Tue, 3 Nov 1998, Caryl wrote: > "Right now I have a very sore throat and head cold, and it's no better >after almost five days. I hoped that these minor illnesses that I get >more frequently and which last longer than I should would vanish with >paleo, but they haven't. >I've written to the list before about still having itchy ears. Another >thing I have is almost daily diarrhea -- not constant diarrhea but once, >twice, three times a day rather than normal bowel movements." Amongst humans who eat modern food exists a physiological elimination process of variable intensity. Strong among certain privileged individuals, it protects against many illnesses. Weak amongst others, it additionally has a tendency to diminish with age, at the same time that the accumulation of exogenous molecules are blocking more and more mechanisms in the organism. Amongst the individuals who adopt an ancestral diet, the cleansing of those mechanisms is done progressively. The wastes leave their lodging and are carried away by the blood which provokes inconfort of different kinds : cephalalgias (headaches), nervousness, asthenia, digestive problems. These minor signs should not alarm you. They often persist during all the period of weigh loss. Numerous noxious products which where deposited in fatty tissues are discharged in the circulatory system. Minor discomfort symptoms disappear after purging (biliary flush, liquid evacuation of the bowels, often accompanied by a nasal flow and/or dandruff). We can interpret this as the passage of noxious products from the blood, to the outside environment. These episodes can occur many times but they diminish in frequency and intensity the more the organism is cleansing itself. The therapeutic effect of the diet lies upon a double action at the level of the food and bacterial wastes : strong reduction of the intake and strong increase of the elimination process. These processes consume a lot of energy. It then seems logical to add minerals, vitamins and oligo-elements to the diet. (I translated this text from : Seignalet Dr. J.- L'alimentation ou la troisieme medecine, Collection Ecologie humaine, Francois-Xavier de Guibert, 1996, 452 p. Caryl followed with : > "I am trying to be patient, remembering what major improvements I do have >in only a little more than two months -- weight loss, more energy, more >clarity -- but I am very unsure how to experiment with the paleo diet or >if I should just give the plan and my body more time. I'm following Ray's >plan now, no deviations." As far as I am concerned, the only therapeutic way to practice paleolithic diet is Instinctotherapy (Anopsology). I practiced and studied Anopsology (in France with the author) for many months and know for a fact the effectiveness of the method. You will find some information and practical advices at this address : http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/5976/ Yours truly Jacques Laurin