This is part of an ongoing series of real life success stories from people all over the world who have been impacted by the Paleo lifestyle and The Paleo Solution. Read Kim’s story below.
Dawn in November 2010
Robb,
My mother has suffered from rheumatoid arthritis for over 15 years. It has been so debilitating at times she has not been able to lift her blanket up to get out of bed. She has been on prednisone, pain medication and many RA drugs (not to mention companion drugs to counteract the effects on her liver and stomach) for fifteen years with very little relief. I will also mention she has had asthma and allergies.
I had been trying to convince my mom to try paleo, but it wasn’t until last spring that things changed. I went with her to her doctor’s appointment, where her blood pressure was measured to be very high. I DEMANDED she start on a 30 day challenge and she agreed to start the next day. With Robb’s book as her bible and a commitment to making great meals, she found success.
Within two weeks her blood pressure was normal. That was nothing compared to what other benefits she has experienced. Since May 1, 2010 my mom has lost 45 pounds, eliminated her asthma and allergies, and started sleeping well every night.
If that wasn’t enough, she is now completely off prednisone and painkillers for the first time in 15 years. AND at her last rheumatology appointment, her blood tests showed that two of three markers for rheumatoid arthritis are now in normal range. She has even forgotten to take her ra medicine a couple of times and plans to talk to her doctor about tapering off it.
In May my mom turns 75. I’m so proud of her dedication to turning her life around! She wants to attend one of Robb’s seminars to be informed enough to help other seventy somethings make changes in their diet and to start living, as she has.
– Kim N.
Dawn now with her grandkids
Share your story
Do you have a life-changing story you’d like to share? Send it in via this form and we may share it on the blog!
One of the best success story yet.
Awesome, this is what its all about.
it’s never too late!
Oh BRAVA for your mom, Kim! My mom (now 85) went low carb a couple years ago (long before I’d ever heard of Paleo), and lost 60 pounds and began walking my sister’s dog for an hour every day, and is just baffling her doctor (who says he wishes HE had her fantastic blood numbers). Now that I’ve found Paleo, I’m trying to get her to quit the (@#_%^#$) sandwich every day for lunch. {eye roll} “It’s just a small piece of really good French bread with some cheese and lettuce…” (argh) But primal/paleo/archeovore/low carb is for sure the way to save your life!
One of the things I love about the Paleo diet is it really frees the body (when I say body I am referring to it on a cellular level) up to do what it really wants to do…eliminate all the crap so it can be healthy. Kim’s mom is a wonderful example that age isn’t a factor in this equation. Thanks for sharing Kim.
Wonderful! Best success story yet!
Funny, I was just tryng to convince my 75yo diabetic mother, from afar, whose BP is sky high to give up her morning cereal and toast, banana sandwiches and nightly watermelon she eats with her meds.
But, it’s tough when they truly don’t understand, let alone want to. She’s pretty active and healthy otherwise, so I can only imagine how vibrant she would be if the diebetic info she was given was Paleo-ish.
Again, good for you all and the grand-kids look great too! 🙂
I really appreciate you sharing this story. Although I have had great results with diet and RA, it hasn’t helped 100%. But, stories like this keep me motivated to keep working at it. Thanks and congratulations to your mom! I know exactly what you are talking about when you say somedays the blanket is too difficult to remove yourself.
I am the lucky uncle of Kim and younger brother of Dawn. Kim posted a wonderful testimonial about my sister Dawn.
I would like to share a bit about my experience with you all.
All my life my sister Dawn always offered me great advice about everything from soup to nuts…of course I had to do it all my way.
But, just about 10 weeks ago she started telling me about this Paleo lifestyle she enjoyed. She actually was able to entice me enough with this new way of life that I changed my diet completely! Almost overnight!
I am 5-7″ tall and weighed 242 lbs. on January 15. My blood work startled my Doctor and she ordered me to a heart specialist as she could not figure out why my triglyceride level was 426!!
I did’nt go. I cut back on the carbs but the weight wasn’t coming off very fast.
I followed Dawn’s lead and stuck to the Paleo plan and after just 6 weeks was 22 lbs lighter!
It’s been about 3 months and I have lost a wopping 52 lbs!!!!
I have lost two of my three necks, one fat head, a large tire from my belly and just last week went for new blood work.
My doctor was shocked. My triglyceride level went from a dangerous 426 down to 60!
My Doctor asked what I had done and she was amazed.
She then rememberd to tell me that my Blood sugar was actually a bit low!
So now i continue to lose weight and have been learning new ways to eat…All thanks to a very convincing big sister and the paleo way of eating.
I have another 25 lbs to go and am enjoying all of it.
Who knew???
Tim! Evade, this is fantastic stuff! Congrats and props to you for giving this a shot.
I just wanted to mention something else.
I, like most people stuck in the conventional diet trap, needed some support to get started.
So if you are successful in changing your life through healty eating share it with someone you love or know, that needs a true path to healthy living.
Dawn helped me with the initial shock of “losing” my friends…pasta, bread,ice cream,soda, and many other foods.
Foods that although are considered healty by some are really being used and abused by most of us.
Please support those who want to try…offer some of your favorite recipes. Help them find food lists…
There is a saying, that “you have to give it away to keep it”.
Every time we share this with others, reinforces what we already know.
This is so easy to do once you get past the emotional attachment to junk!
Tim-
If you’d like to write up your comments and eexpand them a bit I think it would make a fantastic testimonial. I’d be very grateful if you feel like doing that.
My mom was diagnosed with being on the verge of diabetes. She had to get on medication, test her blood sugar, etc. After talking with some coworkers who have diabetes but do not need medication, etc, she opted to cut out all processed carbs, snacks, junk, and effectively go on what’s pretty close to a paleo diet. She still eats dairy, but for the most part the junk is gone.
In a month her thyroid’s shown improvement, her blood pressure has improved, and she’s lost weight so that her current clothes size does not fit right. She says she feels better overall, less groggy, and her doctor says that if she keeps it up, next time she goes in she will get off the medication.
Needless to say, I’m thrilled for her and look forward to seeing her health improve.
AWESOME!
This is most inspiring! I turned 70 recently, and two months ago began eating low-carb. Not quite paleo yet, since I haven’t given up dairy, but I can’t believe how easy this is to do and how wonderful I feel. Pounds and inches are coming off – blood pressure is down. Just this week I felt energetic enough to start a regular walking program. I can’t imagine living any other way now.