I am still loving the new transition into Paleo. I am still losing weight, but it has slowed down a bit after returning to work. It seems I'm a bit more hungrier now and working through that transition. I can say though that the nutrient dense food is much healthier on my side. I have more energy and my overall health is still improving. I don't feel so "congested" any longer. And, I'm not just talking about my nose. I felt congested all over my body last year and things were not improving. I was swelling and bloating, and it seemed my sinus were always stopped up or crusted.
Since I started work, I found i was having difficulty sleeping again. So I've added 1/2 cup oat granola to my bedroom routine and that has seemed to help. I know that is a no-no on the Paleo list, but we have to survive. And sleep is a natural survival method. I know at one point over the summer, I ousted that for a month and slept amazingly fine. So, it may take some time for my body to adjust. I've also kept calcium in the form of kefier and certain cheeses that don't bother me. I feel any tweaks we make to any diet is OK with our community as long as we see improvement. It takes our bodies longer to become comfortable for new routines. Right now, I'm taking things slow. And as long as weight loss continues and mental clarity increases I'm all on board.
I'd like to share an article with you for all those who are trying this new method of eating. It relates to common pitfalls you may experience, too. It's from Be Well:
When adopting a paleo diet, patients can begin to see and feel positive results within weeks, often including increased energy, weight loss, and improved digestion. While following this grain-free, Paleo diet, the body can normalize hunger hormones, repair the gut and begin to shed extra weight, however there are a few common setbacks that can cause people to fall off track. Here are 5 common “Paleo Pitfalls”, and how you can avoid them…
1. “CARB FLU”
“Carbohydrate flu” is a term that is commonly used to describe feelings of body aches, upset stomach, low energy and headaches that are felt during the early stages of adopting a paleo diet. These symptoms are most often attributed to a greatly lower carbohydrate intake than the body is used to. These symptoms are most common if transitioning from a Standard American Diet, high in refined and processed foods, to a whole food based Paleo diet. It is possible to transition to a Paleo diet and maintain a healthy carbohydrate intake with fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, winter squashes and other root vegetables to avoid these symptoms. If you are trying to initiate ketosis or focusing on a very low carbohydrate state for weight loss and fat burning, the symptoms may be inevitable in the early stages. Although uncomfortable, these symptoms typically resolve within a week or two as the body adapts to the lower carbohydrate state.
2. CONSTIPATION
Constipation is a top complaint of people who adopt a paleo diet. The initial increase in protein on the paleo diet can cause a loss of water and electrolytes which contributes to constipation. Maintaining adequate water intake each day can help combat this problem. Another helpful key is to make sure you are seasoning your food using unrefined salt, such as Himalayan sea salt. Salt intake is greatly reduced when you stop eating refined foods so adding a pinch of salt to your meal can help restore the balance that is often offset by the paleo diet. If you are having a particularly difficult time, the Ayurvedic supplement triphala can help get things moving. (I found this lasted only a few weeks)
3. SKIMPING ON FAT
If transitioning from a standard American diet where fat, particularly saturated fat, has been demonized, it can be shocking to start consuming fats regularly. People who transition to paleo but keep a “low fat” mentality are missing out on the health and weight-loss benefits that good quality fats provide. Incorporating healthy fats like grass-fed butter, olive oil, coconut oil and avocado will help you feel full and satiated at meals, preventing cravings between meals. Saturated fat is also necessary for healthy hormone production and brain health.
4. EATING TOO MANY NUTS
Nuts and nut butters are an easy on-the-go food when eating a paleo diet, making them easy to overdo. However, over-consuming nuts commonly causes stomach upset and bloating. While they are a handy snack in a pinch and are a great addition to smoothies, nuts are high in phytates (phytic acid), which binds to minerals passing through the GI tract and prevents those minerals from being properly absorbed. Additionally, because nuts are higher in Omega-6 fatty acids (which tend to be pro-inflammatory) compared to Omega-3 fatty acids (which help reduce inflammation in the body), overindulging on them can actually create unwanted inflammation. Ideally, keep your nut and nut butter consumption to one to two servings per day.
5. MISSING OUT ON PREBIOTICS
Legumes are credited for giving the gut plenty of soluble prebiotic fiber which is the fiber that serves as the food source for healthy bacteria in the gut. When you remove legumes from the diet, making a conscious effort to increase soluble fiber with prebiotic vegetables is a must to keep your gut microbiome in top shape. Making sure to include foods like onion, garlic, leafy greens such as dandelion and chicory, leeks, asparagus, radish and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower can help serve your gut bacteria and promote a healthy microbiome.
Since I started work, I found i was having difficulty sleeping again. So I've added 1/2 cup oat granola to my bedroom routine and that has seemed to help. I know that is a no-no on the Paleo list, but we have to survive. And sleep is a natural survival method. I know at one point over the summer, I ousted that for a month and slept amazingly fine. So, it may take some time for my body to adjust. I've also kept calcium in the form of kefier and certain cheeses that don't bother me. I feel any tweaks we make to any diet is OK with our community as long as we see improvement. It takes our bodies longer to become comfortable for new routines. Right now, I'm taking things slow. And as long as weight loss continues and mental clarity increases I'm all on board.
I'd like to share an article with you for all those who are trying this new method of eating. It relates to common pitfalls you may experience, too. It's from Be Well:
When adopting a paleo diet, patients can begin to see and feel positive results within weeks, often including increased energy, weight loss, and improved digestion. While following this grain-free, Paleo diet, the body can normalize hunger hormones, repair the gut and begin to shed extra weight, however there are a few common setbacks that can cause people to fall off track. Here are 5 common “Paleo Pitfalls”, and how you can avoid them…
1. “CARB FLU”
“Carbohydrate flu” is a term that is commonly used to describe feelings of body aches, upset stomach, low energy and headaches that are felt during the early stages of adopting a paleo diet. These symptoms are most often attributed to a greatly lower carbohydrate intake than the body is used to. These symptoms are most common if transitioning from a Standard American Diet, high in refined and processed foods, to a whole food based Paleo diet. It is possible to transition to a Paleo diet and maintain a healthy carbohydrate intake with fruits and vegetables such as sweet potatoes, winter squashes and other root vegetables to avoid these symptoms. If you are trying to initiate ketosis or focusing on a very low carbohydrate state for weight loss and fat burning, the symptoms may be inevitable in the early stages. Although uncomfortable, these symptoms typically resolve within a week or two as the body adapts to the lower carbohydrate state.
2. CONSTIPATION
Constipation is a top complaint of people who adopt a paleo diet. The initial increase in protein on the paleo diet can cause a loss of water and electrolytes which contributes to constipation. Maintaining adequate water intake each day can help combat this problem. Another helpful key is to make sure you are seasoning your food using unrefined salt, such as Himalayan sea salt. Salt intake is greatly reduced when you stop eating refined foods so adding a pinch of salt to your meal can help restore the balance that is often offset by the paleo diet. If you are having a particularly difficult time, the Ayurvedic supplement triphala can help get things moving. (I found this lasted only a few weeks)
3. SKIMPING ON FAT
If transitioning from a standard American diet where fat, particularly saturated fat, has been demonized, it can be shocking to start consuming fats regularly. People who transition to paleo but keep a “low fat” mentality are missing out on the health and weight-loss benefits that good quality fats provide. Incorporating healthy fats like grass-fed butter, olive oil, coconut oil and avocado will help you feel full and satiated at meals, preventing cravings between meals. Saturated fat is also necessary for healthy hormone production and brain health.
4. EATING TOO MANY NUTS
Nuts and nut butters are an easy on-the-go food when eating a paleo diet, making them easy to overdo. However, over-consuming nuts commonly causes stomach upset and bloating. While they are a handy snack in a pinch and are a great addition to smoothies, nuts are high in phytates (phytic acid), which binds to minerals passing through the GI tract and prevents those minerals from being properly absorbed. Additionally, because nuts are higher in Omega-6 fatty acids (which tend to be pro-inflammatory) compared to Omega-3 fatty acids (which help reduce inflammation in the body), overindulging on them can actually create unwanted inflammation. Ideally, keep your nut and nut butter consumption to one to two servings per day.
5. MISSING OUT ON PREBIOTICS
Legumes are credited for giving the gut plenty of soluble prebiotic fiber which is the fiber that serves as the food source for healthy bacteria in the gut. When you remove legumes from the diet, making a conscious effort to increase soluble fiber with prebiotic vegetables is a must to keep your gut microbiome in top shape. Making sure to include foods like onion, garlic, leafy greens such as dandelion and chicory, leeks, asparagus, radish and cruciferous veggies like broccoli and cauliflower can help serve your gut bacteria and promote a healthy microbiome.
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