Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

1

Hi All, I've been paleo for about 1 year. found PH late, because of my bro! Was very low carb for a while and didn't love it. fixed some issues, gained some weight, feel better. But, mostly, my skin has been terrible, except for the one week I did a gaps experiment - boiled zucchini, yellow squash, beef broth, and beef. I don't think I ate anything else. and I ate all my meals alone! It was "healthy" and unhealthy at the same time.

I guess I didn't heal my gut though, because the acne came back.

I plan on getting a metametrix test and food allergies test and changing my behavior based on those.

I hate this, I feel better, sleep better but I look sick. I can't wax about Paleo benefits even though it's fixed a lot of other problems because I'm obviously doing something wrong. I'm no picture of health.

(1) Has anyone used their metametrix test results to "fix" themselves? (with or without the help of a doctor?)

(2) Has anyone here taken anti-fungals, antibiotics (or even together), etc and are you still ok? I have this HUGE fear of medicine now, because it's what brought me here - many courses of antibiotics, four rounds!, misdiagnosis on the cause for my anemia, etc. etc.

(3) can anyone recommend a good support group for this, outside of acne.org? I mean, people who have really had mold, yeast, bacterial acne issues, eat a paleo type diet, AND have had metametrix (or other parasite, GI Effects-type testing) done? Anyone interested in trying it? My tests are expensive, but worth it to me. Tired of futzing around with supplements ($$$), foods, obsessing, and obsessing.

I'm so tired of being obsessive about what I eat. Thanks for your help.

flag	asked Oct 24 at 15:07 elf27 1,237●11

Judi · Answer 1 · 2012-10-24 17:07:03Z UTC

1

I can't answer your specific questions, but I think it's going to take more than one week to heal your gut. More like 1-3 mos is my understanding.

answered Oct 24 at 17:07

Judi
704●1●4

	no I agree with that. thanks Judi. It's just, when you read all the acne threads, it's the blind leading the blind. people say cut out fruit, low carb, but GAPS is the only unifying theory but doesn't always improve acne. I'm just curious if a support group (eating paleo) could identify if the diet worsens yeast, fungi, or bacteria, or the experiences of people who added back in western medicine, the way Paul Jaminet did. I think meat + veggies could fall short on addressing fungal, bacterial, or yeast issues. – elf27 Oct 24 at 18:55
	Paul Jaminet went paleo, VLC, his problems worsened, and he took antibiotics, added back in some starch (sweet potatoes + white rice), and improved considerably. Just curious if more people would be willing to try this route. – elf27 Oct 24 at 18:56

VB · Answer 2 · 2012-10-24 19:15:40Z UTC

I agree with Judi. I actually think it will take longer than 6 months, maybe a year.

I was misdiagnosed by many doctors. Took PPIs and it really messed up my system. You think you have it bad? Try sleeping 18 hours per day for 6 months!

Sorry, I never had acne and don't know what to tell you other than this:

Eat fermented foods with every meal. Consider adding therapeutic strength probiotics from your refrigerated section.
No sweets/sugar of any kind. No candy for Halloween!
Reduce your carb intake. I would even eliminate fruit and nuts.
No dairy for now.
Go back to GAPS again.
Bone broth with every meal.
Liver once per day.

Consider healing your gut number 1 priority. You will make it, don't worry!

Yvette · Answer 3 · 2012-10-25 22:55:07Z UTC

I, too, have continued to have cystic acne, even with eating very clean on Paleo. However, I can give you some suggestions.

Take Borage Oil as it is chalk full of gamma linoleic acid, something many people with acne and broken gut floras are deficient in. Oleic acid takes over and acne occurs.
Purchase Practical Paleo and follow the gut healing and autoimmune regimen as it also incorporates GAPS and gut healing, along with many recipes.
Ditch the dairy altogether in all respects.

Have you ever tried the Oil Cleansing Method. I've seen great results from this too. My skin looks a whole lot better than it did a month ago when I first started on the AI/Gut Healing Protocol in Practical Paleo.

Liz · Answer 4 · 2012-10-28 13:34:17Z UTC

Its funny the recommendations to heal acne are going low carb. I don't think thats the problem. Back when I was doing the Fruitarian experiment, all my acne went away, no new stuff formed either, even though I was using crappy makeup. A fruit diet would be high in sugar, so I don't think its the sugar, or the carbs.

Right now Im getting breakouts again, been eating a lot of store bought salsa with blue corn chips (lots of salt), some fruit, yesterday I had in a restaurant a very greasy pork dish, with rice and peas and a bit of fried plantain (lots of fat).

I think its all the added fat in the fried foods, and all the salt and condiments plus the additives in the corn chips.

In the fruitarian experiment my skin wasn't as oily. I always envied those girls with drier skin that NEVER broke out, I remember saying to myself yay Now I dont have oily skin! There something to that.

an acne strategy for a 1 year Paleo eater.

4 Answers