That was me, of course. I was on Prilosec for over a year, taking a pill every single night to control my stomach acid. It's so simple! You take this magic pill, and you don't have heartburn! It worked!
It worked, as in "I didn't have heartburn." Does that mean it's working? Unfortunately, as I've discovered, the answer is an emphatic NO. Never mind the potential side effects of long-term use of these pills. You're welcome to look those up on your own. The focus of this post is on a fun subject called hypochlorhydria.
Hypochlorhydria is where your stomach produces too little acid. Simple enough. Let's go over the symptoms. We have reflux, heartburn, excess gas, bloating...hey...wait a minute. These are the exact symptoms I was having when I went to the doctor in the first place. They put me on Prilosec, and it fixed me!
Yeah, it sure did fix me. Every time I tried to stop Prilosec, I had an unquenchable heartburn that only...Prilosec could cure. Funny thing, that.
So how did I happen upon a subject like hypochlorhydria? As it turns out, Sasha was having severe digestive issues last year, and through the magic of the Internet, we stumbled upon low acid as a possibility for her woes. While you can get tested for hypochlorhydria, your primary doctor probably won't do it. "Heartburn? Take this pump inhibitor. That'll fix you up." Instead, you'd do well with visiting a naturopath, or...
I wasn't a big fan of naturopathy at the time, so we decided to place Sasha into the role of guinea pig to see if she did indeed have low stomach acid. The test? Take stomach acid pills (Betaine HCl)--the complete opposite of a Prilosec pill. If you do have low stomach acid, the pill will help. If you don't have low stomach acid, the pill causes heartburn. We figured that if heartburn cropped up, we'd neutralize with an antacid and call it a failed experiment.
So she tried it. One pill with a meal, and no heartburn at all! The next step was to try two pills with the next meal. Again, no heartburn at all. The final test was with three pills. With not even a hint of heartburn, it was then safe to say that her stomach wasn't producing enough acid.
She stayed on the regimen for a few months, and gradually her stomach began to produce more and more acid. As she started getting heartburn again, she reduced her acid pill dose. Eventually, she was off the pills all together, essentially cured of her acid-related woes.
In my case, I weaned myself off of Prilosec about a month ago with pretty good results...for about two weeks. Then, I started having a bit of mild heartburn. Then, moderate heartburn. I wanted to go back on the Prilosec, honestly, but in the back of my mind, I also suspected that I could also be under-producing. I decided to try the test--one pill with a meal. No extra heartburn. Two pills? Nothing. Three pills? Again, nothing. Lo and behold, I wasn't producing enough acid. It makes sense, though, having taken Prilosec for so long. Additional research yielded that hypochlorhydria and thyroid disease often go hand-in-hand. Maybe I never needed that Prilosec after all...
So what on earth does this have to do with my Paleo journey? Stomach acid is required to properly break down foods. If you aren't producing enough acid, your food isn't being broken down properly. Your food is undigested and passing through your intestines. Irritations, anyone? In addition, if your food isn't broken down, you aren't absorbing those nutrients. Be Paleo all you want--if your body isn't absorbing nutrients, the diet isn't working to its potential.
In a nutshell, if you've ever had chronic digestive issues, be they heartburn, GERD, indigestion, or whatever, then it's worth your time to explore the possibility of hypochlorhydria.
DISCLAIMER: This was my story, and what worked for me might not work for you. If you do suspect hypochlorhydria, the best thing you can do is find a trained physician who can help you in your diagnosis.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Stress, you cruel, cruel thing
I'll admit it--I'm chronically stressed. My mind obsesses over things it shouldn't (mostly health-related issues), and I find myself struggling most days to cope and combat. My wife is oftentimes my therapist, and these sessions can take their toll on her. Stress is a huge hindrance to Paleo success, and as I've said before, I can't expect the best results from the Paleo diet without dealing with my stress. Easier said than done.
Without delving into the science behind stress and hormones, it's safe to say that stress is bad. Our bodies weren't made to handle chronic stress. No, we were made for infrequent, short bouts of acute stress (say, when hunting or being hunted by an animal). Chronic stress can absolutely destroy the body. You are far more prone to chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, and acute and chronic illnesses. Yet, most of us remain chronically stressed.
So what do we do? A simple Internet search yields tens--if not hundreds--of things to do to reduce stress. Exercises include everything from yoga or tai chi to breathing exercises to writing. There is no magic solution for everyone--you MUST try things, even if you don't want to.
What about medicines? Sure, a lot of medicines exist to help with stress, but as my wife says, you're not treating the CAUSE of the stress; you're merely treating the emerging symptoms. Fix the behavior, and you'll fix the stress, along with all of the fun health issues it can cause.
Without delving into the science behind stress and hormones, it's safe to say that stress is bad. Our bodies weren't made to handle chronic stress. No, we were made for infrequent, short bouts of acute stress (say, when hunting or being hunted by an animal). Chronic stress can absolutely destroy the body. You are far more prone to chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, and acute and chronic illnesses. Yet, most of us remain chronically stressed.
So what do we do? A simple Internet search yields tens--if not hundreds--of things to do to reduce stress. Exercises include everything from yoga or tai chi to breathing exercises to writing. There is no magic solution for everyone--you MUST try things, even if you don't want to.
What about medicines? Sure, a lot of medicines exist to help with stress, but as my wife says, you're not treating the CAUSE of the stress; you're merely treating the emerging symptoms. Fix the behavior, and you'll fix the stress, along with all of the fun health issues it can cause.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
I'm not doing enough, and I know it.
"Every time I feel the urge to exercise, I sit down until it goes away." - Mark Twain
Simply changing your diet can have a profound effect on your health. Changing your diet, however, is simply one aspect of a true health transformation.
It's clichéd, but exercise is vital. It's not all about the calories (yes, burning those calories is great for losing weight and replacing fat with muscle). The body is such a complex machine. Exercising is never as simple as burning those calories and losing weight. Instead, your body is creating needed chemicals, performing complex reactions to make sure that you can actually exercise without fainting (or worse). You're processing energy and eliminating waste chemicals and heat at a faster rate.
The following article gives us a little bit of perspective on the magnitude of our bodily functions:
http://www.darwinstable.com/2010/02/23/paleo-exercise-will-heal-you/
In a nutshell, even though we are one being, we are comprised of trillions of cells (not to mention trillions upon trillions of bacteria and other pathogens that live with us). Those cells all have jobs to do--many, many different jobs. Exercise leads to improved efficiency at doing those jobs, and you don't need an article to tell you that. I think this is the major reason that exercise should be at the very top of our priorities. Although it's not quite this simple, exercise is akin to oil for the machine that is your body.
Paleo stresses exercise as an absolute must. The book I'm reading (The Paleo Solution, by Robb Wolf), at 331 pages, mentions exercise 100 times. Here are a couple of chastising quotes from the book (pages 234-235):
"What If Things Are Not Working?
Are things going in the right direction? They should be, and if they are not, let's make the first point of evaluation one of honest self-reflection: Are you really doing the program 100 percent. Sleep, food, exercise? The folks we see who have "problems" in their blood work happen to be the same people who have "compliance issues." This stuff works, but only if you do it."
"If you are not doing the program but hoping to garner the results, this is simply not realistic."
I'll be frank--I have seen improvement, without question. I have also seen setbacks (headaches and irritability last weekend). Am I where I should be? Absolutely not. I haven't exercised properly since before I started eating differently (late December). I've also been under extreme stress, which I'll cover in more detail later as another stumbling block to the healing the body can do. These two issues must be addressed if I'm even to expect the magic to occur.
So I'm starting tonight--it's happening. It must. I wouldn't mind doing CrossFit (often goes hand-in-hand with Paleo), but I'd need to buy some equipment. Instead, I'll most likely be hitting the gym at our apartment complex.
Simply changing your diet can have a profound effect on your health. Changing your diet, however, is simply one aspect of a true health transformation.
It's clichéd, but exercise is vital. It's not all about the calories (yes, burning those calories is great for losing weight and replacing fat with muscle). The body is such a complex machine. Exercising is never as simple as burning those calories and losing weight. Instead, your body is creating needed chemicals, performing complex reactions to make sure that you can actually exercise without fainting (or worse). You're processing energy and eliminating waste chemicals and heat at a faster rate.
The following article gives us a little bit of perspective on the magnitude of our bodily functions:
http://www.darwinstable.com/2010/02/23/paleo-exercise-will-heal-you/
In a nutshell, even though we are one being, we are comprised of trillions of cells (not to mention trillions upon trillions of bacteria and other pathogens that live with us). Those cells all have jobs to do--many, many different jobs. Exercise leads to improved efficiency at doing those jobs, and you don't need an article to tell you that. I think this is the major reason that exercise should be at the very top of our priorities. Although it's not quite this simple, exercise is akin to oil for the machine that is your body.
Paleo stresses exercise as an absolute must. The book I'm reading (The Paleo Solution, by Robb Wolf), at 331 pages, mentions exercise 100 times. Here are a couple of chastising quotes from the book (pages 234-235):
"What If Things Are Not Working?
Are things going in the right direction? They should be, and if they are not, let's make the first point of evaluation one of honest self-reflection: Are you really doing the program 100 percent. Sleep, food, exercise? The folks we see who have "problems" in their blood work happen to be the same people who have "compliance issues." This stuff works, but only if you do it."
"If you are not doing the program but hoping to garner the results, this is simply not realistic."
I'll be frank--I have seen improvement, without question. I have also seen setbacks (headaches and irritability last weekend). Am I where I should be? Absolutely not. I haven't exercised properly since before I started eating differently (late December). I've also been under extreme stress, which I'll cover in more detail later as another stumbling block to the healing the body can do. These two issues must be addressed if I'm even to expect the magic to occur.
So I'm starting tonight--it's happening. It must. I wouldn't mind doing CrossFit (often goes hand-in-hand with Paleo), but I'd need to buy some equipment. Instead, I'll most likely be hitting the gym at our apartment complex.
Friday, March 4, 2011
Uh...do you eat rocks?
So what on earth do we eat? There isn't much left, is there?
You'll get different answers depending on whom you ask. I love eating what I eat, and I don't obsess with what I can no longer have. Here's a list of food we'll eat in a typical week:
Ground beef (organic, grass-fed)
Ground pork (local)
Chicken thighs (organic)
Chicken livers (organic, local)
Whole chicken (crock pot) (organic)
Salmon (wild pacific)
Bananas (organic)
Oranges (organic)
Strawberries (organic)
Blackberries
Leafy greens (romaine, green leaf, red leaf, spinach, kale, chard) (organic)
Apple cider vinegar (organic)
Olive oil
Onions (organic)
Cabbage (organic)
Carrots (organic)
Sweet potatoes/yams (organic)
Sasha will eat eggs for breakfast, along with the nuts and seeds that I am no longer eating. If we spice our food, we use UNPROCESSED sea salt (it's all about the emphasis), black pepper (not a nightshade), and a host of other spices. The only ones I avoid are cayenne and paprika (nightshades). Occasionally, we will eat sausages from Trader Joe's. The ingredients list is mostly friendly, but I always wonder about "natural flavors."
If you're familiar with the intricacies of the Paleo diet, you might blast us a bit over our choices of meat. Typically, Paleo meats are to be lean. Our ground beef is typically 15% fat, which isn't exactly lean, and chicken thighs aren't exactly lean either. Ground pork is also a bastion of fat. I'm not sure if these meats would hinder our progress in any way, but we would certainly tweak the diet if needed.
It's worth noting that our monthly food bill is roughly the same as it was when we were eating out 4-5 times a week. Sure, if you want to compare this to meals such as a $2 box of Tuna Helper or a dollar menu, Paleo eating is going to be a lot more expensive. We eat organic and local as we're able, but even non-organic versions of the foods listed above would be an improvement over our previous diet.
Maybe I'll do some number-crunching and post a cost analysis.
We're different, you and I.
My wife and I are following the Paleo diet in different ways. As I said in my last post, the basics of the Paleo diet are to cut out grains, dairy, and legumes. These are the foods that are believed most likely to cause allergies, inflammation, and damage in the body. Most followers will eliminate those foods and see significant improvement within a few weeks.
From the start, I cut out those foods as well as nightshades (most notably potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes). Research suggests that these foods are also common inflammation triggers. Initially, Sasha elected to hold onto dairy, but she did cut out grains and legumes. She's eating the last of some cheese we have, and I think she'll be dairy-free after that.
A few days ago, based on a suggestion I read from a couple of sources, I chose to also remove eggs, nuts, and seeds from my diet. These are listed as possible autoimmune triggers, and I want to give my body the best chance to heal as I can.
From the start, I cut out those foods as well as nightshades (most notably potatoes, peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes). Research suggests that these foods are also common inflammation triggers. Initially, Sasha elected to hold onto dairy, but she did cut out grains and legumes. She's eating the last of some cheese we have, and I think she'll be dairy-free after that.
A few days ago, based on a suggestion I read from a couple of sources, I chose to also remove eggs, nuts, and seeds from my diet. These are listed as possible autoimmune triggers, and I want to give my body the best chance to heal as I can.
Let's Get It Started
So I'm starting this as a parallel to my wife's Paleo blog. We've been following a Paleo diet for a little over two months now, and we want to be advocates for the diet in any way we can. We've already lost a significant amount of weight, and our overall health has certainly improved.
Let's start with the basics. A Paleo diet is one where we attempt to eat only the foods eaten by our Paleolithic ancestors (religion aside, as I'm sure much debate could ensue). This diet defines the primary antagonists as grains, dairy, and legumes. The claim is that these no-no foods are partly--if not mostly--responsible for the diseases of civilization, such as autoimmunity and certain cancers. I'll try to explain my understanding of the mechanism behind the food/disease relationship in a later post.
I'm lucky--I've managed to pick up a few autoimmune diseases in my short time here. When you get an illness, you go to the doctor, and you expect to be cured. With autoimmunity, however, that's normally not the case. Doctors are often quick to treat autoimmunity, but for most of us, there is no magic cure. Currently, I'm on hormone replacement therapy for life.
My body has decided to attack itself...but why? No doctor that I've seen has ever bothered to try to explain why I'm sick. It only seems logical that to cure a disease, you address the cause, and Western medicine appears to have a very narrow view of what can actually cause disease. I have a huge range of treatment options. I have no curing options.
Or do I? The claims made by proponents of this diet can be extreme at times (let's put that MS into remission; let's reverse the damage caused by your autoimmunity), and they're almost always anecdotal (not many medical journals are going to publish extensive studies on diets with such radical claims), but they're almost always positive. As more and more people adhere to a Paleo (or reasonably similar) diet, we hear more and more of these stories of improvement.
So here I am. I have chosen to follow a Paleo diet with hopes of improvement. I would love to free my body of disease. From what I have read, it has happened. From what I believe, it could happen again.
Let's start with the basics. A Paleo diet is one where we attempt to eat only the foods eaten by our Paleolithic ancestors (religion aside, as I'm sure much debate could ensue). This diet defines the primary antagonists as grains, dairy, and legumes. The claim is that these no-no foods are partly--if not mostly--responsible for the diseases of civilization, such as autoimmunity and certain cancers. I'll try to explain my understanding of the mechanism behind the food/disease relationship in a later post.
I'm lucky--I've managed to pick up a few autoimmune diseases in my short time here. When you get an illness, you go to the doctor, and you expect to be cured. With autoimmunity, however, that's normally not the case. Doctors are often quick to treat autoimmunity, but for most of us, there is no magic cure. Currently, I'm on hormone replacement therapy for life.
My body has decided to attack itself...but why? No doctor that I've seen has ever bothered to try to explain why I'm sick. It only seems logical that to cure a disease, you address the cause, and Western medicine appears to have a very narrow view of what can actually cause disease. I have a huge range of treatment options. I have no curing options.
Or do I? The claims made by proponents of this diet can be extreme at times (let's put that MS into remission; let's reverse the damage caused by your autoimmunity), and they're almost always anecdotal (not many medical journals are going to publish extensive studies on diets with such radical claims), but they're almost always positive. As more and more people adhere to a Paleo (or reasonably similar) diet, we hear more and more of these stories of improvement.
So here I am. I have chosen to follow a Paleo diet with hopes of improvement. I would love to free my body of disease. From what I have read, it has happened. From what I believe, it could happen again.
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