On Thursday, December 4, 2003, at 01:26  AM, Andrew Campbell wrote:
>
> How long did it take for you to notice health benefits
> (weight loss, energy increase, abatement of any
> disease symptoms you were trying to get rid of) after
> beginning paleo eating?

Two days! My gas and constipation stopped two days after ceasing eating
bread. About two weeks later I realized I hadn't had a migraine
headache in that time, a miracle. About five months later my 20 year
old knee injury suddenly stopped hurting, and hasn't started hurting in
the two years since.

My health has been immeasurably better since starting paleo a few years
ago. I am not too strict, but still it has made my life much more
pleasurable. The most important change for me was stopping wheat. Other
changes don't seem to have as big an effect.
>
> Does anyone live in a "mixed diet" household, and how
> do you manage with it? My wife has been vegetarian for
> 15 years, and is having a hard time getting her mind
> around meat being cooked in the house.

That is a question of marital balance. Both partners should be able to
eat the food they want in their own home. Just be sensitive. My wife
actually helps me because she buys and cooks a lot of foods that I
wouldn't otherwise eat, so I get a much better variety of veggies etc
than I would otherwise.
>

>  She's
> also very concerned about increased food costs, since
> we'll essentially be buying two sets of groceries,

Most paleo foods are great for vegetarians too. I eat a lot more
veggies and fruits now since starting paleo, just less bread and other
grains. Grains and beans are cheap, however, and if your budget is
limited you will have to keep your meat budget low. Fortunately it is
easy to eat paleo with cheap meat. Get a crock pot or pressure cooker
and cook up two or three days worth of stew meat at a time. It is very
cheap and tastes great. Eat more chicken or turkey, it is cheaper than
beef usually. Look around at the meat selections in the supermarket,
there is a lot of variety. Last week I found a place that sells duck. I
baked it, then used the bones and trimmings to make soup. That was good
for almost a week. Ended up being really cheap.

Actually, I don't think I am spending much more now than before.
Cutting out pre-packaged foods, snacks, desserts, take out pizza and
all the other junk food saves a LOT of money.
>

> long-term weight loss. (I have a lifetime of diets and
> a 3X body to show for that!)

Try the Neanderthin way to lose weight. It doesn't work for everyone
but on this list a lot of people have claimed big weight loss. Don't
diet, but just eat good foods, and keep carbs low. That means you have
to replace the carbs with enough fat to keep from getting hungry and
feeling starved. If you feel hungry your body will adapt to try to save
energy, just what you don't need to do if you want to lose weight. Eat
a normal amount of food, and eat whenever you feel hungry.

Good luck.