Prib's Primal Journal page

[prib81]

An introduction first. I'm a 28-year-old male living in Southern California. I went primal on my 28th birthday, December 12 of 2009 and it probably took me a couple months to get to about 90% compliance. I found myself here looking for healing and wellness from a variety of health problems. I've been sick (sometimes severely) off and on since I was a baby. Early on it was determined that something was wrong with my immune system. About 8 years ago I broke my foot and contracted a pretty bad sinus infection. I ended up on antibiotics for about 2 months, which destroyed my digestive system. As a result of malabsorption due to chronic diarrhea, I lost 50 lbs (from 145-95 lbs. at 5'11") over the course of the last 8 years. A few years ago, I began having noticeable respiratory problems and got a bad pseudomonas infection about a year and a half ago. I eventually spent 9 months off work battling pseudomonas. This wiped out pretty much what muscular reserve I had left. At my worst, it took muscular and respiratory effort to get up from a chair.

In 2003, I was diagnosed with Common Variable Immunodeficiency (CVID), which means my body doesn't produce immunoglobulins. I receive IV infusions of IgG on a monthly basis.

Things have been slowly improving, though. I've made a pretty significant turn-around the last 6 months or so. My colon is finally healing. I'm back at work part-time, although still on supplemental oxygen. I have regained a little weight (5-10 lbs - it fluctuates) and have the energy to do more stuff. I still get worn out fairly easily and have to pace myself.

I've found myself gravitating toward mostly carnivory + goat dairy + onions/garlic. Raw veggies are not doable at all, and cooked are sketchy in quantities larger than a few bites. I have a bit of fruit now and then but my body certainly prefers berries to anything else. I try to eat predominately grass-fed ruminant, along with eggs, and pork and chicken once or twice a week. I developed a profound gut sensitivity to fish so I don't eat it. I'm wondering if this will go away with continued healing of my gut...

My sticking points are exercise and sleep. My physical threshold for shortness of breath is pretty low, and gasping for air is uncomfortable. I am doing SimpleFit and am slowly working my way up to achieving full level 1 workouts. I don't move about very much at all since I get winded so easily. I typically get 6.5-7 hours of sleep instead of the 8-9 that I probably need. This is largely due to lack of self-control in getting my butt to bed on time.

[prib81]

8/1/2010:

1. Eat
- Scrambled eggs with minced ham and American cheese, diner coffee with 1/2 and 1/2, cottage cheese
- 1 qt goat milk, TJs boysenberry dried fruit bar, TJs raspberry dried fruit bar
- Grass-fed ground beef Thai-style curry, probably 1/2 to 1 qt milk
2. Move
Nothing much in this department. Just enough to get around and do the stuff I was doing anyway
3. Lift
None today, returned to bodyweight exercises yesterday after a month of making excuses that started with actually being sick
4. Sprint
None today
5. Sleep
9 hours last night. I felt great once I did get up
6. Play
Went shopping at TJs. Does that count?
7. Sun
Not much, but I took 4,000 IU D3
8. Trauma
Successfully avoided
9. Poison
Also successfully avoided, although I did get a particularly sulfurous onion that bugged my lungs for 5-10 minutes after dicing
10. Think
Listened to a couple Robb Wolf podcasts and got some potential answers for health issues

For the month of August, I have committed to do SimpleFit workouts at least 2 times a week (preferably 3) and to get at least 7.5 hours of sleep every night. I am really getting tired of the supplemental oxygen and have a strong feeling that rest and strength building are the keys there - more muscular reserve will yield more efficient organ function. My suspicions are supported by some stuff I heard in the Robb Wolf podcasts, which also pointed to stress. It's interesting to note that my health has largely plateaued since returning to work a few months ago.

I've got a lovely grass-fed ground beef curry simmering away on the stove:
- 2 lbs hi-fat ground beef
- 1 lg onion, fine dice
- 9 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 inches ginger, minced
- 3 tbs balti seasoning
- 1 15 oz can coconut milk
- 2 limes, juiced
Brown the beef. Throw in the curry powder when there's still some pink/red; once incorporated add onions and ginger. When the beef is almost browned, add in the garlic. Cook for a little bit and add in the coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and simmer for ~45 minutes. Add in the lime juice just at the end. Add grey sea salt to taste.

[prib81]

8/2/2010:

Eat
- Goat milk, coconut oil
- Leftover ribeye, goat milk
- Coconut water
- Indian: Tandoori beef filet, some basmati rice, a taste or two each of bhaji, nan bread and gulab jamun, 1/2 glass of Reisling
- Goat mlik, 1 square of TJs 71% Swiss dark chocolate
Move
Took a short walk over to another building to run an errand
Lift
None today
Sprint
None today
Sleep
7.5ish hours - had a hard time getting up and hit snooze for an additional 45 mins
Play
None today
Sun
4,000 IU D3
Trauma
None, other than LA rush-hour commute
Poison
Avoided
Think
Listened to a couple more Robb Wolf podcasts, plus my job as an engineer kind of requires thought

Indian food was at Addi's Tandoor in honor of my parents' 30th anniversary. This is the best Indian food in the South Bay, and probably the best I've ever had. I avoided most of the non-primal stuff but did have a taste of the nan (theirs is excellent) and split gulab jamun (fried paneer dumplings in honey sauce) with my dad and brother.

[prib81]

8/3/2010:

Eat
- Corned beef hash from cafeteria, goat milk, coconut oil
- Coconut water
- coconut milk beef curry, goat milk
- pemmican, goat milk
Move
None today outside normal activities
Lift
None today
Sprint
None today
Sleep
7 hours - woke up before my alarm and laid there another 1/2 hour
Play
None today
Sun
5,000 IU D3, laid on hammock for about an hour in the afternoon
Trauma
Got an ocular migraine about 10:00 am, felt very out-of-sorts and unable to function, came home about 11:00
Poison
Avoided
Think
Worked for a little while, listened to Robb Wolf, Bible study in I Peter

The ocular migraine really knocked me for a loop. I felt out of it most of the rest of the day. I'm sure laying out in the sun afterwards helped, despite my sensitivity to the light.

[prib81]

8/4/2010:

Eat
- pho with extra steak, coconut water
- goat milk, TJs raspberry fruit strip
- fresh oven-roasted ham, goat milk, frozen raspberries & hwc
Move
None today outside normal activities
Lift
10 squats and 5 pushups in the back yard. Not very much but some is better than none
Sprint
None today
Sleep
7.5 hours
Play
None today
Sun
5,000 IU D3, did workout in the back yard. Starting to get a bit pink
Trauma
Potentially reversed some trauma with a visit to the acupuncturist
Poison
Avoided
Think
Nothing structured, read the odd blog post here and there

I think I recovered pretty well from the migraine (if it was even that). I had some lingering GI issues, very likely due to the associated stress. Disappointed with my workout, I decided to start doing several sets throughout the day, focusing on only one exercise per day.

[prib81]

8/5/2010:

Eat
- goat milk, coconut oil
- beef curry, goat milk
- dried coconut
- pemmican, goat cheese, goat milk
Move
Nothing much
Lift
Did 4 sets of knee pushups throughout the day (10-10-8-8)
Sprint
None today
Sleep
7.5 hours
Play
None today
Sun
5,000 IU D3
Trauma
None
Poison
Avoided
Think
Worked

[prib81]

8/6/2010:

Eat
- bacon, eggs, goat milk, coffee with hwc
- mongolian bbq (beef, pork, onions, garlic, sauce), a little rice, hot tea
- dried coconut
- pemmican, goat milk
Move
Did some shopping and errands in the afternoon, some incidental movement
Lift
Did 5 squats in the morning
Sprint
None today
Sleep
7 hours + afternoon nap (1 hour or so)
Play
None today
Sun
5,000 IU D3
Trauma
Had IVIG infusion today - double edged sword. The IgGs are necessary for immune function, but it's in a dextrose solution
Poison
None
Think
Took a break except a couple episodes of "How It's Made"

[prib81]

8/7/2010:

Eat
- butter tea, goat milk
- blueberries & raspberries
- beef tenderloin with balsamic reduction & green peppercorns
- goat milk
Move
Pretty sedentary. Felt pretty low-energy most of the day
Lift
None today
Sprint
None today
Sleep
9 hours
Play
None today
Sun
5,000 IU D3, laid in hammock in the afternoon
Trauma
Avoided
Poison
None
Think
Picked up a Nook and loaded a few books

8/7/2010:

Eat
- scrambled eggs with ham and american cheese, goat milk, cottage cheese
- blueberries & raspberries
- ground beef with butter, onions, garlic, and italian seasoning, goat milk
Move
None really
Lift
None today
Sprint
None today
Sleep
9 hours
Play
None today
Sun
None today
Trauma
Avoided
Poison
None
Think
Started reading Nutrition and Physical Degeneration