positively primal

So today I skimmed the The Paleo Diet by Loren Cordain, Ph.D. and I was surprised that I was so impressed.  I've never been one to follow fad diets, and the idea of eating a low carb/high protein diet seems out of character for me.  But lately there have been the health issues that keep cropping up that are making me reassess my lifestyle.

The first big news came when I was about 24 or 25 and I was diagnosed with primary lymphedema, otherwise known as elephantitis.  I was rather shocked to learn that the swelling in my legs and feet would never really go away, but after talking to people who knew my dad's side of the family well, I learned that my great-grandfather (who lived until I was about 16, so I knew him pretty well) also had lymphedema.  The good news is this is easily managed and I can go about with a normal life. . . with perhaps a bit more shoe and boot envy than the average gal.

Fast forward about 10 years, and I find out that my teeth are having a tough time in my mouth.  I'm losing bone that is needed to hold the teeth in and I'm developing deep pockets in my gums where food gets caught and creates more havoc.  And this is all happening regardless of my increasing (almost OCD) habit of brushing and flossing my teeth.  It culminated two years ago in oral surgery where the periodontist crushed up cadaver bone to fill in the holes.  My mouth is doing better, but there is still a possibility I will have to do this again.

And then, just seven months ago, I was diagnosed with Graves Disease.  My hands would not stop shaking, and as you might imagine, that is the last thing you want to have when holding unique manuscripts or rare books.  Graves Disease is the result of an overactive thyroid and while I have to admit, I love what it is doing to my metabolism, ultimately it is wreaking havoc inside.  My first question, when I found out that I had this, was to ask if I caused it?  The doctor assured me that it was nothing that I did; that it is most likely genetic.  But I couldn't help wonder if poor habits and decisions I made earlier in life have manifested in the health problems I am experiencing today?  That thought still rattles around in the back of my mind.

Sideline note: If it goes untreated, Graves Disease can cause psychological problems, and as it is somewhat difficult to diagnose, I wonder if it does run in my family.  That might explain all the crazy that was my dad's side.  Of course, to date no cause has yet to be established for the crazy on my mom's side.  ha ha, Mom.  Don't take it personally! ;)

But, back to me and my habits, I have to admit that I do eat a largely vegetarian diet, and much of that consists of pasta, grains, legumes, and rice served with veggies.  Oh boy, do I love brown rice!  So my curiosity was piqued when I started following Tiffany of naturemomsblog and heard her rave about going Paleo.  My first reaction probably involved an eye roll and comment, dear lords, please not another diet where eating fruit and veg is considered hurtful.  But as I started paying attention, I discovered other favorite bloggers discussing this Paleo diet, and I began to sit up and take notice.

Most recently, Tiffany's post about her troubles with her teeth and gums, and the turn-around that has occurred since going Paleo, really made me perk up.  I knew from my studies in Anthropology that the teeth of societies who made the transition from hunter-gatherer to agricultural demonstrated a marked increase in dental decay, but I never put it together that it was likely due to the difficulty our bodies have in processing these foods (Duh!).  And that, when you look at societies that do eat high protein, low carb diets, their teeth are in remarkably good condition.   Now I am even more sold on trying to reduce the grains, beans (wow, that'll be hard), and rice (wow, this'll be even harder!) and replace these with lean meat.

I haven't yet reached the point of throwing out the beans and rice we got from the bulk bin (oh, and I just bought pasta, too) but I also don't feel the need to eat them right away either.  Today I actually did feel full from all the fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, and applesauce I ate, as well as a thick-ish ground turkey chili).  And I am down with any lifestyle change that advocates eating as much as you want of the good stuff.  Counting calories is just not in my skill set, nor do I want it to be.