How Losing Weight Almost Killed Me paleo pulmonary embolism DVT blood clot VQ scan clexane-min

How Losing Weight Almost Killed Me

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This post, on the surface, hasn't got much to do with the paleo diet. It’s also pretty self indulgent. I’m writing this post in the hope that people who relate to anything I’m about to write below, will get in touch. Perhaps we’ll be able to compare our stories – maybe someone will point out similarities we hadn't even considered?

Apologies – this is a long post, you might want to make a cup of tea first…

How Losing Weight Almost Killed Me paleo pulmonary embolism DVT blood clot VQ scan clexane-min

So, let’s go back. In early 2010 I lost weight, A lot of weight. About 20kg (44lb) in fact. I found out about paleo, completely transformed my diet, started walking/ running to work and developed a mild addiction to taking dance classes. Over the three months I lost the weight, I could almost see it falling off. Every day at work people would comment. But then as quickly as the weight loss began, it stopped. A huge plateau (I’ll be writing a lot more about this in future posts). I remained 17kg lighter, and didn't put any back on.

Around three months after my weight hit a plateau, I travelled back to the UK for the wedding of one of my oldest school friends (that makes her sound old, but you know what I mean). This is a long, long journey, that I’d made several times before. I had never been as slim and physically fit as I was then; I felt great and was itching to show my family and friends in England the new me.

The Flight

It’s a long old flight, is Sydney to London. I opted for the shortest time, a mere 26 hours, meaning I had just a couple of hours stopover in Singapore. I've always been cautious on flights, walking around lots, moving my feet and ankles constantly and wearing flight socks. I even special-ordered my flight meals, with the aim of keeping to my healthy paleo diet. I never drink alcohol on long haul flights, and even carried my own water bottle to make sure I kept hydrated. I must have been one of the most health-cautious passengers on the entire plane.

So I got to England, went to the wedding, saw my friends and family and generally had a great time. Due to the level of fitness I’d built up, I went out for a few runs during my trip. I had been diagnosed with asthma in 2005, but it had almost disappeared earlier that year, after adopting a paleo diet – or so I thought*. In England, on my last run, I really struggled to breathe. Really struggled. In this situation in the past using my inhaler wasn't an instant remedy, but it always made breathing a bit easier. This time however, it didn't even touch my breathing difficulties, which was quite scary. I put it down to the change in climate (that November in the UK was pretty cold and wet) and decided not to do any more runs until I got back to the Australian sunshine.

Towards the end of my trip I’d started to feel, what I assumed was, a really uncomfortable heartburn sensation. My “asthma” wasn't improving either. The pain got progressively worse – and I did think it odd that it didn't seem to make a difference whether or not I’d eaten. I chose to blame it on eating white potatoes for the first time in ages – see – proof that paleo is the right way to eat!

I left England, with what had become quite constant pain, and headed to Bangkok, Thailand.  I had a few days planned to see the sights, before heading back home, to Sydney.

Bangkok

When I woke up on my first morning in Bangkok, I was in a lot of pain. I knew it was my lungs, and I kind of knew it was a “serious” pain. To breathe, I had to double over and take very shallow breaths. For some stupid reason, the night before I had thought it a great idea to unpack my suitcase so I could repack it neatly the following day. It took me most of the day to repack as the pain was so great, and the effort so exhausting. I had to sleep sitting upright, but as I needed to bend forward to breath – and was in pain, and scared – I didn't get any sleep.

I foolishly decided not to tell anyone, whether in Thailand or back home. I knew if I did, I’d have to go to a Thai hospital, and my panicked self thought that would not be a good thing**. So somehow, I and my suitcase, made it to the airport and through check in, despite being doubled up and probably quite obviously in pain. Very, very foolish, I know.

I got back home to Sydney, made it through what seemed like a never ending queue for immigration and went immediately to my doctor. After hearing I’d just got off a long haul flight, my doctor was very concerned and called the emergency department of the nearby hospital, to tell them I was coming. I declined her suggestion of an ambulance, and drove myself, feeling scared, but relieved it was all about to be sorted out and this horrific pain might actually stop.

I didn't meet any of the non-flying risk factors associated with Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) as I was young, a non smoker, didn't have it in the family, hadn't had surgery and was not taking the contraceptive pill. So I was given an x-ray, which (of course) gave me the all clear. I was told it was probably muscular, and to go back to my doctors in a week if it hadn't improved. I knew it wasn't muscular – but these were the experts – the x-ray showed nothing – they had to be right?

At this point, the story goes off on a bit of a tangent, which I’ll include for completeness, but feel free to skip…

Anaphylaxis

Before being discharged, the nurse gave me some Nurofen to help with the “muscle pain”. I’d already told her I was allergic to drugs like aspirin and ibuprofen, but just to be safe, I asked her if that was definitely ok for me to take, since I was allergic to aspirin and ibuprofen. She went away and “checked” and came back to assure me it’s fine, take them. I knew Nurofen make ibruphen, but since it’s a brand name, I assumed they must make other drugs too and took the two white pills she gave me from the little plastic cup and off home I went.***

I got home and was heading to the shower when my face began to feel really odd and tight. It felt odder and odder by the second. I went back downstairs, where my housemate took one look at me and told me to get straight back in the car. I thought it odd that Kev kept looking at me and telling me it had almost gone, whilst at the same time driving fast and straight through several dodgy amber lights… most unusual behaviour.

As soon as I got back to Emergency, they took one look at me, realised I was having an anaphylactic shock and took me straight to the resuscitation area, despite the fact there was a huge queue – and I hadn’t even filled the registration form in. I then had seven doctors and nurses around me and was being given adrenaline in one arm, and antihistamine in the other – as well as wearing a mask giving me more adrenaline (and who knows what else). All I could see was a little corner of my hand, tight, swollen and covered in bright red hives. I could feel my face was tight and swollen. I really thought I was going to die****. After a while the anaphylaxis went away and I started to feel more relaxed (except for the shaking, which I think is a result of the adrenaline) – but then it came back again. Round two followed – more adrenaline, more doctors, more fear – before finally, it went away and stayed away. I spent the night in the emergency medical unit being monitored every 30 minutes or so. Everyone had completely forgotten about my chest pain, and I was still recovering from the adrenaline and shock.

Back to the main story….

The chest pain. I went back to work a couple of days after the anaphylactic incident and spent the week trying to carry on as normal, it was just muscle pain after all. I forced myself to go on walks at lunchtime, but it was excruciatingly painful. That Saturday morning, I went straight back to my doctor, who was horrified and convinced it wasn’t muscle pain. She sent me straight back to emergency, who this time did lots of other tests that they hadn’t even mentioned the previous week. A nurse scanned my legs, looking for a clot, but nothing was found. I had a couple of different scans. The first one, I think, was a CT scan. The VQ scan turned out to be the crucial one. For the VQ scan, you’re given a funny tasting radioactive gas to breath in, then your lungs are scanned. Next you’re given a radioactive injection in your arm, so the scan can match the first scan to the blood vessels in your lungs. I’m not remotely medical, so this is a very basic (and quite possibly inaccurate) explanation. In healthy lungs, the scans match. If they don’t match it indicates a clot. Lo and behold, there was a mismatch.

It turned out I had a Pulmonary Embolism (PE), at just 30 years of age without any of the major risk factors (well, except for flying). PE’s often happens after DVT, due to a clot leaving the legs and travelling to the lungs. It’s often hard to tell what caused it, unless a clot is found in the legs. Apparently the clot can break away from your lung and go to your heart, which would be fatal. And to think I was wondering around for ten days in ignorance trying to (as they say here in Australia) “man up”… I was admitted and immediately given Clexane (heparin) injections twice a day to thin my blood, until the Warfarin (also know at the anticoagulant Coumadin) drugs I was given took effect.

As much as I try to avoid drugs and anything artificial, in situations like this, I’m always thankful for science. Three days later I went home, but had to take the Warfarin for a further six months and go to the doctors every few days to have my INR levels checked. You have to really watch your Vitamin K intake when taking Warfarin, and can’t have certain foods, which wasn't exactly the situation I wanted to be in. The drug was originally developed as rat poison apparently, so I was keen to come off it as soon as I was out of risk.

Again?

About nine months after the first instance, I travelled to America for the Ancestral health Symposium in LA in August 2011. I was off Warfarin and completely clued up. These things don’t happen twice. I didn’t only have flight socks, I now had whole body skins. I spent most of the flight pacing up and down. I managed to use my Qantas points to upgrade one of my flights to business class. I gave myself Clexane injections, before during and after the flight. It was only half the distance of a trip to the UK. What could go wrong?

I remember having a pain in my calf when I got to San Francisco, but put that down to all of the hills and thought I’d probably pulled a muscle. I had a great trip, the symposium was amazing, all was well. On my return flight I felt great, really well and full of healthiness. All of a sudden, I felt very really ill, from completely out of the blue. I got up and walked to the bathroom. The next thing I remember is being in a really nice deep sleep and being abruptly woken up by two aircrew (who were also registered nurses – how good is Qantas!) It turns out I’d passed out on the way to the bathroom and had hit my head on the way down. They insisted on me breathing from an oxygen canister for the rest of the flight, and I felt fine. The next few days I didn't feel “quite right”, so went back to the specialist (who I’d been assigned nine months before) and had another VQ scan. It turned out I had a new, but very small, Pulmonary Embolism. Another one! How is that even possible?

I ended up taking Warfarin for another six months before getting the all clear again, and coming off the Warfarin. I had all of the genetic clotting tests, and nothing was found. My specialist said it seemed to be “just one of those things”. I don’t agree with “one of those things”. Even if it was the long haul flight, something else must be going on to make me more susceptible to this. I live on the other side of the World to my family, I can’t simply not travel ever again? I have taken a lot of long haul flights since this, and been completely fine. I don’t fly more than eight hours without at least a night’s stopover. I have also exhausted all of my Qantas points upgrading as many long haul flights as I can, to business class, so I can keep my legs in what seems to be a safer horizontal position.

So, this is how it was left, until a chance conversation with one of my friends in Sydney. Her fiancé is also on Warfarin, having had a PE too. He doesn't have the typical risk factors either. We then realised he and I had both lost a considerable amount of weight just prior to getting the PE. An interesting coincidence. I mentioned this to a doctor I saw recently, who realised she had seen the same in one of her patients too – a PE after a significant weight loss.

Do processes to do with circulation not adapt quickly to reduced body weight? Do people who have recently lost a lot of weight, still produce too much of certain chemicals? I wish I was a scientist…

I’m now seeing a functional doctor and am having a lot of tests (more on this soon), so I hope to find out if there is anything underlying going on.

Why am I posting this?

I want to hear from other people who’ve had out of the blue PE’s (or DVT) like this. If you or someone you know has had a Pulmonary Embolism, I’d love to hear more about what happened to you – and what you think caused it or made you more susceptible. Had you also lost weight soon before getting the PE? If you don’t want to leave a comment, please send me an email, I’d love to hear from you.

* Incidentally in another interesting discovery, my asthma completely disappeared, after the massive doses of adrenaline I was given. I’ve found a few studies (I’ll link to them here when I find them again) that use adrenaline in asthma treatment. Very interesting.

** And before you ask – yep, I had a very comprehensive travel insurance policy. I should have used it.

*** I now won’t even take paracetamol without reading the packet myself. I also wear a medic alert bracelet, to make sure this won’t happen again.

**** Perhaps the worst moment was when I asked one of the medical team this exact question and they wouldn't answer me. This still puzzles me, I'm sure they aren't allowed to say you’re going to be ok (for legal reasons?) but in that situation, I just want to be lied to and reassured that everything is going to be fine. Even if it isn't. Lie to me, please!

TL/DR: Went paleo, lost a lot of weight fast, got a Pulmonary Embolism; wondering if rapid weight loss makes people more susceptible to DVT & PE’s?

Why You Should Get Rid of Your Microwave radiation safety paleo diet healthy-min

Why You Should Get Rid of Your Microwave!

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Microwaves – probably one of the most celebrated and widely used 20th century inventions in the western world. The chances are, even if you don’t use it, you’ll have one in your house and office. They’re quick and convenient, but they pose all sorts of health risks, and are best avoided at all costs. But just what is it that’s so bad about them?

They’re radioactive, and mess with your heart rate and blood cells

On average, microwaves produce 2.4 GHz radiation, which can have serious impacts on your body. A study by Dr. Magda Havas of Trent University has shown that this amount of radiation can cause ‘immediate and drastic’ changes to your heart rate. Another study by Dr. Hans Hertel shows that this radiation alters the balance of red and white blood cells. Research also indicates that microwave radiation can lead to blood sugar spikes connected with diabetes in susceptible individuals.

They zap nutrients right out of your food

Due to the dielectric heating of foods when cooked in a microwave, a startling amount of the nutrients are lost in the ‘cooking’ process. Studies have shown an approximate 40% drop in the levels of vitamin B12 in meat when heated in a microwave as opposed to traditional methods. Even more shockingly, broccoli was found to lose up to 97% of its antioxidants when microwaved, as opposed to just 11% when steamed. As the Paleo diet focuses on eating clean, nutrient dense foods, microwaving doesn't make much sense does it?

Why You Should Get Rid of Your Microwave radiation safety paleo diet healthy-min

They transfer carcinogens into food

If you reheat your food in any kind of plastic wrap, or even in a plastic tub, all sorts of chemicals can leak into your meal. In a study by the Russian government, levels of BPA, polyethylene terephthalate (PET), benzene, toluene, and xylene were discovered in microwaved food.

And it’s not just the food itself you need to worry about..

Perhaps most shockingly of all, as microwaves are supposedly ‘safe’ to use in the home – they can leak radiation and electromagnetic emissions directly into your kitchen. You wouldn’t eat your food in an electromagnetic power plant, so why put yourself in the same danger in your kitchen?

Our hectic lives mean that sometimes we just don’t have the time to prepare healthy, delicious meals for the whole family every evening. Sometimes, meal planning and cooking food in large batches is one of the best ways of saving time whilst ensuring every one eats healthily. But what if you want to reheat that food? Personally, when I’m batch cooking, I tend to mainly make stews, curries, casseroles, even soups. These are really easy to reheat using a traditional saucepan and stove, and can be ready in minutes. Also, I tend to peel and chop my veggies when I have the time so they are ready to roast, boil or steam when I want them. I’ll often roast up some sweet potatoes or squash in their skin – and when I want to eat them, I’ll just throw them in a hot oven for five minutes to heat through before peeling. When it comes to meat, I’ll often chop this up and leave it in the fridge ready to cook. Stir fries are a brilliant way to quickly cook your protein, especially if you dice it finely. Steak, Lamb, Salmon and Tuna are also excellent choices if you’re in a rush, as they can (and should!) be eaten rare, so will only take a couple of minutes to cook each side.

What are your thoughts on microwaving food? Is it something you still do or did you give it up along with the grains and sugar?

Is coffee paleo primal diet-min

Is Coffee Anti-Paleo?

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There are a lot of things that draw controversy amongst the Paleo community – High fat dairy, ‘paleo-fied’ baked goods, potatoes, white rice, and of course, coffee. Coffee is part of a daily ritual for so many people around the world, but whilst it provides many of us with the ‘get up and go’ required to face the day, many have questioned whether it fits the make-up of a successful Paleo diet.

But… Is Coffee Paleo?

Coffee is made by brewing the roasted ‘bean’, of the Coffea, or coffee tree. Whilst beans are not Paleo, the ‘coffee bean’ is technically a seed, and therefore, if we’re going to get technical, allowed. However, many commercially farmed coffee beans are often sprayed with artificial chemicals and pesticides, so if you do choose to drink coffee, it’s important that you buy organic. Many people naturally find that they no longer get the cravings for coffee they used to on a Paleo diet, as they have much more consistent energy levels throughout the day.

Granted, coffee contains antioxidants – but do we really drink it for that? It has also come in for some criticism from some very well respected health sources. A high consumption of coffee has been linked to problems with the adrenal system, sleep disturbances, and impaired insulin sensitivity. Trouble is, it’s a hard habit to break. If only there was a way to make it healthier…

Is coffee paleo primal diet-min

Enter Bulletproof Coffee

Bulletproof Coffee TM is a brand founded by Dave Asprey, and requires a specific formula to brew. This includes specially prepared coffee beans, which are devoid of problematic mycotoxins, along with grass fed butter (or ghee) and MCT oil. Buying the specialist MCT oil can be quite expensive; so many people have taken to using coconut oil instead. The result? A creamy, delicious coffee loaded with healthy fats – which has been proven to provide an easily metabolised form of energy. It’s also supposed to be great for fat loss and minimising food cravings. If you don’t tolerate dairy well – give ghee a try instead. Ghee is stripped of all of the problematic proteins associated with dairy intolerance, so many people who struggle with other forms of dairy are perfectly fine with grass fed ghee. If it still doesn't work for you, then substitute with an extra spoonful of coconut oil.

All in all, coffee might not be as Paleo as a grass fed porterhouse steak or an organic sweet potato – but many of us accept that it is one of those ‘sensible indulgences’ we just couldn't live without. I’d recommend giving Bulletproof Coffee a try, but as with anything, it’s about what’s right for you. I’d also recommend having at least one day off drinking coffee each week, to avoid any sort of caffeine dependency.

I’d love to know, what’s your take on coffee? Are you a regular drinker? And have you tried Bulletproof Coffee, or your own version of something similar?

Homemade Moisturiser Recipe skincare paleo-min

Paleo Skincare – Homemade Moisturiser Recipe

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Everyone loves to pamper their skin, and in the colder months a moisturiser can be especially useful help prevent dry, flaking skin caused by cold winds and heating. Unfortunately the many commercial brands of moisturiser seem to come with so many added chemicals. Moisturisers often have harmful chemicals such as parabens added in order to preserve the life of a product. When you’re being so careful to have a clean, natural Paleo diet – the last thing you want to do is let these chemicals soak into your skin.

Homemade Moisturiser Recipe skincare paleo-min

You can use coconut oil on your skin, but if you’re after something a little different, you might like to try making a homemade moisturiser.

The following recipe uses natural ingredients only and is designed to be kind and gentle to the skin, while also nourishing it through all of the seasons. Once set, this moisturiser is harder and firmer than traditional moisturises and can be used as a balm for the lips, elbows and any other areas of the skin with dry patches.

Natural skin moisturiser

Ingredients:

  • 28g (1oz) of Shea Butter
  • 21g (0.75oz) of cosmetic grade beeswax
  • 20 mls of vitamin e oil, wheat germ oil or almond oil
  • Essential oils:
  • For greasy skin ad 10 – 20 drops of tea tree or lavender essential oil
  • For dry skin add 10 – 20 drops of lavender or geranium oil
  • For sensitive/combination skin add 15 – 20 drops of camomile essential oil
  • Storage jar

The more oil added, the stronger it will smell so add the oils gradually first and build up to the desired strength.

NB: Be careful when making this as the beeswax can get very hot; take care not to get it on your skin.

Add the Shea butter to a saucepan and melt it on low on an oven ring or melt in the microwave. Once it has melted, give it a stir and then add the beeswax. Melt the beeswax either on an oven ring or in the microwave. Mix the Shea butter and beeswax together and then add your oil. Stir in your chosen carrier oil and then add the essential oils.

Once it has all blended together, add the mix to a small glass jar. Be careful not to touch the sides of the jar as it will be extremely hot. Leave it in its place to cool down. It is probably best left until the next morning.

Once ready the mixture can be used like a salve to soften skin and moisturise.

NB: Pregnant women should take medical advice before using essential oils.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) & the Paleo Diet deficiency supplement nutrition-min

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) & the Paleo Diet

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An expert at aiding your body to convert carbohydrates into energy, Vitamin B3 or Niacin plays an important role in the metabolic functions. Good digestive function, detoxification processes, and the creation of hormones – all of these have to say a word of thanks to Niacin as well.

But how do you know if you’re missing this important vitamin in your paleo diet? Niacin deficiency can be characterised by digestive problems, skin infections, lack of appetite, and generalised weakness or muscular weakness. In addition, you might be prone to Niacin deficiency if you’ve suffered from stress, physical trauma, long-term fever, and excessive consumption of alcohol.

It’s quite impressive how Vitamin B3 can benefit your body in adequate amounts. Just look at this list of medical conditions that it may help to prevent or treat – Alzheimer’s, depression, diabetes, gout, hallucinations, headaches, hyperactivity, hypothyroidism, insomnia, inflammatory bowel disease, menstrual pains, multiple sclerosis, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, pellagra, smelling and taste disorders, vertigo. Let’s focus on Alzheimer’s for a moment – in a research from 2004 it was found that elderly subjects who consumed most Niacin in their food were 70% less likely to have Alzheimer’s than those who consumed the least. What an illustration for the power of food in achieving good health until old age. This is what makes the Paleo Diet so fantastic – it shows that delicious whole foods can be the best medicine for your body.

How much Vitamin B3 should you consume?

The recommended daily amount is 20mg, and there are no toxicity symptoms reported to be connected to Niacin consumption from whole foods. However, a tolerable upper limit from supplements is set at 35mg.

Vitamin B3 (Niacin) & the Paleo Diet deficiency supplement nutrition-min

Which foods can you get Niacin from?

Now, your body can produce some Vitamin B3 from an amino acid called tryptophan, but this is really inefficient. The Paleo Diet is a great source for adequate Niacin consumption, since it includes a variety of natural food sources. Here are some of the best!

  1. Liver – If you’re looking for a “comprehensive health supplement”, liver is one of the best, and Vitamin B3 is no exception here. A portion of 100g of lamb liver will provide you with 83% of your daily Niacin need, with other animal livers providing just slightly less than that.
  2. Chicken – Lean meats are a great source of Niacin, with chicken at the top of the list. A serving of 100g provides you with 68.6% of your daily need.
  3. Tuna – A protein-rich portion of tuna is another good source for Vitamin B3, as a 100g portion covers 15.7% of your daily intake need. Tuna salad, anyone?
  4. Turkey – Another lean meat, turkey provides 37% of your daily need of Vitamin B3 in a serving size of 100g. If you’re used to preparing a lot of chicken, try turkey on some of the nights instead for a slightly different micronutrient profile.
  5. Venison – Yes, Vitamin B3 seems to be all about lean meats… Venison provides you with 37.1% of your daily Niacin need in a 100g portion. Might be time to ring up that hunter you know!
  6. Halibut – This fish that makes for a lovely dinner along with some veggies provides 35.6% of your daily Niacin need in 100g.
  7. Shiitake mushrooms – These mushrooms that provide a rich taste for any dish cover 19.4% of your daily Niacin need in a 100g portion. That’s a good enough reason to search for some Asian recipes for your next dinner!
  8. Sweet potatoes – Not just a source of carbs to fuel your activity, sweet potatoes also provide some great nutrition. One cup of baked sweet potatoes will cover 8.5% of your daily need of Vitamin B3, so feel free to add them to your preferred piece of meat or fish.

What else should you know about Vitamin B3 consumption?

One of the most stable water-soluble vitamins, Niacin is only minimally influenced by air, light, and heat, and thus you shouldn’t be worried about losing the vitamin B3 content of the food you are cooking or storing.

So, what do you think? Are you planning a meaty (or fishy) Niacin-rich dinner already? Share your thoughts about this vitamin in the comments!

Paleo Diet Primal Gut Health Flora Healthy Probiotics-min

How Is Your Gut Health?

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After the stress and perhaps over indulgences of the festive season – how is your gut health?

Our ancestors were surrounded by dirt – and certainly won’t have washed their hands in antibacterial soap before touching everything! Today, everyone is terrified of germs and dirt. Children aren't allowed to get dirty – people can’t even make food without wearing those horrible blue plastic gloves – yuck!

Paleo Diet Primal Gut Health Flora Healthy Probiotics-min

So many factors in our modern lifestyle are stacked against maintaining good gut flora. The antibiotics given out by so many doctors kill off most bacteria (good as well as bad). Stress hormones also do a good job of killing of gut flora. It’s probably therefore little wonder that so many of us don’t have good gut health.

Having good gut health promotes a good immune system, which is why some people never seem to catch the germs going around the office. Healthy gut bacteria is also essential in proper, good digestion. Healthy gut flora enable you to properly absorb the nutrients in the food you’re eating (after all, we are what we absorb, rather than what we eat)

Whilst yoghurts with live cultures have become extremely popular as a method of improving gut health, they don’t appear to be the best solution, given that many people don’t tolerate dairy – and of course the pasteurisation has an significant impact on the amount of live culture left in the finished product. A lot of these yoghurts also have a lot of sugar added.

One of the better options to improve your gut health is taking probiotic supplements. When you compare the ingredients, you’ll notice huge variations between the different brands. For this reason, I like Primal Flora, as it’s been created with an ancestral diet in mind.
Primal Flora
What do you do to improve your gut health? Do you take probiotics? Please share, in the comments below!

Are you an insect magnet Paleo Diet Primal natural insect repellent bugs Mosquito bites spray DEET-min

Are You An Insect Magnet? Natural Insect Repellent

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I'm on holiday at the moment – and with holidays in the sun, the insects seem to come out. I hate using an artificial insect repellent and covering myself in chemicals. But I also hate being covered in Mosquito bites!

Fortunately, there are some natural alternatives to keep the bugs at bay. Below is a recipe I've experimented with for a chemical free insect repellent, that you can make at home.

This spray on insect repellent works well with vitamin E as the vitamin E is nourishing and protecting, and is good for skin that can become thirsty and dry during the summer heat.

Are you an insect magnet Paleo Diet Primal natural insect repellent bugs Mosquito bites spray DEET-min

Natural insect repellent recipe

Ingredients:

  • 10 – 20 drops of citronella essential oil
  • 10 – 20 drops of lemon essential oil
  • 10 – 20 drops of lavender essential oil
  • 5 mls of carrier oil. Choose from Wheat germ, Vitamin E, avocado, calendula, borage or apricot kernel.
  • One small spray bottle or jar for storing the mix.

Add five mls of your chosen carrier oil to the storage jar and then add the oils. The more oils added, the stronger the scent will be. Screw up the lid and shake well to mix. The blend can be massaged onto the skin when needed. If the oil mix is too greasy, then add the oils to a base of distilled witch hazel – you’ll need 3-5 teaspoons.

An alternative way of applying the mix would be too melt 10gs (0.35oz) of Shea butter in a pan and stir in the oils. Once the mix has set and cooled it can be massaged onto the skin in a solid bar form.

The essential oils can also be used individually or alternatively tea tree oil can also be used on its own or in combination with any of the other essential oils listed. However, the scent of tea tree can be rather strong so may not be suited to everyone.

NB: Pregnant women should take medical advice before using essential oils.

Do you have a tip for keep bugs at bay? Do mosquito's seem to choose you over everyone else? Share your tips and stories below!

Time to get healthy paleo rock bottom over indulged Christmas lose weight-min

Time to get healthy?

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Post Christmas is a popular time to readdress your goals. Perhaps you got a bit carried away with the festivities and have realised you are carrying more weight than is healthy? Or perhaps you have a few health issues that you want to concentrate on, and resolve once and for all? Now is the perfect time to get healthy!

It starts with food

Diet is a great place to start. Instead of waiting until all if the festive food has been eaten (we've all done that!) why not just throw it away – or give it to someone who will appreciate it? Your health will thank you!
Once you've cleared out all the not-exactly-paleo food – it's time for the good food!  Make a list, plan out your meals for the next week and go and get some good wholesome paleo foods.
I like to make up big batches of dishes like soups and curries. It's great to freeze them in small portions, making it super easy to get healthy meals, quickly.
Time to get healthy paleo rock bottom over indulged Christmas lose weight-min

What about lifestyle?

Lifestyle is a huge health factor! In fact, I'd argue that even with a perfect diet unless you have got the lifestyle factors right it's almost impossible to get healthy.

How's your sleep?

Have late nights and difficult mornings started to creep in? Are you getting enough sleep? This is a great time to work out how much sleep your body needs – and how you're going to get it.

Connection

Another huge factor – do you have enough time in your life for your friends and family? Do you have enough time to relax and just be? If not – what can you change to create more balance in your life?

Get healthy with fitness

This is another important factor. Do you lift heart things and get in the occasional sprint? Being fitter seems to go hand in hand with overall health and well being. You don't have to start big – try walking more.
I'd love to hear what you're planning to work on over the coming months, what changes are you planning to make to your life?
Paleo christmas menu plan dinner lunch primal diet-min

Christmas Menu Plan

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What are you cooking this Christmas? Are you going with a traditional menu, or perhaps you're serving up something completely alternative?

It can be hard to stick to your good Paleo intentions over Christmas – particularly if you’re having to cater for lots of relatives, who perhaps don’t follow a healthy lifestyle like you do.

Traditional Christmas recipes are often full of the dangerous white stuff – sugar. How can you take the sugar out of the equation, without taking the fun away too?

I Quit Sugar Christmas Meal Plan

Sarah Wilson has got a great festive ebook, to go along with her “I Quit Sugar” series. The “I Quit Sugar Christmas Meal Plan” contains three entire, step by step, Christmas meal plans that you can follow, or mix and match. There is a big buffet menu, a sugar free version of the traditional Christmas menu – as well as a summer barbeque menu for those of us celebrating from the Southern Hemisphere. The meal plans are organised to be made in advance, leaving the big day itself a lot less stressful!

The book also features a leftovers menu (we know we all end up with enough food to last the rest of the year!), homemade sugar free gifts (much better than buying gifts), cheat dishes, fermented recipes (great for your gut health) and bonus recipes from other bloggers (including Gwyneth Paltrow).

If you want to check out the Christmas Meal Plan ebook, you can find it here.

What are your menu plans this Christmas? I’d love to hear what you’re organising, so please share in the comments below!

Paleo christmas menu plan dinner lunch primal diet-min

The paleo guide to Christmas dinner lunch meal plan recipe diet-min

The Paleo Guide To Christmas Dinner

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So on the face of it you might be thinking Paleo and Christmas don’t go together. Perhaps you need to have a week or two “off” your Paleo diet until the festivities are over? Not so fast! Your Christmas Dinner might just be a lot more Paleo than you realised!

Turkey

Turkey is a fantastic Paleo meat! Make sure your turkey is from a good source and fully pastured (you might need to order this in advance to ensure you get a good one!) and you’ll have a great high protein, low carb meat to base your lunch around.

The paleo guide to Christmas dinner lunch meal plan recipe diet-min

Gravy

Use the meat juices to make a beautifully Paleo gravy. Once you’ve made a proper gravy, you’ll wonder how you used to eat instant gravy mixes!

Cranberry Sauce

Cranberry sauce and turkey is an amazing combination – and of course cranberries are Paleo – just make your own sauce instead of buying a sugar laden version, perfect for Christmas dinner

Paleo Cranberry Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

  • 750ml (3 cups) of cranberries
  • Juice of two oranges
  • 1 tsp orange zest, finely grated
  • 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Paleo Cranberry Sauce How To:

Boil the orange juice and add the cranberries. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 5 – 10 minutes until the berries have all burst and released their flavour. Remove from the heat and add the cinnamon and zest. Stir and allow to cool before refrigerating. Will keep for a few days in the fridge.

Potatoes

Potatoes are off the menu – but all is not lost! Just replace them with sweet potatoes which are perhaps even more delicious.

Brussels Sprouts

Sprouts are a perfect green, so pile them up high! If you’re not so keen on the taste try cooking them up with a bit of ginger for a great taste.

Christmas Pudding

Traditional Christmas puddings are often very wheat and sugar based – but who says you have to be traditional? How about chocolate avocado mousse for afters?

What is on your Christmas dinner menu , I’d love to hear in the comments below? Are you making some changes and keeping it Paleo?