Calling all Paleos

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:35 pm

Hi there Paleos!

I have truly entered the world of Paleo! I am eating only meats and veggies for now. I can't do fruit yet. It is helping the D though,

. No normans yet

. I have to eat a lot of fat to fill in or I get very hungry even eating 6 times /day. Is coconut oil ok? What about coconut milk? Were any of you sensitive to fruit too? I had so much trouble with almonds so I am afraid to try other nuts. I am eating a lot of avocados. Olives don't seem to be good for me, black or green. I am still eating eggs, I guess that isn't Paleo. Any suggestions?

Pat

starfire · Post by **starfire** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:58 pm

Pat,
I have a feeling that Paleo people ate bird's eggs whenever they could find them, don't you?

I see no reason why eggs couldn't be considered paleo. As long as they don't give you a problem, I'd eat them. I certainly plan to do so.

I'm really glad you are feeling better and I'd eat coconut too if it doesn't bother you. Call it a modified Paleo if you must.....

Just feel better

That's all that matters.

Love, Shirley

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:17 pm

Pat,

Welcome to the cave. I have been doing really well on my modified Paleo diet. I still can't eat fresh fruit and have resorted to using canned (the "lite" made with fruit juice instead of sugar) and applesauce. I think I am having a problem with eggs and haven't had any for a few days. I have returned to normal (YEAH). I'm going to have to save my pennies to get tested for them so for now I'll just eliminate.

You might try some other nut than almond. I can't eat macadamia nuts (may be too much fat) even though I love them. I'm not having problems with almonds, cashews or peanuts.

Good luck to you.

Jan

Post by **tex** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:39 pm

Pat,

I'm not on the paleo diet, but Shirley is quite correct - eggs are a legitimate paleo food item. Coconuts and their by-products are also paleo items.

I hope you continue to improve. In general, the more meat you eat, the more fat you need. In fact, it's possible to survive on meat alone, but it has to be fatty meat, otherwise you will get what's known as "rabbit starvation", which can be fatal, if not corrected:

http://www.biblelife.org/stefansson2.htm

Tex

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:53 pm

Thanks Shirley, Jan, and Tex,

I need all the support I can get. This is so hard sometimes. I am also battling a sinus situation, probably an infection, with lots of saline, decongestants, and mucinex. I really do not want antibiotics! I kinda thought eggs might be ok, and the coconut (not the raw but oil and milk).

Jan,
So what makes canned fruit ok, but not fresh? What is it that is so different? Just curious what your opinion is?

Pat

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 5:58 am

Pat,

The only thing about fruit that I can think of is it is somewhat cooked when the fruit goes through the canning process. I am still having problems with fresh veggies also and have to overcook most that I eat. I don't know if it's because of the gut not ever healing or the extra fiber in fresh that is broken down in cooking or what. I do have problems eating high fiber food or taking a fiber supplement. The GI says it should firm me up but it sure does the opposite.

Jan

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:36 am

WOW! A party of cavedwellers! How cool! Three cheers for Pat, Jan, and Shirley!

I agree with Shirley and Tex about the eggs. And I believe Cordain (the expert on the paleo diet) includes them. When I found I was intolerant to eggs I had been eating so many of them. Am hoping that I can re-introduce them one or two times a week, now that I have avoided them for 8 mo. I don't do well with coconut milk, but many do and hopefully you'll do just fine. Remember, I have that double DQ1 pattern, which is associated with MANY intolerances, so if anyone is going to react, it'll be ME. Sigh.

A good tip is to always make extra at each meal - that way you can have leftovers for snacks the next day. One member here grills lots of pieces of chicken at once, for example, on the weekend, and then wraps them individually to have on hand all week. You can make big pots of soup on the weekend and do the same. A baked sweet potato makes a good snack - you can nuke it in 7 min. or so.

Pat, re your sinuses........... I am now an expert on this topic, after having 2 sinus surgeries last year after a dental procedure resulted in a chronic sinus infection (only on one side). In fact, I am currently on antibiotics for yet another infection. Cipro is what I'm taking - it seems to be the easiest on the gut if you have to take one.. Have you gotten a Neil-Med saline irrigation bottle yet (not the neti pot but the squeeze bottle)? It is an easy way to do sinus irrigation once or twice a day. My ENT doc says it makes a huge difference - he just started recommending it. I saw it at Target for $10 - it's $12 at CVS. If we use it every day it washes out pollen/pollutants/germs that otherwise might lead to infection. I just began using it a few weeks ago.

Jan...........don't forget that peanuts are legumes like soy and beans. You might be better off with the other (tree) nuts.

It's so good to see y'all here!

Love,

Polly

Jan · Post by **Jan** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 2:55 pm

Pat,

I was thinking about you and almonds today while I was grocery shopping. Have you tried one of the nut butters? That might be a way for you to get the additional fat and protein that you need to help get your weight back up.

Polly,

Thanks for the reminder about peanuts. I ate some yesterday with no reaction at all. I am really beginning to think it was eggs. I'm going to try a rotation and see what happens. I've been off eggs for 5 days now and feel totally back to normal, just a little tired.

Jan

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Mon Mar 23, 2009 7:52 pm

Polly,

I haven't gotten the Neil-Med bottle yet, but have been using what I have used for years and years, a good ole baby nasal suction bottle. It probably doesn't hold as much saline but if you keep filling it up and squirting it it works great! I fill it up squirt one side and then fill it up and squirt the other side and keep alternating until a cup of saline is gone. Amazing what comes out!

Thanks for the other suggestions. Keep 'em coming.

I get so tired of the same ole things.

Jan,

Almond butter is a no go and I am avoiding legumes for now so no peanut butter. Haven't tried any others. Keep thinking of things though.

I did try some canned pears last night and this morning and I gurgled all day. Don't think my gut is ready for fruit yet.

Thanks for all the suggestions Jan and Polly. Like I said keep them coming. I feel so limited. I have Cordain's book, but I don't feel that I am even there yet.

Pat

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 6:03 am

Hi Pat,

The sinus irrigation you are doing is perfect! Probably the only advantage of the bottle is that it is very soft plastic and easy to squeeze. Also, they say you can heat the plastic bottle with the solution right in the microwave. Do you mix up your own saline? I have done that using 1/4 tsp of pickling salt (the purest) per 8 oz. of water. If you wish, Neil Med makes premixed packets that are added to 8 oz. of water to make normal saline and they also have bicarbonate for buffering. It IS amazing what comes out, you are right.

Have you visited Elizabeth's blog yet? There are some good paleo recipes there:

www.cavemanfood.blogspot.com

Have you tried using romaine leaves to make sandwiches? Just stuff them with meat or chicken or whatever. Bacon and tomato makes a good one. If you can tolerate eggs, egg salad is good too.
Once your gut heals, I'm sure you will be able to tolerate all kinds of veggies/fruits. A tasty drink is 1/2 pure fruit juice and 1/2 seltzer water. Refreshing in summer! Also a smoothie made in the blender with 1/2 to one banana, frozen berries of any kind and a splash of pure apple juice is filling. I often have it for breakfast.

Love,

Polly

Gloria · Post by **Gloria** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 8:25 am

Hi everyone,
I react to both peanuts and cashews, but haven't had any problems with sunflower seeds. I buy sunflower butter and use it the same way I would use peanut butter - on rice cakes with jelly or on rice crackers. It tastes just like peanut butter to me.

I don't think that rice is allowable on the paleo diet - I probably eat a modified paleo diet because I include it.

Polly,
I've been afraid to try lettuce, other than a small amount in a sandwich. Is romaine lettuce less irritating than other lettuces, or is that something to try after we are healed?

Gloria

Polly · Post by **Polly** » Tue Mar 24, 2009 2:01 pm

Hi Gloria,

My guess is probably the same, unfortunately.

Love,

Polly

Pat · Post by **Pat** » Wed Mar 25, 2009 8:21 am

Thanks, Polly and Gloria.

I usually mix my own saline. It works very well. Even the lymph node that was sore is not sore now. Yeah!

I am completely intolerant of all fruit right now. I am so jealous of all the fruit many of you talk about. It gurgles and explodes out. I wouldn't even attempt lettuce of any kind. Maybe I will look for the sunflower butter. We are going to Houston tomorrow and maybe I can go to Whole Foods. Not sure what I would put it on, maybe just a spoon!

Pat