Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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Female 23, 58kg (probably gained since last). Waist 72cm. Looking out of shape with a distinct apple figure (more like chicken figure). Removed Implanon two months ago, regained a little bit of libido. Still no period, or actual libido and everything disgusts me. Incredible cravings for carbs and especially very doughy things.

Typical menu:
Lots of butter and lard and coconut oil
Chicken, salmon, mackerel, beef, pork
Broccoli, spinach, salad, garlic, onion and other types of low carb veggies.

Multivitamineral, 3-type magnesium, vit D, zinc, Fish oil, vit K, L-glutamine

I've been gaining weight around my middle and behind and I'm completely unable to lose it. I can't relax with breathing exercises or meditation or films. I go for regular walks and move around quite a bit, but exercising absolutely kills me lately, but it can't all be due to lack of exercise.

I look very worn out with dark circles around my eyes and my skin is not well and feels loose. I have no interest in anything and I can't laugh. I take everything seriously. I have lots of energy, but no interest in doing anything with it. Everything bores me. I can't stand listening to people and I can't think of anything to say. My face is always dead-pan.

I don't recognize myself at all! I'm completely apathetic and don't care how things go anymore, since I stressed myself out over my academic results and high work morale. I used to be very easy going, but now I'm like a bridezilla and everything needs to be perfect and clean.

Very afraid of going to the doctor. I'm paranoid about them thinking I'm hypochondriac. They usually do. The standard bloodwork came back normal, includng T3, T4 and TSH, but haven't had other hormones checked.

I haven't taken care of my looks for a few months, while I used to be very vain. My hair is good and my skin isn't oily, but it looks very worn out. I don't get sick at all, and my mite allergy disappeared all of a sudden.

I have started smoking again since two days ago and drink in the middle of the day and eat bread like crazy. None of these things relax me. I can't sleep, but I'm in bed all day like a whale. It hasn't made any change in how I feel. I don't feel worse or better.

I always wake up feeling tired, but I jump up and run around anyway. I just don't feel refreshed.

I have checked symptoms for high cortisol, and even though a lot of things match, I don't particularly feel stressed.

Appreciate your time and answer. It'd be very nice if it's not along the lines of "exercise more" or "up your fats" or "relax". I've been searching for answers extensively. Also, part-taking in a hobby is a very good idea, but I've lost interest in all my hobbies :(

Thank you

EDIT: Thank you all for the response! It helped tremendously. I have decided to make a big change in life and steer off the current education path I was on in pursuit of a traveling freelance nomad lifestyle! I also started taking Cortisol Manager two days ago and it has helped in making me more relaxed and productive and happier, so I don't feel like a headless chicken anymore.

edited Feb 10 2012 at 1:18

asked Feb 1 2012 at 2:51

Harlekini
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+1 for being so honest. – legup Feb 1 2012 at 4:34

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While you sound depressed, most if not all of your symtpoms can be caused by the following. Too low carbohydrate intake. Vitamin D deficiency along with Calcium. In fact, I would bet $100 you have low D levels and also are losing calcium (since your not getting any in your diet). Vitamin A/k/E are also low I bet. Chromium could be low too. IMO, take 10,000iu vit D, and a good multi vitamin, and add in some carbs, preferably after doing something strenuous. Try a carb up and vitamin day and see how that makes you feel. The worse that could happen? Nothing. – Bill1102inf Feb 1 2012 at 5:51

Calcium is included in my vitamineral, and it came back normal from the test. I take about 3 tablets of 140iu Vit D per day and although it's winter, there is still sun here. The sun helps a little. I do take K2 separately, and it has helped my hair and nails and made my skin less oily. I took E before but it didn't do anything at all. I'll try more carbs, thanks :) – Harlekini Feb 1 2012 at 7:30

I think you need more starchy carbs. From what I can tell you are eating VLC. This made me feel like crap, I suspect you may be the same. Try adding in small quantities of safe starches at first and see if you feel any better. When I did this I noticed a near immediate improvement in mood. Fix your mood first, then weight loss (if that's your goal). – Andy Feb 1 2012 at 20:57

tatty · Answer 1 · 2012-02-01 03:03:33Z UTC

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It sounds very much like you could be experiencing depression. I'd recommend either asking your doctor or looking into a psychologist/psychiatrist. It sounds like you are doing everything possible to feel better but having gone through mental illness myself I can say sometimes you just need more than that to get through.

answered Feb 1 2012 at 3:03

tatty
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Thank you. I am quite depressed. In a foreign country, so I miss my friends and family etc, but I also dread going back and meeting them since it would mean expectations = stress. I'm very poor at getting help from professionals since they always dismiss me and I go out of the office empty handed/with bogus prescriptions for symptoms rather than for causes :/ – Harlekini Feb 1 2012 at 3:07

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I truly sympathize with struggling to put what seems like one's burdensome issues on friends/family/specialists- i've been there/am there. But what you are experiencing not something one should have to face on their own. You don't not deserve dismissal! Medication can sometimes be helpful and make a huge difference - my attitude is that drugs are no answer but can be a safety net when one is in real despair that allows you to go on and do the real work to beat the illness. Talking is vital - I can't stress how much CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) can bring change. Wish I could help more. – tatty Feb 1 2012 at 4:20

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Perhaps CBT might help. I've had friends who have had great progress with it. Hope I can find the courage to try and convince the doctor that it might do me good – Harlekini Feb 1 2012 at 5:22

Check out some Saint John's Wort preparations- I am extremely skeptical of herbal "medicine", but this has shown very promising trials, and might be worth a shot in the meantime. I have been on various anti-depressants for 6 years, and have recently started taking this and self dosing. It seems to help, whether by placebo or mechanism, and I'm fine with either being the reason. – JeJ Feb 10 2012 at 3:06

legup · Answer 2 · 2012-02-01 04:56:21Z UTC

I feel like any way I put this answer it's going to sound so lame....but, I dance on the edge of depression often in my adult life, and my lifesavers have been:

adopting a dog from the shelter and making it a priority to get out and walk every day. I am always glad I did, even on the days I really didn't want too.

volunteering and focusing on others' problems/solutions.

closing my facebook account so I don't have to hear how AMAZING everyone wants me to think their life is.

I just read that you are in a foreign country. Maybe you need the facebook thing, to keep in touch. Isolation is a depression no-no! If nothing helps, I hope you do try to find a therapist or doctor who can hear what you are really saying and will address your problems effectively! And, try to add some good carbs! There is a lot of great info on here about that. I wish you good luck.

JitzGrrl · Answer 3 · 2012-02-01 05:31:39Z UTC

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You sound chemically/clinically depressed. I've so been there! Exercise, sun, food, etc are great for keeping me happy, but not digging out of the hole.

The three things i've found useful at various points are: 1) sam-E 2) 5-htp 3) St. John's wort. TRY ANY ONE OF THEM- DON'T STACK THEM! That list is most effective to least effective for me, although I take 5-htp longterm instead of sam-E since it's cheaper.

answered Feb 1 2012 at 5:31

JitzGrrl
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	Heh I worked my * off to for some money but now that's been at the expense of my health, I really don't care. I'd pay all of it for 1. expensive supplements 2. King Kong to lift me out of here and put me on a tropical island. Haven't heard of Sam-E, will definitely check it out and also try to find St.John's Wort since two people have recommended it now. Thank you. – Harlekini Feb 1 2012 at 7:39
	just don't mix em or combine them with RX antidepressants ok? – Moonablaze Feb 2 2012 at 7:42

HippiPaleo · Answer 4 · 2012-02-01 05:35:12Z UTC

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Implanon can really mess some people up.

Have you considered trying some herbs such as vitex, or evening primrose? Both can be beneficial in balancing your hormones/mood but can take up to 2 months to show an improvement. If you can find a local herbal remedy shop, ask them to blend some vitex and st john's wort together into a tea and try 2-3 cups a day (don't take the st john's wort if you are on antidepressants though) and take evening primrose in capsule form. Goodluck :)

answered Feb 1 2012 at 5:35

HippiPaleo
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So far I've ordered cortisol manager to see if that's my problem. Very intrigued by St John's wort! I'll see if I can find it at the drug store. Don't take any pills except for supplements. But you might be on the money with the Implanon, it has surely messed me up and that makes me even more depressed haha – Harlekini Feb 1 2012 at 7:36

I'm getting my implanon out in the next week or so. I put weight on with the first, got a gut with my second and in hinesight I think it may have made me a bit depressed/hormonal cow/stressed. I don't know why I went back for a third, but the third confirmed everything I was feeling as I suddenly was ravenous all the time and teary too. I found a forum the other day and there are literally thousands of women saying the same. An aha moment for me. Here's the forum femalefirst.co.uk/board/… – HippiPaleo Feb 3 2012 at 14:42

CharlotteM · Answer 5 · 2012-02-01 20:19:01Z UTC

Folks above have good answers -- I'm really sympathetic to the situation you describe. It sounds a lot like some of my depressive symptoms, although our experiences are no doubt quite different.

A couple of thoughts -- my thyroid levels were in the 'normal' range but they were at the low end. I benefited a lot from taking Levothyroxine (can't remember if that's t-3 or t-4, sorry.) Some docs believe that this is an okay thing to do, others stick very closely to the "normal" range found in textbooks.

About exercise -- sometimes the only thing that motivates me to go to the gym is reminding myself that I wouldn't ever just not take my meds because I don't feel like it. Exercise IS medicine to me. On my worst days, sometimes the only exercise I get is walking the dog, or walking the dog and then riding a stationary bike at a slow pace. But I do it because, again, I think of it as being like medicine. Don't know if that idea would be helpful to you or not.

(My pound puppy is also a huge help, although mostly with anxiety and with short-circuiting some of my suicidal thinking.)

livia · Answer 6 · 2012-02-01 04:16:16Z UTC

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Are you consuming any alcohol? I know I feel like crap and gain loads of belly weight when I drink wine.

answered Feb 1 2012 at 4:16

livia
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Generally no. Once in a blue moon perhaps. Maybe once every three months. I don't go out much. Up until now I've had too much to do, so no time to go out. Now I've given up going to school and resigned from work (was throwing 80 hour weeks). Not really feeling sexy enough to go out for a drink. – Harlekini Feb 1 2012 at 5:24

Matt B · Answer 7 · 2012-02-01 20:41:56Z UTC

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I would think a Perfect Health Diet style intervention may be worthwhile. Also, you list the fats first, you might want to run a calorie count for a couple days to make sure you're staying where you ought to be for your activity level.

answered Feb 1 2012 at 20:41

Matt B
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Thank you. Calories range between 1200 to 3000 depending on hunger levels. I don't aim at anything specifically. – Harlekini Feb 2 2012 at 0:15

gismcieri · Answer 8 · 2012-02-01 04:11:30Z UTC

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You didn't mention you exercise plan. They may help with you moods. Something as easy as long walks may help.

answered Feb 1 2012 at 4:11

gismcieri
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HA · Answer 9 · 2012-02-02 06:32:39Z UTC

A few things-1200 calories is pretty low--is it possible you need more food? Secondly, the amount of D3 you're taking is pretty low-I go for about 4k/day. But you would need to get your levels checked to see how much you need to take--the old levels of 20-100 being normal are being reconsidered now, and people are talking about more like 60 being better. But check with your doc. Also, how's your adrenal function? Any possibility of adrenal fatigue?

I'm a psychologist, and it also definitely could be depression. It's always worth checking into whether a med can help, and a good therapist, regardless of their theoretical orientation, could be a game changer. I highly recommend asking people you know/trust for names of good therapists--then give them a call to see if it feels like a fit. I wrote an article about how to choose a therapist-LMK if you want me to send it you back channel.

Good luck!

Hack how awful I’m feeling

9 Answers