20Here’s a question from a reader you may be able to relate with. My answer is below.
I am 60, have a hypothyroid, and continue to suffer from hot flashes to the point where I take a low dose of bio-identical hrt to manage this. And in retrospect was suffering many s/s of overall inflammation.: joint pains, fatigue, weird skin things, brain fog, a feeling of being toxic, almost impossible to lose weight, and an ‘uncomfortableness’ after having a BM. I had loose stools, and discomfort after defecating.
In the Fall I started going towards a Paleo lifestyle. At first gradually (80/20). Like so many others I was amazed. I felt better than I had in years, dropped a few pounds, skin was clearer, and my bowels straightened out. Great! By the time I started on the 30 day challenge I was already 95%. Paleo. What I gave up primarily was my cream for the one cup of tea I had in the AM., and occasionally cheese.
Things went well, until the 4th week. For the past 5-6 days, my gut has been much inflamed. Over the past days I have not been feeling well. I am achy all over, tired, and my bowel picture seems to have reverted to the pre dietary change mode, but worse.
So my question is could this be a delayed detox picture? I really did not have any negative symptoms at the beginning.
My diet has been fairly consistent during the Whole 30. Breakfast is usually eggs, with veg, or sausage and a sautéed apple in coconut oil. Sometimes 1/2 of a sweet potato, or some winter squash. Lunch: a large salad with chicken or tuna with homemade mayo, or olive oil and lemon. I have almonds for snacks or sunflower seeds. Dinner is meat, fish, or chicken and I get organic when feasible, with green veg, and paleo okay carbs such as squash, plantain etc. I eat 2 pieces of fruit a day.
In the past few days I have eliminated raw veg, and mostly eating chicken and winter squash. Today is the second day I am lying low.
I am confused, today is my 30th day. Any input would be very welcomed.
Thanks
Well, it sounds like you’re doing all the right things, and I’m really happy to hear you were having so much success! It’s unfortunate you’re having problems now, but I’m confident you can figure out this issue.
It’s a constant process weeding out the things that make us feel bad and adding more things in that make us feel good, so just stick with it and you’ll get it eventually!
It’s hard to say what’s going on, but these are the things that come to mind:
1) Maybe you’re not getting enough probiotics in your diet. I’d go get like a 50 billion organism probiotic supplement from the health food store and take it once a day. Or get Inner Eco from a health food store (fermented coconut water). And/or eat more cultured foods like raw sauerkraut, kim chi, etc.
2) Could be you’re getting something you’re sensitive to in your diet you’re not aware of? Have you changed anything, even started taking a supplement in the last week that has weird ingredients, or a pharmaceutical change?
3) You could be sick. Like, as in, a stomach bug.
4) You could be responding to one of the foods you’re eating all the time. My first inclination is the nuts and seeds. They give so many people problems that I’d experiment with those first if you think it could be contributing.
But a detox 4 weeks after starting Paleo? I’ve never heard of that, so I think it’s probably something else. I wrote another blog post on the reasons people get gastrointestinal stuff while on Paleo, called “Still Having Digestive Problems While Eating Paleo” that you should read. There are more ideas in there about what to try and why this is happening.
In any case, I wish you all the best in figuring this out!
What have you, dear readers, found was the culprit when you had digestive stuff after going Paleo?
