I Did Everything Right and Still Got Sick

Something has happened to me that, judging by comments on certain blogs, isn't supposed to happen to those of us who follow a low carb, high fat, high nutrient diet. I got sick--so sick that I've missed three days of work in two weeks and finally saw a nurse today. Diagnosis: sinus infection.

This doesn't mean I don't think my dietary changes haven't helped. I've had many sinus infections in my life and this one doesn't feel nearly as bad as the others: I don't feel congested and I'm not in pain, I've just been tired and coughing for a week and a half. I feel like I have a stubborn cold. Previous sinus infections left me feeling tired for months; I'll follow up on how this one goes.

I credit the lack of congestion to dropping wheat. Just a few weeks ago on Dr. Davis's Heart Scan Blog, I remarked that I'd had no seasonal allergies this year. (A few others echoed the comment.) And as the nurse talked to me, I wondered how many middle-aged patients she saw who took no medications, or women patients who were in the neighborhood of 116 pounds. Without my changes to diet, I wouldn't fall in either category.

Be that as it may, I think it's being honest to acknowledge that good diet and lifestyle doesn't mean you'll never get sick, and being sick doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. Paleo people got sick, too.

Comments

Chuck said…

i also suspect you have had good luck with your health due to your diet. that doesn't mean you won't ever get sick again just that you are likely much less susceptible due to a strong and ready immune system.
in 4.5 years since going paleo i have had 1 illness that required a doctor visit and missed work. that happened about 2 years into this little diet experiment. at 38, i am much healthier than my peers. i attribute much of that to my diet.

August 29, 2011

Lori Miller said…

Chuck, I'm happy to hear you've enjoyed such good health. My own diet is mostly, but not strictly, lacto-paleo.

I didn't mention that I gave blood the day I got sick. The nurse I saw later said that if you're on the verge of being sick, giving blood can push you over the edge.

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