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My (Mostly) Lacto-Paleo, Cavity-healing Diet Update

For the past two and a half weeks, my dog and I have been on a mostly lacto-paleo diet to heal our cavities. It's a high-nutrient, high-fat, low-sugar diet that emulates what my northern European ancestors ate before the advent of farming. We've been eating meat, eggs, non-starchy vegetables (think salad ingredients), fish, olive oil, coconut oil, and a few nuts. That's the paleo part. We've also been eating cheese, sour cream, goat milk, cream and butter (the lacto part). We don't eat any grains or beans. However, I do eat a few chocolate candies a day, low-carb ice cream and a Zevia soda now and then. I also use a little bit of vinegar and xanthan gum, which aren't strictly paleo. I need a vice besides overdue library books.

Positive results so far:
  • We enjoy this food-especially Molly. She jumps for joy when I feed her.
  • I'm down a pound and Molly feels a little trimmer on our high-fat, high-nutrient, low-carb diet. Take that, Dr. Oz!
  • My third-day hair looks and feels clean. Usually, I need a shampoo by the end of day two.
  • No more chapped lips, even without Carmex.

Negative results so far:
  • I've been tired. Last weekend, I fell asleep during Hawaii 5-0 (the original show with Jack Lord--was there a cooler guy?) and took a four-hour nap Sunday night.
  • My skin has felt dry.
  • I've had some nasal congestion.
  • Irregularity.

Yesterday, after doing a bit of research, I started taking potassium and immediately felt better. My skin looks better, too. (Potassium helps regulate heartbeat, water retention and bowel movements. A lack of potassium can make you tired.) I may have to cut back on the dairy to decrease the congestion.

As for our teeth, they look about the same.
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Comments

Angel said…
If I remember correctly, the progress in tooth rebuilding needed to be measured over several months (just checked ... Stephan mentioned that it was six months).

Sounds like you've transitioned to an even lower-carb diet than what you were doing previously. I guess as long as the potassium perks you up then you have no worries.

Hmmm ... I don't think a loss of hair oil is a good thing, personally. Maybe the potassium will bring that back up, too.

Is any of your dairy raw dairy? I know people who handle raw dairy just fine, but can't handle the store-bought stuff. Of course, I also know someone who can't even have raw dairy, so that varies.

Good luck with your tooth-rebuilding diet! A lot of people have posted about the tooth-rebuilding research, but no one, to my knowledge, has posted any current real-life results. I'm looking forward to finding out the (very likely positive) results of your diet, for you and the pup. :)
March 31, 2011
Lori Miller said…
Angel, thanks for the good wishes. John Durant at hunger-gatherer.com is also trying to heal some minor cavities with diet. I guess we'll see what the results are about the same time.

Here in Colorado, you can't buy raw milk, but you can buy a cow share and get raw milk that way. I realized this morning, though, that it was the goat milk that was congesting me. It reminded me how hard it can be to sort out food sensitivities.

On hair oil, my scalp isn't itchy and my hair isn't dry, so I'm not worried. On a similar note, I've notice my shirts barely smell like they've been worn.

Molly's doing well. Even though she's five years old, her teeth (except for her cavity) look almost as white as a puppy's. I'll post more photos over the next six months.
March 31, 2011
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