The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

[NoSugar]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

Hi, Caro

Congrats on 7 months AF!

I gave up sugar ~2 years before giving up AL and it improved my health greatly, including joint problems. I also don't eat many grains or processed food in general. When I get lazy about my diet, symptoms return. I do drink (and love!) coffee.

It isn't necessarily a cure, but eating a clean diet can definitely ameliorate so many of our problems.

Happy 2014!

[Jazi's Mum]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

Hi all and Happy New Year. Glad to see activity here again as eating clean is really my only "resolution," and I need all the reinforcement I can get.

Agree re: Grain Brain - I thought it was frightening!!! And Wheat Belly too. Lots of really good science now so we are not just a bunch of nut bars. Anyone follow Peter Attia's blog? Or Fat Head? And Gary Taubes blog has an article up that I had not read before - good stuff.

Sugar is just so darned addictive - I'm convinced it really is. Otherwise why would we (I) have so much of a struggle to "give it up?" Just like friends tell me they could NEVER give up their bread!!

I think, hey, whatever, but it could be killing you - or at least help to make your last years miserable. But I guess teaching by example is the way to go.

The last of the Christmas cake will be eaten today by Husband. THAT'S IT. I find if I keep my house clean of all junk I'm fine. Enforced - like rehab!!!!

[NoSugar]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

Hope it goes well, JMum.

Like AL, you don't really miss it once you break away from it. I ate a few "treats" to avoid offending someone over the holiday - had only a couple bites, didn't really enjoy them (seemed TOO sweet), and had no interest in more. I don't do that with AL or gluten, but will adjust my diet slightly to avoid apparent rudeness. But - At the beginning, 100% clean is the way to go, I think.

All the best - NS

[Jazi's Mum]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

I see Skullbabyland has started a January 2014 no sugar thread so I'm into that as a good start. I have to watch it as if I don't eat enough during the day I overeat at dinner and then crave sweets afterwards. Weird but I guess the body is smarter than we are - interesting studies re leptin and all that food reward stuff. If I crave sweets I have to take a minute and try to figure out what I did wrong...and fix it with better eating patterns.
JMum

[Determinator]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

when I went AF i started craving sugar quite badly for the first time in my life, and it's a common struggle for many in sobriety. it's not easy to get started witha sugar-free life, but just like AL, it gets better rapidly and soon the cravings will diminish. as far as coffee I drink it regularly (I grind my own quality beans) and based on some intensive research it doesn't appear to be a negative in the diet so long as you don't have any sensitivity issues with it. it's also shown to have the ability to protect the liver from cancer which is a nice side benefit. Sugar is most certainly addictive, no two ways around it and it's dreadful health impacts are not to be taken lightly. Taubes is fantastic! I'll look into the others, thanks for that. I'm sure you've seen the excellent youtube presentation by Dr Lustig 'sugar, the bitter truth' ?
one of the very best ways we can reduce systemic inflammation is to maintain a low and steady blood glucose count. since everyone responds to carbs a bit differently it's good to know that a simple and inexpensive glucometer is a great tool to quantify your own metabolic responses to various carbs. you can get one with the strips and lancets all together for about 30 bucks on Amazon or even the local pharmacy.

in this transcript Kresser discusses sugar cravings: Holiday Weight Gain, Sugar Cravings, and Lyme Disease

[Jazi's Mum]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

yes, Determinator, I've seen Dr. Lustig's sugar stuff - very powerful. I'll be sugar free tonight after dinner - gotta start sometime eh?

Kris Kresser is also very interesting - I've learned so much from people like him, Attia, Taubes, Tom on Fat Head etc. If you check out the blogs they follow you'll find so many people who have good info to share on healthy eating. Do you know Mark's Daily Apple? A very informative blog, although his way of eating is a bit low-fat for me, and too much fruit - but his blog is super for information regarding low-carb, healthy eating.
JMum

[Determinator]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

I was just on Mark's site about 3 minutes ago!

I'm looking for an online diet tracker for my wife. unlike me she's very organized.

[NoSugar]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

That is one thing I like about how I eat - you don't have to keep track of anything as long as you avoid all the JUNK. What does your wife want to monitor?

[Determinator]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

NS, I agree, I never count calories. I think she wants it to track progress in food elimination as an experiment. her metabolism is a bit more sluggish than mine and while she's doing pretty darn good with her body composition she wants to tweak her personal diet to lose that last extra bit of body fat. sometimes a food sensitivity will cause hormonal issues which in turn can make fat loss difficult. I might get kresser's new book and dig around for some ideas. Fat loss has very little to do with calories (or exercise amazingly) and everything to do with the hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis and methylation pathways which differ on an individual basis. it requires some blood tests to really take a peek under the hood in many cases.

[NoSugar]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

Hey, not to BRAG (too much) but I'm going to one of CK's talks and book signings! Can't wait .

Determinator;1607000 wrote: NS, I agree, I never count calories. I think she wants it to track progress in food elimination as an experiment. her metabolism is a bit more sluggish than mine and while she's doing pretty darn good with her body composition she wants to tweak her personal diet to lose that last extra bit of body fat. sometimes a food sensitivity will cause hormonal issues which in turn can make fat loss difficult. I might get kresser's new book and dig around for some ideas. Fat loss has very little to do with calories (or exercise amazingly) and everything to do with the hypothalamus/pituitary/adrenal axis and methylation pathways which differ on an individual basis. it requires some blood tests to really take a peek under the hood in many cases.

[Determinator]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

wow! tell him some drunk on the internet is a big fan for me

is it anywhere near Reno by chance?

[NoSugar]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

It doesn't look like he is going too near to you, I'm afraid:

Book Tour Dates for Your Personal Paleo Code by Chris Kresser

I'll give him a wave from an AF internet guy I know .

[Jazi's Mum]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

Hi. Thanks for the link to Chris Kresser. I had forgotten how sensible he is. His research and advice on gut health is terrific. I've joined and have downloaded some of his e-books to send to my sister. She's one of those IBS sufferers who refuses to believe a change of diet will help her. Like many she says she can't tolerate a Paleo type WOE. The old refrain, "Oh, I could never give up ______" is so sad in my opinion.

We do understand this, though, because we have trouble 'giving up' our booze, no? Still, education is the key here and Kresser does a wonderful job of making the research readable for the layman.

Thanks again for bringing him up.
JMum

[Determinator]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

ditto JM! he's brilliant for sure. another brilliant discovery is Dr Jack Kruse. fascinating podcast at bulletproofexecutive.com (I forget which one but it's pretty recent). he's a neurologist and has managed to fuse physics/paleo/neurology into a magnificent perspective.

[Jazi's Mum]

The Paleo Diet. Learning from our evolution

Hi Determinator and all. Have any of you tried the Bulletproof coffee? I've been using coconut milk in my coffee lately but wonder how the butter works??
JMum