Larelle,

Here are my answers to your survey:

>1.  Why did you originally chose vegetarianism?

For the perceived health and environmental benefits, as well as an aversion
to the idea of killing animals. It all seemed to fit nicely together.

I did have some reservations, however. I was aware that many people are
intolerant to some of the vegetarian staples (wheat, soy, milk), and I
couldn't quite see how this fitted in with vegetarianism being the
healthiest diet available - the facts just didn't quite seem to add up.

>2.  What sort of vegetarian diets have you tried and what were the results?

For many years, I simply ate very little meat. I felt that I wanted to be
vegetarian, but for practical reasons I wasn't strict about it. About 3
years ago, I decided to take vegetarianism seriously and spent a year or so
eating a lacto-ovo-vegetarian diet, with some Natural Hygiene principles
thrown in - eating only fruit during the morning and paying attention to
food combining some of the time.

I noticed that my desire for cereal and other starchy foods spontaneously
diminished quite considerably, before I knew anything about paleo. I also
found that cravings and overeating disappeared, I no longer had
hypoglycemic symptoms, and I had less indigestion and an increased
resistance to infections.

>3.  What health problems did you have at the end of your vegetarian
>experience?

I'd had problems with candida and constipation for many years, and I don't
think that reallly changed. For several years, I'd also had a slight pain
in my right knee that I mainly noticed when I walked down stairs. And I was
beginning to have a bit of trouble reading small print.

>4.  How did you find out about the Paleo diet?

From a post to the newsgroup sci.bio.food-science, which I was reading at
the time.

It was interesting the way various things came together for me at the same
time. I had got to a point where I was keen to do some research on the
history of food, because I wanted to prove to myself that meat had been a
very recent addition to the human diet, as this was the only way
vegetarianism could properly make sense.

Just after I joined this list, Ward Nicholson posted information about his
interviews. I realised that the research had all been done for me and that
the results were quite the opposite of what I had hoped. But it meant that
the various bits of the puzzle suddenly fell into place.

>5.  How long have you been Paleo?

I've been experimenting with it for about 2 years, but I'm only about
90-95% Paleo at this stage. I'm quite lax about dairy, and I occasionally
deviate on other things depending on circumstances. I don't want to be
totally rigid about my food choices. In particular, if someone else
prepares food for me, I don't want to be too fussy about what's in it. But
I do try to limit my intake of non-paleo foods.

>6.  What health improvements have you experienced on Paleo?

The candida and pain in my knee disappeared once I was reasonably strict
about eating paleo, and they reappear whenever I am not. My bowels have
also been functioning much better recently. My weight has never been a
particular focus for me, but I was 2 or 3 kilos heavier than I needed to
be, and I have lost those.

>7.  What further health improvements do you wish to make?

Improve my vision so that I can easily focus at short distances again.
Apart from that, I'd like to have all-round general good health.

Regards,
Barbara