Hi all, I've been on the list for a while, but have not posted yet. Responding to Kristina...I have arthritis - ankylosing spondylitis and I believe the original trigger of the genetic factor was ultimately a poor digestive system which I now identify as leaky gut.  I am working with a naturopath, but it has taken me a year to really get that I have to address this problem with committment and consistency. I take something called Intestinal Repair Complex, L-Glutamine and MSM that are supposed to be 'healing' the leaky gut. I'm not sure how well it's working, but I have not been the ideal patient because I have resisted the regular taking of these herbs.  Still as I've dropped down to weight I haven't been at in over 20 years - too thin I think... Mostly because my food choices are so limited that I find it hard to be as interested in eating as I once was...especially at lunch for some reason. So I'm re-motivated right now. I find I eat more meat and fish than I ever have and lot's
 of fruit because it's fairly easy to grab and eat...vegetables too, but I haven't been as good about that...usually with dinner. The hardest part has been the very restricted diet and reacting to so many things...I think I'm allergic to more things than I can eat...also vitamin fillers or capsules, oils, condiments, the list goes on and on. More than one person has commented on how I might be like the canary in the coal mine, so I guess finding our way through this will someday help others...I hope. Meanwhile the paleo way of eating seems to fall in line with the way I eat. I've recently been trying Dr. Jordan Rubin's Garden of Life products...anybody have anything to say about them? Primal Defense has been too hard on my gut, even one tablet a day, so I'm backing off that until I heal a bit more and try again later. His product FYI also sounded good to help with inflammation, but I reacted to that also. I do take his omegazyme digestive enzymes and they seem to help. Kristina, your
 strange illness/pains might be part of the cycle whereby as you are healing, you re-visit old pains ..there's a name for that, but it escapes me right now. I have had years of strange pain, infections, eye pain etc. which all seems to come about usually during 'healing crisis' times, when I am doing well and then suddenly do worse...but you are smart to be concerned because that may have nothing to do with that phenomenon - Jeni in Seattle - getting better and better each day.