The Wahls Paleo Diet is the diet that turned me around in less than a year. I was also treating the Lyme Disease with Stephen Buhner’s Herbal Protocol and had completed an extensive parasite cleanse. My parasite recipe can be found here. My health was terrible when I started the diet. I was overweight, hypothyroid, weak, exhausted, anemic, in pain and still suffering from chronic migraines. I had been eating Paleo for the last several years with very minimal improvements. My diet at the time was more protein and fat centered. Hair tissue mineral analysis revealed many nutritional deficiencies, which is not unusual for anyone with chronic infections.
I was looking for a diet that would provide me with all of the recommended daily amounts of vitamins and minerals – a diet that would heal my gut so that I could rebuild my immune system. I wanted every single bite of food to be packed with healing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and essential fatty acids that would heal my broken biochemistry. I knew that real food was powerful medicine.
I became instantly drawn to the work of Dr. Terry Wahls, whose nutritional research led her to develop a diet to treat her own secondary progressive Multiple Sclerosis. The disease had left her confined to a tilt recline wheelchair for four years. She had tried many of the conventional drugs for MS available at the time with little success. As a physician scientist she created the diet and lifestyle which brought her out of her wheelchair and able to bike 18 miles within 9 months. The Wahls approach of eating the most nutrient-dense real food, Paleo Diet made sense to me, and I purchased her book “The Wahls Protocol”.
Since I was already eating Paleo (with many dairy “cheats”), the transition wasn’t that difficult. This is a basic outline of what I would be eating each day:
- 3 cups of dark green vegetables,
- 3 cups intensely colored vegetables: 1 cup red vegetables/fruit, 1 cup blue-black vegetables/fruit, 1 cup yellow/orange vegetables/fruit
- 3 cups of sulfur rich vegetables: Mushrooms, onions, shallots, garlic, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and bok choy
- Seaweed for iodine and trace minerals.
- Omega 3 rich foods – Wild fish and seafood, fermented fish oil
- Eat organ meats (offal) once per week. (We eat beef liver covered in onions once per week).
- Regular bone broth – We were already making a slow simmer 48 hour beef broth.
- Fermented foods or a probiotic – Tony makes a delicious sauerkraut and beet kvass.
So how was I going to eat 9 cups of fruit and vegetables each day. The addition of a green smoothie every single morning would boost my fruit and vegetable intake easily.
Note- Dr. Wahls suggests eliminating eggs for a 30 day period and then re-introducing them if there is no reaction. I stopped eating eggs for about 2 months and added them back without any negative symptoms. I continue to eat pastured eggs almost every day.
A Typical Day
Breakfast– Super healthy green smoothie.
Lunch– A large salad with lots of different greens, vegetables, boiled eggs or left- over meat. I top this off with a homemade dressing of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, herbs, honey, Dijon mustard, spices and chopped garlic.
Supper- This is usually a completely cooked meal of grass-fed meat, occasional organic chicken, or wild caught fish along with lots of cooked vegetables covered in butter.
Additional supplements that I take– Betaine hcl, digestive enzymes, magnesium, multi-mineral/vitamin, kelp tablets, fish oil, desiccated liver pills when I travel, plant based iron tablet (for anemia), copper(according to hair tissue results) and moringa in my smoothies.
Within one month of integrating the green smoothies into this diet I began feeling better; I was warmer, less fatigued and my head was clearer. I was hooked! I have never measured out my food but eat until satisfied and try to fulfill many of Dr. Wahls’ dietary suggestions.
Within 6 months I was able to walk five miles, swim daily, begin resistance training, and lost over 20 lbs. Constipation, intestinal pain and chronic infections are no longer a problem.
The results of my hair tissue mineral analysis were much improved after one year on this diet. If you click on the test it will enlarge. The levels on the bottom show the results from Sept/2014. The upper value shows the most current levels taken Aug/2015. You can see how several minerals have improved in only 11 months. My mineral levels are now within the acceptable range. I am now working on boosting levels and trying to get molybdenum a bit higher. It takes time to heal a broken biochemistry. My thyroid function has improved and body temperature is normal for the first time in my life. Weight is easily managed even though I am 53 years old and peri-menopausal. My hair, skin and nails have greatly improved. My last blood results showed a marked improvement in red blood cell count and ferritin levels. I have struggled with anemia my entire life.
I am so grateful to Dr Wahls, for sharing this diet with us! It is exciting to heal and regain my health using nutrient-dense real food and other natural therapies. I love eating this way and hope to for the rest of my life.
Watch Dr. Wahls’ Ted Talk, Minding Your Mitochondria! It is fantastic!
My passion lies in helping others with similar health issues. If you would like a little extra help, I offer nutritional therapy consultations and hair tissue mineral analysis for a fee. Please go to this page for a list of my rates and to book an appointment for health coaching.
Blessings and Best of Health!
Brenda
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ralphkruger says
December 18, 2015 at 7:04 pmyou mentioned you were doing the paleo diet for a while before going to wahls diet. aren’t they basically the same thing?
Brenda Cosentino says
December 18, 2015 at 7:41 pmThey are both Paleo but I switched over to a more vegetable heavy Wahls Paleo. My diet before Wahls was more protein and fat centered. The green smoothies made a big difference after only a day or two. I really needed the infusion of vitamins and minerals that the smoothies have. I was very potassium deficient.
beedoo says
February 7, 2016 at 8:05 amHello,
I wanted to know how much animal proteins will be good (you wrote the amount for the veggies but not for the fish and meat) if I want to follow the Wahls protocol ?
Is it like in the “regular” paleo, 1g/kg weight ?
Thank you for your help 🙂
Brenda Cosentino says
February 8, 2016 at 8:06 amHi Beedoo- I eat around 8 – 10 oz of protein per day. I am 120 lbs and this amount seems to work well for me. I would suggest that you buy the book as there is a lot of great info in it. Dr. Wahls does a great job of explaining the diet and is easy to understand. Also it is very important to eat enough good fat every day as well.
Best of health!
Renee Turula says
February 8, 2016 at 10:31 pmHi Brenda, just got my Hair Mineral results back and I was quite pleased with the improvements since 2 years ago. I have changed my diet tremendously and incorporated the Wahls diet also. Some areas of concern for me since I’m Menopausal are Calcium loss. Dr. Wahls suggests supplementing with synthetic Calcium. I also know that eating too much protein is hard of the kidneys and strips the body of calcium. I was given the term , “SLOW METABOLIZER” in my mineral work-up. The report suggests I eat more meat which to me doesn’t make since if meat is harder to digest. It also states to cut our carbohydrates, and fats with not taking calcium or Vitamin D3. Now I’m really confused ! I have not eaten any sugar or simple carbs now for over a year, mostly to help with eliminating parasites. Still on Buhner Protocol, toughing it out in month 4, labs just came back with elevated monocytes and eosinophil’s. Can you elaborate on these suggestions and why they want me to not eat fat? Not even healthy fat like avacados, fish , coconut , lean grass-fed meats?
Thanks so much, Renee Turula OR
Brenda Cosentino says
February 9, 2016 at 9:31 amRenee – It is best to ask whoever did your hair analysis since they have your full report. I will respond based on my own experience. I too was a slow metabolizer and unable to process a lot of added fat to the diet. Fat slowed me down when I was sick and slow to begin with. I still ate eggs, meat, liver, avocados etc. I am also intolerant to coconut products. This I discovered after researching the blood type diet. I skimmed the fat off of my bone broth and couldn’t handle lots of added butter to meals etc.
Animal protein has been very beneficial for me. I eat about 9 oz per day now. It is actually easy to digest. Your hair test would have suggested either a digestive enzyme or hcl with meals. This will help a lot.
Wahls Diet works well for me. If you are wanting extra calcium eat sardines. The leafy greens have a lot of calcium as well. You could also add in a whole food supplement. I take a daily from MegaFood. I too am menopausal and am just breezing through all of it. I have tremendous energy and just keep eating really well.
I find the hair tests are really helpful. I never experienced a big shift until I was on Wahls for a full year.
You are still early on with Buhner’s. I found once my body was relieved of the daily infectious battle it was able to heal itself. I am now building muscle and feel amazing. This all takes time though. I just keep eating really well and taking very good care of myself.
Best Always!
Renee Turula says
February 9, 2016 at 11:09 pmHi Brenda, thanks for your response. I am going to make a few adjustments and talk to my practitioner tomorrow about some of these issues. I have lost my iron level by half since last mineral study two years ago. I have also doubled my arsenic value since 2 years ago which is very alarming to me. I have been having rib pain and lung issues along with right sided liver and right shoulder discomfort. I am seeing an Acupuncturist who said its my heart. My calcium levels are ok but strongly believe the amount of meat I eat is making me too acidic and gassy. Also, leaching calcium from my bones to compensate for being too acidic with infections and inflammation.
Any thoughts on the arsenic? My Boron doubled since my last analysis, at least boron is good for me. I believe I am intolerant to coconut also, makes me gassy after eating. I am Blood Type B positive. Same thing with chicken, gassy after it too. Amazing how after you clean yourself out your body will let you know what has been the problem all along.
So glad you are just getting better and feeling amazing! I follow all you advise and trust your tried and true dedication.
Blessings, Renee
Brenda Cosentino says
February 12, 2016 at 2:27 amHi Renee – I also had elevated arsenic levels about 6 months into Buhner’s and taking the parasite herbs. Many herbs today are high in arsenic. Although my level was elevated it still wasn’t high enough to cause alarm.
I am also Blood Type B positive. Chicken is not ideal for me although I am eating more of it here in Mexico and doing fine on it. Coconut milk and water cause me a lot of inflammation. I avoid these completely.
I never really worried about eating 9oz of animal protein per day. I need at least this amount as I am building muscle and doing lots of exercise each day. About 2 hours now.
Calcium levels are regulated by magnesium. I still take 500mg of magnesium each day. I was anemic until I treated the babesia. My last blood test finally showed normal RBC and Ferritin levels after a lifetime problem with anemia. I do know that heart irregularities can be caused from a mag deficiency. All of my heart issues have been eliminated. Best to work with a practitioner to find out what the heart issues are.
Once I eliminated the chronic infections my body just began to repair itself. It no longer had the constant drain of infections and my energy just took off. I was so deconditioned and now I am in the best physical condition of my entire life.
Blessings!
snowgirl says
February 18, 2016 at 8:42 pmBrenda it would not be a normal week without a question from me! Anyway, regarding kelp …. Did you take it in divided doses thru out day or all at once? Do you think adding the kelp was a big game changer for your thyroid? I have all the hypo symptoms badly as well but I don’t have irregular hormone levels when I test, even by functional med standards. I KNOW tho I have a thyroid prob bc my hands and feet are so cold or hot, etc., plus I have a small goiter and couple nodules. Meds make me feel even worse tho. So starting with the kelp. Hoping this will give me continued improvement over the next year. But did wonder if I should take them twice or even three times a day, or if all at once was better approach. Thanks so much!!!!!!!
Brenda Cosentino says
February 19, 2016 at 8:00 amSnowgirl,
I take the kelp twice per day with meals. It took about a month or so to notice a small reduction with hypothyroid symptoms. Yes I do feel that the kelp has made all of the difference for me. I still take it every single day. You could work with a Naturopath if this makes you feel better. The Wahls Paleo and other supplements like fish oil all helped me. It is not about just one or two supplements but the combination of everything that I have done.
Blessings!
snowgirl says
February 20, 2016 at 12:12 pmHi Brenda … Can you recommend a decent multi vitamin? Again thank you!!!!!!!!
Brenda Cosentino says
February 20, 2016 at 6:58 pmSnowgirl – I like the whole food multi-vitamins from MegaFood. They have quite a few different types based on your age group. I also take fish oil, kelp, dessicated liver, moringa in my smoothies and lots of magnesium.
You are welcome!
kevin86 says
March 7, 2016 at 9:41 amHow did 3 meals a day make you full? I am quite thin, so it is a concern. I Know with blood sugar issues they say to eat every few hours(small meals).
thanks,
Kevin
kevin86 says
March 7, 2016 at 9:44 amAnd also…if you have gut issues then taking all those raw veggies or even cooked is a waste.
Brenda Cosentino says
March 9, 2016 at 4:31 pmKevin – I used digestive enzymes with all meals and the green smoothies are an easy to digest form of vegetables. I ate 6 – 9 cups of veg every day.
Brenda
Brenda Cosentino says
March 9, 2016 at 4:28 pmKevin – The trick with Paleo is to eat enough good fat. Fat is very satisfying. When carbs are reduced than fat and protein must be increased. Just do your best and get those green smoothies in.
xoxB
lu says
April 19, 2016 at 11:10 amDear Brenda,
Where did you go to get your hair mineral analysis? I was considering Great Plains but I don’t know if they’re reliable and they are an online service.
Thanks!
Brenda Cosentino says
May 1, 2016 at 9:48 amI do my own hair testing through Trace elements lab. I think they are the best. Make sure you order the full report with diet recommendations.