Question

Rei1988

Hi, it's me again, asking questions lol.

How long after doing a whole30 or living Paleo did you see vast improvements in your health conditions if any?

I have pretty bad acid reflux, joint pains, cavities & much more. I know living right should be enough motivation on it's own, but a root canal & crying over acid reflux is much more "encouraging".

Lizzard_77

I was week three into my Whole30 when I started noticing major changes! I was sleeping through the night, my body hurt less, I was way more energized through the day, everything was "moving" through my system well and I stopped having stomach issues. Then, it only took a week of re-intro to start seeing the symptoms of joint pain and stomach issues come back.

It is different for everyone, some people report feeling amazing after the first week. Some feel like crap all the way through and continue on to a Whole60, 90, or 365. It all depends on how far your boy has to go to heal. It is an amazing experiance and I am looking forward to doing another one soon!

LisaGNV

I switched to Paleo & did my first Whole30 in April of this year. I saw improvements with my sleep and overall general "feeling & looking better" within two weeks. I kept fairly strict with few treats (occassional froyo type of thing) and then did another Whole30 last month. With both 30's - I noticed immediate stomach issues when reintroducing dairy or sugars (had froyo last night & felt awful!). This is evidence enough for me to continue eliminating them from my diet and understanding that 40(*coughsomethingcough*) years of eating the Standard American Diet can not be undone in just a few weeks (or even a few months).

justaspoonfulofsugar

With things like acid reflux,I saw improvement within the first 2 days of a whole 30.
Everything else in about 6-7 days and it just keeps getting better.
The thing is how you continue on when you finish.
Reverting back to old ways will just bring the same problems back and for me,they come back worse.
As for joint pains,I notice a huge difference after the first couple of weeks.
When I ate off plan these last 2 weeks,my joint pain was FAR worse than I realised.
I never had any pain in my knees but after consuming sugar,I was feeling very bad knee pain.
I do believe it all depends on how messed up your body is and how long you have been living paleo before doing a whole 30.
Someone switching from SAD will have a different whole 30 than someone trying to clean up their paleo diet.

Dragonwolf

How long it takes a given ailment to subside will depend on the nature of the cause of the ailment.

As the others have said, the acid reflux improved within days for me (since you're no longer eating the foods that trigger it, it will usually be the first to clear up). I didn't have much in the way of joint pain, but I have been prone to headaches, and I went from 3-4 a week (that required meds to get rid of) to less than one a month within a couple of weeks (it takes time for the inflammation to subside).

Cavities will take quite a bit longer, as your body has to rebuild the teeth, and it's possible the tooth/teeth requiring a root canal may still need medical intervention, though I've seen reports of cavities being reversed (don't know how bad they were to start, though). Gum issue improvement is more common, from what I've seen.

If you've done a Whole 30 and have been true to it, and you haven't noticed some amount of improvement, it might be worth checking out the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) variation. It's possible that you're still reacting to one or more "Paleo-approved" foods that some people are sensitive to (such as nuts, peppers, or tomatoes).

spatulathumbs

I've noticed in the last 30 days of eating an as-primal-as-I-can-afford-right-now diet, and keeping my carbs in check, that my skin has gotten clearer, and when I had my period start a week ago I didn't really have any cramps or discomfort. I didn't have full on acid reflux but I did occasionally get heartburn, and I haven't had any of that. I've also noticed now that I move more that I am more flexible than I thought I was. I initially started off with zero expectations so any progress is good progress for me.

What's even stranger is that I was invited to a birthday party at an italian restaurant recently, and I thought for sure I was completely screwed. Giant bowls of things I shouldn't have? And birthday cake? Not the bad kind, the really really good kind? And you know what? I didn't want any of it. No breadsticks, no pasta. I had sautéed fish and veggies and it was amazing, I ate until I was satisfied, and I felt awesome the next day. I was never a "carb addict" but I definitely could've put a real hurtin' on some pasta, and I just didn't want it. I knew that even though I only had 30 days of this new way of living, it was something that mattered to me, so I stuck with it.

I've always had tooth issues so I hope to zeus this makes a difference.

homesweeths

I've noticed in the last 30 days of eating an as-primal-as-I-can-afford-right-now diet, and keeping my carbs in check, that my skin has gotten clearer, and when I had my period start a week ago I didn't really have any cramps or discomfort. I didn't have full on acid reflux but I did occasionally get heartburn, and I haven't had any of that. I've also noticed now that I move more that I am more flexible than I thought I was. I initially started off with zero expectations so any progress is good progress for me.

What's even stranger is that I was invited to a birthday party at an italian restaurant recently, and I thought for sure I was completely screwed. Giant bowls of things I shouldn't have? And birthday cake? Not the bad kind, the really really good kind? And you know what? I didn't want any of it. No breadsticks, no pasta. I had sautéed fish and veggies and it was amazing, I ate until I was satisfied, and I felt awesome the next day. I was never a "carb addict" but I definitely could've put a real hurtin' on some pasta, and I just didn't want it. I knew that even though I only had 30 days of this new way of living, it was something that mattered to me, so I stuck with it.

I've always had tooth issues so I hope to zeus this makes a difference.

One thing I found really funny in a "how things are different for me" thread was that several people said that their elbows were now smooth. After reading the thread, I checked my elbows and to my surprise, the skin is smooth. Just an odd little snippet, but it tickled my fancy.

I have no desire to try anything with gluten, but I still have been tempted by gluten free special things, like Youngest's chocolate chip cookies. Funny thing, though -- where before I might have eaten three or four and wanted more, the last time I "indulged" I was satisfied before I even finished one. I have seriously indulged myself a few times over the past month or two (like when one of the kids used allowance to buy Magnum bars for the whole family) and still not gone over 100g carbs, or barely gone over, for a day, and not felt driven to binge. It's a big difference from the way it used to be.

Not to mention, I'm much more functional than I was in May. Still have trouble with stairs, or walking more than a half mile, but doing much, much better. In May I couldn't bear to stand for more than a few minutes, walking was painful, and stairs were nearly impossible.

chani8

Whenever we get acidic, we eat fresh (organic) citrus fruits, which turn alkaline upon eating. Learning which foods turn acidic and avoiding them can really make a difference, also not overeating, avoiding coffee (no way!), and taking a walk after big meals.

Rei1988

I've noticed in the last 30 days of eating an as-primal-as-I-can-afford-right-now diet, and keeping my carbs in check, that my skin has gotten clearer, and when I had my period start a week ago I didn't really have any cramps or discomfort. I didn't have full on acid reflux but I did occasionally get heartburn, and I haven't had any of that. I've also noticed now that I move more that I am more flexible than I thought I was. I initially started off with zero expectations so any progress is good progress for me.

What's even stranger is that I was invited to a birthday party at an italian restaurant recently, and I thought for sure I was completely screwed. Giant bowls of things I shouldn't have? And birthday cake? Not the bad kind, the really really good kind? And you know what? I didn't want any of it. No breadsticks, no pasta. I had sautéed fish and veggies and it was amazing, I ate until I was satisfied, and I felt awesome the next day. I was never a "carb addict" but I definitely could've put a real hurtin' on some pasta, and I just didn't want it. I knew that even though I only had 30 days of this new way of living, it was something that mattered to me, so I stuck with it.

I've always had tooth issues so I hope to zeus this makes a difference.

One thing I found really funny in a "how things are different for me" thread was that several people said that their elbows were now smooth. After reading the thread, I checked my elbows and to my surprise, the skin is smooth. Just an odd little snippet, but it tickled my fancy.

I have no desire to try anything with gluten, but I still have been tempted by gluten free special things, like Youngest's chocolate chip cookies. Funny thing, though -- where before I might have eaten three or four and wanted more, the last time I "indulged" I was satisfied before I even finished one. I have seriously indulged myself a few times over the past month or two (like when one of the kids used allowance to buy Magnum bars for the whole family) and still not gone over 100g carbs, or barely gone over, for a day, and not felt driven to binge. It's a big difference from the way it used to be.

Not to mention, I'm much more functional than I was in May. Still have trouble with stairs, or walking more than a half mile, but doing much, much better. In May I couldn't bear to stand for more than a few minutes, walking was painful, and stairs were nearly impossible.

smooth elbows? wow cuz I have pretty rough elbows & a lot of skin problems lol.

Rei1988

Wow I'm really impressed with all your stories, thanks for your extensive input, I really enjoy learning!
I'm thinking of doing a Whole 30 but still on Keto where I count my intake. I already cut out grains & most legumes. All that's left is dairy, sweeteners & soy that I need to let go of. I think the main culprit it dairy. Am I missing anything? I won't be able to afford grass fed & organic atm but I will do my best otherwise.

monkeydharma

Wow I'm really impressed with all your stories, thanks for your extensive input, I really enjoy learning!
I'm thinking of doing a Whole 30 but still on Keto where I count my intake. I already cut out grains & most legumes. All that's left is dairy, sweeteners & soy that I need to let go of. I think the main culprit it dairy. Am I missing anything? I won't be able to afford grass fed & organic atm but I will do my best otherwise.

I'd say the main culprit is soy - unless you are using whole organic soybeans (edamame), it's all GMO or fractionated (which eliminates nearly all of soy's health benefits). Dairy would be next - but how it affects you depends on how lactose-intolerant you are.

Of course, it also depends on how much of each you are consuming: if you are pounding down the sweeteners, but tofu only once a week, I'd go after the sweeteners first.

The bottom line is: grains, legumes and sugars are systemic irritants, and are the underlying bedrock for a LOT of ailments. The more diligent you are in removing them from your diet, the better your results will be.

Rei1988

Wow I'm really impressed with all your stories, thanks for your extensive input, I really enjoy learning!
I'm thinking of doing a Whole 30 but still on Keto where I count my intake. I already cut out grains & most legumes. All that's left is dairy, sweeteners & soy that I need to let go of. I think the main culprit it dairy. Am I missing anything? I won't be able to afford grass fed & organic atm but I will do my best otherwise.

I'd say the main culprit is soy - unless you are using whole organic soybeans (edamame), it's all GMO or fractionated (which eliminates nearly all of soy's health benefits). Dairy would be next - but how it affects you depends on how lactose-intolerant you are.

Of course, it also depends on how much of each you are consuming: if you are pounding down the sweeteners, but tofu only once a week, I'd go after the sweeteners first.

The bottom line is: grains, legumes and sugars are systemic irritants, and are the underlying bedrock for a LOT of ailments. The more diligent you are in removing them from your diet, the better your results will be.

I only eat soy in in soy sauce or aminos, but I know sneaky soy lecithin is in a lot of products. So maybe I'm underestimating it. I say dairy because it noticed the bad effect on my skin since eating more of it. Sweeteners I know have no positive effects, like preservatives.

Has soy been a big problem for your body?

Dragonwolf

Wow I'm really impressed with all your stories, thanks for your extensive input, I really enjoy learning!
I'm thinking of doing a Whole 30 but still on Keto where I count my intake. I already cut out grains & most legumes. All that's left is dairy, sweeteners & soy that I need to let go of. I think the main culprit it dairy. Am I missing anything? I won't be able to afford grass fed & organic atm but I will do my best otherwise.

I'd say the main culprit is soy - unless you are using whole organic soybeans (edamame), it's all GMO or fractionated (which eliminates nearly all of soy's health benefits). Dairy would be next - but how it affects you depends on how lactose-intolerant you are.

Of course, it also depends on how much of each you are consuming: if you are pounding down the sweeteners, but tofu only once a week, I'd go after the sweeteners first.

The bottom line is: grains, legumes and sugars are systemic irritants, and are the underlying bedrock for a LOT of ailments. The more diligent you are in removing them from your diet, the better your results will be.

I only eat soy in in soy sauce or aminos, but I know sneaky soy lecithin is in a lot of products. So maybe I'm underestimating it. I say dairy because it noticed the bad effect on my skin since eating more of it. Sweeteners I know have no positive effects, like preservatives.

Has soy been a big problem for your body?

Soy sauce probably doesn't have as much soy in it as you might think, but it does include wheat, so it's a double-whammy, but in different ways.

I recommend staying away from soy, anyway, due to the phytoestrogens, particularly if you have any hormone issues already (see more: http://www.paleoforwomen.com/phytoestrogens-estrogens-and-estrogen-receptors/ )

Akimajuktuq

Hi, it's me again, asking questions lol.

How long after doing a whole30 or living Paleo did you see vast improvements in your health conditions if any?

I have pretty bad acid reflux, joint pains, cavities & much more. I know living right should be enough motivation on it's own, but a root canal & crying over acid reflux is much more "encouraging".

I had improvements immediately. Acid reflux was one problem that disappeared in the first few days. I had it so bad that doctors were always trying to give me meds (antacids-the very worst thing!) and were even talking about surgery years ago. However, even before finding Paleo, I knew that it was lifestyle related.

My joint pain took a bit longer to resolve becuase I needed to stop eating nightshades (tomatoes, peppers, eggplant etc) for awhile to finally eliminate the pain. I can now eat nightshades but I'm careful with them. Still no joint pain. Of course, the rest of my family think I'm some kind of special snowflake because their arthritis is totally "genetic" so they refuse to even try something different.

See my long list of resolved health problems under the pinned success stories.

Yes, dump soy. Yesterday. Dairy ain't terrific either, unless it's raw and local and your body can handle it, but soy is worse imo. Artificial sweeteners? Well, you already know how I feel about those. Even though I'm a die-hard keto person I can't participate in low carb groups; I just don't understand trading sugar for artificial sweeteners. Not at all.

PS. I thought dairy was ok for me but after doing a Whole30 I have found out differently. I tolerate butter ok, but other dairy causes me intestinal upset. It's worth it for the occasional treat, but now I know that dairy isn't beneficial I eat much less.

justaspoonfulofsugar

Wow I'm really impressed with all your stories, thanks for your extensive input, I really enjoy learning!
I'm thinking of doing a Whole 30 but still on Keto where I count my intake. I already cut out grains & most legumes. All that's left is dairy, sweeteners & soy that I need to let go of. I think the main culprit it dairy. Am I missing anything? I won't be able to afford grass fed & organic atm but I will do my best otherwise.

I'd say the main culprit is soy - unless you are using whole organic soybeans (edamame), it's all GMO or fractionated (which eliminates nearly all of soy's health benefits). Dairy would be next - but how it affects you depends on how lactose-intolerant you are.

Of course, it also depends on how much of each you are consuming: if you are pounding down the sweeteners, but tofu only once a week, I'd go after the sweeteners first.

The bottom line is: grains, legumes and sugars are systemic irritants, and are the underlying bedrock for a LOT of ailments. The more diligent you are in removing them from your diet, the better your results will be.

I only eat soy in in soy sauce or aminos, but I know sneaky soy lecithin is in a lot of products. So maybe I'm underestimating it. I say dairy because it noticed the bad effect on my skin since eating more of it. Sweeteners I know have no positive effects, like preservatives.

Has soy been a big problem for your body?

I have never had any issue with acne,however,I started to notice around that time of the month when I was eating dairy,I was getting acne around my mouth.
Did a whole 30 and not only was there no acne there was also NO PMS at all!None leading up to that time of the month.
These last 2 weeks I have had dairy and along with congestion I have acne back as well as miserable pms.
Dairy in the generic mass produced crap we get in the shops is the devil.It's so laced with hormones it messes with my system.

Rei1988

Wow I'm really impressed with all your stories, thanks for your extensive input, I really enjoy learning!
I'm thinking of doing a Whole 30 but still on Keto where I count my intake. I already cut out grains & most legumes. All that's left is dairy, sweeteners & soy that I need to let go of. I think the main culprit it dairy. Am I missing anything? I won't be able to afford grass fed & organic atm but I will do my best otherwise.

I'd say the main culprit is soy - unless you are using whole organic soybeans (edamame), it's all GMO or fractionated (which eliminates nearly all of soy's health benefits). Dairy would be next - but how it affects you depends on how lactose-intolerant you are.

Of course, it also depends on how much of each you are consuming: if you are pounding down the sweeteners, but tofu only once a week, I'd go after the sweeteners first.

The bottom line is: grains, legumes and sugars are systemic irritants, and are the underlying bedrock for a LOT of ailments. The more diligent you are in removing them from your diet, the better your results will be.

I only eat soy in in soy sauce or aminos, but I know sneaky soy lecithin is in a lot of products. So maybe I'm underestimating it. I say dairy because it noticed the bad effect on my skin since eating more of it. Sweeteners I know have no positive effects, like preservatives.

Has soy been a big problem for your body?

I have never had any issue with acne,however,I started to notice around that time of the month when I was eating dairy,I was getting acne around my mouth.
Did a whole 30 and not only was there no acne there was also NO PMS at all!None leading up to that time of the month.
These last 2 weeks I have had dairy and along with congestion I have acne back as well as miserable pms.
Dairy in the generic mass produced crap we get in the shops is the devil.It's so laced with hormones it messes with my system.

I read others had the same experience with PMS, I hope it helps mine too because I get hella bad cramps & already have ovarian cysts that cause a lot of irritation.

monkeydharma

Has soy been a big problem for your body?

Well, I don't know specifically for soy, since I quit eating it in conjunction with all the other dietary changes.

I don't use soy products at all (and that includes soybean oil, in nearly all commercial mayos and salad dressings). The rare times a recipe calls for soy sauce, I use coconut aminos instead - while it is a touch sweeter than soya, it still fits the general flavor profile. In fact, the few times I've gone sushi-ing (stepson is a sushi hound), I just take my bottle of coconut aminos with me.

Rei1988

Has soy been a big problem for your body?

Well, I don't know specifically for soy, since I quit eating it in conjunction with all the other dietary changes.

I don't use soy products at all (and that includes soybean oil, in nearly all commercial mayos and salad dressings). The rare times a recipe calls for soy sauce, I use coconut aminos instead - while it is a touch sweeter than soya, it still fits the general flavor profile. In fact, the few times I've gone sushi-ing (stepson is a sushi hound), I just take my bottle of coconut aminos with me.

good idea! I have yet to try coconut aminos.

Akimajuktuq

Has soy been a big problem for your body?

Well, I don't know specifically for soy, since I quit eating it in conjunction with all the other dietary changes.

I don't use soy products at all (and that includes soybean oil, in nearly all commercial mayos and salad dressings). The rare times a recipe calls for soy sauce, I use coconut aminos instead - while it is a touch sweeter than soya, it still fits the general flavor profile. In fact, the few times I've gone sushi-ing (stepson is a sushi hound), I just take my bottle of coconut aminos with me.

good idea! I have yet to try coconut aminos.

I had to search high and low to find coconut aminos. They are delicious. Now I wish I could find a Paleo fish sauce. I have a number of recipes that call for it and even recommend a good brand but I can find it nowhere online in Canada so far. The site I got the aminos from is vegan unfortunately.

I do not use anything with soy. Yup, I make condiments from scratch. No, it's not "hard".

monkeydharma

Now I wish I could find a Paleo fish sauce. I have a number of recipes that call for it and even recommend a good brand but I can find it nowhere online in Canada so far.

Really? Most fish sauces are just fermented fish, salt and water, like Nam Pla. I would imagine any Asian market (real or online) would have something.