Thankyou
First of all – a big thankyou to all those who read my blog posts and take the time to write comments and share your stories. And to those who have donated – I really, really appreciate it – you have no idea what a difference it makes for me.
It’s already into the afternoon of the first day of 2012 for us in New Zealand. Normally we’d be up in our favourite camping spot seeing the New Year in, in an area rated in the top 10 coastal areas in the World by National Geographic. But this year, atrocious weather damaged our tent and sent us packing back home to Auckland.
While camping, we avoid most technology including TV for 2 weeks, but back at home being online is too tempting – so here is a quick post to see in the New Year.
First a curious sign from camping, a bait station for possums. Although cute and furry in Australia, in New Zealand they are a huge pest and munch through our gorgeous Pohutakawa trees (not so well liked I hear in San Francisco), and spread TB to cattle. Cholecalciferol of course is Vitamin D3, but used for bait in massive doses, 2000mg / kg it causes heart failure in possums and rabbits.
2011 Round-up: Top Posts that keep on keeping on:
A few posts from the last year are still popular, and have close to 20K reads.
The analysis of Durianrider’s (AKA Harley Johnstone) diet draws the curious and the low fat raw vegan defenders alike. I followed this post up with one on typical problems encountered by those on vegan and raw vegan diets. Although Harley says he is still thriving on his 30 bananas a day diet, others do not. A recent comment from Mark, outlines the issues he was having:
“I am one of those people that Julianne mentions that have “seemed” to thrive on a low-fat raw vegan diet, namely 80/10/10 by Doug Graham for about a couple months.
I initially got into 811 because I was trying to heal my severe eczema, environmental and food allergies. My condition improved greatly on 811 but then it started going downhill after I avoided meat for 6 months. I suddenly got a full candida body rash and the last two months I had massive, and I mean insane meat cravings that would put me out of control with my body. I would secretly chew and spit cooked chicken, pork, beef anything meaty from my other family member’s leftover meals. I was so ashamed of myself and I even pictured in my head the cruel factory farming practices to try and reinforce into my mind why I initially went vegan.
I knew that cooked meat was bad as I had eaten organic cooked meat my entire life and didn’t cure my condition. So I tried raw paleo and I have been eating raw fish, grass-fed beef, very little deer, organic chicken, organic eggs and my full body eczema rash has now reduced to only my legs. I am also using urine therapy (for those with objections, please read “Your Own Perfect Medicine” by Martha Christy”, all the conventional medical reports of the beneficial components of urine are there), applying old urine externally on my rashes and drinking my fresh urine. I’ve been slowly adding more raw meat to my diet and I have improved 90% in the last month. Simply amazing!
This alone proves to me that humans do require meat, although there is still much research that I need to look into regarding cooked/raw meat.
I really hope this helps some of you out there struggling with a raw vegan diet. Some symptoms I had when on the last period of raw vegan was insomnia, extreme fatigue (sleeping 12+ hrs and still feeling tired), reappearance of eczema rashes, extremely cold body temp (feet and hands were ice cold all the time). The vegan ideology is really very attractive and I was very happy as a raw vegan thinking about all the animals I have saved from suffering, but it seems that humans are really meant to eat meat, just look at the anthropological evidence, there is no doubt in that.”
Also interesting for me, was a recent talk by raw vegan advocate Renata Holicova in New Zealand, who featured in an article on “Drastic Diet and their Devotees” (Sunday Star Times) that I also featured in. I noted at the time that all three people in the article changed to a diet which cut out sugar, refined carbs and grains, and experienced huge gains in health (raw vegan diet, paleo diet and blood type O diet). Since this story Renata shared that after about 4 years on a raw vegan diet, she started to experience fatigue and health problems. She added some cooked food which helped a little. However she realised she was missing key nutrients, and added raw egg yolks, and raw cottage cheese (organic, free range /grass fed ) and within a day experienced a huge boost in energy levels – back to those she had when she first ate a raw vegan diet.
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The post on omega 3 and 6 levels in fats, oils, nuts, seeds, meat and seafood has become a popular resource, Mark Sisson kindly noted “It’s probably the best go-to resource on the subject I’ve seen”
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I continue to be interested in the paleo diet and it’s application for both auto-immune disease and menstrual issues, both of which I suffered and Paleo eating made a profound difference. I am planning to do a study early this year testing paleo eating out on other women who suffer PMS and menstrual cramps.
I am particularly intrigued by Dr Wahls diet that reversed her multiple sclerosis and plan to trial this version myself when the party season has eased off.
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A few highlights of 2011
Of course the Ancestral Health Symposium in LA, which I traveled to with my husband. It was fantastic to be with so many like minded people in a big paleo / primal / ancestral health sharefest. One can feel a bit isolated on this side of the world. Thanks goodness for the internet, and all the other amazing paleo bloggers and tweeters from all over.
In my little corner of the world I feel very lucky to have That Paleo Guy – Jamie Scott to chat with when he’s up this end of the country. I’ve been listening in on some of the seminars he has developed – he does an amazing job. And Anastasia (Primalmeded) not so far away in Australia, who made a trip across the ditch recently. I had a very enjoyable long lunch with her in Auckland.
I have been interviewed by David Shearer (MP) and newly elected leader of the NZ Labour Party, about ancestral / paleo nutrition, on Planet fm.
And in December, I also had a really enjoyable chat to Jimmy Moore, on his Livin La Vida Low Carb Show. Jimmy Moore, Julianne Taylor interview
But what really makes me happy is the results that people report – I’m always thrilled and excited by the results from people who have attended a paleo seminar, and taken part in a paleo challenge. And those who just read and take it on – by following the paleo rules here or elsewhere. Thanks for the results you share on my blog and the emails you send me.
As for me – I continue to eat a fairly strict paleo diet, with some occasional treats, however due to having Hashimotos – I remain strictly gluten free. For the first time in my life I have been exercising regularly; I have finally found an exercise programme that I love – CrossFit, which I have been going to for 2 1/2 years now. I truck up without fail to either CrossFit Auckland or CrossFit Rapid at least 4 times a week. I’ve never felt stronger or fitter. Carrying that 20 litre water container across the campground was even easier this year.
This year brings more paleo challenges and seminars to deliver. A possible trip to Russia to visit the birth country of our adopted children. And if all goes well, another trip to the USA for this year’s Ancestral Health Symposium. I’m also planning to start Post Graduate nutrition papers at Massey University.
Hi Julianne.
Those dear lovable fluffy cute possums are the bain of my life.I spend more time looking for holes in the netting over the garden ,and any openings in the wire suround . That includes the hen run as well.Yes they are a pest in Aus as well Spend more time chasing them than reading informative blogs.
Keep up the great reads Iget to them eventualy.
Alan
Happy New Year o you too.. I personally feel very greatfulto have somebody with knowledge that gives me advice when I need it the most
Hello Julianna – I am a fellow Aucklander (on holiday at our bach at Coromandel) and was just listening to my podcasts and heard you! I have been following Jimmy Moore’s podcasts for a couple of years and now listen to many, many interesting others as well. I think I enjoy “Latest in Paleo” with Angelo Coppola the best. My partner and I have been dabbling with low carb for a couple of years but after reading “Wheat Belly” by Dr William Davis back in September we have been totally wheat free and have gone more down the paleo route except we still have dairy.
Sometimes I feel like we are out of step with everyone else living this lifestyle as most people can’t imagine a life without grains etc. I’m sure people think we have gone a little mad and will be banging tambourines and turning hippy soon. That is where the power of the internet is so fantastic… to read blogs like “Underground Wellness” and of course, Tom Naughton’s Fathead blog. You actually realise how much this all makes sense!
My partner has metabolic syndrome and is working on weight reduction, blood pressure reduction and cholesterol reduction. The latter is not worrying us too much due to the fact that he just had a zero (perfect) CT calcium score on his heart meaning no buildup/plaque in his heart. The cardiologist promptly wanted to put him on statins to which we said no, we’ll do this with diet. He was both shocked and horrified! He just could not understand why my partner would say no to reduced cholesterol.
Anyway we are both on the road to much healthier lives. My issue is blood sugar and weight and I’m pre-diabetic. The doctor tells me I’m in the normal range but from what I read, I’m borderline so that is certainly another reason to follow the low carb/semi paleo way of life. We have both lost around 7 kilos so far without any struggle at all. Our blood sugar has returned to near normal levels as has our blood pressure. We both need to lose about another 5 kilos but feel there is no hurry for that. We bike ride and walk. I am 55 and my partner is 46.
Anyway that was a long introduction – I will follow your blog with interest from now on and perhaps even get to go to one of your seminars or whatever in the future.
Lynda
Hi Lynda, thanks for your comments, great to hear your results so far, keep me posted.
My father, 80, who is a doctor (still working part time, a psychiatrist) researched statins and is adamant they are a terrible idea. Apart from the side effects, they only stop one event in 60, and do not reduce death from all causes at all.
My father is paleo – but uses a little gluten free bread – made from rice and tapioca starch. Along the lines of Perfect Health diet guidelines. He had a bypass when he was 55, and has perfect arteries now, he changed his diet 15 years ago to lower carb zone and more recently to paleo.