EFFECTS OF DIET

     I know there are many studies, but this is purely anecdotal.  I do a fair amount of exercise, running, etc., and work outside a lot doing physical stuff.  For quite sometime, I had been really experiencing muscle aches, you know, the kind that you get after a hard workout.  The problem was, these didn't go away.  They were just always there.  Nothing serious enough to limit movement or anything, just persistent muscle aches.  In addition, I had a knee that began hurting on a run, (for no apparent reason,) and took WEEKS for the swelling and pain to subside.

     I just chalked it up to getting older and had kind of resigned myself that it was going to be that way.  Well, coincidentally, around 2 weeks ago, I got way more serious about my diet.  As I have said in previous posts, I have nipped around the edges of paleo for a long time, and my weight stays pretty much under control with plenty of running.  I have noticed that, since virtually eliminating refined sugars and flour from my diet, and severely limiting grains, I suddenly no longer have the "aches".  The knee is now back to completely normal, as well.  Did this result from the change in diet? Don't know for sure, but I have my suspicions.  I haven't changed anything else in the past two weeks.  All of the research I have found since, seems to indicate that sugar can cause a lot of inflammation.  Our ancestors sure didn't have refined sugar, nor did they have lots of grain, flour, or grain based foods.  I'm eating nearly ONLY meats, fruits and vegetables now, and I just feel so much better, from head to foot.  I think I'm more alert, as well.

     As I said in the beginning, this is no scientific study, and I'm not preaching to anyone, but I'm really beginning to see, and more importantly, FEEL, the effects of paleo eating.  This to the point that, if you have such issues, there seems to be very little to lose by trying it.  The inflammation inside your body that could be causing muscle aches, joint pain, etc., may very well be doing damage to more important "components" of your system.