Greetings Dr Cordain! Thank you for your work on nutrition, health and The Paleo Diet®! I find myself wanting to share my story with you!
In 2006 I was diagnosed with colon cancer. I was 46 years old. I had surgery colon resection and chemotherapy with good results. Today, I remain cancer free. I made some dietary changes at that point eliminating alcohol, soda, red meat and peanuts from my diet. I felt extremely fortunate to have caught it before it penetrated the colon wall. Stage 2 cancer.
In 2008 at 49 years old I suffered a stroke and was immediately administered "clot busting" medicines through my groin artery into my right brain to dissolve the clot. Again I felt fortunate to have the technology available. Doctors were baffled because I had no indicators of heart disease or plaque buildup in my arteries. So, why the blood clot in my brain? After many tests, I was diagnosed with systemic lupus SLE, further complicated by antiphospho lipid syndrome, which caused my blood to hyper clot. In 2009 I was given prednisone and plaquinel to manage the lupus. I was also started on Lipitor and coumadin to prevent blood clots. I felt terrible physically and emotionally.
I started serious exercise again a year ago. Being a Division 1 volleyball scholarship recipient, and a regular exerciser my whole life, I thought spin classes 3 days a week and some weight lifting twice a week would be helpful both physically and emotionally. I got a medical release. My BMI was 29. Since then, I have gone off the prednisone - very welcomed news. And my medicine dosing was reduced 27 percent. But I still was not feeling good. Fatigue, stiffness, digestive and bowel issues were prevalent in a daily struggle.
My trainer TJ McNiff at The Firm in Minneapolis suggested in November of 2011 that I try The Paleo Diet. He has practiced Paleo for several years. So I got permission from my doctor and started Paleo 32 days ago. My weight was 169. I am 5'8 and my BMI was 27.
