Paleo Pals - Health, Weight Loss & Support

Ok, I just put a casserole of Turkey Taco Zucchini boats in the oven. First time I've tried this recipe, so I'll let you know how it comes out.

Sas- I thaw it completely. One recipe I have for cauliflower grilled cheese calls for microwaving it until it is almost dry. That worked for me for that recipe. Other recipes call for wringing it out thoroughly in a dish cloth after thawing. By this I mean squeezing all the moisture out until you have a little round ball of cauliflower in the middle of the cloth. This works well for recipes where you make cauliflower dough

I love this thread!!!

Egads - what a great name, and you are hilarious.

I discovered this thread yesterday and knew I'd be joining it soon. In fact, this morning I looked for it and when I couldn't find it on the first page I went into a mild panic. And then BEHOLD, I found it on page 2.

Before menopause I averaged about 130 lbs (I'm 5'6"), When menopause hit, I shot up to 180 lbs. I swear it happened overnight, but oh well. I tried various diets, but nothing worked until I tried the Atkins diet. I learned so much about the value of protein, but not so much about veggies, fruit, and grains. I lost all the weight I had gained, but I ended up needing Angioplasty for blocked arteries, so I went off Atkins. By the time I started chemo (last year), I weighed 145 lbs. My MO told me to cut out sugar and soy to help prevent a recurrence and to get through chemo. I didn't think about weight. I only focused on eating healthier. I read some threads here at BCO suggesting a vegetarian diet to fight cancer. I started eating leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and beans. By the end of chemo, I felt tired and realized the fatigue would get worse with radiation. I decided to up my protein. For the first time I tried quinoa. Loved it! I also added low sugar protein bars, chia seeds, hemp seed, healthy grains, and lots of nuts. Then I had my post radiation appointment with my MO. First came the weigh-in. I kid you not, my weight had dropped to 119lbs. What?! I wasn't trying to lose weight, I just needed more energy. Then came the AI. I heard exercise was the key to not having SEs so I began walking, then hiking up the hills around my house. I felt no aches or pains from the AI, and I had a lot of energy. Then boom, I started having massive diarrhea. I immediately stopped eating all the raw veggies, seeds and grains. The big D continued. I tried Immodium to no avail, My doctor ordered a colonoscopy and it turned out I had diverticulosis. The diarrhea persisted. Finally, the doctor told me to stop the AI. The diarrhea stopped within 24 hours of stopping the AI (Anastrazole). Who knew diarrhea was a SE of an AI? Anyway, I'm back to eating veggies, meat and fish, and no grains. All is well. I still weigh 119 lbs, and have plenty of energy. In fact, I feel better than ever.

It wasn't until I found this thread yesterday that I realized my new eating regime is essentially the Paleo diet. It really works, especially with some mild exercise. The next thing I'm going to try is lifting weights. I'll continue to eat legumes for the protein, but no more seeds and grains.

Does anyone have some EASY Paleo recipes? I need more variation to the usual soups and salads. Also, if anyone has any tips on how to make cookies, crackers, and other snacks which fit into the paleo diet, it would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

Meg

meg - I eat according to the Virgin diet (does not turn one back into one!), which eliminates dairy, soy, corn, gluten, sugar, eggs, and peanuts. This is an anti-inflammatory elimination diet. I find it pretty similar to Paleo, and of all the discouraged foods I have added eggs back in on occasion, and have found that dairy and sugar seem to be what trigger inflammatory response for me. Low glycemic fruits, non-starchy veggies, clean and lean protein, organic, grass fed, when available. I usually follow the Dirty Dozen/Clean Fifteen rules on what to buy organic. For a couple of easy recipes I like to make lettuce wraps or “tacos" - protein of your choice, flaked salmon or thin sliced ribeye steak are both good, I make a mayo based sauce with Just Mayo (a mayo sub without soy and eggs - it's awesome) or you can make your own with Paleo ingredients - fairly easy - and hot sauce or sriracha, then top with thinly sliced red onion and avocado. Big leaf lettuce like butter lettuce work, and I have used romaine too - but not sure what the status is on safe consumption right now. If you use sliced chicken or fish you can also use the sauce as a binder. Another easy dish uses spaghetti squash in place of pasta - and this works as long as you are including nightshade vegetables. I cut the squash in half lengthwise, place it cut side down on a parchment lined baking sheet, 40 mins at 400F. Make a sauce by sautéing some finely chopped onion and garlic in a little olive oil, add crushed San Marzano tomatoes, a big pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and some basil and oregano - dried or fresh. Let it simmer for about 15 mins on low heat, then add some cooked shrimp, or you can let the sauce cook raw shrimp, or you can roast the shrimp by adding them on a baking sheet to the oven for about the last 8 mins of the squash cooking. Warm the shrimp through, and meanwhile use a fork to scrape out the squash and serve the shrimp marinara over the shredded squash.

Thanks for the link, Junie! I found several recipes I'm interested in!

I have tried Paleo a time or two and never stuck with it. Recently, I started back on and promptly got sick, ending up with a double ear infection, throat infection, and some kind of bronchial thing. I just wanted comfort food!

I have decided to jump back on the wagon. I have fibromyalgia which is flaring right now and am hoping it will help with that pain. As an already overweight female, of course I gained weight on chemo and am now on Letrozole. Weight loss is already hard for me and now add in the meds...

Thanks for starting this thread. I look for it eagerly every day and marked it as a favorite topic so it will show up right away. I need the encouragement and information I get from it!

Laura

My sin: potato chips- again. What is wrong with me.

I usually don't keep this kind of food in the house, but am recovering from knee surgery. I knew there would be people in and out to give me a hand and wanted to have snack foods to offer other than my usual cut up veggies. The problem when I do this is that I am the one that eats the junk food. So far I have also eaten most of a bag of cheddar cheese popcorn ( since we are confessing).

Today will be a better day

egads - lol! In my pre-cancer days I was successful eating South Beach/Mediterranean combined with a speedy 5-mile a day walk and was able to lose a few vanity pounds - usually before a vacay in which bathing suits would be worn and photos taken. Post-cancer and on aromatase inhibitors I could not shed the 15 pounds gained during chemo and the subsequent plethora of surgeries, also complicated by exercise restriction for those surgeries. After I was cleared to walk again I did so, and ate sensibly at 1500 cals a day of good food and lost absolutely no weight. None. I lost 22 lbs on the Virgin diet and so far, it is the only thing that has worked while I have been on anti-hormonals. I just recently did the 23andMe testing, I had done Ancestry DNA previously because I am adopted and wanted to see what my origins were as well as find potential blood relatives, and did the 23andMe for confirmation, and to connect to their database, and get the genetic stuff they offer. I had done BRCA testing prior to BMX, so I already knew those results, but one interesting thing the 23and Me testing revealed was I have the genetics for celiac. I had felt that on the experimental phase of Virgin where you add the stuff back in to test and see what causes trouble that gluten wasn't one of my strongest issues, but I am re-thinking that and wondering if I have a delayed reaction gut wise. Best for me to just avoid and eliminate the wondering so I am thinking I will cease the brown rice and brown rice pasta allowed on Virgin and go more strongly Paleo.

egads - I had surgery in '95 to repair my gastro-esophageal junction and ended up IBS-D afterward, but I am now thinking that was actually the gluten intolerance rearing its head. I also had milk issues as an infant and had to have alternative formula - way back in 1956 - my poor mom! I think that is consistent with the dairy being a problem for me now. I have been on a Femara holiday but need to restart so I am going hardcore on the diet to avoid pounds creeping their way back on. I have found that when I relax my diet, even a little, that is what happens and anti-hormonals exacerbate that. The only way to lose or maintain, for me, is to stay focused. I find I do better without cheat days - I tend to be either 100% in, or 100% out - so I will be boring on confession day, lol!

Egads,

I always put chicken, (without skin) into my salad.. always. (and I don't use dressing) and a handful of dry roasted, unsalted nuts, (combo of almonds, cashews). I don't always use whole eggs, because I get my fats from other things, (healthy fats, avocado, olive oil, nuts). My peanut butter is always organic, always one ingredient- peanuts.. I count as one of my 3 "healthy" fats a day. Isn't crazy how much sugar is added to EVERYTHING on the planet??

I try to keep my carbs to one or none a day... The program cycles carbs and fat days.. not easy.. I hate no fat days..... I know I eat healthy things.. my issue is "supplementing" with unhealthy things.. (cookies and potato chips are my downfall....)

Ok, now that Monday is here, I must confess that other than the popcorn incident at the theater last Wednesday I did well until yesterday. I was SO tired yesterday that I slept like 15 hours and was still exhausted. So I spent the remainder of the day/evening laying in bed watching TV. Well then last evening I went to the store and as I toodled past the deli I got a hankering for a ham sandwich. Yup, I bought the ham AND some sourdough bread and came home . . . and you know the rest! So I get up the this morning and guess what, my scale screamed at me that I had gained 2.5 lbs in one day. Urrrgh! But what else could I expect from my ham indiscretion. But, Oh Joy! today is Monday and I get to start anew. Yeah!

Ok, in a little while I will be seeing my MO and getting my bloodwork done & Faslodex shots. Oh what a fun way to start to the week, NOT!

Later Ladies! Have a great day all!

Hi Ladies!

Thank you for all the tips and food ideas.

SpecialK - I will be trying those lettuce-wrap-tacos and the spaghetti squash this week. They sound delicious. My family has agreed to try the Paleo plan with me, but they will change it up a bit to fit their needs. In other words, I'll eat the basics with no sugar, dairy, grains, etc. They will add their items to the recipe after I dish out my portion of the basics.

JunieB - The link for the recipe site you posted is now permanently embedded on my computer in "Favorites". Those recipes look delicious yet easy. Thank you! I can't wait to try them.

Egads - I'm ancient so It's hard to look good at my age. I traded body fat for hanging skin. I'm post menopausal with bat wings for upper arms. The hanging skin on my thighs and butt is cringe worthy. Even the skin on my knees is starting to sag. Fortunately a few years ago I had a good facelift so no sagging skin on my face and neck. As long I stay covered with clothes, I look OK. Part of the reason I want to start lifting weights is to help build muscles and bones which may also help the skin to tighten a bit. With the right diet and good muscles and bones, I hope to feel healthy and look OK.

Monday Confessional - Forgive me for I have cheated. Saturday night I broke the rules and ate ice cream for the first time in a year. I also ate some wild rice and corn. My body revolted on Sunday (GI issues). Lesson learned.

I'm now heading out to hit the hillsides with a moderate hike. Hiking is a fun way to stay healthy and improve balance issues. The only time I've fallen on a hike was AFTER the hike while I was walking home. I tripped on a crack in the sidewalk and hit the ground hard. I had bruises for weeks. Go figure.

Hugs to all,

Meg

Map, I read a study that peanut protein causes BC metastisis and peanut has not crossed my lips since. Try almond butter! https://news.liverpool.ac.uk/2014/12/19/peanut-com...

I can relate to those counting calories who didn't lose weight. 5 plus years ago, I decided to try hard to lose my post-baby weight - my son was 15 - LOL! I counted with my fitness pal for two months and didn't lose a pound. I was starving the entire time. When I dropped my normal breakfast of yogurt, oatmeal and the like and replaced it with coconut milk and nuts, I lost weight - 13 pounds in 2.5 months. So don't waste your time counting calories, ditch those carbs and change WHAT you eat.

Egads, no handcuffs and leather - LOL - you make me laugh every day, but I did also sin yesterday. I've had a cold and and the ice cream my son bought felt so good on my mucousy, scratchy throat. It was non-dairy but the sugar content made it not paleo. I've been good today though. Nuts and black coffee for breakfast, salad with egg, carrots, kale, tomato for lunch, and I had zoodles with chicken and pesto for dinner.

Egads, I'd be interested to hear how you started Paleo with the UC. My son has Crohn's and I've tried to get him to try Paleo. He really can't tolerate much veggies and fruit, so he's reluctant to give up his filling pasta and sandwiches.

SpecialK, interesting that you have the genes for celiac. Some people do have the genes and don't get it, but certainly I wouldn't want to risk it. My nephew has celiac, DH has diverticulitis and son Crohn's. Somehow it seems all related to me. Maybe one day you'll find a relative on the websites. Wouldn't that be exciting. My brother did 23 and me and the most interesting thing is we have Yakut DNA (indigenous people of siberia), which probably came along with Native American ancestry, which we knew about.

UG, really?? I don't think we can eat anything anymore! I love almond butter, and cashew butter.. just so much more $$. Of course, I was great yesterday, until I got home and had a plateful of tortilla chips and some cheese! but I did get to the gym, and I had shrimp and brown rice pasta for dinner....