Hi all, I subscribed to this list a few days ago, and here's my
introduction. I'm forty years old, a Rolfer & massage therapist in Dallas.
I first heard of Ray Audette and Palelithic Nutrition several years ago,
but recently saw a former client at a health fair who told me more about
it, including her experiences since starting. I've just read most of
'NeanderThin' (and made my first trip to the grocery store to stock up -
expensive...). I've been interested in nutrition for many years now but
haven't been too satisfied with any 'system' I've yet discovered. I'm
impressed so far with what I've read, in Ray's book and the Paleolithic
sites on the web, so I'm going to give it a shot. (I fell in love with
flyfishing about three years ago, so it looks like plenty of fresh trout in
my future.)  :)

'The Continuum Concept' has been mentioned. I read it several years ago and
it made a tremendous impact on me, and I've been very interested in the
ideas it covers, as well as in a couple of self-directed therapies intended
to allow people to begin to reconnect with instincts and needs that may
have been repressed or hidden over time. I know this is off topic for this
list, but what Ray talks about in his book is consistent with and a logical
complement of the ideas that Jean Liedloff, Alice Miller and others have
talked about with regards to living according to our natural needs, so I'm
happy to discover this.

Here are a couple of first reactions to the book and reading I've done,
with some questions mixed in for those of you with more experience than me
(which includes everyone here):

--This looks expensive. I agree that in the long run, the savings in
medical costs, etc, will balance it out, but my medical expenses have
always been very low anyway, and in the short term this looks pretty
expensive. I imagine this has been touched on on the list before, but I'd
be very interested to hear any feedback from those of you who've learned
from trial and error how to do this as economically as possible. (If its
been covered before, if someone could direct me to the proper archives or
get in touch privately, that'd be great.)

--I read 'Fit For Life' (Natural Hygeine packaged for the masses) several
years ago. I haven't eaten according to their strictures in years now, but
I've stuck to the 'fruit first thing in the morning' rule ever since,
mainly because I love how I feel when I start the day that way. However,
the authors were very much against mixing fruit with anything else -
something about the fruit getting slowed down in the stomach by
slower-digesting foods and spoiling/putrefying. Has that ever been
addressed by any Paleolithic literature?

--Some of the literature I've read has talked about 'tubers' as part of
hunter-gatherers' diets. I've always taken that to include potatoes. Is
that not accurate in how the word is used in this context? I have no
problem with giving up potatoes, but yams are another matter. I'll miss
them.

--I've always been very thin, and have at times wondered why it's almost
impossible for me to gain any weight. I'm actually a little worried about
losing any more weight. My hope is that my weight will 'normalize' when I
begin eating more intelligently, but if anyone has had a similar
experience, I'd be grateful to hear of it.

Anyway, that's it for now. I'll try not to pepper you all with an endless
barrage of questions, and trust that many of them will answer themselves as
I get started.

Sam