most recent 30 from http://paleohacks.com 2013-05-19T17:22:53Z http://paleohacks.com/feeds/user/15199 http://www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.5/rdf http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-23T17:50:51Z 2012-11-16T03:40:51Z

<p>Ok, here is some back story. I've been diagnosed bipolar I for about 3 or 4 years now, I've done meds and then stopped treatment completely about a year ago. I'm a college student and my symptoms have really wreaked havoc on my transcript and now I'm having to file an appeal for financial aid to be able to finish out my last year. I really didn't have a better excuse for all of the failed and dropped classes over the past several semesters other than that I'm crazy and have had to seek out treatment from my psychiatrist again and get back on meds to show I'm "making the effort" to get through this last year successfully and get my financial aid back. </p> <p>I've been an off and on paleo dieter for about the last year but have had trouble sticking with it solidly for whatever reasons (lack of money, lack of will power, I'm a recovered anorexic binge-eater with lots of food issues, etc.). I do truly believe that eating a clean paleo diet does help with my mood (not necessarily social phobia/anxiety issues, but my mood seems more stable unless I face a large stressor or traumatic event which still tends to throw me off the deep end). I tried to do fish oil for a bit but it became hard to afford that extra bit and dropped it (I've read that this can be helpful for treating bipolar), but other than that I haven't tried many natural ways of treating other than trying to avoid too much stress when possible. </p> <p>So, now I've been prescribed Zyprexa, which from what I've been reading there is really nothing I like about it. I've read it works very well for stabilizing mood and might even help with anxiety (as an add-on) but it seems to be one of the worst for weight gain and also carries the risk of causing development of diabetes with long term use. I have expressed to my pdoc that I am EXTREMELY against gaining weight. I've took Seroquel for maybe 3 months and gained 60 lbs, and it is the same type of med (atypical antipsychotic). She told me that not everyone reacts that way (although I have before to a similar med) and that's why they weigh me every time I come in because if I gain any weight she will take me off of it. I have my follow up appt in 2 weeks, but I honestly don't know about taking this stuff AT ALL. It is kind of freaking me out. Even if I do give it a go I think I will just tell her at my appt in two weeks that I'm not cool with taking something that can cause such serious medical issues (obesity and diabetes, namely). I am already a bit overweight (about 40-60 lbs I could do without) and much of it is actually from my stint on Seroquel. I am taking 5 mg daily for these first two weeks, so if anyone has any experience with this med (or similar ones) let me know what you think about just going with it for the two weeks. I'm afraid if I refuse to take it or tell them I've decided I don't want to do meds that they won't approve my appeal and let me finish school. </p> <p>I have been trying to research other options for rx treatment of bipolar disorder that does not have the weight gain or hyperglycemia issues but the two that I've found info on are two that I've been on and probably can't do again. The first is Abilify, all I remember is that when the dose was raised to a certain point I had SEVERE issues with involuntary movements in my facial muscles, mouth, and tongue and my anxiety went through the roof and to the moon. I don't know if it would be worth it to try it at the lower dose I was initially on that didn't cause these problems and see if it works. The other med is Lamictal, which worked GREAT for me, I really liked it, but I had a reaction to it and ended up in the ER with my mouth and throat swelling and I don't think they would even ever prescribe it to me again (Lamictal rash and all that business). So if anyone happens to know of any other RX treatments that don't make you fat or give you diabetes, let me know. (I know nobody probably really approves of any of this stuff, and neither do I really, but just having the info could help me work with my pdoc).</p> <p>Lastly, if anyone has any experience, knows of some research or has any ideas of how natural supplementation can and has helped with both bipolar disorder and social phobia/generalized anxiety disorder (all my diagnoses) such as the fish oil stuff I've read, maybe these are things I could talk to my pdoc about trying out and she could still monitor me (so I can show the school I'm still in "treatment") all ideas are welcome! And you are welcome to chastise me about using prescription psychotropic meds as well if you like, give it to me straight! I am REALLY going to try and stick to paleo (if I do take the zyprexa or something similar definitely low carb probably to try and prevent the weight gain) but I'm already worried about it because finances are going to be extremely tight, so it will be like the worst version of paleo probably (lots of factory farmed chicken and pork and BHT containing lard and stuff like that I'm thinking). Better than ramen, that's for sure. </p> <p>Sorry so long (I'm wordy) and thanks in advance :)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/146375/are-weights-really-neccessary/146403#146403 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-31T11:56:46Z 2012-08-31T11:56:46Z

<p>Check out the Primal Blueprint workout stuff at marksdailyapple.com. If you are not in tip top shape already it is a good place to start, no gym required. He has a free ebook you can get by signing up for the newsletter that just emails you new blog posts when they come up. It is pretty much all bodyweight based and then there are some extra things (can't remember what they are called right now but you'll read about them if you download the ebook) where you lift heavy things other than your body weight when you get stronger from doing the bodyweight stuff, and I think those are weekly. But once you reach the point where the highest level of difficulty of body weight stuff has been reached you'll have to decide if you wanna give your muscles more to work with by doing weights.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/141913/does-everyone-have-the-potential-for-perfect-skin/141940#141940 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-10T13:40:29Z 2012-08-10T13:40:29Z

<p>What have you tried so far other than changing your diet? Have you tried changing the way you wash your face? I switched to washing my face with olive oil several months ago. My diet is more of a yo-yo between paleo+butter+heavy cream and going on junk binges. My skin is still better than it was before. I think it looks smoother and more even (no more red splotchiness), and also way way way less acne. (I still get a little bit once a month usually but that's more related to my period, and it's not as bad as it used to be either). I've read that dairy could cause some skin issues too so maybe if you do some dairy try cutting that out too. I have a little bottle that used to have some other chemical laden nonsense in it with olive oil and it only takes a very little bit. The method I use is to soak a washcloth in as hot of water as you can stand and lay it over your face for a bit first to get your pores to open up (you can also do this in the shower and just let the shower steam do the job..unless you are into the cold showers thing...) then you just need about a quarter sized dot of oil at most and rub into your face all over and also your neck. I also try to rub it over my eyebrows, eyelashes, and lips. Then you can leave it there for up to 5 minutes, though I started with shorter times. Then use the wash cloth to gently rub away the oil. The oil soaks up dirt etc. from your skin and then you wipe it away while exfoliating with the washcloth. Splash some really cold water on your face at the end to close your pores. I pretty much am down to doing this maybe two or three times a week now and use witch hazel to clean up in between if I feel it's needed. The point is you let your natural oils do what they are supposed to do. You might not achieve the perfection you are looking for but it could help (if you are not already doing this, then I feel kind of silly for going on so long about it). </p> <p>Confidence also is great, regardless of what your skin looks like, but I understand it can be hard to get the confidence up when you are not feeling good about yourself, so nothing wrong with doing what you can to feel better about yourself, heck isn't one of the reasons lots of people do paleo to LGN?</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/140624/complete-lack-of-appetite-while-in-ketosis/140706#140706 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-04T22:40:00Z 2012-08-04T22:40:00Z

<p>Four days without eating anything or even feeling hungry sounds pretty abnormal, even if in ketosis. I agree something is out of whack. I think you should definitely eat something. Maybe try eat something like some fruit or starchy vegetables and try to lead yourself a little out of ketosis, then keep adding in some carbs here and there until you begin to feel hungry here and there. I've been in ketosis before and have experienced a definite reduction in appetite and going hours without eating and it not being a bother, I've also had ED issues in the past and this doesn't sound normal at all to me. Get some nutrients into you asap. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/139662/will-i-still-lose-weight-while-consuming-fruit-on-the-paleo-diet/139668#139668 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-31T23:33:18Z 2012-07-31T23:33:18Z

<p>I eat more fruit than that usually and still lose weight. And if your calories only range from 1200-1500 you should be fine. I wouldn't worry about it and enjoy eating healthy, whole foods, fruit included. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/139416/is-water-retention-normal-when-starting-paleo-for-women/139448#139448 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-30T22:43:48Z 2012-07-30T22:43:48Z

<p>I would say not normal, in the beginning for sure. Water weight is usually the first thing to go for me; usually 3-7 lbs in the first week depending on how long my last SAD binge was (I'm weak-willed at times and bounce back and forth between paleo and SAD here and there). Jackie said "the higher fat I eat, the less water I retain", this makes sense to me. I eat pretty high fat when I'm on my game, and it sounds like you might be lacking in the dietary fat department. An apple and some raisins for lunch would probably result in me passing out from fatigue and hunger two hours later, and sounds like you are only eating lean meats, which is recommended often if you are eating CAFO meat, but make up for the lost fat by cooking everything (meat, veggies) in good fats (coconut oil, butter or ghee, pastured tallow or lard, etc.). I would try really upping your fat intake for a week or two and watch the scale every couple of days and see if it starts ticking down immediately, that'll be the water weight. I eat quite a bit of fruit, at least a couple servings a day so I think if you up the fat you can probably hold on to the fruit if it is something you enjoy. I've even been snacking on dates the past couple of days and am still dropping weight. Good luck!</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/138247/eggs-eggs-eggs-eggs/138260#138260 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-25T22:10:51Z 2012-07-25T22:10:51Z

<p>Primal Toad has been eating eggs cooked sunny side up it looks like, over easy would work too, as long as yolks are runny, topped with raw honey and cinnamon. I tried it this morning and it is really yummy, great for breakfast (goes with the whole conventional sweet stuff for breakfast thing). He describes it as having french toast without the toast, which I agree with. I also tried making a fritatta for the first time and burned it but want to keep trying, it's easy to do (well, not for me obviously, but ya know) and doesn't take a lot of time. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/137466/indigenous-cultures-tribes-and-hunter-gathering-groups-food-distribution/137518#137518 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-23T13:48:08Z 2012-07-23T13:48:08Z

<p>I have wondered about this a lot too, particularly on the differences between men and women and if and how differently they may have eaten in paleolithic times as well as in modern hunter/gatherer societies. I read somewhere that women were probably involved as much as men on hunting expeditions with the men during paleolithic times (don't remember where I read it) but not sure how much real evidence there is one way or the other. I could see there being some differences in how males and females developed genetically concerning nutrition and how they ate since there seem to be many differences now even when following a paleo diet. One example is IFing, I read all the time that it just doesn't work the same for men and women and is generally more beneficial for men, but there are women that seem to have great results with it. If the men did the hunting and gave away much of what they ate then it would make sense that women back at camp probably had food available more steadily while the men had to fast while hunting and perhaps at other times as well in order to feed the family unit. Also, women had babies, and this was probably important to the tribe to keep moms and babies healthy and well fed so women may have IF'd much less often than men if at all. I just wish I could time travel and get some real answers! :) LOL</p> <p>As far as amount of food, I generally have given bigger portions to my boyfriend (who is almost a foot taller than me so definitely has more muscle mass to support, etc.) but I've started to even it out a bit because I can still eat him under the table most of the time. I don't feel like I necessarily require less food than he does, not sure why though.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/136970/can-i-stop-dairy-then-go-back/137016#137016 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-20T23:23:37Z 2012-07-20T23:23:37Z

<p>I've done two whole30 challenges and both times was able to go back to having butter and heavy whipping cream with no real problems. That's really the only dairy I have except for occasional Greek yogurt and a little cheese now and then. I think you should be fine if you tolerate it fine already.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/136340/what-else-can-i-put-cinnamon-on/136368#136368 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-18T19:05:39Z 2012-07-18T19:05:39Z

<p>I use it in coffee, on sweet potatoes (baked with butter &amp; cinnamon yum), it's a good spice on chicken and pork, I like frying apples in a pan in butter and cinnamon (pears too).I made baked pears one time and made whip cream with just heavy whipping cream and cinnamon to go on top. I love cinnamon.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/133518/mouth-blister-due-to-coconut-oil/133547#133547 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-09T01:49:38Z 2012-07-09T01:49:38Z

<p><a href="http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-signs-of-an-allergic-reaction-to-coconut.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-signs-of-an-allergic-reaction-to-coconut.htm</a></p> <p>According to that link: itching, swelling, hives, and blisters can be symptoms of an allergy to coconuts (or other tree nuts). I'm sure these things can happen inside your mouth if you are allergic. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/133395/whats-your-monthly-grocery-expense-on-paleo/133419#133419 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-08T16:55:31Z 2012-07-08T16:55:31Z

<p>About $200 a week at the moment, if we are out of staples it could be a little more to stock up on those again. This is to feed two adults. We are full-time college students and are working full-time right now while we are out of school for the summer and it is still kind of hard to get by on food, I don't know what we will do when school starts up again because we will be working probably about half of what we are now. We don't buy much organic/grass-fed anything either because that would be way too expensive. We do invest in good fats though like grass-fed butter and organic coconut oil.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/132377/has-anyone-tried-kettlebells/132393#132393 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-03T22:58:18Z 2012-07-03T22:58:18Z

<p>I have not done kettlebells but really want to because I kettlebell swings look like lotsa fun! I've been watching videos on youtube of KB workouts and this is a really funny silly one but the guy got really great results -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8vQs23k0gk. They are very expensive though and I prefer to work out at home, so I think I am going to start buying one each paycheck, that way I can also start out lighter (which I probably need) and buy heavier ones as I build up to it. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/131785/people-think-im-too-health-conscious/131826#131826 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-01T14:45:13Z 2012-07-01T14:45:13Z

<p>I think there is already some good advice on here for dealing with the issue, small steps are probably good and just leading by example, stick to it and maybe they will begin noticing that you are onto something. Your concerns over your parents' health reminded me of Robb Wolf's story about trying to convince his parents to change their dietary habits, I don't know if you've read it before but here is a link to it: <a href="http://robbwolf.com/2012/04/04/paleo-diet-convince-it/" rel="nofollow">http://robbwolf.com/2012/04/04/paleo-diet-convince-it/</a> I'm sure you can relate to his feelings so maybe it'll be a good read for you. Best of luck :)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/130522/your-sexiest-paleo-meal-youve-made/130560#130560 sabretoothandclaw 2012-06-26T02:05:12Z 2012-06-26T02:05:12Z

<p>Rib-eye steak is definitely sexy. We had it once with this roasted beets and blood orange recipe <a href="http://paleospirit.com/2012/roasted-beets-with-blood-oranges/" rel="nofollow">http://paleospirit.com/2012/roasted-beets-with-blood-oranges/</a> and that was really good since beets are naturally sweet and the oranges are tangy and it's really red..it was really good. Of course red wine if you drink it. I also fully support the setting up of a feast table, something reminiscent of medieval times, if I ever get married I want the food to just be a huge antique wooden table filled with silver platters of freshly grilled meats, vegetable, and fruits, and maybe throw in some blocks of awesome cheese for the dairy eaters, etc. etc. I always think those big wooden medieval tables covered in food look really sexy, I really really like food though so it makes sense. :)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/127383/burnt-out-and-sick-of-it/127434#127434 sabretoothandclaw 2012-06-13T14:01:19Z 2012-06-13T14:01:19Z

<p>oats and honey?! now, that sounds boring! I can see where you are coming from, in the beginning, before I learned more about how to cook food (because of eating this way) and got more creative with it, it got pretty boring for me too. Slab of meat, bland veggies, and maybe a piece of fruit. Now my strategy is generally: Ok, I have this slab of meat, what can I do with it that is tasty and interesting? Then I look up some paleo recipes for that particular slab of meat (or vegetable, whatever). I even look on non-paleo recipes to get ideas then just throw out anything that doesn't jive. After a bit, you start to build a database of stuff you can do with food and an intuition of flavors that might taste neat together. (I've had some failed experiments as well, but many successful) I post just about everything I eat on a facebook page, Sabretooth and Claw, which could give you an idea of what a regular non talented chef type person eats on a daily basis. </p> <p>Where I can see where you are coming from is the preparation. I get kind of bogged down sometimes too in cooking every meal I eat, and probably even more so, in having to wash a sink full of dishes and clean up a mess in the kitchen every time I eat (I'm a messy cook). BUT, I certainly have the energy for it and feeling so great in the end makes it worth it. Also, the longer you stick with it and the healthier you get you will probably find you don't have to eat quite as many times a day. I pretty much eat 2 times a day max, sometimes just once and maybe a piece of fruit in there as a snack. So all the work starts to diminish a bit. I've been using it less and less, but a slow cooker also comes in handy when all the prep time and cooking time has got you down. Throw some meat and a bunch of veggies in there before you go to bed and you've got a ready made meal (or 2 or 3 or 4) by morning. I find this particularly helpful when classes are in (college student). </p> <p>You are only through ONE WEEK, you are probably still having cravings for SAD foods and that is making your current meals seem less than stellar. I'm about a week into a Whole30 challenge right now and I want ice cream so bad I could scream (dairy?) but I feel AWESOME so I'm not gonna eat it cuz I know it upsets my tummy. If you were a recovering crack addict really giving it a go this time, you would still be craving crack, and even though your life and health were greatly improved being off crack, you would still be jonesing for it. And I agree with everyone else, Paleo is a lifestyle, not a diet. Maybe we should stop referring to it as a diet at all. There is so much more besides food that is a part of it for most people (exercise, barefooting, sunlight exposure, sleep, etc.). Eat awesome food but don't focus on it so much, focus on how you feel and what you are able to do because of the food.</p> <p>And as far as the oats and honey, I know there are some recipes for Paleo "oatmeal" type stuff made with nuts and whatnot that you could add some raw honey too. Maybe that would be a way to satisfy your craving a bit with something Paleo.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/126943/cooking-with-eggs-vs-eating-them-per-week-is-there-a-limit/126966#126966 sabretoothandclaw 2012-06-11T15:04:59Z 2012-06-11T15:04:59Z

<p>I would think that the only reason to limit your egg consumption is due to autoimmune issues, for example, Robb Wolf's autoimmune protocol eliminates eggs among other foods that can contribute to inflammation and autoimmune issues. The only way to really tell if eggs are contributing to these factors for you is to cut them out for a while and see if you feel a difference. I have autoimmune issues (hashimoto's, some swollen, sore joint issues at times) but eggs remain a substantial part of my diet because they are fast and easy to prepare and are also relatively inexpensive. I go through close to 2 dozen a week (for 2 people) and we eat them in a variety of ways as well as an added ingredient in other recipes. I believe that if you are concerned about autoimmune issues and are still eating eggs it may be beneficial to make sure they are well cooked (over hard, scrambled well) and also eating the yolks only and eliminating the whites may be helpful. Here is a link that includes a letter from Loren Cordain about egg consumption: <a href="http://thepaleodiet.blogspot.com/2010/01/paleo-diet-q-29-january-2010-update-on.html" rel="nofollow">http://thepaleodiet.blogspot.com/2010/01/paleo-diet-q-29-january-2010-update-on.html</a></p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/124249/i-am-fighting-food-addiction/124300#124300 sabretoothandclaw 2012-06-01T02:48:39Z 2012-06-01T02:48:39Z

<p>this is mostly the story of my life. i hate my relationship with food, it is so hard to fix. i am about to do a whole30 challenge or something very similar. the first one I did was very hard for me to make it through. i got totally stressed and food obsessed toward the end and started really resenting the whole thing, but it got me over some addictions (temporarily). I also get fixated and can't be happy until I have what I am wanting. For the past few weeks it has been ice cream, butterfinger blizzards from DQ in particular. I want one, obsessively, EVERY SINGLE DAY, it's weird. I feel very out of control and it's awful! I have always had issues with food, from anorexia to compulsive binge eating. Paleo has made me feel like I might be able to have a healthy relationship with food again more than any other diet regimen I've done before and I like that feeling. Just gotta keep working at it I guess. I don't know exactly what the answer is, just wanted to let you know you are definitely not alone! :)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/122902/what-does-everyone-here-do-as-a-job/122923#122923 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-28T00:49:44Z 2012-05-28T00:49:44Z

<p>I'm a senior mechanical engineering student (two semesters left) so I suppose I will be trying to get a job in that industry after I graduate, though my real interests lie in other places so who knows what I might end up doing. Right now I work in a pet grooming shop. Some of my dream jobs are: stunt car driver, outdoor survival expert, paleo restauranteur &amp; blogger, recording artist, and so on. At 31, I pretty much still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, lots of things I guess. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/122498/seroquel-on-paleo/122520#122520 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-26T03:36:58Z 2012-05-26T03:36:58Z

<p>I took Seroquel for a few months (bipolar disorder) and gained about 40 pounds during my time on it. SUCK! I changed meds. Depending on the condition your wife has been prescribed Seroquel for she might think about asking what other options are out there. I am well aware that it can take a VERY long time and many frustrating months of trial and error to really find a medication that works and hopefully doesn't have horrific, unbearable side effects, so if Seroquel seems to be really helping your wife feel much better and the weight gain/cholesterol issues are the only ones, it might be harder to think about changing up the meds again. I also have had a lot of eating disorder and weight issues in the past, so while I did see some improvement in bipolar symptoms on Seroquel the extreme weight gain just wasn't worth it for me, I ended up getting severely depressed over that anyway. Also, keep in mind that Seroquel can put those taking it at higher risk for type II diabetes. Lots of psych meds can have some pretty devastating effects on your health even if they help one's mental state. You just have to weigh the importance of one against the other. Depending on how severe and life altering the emotional symptoms are, it might be worth the risk. Good luck and I really hope it works out for you and your wife. It took me over two years to finally find a good med combo after I was finally correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder (lithium+lexapro) that did not have side effects I couldn't bear while really improving my mental state. There was a lot of painstaking trial and error up until then. I actually don't take anything anymore (money issues are a big part of it) but I've been ok, though at times I really wish I had the meds to fall back on. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/121254/what-brand-of-almond-butter-is-best/121296#121296 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-22T00:16:49Z 2012-05-22T00:16:49Z

<p>the grocery store I usually shop at (in part) has a machine that turns almonds into almond butter before your eyes and the only ingredient is almonds. It is awesome but broken a lot which sucks. I used to have this kitchen thing I ordered online that I think was called the Magic Bullet (?) and you could make your own nut butters with it (I used to make my own peanut butter and almond butter-pre-paleo) so if you can buy something like that to add to your kitchen I would say the best way would be making your own at home. Then you could add some honey or whatever you want to it. Yum. I need to get another magic bullet...</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/120917/pregnant-lady-seeks-hi-fat-lo-carb-mild-flavored-drinkable/120923#120923 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-20T17:31:14Z 2012-05-20T17:31:14Z

<p>I second coconut milk smoothies! I like mine with the coconut milk, some plain full fat Greek yogurt, and using frozen unsweetened berries works great to make it cold without adding ice. Not sure on the macronutrient ratio but my daily totals usually fall close to 60/20/20. Try putting it in a free diet tracking app like myfitnesspal and see what you come up with (I like the pie chart on myfitnesspal). I have not tried it yet but avocado is also supposed to be a great smoothie addition and would add a lot of fat and is fairly mild tasting. I know that avocado is used a lot of the Toadally Primal smoothies recipes. I think he also does a lot of more savory smoothies too if you are interested in trying that out.</p> <p>As far as your cravings, maybe you are craving more fat since you are craving a lot of greasy fast food, so maybe drinking the smoothies containing lots of fat would help with this.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/120907/what-are-some-closer-to-paleo-personal-care-products-and-brands/120912#120912 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-20T17:01:12Z 2012-05-20T17:01:12Z

<p>I use baking soda and apple cider vinegar as shampoo and conditioner. I have been doing this for probably a couple of months now and am down to having to wash my hair maybe twice a week, though I can do once a week. I try to brush my hair for a while every day with a bristle brush to help clean it out and spread natural oils around. </p> <p>I use olive oil to wash my face. My skin looks WAY better since doing this (about 3 months now). You can also use other oils to wash your face (like coconut oil) but I read somewhere that olive is a good choice for not clogging pores and stuff. </p> <p>I like coconut oil as a moisturizer. I put it on my face once or twice a week before I go to bed and also use it all over when feel like it. </p> <p>I have used aloe vera for shaving, olive oil and stuff like that works too but would probably get expensive. I still use natural soap and usually just use that for shaving because it is cheaper and lasts longer. I find that the aloe vera rinses really quickly and I end up using a lot of it to shave areas that take more (like my legs).</p> <p>I use Tom's fluoride free variety of toothpastes. I tried just baking soda and it grosses me out way too much and I also read somewhere that baking soda alone can cause some problems (can't remember what or where I read it, might be able to google it) but it's pretty darn gross anyway.</p> <p>I am interested in some natural sunblock options so would love to see some suggestions for that. As far as actual store bought brands, I know that certain supermarkets in my area carry a lot of brands with natural ingredients, etc. (usually big amongst the vegan crowd, I bought lots of stuff in this section when I was a vegan). I buy my natural soap in that section as well as lip balms but there are also deoderants, shampoos, toothpastes, lotions, etc. in that section. </p> <p>I think that using items that you would put IN your body (stuff you would eat or cook with) is the best way to go for items that you would put ON your body. It all ends up IN your body anyway.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/119402/how-are-you-celebrating-a-paleo-mothers-day/119421#119421 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-13T16:44:27Z 2012-05-13T16:44:27Z

<p>I really want to see if I can get my family to let me cook dinner (a paleo dinner, of course!) I'll be heading over there soon so we will see! I'm always telling them about the benefits of paleo, and showing them pics of all the great food I eat, but it just isn't happening! Maybe if I can start making a meal every once in while and make them eat it.....</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/119406/not-enough-fats-and-other-traps-can-you-share-your-story-as-paleo-beginners/119420#119420 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-13T16:42:07Z 2012-05-13T16:42:07Z

<p>I have found meeting a large fat intake probably the easiest part. I occasionally go through periods of logging my meals on myfitnesspal (I use the iPhone App version) to get an idea of my macronutrient ratios and fat is usually at or about 60% or so. I cook EVERYTHING (meat, veggies, anything I cook really) in pastured butter or coconut oil (I also use lard on occasion but haven't been using it as much lately). I also have butter, heavy whipping cream, or coconut milk in my coffee in the mornings, and also like to have coconut milk or cream with fruit. If you aren't already, try logging your meals for a week or two in a free food log program or app (I like myfitnesspal but there are others) and be sure to log EVERYTHING, such as the fats you are cooking with. If there is some fat left in the pan, pour it over your food and log the whole amount you put in to cook with. If the fat content of your diet seems a little low then start figuring out ways to add more in. I don't know if you do dairy, but I think putting pastured butter on EVERYTHING helps me get my fat intake up there lol :) </p> <p>As far as n6:n3 ratios I can't really afford grass-fed meat, I try to make up for it some by using healthy cooking fats such as organic coconut oil and pastured butter. I also try to eat fish a couple times of week though I like in West Texas and mostly subside on canned salmon (alaskan wild caught) because I don't much trust the "fresh" fish around here. I did high quality liquid fish oil for a while in the beginning but it just got too expensive I dropped it. I am a college student for one more year and then should have a pretty decent paying job (mechanical engineering major) so I'm planning on trying to integrate more quality grass-fed meat into my diet then, but there are definitely ways to help even it out if you have to do grain fed. Use pastured butter (still more expensive than unpastured, but the taste makes it worth it), eat fish 1 0r 2 times a week (go for wild caught, if you live somewhere with not a lot of seafood options, canned alaskan salmon is a good option, I also buy wild caught brisling sardines occasionally, kind of expensive for me though), and take a fish oil supplement for a bit to see if it seems to be beneficial. </p> <p>good luck!</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/118403/does-anyone-feel-very-hot-whilst-eating-high-fat/118473#118473 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-09T20:22:53Z 2012-05-09T20:22:53Z

<p>thanks for asking this, I have noticed that when I am doing pretty good eating paleo nearly 100% of the time I start feeling like I'm having what sometimes feel like hot flashes, mostly noticeable when I am at work and moving around a lot. I do a lot of coconut oil generally (been putting about a TBSP in my coffee that I take to work with me in the mornings to get thru til I can go to lunch and eat something solid as well as cooking with it). I typically don't make breakfast on days that I work and just sip on my coffee and then go to lunch when I start getting hunger pangs. I'm not working out much right now as I'm just working on eating good and getting fat-adapted but the heat is definitely more noticeable when I'm active at work. I do feel like my energy is good though and don't really feel tired until I start getting hungry in the afternoon. I would recommend dropping the bananas for breakfast as well and going for something that is heavier protein and fat and less carb if you have to have something. Since bananas are so starchy you are probably burning through those calories faster and ending up feeling tired. I usually eat at least 1 banana a day, but generally during my lunch break or as a snack after work before I get a big dinner going.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/118432/what-exactly-is-a-binge/118465#118465 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-09T20:00:19Z 2012-05-09T20:00:19Z

<p>If you are eating healthy foods in what feels like what may be a large amount, but you stop when you are full and you aren't considering bulimia so you can stuff more in, then it's probably not a binge. </p> <p>If you are stuffing your face to the point of being in literal pain and then keep on going, and you are probably hiding what and how much you are eating from those around you and it is like you are trying to fill a void in your soul with food, then that is definitely a binge. </p> <p>I'm also speaking from experience. I find binges really scary. Feels like a total loss of control, almost like someone else has taken over your body and even though you know the consequences and that you should stop you can't. </p> <p>What you ate definitely sounds like a good snack. Do you eat fairly low calorie during the rest of the week? Maybe your body is just wanting to get some more energy than you are giving it during the rest of the week.</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/118249/4-days-on-vlc-suddenly-feels-happy/118273#118273 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-09T04:33:18Z 2012-05-09T04:33:18Z

<p>I haven't really been VLC since going paleo (I like fruit and sweet potatoes too much) but I used to do the Atkin's Diet all the time and did VLC for a little over 3 months one time. Lost 30-40 pounds and felt pretty good the whole time, no problem. I did often have to remind myself to eat (very diminished appetite) and probably worked out kind of "normal" (30 mins on an elliptical 3-5 days a week sort of thing). It's been really hard for me to do VLC on Paleo, not because of the Paleo, but I seem to have way more of a hardcore sugar addiction that I did back then I think. But VLC does tend to make me feel pretty damn good.</p> <p>Possible contributing factors: I have fairly severe reactive hypoglycemia. VLC is the only way I've ever been able to go hours without eating and not be on the verge of going into a diabetic coma (which has happened a few times as well). Even with some more carbs now on Paleo, my hypoglycemia is vastly improved, I just get hungry more often. I also have issues with depression and anxiety, (diagnosed bipolar I) and I find these symptoms seem to be helped as well, and I do tend to feel happier and have a more even mood (still ups and downs but not as severe). I also have Hashimoto's hypothyroidism, though I wasn't diagnosed during the Atkin's VLC phase and not sure if this would have anything to do with it. </p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/118260/my-roommates-cat-stinks/118270#118270 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-09T04:23:22Z 2012-05-09T04:23:22Z

<p>Science Diet is mostly worthless, as are most pet food brands that can be bought in major chains. Have you brought up eating Paleo with your roommate? All the same health benefits apply to dogs and cats as well really. So maybe you could bring it up from more of a being concerned about the health of their beloved pet standpoint rather than your cat stinks standpoint. Most of the cheaper brands also are more likely to cause health problems down the line (just like the SAD diet), just think about what felines would be eating in the wild. Certainly not corn or wheat. Paleo isn't just great for humans.</p> <p>I work in a grooming shop that sells high quality pet foods and one of the types of food we sell is grain-free varieties (Nature's Variety Instinct brand has both cat and dog foods). One problem might be they are quite a bit more expensive and may be harder to find locally depending on where you live, but the ingredients are better quality than what most people eat (except maybe hardcore Paleo-ites), the meat used in most of the foods is even grass-fed. Due to the higher quality and not containing a bunch of pointless filler ingredients, however, higher quality grain-free pet foods should last longer (don't have to feed as much) and the amount of waste the pet produces will be reduced in addition to there being less bad smell. </p> <p>Most people really love their pets and want them to be happy and healthy but are just unaware of how unhealthy most commercial pet foods are (there are really a lot of similarities between this and the human diet). I know that Nature's Variety is a good one that has grain-free cat foods as well, though there may be some other brands as well. I have personal experience feeding NV Instinct to my pets and will say that the benefits they claim are true. Your roommate could also try and feed their cat a diet of food they prepare themselves from whole foods, but I would recommend putting a lot of research into it to make sure the cat is getting everything it needs in it's diet to be healthy. With high quality grain-free kibble you can be assured all the nutrients and the right macronutrient ratio is there. Could always supplement kibble with some yummy homemade stuff. </p> <p>Also keep in mind that your roommate probably can't even smell the stench anymore, once you live with a litterbox for a while you become acclimated and don't really notice anymore, it would probably happen to you after a while too, but that totally doesn't mean you should let it go. Every time you have people over that is what they will be smelling :/</p> <p>Good luck!! :)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/118235/even-dominos-is-jumping-in-on-the-gluten-free-craze/118244#118244 sabretoothandclaw 2012-05-09T02:41:46Z 2012-05-09T02:41:46Z

<p>I was a little leery when I first heard about this but seeing the ingredient list, I think it's pretty cool! I would not be against ordering this sometime as a treat on a night I didn't feel like cooking. Though, I don't know about the quality of everything else that goes on there (cheese, meats, veggies, sauce). It is cool of them to list the ingredients for everything they serve on a PDF-->(<a href="http://cache.dominos.com/express012904/pdf/dominos_nutrition_v2.30.00.pdf" rel="nofollow">here</a>). The cheese has soybean oil in it and doesn't sound so great, but for a treat I might let it slide Who knows, maybe one day I'll be able to order a grass-fed meatza to be delivered to me. :)</p>

http://paleohacks.com/questions/148691/from-a-paleo-view-why-do-men-like-big-breasts sabretoothandclaw 2012-09-11T22:00:42Z 2012-09-11T22:00:42Z

I don't think it's necessarily &quot;big breasts&quot;, but a healthy, womanly figure that men are most attracted to. And a healthy, womanly (curvy) figure denotes fertility which leads to perpetuation of the human race and the male's bloodline.

http://paleohacks.com/questions/145303/how-can-i-avoid-the-runners-trots/145308#145308 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-26T16:24:01Z 2012-08-26T16:24:01Z

I'm no marathon runner, but yes, if you seem to not be able to go beforehand, a cup of coffee should definitely help move things along!

http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-26T16:17:03Z 2012-08-26T16:17:03Z

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone that responded, I think I got everybody a +1 for your advice. I love having all these options to check out.

http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety/144835#144835 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-26T16:14:29Z 2012-08-26T16:14:29Z

I believe it, I did Atkins long ago and stayed VLC, like &lt;20 grams a day over long periods and always felt fantastic. It's been harder to stick with this time around, I don't know why, but I just can't seem to cut back on the fruit and sweet potatoes. I also have way more of a sweet tooth than I used to have, I wish I could get rid of it!

http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety/144815#144815 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-26T16:12:58Z 2012-08-26T16:12:58Z

I'm hypoglycemic as well, so stable blood sugar levels definitely helps with my levels of irritation LOL, the other thing I'm worried about with the Zyprexa is that is can cause hyperglycemia and even type II diabetes (probably with longer term use though which hopefully won't be the case). I haven't checked out the link yet but definitely will, thanks.

http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety/144806#144806 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-26T16:11:02Z 2012-08-26T16:11:02Z

The light therapy sounds neat and probably wouldn't be too hard to set up. Being a college student it is hard to stick with the going to bed early etc. but I'm down to give it a try. Thanks for the link.

http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety/144795#144795 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-26T16:08:33Z 2012-08-26T16:08:33Z

Love that evolutionary psychiatry blog, thanks for the link! I'm sort of an evolutionist (is that a term?) and love reading about evolution based approaches to medicine and everything really. It all just makes so much sense to me. Thanks again :)

http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety/144813#144813 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-26T16:06:55Z 2012-08-26T16:06:55Z

Thanks, I think it's gotten hard to accept putting &quot;unnatural&quot; things into my body after going paleo, not this is a bad or a good thing, I think it's good I'm more conscious of what I put in (or on) myself, but sometimes it just freaks me out and makes me feel guilty. I've been taking the med for about 3 days or so now and it seems to be helping, I feel better, emotionally. Also been trying to get some extra activity in and I've actually dropped a pound (not 100% paleo right now either, or even 80%, but working on that)

http://paleohacks.com/questions/144780/paleo-treatments-for-bipolar-disorder-and-anxiety sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-25T01:39:23Z 2012-08-25T01:39:23Z

I took lithium (RX) for almost a year I think at one point, first in combo with lamictal, then after the lamictal reaction, lithium and celexa. I think it worked for me, and I did read a lot on how it supposedly works in the brain, but it seemed to give me extreme brain fog and made school that much more difficult. I was taking 900 mg, I will do some research on OTC stuff, maybe lower doses would be good. Thanks for the tip :)

http://paleohacks.com/questions/145037/la-croix-sparkling-water/145039#145039 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-25T01:33:31Z 2012-08-25T01:33:31Z

The grapefruit flavor with lime is DIVINE!!!! :)

http://paleohacks.com/questions/139662/will-i-still-lose-weight-while-consuming-fruit-on-the-paleo-diet/139668#139668 sabretoothandclaw 2012-08-01T14:52:18Z 2012-08-01T14:52:18Z

Me too, I'm usually closer to 1800-2000 calories with some higher and lower days in there. At first I worried a lot about how much fruit I ate but don't worry about it so much now. My carbs are still way lower than on SAD and I rarely go over 100 carbs a day. Maybe I would be losing faster if I dropped the fruit but it makes me happy, and I like being happy :)

http://paleohacks.com/questions/139651/belly-bloat-and-other-gi-issues sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-31T23:46:22Z 2012-07-31T23:46:22Z

Is it just because going GF is probably a good idea for any autoimmune issues or is there something more to it, I guess is what I'm really wondering :)

http://paleohacks.com/questions/139651/belly-bloat-and-other-gi-issues sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-31T23:45:30Z 2012-07-31T23:45:30Z

I am curious as to if you know the specific reasoning behind your doctor recommending going gluten-free for your thyroid condition? I have hypothyroidism as well and just wondering what the connection/benefits is/are. I know I feel incredibly better eating paleo, but haven't thought about implications of GF on my thyroid condition. My mother is also hypothyroid and any more reasons I could give her to go at least GF, if not paleo, would be great.

http://paleohacks.com/questions/137581/paleo-business-venture-need-your-feedback/137587#137587 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-23T19:57:04Z 2012-07-23T19:57:04Z

pre-made soups would be awesome, i love soup but don't necessarily want to make it all the time. I've gone up and down the soup aisle at the grocery store and it seems near impossible to find something acceptable. I like dried fruit too and that is also REALLY hard to find without added sugar. Want to get a food dehydrator just for that reason.

http://paleohacks.com/questions/137024/any-studies-showing-bone-broth-works/137042#137042 sabretoothandclaw 2012-07-21T01:03:45Z 2012-07-21T01:03:45Z

Neat article, has anyone done bone broth with eggshells and/or crustacean shells? Egg shells would be a really cheap addition to making a heartier bone broth, I wonder if it changes the taste. (I have very little bone broth making experience)