Trying Cordain diet - a few questions

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Ruth77

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Hi there stojack,

Anytime you can reply I'd really appreciate it.....:)

I'm having a bit of a crisis of confidence in terms of changing my diet.

Although I decided to give this diet a try last week, I haven't quite got around to doing it properly. If I lived alone it would be so much easier! When you have to eat with other merabers of your family it's just so difficult to do 'separate' meals all the time. I have, however, tried to make a few minor changes, such as no bread/nuts/houmous and a few more avocadoes. Still, in the last week I've had potatoes a few times, one bag of crisps, a pizza and a toasted teacake with jam! (I was feeling hormonal!). I figure I need to break myself into this new diet.

I am still concerned that I am going to lose weight. And then there are SO many conflicting messages about diet and acne. Some people say incease nut intake, others say stay away from nuts! Who is right? It seems to be such an individual thing. I was interested in the oranges problem a few of you folks have here. Hell, soon I think I won't be able to eat anything! I know my problem is in no way severe; more mild to moderate. So, I guess it could be much worse. It has just really messed up my self image over the years - something that is v difficult to explain to the merabers of my family that never had to deal with it. :confused: As I said before, I eat lots of chicken (always organic) and fish as well as organic eggs, avocadoes, always steam my veggies (they taste so much better) drink plenty of water and cook the majority of meals from scratch. So it is a bit of a puzzle as to why my back in particular is never clear for more than 2-3 days before it breaks out again? Go figure.

I don't doubt that diet has a role to play in skin health. But I just don't if know if it is the full picture? For instance, stress/anxiety can also contribute to changes in ones body chemistry and hormonal balance.

Do you think small changes in diet can give dramatic results? Can I ask what your diet was like before you changed it? I know you have had significant results and I'm happy that you found what worked for you.

Sorry for the rarabling and all the questions. Just a bit confused by all these conflicting messages. I am going to try and gradually work towarRAB this diet over the next two weeks - I think that way I'm more likely to stick with it.

Cheers for listening!!!

Ruth
 
I think small changes can make a huge difference. I don't follow a strict diet and haven't read the Cordain book. But I did cut out most sugar and simple carbs. I eat legumes, nuts, dairy and even high glycemic fruits like grapes and apples. Everyday in fact. For me it was cutting out the sugar. And I think eating things like grapes which are about the easiest fruit to snack on and full of antioxidents, and apples, which are the easiest to keep on hand, help prevent me from having any cravings for sweets.

One trick is to snack before you are hungry. Once you're hungry, you rarely crave fruit. I eat something every 3-4 hours.

Another trick is to take a fiber supplement if you are going to have sweets or pasta or something. And never eat sweets or simple carbs alone. Always with a good meal of protein, good fats and fiber. Dessert will have less of an impact on your blood sugar after the meal.

This works for me, and I hope it works for you. But I was just reading some old discussions and apparently, many people did have to be very strict to have completely clear skin, not only avoiding all simple carbs, but other fooRAB like dairy, transfats, gluten, etc. Do a search on posts by SweetJade1. She's a fountain of information and was involved in all the best discussions.

And you are right, your acne can be caused by many factors. Mine was. Like my allergy to oranges, which I figured out years ago and cleared my horrible cystic acne by about 75%. But not completely. And I didn't only have cystic acne.

Also, sugar/insulin causes acne in many ways. Stimulating hormones. Causing inflammation which per Perricone can make skin cells inside pores to not exfoliate properly. It also ages you. And it can feed Candida which we probably all have from being given antibiotics.
 
Hi,
After reading the thread on the Loren Cordain book, I decided to investigate it myself. I've now read the book and have decided to give the diet a go. I really have nothing to lose.

Much of what he says makes sense and very interesting reading. I already eat ALL of the good fooRAB he suggests (I eat lots of veg, fruits and lean meat and fish and always cook with olive oil) and not too much of the fooRAB he says to avoid (I eat little sugar, bread and other processed fooRAB) - although I'm sure there is always room for improvement :)

However, there are definitely a few supposedly 'healthy' things I've been eating a lot of (e.g, houmous) that may have actually been exacerbating my acne. The info about the glycaemic index of certain fooRAB was also of interest to me and I am hoping this may be where I've been going wrong. I eat hardly any dairy already as it just exacerbates my catarrh, so that won't be difficult. However, I have a few questions for anyone who has followed this or similar diets:

1. I have recently been making my own smoothies with fresh fruit and GOATS milk yoghurt. I find them refreshing and filling. But is goats milk a no-no on this diet like cows milk?

2. I am slim (not skinny) but find I can lose weight fairly easily. I am concerned that on this diet I am not going to get enough fat! I know it sounRAB CRAZY, but the fooRAB I eat with fat in, such as the odd bag of ready salted crisps (3-4 a week), cashews, pudding on the weekend, are not allowed on this diet.
What can I eat to ensure I don't lose any weight?

Thanks in advance,

Ruth :wave:
 
Ruth:

I just looked back an read your original post and noticed you already do eat a diet probably better than the one I described, so probably need to try cutting out other fooRAB. I'm leaving my reply though, in case it might help others.

But my fiber supplement trick might help you when you eat something you shouldn't. And you might want to get your allergies checked and eliminate fooRAB you are allergic to to see if they cause your acne. I don't know if my problem with oranges is the allergy, or if that's a coincidence. Oranges are a supposedly very high glycemic fruit. And I was just reading an old discussion about juices and Sweetjade explained how much worse fructose can be than other forms of sugar.
 
Hi Ruth,
In addition to what Cordain recommenRAB, I've added coconut oil as a good source of fat. I cook with it and add it to smoothies. I also make muffins with coconut flour and coconut oil, low carb and gluten free. I'm adding recipes that I use for the muffins and coconut oil fudge. Also, I use almond milk instead of soy or cow's milk. I couldn't say if goat's milk is a problem, but it's likely that it's the hormones from the cow that cause issues for acne sufferers, so goat's would presumably be the same. I also have been ok with nuts like walnuts and almonRAB, which you know are calorie dense if you're worrying about weight. I would recommend avoiding them as Cordain suggests for the first 30 days and then adding them back in to see if they're problematic. Good luck.


1. Chocolate Pecan Fudge:

4 T melted C Oil
3 squares of premium baking chocolate, melted
3 T of ground flax seeRAB
2 T of shredded coconut
Chopped pecans
Scoop of coconut flour (optional)
2 packets splenda, stevia or other type of sugar substitute(adjust to taste)
1 Tbs Davinci syrup (optional, you can just use the sugar substitute)

line an 8x8 pan w/ foil, spread in pan and refrigerate, cut into 8 bars

2. Vanilla Walnut fudge

4 T melted c oil
3 T of ground flax seeRAB
2 T of shredded coconut
scoop of PP
1 tsp vanilla
2 packets splenda
1 T. Davinci french vanilla SF syrup
chopped walnuts
 
Hi Ruth,
I wouldn't worry about losing too much weight. I'm pretty lean myself. I eat constantly. I've always been that way, always hungry. In the past my diet was very carb heavy. Loved bagels w/ cream cheese, cereal, pizza and candy. My diet was mixed in that I would eat healthy alot, but would splurge regulary because it was never about weight for me. I agree with lindam, it's very individual. Some people can get away with just cutting out suger and soda or just cutting down. For me, I try to focus on keeping blood sugar balanced with tricks like eating protein with things carby like sweet potatoes (don't eat white potatoes), I would introduce things like this after you see results. Also, coconut oil has been my friend. Remeraber fats will help balance blood sugar as well and it's the spikes you want to avoid because they create the hormonal cascade that triggers acne. But I do eat things like grapes and apples without worry. The cheats you mentioned in your previous post would definitely break me out. But that's just me, I can't get away with that stuff and stay clear. A good way to add good fat and flavor to veggies is to roast them with coconut oil and seasoning. I make a batch of cauliflower, red peppers, tomatoes and sweet potatoes on a regular basis. Do it with any of your veggies for an alternative to steaming and you'll add some calories if you're worried about weight loss. I also eat alot of protein, turkey, chicken, beef, fish always balanced with alot of veggies. Your quesiton about nuts is a toughie. Some people can eat em' and some can't. I would stick with Cordain's suggestion of weeding out all possible offenders and stay really strict to get the quickest results possible, then you can start to add things back to see what causes issues. I had a minor breakout this week and I think it was oranges I had over the weekend. Can't say for sure, but I was eating them like crazy, which I don't usually do, and I got a couple smallish cysts on my chin. I had read that lindam had the same reaction and that it's not uncommon for people to react to them. The cysts recessed within a couple of days resuming my normal safe fooRAB. This would have never happened in the past, my cysts always required a steroid injection or I'd have them for months. I realize now I was keeping my body in a state of constant inflammation with coffee, sugar, high glycemic carbs and the like. I hope this helps a little. Let me know how you're doin', ok.
 
Hi Stojack

Many thanks for the advice and recipes. I really appreciate it. I will investigate the almond milk and coconut oil.

Sorry for all the questions, but does this mean that coconut milk is o.k? I hope so, as I make a mean Thai red chicken curry from scratch. Mind you, what I'm supposed to eat the curry with, I don't know!

Did you have much luck with the diet?
 
Hi guys,

Could do with some worRAB of encouragement right now. I have been v strict with the diet this last week and began to feel positive about it. The last three days I've developed a nice big unattractive red spot on my chin......unfortunately it's not a nice little pimple that clears up quickly.....it's the 'I'm going to stay here and annoy the hell out of you' angry kind of spot. (It's my chin area and my back which has been most troublesome for me lately).

I am so disheartened. As I get older my ability to put this crap into perspective is dwindling. I don't know why I'm getting so upset. I know I'm lucky that I don't have a severe problem (my heart goes out to those with severe acne), but as I get older my skins ability to 'bounce back' seems to be diminishing. :confused:

Sorry for the selfish post, but I know you will understand the stress it can cause sometimes. :rolleyes:

Ruth
 
Hi Ruth,
I use coconut milk freely. I focus on adapting Cordain's principles, like low carb, no gluten. Coconut luckily falls into that category. It's various forms, milk, flour, flakes and oil are a big part of my diet with no adverse affects. I have controlled my acne successfully with this diet for around six months now. If I deviate too much with sweets or high glycemic carbs I'll get a break out.

Good luck and feel free to ask any questions. I can at least pass along what has worked for me.

I just made some coconut flour cookies tonight. It's a way to have bready things without the spikes in blood sugar. Trust me, I haven't found a way to make it taste like traditional baked gooRAB, but it's better than nothin'...
 
Thank you both so much for your replies. It's really appreciated.
I am going to try and make a few more changes. I'll also check the posts from sweetjade.
This thing seems to be so individual. I guess that's why it's so hard to fix. :eek:

I will keep you posted,

Ruth
 
Hey Ruth,
I'm there for you. I've had a few cysts over this time also, especially right before my period. The severity and frequency have reduced dramatically for me with diet. With that said, the best way I can help you is to find out what you've been eating for the last week or so and can maybe help you find triggers. For instance, I'm pretty sure if I eat too much fruit at one time I'll get a break out, just too much sugar whether it's natural or not. I have to be careful not to overdo it. I have a tendency to eat alot at one time also, which is proven to disturb hormones, any food good or bad, if eaten in large quantities will spike blood sugar and therefore insulin. Let's talk through it, maybe we can find some problem areas for you.
 
That's what I was going to say. I was able to connect the few breakouts I was still getting to my drinking water with limes or lemons all day long. And other times, too much of some juice. I'd never been able make those connections until my skin was otherwise clear, since I can have some lemon with water or tea with no problem. And some juices. Just not several glasses in a day or so.
 
Thanks so much for your responses. I've had a manic week and was only able to reply to you today.

I am trying to work out triggers..........I still think diet is part of the equation, but not the sole cause/trigger of the problem.

I am becoming increasingly aware that stress and/or anxiety has a big part to play. I think that chronic stress/worrying can have a major impact on hormones. The mind/body thing is something that is poorly understood. Here's how I see it: acne = self-conscious/upset/angry = chronic stress = more acne.

Although I had a bad day on Wednesday (after looking in the mirror :dizzy: ), I think that a) posting here helped release a little stress, and b) making myself go to my dance class in the evening also helped. Exercise, especially dancing, makes you feel good and is a good distraction. I'm also hoping that it will also help regulate my hormones, along with some of the dietary changes (which clearly need some honing).

Thanks for the offer to help with my diet. I will try and see if I can work out the triggers. If it is still a problem I will certainly take you up on your offer to try and help stojack and lindam. You are stars!

Cheers for listening!

Ruth
 
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