Eades, etc and being blown away by the information.
Needless to say it altered the direction of my career. I’ve worked with diabetics who are so dissolutioned with the advice they get that simply doesn’t work. Very sad.
Pass this knowledge on – you have no idea how many lives you might make a difference to!
Erika: I discovered Paleo in 2010 and it has fundamentally changed my approach to health & wellness [& life]. Ive been seeing doctors for decades for multiple autoimmune conditions, and not a single one has ever expressed the slightest interest in what my diet consisted of [except for those that pushed me to eat a very low fat, grain & soy-based vegan/pescatarian diet]. Whenever I would ask about possible dietary effects or treatments that I’d heard about, they would dismiss it as faddish quackery. It’s really shaken my faith in medicine.
Hi Chris,
I am curious as to how a paleo low carb diet can affect thyroid function. My endo suggests eating more carbs and exercising more to improve thyroid function (my T3 is really low). I am inclined to keeping carbs low, what do think. Many thanks!
I recently heard John Kiefer talking about that phenomenon in the context of his “carb-backloading” diet… obviously he is not that generous with free information on the program as Robb is, though 😉 cf. http://www.carbnite.com/
I am a 58 year old woman who has suffered from severe GERD (seems to be hereditary – thanks, Dad) most of my adult life and I now have Barrett’s esophagus to boot. So, of course, my gastro-doc has had me on OTC Prilosec for the last 8-9 years. Originally I thought it was a miracle drug, but now I know better and would love to be able to get off of it because I think some of my other health issues are probably at least partially related to no-stomach-acid-related poor digestion (i.e., anemia, osteoarthritis, osteopenia), but going cold turkey is a little more serious for me because of the Barrett’s.
I have been a pretty good PaNu style eater for the last year (90% compliance – sugar/chocolate is my downfall), but unfortunately I am NOT one of the GERD success stories I keep hearing about. Having read and re-read your digestive series several times (thank you, thank you, thank you), last week I started following your suggestions and trying digestive enzymes/HCL/pepsin. I have had SOME success, but am now up to 5 capsules (1600mg HCL) w/each meal and still having mild/moderate heartburn most days (and it doesn’t seem to matter whether I eat dairy or not – altho I know what Robb is going to say to that one).
I’m willing to continue trying, but now my rheumatologist has put me on 200mg daily of doxycycline to see if my systemic, aggressive osteoarthritis might be related to suspected Lyme disease (lived in tick country AND had a classic bulls-eye rash but a negative test result).
So, my question: since this drug causes some stomach upset by itself and doses have to be timed carefully around certain foods and other drugs, do you think I should continue both courses right now or just suck it up and go back on the Prilosec until we see if the antibiotic does any good (which COULD take up to a year)? And, if I continue both, any other suggestions other than just tweaking the doses and tightening up my dietary compliance?
+ 1 HCL, digestive enzymes, etc
I have a lot of GI / digestive issues. Severe constipation, very slow digestion 72-96+ hour transit time, indigestion, gerd, inflamed esophagus, bloating, belching, burning, etc. I’m IF’ing 3-5 days a week, and often I will still be belching up a meal 20+ hours after last eating. WTF? Have used Now Super off and on for 8 mos – up to 6 or 7 caps per meal and have never had any “heat” at all. So my assumption is low stomach acid / enzymes.
Whenever I bring it up with my GP, he assures me that my problem is too much acid, tells me to take some OTC stuff and/or writes a Rx for a PPI.
Hi Robb and Chris
I hope you do answer the question about rheumatoid arthritis. My mother has been suffering for 15 years with it. She began the paleo diet in May losing 45 pounds and fixing her high blood pressure. She has been able to reduce her prednisone from 5mg/day to 3 or 4, but would like to reduce her ra and osteoarthritis symptoms and get off the medications.
She started on Robb’s autoimmune protocol (no eggs, nightshades, nuts, seeds) on Jan 1.
How long does it usually take to see improvement? Months? What specific supplements could help her? Is this restricted diet something she will need to plan on eating for the rest of her life?
My mom takes the following dosages per day (mg): imuran 100, meloxicam 15, omeprazole 20, and prednisone 3-4.
She has been strict and is willing to try what she needs to to improve her state.
Thank you!
Chris / Robb –
I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on what effect these meds may be having on her gut health, even at these low doses. My understanding is that all these classes of drugs [imuran = cytotoxin, meloxicam = ppi, omeprazole = NSAID, prednisone = corticosteroid] are potential gut irritants. What’s more damaging – meds or diet?
Hi Robb and Chris –
In my ongoing quest to drop about 80 pounds, and after a protocol of diet and exercise based on conventional wisdom has failed me, I found my way to eating Paleo and to having a series of tests done. It turns out that I have a classic list of ailments: adrenal fatigue, hypothyroid, NAFLD, gluten sensitivity and low neurotransmitter levels (seratonin, epinephran, etc.) Despite my weight my cholesterol and lipid profile is good and I’m bordering insulin resistance, but not quite there yet. I’m 46.
I understand from my own research that these ailments are very intertwined and am wondering if you can recommend a best practice in how to approach them. Should it be all at once or one at a time, and if so, which order? I’ve changed my diet drastically to Paleo/Primal and feel a lot better but have yet to see the results on the scale.
Also, I hear from Gary Taubes that calorie count doesn’t matter in losing weight. What is your take on this?
Thanks so much,
Lisa
Boston, MA
Does eating red meat cause inflammation?
Why not just supplement with DHA?