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I'm sick at least 1-2 or more times a month (moderate-severe colds). When I'm not "sick" I'm coughing all the time. I take a probiotic every day, and even since eating strict whole30 I've been sick twice (in 3 weeks). This has been going on for years regardless of what my diet is. Why am I always sick?

Edit: I've been eating paleo for 3 years so I don't think it's my body transitioning to low carb. I change around what I eat now and then within paleo eating and there's been no difference in my colds.

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7 Answers

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Just randomly off my head:

  • Ditch the extra probiotics, veggies (to be more precise, their fibre content) are probiotic enough;
  • Getting enough sunlight = Vitamin D?
  • Getting enough vitamin C? (doing whole30 you should be)
  • Are you getting enough sleep?

Anyways, it would be helpful if you gave us more details about your eating & sleeping habits, the environment you're living and working in, and how you have been eating before doing the whole30...

Cheers!

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I'm going to big time recommend the Vitamin D. Ever since my family (my husband, my 6 month old, and I) started on the D we haven't been sick once. My husband used to get colds almost once a month. – Aughra Jun 14 2011 at 3:50
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I take 2-3,000 IUs of vitamin D a day, plus I live in Hawaii so I get sun exposure. – Danielle Jun 14 2011 at 3:53
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You'll get better answers than this I hope, but have you been tested for allergies? Could it be an environmental allergy like mold? My husband's allergies are awful and I'd think it was the flu if he hadn't told me it's allergies. As someone without allergies, I didn't realize how bad they can be till I married him.

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For years I've always thought that I was always getting colds, especially sore throats. Only now am I finding out that I wasn't sick - it was food intolerance. – PrimalAspie Sep 3 2011 at 0:00
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If you just started, then being sick twice in the first three weeks is not surprising; it's just standard low carb flu symptoms. I was sick at first too. The general story of low carb flu is that your body is undergoing a massive chemical transition, from burning carbs for fuel, to opening up fat-burning pathways instead. So don't sweat it.

Given that you've been sick for a while, you can expect that to change as time goes on. I was also a rather sickly person, but once I got over low carb flu my sickliness pretty much disappeared.

If you've been paleo for a while, then we need more info: what do you eat, how do you sleep, etc. People with severely damaged metabolisms have to start more strictly. For example, Chris Kresser talks about some patients who have to follow something very close to the GAPS protocol (I forget what that stands for, but it begins with nothing but bone broth, then includes meat, then some veggies, then more veggies, and so on).

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You have to be having a reaction to something that is causing your cold-type symptoms. Do you drink alcohol? The only kind I can drink w/o aftereffects is 100% agave tequila. Do you use vinegar? Vinegar always messes with me no matter what kind. Are you being hyper-aware of your grain consumption? i.e. Soy is hidden in everything.

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No I don't drink alcohol, when I do I drink patron and get sick after (a cold). I don't eat any processed foods (cook alm my own foods and always check labels) or vinegar. – Danielle Jun 14 2011 at 4:00
all my own foods* – Danielle Jun 14 2011 at 4:01
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Sleep, sunlight and stress were the first things that came to mind when I saw this post.

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+1 on Stress, didn't think of that. Huge factor for me. – Jan Jun 14 2011 at 4:41
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Being paleo is not a cure-all unfortunately, it does help over-all health tremendously though. Even though you get sun where you live and take some supplements perhaps you are not getting enough vit D, could consider a test to see what your levels are. Sleep is a huge factor in health as is stress, the 'terrible-twosome'. You may have some under-laying chronic metabolic derangement that does not manifest itself in obvious ways. Don't be afraid to go to your doctor and request a full work-up of tests, I thought I was dam healthy a few years back until i had a few basic tests done that showed some markers that needed improving.

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Josh, what would I request for "full tests"? – Danielle Jun 14 2011 at 4:58
Danielle, since I live in Canada the tests up here have different names, etc. I asked for a full blood work up, Vit D level, thyroid, diabetes, iron, liver, cholesterol, iron, etc. I just told my doctor I wanted a very detailed overview of my state of health and wanted every test that was available lol. I have a great doctor and he has been watching the changes in me with interest, since I went paleo. – Josh M Jun 14 2011 at 13:41
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I used to be sick all the time too. My doctor said my thyroid was a tiny bit low. I beged him to treat me for it. He di and now I am 70% better which is good enough for now. Levthyroxine fom 35mcg to 75mcg now.

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