The Paleo Diet???

Hey guys! I saw my surgeon today hoping for a surgery date, but instead he wants me to go on the Paleo diet for 2 weeks and keep a food journal. This is is also known as "the cave man" diet. Not processed foods and all that. I'm currently doing more research and was wondering if anyone is familiar with this. I think this is something new he is making his patients do because my friend who had surgery last June, didn't have to do it.  

I think it is a great idea and so much better than a liquid diet.  It is important to detox from sugar and processed foods before surgery so you don't have to do it after.  You don't need the complication of sugar withdrawal when you are recovering from major surgery.  If you are a coffee drinker, it might be a good idea to wean yourself off of that too so you don't wake up from surgery with a massive headache.

Your surgeon also wants you to shrink your liver so that it is not in the way when surgery is performed.

It is pretty much the diet that humans evolved on.  It is also very similar to the diet that most surgeons recommend post op.

Yeah, he had me do a food diary for a month and as he went through it today he was marking through everything saying "you have awful eating habits". Well dur, I didn't get fat from eating right. haha.. But I hope this is replacing the liquid diet. I didn't even ask him that. I would be pretty upset to go through this diet and then have to chug down protein shakes for 2 weeks. I do see this  as my doctor being extra involved with my health. Although when he told me to go on this diet, I wasn't a happy camper. 

Not sure it would replace the liquid diet. The liquid diet is to reduce the size of your liver by reducing fat and flushing it out but your body will be primed for weight loss and you will go into it with a full head if steam.

I'm sure you're right Keith. I know that the shakes are very important prior to surgery. That would just put me 2 weeks further from my surgery date, but that's ok. Everyday is one day closer. 

Every surgeon is different, that isn't necessarily what it means. The paleo diet is a high protein diet so it would have the same impact that way. The fats on the paleo diet are healthy fats and may not affect the liver the same way as bad fats. So I wouldn't read into it, I would ask. The high protein prior to surgery helps you to heal faster I am convinced of that.

It doesn't do that because it's liquid though. It does that because it's high protein, low carb. The "two-week liquid diet" doesn't have to be liquid at all and not all programs do it that way.

It's a good diet. Lots of good resources. Off the top of my head check out marksdailyapple.com and paleohacks.com.

Thanks!

Our house (my kids and I) have recently gone mostly Paleo.  I love it.  I discovered through my surgery and not eating wheat that wheat was causing my IBS for YEARS.  I feel so good now not having it in my system.  I guarantee you will feel wonderful at the end of these two weeks.  It's an awesome diet, in my opinion.  I still have a little dairy, I guess they call that lacto-Paleo. :)  good luck and let us know how you feel!