Kokova Magazine

It's January - and that means the Weight Watchers have taken over the advertising spaces, with cooks and 'health gurus' coming out in force, while gyms and health clubs do their best to get you through their doors.

January is depressing enough, without the guilt trips about our health and weight being propelled before our eyes through every medium. But if you have embarked on a new regime, healthy eating and an exercise plan to kick start 2016, what do you do when the diets don't work?

Firstly we have to be honest with ourselves.

"I don't eat much! - "I only had one piece" - "It is a treat after my workout".

All familiar reasons for ditching the diet, or kidding ourselves that we are sticking to the rules. And many diets fail because results are slow or the diet is too hard to follow. But if you are one of those people who has followed the plan to the letter, and are still not seeing the results you want it may be time to look at the diet itself.

Many 'healthy' diets and health foods are anything but for some people. And when all else fails it could just be the right time to reset your system, assist your body and do something a little more drastic to see if your diets really is making you ill.

Could you be eating a good balance of tomatoes, nuts and starchy vegetables? All are considered part of a healthy diet - yet could be the very things that are making you ill and put on weight. If you want to uncover a tried and tested method then the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Paleo Diet may do more for your overall health than just reducing your waistline a little.

If you are suffering from an arrangement of aches and pains, thyroid problems, joint problems, acid reflux, IBS or indigestion then it could be a leaky gut that is causing your ills, and the AIP Paleo is designed to reset your immune system and give your gut a chance to heal.

I started this diet in June 2015 and within weeks began to see an improvement in my waistline (dropping over a stone over two months), my moods, aches and pains and after three months my blood test results. My thyroid came back to normal levels, cholesterol went down and I began to feel 'human' again. I relented in the autumn and after three months back on my old diet I am full of pain, putting on weight and have IBS, indigestion and more. Now I will go back to a 30 day reset and introduce the groups I omit with caution, watching for a return of symptoms and pain along the way."

Sue Sheen

It is by no means an easy diet and your resolve will be tested beyond extreme. It works for 30 days before you start to reintroduce certain food types, and if you are still not seeing results then you would need to take a look at some of the FODMAP's that you are eating as well. You will also need to leave behing those late nights, reduce your stress and look after your body - it is the one thing you really need in life to be working properly for you!

In the run up to Christmas we saw an increase in the volume of adverts on television for acid reflux, indigestion and heartburn remedies, and it is no coincidence that we suffer more over the festive season because of the addition to our diets of heavy foods, creams, dairy and processed sweet treats. So if we can see the connection between how we feel and the food we eat then we should be able to see the concerns about how our food can affect our health.

The basic rules of an AIP Paleo diet means that for 30 days you omit the following food groups:

1. Alcohol (a complete ban)
2. Grains
3. Gluten
4. Dairy
5. Refined Sugars
6. Legumes (including soya)
7. Eggs
8. Nuts and Seeeds (including sunflower oils)
9. Nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, chillies, peppers, onion)

You will also need to limit fruit intake, avoid food additives (like guar gum) and avoid non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. The chart below is a quick start guide but further in depth reading can be found with a simple Google search of AIP Paleo. It is also worth taking a closer look and doing a quick search regarding Leaky Gut.

We did say it was extreme, but if you can follow this for a minimum of 30 days you will begin to see if it will help more than just your waistline. Keep a diary of your symptoms, aches and pains and how much your stomach bloats, gets gas or suffers bouts of IBS.

Further recommended reading can be found at www.thepaleomom.com from The Paleo Mum, Dr Sarah Ballanttne PhD

For a quick step in to trying some recipes Athletic Muscle has a catalogue of 121 paleo recipes from around the 'web' that could kick start your lifestyle change.