While I began playing around with a paleo diet in October or November, I cheated VERY regularly - I kept dairy and processed, gluten-free foods. I was careful to cook dishes at Thanksgiving in Mississippi that would avoid any potential for cross-contamination with gluten. And I still got sick. I know it wasn't gluten that got me (that reaction is VERY quick!), but something was still off. The day after Thanksgiving, I dealt with blood sugar issues and moodiness. (I swear that's a symptom - just ask my family!) While out shopping, my sister bought me Practical Paleo by Diane Sanfilippo. I devoured the book on the flights back to DC - I was (and am!) determined to not feel like that again for a while.
Shout out to this book: I highly recommend it to anyone with digestive or intestinal issues. She takes our complex body systems and breaks it down into easily digestible (pun intended) processes, then lays out thirty day meal plans and recipes to help solve a problem or just to feel better.
So here is a quick, dumbed down summary of leaky gut: the inner lining of the small intestine should allow only tiny particles (think amino acids) to pass through it's barrier and into the blood stream. During 'leaky gut', the lining of the small intestine is damaged and, therefore, allows larger, unbroken particles to leak through and into the bloodstream. When this happens, the immune system (of which 60-80% resides in our bellies) reacts and causes a reaction. And that's where the fun begins.. Reactions can vary hugely between individuals - anything from a weak immune system, to arthritis or restless legs, to insomnia or fatigue, or sinus allergies in my case.
After reading Diane's take on it and doing some quick online research, I realized I have leaky gut. My first clue at this was a feeling of phlegm / cold like symptoms after my morning fruit and Greek yogurt. Once I made this connection, I realized that I would feel sinus symptoms after I had a latte, yogurt or gelato. Yes, I'm serious. What a terrible (but amazing) discovery! My diet has been causing my immune system grief for years!
Personal history: I have had bad sinus allergies since middle school. Throughout the last five or so years, it was common for me to have two sinus infections annually all while taking two allergy medicines a day. If someone was sick nearby, I was going to get it. I also had digestive issues such as heart burn and indigestion and blood sugar issues. Since changing my diet over the last two months, I feel worlds better and have stopped one allergy medicine completely. (I'm still taking one on an 'as needed' basis.) I no longer take any medicine for indigestion or heart burn.
Next first step once you realize there's a problem: start solving it. Leaky guts can be healed - and mine will be if not by sure will. :-) I have become very, very thoughtful about everything that I eat and am cooking every meal myself. I may stick to the paleo diet for a long time out, but right now I am being even more strict than that. By trial and error, I've learned that I currently need to avoid FODMAPs. Without going back to my organic chemistry textbooks, certain foods are deemed to be FODMAPs as they have compounds that are more difficult for the small intestine to break down. A few examples of fruits and vegetables that I am avoiding: broccoli, cauliflower, asparagus, apples, apricots. I also noticed that eggs weren't the best for me, so I'm taking a break from them as well.
Since I was diagnosed with Celiac last year, it makes sense that my small intestine is damaged. For those with Celiac or a gluten sensitivity, wheat, malt and barley causes an autoimmune reaction in the small intestine, causing an inflammatory response. Eventually, the small intestine can become so damaged that important nutrients (such as calcium) can no longer be absorbed (causing osteoporosis in the case of calcium deficiency). While I most likely will not be able to eat gluten again (and why would I??), I feel confident that I will be able to eat dairy and other foods once I am healed.
So what am I eating? A LOT of amazing, fresh food. My current diet includes lots of protein - bacon, beef, chicken, fish. I'm trying to maintain a mix of vegetables even though I'm counting all of those FODMAPs out. Current vegetables are squash (butternut, yellow, spaghetti), zucchini, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, cucumbers, green beans. Fruits include bananas, oranges, dates, blueberries. I am very careful with spices now as they have potential to be cross-contaminated and feeling poorly is not worth having spicy food; I am using sea salt, black pepper, fresh rosemary. Lemons and limes are also great for adding flavor naturally. I drink hot tea (caffeinated only as a splurge once or twice a week) and kombucha (fermented tea that includes probiotics). Speaking of probiotics, I have also begun supplementing L-Glutamine and probiotics to help heal my tummy.
All meat is organic. Beef grass fed when possible; chicken FREE RANGE (not cage free); bacon organic and with as few ingredients as possible. Fruits and veggies - check out the 'dirty dozen' - always try to buy organic lettuce, spinach, berries/grapes.
There are many non-dairy options such as almond milk and coconut milk, but neither have been sitting well with me. I've been cheating a bit with Lucy's cookies - gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free and DELICIOUS.
What follows are some great meals that I've cooked at home. These date back to October, so some may contain foods that I'm not eating currently. (If I didn't list it above, I'm not eating it currently.)
ground beef sauteed with mushrooms and tomatoes served with thinly sliced eggplant
(eggplant was delicious! pan seared it with butter until the juices/sugars came out)
seabass, tomatoes+mushrooms, roasted cauliflower, brussel sprouts, butternut squash
squash+zucchini quiche and bacon
(see practical paleo for this recipe)
roasted chicken thighs and sweet potatoes
flank steak, roasted carrots, roasted beets with oranges and fennel
(meal inspired by Practical Paleo)
persimmon and asparagus salad
skirt steak, sauteed spinach and cherry tomatoes, roasted carrots
roasted chicken thighs and tomatoes, sauteed carrots and spinach
roasted chicken stuffed with fresh herbs and lemon with carrots+tomatoes+sweet potatoes
roasted chicken + bacon + roasted squash and zucchini + sweet potato + carrot
spinach salad with tomatoes and carrots + roasted sweet potatoes + flank steak + bacon
steak + roasted sweet potatoes
fish wraps :-)
chicken + bacon + sweet potato + green beans (all roasted!)
steak with bacon and green beans
burgers + roasted sweet potatoes + sauteed carrots and spinach
roasted chicken + sauteed spinach and carrots + sauteed tomatoes
(cooked is easier to digest than raw)
spaghetti squash + spinach + yellow tomatoes + roasted chicken
roasted chicken + bacon wrapped dates + carrots + green beans
spinach salad with tomatoes and olive oil
butternut squash stuffed with bacon and ground beef!
steak and bacon with green beans and sweet potato
spaghetti squash + heirloom tomatoes + spinach + chicken
crock pot chicken with lemons and rosemary
stew beef + green beans + carrots, squash, zucchini
steak + spaghetti squash + spinach sauteed in bacon
sauteed spinach, tomatoes, and chicken
fresh marinara (pureed tomatoes, celery and carrots) + diced parsnips, carrots, tomatoes, ground beef
served over spaghetti squash
ground bison with bacon, spinach and tomatoes + green beans and butternut squash
roasted bananas and dates topped with coconut milk ice cream (dairy free)
this was delicious, but I think my stomach isn't ready for coconut milk..
I hope this provides some inspiration. :-)
