Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I've been reading this site for about a month, but this is my first post! This question is related to, but different from a previous post: http://paleohacks.com/questions/10269/do-you-get-sick#axzz12M6vHGh7

I've been Paleo for about two months now. Since I started adhering to Paleo diet principles, I have felt great for the most part, which, given my history of getting sick easily, is very encouraging. However, yesterday I woke up with inflammation in my sinuses, and the issue has continued today. Not only do I have the inflammation, but my energy level seems to be lower than usual.

To me, the most attractive aspect of Paleo is the healthiness it provides, so these last couple days have been very discouraging. So, I decided to turn to you guys and ask if any of you had similar experiences to mine.

Did any of you get sick even after starting Paleo? Could there be something I'm doing wrong? I'd love to share more about my regimen if that helps someone help me.

edited Oct 14 2010 at 23:47

Ed♦
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asked Oct 14 2010 at 17:44

Jared F
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	I would take a probiotic. A few days ago I had similar symptoms and a probiotic cleared it up. – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Oct 14 2010 at 21:57
	Wild animals get sick. – Matt Oct 15 2010 at 15:00
	Thanks for your answers everyone. They are very encouraging and, as always, informative. – Jared F Oct 16 2010 at 14:19

Tim Rangitsch · Accepted Answer · 2010-10-14 17:53:33Z UTC

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No one is "bullet proof". Do the things that support healing; rest, hydration, and eat nutrient dense foods. Paleo may mean fewer or shorter illnesses, but it may not mean zero illness. Slipping back into SAD eating sure won't do any good!

answered Oct 14 2010 at 17:53

Tim Rangitsch
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Alan · Answer 2 · 2010-10-15 08:05:21Z UTC

While two months is a very short time to repair years of SAD abuse you can only be better off. Remember Paleo isn't "magic", it is simply a better way of eating. I think you are being a bit optimistic to imagine cleaning up your diet a bit will magicly cure all illnesses. I and a lot of other people have found illness is greatly reduced either in severity,duration or regularity. Keep up the good work and your body will thank you in the long run.

Eva · Answer 3 · 2010-10-15 02:53:42Z UTC

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Paleo does not give you immunity to all illness. You can still get sick. Just for most of us, we get much less sick much less often and if we do, then we recover faster.

answered Oct 15 2010 at 2:53

Eva
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ben61820 · Answer 4 · 2010-10-14 22:52:24Z UTC

the only comfort food i go in for is if you are horendously hungover. On those days i fast out the poisons with no food at all all day and then at night order some barbeque pork and brisket and im good the next day. Bit silly i know, but i suppose we all have our idiosyncracies.

FanOfSunshine · Answer 5 · 2010-10-14 21:56:14Z UTC

I think your body could be fighting something off which is what it does every day without much notice. However, you will probably be able to "fight back" faster with good paleo nutrition. Sleep is very important in the body repairing itself.

I just read, "Lights Out: Sleep, Sugar, and Survival," by T. S. Wiley and Bent Formby. I highly recommend it. She goes into great deal about the importance of sleep and how to get it!

Stephen-Aegis · Answer 6 · 2010-10-15 11:36:43Z UTC

Avoid sugars, avoid inflammatory foods. Same as everyday paleo.

I personally highly recommend fasting with water if you're comfortable doing so. Your digestive system gets a break and your body can focus on cleanup.

Avoid sugars

Kijak E, Foust G, Steinman R.R. Relationship of Blood Sugar Level and Leukocytic Phagacytosis. South Calif Dent Assn 1964; 32: 349-351
Sanchez A, et al. Role of sugars in human neutrophilic phagocytosis. Am J Clin Nutr 1973; 26: 1180-84.
Ringsdorf WM jr, Cheraskin E and Ramsey RR jr. Sucrose, Neutrophilic Phagocytosis, and Resistance to Disease. Dent Surv 1976; 52: 46-48

Kamal · Answer 7 · 2010-10-14 17:51:06Z UTC

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It's okay! People get sick!

I get sick less while on paleo, but am currently sick. But when I get sick, it's carb city. Nobody can convince me (without peer-reviewed evidence) to stay away from comfort food when I've got a cold.

answered Oct 14 2010 at 17:51

Kamal♦
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... Really? Sugars feed bugs. Lmgtfy – Stephen-Aegis Oct 14 2010 at 19:29

Really! Macaroni and cheese tastes ten times better while having a cold. One randomized trial showing adverse effects of (starchy) carbs on cold duration would sway me, but I never found any. – Kamal♦ Oct 14 2010 at 19:50

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Stephen, most bugs you catch are viruses, they don't eat anything. – Matt Oct 14 2010 at 20:21

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Kamal, I don't have it at my fingertips, but there have been some scary research on what carb/sugar intake does to your white blood cell action. Basically what I read said that white blood cells are about 90% less efficent after a high sugar/starch meal and the effects linger for 6 plus hours. This alone could explain while most paleo eaters have less illness. – Eva Oct 15 2010 at 2:51

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Stephen, inflammation is what helps fight infection. Eva, all macronutrients have effects on white blood cells. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1650714 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11916766 – Matt Oct 15 2010 at 10:49

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