long time reader first post

[gp3690]

I am a 25 year old male who started eating paleo when I was around 20 years old. I found Chris Kresser then Danny Roddy and now Ray. I have been reading Peat's work for two years now. I am the type to overthink and overanalyze everything. I have some anxiety and depression here and there and my hair started thinning around 4 years ago. I have put on some muscle weight In the past year and feel I look better, even though I put on some fat as well. I am 6'1, 190-192 usually. A year ago I was around 179-181.
My heart rate is typically in the 60-72 range. I rarely have problems with cold feet. At times I will wake up in the morning and my hands will feel swollen, haven't been able to pinpoint why. Sex drive is about a 5 on a 1-10. testosterone was 600 when I got tested a year ago. I drink milk every day, usually around 40 oz. I will also eat red meat, honey, gelatin, OJ, fruit, ice cream, pork rinds as a snack, potatoes. I started taking aspirin when I read Roddy say it was pro-hair, but it hasn't helped. I am afraid to take too much. I also don't feel anything from aspirin, maybe a very slight calmness but I cannot tell for sure.

Wondering if anyone can give me an idea on why my hands would be swollen usually in morning.

 

[answersfound]

Try and look beyond just the formula and science experiment mindset. Look inside yourself to heal and not outside. Trust your body and not your mind to point you in the right direction. You can spend a lot of time doing the "right things" and eating the "right foods" but it is important to become highly aware of what your body is communicating to you. It's not always about meeting certain vitamin requirements or macronutrient ratios. There are plenty of people in this world that live extremely fulfilling lives and eat something that does not even closely resemble a Peatarian diet. Cyproheptadine can be helpful in moving you towards this state of mind, but you also may want to incorporate a meditative practice where you learn to shut off your mind. Pregnenolone can make you more resilient. Also, you may need to change your current situation whether it be your job, relationships, location, etc. It sounds like you have the dietary principles down, but try and focus on taming your mind too. Also, you may want to get some blood work. And I would stop all masturbation and not exercise. The last two recommendations are just my personal opinion.

 

[tara]

Swollen hands and feet at night sounds like the body having trouble with proper water control under night-time stress conditions. I think some swelling in various places at night is pretty common. I was told by an osteopath that it is common for oints to swell a little at night, and this is one o f the reasons people with back injuries often feel worse at night and in the morning before they get moving.
Have you read this article of Peat's on water?
http://raypeat.com/articles/articles/water.shtml

Are you salting your food to taste and following any cravings for salt or other minerals? Have you experimented at all with having a little extra salt in your pre-bed snack?

If you are taking aspirin regularly, Peat recomends making sure to get a good amount of vit-K to help protect oneself from it's potential down sides. Quite a few of us supplement vit-K2. Personally, I use aspirin from time to time but not everyday.

Have you had a go at measuring body temps?
Are you getting regular sunlight?

 

[gp3690]

Thank you for the responses. I exercise about twice per week and I've definitely cut back the past year or so. I feel physically stronger and have gotten stronger and bigger over this time of exercising less. I spend a ton of time outside, as I am a coach and live at the beach. I do have trouble turning my mind off and often think up scenarios and situations in my head. I eat salt and haven't been able to tell of eating salt helps or hurts the swelling because I've never purposely restricted salt. I was supplementing k2 for a short while but stopped. A little off topic but about four years ago I started taking omega 3 and had intense redness and itching in my scalp. It stopped when I stopped taking o3 but I stil have dandruff. Something I've always had. Used to have acne but not anymore. Skin is surprisingly good.

 

[Mittir]

I do have trouble turning my mind off and often think up scenarios and situations in my head.

I think quality of sleep and calm mind are reliable indicator of good health.
Bad digestion and irritating food are common cause of restless mind.
You can experiment with an elimination diet for few days to see if it calms your mind.
You can try easily digestible foods and avoid gut irritants. I find OJ, potato, starch,
gelatine causing gut irritation and disrupting quality sleep. I can not get deep mediation if
i eat even a small amount of starch. Fiber in raw carrot salad, cooked bamboo shoots, mushroom
can minimize endotoxin. A small amount of tetracycline for few days can help with endotoxin too.

 

[Parsifal]

Mittir, how may OJ and gelatin cause irritation of the gut? Especially when Peat that gelatin is good to fight stress?

 

[gp3690]

The past four days Ive really tightened up my diet and made sure not to eat any gluten at all (I have been having it once or twice a week) along with cold cuts etc. but these past four days ive felt the best I have felt in a long time. My hair hasn't been falling out as much, or basically at all. I used to try not to touch my head because when I would run my hand down my head towards my face I would usually have a single hair nearly every time, however the past two days I haven't had any hair come off when doing so... My dandruff has also been a lot better, almost non existent. Maybe this whole time it has been more autoimmune rather than typical mpb. I have also felt way more relaxed, and able to breathe normally. I sometimes get in these weird fits where my breathing is really bad I feel like im not getting enough air, but the past four days or so have been really good. Ive also been taking more aspirin, and magnesium twice a day.