Happy Holidays gang.

It all started with an oatmeal cookie and ended 7 days later with a rice krispie treat.

The first three days, the sugar would hit me with a rush. I felt like an addict.
The fourth day, my hands would be stiff in the morning. Day five, a BM felt like child birth (okay - I really don't know what childbirth feels like...) Day 6 & 7, I tried to be good, but faultered in the evening. And on day 7, my cold hit full stride.

I gained 6 pounds in 7 days. I'm hoping that a week of neadnerthin will get me back to my pre-Christmas weight. Time lost. Move on.

Today is day 8, and aside from the mistake of adding 1/2 & 1/2 into my coffee, I've been good. I even ignored the sirens at an office party. Like Ulysses, I stuffed my ears as the doughnuts and bagels screamed my name.

Has any one noticed a decreased susceptibility to the common cold when eating paleo?

I stopped taking Enbrel 18 days ago. The dose lasts about a week, but it's residual effects last a second week. I don't know if the crappy food or the lack of meds triggered my hand stiffness two weeks removed from my last dose.

Has anyone identified a trigger food for inflammation?

Too many carbs... high insulin! Short-lived hormones inside our cells called eicosanoids act as pro- or anti-inflammatory compounds depending on their type. Eicosanoids become imbalanced — i.e. skewed toward the pro-inflammatory — when insulin levels are high. The way you have been eating has messed up your immune system! That is the reason for your cold and your inflammation! You will get back to LCing now... right?

Yes, I have resumed my caveman eating style. I really thought I could do it for just a day. Once I admitted to myself that there was too much junk in the house, and my wife's commitment to starting on the 2nd of January, because afterall, there was too much junk in the house, I made it a personal mission to rid my house of too much junk.

I'll let you know how my joints are fairing as the week passes

I honestly haven't been sick since we started plain old low carb last January, which is like a lifetime record for me.

I really believe that refined carbs are the root of most illness by supressing your immune system.

To me there is a continuum. SAD is at the bottom, giving the poorest health, Paleo is at the top, giving optimal health, and lots of people are somewhere in the middle.

For me it's definitely wheat. With wheat I bloat and get stiffness and pain in my joints. Without wheat I move freely and easily and without pain; I'm like a whole other person.

I have. When I am not eating paleo I get sick...*very* sick.
When eating paleo I am fine. No illness and lots of energy.
(You would think that alone would keep me on the right track, eh? :/ )

I binged for two days gained six pounds, barfed and caught what I thought was the flu- maybe just feeling like crap from eating crap.

I cant believe the American diet. What a recipe for disaster. I have so much anicdotal experince I could write a book.

I use to do the same thing! That was when I was really strict with my eating. I am not saying that I did not gain a lot in learning to eat paleo by being strict, but when I "cheated", I binged! And, the results were NOT pretty! Severe headaches, GI problems, sinus problems (where I could not breathe through my nose all night!), etc. I basically felt like total CRAP! And, then I would get super strict all over again!

Now I don't fret the (very small) "cheats" that I do on the rare occasions... AND (and this MAY BE the most important thing) I allow myself 20 oz of really good coffee with whipping cream every morning! I have a very nice burr grinder, and put the BEST coffee beans in there! I make 20 oz of fresh ground goodness every morning, and put plenty of whipping cream in (NEVER any sugar!) and it is HEAVEN! That treat alone has kept me from craving sweets and other junk more than anything else I have ever employed! So... needless to say, even though it is NOT paleo, I CANNOT (at least at this time) give up my morning coffee with cream! I really look forward to the day when I can give this up! But, right now I am too afraid I would end up really craving some other JUNK treat! Any advice on how to give this stuff up?

And I agree... SAD is SO sad!!!!! Can we say - "Drug Dealers, Inc."!!!

I didn't wake up with severe joint pain this morning, just a little bit of stiffness. I lost a couple of pounds, so I guess the drive to 220 will be short.

Went to the mall and found a 75% sale at hickory farms. I know there's a bit of preservative and probably a small amount of sugar/corn, but it beats the hell out of buttered toast with my eggs every morning. Needless to say, I stocked up.

Thanks to all for commiserating and offering your encouragement.

Why give it up if it helps you and if it is only once a day why worry about giving it up?
What keeps me sane when I am strict with my diet and pmsing is a few peices of really good dark chocolate around that time. At least 70% cocoa. Higher if I can find it. I cannot and will not, give that up because when I do I end up "dating" my refrigerator for several days around that time
We're only human and if it keeps you from binging with something 10 times worse then there is no point in giving it up.

The only reason I want to give it up is when I eat really healthy foods otherwise, just a couple cups of coffee with cream does a number on my digestive system! I have given it up for up to a year before, but seem to always resort back to it. I don't know if it's the coffee or the cream. I guess I could try drinking it black for a while and then bringing the cream back. I don't know, but I do know it has silenced many cravings for all sorts of carbs (real bad carbs like cookies and donuts and junk like that!).... so, I must be careful, huh?

Yes you must be careful.
If it is doing a number on your digestive system then I am all for giving it up.

Try drinking it for a week or longer without the cream and see if that is the cause. If not you might have to switch to something like green tea ,which I drink in the morning but only one cup of it. In the afternoon and evenings if I want a hot drink I drink herbal teas. I'm becoming a real fan of them.

I used to be a 10 cup a day coffee drinker. Now I don't even miss it.

Yes, I use to start every morning with 12 cups of coffee with a TON of cream and SUGAR!!! And, of course, I had about 10 cigarettes while I drank that crap down! Boy... were those the days! That is way behind me now, thank god!

When I gave up coffee before I drank herbal tea all the time! I still have about 10 or more different kinds in my kitchen! So, I should just switch to that for a couple weeks, and then switch back... after I try the coffee black. I am sure it will make a difference. Oh, well, I guess I should never have opened up these issues by trying to change my bad habits! JUST KIDDING!

[QUOTE=Bat Spit]I honestly haven't been sick since we started plain old low carb last January, which is like a lifetime record for me.

I really believe that refined carbs are the root of most illness by supressing your immune system.[QUOTE]

I can attest to the same!

The last time I went off plan, I almost immediately had to battle with a stuffy sinus and got a sore throat! I always used to have congested sinuses and post nasal drip throughout the winter, not anymore!

[QUOTE=PaleoDeano]I use to do the same thing! That was when I was really strict with my eating. I am not saying that I did not gain a lot in learning to eat paleo by being strict, but when I "cheated", I binged! And, the results were NOT pretty! Severe headaches, GI problems, sinus problems (where I could not breathe through my nose all night!), etc. I basically felt like total CRAP! And, then I would get super strict all over again!

I know, unfortunately this is my immature personality. I'm an extremist. Hopefully this year it will change as I am determined to make this a life style. I think I cant live without a little whipping cream everyday - its like my only treat.