Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

11

When I ask this question, I am not referencing simply those people who do not feel any different/better eating a paleo (-ish) diet nor those who can go on a 6 hour pizza & beer binge-feast-fiesta without feeling it the next day.

Rather, I'm interested to hear accounts of people who have "strange" and unexpected responses to typical circumstances. This may be as simple as, "I excel with all matter of dairy products" or "Coffee makes me hungry" or "I thrive here in overcast Seattle" or whatever you find interesting.

Personally, I have noticed that I never feel properly 'full' on a ketogenic diet, and as such, do better with a pretty high carbohydrate intake consisting of all matter of roots, tubers, and fruit.

Thank you for your input,
-Ian

flag	asked Jun 13 at 13:29 Potato Avenger 3,846●2●17

2

I don't feel satisfied on a low carb either. It gives me a constant nagging empty and hollow feeling, even if I've just eaten. – Lindsay Jun 13 at 16:26

Paradoxical according to whose standard? like if I said butter makes me happy, that would not be paradixal according to primal dogma, but it may be according to another. – foreveryoung Jun 13 at 16:40

1

According to the typical standard by which this "community" presents itself. I know there are many a varying opinion regarding what's optimal / what should be presented to the masses / what works most often, but I'm attempting to gage the paradoxical responders to typical "paleo" recommendations in general. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 2:57

1

Honestly I have developed two distinct sensations of hunger since going paleo and doings various fasting sessions. One for protein and one for carbage. – saiklón Jun 15 at 1:21

I also feel empty and hungry on less than 100g carbs a day. I work better around 150-200. Cheese gives me no problems, unless they're overcooked to the point of rancid greasiness. White potatoes make my tummy happy. Store bought sausage upsets my stomach, but homemade or made by my local rancher, I feel great! Oh, and any time I have an upset stomach, wine will settle it. But hard cider will not... – Michelle Sep 14 at 1:41

More Butter Please · Answer 1 · 2012-06-13 20:46:59Z UTC

5

I thrive here in overcast Seattle.

I am naturally a night person, and suffer greatly when I have to stick to a diurnal schedule.

I find bulletproof coffee (or coconut oil in coffee), absolutely undrinkable.

I have no trouble eating full-fat dairy.

And while I get massive bacon cravings two or three times a year, during which I will cook and eat several pounds of it over the course of a couple of days, I honestly couldn't care less about it the rest of the time, and think all the bacon-worship is kind of silly.

answered Jun 13 at 20:46

More Butter Please
3,559●3●14

6

Agree with you on the bacon. Highly overrated. – Diane Jun 13 at 21:44

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I worship bacon fairly constantly, so that several pound feast sounds absolutely amazing. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 2:51

2

@Potato Avenger: When a bacon craving hits, I don't screw around. I'll eat 2 or 3 lbs of it in a day, and not much else. Cooking it in the oven helps, because I can cook a lot of it at once without making a splattery, greasy mess. I won't refuse bacon the rest of the time, if that's what's being served, but I don't bother buying it until the jones hits because it will just go uneaten. And eating that much bacon at one go amuses the hell out of me, for some reason. – More Butter Please Jun 14 at 8:42

Sounds pretty good too me. Have you ever tried wrapping your other various munchies in the bacon? Chicken thighs, different white-fleshed fishes, etc. are all excellent wrapped in the porkiness. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 16:44

Usually, I just take my bacon straight. But I do occasionally make rumaki (an appetizer that was big back in the '80s, LOL), which is chicken liver and sliced water chestnuts wrapped in bacon, then baked. That, and butter-loaded pate are the only ways I can stand liver at all. So okay, I guess bacon is a miracle food after all... – More Butter Please Jun 14 at 20:20

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Violet9 · Answer 2 · 2012-06-13 18:14:58Z UTC

4

Eating a lot of liver seemed to make my skin worse. I suspect it is because liver is a vasodilator and also high in histamines. I have rosacea. I really regret choking down that disgusting stuff, although now I have a good excuse to never eat it again.

answered Jun 13 at 18:14

Violet9
2,294●1●6●19

	Wow, that's intriguing. I don't eat liver often, only when it's available in excellent quality, so I can't comment on that matter. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 2:53
	I think it's probably super-healthy for the vast majority of people. I'd eat it if it weren't for the rosacea. – Violet9 Jun 14 at 13:08
	I just find it wildly interesting because unexpected things tend to do different things to my skin as well. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 16:45
	Hmm... was is grass-fed? hormone-free? – Allie Sep 18 at 17:05

Sara S. · Answer 3 · 2012-06-14 01:10:55Z UTC

4

Coffee makes me hungry!

I tolerate whole cream and ice cream better than I tolerate butter or ghee.

I get less hungry/cravey with fruit and dairy in my diet than without.

Large doses of vitamin C and magnesium do not give me diarrhea (but walking into a bakery does).

Yoga and meditation make me cranky.

Potatoes are gentler on my tummy than yams.

answered Jun 14 at 1:10

Sara S.
7,687●1●5●18

3

I like the yoga comment, haha. I know it's supposed to be soothing in general, but that degree of stretching just makes me annoyed and exhausted. --I'd rather do double Fran. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 2:54

Coffee makes me ravenously starving. Adding some fat to it will delay the effect by an hour or so, but doesn't mitigate it at all. – raney Jun 14 at 18:54

1

I guessing the coffee is dropping your blood sugar below the level the brain is happy with. – August Jun 14 at 19:14

August · Answer 4 · 2012-06-13 16:17:07Z UTC

2

Ghee makes me feel good. I just put some on my lunch, which was basically left over ground meat and salad, and I feel happy.

answered Jun 13 at 16:17

August
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1

Sweet. I'm all over the kerrygold butter which is similar. – Potato Avenger Jun 13 at 16:20

2

Ghee is awesome. Kerrygold butter is awesome. Ghee and Kerrygold butter are completely different foods, taste differently, cook differently, and are comprised of different levels of nutrients and by products from dairy. Clarified butter is just not the same as full on butter. – greymouser Jun 13 at 19:59

But clarified butter has a much higher smoke point than unclassified, due to the removal of milk solids, and as such, is fantastic for sautéing things like vegetables and meats. – Blitherakt Jun 15 at 5:46

VB · Answer 5 · 2012-06-13 17:42:20Z UTC

2

Everybody told me how wonderful virgin coconut oil is. And it was. For the first couple of days. And then I got so sick from it (I know it was the oil, because I did not eat anything else - I only had one spoonful of coconut oil) - I almost passed out.

And I have never passed out in my life!

Why in the world? Why me? Why coconut oil?

answered Jun 13 at 17:42

VB
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2

It makes me sick. I've got two big jars laying around too. – August Jun 13 at 18:04

1

I can't eat straight coconut oil. I have to use it in cooking, or not at all. It doesn't make me as sick as it does you, but I do get really queasy and light-headed. And yet I don't have that problem with MCT oil--which is just highly-refined coconut oil. – More Butter Please Jun 13 at 20:34

1

I think the allergy has something to do with what they call transporter proteins found in the unrefined stuff. There is a thread somewhere on PH with a link to a pdf about it. – August Jun 13 at 21:28

That's a shame... I've eaten the stuff straight out of the container with a spoon when I ran out of food. I can't imagine not being able to cook my meat in it either. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 2:52

1

Eating too much coconut at once can do that since the MCT can cause extreme nausea and digestive upset. After my first accidental overdose I couldn't even think about coconut for a few days. – David Moss Jun 14 at 11:14

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staceychev · Answer 6 · 2012-06-14 10:56:19Z UTC

2

Veggies with breakfast make me very hungry. Gotta stick with protein and fat only.

I figured out that the soy lecithin in most dark chocolate makes me sick to my stomach.

answered Jun 14 at 10:56

staceychev
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	I suspect the soy lecithin is bad for me too... time to cut it out, unfortunately. – Violet9 Jun 14 at 13:09
	I've noticed recently that dark chocolate on an empty stomach makes my stomach VERY noisy. And it doesn't have to have any soy lecithin to do that, either. – Diane Jun 14 at 13:50

mM · Answer 7 · 2012-06-14 12:37:52Z UTC

2

Meat and veggies make me feel like a bag of smashed a-holes, when eaten in large quantities, I hate HIIT training and it doesn't do me any good, just makes me lethargic and fatter.

I do best with lots of fruit, a little bit of fresh meat and seafood, milk products (but not fermented), and some yoga and walking with my vibrams on in forests.

I feel really good when I pig out sometimes, like pizza and other really dense caloric stuff, and it keeps me leaner.

edit, I've been lean and very healthy all my life just drinking fruit juice, eating cheese, eating fruit, and became a semi-fatty with health problems when eating lots of meat and veggies.

answered Jun 14 at 12:37

mM
101●2

1

That's the kind of completely unexpected response I was looking for when I asked this question. That's really perplexing. When you say that you feel like a "bag of smashed a-holes," what exactly do you mean? Gastro-intestinally? Energy levels? Please, I'd like to hear more, I'm glad you found something that you can roll with that feels good and keeps you looking good. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 16:49

Your description is incredibly similar to me but I pig out on burgers and coke – Scotty Von Porkchop Jun 14 at 17:50

1

Ok, this is just a list of the things that went wrong with me when I ate lots of veggies and meat; sky high levels of estrogen, bowel inflammation, depression, eczema, insomnia, stress, elevated cortisol (HPA dysfunction), suppressed thyroid, started getting a flu every couple of months (I'm usually never sick, so this was alarming), fat gain, tiredness, adult ADHD, massive bloating etc. I'm ok now, when I went back to my old eating habits, the eczema took some time clear up, but the other symptoms went away rather quickly. They do come back with large amounts of veggies, or/and meat. – mM Jun 14 at 20:34

1

Holy crap-- this exact same thing happened to me! Meat and veggies for months= lethargy, digestion issues, hormonal upset, weight gain, thyroid problems and general shittiness. Worst diet ever (for me). Started eating unholy amounts of dairy and fruit and all of my problems disappeared. Thank you fructose and cheese! – mch Jun 15 at 3:27

Same thing too with the exercise-- got flabby with too much HIIT. Yoga/hiking has yielded much better results. Bringing down stress levels and balancing hormones was key for me personally. – mch Jun 15 at 3:36

SansPizza · Answer 8 · 2012-06-14 02:53:08Z UTC

1

I have been lactose/gluten/wheat intolerant on and off my whole life -- but I can very happily and comfortably sit down and eat half a cheese pizza in one sitting and feel fine and suffer no repercussions whatsoever. On the other hand, give me a bowl of ice cream, a piece of toast, or any kind of pasta -- and I'll feel exhausted, bloated, and my hands will be swollen for a week.

answered Jun 14 at 2:53

SansPizza
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1

Pizza = Magic...? Wow, I'm not sure how to interpret that result. Any ideas regarding your semi-bipolar GI tract? – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 3:01

1

Really wish I knew, I've been trying to make sense of my intolerances/allergies all year and my body reacts in the most unpredictable manner -- Paleo has proven to be the best decision for my semi-bipolar GI tract thus far...I try to avoid pizza anyways despite any apparent negative effects, but if I slip or "cheat" at all it's best if I do it with pizza, which is like GREAT but bizarre. – SansPizza Jun 14 at 3:51

Chocolate gives me bad GI issues, but I can eat gluten-free brownies with no effect. Go figure. – Kelly Jun 14 at 15:33

@Kelly, could that be a reaction to the soy lecithin specifically? Some people are wickedly sensitive to that--give a brand without it a shot. @SansPizza: Even though that's inconvenient, I guess being pizza-proof is not a bad problem to have, hah. – Potato Avenger Jun 14 at 16:47

I have tried soy-free and it still bugs me. I think it's part the caffiene (which I'm horribly sensitive to) and part the cocoa itself. – Kelly Jun 15 at 0:26

Kasra · Answer 9 · 2012-06-14 17:53:31Z UTC

1

Pizza increases my energy.

answered Jun 14 at 17:53

Kasra
1

Robin · Answer 10 · 2012-06-14 22:43:45Z UTC

Supplemental Vit K makes my skin dry -- experienced this w/ Thorne drops and Green Pastures Butter Oil.

A number of supplements purported to help with sleep keep me up at night.

I usually gain weight if I try to fast, even if I follow the fast with my "normal" caloric intake.

I can eat way more food (without gaining) if I do yoga regularly -- even "plain" / low impact yoga that clearly does not burn many calories.

Joshua · Answer 11 · 2012-06-15 00:47:42Z UTC

My body is fairly odd in this regard.

My "on the way home from a drink-a-thon snack" was a McDonald's Big Mac meal. Washed down with a FourLoko or some other high-alcoholic sugary convenience-store cocktail.

I've done that twice since Paleo, and each time awoke no worse for wear except for the obvious negative issues from the drink (puffy face, cloudy head, and smelling like a dirty laundry hamper). That being said, most of my friends drink Guinness, and I myself love the stuff - which gives me a fairly strong lower GI reaction, so it could be I'm just not noticing.

However, there have been times where I've came home hungry, the wife may not have been expecting me, and bought pizza for her and the kid to share. I've eaten two slices, immediately had my sinuses lock up, and crapped my brains out for the next two days.

Now when I do have a drink, I tend to sleep very heavy. Perhaps my body is going into hyper recovery-mode while I sleep, and thus the damage is mitigated. Perhaps with the other toxins in my body (alcohol) my immune system is severely impaired fighting the alcohol and simply lets the other toxins "slide". Don't know. Don't risk it so I simply only really drink at social functions now - and while at those social functions I may relax my diet a little bit while staying gluten-free (corn tortillas, potatoes, oats in haggis on burns nights, etc) I make sure I'm fairly satiated before I bum a ride home.

Oddly enough, the last time I went out drinking with friends for a Birthday party, I drank an inordinate amount of strongbow cider and whiskey (about 6 boilermaker bombs in the span of 3 hours or so), had a plate of steak and french fries, and felt absolutely fantastic the next day. I guess I stayed sober enough to acknowledge I needed to stay away from gluten during my little bender.

To answer your question - if I'm drunk - damage seems milder than expected.

If I'm sober, and my diet is 100%, I have a reaction nothing short of catastrophic.

collegeprimal · Answer 12 · 2012-09-14 00:41:11Z UTC

1

one bite of 85% (or darker) dark chocolate and I turn into a food devouring beast

answered Sep 14 at 0:41

collegeprimal
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one bite of chocolate for me often becomes a lot more. When I was fat, 220 lbs, an alcoholic drink used to make me a food devouring beast. Now I'm my perfect weight there's no craving after a glass of wine. – Spears Sep 15 at 0:26

Aaron · Answer 13 · 2012-09-14 21:16:52Z UTC

1

Switching to a whole foods diet (no processed foods) that excludes wheat and seed oils reduced the amount of earwax I produce.

answered Sep 14 at 21:16

Aaron
11●1

Too funny. I think I have finally found a way to convince my dad to go Paleo. – Craig Sep 15 at 0:18

Thrak · Answer 14 · 2012-06-14 17:40:51Z UTC

I rarely ever get sick, but on the odd occasion that I do I eat as many simple carbs as I can (sugar mainly) and get better MUCH faster. I am talking chocolate, candy, pop (soda for you Americans), even pasta and the like.

I feel like hell if I eat these things normally (aside from chocolate of course) but I will get over a nasty cold in just a couple of days if I eat nothing but peanut butter cups and cola (that is an example not actually the only 2 things I eat).

I always thought it was weird, I just figured my body used the massive glucose to boost my immune system.

MiMintzer · Answer 15 · 2012-06-15 01:24:27Z UTC

0

I never had a problem with broccoli before I stopped gluten (at least I think I didn't) and now I can't eat it at all. Like dropping alka-seltzer in water. :( Other cruciferous veggies bother me a little but not as much as broccoli. Seems like I'm really limited in my carb choices--mostly leafy salads.

answered Jun 15 at 1:24

MiMintzer
5,023●1●3●14

	When you say that they "bother" you, do you mean digestively? Like, they cause stomach pain or bloatedness? – Potato Avenger Jun 17 at 13:21
	gas, bloat, and a lot of discomfort. imagine dropping alka-seltzer into a water balloon (a small balloon). – MiMintzer Jun 17 at 17:01
	Hmm, I have heard of cruciferous vegetables acting like daggers in people's digestive tracts. May I make a suggestion? Lean towards the varied squashes, roots, and tubers out there. When cooked, I think those are pretty gentle on the GI. – Potato Avenger Jun 18 at 13:57
	I eat sweet potatoes on occasion, also carrots. Haven't had beets lately--love beets! Fortunately, I'm pretty carb tolerant. Just miss the broccoli, though. Thanks for the advice! – MiMintzer Jun 18 at 16:02

Chinaeskimo · Answer 16 · 2012-07-05 03:03:17Z UTC

0

Cardio suppresses my appetite
Meat/fish/seafood generally makes me feel sick. Honestly, I am almost like a Paleo vegetarian in this regard, and I don't know why. :-/

answered Jul 5 at 3:03

Chinaeskimo
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Cindi · Answer 17 · 2012-09-13 13:10:54Z UTC

0

Seems like any more than a little coconut milk makes me want to yak, which sucks because I love the taste!

answered Sep 13 at 13:10

Cindi
1

ROB · Answer 18 · 2012-09-13 20:33:28Z UTC

Magnesium makes me anxious; gives me nightmares and really seems to mess up my sleep (maybe calcium deficiency.)
Really high doses of Vitamin C don't affect my stools.
Huge amounts of fiber (60-70 grams) don't make me fart, but just a tiny amount of fructose and I stink up the house.
I find fat harder to digest than carbs.
Lots of fat with carbohydrates messes up my blood sugar, very little fat with lots of carbs doesn't do the same.
Nuts give me hunger pains, but the same amount of calories in bananas doesn't
Liver messes up my skin.
I feel better burning fat during the day and eating about 90% of my carbs at night after working out.

Varelse · Answer 19 · 2012-09-14 00:56:54Z UTC

My skin is better when it is cold and dry.
I do great on full-fat dairy products.
That whole tan/VitD/sun exposure thing? Not for me. Call me a vampire but that just doesn't work.
Compressed feeding windows make me insane. In a way that feels kinda good at first, so sometimes I do it anyway, spur of the moment, once I start to feel it, but it's downhill from there.

Diane · Answer 20 · 2012-09-14 21:12:45Z UTC

I can take a nap after a double espresso.

I don't think HIIT does any good for me. Just stresses me out, makes me puffy. A very infrequent sprint is invigorating, but doing it regularly seems to cause more harm than good.

I don't drink very much water. For instance today I had coffee and I've gone for an hour and a half run in 80 degree sun at mid-day but I haven't had any water to drink.

Paradoxical Responders — Who among you?

20 Answers