Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

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So this might be a silly question but I'm reading about all these different diets to heal/strengthen the gut & to kill bacteria/candida (ie low starch, low carb etc..)

I haven't been diagnosed with SIBO or leaky gut but I'm pretty sure on some level that is what I have. I know what foods irritate my gut, what causes bloating/gas/stomach ache and I avoid them.

I'm eating my clean diet which includes rice & sweet potatoes.

I know if you're trying to heal a leaky gut, you should avoid grains but they don't bother me (I'm of Asian descent if that matters). As far as sweet potatoes, I love them and they don't bother me but I know the GAPS diet tells you not to for SIBO.

My body is telling me "I feel good" but I'm wondering is that enough? Is there a possibility that there is damage being done without me feeling it?

flag	asked Aug 31 2011 at 18:26 Cherry Berry 165●1●6

	That's always a tricky thing.From some past personal experiences,I know that whenever "I feel good" bc of eating something,I was actually harming myself.Otherwise there've been instances when "I feel good" really was beneficial to my body. I still battle with 'trusting myself' foodwise,having certain cravings...I try to focus on any symptoms physically or mentally over the course of 24hours. – Joey Aug 31 2011 at 19:59
	Hi Joey, can you give me an example of what you were eating that made you feel good/healthy that was harming your body? – Cherry Berry Aug 31 2011 at 21:50
	In my non-Paleo days,definitely gluten. Paleo-wise: tomatoes&paprika and I'm still questioning pumpkin. – Joey Sep 1 2011 at 12:19

UncleLongHair · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-01 09:08:38Z UTC

I guess it is hard to say, but I didn't know that I had gut issues and/or problems with grains or gluten until I adopted a Paleo diet. I had been putting up with symptoms that I thought were normal, unavoidable, or just part of getting older (I am 41). Then I changed my diet and lost 20 pounds pretty quickly and a laundry list of minor problems went away - minor skin conditions, muscle and joint soreness, digestive problems several times per week, irregular sleep, etc.

Maybe my point is, have high standards for your health. Expect to get sick (colds, flu, etc) very infrequently, say once every year or two. Expect to be trim and attractive, to be able to race up a flight of stairs at any time, get good sleep, have digestion regular enough to set a clock, enjoy being outdoors, able to relax easily, etc. If you don't have all of these things in spades, consider changing your diet and/or lifestyle.

Cave Tomboy · Answer 2 · 2011-09-01 08:43:17Z UTC

I think if you are being honest with yourself, yes, this can be enough. The problem some of us had for so long was that we accepted a level of chronic discomfort, telling ourselves it was "normal" when we really did not know what "healthy" actually felt like. This is why I really appreciated Robb Wolf's 30-day strict approach -- when I was totally symptom free and knew what "healthy" felt like, it was much easier to try x or y and honestly assess whether it worked for me or not -- or whether I was willing to suffer the consequences.

Is bodily/gut feedback enough?

2 Answers