Confession: I used to be the QUEEN OF FARTS. That’s right, I used to be able to out-fart any guy on both sound and quantity and I was not embarrassed about it – I guess growing up with an older brother who would pin you down and fart in your face makes you less shy about these things. Of course, my mother would be mortified that I’m sharing this fun fact with the world (sorry Mom). And it took a special type of guy to love a girl who could win in any dutch-oven showdown (that guy is Fully Primal Husband).
Why am I telling you this? Because after switching to a Paleo diet it took me about a year to notice that I no longer had this skill….it was actually this blog post by John Durant that prompted me to reflect on my past talent. I can’t fart anymore….it’s rare and never on command. Usually it’s after a few too many almonds and some sugar-free gum. Side note: Because of this, these are 2 things that you should never combine when stuck on an airplane for 5 hours…I speak from experience.
I also used to suffer from major blood sugar crashes and could not leave my house without a Powerbar or Zone bar in my purse in case of an all-too-often emergency. I used to be STARVING by 10am after my wholesome breakfast of whole grains and fruit….I’d start shaking, get the sweats (I had a several hot flash occurrences where I would need to go to the bathroom at work and remove all my clothes to prevent them from getting soaked) and become an uber-biatch to anyone and everyone. I had to make sure I always had food with me to prevent this from happening. THIS NEVER HAPPENS to me now….I can go for hours without eating and when I am hungry the feeling is subtle and I can often go for another 1 or 2 hours without any negative consequences. As Robb Wolf said, “A good meal should keep you going for 4-6 hours.” True dat!
It is amazing what we accept as being “Normal” and consequently accept as being “Healthy.” The farting and hot flashes were an indication that something was not functioning properly in my body. My symptoms were never severe like someone with Celiac or IBS….they were subtle, considered normal and I accepted them as being healthy. After all, I wasn’t ‘sick’….I thought I was uber-healthy with my hour-long elliptical sessions, thigh abductor rep’s and veggie dog dinners. All the while I was completely ignorant to the fact that there were some issues happening under my hood and that I was not healthy.
There is an endless list of symptoms that people accept as being normal….headaches, joint pain, cramping, cravings, insomnia, fatigue, skin problems, constipation, moodiness etc etc….mine were pretty minor and superficial in comparison. People need to understand that these types of signs are indeed symptoms of something else going on. Accepting these issues as normal will only prolong them and hinder the potential for health. The problem gets worse in that all too often these signs get masked with Rx drugs….which may result in a slew of side effects such as: impotence, blindness, cravings for chalk, immaculate conception and a third nipple. The root cause never gets addressed and people go on living their lives as normal.
Being in tune with your body, noticing signs and recognizing them as symptoms rather than quirks is the first step to moving beyond normal. Seeking out nutritional and lifestyle changes to fix these issues is the second phase.
Don’t accept normal as healthy….and don’t let other people accept normal as healthy. Let them know that they can do better and they deserve to be healthy. So the next time someone is cutting the cheese, you know what to do.
What symptoms did you pass off as being normal before you changed your diet?
August 28, 2011 at 5:14 pm
[…] sites on the web!Normal does not equal Healthy Cosmopolitan Primal Girl / Posted on: August 28, 2011Cosmopolitan Primal Girl – Confession: I used to be the QUEEN OF FARTS. That’s right, I used to be able to […]
August 28, 2011 at 9:02 pm
Super post! I have been primal since March 7, lost a good bit of weight, and haven’t had to take my diabetes meds for the past week.
Good luck in good health,
David
August 29, 2011 at 9:39 am
Great post, I have only been primal for 3 weeks, I am fat, unfit and 52 today, I will not be fat and unfit at 53. In 3 weeks I have lost 18lbs and 3 inches off my waist and hips and I have eaten well. The pains in my feet have gone and so has the fatigue, hunger and wind, I have just had my blood pressure checked and it is low so it looks like my meds are about to disappear too, all this in 3 weeks, it’s amazing, I know the weight loss will steady out now and that its common to lose a lot in the first couple of weeks but I have the rest of my life to do this, thanks to the help and inspiration of you and people like you, I am primal.
August 29, 2011 at 10:18 am
Great Post! I have 2 from my blog that also hit on this point.
http://escapetheherdblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/chorus-of-crapitude.html
http://escapetheherdblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/im-abnormal-and-loving-it.html
August 30, 2011 at 3:33 am
[…] NORMAL DOES NOT EQUAL HEALTHY […]
September 5, 2011 at 3:21 pm
I can relate on many things in this post! I had already figured out that sugar = farting many years ago, but considered it “normal.” But I also can relater to the 10 AM crash and the “get me to the bathroom” hot flash.
Thanks for the honesty!
September 5, 2011 at 8:44 pm
Couldn’t agree more! Since switching to a primal lifestyle, my hypoglycemia is gone, my PCOS is totally managed without medication, and when I eat the food I’m supposed to be eating, no crazy bathroom problems!
September 7, 2011 at 12:22 am
You’ve just articulated something I’ve been aware of for a while but hadn’t quite put into words. Yes – gas, hunger, hot flashes, blood sugar crashes….these used to be my constant companions. No more, thanks to a diet of whole, real, nutrient-dense paleo foods. Ain’t it grand??
September 8, 2011 at 8:01 pm
[…] Normal does not equal Healthy – Cosmopolitan Primal Girl […]
September 26, 2011 at 3:59 pm
This is the reason I started to eat Paleo about a month ago. Although my gas isn’t completely gone (as I’m still getting use to the lifestyle 🙂 I have seen and can smell a huge improvement!
December 5, 2011 at 3:33 pm
Wow. We moved back to South Texas at the end of May. While living north we were 100% primal with a “cheat” treat once every two months. Felt great. After the move, we backslid. A treat once every two months turned in to every other week to every week. Enter the headaches, the joint aches, moodiness, and all around ickiness. I was blaming it on the weather changes. After reading your post I am now convinced my discomfort may be more dietary than it is environment. Thanks for the kick in the pants!
December 5, 2011 at 11:15 pm
Summer you simply make me roar with laughter! You know more people will remember your great post because they laughed. Be well Beautiful!
April 27, 2012 at 3:32 am
[…] Does Not Equal Healthy from Cosmopolitan Primal Girl’s […]