Here are some brief success stories from people that PaleoPathologist has coached, evangelized, or just talked with. It can be so reassuring to know that people can make a difference in their own lives!
1. PaleoPathologist himself. Went on Atkins at 170 pounds, 37 inch waist, lack of energy. A few months later was down to 150. HDL went from 50 to 77. Triglycerides fell to 38. Did cardiac calcium score: zero. This is amazing for an almost 60 year old American male. Carotid arterial age 18 years old; no plaque.
2. Friend of Paleopathologist (FOP) #1: type II diabetic, insulin dependent, severe psoriasis (skin inflammatory autoimmune disease.) Went on The Paleo Approach diet. Now off insulin, legs are healing, lost weight. Very dramatic! She tells me regularly about great autoimmune protocol recipes she is finding.
3. FOP#2: Man in early 60’s, went on Mission Trip and discussed diet and exercse after we had spent the day serving women who have been in Central American prostitution. He went home and went on Low Carb. A couple of months later he wrote to me that he had lost 25 pounds, was feeling great, and was able to do some real pushups for the first time in many years. (He is the one who told me about the Gabra people of Kenya that seem to survive quite happily on camel milk and a little goat meat!) Still working on another doc on the trip who appears to be one of those “skinny-fat” people who are not overweight but are glucose intolerant.
4. FOP#3. Woman in early 50’s, went on Atkins style diet in January. Down 30 pounds so far. Feels great, has been exercising regularly.
5. FOP#4. Woman in early 30’s with irritable bowel syndrome, depression, seasonal affective disorder, acne, who went on Paleo diet, low FODMAP, and is off antidepressants, IBS is much better, skin has cleared dramatically. She has, on her bookshelf, the new Atkins book, Practical Paleo, and Nourishing Traditions.
6. FOP#5. Man in early 40’s who went on Paleo diet. Lost twenty pounds rather quickly and is now involved with CrossFit and loving it. PaleoPathologist and he had some discussions about injuries and being very careful doing high velocity movements while exhausted, but on the other hand CrossFit has some real advantages with the camaraderie, spirit, and interpersonal connections compared with the solitary high intensity weightlifting that PaleoPathologist does once a week.
7. FOP#6. 40 year old woman from India with a family member with type II diabetes. Sometimes we think only Americans have these problems but India has a huge problem with type II. She tried low carb and liked it, and is evangelizing other co-workers (especially the female ones) and her own family. PaleoPathologist was not born yesterday and knows that talking with women about weight loss can be dangerous.
8. FOP#7. 48 year old man with Multiple Sclerosis. Told him about Terry Wahls MD and got him the book. He told me several months later that he had noticed he was not falling as often; he has a demanding job inspecting properties and said he hadn’t fallen in a month; the previous was daily.
All of these are what we call “anecodotal” stories and don’t really “prove” anything. But they are inspiring and do strengthen the hypothesis that we can make a difference in our lives. Any success or failure stories to share?
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.