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Since starting Paleo 2 months ago, I've had so many stomach issues and just can't afford it anymore(financially and physically). Things were so much better before I started the Paleo Diet. I try to eat a small amount of grains, dairy or peanut butter and I'm sick for 2 days. I feel like a prisoner to Paleo! I've tried researching the internet on how to get OFF the paleo diet and had no luck. I just want to go back to the way things were. I read the book by Dr. Loren Cordain and there's nothing in it that will help me. It's a great way of eating in theory, but not for me, in real life. I have 4 kids, like to bodybuild, and really miss sushi! HELP please!

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15 
 This reminds me a lot of an old joke: Patient: Doc, it really hurts when I do this. Doctor: Well, don't do that. Just to be clear, you are looking for a way to be able to eat things that make you sick rather than just no eat those things. Did I miss anything? – james barlow Jul 13 at 17:08
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 If you think paleo is expensive, you're doing it wrong. I spend half as much money on paleo than before I changed my diet. Plus you and your children will pay for it at hospital visits and medication later, if you try to save money by not eating paleo. – a tricksty trickster Jul 13 at 17:09
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 The first few times people try tobacco they become sick, then they adjust to it. The first few times people try alcohol they become sick, then they adjust to it. The first few times people try speed they become sick, then they adjust to it. Getting sick when you consume something is your body's way of telling you "stop consuming that; it's bad for you." Eventually your body gives up and adjusts to what you are consuming. IMHO, your just going to have to be sick for a while until you body adjusts to eating non-paleo foods. – Talldog Jul 13 at 17:23
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 Dude, give us a break, you've received lots of useful advice. Even I learned new things. You should be pretty thankful, since you're asking for help about something non-paleo on a paleo website :-P – a tricksty trickster Jul 13 at 17:58
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 financially isnt sushi kinda expensive compared to other meals? – ughpleasehelp Jul 13 at 20:17
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closed as not a real question by miked, Marie, Sol, Karen, raney Jul 13 at 22:19

24 Answers

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Since going paleo, I can no longer eat wheat, corn, oats, peanuts/peanut butter, milk (lactose), or sugar in any significant amount without consequence. When I try eating them, I get really harsh feedback from my own body. It's an unambiguous DO NOT WANT.

Now, I could piss and moan about how paleo wrecked my ability to eat those foods. But here's the thing: it didn't. I couldn't eat them before without ill effects. I was simply so used to them I didn't really notice that they affected me so badly. And after a fairly short time on Paleo, after giving my body a break from all of those things, the effects when I did eat them again seemed magnified. Suddenly, I was seeing just how bad they'd been for me all along.

In the case of peanuts, I never thought I had a problem with them until I went paleo. Now, if I eat peanuts, I get incredibly painful ulcers on my nose. I love peanut butter, but can no longer eat it. And yeah, that makes me sad--sunflower seed butter is good, but just not the same.

I've had to come to grips with the fact that I simply cannot eat those things anymore, not even as the occasional "cheat"--because any immediate pleasure I get from eating them is ruthlessly cancelled out by my body's reactions to them. A brownie or an oatmeal-raisin cookie or an iced latte look so tempting--until I remember what happened the last time I had one. I miss them, but they're just not worth it.

Your body is saying DO NOT WANT to oats, dairy, peanut butter, and even white rice. It's telling you "No! Don't feed me that!" But instead of listening to it, you want to ignore it. You want to override its reactions and force it to accept those foods again. And you can't. And it's not paleo's fault that you can't eat these things without getting sick.

So you have a couple of choices, here.

One is acceptance: Figure out what, exactly, you can eat, and how to be happy and healthy eating just those things. Decide you're going to figure out how to make them fit within your food budget, and keep your kids happy as well.

Or, you can choose resistance: Keep trying to eat things your body has already rejected, keep feeling sick, and keep complaining about it and placing blame where it doesn't belong.

Pick one--it's your choice.

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^Yes to ALL of this. SO MUCH WORD. – LiveFabuLESS Jul 13 at 18:54
Very well said. – A at Grain Free Diet Jul 13 at 18:54
+1000000...an awesome answer! – MathGirl72 Jul 13 at 19:00
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 Yeah, I know people who say grains and beans are part of a healthy diet. They insist it doesn't give them any ill effects, but... they're always farting, bloated, or complaining about things like constipation, diarrhea, or heartburn! – a tricksty trickster Jul 13 at 19:36
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 @Luisa: I used to think that having gas and being farty all the time was normal! I mean, that was just part of digestion, and it was natural, right? I never stopped to think about what was going on that would cause all that gas in the digestive tract in the first place, or whether it was harmful or not. One of the things that has been amazing about paleo is that I never have any gas pains, and only once in a while need to let out a small, not-too-smelly fart. Before? Ha! I'm sure I'm responsible for some ozone depletion, given my past level of methane production... – More Butter Please Jul 13 at 20:42
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Look up Weston A Price Foundation/Price Pottenger foundation. Learn how to ferment grains/rice. Learn how to make yogurt. The fermentation helps break down some of the bad stuff in the foods you want to eat and makes them more tolerable.

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I think this is a good suggestions for the OP – smartcookie Jul 13 at 16:41
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Sounds like drama to me. Just eat whatever you want and deal with it. If you don't care about your body, why should it care about you?

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my body was dong better before paleo and I can't "just deal with it" b/c I have 5 people to take care of. Just wanted to know of an easier transition back onto grains and occasional dairy/legumes. – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 16:40
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 What sleepy meant, is why are you eating stuff that makes you feel bad? You know it makes you feel bad but you still eat it. (And I used to make that same mistake too, but finnally became smart enough to stop it) – a tricksty trickster Jul 13 at 17:05
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 Alas poor Yorick....eat more ham.... – thhq Jul 13 at 18:00
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 I'm starting to wonder if this is a hoax. "...how can it be bad, if it didn't used to make me sick?" People who quit drinking develop a lower tolerance for alcohol. "But, how can drinking a six-pack be bad, if it didn't used to make me sick?" – Talldog Jul 13 at 18:06
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 Give her a break- Paleo is NOT for everybody- if Paleo is not working for you then transition back to what WAS working for you- if nothing has worked for you then do more research and try new things- get a yogurt maker and ferment dairy for 30 hours- you can digest it then- soak and sprout, etc. Experiment. But don't feel like you have to stick to Paleo if it isn't working for you. – kris Jul 13 at 20:20
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Try eating pizza and drinking beer.

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 That pretty much covers the whole package. – thhq Jul 13 at 18:01
And sugar filled Gatorade and soy filled protein bars. – Anondson Jul 13 at 22:19
You forgot vegetable oil spread (AKA margarine). – a tricksty trickster Jul 14 at 3:50
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It sounds like you may be placing blame in the wrong place here, it is not usual for someone to be Paleo for 2 months and suddenly is no longer able to eat anything. You were saying that Paleo causes stomach issues and NON paleo causes stomach issues, have you considered that you may actually have a condition or disease that is affecting your digestive system? Perhaps an ulcer or infection.

I would consult a doctor and get some tests done. The reason you are having trouble finding ways to get off Paleo is that it is usually not difficult to go back to the way you were eating before, you just notice the old chronic conditions you used to have returning, not new ones.

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8

You should probably ask a better (series of) question(s).

"I'm eating such and such and experiencing digestion issues - can anyone help?"

"I feel like I'm spending much more money than I used to, here's what I tend to be buying - can anyone suggest some changes that might make this more affordable?"

"I don't have energy with a typical diet that looks like such and such, what can I do?"

Etc.

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good suggestions, but I really just want to know how to smoothly and effectively stop without torturing my body anymore. Thanks though – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 17:22
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 Better question = less downvotes. But every once In a while a person wants to set a new PR. Mine is 5. – thhq Jul 13 at 19:03
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Eat sushi wrapped in cucumber (and use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce)-- or handrolls with extra avocado instead of rice-- sushi issue solved.

As far as your other issues, Paleo didn't cause them-- it just made you notice them, your body doesn't tolerate grains, dairy and peanut butter- that's NOT Paleo's fault, it's your body telling you that you shouldn't be eating them.

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makes sense, thanks – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 17:24
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Just eat a steak and stop your bitchin.

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You do not have the Paleo Panel's approval to stop eating Paleo. You are hereby ordered to immediately cease eating any non-approved Paleo foods until you are informed of if and when you will ever be able to eat anything else.

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finally, humor! – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 17:18
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 I have never eaten strict paleo a la Cordian or Whole 30. I primarily follow the advice of Dr. Kurt Harris, Mark Sisson, etc. Find what works for you, it doesn't matter what you call it. I still tell people that I eat "paleo" for simplicity's sake. Otherwise, I would have to explain: "Well I eat paleo, but with some dairy, salt, fatty meat, coconut oil, butter, chocolate, red wine, coffee, potatoes, sweet potatoes, white rice, low toxic legumes, kentucky bourbon, diet coke and weekly cheats. – Dave S. Jul 13 at 17:38
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 But, other than that, I am completely and totally paleo! – Dave S. Jul 13 at 17:39
(I do eat lots of meat/fish/eggs and veggies. And relatively low carb - being diabetic. But everybody has to find what works for them. I can't tell you what you should be eating, you have to figure it ut yourself. And good luck!) – Dave S. Jul 13 at 17:42
Follow the fold and stray no more. – thhq Jul 13 at 18:03
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If you are having such violent reactions to small amounts of these foods ("I had 1 Tablespoon of natural peanut butter and was sick for 2 days"), then I'm betting something else is going on. I really would go and see a doctor if I were you.

It is NOT normal to have such strong reactions, especially if you had no problem with those foods before. Eliminating them for 2 months would not cause your body to stop being able to produce the enzymes to break them down properly.

What is especially alarming to me is that you are having reactions to white rice. That is pretty much unheard of.

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 I react to white rice, it gives me pancreas pain and can make me vomit all day long. Grains, beans, and nuts can all cause this for me. From my understanding it's because enzymes can't leave the pancreas because of imflamation, and trigger inside the pancreas itself. CREEPY, uh? It makes me a zombie! :-D – a tricksty trickster Jul 13 at 17:53
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 I, too, have issues with white rice. It makes me swell. Having a reaction to white rice is not unheard of. – A at Grain Free Diet Jul 13 at 17:55
I'm very sorry to hear that, for both of you, because food intolerances suck! Of course it's possible to have a food intolerance to white rice, as it is to any food (including "paleo" ones, such as nuts, or nightshades, etc...). What I meant to communicate is that if you weren't having reactions to white rice before going Paleo, it's extremely unlikely that you would develop a reaction to it after 2 months of NOT eating it, as white rice is one of the more neutral foods. – Soporificat Jul 13 at 19:28
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"I try to eat a small amount of grains, dairy or peanut butter and I'm sick for 2 days."

Sounds like you're well on your way to stopping.

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i'm trying, but can't live on the toilet all the time :( – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 16:33
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Hit up your local McDonald's. I'm sure they can help with your process of getting off paleo. I've been paleo for 10 months and if I cheat with stuff you mentioned it doesn't have the same affect by no means. Something else is the problem not paleo. I'd seek help from your doctor.

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Tolerance doe not equate acceptance....

I don't know how you can re-introduced food that your body is telling you it doesn't want. If you are he!! bent on returning to SAD, than i guess you have to do it slowly, and rebuilt the tolerances...

If you can't eat grains, then perhaps you have a gluten intolerance you didn't know about, and should avoid them or see a doctor...

if you can't eat dairy, then perhaps you have a lactose intolerance you didn't know about and should avoid it (or see a doctor, or try RAW)...

Perhaps the Sushi was rancid, white rice is more a plain starch than a grain...

Peanuts are legumes, so any intolerance to legumes (plus peanut alergies) will likely show when eating them...

Eating whole unprocessed foods is FAR better than any eating anything else....

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I'm not going to say Paleo is good/bad because I'm not strict. I'm trying a different diet that incorporates mostly healthy food (which means mostly Paleo), but it sounds like what others have said. You previously were eating some foods that are seen as toxins to the body. Some react worse than others. I can occasionally eat bad foods and just get gas/bloated, but you may have had an ongoing problem that was shielded by your body being used to the previous diet.

I would seek medical advice! It sounds like you're having issues that really should be talked about with someone with medical knowledge. I'd also point out that Paleo may not have caused your problem, but saved you. This issue might've been ongoing and removing the hazardous foods then readding them is causing issues. Meaning later in life these foods could've caused problems for you and you'd of never known.

Also, if you didn't have other questions on the site I'd swear this is a joke because it's actually written like a troll and your responses sound almost troll-like. LOL. Just surreal. All you have to do is add one comment that says that humans didn't live very long during the Paleolithic era and it'd be golden.

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In the absence of the comment I'll say it for her. Paleos didn't live very long, and neither will you and the horse you rode in on. Now giver her the downvote before Melissa locks the topic. – thhq Jul 13 at 19:31
I don't have a horse to ride in on.. way to make me feel left out. :/ – goodz Jul 15 at 13:04
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As for it being expensive? I don't buy that for one second. While it is not cheap, it is not anymore expensive than what we were buying. The great part is that we are no longer spending money on breads, noodles, and gobs of peanut butter. Also cut way back on what I am spending on milk.

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I don't understand. Are you sick before you eat the grains, dairy,or peanut butter? Or just when you eat them?

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After, for 1 day or 2. last week, I had 1 Tablespoon of natural peanut butter and was sick for 2 days – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 16:38
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Detox.

Die-Off.

Body learning how to digest real food and not bulk-adding scratchy whole grains.

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are you offering a solution or just stating what is happening? :/ – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 17:01
If this person wants to go back to eating SAD willingly, there is no solution for that type of problem. – BoneBrothFast Jul 17 at 17:22
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About the grains, when you eat grains and beans, you need to drink lots and lots of water all day long, because they steal water from your body. Kinda like if you put dry beans/grains in a bowl of water, they'll soak up all the water.

Nuts are similar but not as bad.

You also need to start with small amounts of fiber and increase slowly over a few weeks, otherwise the sudden change in fiber could realy hurt you.

My question to you is, why do you want to do something that makes you feel bad? Your body is clearly telling you it doesn't like that shit you're eating.

It's like smacking your head on the wall, bitching about it hurting, then doing it again.

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I was going to make a similar comment until I scrolled down to read this. "Keep eating the junk, your body will begin to seem like it's tolerating it again" - but then I started thinking how silly it is to ignore what your body is telling you. – Casey Jul 13 at 17:07
I find it hard to believe that oats and brown rice and black beans can be so bad for me if I've tolerated them just fine for 30 years. I guess I was just hoping to get some helpful advice from someone else who had the same problem as myself. – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 17:17
The water + start small advice should help you, so give it a try. Plus that's the keyword right there, "tolerate". It doesn't mean something is good for you. – a tricksty trickster Jul 13 at 17:34
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 I had tolerated Coca-Cola for my entire life (drinking multiple cans at a time without a second thought or a problem). Two years ago I quit Coke (and all sugary drinks)--an early try at trying to improve my diet. A year ago I visited the Coke museum. I tried some of the sample soft drinks from around the world. I got sick to my stomach; I got light-headed; I got dizzy; I felt ill & high at the same time. Just because you have tolerated something all your life, doesn't mean it is harmless, nor does it mean you will always tolerate it if you quit. – Talldog Jul 13 at 17:57
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 The human body is very resilient. Tolerating does not certainly mean optimal. – Knarf Jul 13 at 18:40
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How do you do on fermented stuff? Yogurt, cheese, saurkraut. It sounds like you might have dumped off the gut flora that makes high glycemics digest easily for most people. Fermented foods might go down better, as well as reload your system.

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I'm sorry you keep getting sick! I've heard that's pretty normal when you switch to a paleo/primal diet so don't worry, I don't think you're dying.

It sounds like you're not sure what to eat that won't hurt your body and stuck with cravings for the foods you used to be OK with. I have to agree with a lot of people here: your body sounds like its detoxifying and needing extra nutrients for healing?

I've recently been seeing a doctor who practices Integrative Medicine and our conversations make a lot of sense after he filters my symptoms and explains what my body is possibly doing. I think you should talk to a doctor who practices integrative medicine through diet and they can give you professional advice.

There were things I missed when I first started paleo/primal, but then I found new foods that were exciting, delicious and made me feel way better! Can you/do you shop at a farmer's market? You could take your family every weekend, buy inexpensive, fresh & local food, AND have family fun time :)

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Sushi rice irritates your gut?? Hm. You might want to see a doctor. But, I can assure you, Paleo can be done on a budget as well! I'd recommend giving it a little more time, and playing around with safe starches (since you body-build).

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I've tried adding a little oats(1/8 cup) yesterday and today I'm sick all morning. – goodhealthforever Jul 13 at 16:37
A lot of people have problems digesting rice/potatoes/other starches and do better on fruit instead. I've mentioned it here and others have agreed that they have the same problems. – A at Grain Free Diet Jul 13 at 16:37
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 The oats you ate could be cross-contaminated with gluten. I had no idea that gluten was such a huge problem for me until I went Paleo and felt SO MUCH BETTER! Now, I can't tolerate gluten very well at all. Same goes for dairy - and I was addicted to milk, yogurt and cheese. Even if I wasn't "pure Paleo" I'd never eat those food items again because I feel so sick from them. Listen to your body - you are obviously not tolerating those foods well anymore - like many I've talked to. Eat Paleo - or a modified version. Stay away from what you perceive makes you ill. Paleo is about healing! – Cheryl Jul 13 at 18:41
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 He likely wasn't tolerating them before. His gut was so irritated and swollen, he didn't realize what they were doing to him. – MathGirl72 Jul 13 at 18:53
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 I gotta agree, if only rice from a few sushi rolls, or 1/8 cup of rice makes you really sick, ESG, you've got more problems than you think. Such a little amount shouldn't make a Paleo person so sick. Even me, with pancreas pain flareups caused by grains, that amount of rice or oats doesn't hurt me. – a tricksty trickster Jul 14 at 3:54
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I've fallen off the wagon here and there over the last 4 years. I react pretty strongly to wheat products when I abstain, but it only takes 3-4 weeks of eating them daily before my body gives up fighting, and the alarm bells die down in the gut.

Give it some time, and provided you haven't picked up some sort of gut infection coincidentally while experimenting with paleo, you'll be back to "normal" in a month or two.

Technically it is a good idea avoid foods that our guts had been too beaten down to warn us about, but you also need to be happy and have a life. Good luck.

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3 
 So--wait. You're saying that "Beating your gut down" until "[your] body gives up fighting, and the alarm bells die down in the gut" is a good thing? How is making your body accept food that it clearly does not want, and reacts badly to, the way to be happy and "have a life"--at least in the long term? I'm sorry, but this makes absolutely no sense at all. – More Butter Please Jul 13 at 20:48
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 I'm not saying it is a good thing, I'm just answering the question in the most honest way I can. The questioner would obviously like to return to their pre-paleo state, and I'm reassuring them it is indeed possible. I don't believe in brow beating others for not making the same lifestyle choices that I am making, even if I know it might compromise their health later in life. Making meaningful dietary changes that go against common wisdom and wake up difficult to deal with food sensitivities takes time and dedication. It is NOT for everyone, and I wouldn't want anyone to feel trapped. – Happy Now Jul 13 at 21:25
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 I didn't see anywhere that the writer was implying it was a "good" thing - just giving the OP the information he/she requested. I think the general tone of the response was a good indicator that the writer wasn't endorsing the action. JMHO – EECP Nurse Jul 13 at 21:41
esg1227, half doses of Immodium can help you to be able to leave the house during the transition back. When eating out with friends or on vacation, it often makes eating in restaurants a less painful experience after the fact. If you do stick with it, there is light at the end of that tunnel, if you eat well enough for a year or two and heal your gut, the cheats become far less painful and diseases of aging will likely arrive more slowly if at all. – Happy Now Jul 13 at 22:13
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Don't be so hard on yourself, u don't have to eat 100% paleo, allow yourself to have some smart carbs, and its ok to eat some bad carbs every now and again, remember don't worry be happy, enjoy life

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esg1227, i am sorry to hear you are having these problems. I suggest following Dr. Lutz, 72 grams of carbs a day, that is the perfect number for healthy blood sugar, weight, BP, etc. Count the carbs of every veggie, fruit, grain, legume, sugar, candy, that you eat. Eat protein and fat to a satiable state. then go back to being paleo. If you are sick for two days after a spoonful of peanut butter, i'm perplexed, you may need enzymes and pro-biotics with meals, this is just a suggestion since i am not your doctor. another thought is low stomach acid, Nature Sunshine makes a digestive enzyme with a little HCl, we really don't know what you are eating on a daily basis, unless i missed it somewhere, there are already so many posts here.

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P.S. what kind of diet were you eating pre-paleo with body building? – Lisa Jul 13 at 19:16
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 "The perfect number" Please...you are lumping everyone into one category and just by scrolling through the question on this site, you should know better than that. – MathGirl72 Jul 13 at 19:46
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 -1 for "the perfect number." Most ridiculous thing I've read this week, possibly this month. – Karen Jul 13 at 20:46
Karen you are misinformed. buy the book, Life Without Bread by Wolfgang Lutz, it is science based. He did 40 years of study. We are 99.99% the same genetically, YES, lumping everyone in one group. Read the book and please give me some kindness. Math Girl 72, to too, You will be pleasantly surprised. It has changed my life and it provides a smoother transition for those struggling with the whole Paleo idea. Very well justified by science. Thank you and thanks for allowing me to offer help to others. I've spent less time here over the last few months b/c the obsessiveness of some poster – Lisa Jul 14 at 12:17
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 So exactly 72 grams of carbs per day is the perfect amount for both me, a short, 55 year old, menopausal, only moderately active, insulin resistant woman and my incredibly active, 6'5" lean son-in-law. And if either of us eats 71 or 73 gms a day, we're off the perfect mark. Somehow I'm just not buying that. So sorry if that seems unreasonable. (I'll skip the book) – Karen Jul 22 at 0:33
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