TPV Podcast, Episode 67: Autoimmune Q&A with the Primal Girl

In this episode, Stacy and Sarah are joined by Tara of PrimalGirl.com, author of The Hidden Plague, to chat about Tara’s experience with adopting an autoimmune protocol and to answer reader questions on managing autoimmune conditions.

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The Paleo View (TPV), Episode 67: Autoimmune Q&A with the Primal Girl

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The Paleo View (TPV), Episode 67: Autoimmune Q&A with the Primal Girl

0:00 – Introduction
0:46 – News & Views
- Both Stacy and Sarah are feeling sick and sounding froggy
- Stacy, while she had high ambitions for the previous week, got the flu and had to slow down – but she is on the mend now
- Sarah is also not feeling the greatest, so both hosts are hoping that this week’s guest steals the show!
- Welcome back Tara from PrimalGirl.com (been on the show twice before, here and here), who is releasing an autoimmune related book called The Hidden Plague
- Tara had a lot of success with losing weight going primal, but she had been dealing with a skin condition for a long time and recently received a diagnosis of Hidradenitis suppurativa
- When Tara discovered the autoimmune connection to HS and that no one else had information on that connection, she decided to put together a resource for those dealing with the same struggles and is excited for her book to release on December 4
- (8:20) HS is an autoimmune skin condition that can be mild to debilitating
  - It manifests as painful bumps and boils that appear where skin touches skin and it looks like cystic acne
  - If you have high levels of inflammation in your body the issue can arise anywhere there is a hair follicle
  - There are no proven treatments for HS – there is a daily course of antibiotics or invasive surgeries available as options
- (10:05) A dermatologist will be able to confirm the difference between cystic acne, HS or a staff infection, but most individuals can identify HS by where it appears since cystic acne usually appears on the chest and back
- Sarah’s recent birthday celebration didn’t leave her feeling old, but her daughter turning four and developing an older personality made her feel old
- Sarah wanted to give a special thank you to all who have recently reached out to thank her for her posts and resources
- Tara is so grateful for all that Sara contributed to her autoimmune journey and not only referenced her throughout the book, but also wrote a note to her in the back of The Hidden Plague
(16:57) Questions & Answers
- Ashanti – feeling terrible from a number of health challenges that are linked to her PCOS, will a Paleo diet help?
  - Tara did deal with PCOS prior to adopting a primal lifestyle and she found that the diet eliminated so many of her problems by regulating her insulin and hormones
  - Tara notes that Ashanti will be able to balance her hormones by controlling her insulin through a Paleo diet
  - Sarah encourages Ashanti to test an autoimmune protocol, but if that feels to limiting at the moment, to focus on omega-3 fatty acid intake and to get glycine in your diet from gelatin
  - Sarah also notes to focus on nutrient density instead of restrictive dieting – center your calories around foods like citrus fruit, organ meal, fish, shellfish, bone broth, vegetables, berries, pasture raised meat
  - Do not approach it as a diet or a challenge, but as a way to eat to be healthy – find a way to include treats that doesn’t hurt your body, but helps you along to your health goal so that your approach is sustainable
  - Tara also notes to limit foods with high yeast levels, as they could cause skin issues to flair
  - Stacy notes that some can find a lot of success from going 100% Paleo, focusing on nutrient density and quality foods, and not overdoing it with eggs, nuts, etc. – at that point it can be easier to make a decision to adopt an autoimmune lifestyle if that feels like the best next step
  - Stacy also notes that dairy should be absolutely removed
  - Stacy also encourages a change in perspective regarding your health – adopting a nutrient-dense approach to eating isn’t about losing weight, it is about supplying your body with nutrients to live a healthier, more fulfilling life
- (29:20) Arzina – when starting an autoimmune protocol, can it sometimes make your symptoms worse?
  - Tara didn’t experience any ill effects from her progression into an autoimmune protocol
  - Sarah saw huge improvements when she first went Paleo; when she went autoimmune she had long stretches of time without improvements, but also nothing got worse
  - Sarah has heard from some that symptoms can get worse for one to two weeks when first making the shift, specifically gut related, which Sarah notes is related to gut bacteria imbalances
  - If things get pretty severe or don’t improve after two weeks, it is important to see a healthcare professional so that they can run some tests and check what may be happening
  - Sleep and stress management will help everything come together as well
  - Stacy notes to make sure that you are getting enough carbohydrates, which can impact your sleep quality
- (36:40) Robert – have an autoimmune condition from a childhood exposure to asbestos, would an autoimmune protocol help?
  - Sarah says that yes there are a number of things that Robert can do to help regulate his immune system through diet and lifestyle
  - An autoimmune protocol handled from an elimination diet process may help him identify his trigger foods that stimulate his immune system flairs
  - The things that are going to make a big difference are sleep quality and quantity, stress management, engaging in moderate activity like walking – trying not to stay seated for too long
- Stacy reminds everyone to find a way to ground yourself, and to ultimately take care of yourself
- For Tara it all boils down to sleep for her – if she protects her time to sleep, everything else falls in line
- Thanks again Tara for joining this week’s show – check out her site and book (if you buy the book in the next couple of days you will also get some bonus materials through MarksDailyApple.com)
- Please also don’t forget to use the links on the side of Stacy’s and Sarah’s sites for holiday shopping
- Please also don’t forget to leave an iTunes review if you haven’t yet
- Thanks everyone for listening!
(52:02) Outro