4.60

1

Dec 29, 2014

If you want to know what’s wrong with this book, start with the fact that of those forty-odd Goodreads members who gave it 4 or 5 stars and wrote a review of it, everyone uniformly praised how “science-based” it was and only three of them mentioned actually committing to the diet it prescribed. A good portion of them also mentioned that they did not have an auto-immune condition. This is not a book for sick people – not in its presentation, not in its advice, not in its worldview. It is a book If you want to know what’s wrong with this book, start with the fact that of those forty-odd Goodreads members who gave it 4 or 5 stars and wrote a review of it, everyone uniformly praised how “science-based” it was and only three of them mentioned actually committing to the diet it prescribed. A good portion of them also mentioned that they did not have an auto-immune condition. This is not a book for sick people – not in its presentation, not in its advice, not in its worldview. It is a book that uses science to claim an authoritative status, but is disingenuous about its highly selective use of scientific information. It’s a book that spends a lot of time calling your attention to how complicated and intricate anatomical processes are, but in the end its recommendations really depend on only one of those processes. It’s also a book that beyond enumerating a list of foods to eat and not eat has very little to say about how to implement its extremely complex and difficult diet plan. Especially if you happen to be sick.

Ok. On the one hand: Our primary model of medicine is about getting sick, then taking a pill to get better. That’s the dominant model mostly because it’s so easy to make profitable. For instance, if someone if someone has to stop eating processed foods in order to get well, what pharmaceutical company or doctor or hospital is going to make money from that? So obviously, no one who hopes to make a living in health care has much incentive to think about health outside of the disorder-cured-by-commodity paradigm of medicine. This is the arbitrary limitation of all medicine. There’s no particular reason why the body should only experience disorders whose cures depend on easily marketable solutions, and yet those are the only cures on offer.

So I am inclined to pay attention to folks like Sarah Ballantyne who claim to deal with more complex models of well-being, ones that don’t just involve a one-stop solution provided by an easily billable party. Ballantyne presents herself as providing an alternative to modern medicine, an alternative in which diet, stress levels, sleep quality, and exercise all play a part. All the same, out of eight lengthy and detailed chapters, only two deal in any way with what she calls “lifestyle” issues, and both of those chapters inevitably return to the question of diet. Diet, they say, will ultimately help you achieve better sleep and a clearer mind. Diet is factor number one in illness, and all other factors follow from it. In the “trouble-shooting” chapter, which she writes for folks who aren’t feeling better after three months on her diet, all of the ways to shoot trouble involve taking supplements or tweaking what you eat. Will having too much stress in your life keep your diet from working properly? She never considers the question. The extremely relevant question, “Are you, as an unwell person with an auto-immune disorder, wearing yourself out with the intensive food prep this diet requires?” is never raised.

So, there’s that. Not an indication that the book is wrong, but a definite discrepancy between its lip-service to considering a complex set of factors, and its actual message that what you eat as at the core of all health. Now, I am pretty convinced that food is integral to health, or I wouldn’t have bothered to read her book at all. But I also wonder to what extent food conveniently re-creates all the dynamics of the swallow-a-pill model of healthcare, one where you pay organic grocers and free-range chicken farmers (and possibly bloggers-turned-nutrition-gurus like Ballantyne) instead of pharmaceutical companies. Is it possible Ballantyne inadvertently focuses too heavily on food because food aligns so nicely with our idea that health is something to be purchased and then consumed?

But what I find most objectionable about Ballantyne’s book is its disingenuous use of science to justify its recommendations. Sarah Ballantyne unquestionably has a very high-level training in science. But I also know the Paleo diet culture to be uncomfortably self-serving in its use of “scientific research.” Hop on to Mark’s Daily Apple blog or listen to Chris Kresser’s podcast, and you’ll find them explaining all kinds of diet choices based on this “study” they’ve read. There’s never any acknowledgement that not all studies are created equally, and or that scientific and medical studies conducted in good faith can still contradict one another. Rarely do Paleo enthusiasts mention how large the study was, whether it was peer-reviewed, or whether its findings were replicated in other studies. Was it a study involving 20 college-aged men (rather than, say middle-aged women, the population most prone to auto-immune conditions)? Was it conducted over two weeks or three months? In a northern city during the winter, or a southern one over the course of two seasons? Did a subsequent study question its findings? No matter – what matters is that there was, indeed, a study, and so its results are to be trusted as science.

And again – this doesn’t mean that everything Kresser or Sissoon writes is untrue – it just means that they make decisions about which studies support their recommendations without disclosing to reader about how the decision was made. Ballantyne’s book suffers from the same habit. She offers us 20 pages of tiny-print bibliography, but no footnotes to show which of her claims are supported by which of the cited studies. And obviously, she’s making certain decisions about how she’s using the information. She cites lots of CDC and NIH-produced documents, even though clearly, neither the CDC or the NIH endorse the idea that the consumption of wheat leads to auto-immune conditions, an idea which forms the backbone of Ballantyne’s entire book. In fact, she basically comes out and says at one point, that, given what “we” know about wheat’s toxicity, it’s surprising it’s even considered a food. Well, yes – that’s an astonishing statement. Surely there might be one or two other studies out there that don’t support the notion that wheat is uniformly bad (For instance, the ones cited here: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutrition...)? What led her to privilege the studies she cites over those studies?

I don’t mean to come off as dismissing her ideas entirely – in fact, I am more sympathetic to them than I sound. However, in the end, she is selling a product (a handsomely produced but rather pricy book) to a stunningly vulnerable group of people who are not functioning well, who are in pain, and who are looking for some kind of hope. Wouldn’t it be slightly more honest to acknowledge that the data doesn’t all align one way? If she’s indignant that the doctors she dealt with early in her life never told her about how auto-immunity works, don’t we have an equal right to be indignant that she’s not giving us the entire picture?

I find it especially important to point out how biased her selection of “science” is because this is a book that’s definitely aspiring to the authoritative status of a college science text-book. Weighing several pounds, more than a foot tall, full color diagrams of the lining of the small intestines, tables of the “most important” cellular components of the immune system (despite the fact that the cellular components of the immune system are poorly understood even by the best researchers), somewhat superfluous sketches of the human digestive system from end to end. What is all that for? Well, to help you UNDERSTAND how the Paleo Approach is going to help you heal from auto-immune disorders, Ballantyne says. But I’m not so sure. First of all, I’m not sure because of the crowds of reviewers on Goodreads who gush over the SCIENCE that Ballantyne includes AND who confess that they mostly just skimmed the most science-heavy chapters or skipped them all together. I don’t think the science IS actually working to explain things to readers – I think the readers just like to know that it’s there, so they can feel that the book is authoritative.

But mainly I’m not so sure that her “scientific” presentation of nutrition and auto-immune disease matters at all because the entire Paleo Approach, as she pitches it, basically boils down to not eating grains, legumes, nuts, dairy, or nightshades because they create permeability in your small intestine which can lead to auto-immunity over time. This is a process that has been observed, tested and verified through replicated studies when it comes to what happens when people with Celiac disease eat wheat. There have been preliminary results (definitely not as settled or as widely confirmed) suggesting a similar process occurs in juvenile diabetes and multiple sclerosis. But Ballantyne’s book requires us to accept that all grains, legumes and nuts (and dairy! And night shades!) behave **EXACTLY** as wheat behaves in the gut of a person with Celiac disease, no matter what auto-immune condition a person has. And maybe even if they don’t HAVE an auto-immune condition. After all, Ballantyne promises that if you’ve just been feeling tired lately, this diet will also help you. For a book whose sprawling structure aspires to the encyclopedic, that’s a stunning reduction of a whole spectrum of biology into just one single master-process.

And puzzlingly, the text-book specificity with which she describes auto-immunity and nutrition in the first three chapters gives way to hand-waving vagueness when it comes to explaining how to apply one’s understanding of those minute processes to one’s practice of eating. She offers long lists of foods to avoid and foods to eat for healing. But when it comes to the question of HOW to eat them – what assortment and what schedule might optimize healing – she simply demurs. Eat smoothies -- or don’t, if they upset your stomach. Think about the sugars in what you eat, but don’t get obsessive about it, unless you have diabetes. About one-fifth to one-quarter of the meat you eat should be offal, she recommends with unusual specificity, given that she doesn’t have any suggestions for how much meat you should be eating. She points out that lots of people have lots of recommendations for ratios of protein to carbs to fat, so just go with what works for you. Of course, she also warns that you can’t expect any significant healing to happen in less than three months on this diet, so exactly how you are supposed to tell what is “working” for you is a mystery. This is where the “science” of her book really comes off as completely irrelevant. On the one hand the Paleo Approach is so complex that it can be described to us only after we’ve plowed through an exhaustive three-chapter scientific dissection of all the hidden causes and minute chemical reactions that impact auto-immunity. On the other hand, the Paleo Approach is supposed to be so intuitive that Ballantyne acts as if we’ll just know instinctually how to munch our way to wellness after removing about 70% of what Americans consider food from our diet. There isn’t even a “sample meal plan,” or “suggested meals,” -- a pretty standard feature of even the most poorly designed diet books.

But the most hurtful omission in the book is Ballantyne’s complete failure to acknowledge how BEING ill might impact one’s ability to follow her suggestions. Indeed, the most bizarre feature of this book is that it doesn’t have anything to say about the actual experience of illness. Ballantyne mentions having a past history of asthma and joint pain, but there isn’t any moment in the book where she pauses to say “I know how hard this can be when you’re gasping for breath.” Or “you might feel hopeless because Multiple Sclerosis is a terrible degenerative disease.” Or “chopping all those vegetables will certainly be a challenge if you are suffering from the severe joint pain and excessive fatigue of lupus.” She’s chock-full of breezy little affirmative nuggets like “It’s ok if you can’t do it all” and “It’s ok to say no.” But there isn’t any space in this voluminous book and its defying-all-the-odds tone for her to say “Maybe you are frightened of dying before your children are grown.” “Maybe it’s hard for you to let go of the profound resentment you have against healthy people.” And ultimately, that’s what makes me say this isn’t a book for sick people. I suspect that this book will be positively magnetic for people who are terrified of illness, or people who are in deep denial about the profound power illness has. I even – in spite of the content of most of this review – think it might be able to offer some advice on eating that can make *some* people feel significantly better. But in terms of addressing people who are actually experiencing illness, who are nakedly confronting the limits of their own individual power and trying to think realistically about how to cope, and about which of the limited number of decisions and actions available to them will matter the most – this book has nothing to offer. ...more

5

Mar 27, 2015

I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease that was making it hard to be functional. I was taking a lot of medication, and none of it was working.

I've been on this diet for 3 months and my symptoms are nearly gone. I hesitate to say it's amazing only because it sounds too good to be true. But for me, it has worked wonders. I've also done acupuncture, which I think has helped too. But I suspect that the diet is really the necessary factor here.

It's hard when you're diagnosed with something that I was diagnosed with an auto-immune disease that was making it hard to be functional. I was taking a lot of medication, and none of it was working.

I've been on this diet for 3 months and my symptoms are nearly gone. I hesitate to say it's amazing only because it sounds too good to be true. But for me, it has worked wonders. I've also done acupuncture, which I think has helped too. But I suspect that the diet is really the necessary factor here.

It's hard when you're diagnosed with something that is "incurable" and that isn't well understood by modern medicine. My gastroenterologist told me that none of her patients have benefited from a change in diet. Of course when I asked her how many have tried it, she said none. Fantastic science there, lady. The truth is that these diets haven't been well studied. That doesn't mean they should be dismissed; it means they should be studied.

Luckily my naturopathic doctor suggested I try a special diet anyway. She recommended SCD, a diet outlined in this book Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Intestinal Health Through Diet. However, it didn't prove strict enough for me.

SCD is an older diet, and my husband helped me look for newer research. We came across the THE PALEO APPROACH and several other books pointing toward a paleo diet. This book was the one I ended up following strictly, and it worked! I highly recommend it for anyone suffering. ...more

5

Feb 22, 2014

As soon as I received this book, I immediately started skimming through it and felt a little overwhelmed. I must admit, I haven't been diagnosed with autoimmune disease although I've wondered if I do, especially given I have many of the symptoms. My father had suffered through Alzheimer's disease for 18 years before his death last year and I've often wondered if he had autoimmune and inflammation issues....and now I know that to be true, thanks to Sarah's book. There is conflicting opinions in As soon as I received this book, I immediately started skimming through it and felt a little overwhelmed. I must admit, I haven't been diagnosed with autoimmune disease although I've wondered if I do, especially given I have many of the symptoms. My father had suffered through Alzheimer's disease for 18 years before his death last year and I've often wondered if he had autoimmune and inflammation issues....and now I know that to be true, thanks to Sarah's book. There is conflicting opinions in the medical world if Alzheimer's is a genetic disease also, which worries me somewhat given I have a lot of the same health issues that my Dad did at the same age. I tried the Paleo lifestyle several years ago but didn't take the time to really understand it and then I heard some people say "oh, don't do the Paleo thing...it's bad for you". I was bummed because I just wanted to eat bacon! Lol

Sarah's book is so comprehensive and so amazing that it seemed every page I turned to would answer question upon question that would arise in my head. She has clearly put her heart and soul into every page and for that, I'm incredibly thankful! I'm putting my list together and I'm heading to the store to start on my journey with The Paleo Approach!
...more

5

Sep 23, 2014

Sarah has a Ph.D. in medical biophysics and unlike many paleo books, this book has a list of references, a glossary, and some great tables for easy reference. I have spoken to Sarah many times via email and she is incredibly thorough, responsive, and unswervingly pleasant. This book reflects that.

This is not a beginner book, and in other ways it is. It’s quite science-y and dense in places; that reflects the complexity of the topic. It is a beginner book in that you can find out what you need Sarah has a Ph.D. in medical biophysics and unlike many paleo books, this book has a list of references, a glossary, and some great tables for easy reference. I have spoken to Sarah many times via email and she is incredibly thorough, responsive, and unswervingly pleasant. This book reflects that.

This is not a beginner book, and in other ways it is. It’s quite science-y and dense in places; that reflects the complexity of the topic. It is a beginner book in that you can find out what you need to get going and it will take you all the way along the path to remission.

Endlessly fascinating

I have studied the subject of autoimmune disease for years now but was jumping all over the place as I reviewed the table of contents and the index. The text kept me having interesting thoughts that I just had to follow up in another part of the book.

My favorite parts:

Hunger Hormones: The Key Players
When Is What In Season
Vitamins, Minerals and Essential Fatty Acids
Navigating Spices
Trouble Shooting

There is so much information in this book that I challenge anyone not to find something useful in there, autoimmune sufferer or not.

If you have autoimmune disease, I recommend you invest in this book and dip in and out, reading the parts that interest you the most. Understand that you are buying it for the long term, to read and refer to as you learn more about your disease. It’s not a “one-time-read-front-to-back-and-pass-it-on” kind of a book.

I would go as far as to say that "The Paleo Approach" is so comprehensive, you don’t need another book to explain your autoimmune condition, ...more

5

Jul 12, 2014

I finally finished this book! It's huge and contains an enormous amount of information, including an explanation of the science behind autoimmune disease in addition to dietary and lifestyle recommendations. What I appreciated most about the book -- even if I don't go all in for the rather restrictive diet -- was its comprehensive nature and science base. This book contains information I have found nowhere else and has helped me explain some of the odd problems I've experienced in dealing with I finally finished this book! It's huge and contains an enormous amount of information, including an explanation of the science behind autoimmune disease in addition to dietary and lifestyle recommendations. What I appreciated most about the book -- even if I don't go all in for the rather restrictive diet -- was its comprehensive nature and science base. This book contains information I have found nowhere else and has helped me explain some of the odd problems I've experienced in dealing with what is almost certainly celiac disease. (For example, in a section on probiotics Ballantyne mentions that fermented foods contain a yeast which can be mistaken for gluten by the body... which explains why I was reacting so violently to kombucha in spite of all the hype.)

I read the book cover to cover once, but will almost certainly be going back to read it again. ...more

4

Jul 24, 2019

A plethora of information, an in depth look at the science behind autoimmune disease and diet, and loaded with easy to understand directions. I’m a science nerd so I loved all of the science in this book! It’s well organized and extremely educational.

5

Mar 07, 2014

I am passionate about this book. It is literally lifechanging. I had the honor of reviewing a copy of my new favorite book, The Paleo Approach, this past week and I am so excited to share it with you. This book is like the "bible" of Paleo eating. It is like a complete life manual that answers every question you could ever think of about Paleo or Primal eating. I am amazed at the author, Sarah Ballantyne, for her extreme dedication in writing this book. I have no idea how many hours she spent I am passionate about this book. It is literally lifechanging. I had the honor of reviewing a copy of my new favorite book, The Paleo Approach, this past week and I am so excited to share it with you. This book is like the "bible" of Paleo eating. It is like a complete life manual that answers every question you could ever think of about Paleo or Primal eating. I am amazed at the author, Sarah Ballantyne, for her extreme dedication in writing this book. I have no idea how many hours she spent pouring over the research for this book, but I assure you, it has to be in the thousands at least. She thought of every single detail. I want to choose a few quotes for you, but it is so hard...I just want to quote the entire book because everything written is so important to the healing of your body.
The book is set up in almost a textbook fashion, except that she writes in a way that makes the book enjoyable to read. It is literally filled with information, but it never leaves you feeling overwhelmed or bored. She makes it all sound so fascinating. She also has an amazing way of "speaking" to the reader. She writes so that the average person can clearly understand what she is saying, but not so simple that it feels like she is being condescending. I think that is very important and impressive because she is clearly a genius. 
The first pages show a Table of Contents with everything divided neatly into chapters and sections to make it easier if you are looking for something specific in the book. The book is divided into two main parts - The Cause and The Cure. The Cause focuses on Autoimmune Diseases--what they are, dietary factors that contribute to them (for example: foods that do not digest well and genetics), lifestyle factors that contribute to them (such as lack of sleep and medication), and how to move forward to heal your body and add to your life. This part of the book is very interesting to me because most of it is all new information to me and I really enjoy learning. There is a three page list of all the known possible autoimmune diseases, many of which surprised me. I think it's great that she includes this because many of them are not diseases that I would think of as being autoimmune diseases...which means that without this information, many people may not try the Paleo Approach because they are not even aware that it could help them. This list fixes that problem! She goes so in-depth with her explanations that she makes you feel like an expert after you are done. My husband loves to learn, but he has a very short attention span and this book also kept him intrigued. 
The Cure focuses on the lifestyle changes that you can use to help heal your autoimmune symptoms. Sarah writes, 
"Healing is complex. You are not only trying to heal the tissues attacked by your autoimmune disease; you are also trying to restore the barrier function of your gut (that is, fix your leaky guy) and reestablish a normal gut microflora. Your body will need extra nutrition (and sleep, which is discussed in the next chapter) to get started on this process, so the more nutrient-dense your diet is, the better. By eating according to the Paleo Approach, you will flood your body with the nutrients it needs."




When Sarah begins writing about the foods, she makes it clear that she wants you to succeed. She doesn't just write "DO NOT EAT THIS" "DO NOT EAT THAT", she goes in-depth about each food item and why that food is bad for your body. I think that is so important. It makes it harder to follow through with any big change in life if someone just gives you a list of things to avoid without telling you the reasons. When you are given the reasons, it helps to motivate you to make the right choices.








Every single thing about this book shows Sarah's dedication. I just cannot say enough good things about her dedication to this book. You can clearly see that everything was so thoughtfully added. This was not some book that was just thrown together. I hope that if I ever write a book, it is half as wonderful as this one.




This book isn't just for people with autoimmune diseases, this book is for everyone. Everyone should want to learn more about their bodies and understand how every choice they make affets their health. ...more

5

Nov 10, 2015

The Most Scientifically Comprehensive Book on Nutrition I Have Ever Read

If this book used superscript to link to the over 200 references I would vote for it to be mandatory reading in our educational system. Even with this flaw Paleo Approach could certainly not be considered for anything less than a rock solid five stars.

Another minor flaw which was surprising considering the comprehensive nature of this book is there was no talk about biofilm bacteria. I should mention that no other book I The Most Scientifically Comprehensive Book on Nutrition I Have Ever Read

If this book used superscript to link to the over 200 references I would vote for it to be mandatory reading in our educational system. Even with this flaw Paleo Approach could certainly not be considered for anything less than a rock solid five stars.

Another minor flaw which was surprising considering the comprehensive nature of this book is there was no talk about biofilm bacteria. I should mention that no other book I have read in regard to the microbiome and microbiota mentions anything about biofilm either.

Biofilms are adherent aggregates of bacterial cells that form on biotic and abiotic surfaces, including human tissues. Biofilm formation can be a specific, defensive reaction to the presence of antibiotics and biofilms resist antibiotic treatment and contribute to bacterial persistence in chronic infections.(1) Antibiotics, antimicrobials and antifungals may not be of any use if the bacteria has shielded itself with a robust biofilm. Using supplements, the body views as food and which have no known side effects except for die off, in my opinion, is the best course of action if attempting to rebalance the microbiota. This is of course in conjunction with all the considerations of this book

The subject of biofilm disrupters in my opinion is a critical factor even if you have not taken antibiotics but are suffering from IBS which has recently been renamed DBS (dysbiotic bowel syndrome) to more accurately represent a disrupted microbiota. This could include candida which I found is difficult to diagnose. Candida is rampant in the US but you can only find this out on your own as I did after consulting over twenty MD’s and this was one of the many issues other than diet that Sarah addressed.

The biofilm disrupters I tried were monolaurin, lactoferrin, NAC and HICA. NAC is an amino acid and HICA is a metabolite, or degradation product of leucine which is another amino acid. Monolaurin and lactoferrin are components of human breast milk. I found that NAC and HICA in particular to be the most effective. I was on biofilm disrupters for five months before the probiotics became really effective.

I should mention that I researched individual strains of probiotics and list what I feel are the essential seven in my latest book. I spent thousands on probiotics before engaging in a more comprehensive research. Even with extensive research probiotics are the wild wild west of supplements but I did manage to find one that was extremely effective.

Before I get into writing a dissertation on this book which would be easy to do I just want to say after being sick for over six years and severely for over four, I did not begin to turn around until I switched to this diet without any cheating. The modification I made which Sarah brings up in the book was eliminating high lectin foods which included nuts, seeds and legumes. I had what the pharmaceutical companies coin as restless leg syndrome and it stopped within 24 hours after eliminating this food group.

I can say with complete confidence that if you are suffering any form of gut issue that this book is an absolute must read. I will also state as I did in my book that I have no association or relationship with the author of this book.

1. Oliveira, Nuno M. et al. "Biofilm Formation as A Response to Ecological Competition". PLOS Biology 13.7 (2015): e1002191. Web. 26 July 2016.
...more

5

Feb 17, 2016

When my son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease a month ago, I felt helpless. The dietitian in the hospital basically said, "Good luck." Because each person has different ways of experiencing the disease, she said we would have to experiment to see what worked best. His GI doctor said the same thing. He didn't seem to think diet would make much of a difference. But both of them said a few things that fit perfectly with this particular approach:

1. more organ meats.
2. more seafood (the GI doc said, When my son was diagnosed with Crohn's disease a month ago, I felt helpless. The dietitian in the hospital basically said, "Good luck." Because each person has different ways of experiencing the disease, she said we would have to experiment to see what worked best. His GI doctor said the same thing. He didn't seem to think diet would make much of a difference. But both of them said a few things that fit perfectly with this particular approach:

1. more organ meats.
2. more seafood (the GI doc said, "Eat salmon once a week for omega-3s")
3. more leafy green vegetables.
4. No nuts or seeds, and no popcorn or corn chips.
5. No dairy.

We've done freaky elimination diets before, but I like that this one is more about ADDING the right kinds of foods. Yes, you're taking out a ton of foods, and there's nothing easy about this shift. But we've been following the protocol for about two weeks now, and I've already seen significant changes. The boy's color is better. His eczema is clearing up. The patch of dry skin he's had for months disappeared. The weird neck pain I've had for months, and attributed to stress, is gone (and the stress is definitely not gone!). We'll see how the rest of the boy's numbers are next Monday, but I imagine we're on the right track.

I like that the author also includes sections on eliminating stress, getting better sleep, and connecting with people. This is more of a lifestyle than a diet. This isn't a book for someone just trying to find new health or anything. It's VERY hard. But if you are fighting an autoimmune disease, I highly recommend checking this out and seeing if you find some helpful information in here. ...more

5

Aug 07, 2018

EXCELLENT BOOK. It works and it explains why it works. I feel that EVERYONE should do this. The strict AIP portion can be as short as one month before you carefully start adding foods back one at a time. The strict portion gives your body time to heal from leaky gut. Most people have this and don't know it. I did this STRICT for 8 1/2 months because I have been sick with several vaccine induced autoimmune disease for a really long time. I felt I needed that time to heal my leaky gut, make it EXCELLENT BOOK. It works and it explains why it works. I feel that EVERYONE should do this. The strict AIP portion can be as short as one month before you carefully start adding foods back one at a time. The strict portion gives your body time to heal from leaky gut. Most people have this and don't know it. I did this STRICT for 8 1/2 months because I have been sick with several vaccine induced autoimmune disease for a really long time. I felt I needed that time to heal my leaky gut, make it easy on my body. I was able to get off of Methotrexate, Enbrel, ALL pharmaceuticals. Lost a lot of extra weight. I HIGHLY recommend this book to EVERYONE. I could not believe how my body reacted when I added eggs back in. I was SICK. Egg proteins were in many vaccines that I had. Same thing for children with peanut allergies. They had vaccines that used peanut oil. ...more

4

Sep 14, 2014

This book is legit- someone is quoted on the back cover as calling this tome encyclopedic. PREACH. It reads somewhere between a college textbook and bible for those with autoimmune disorders. I appreciate the info but was a bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of graphics, facts, testimonials, charts, and tables. That said, it guides the reader to find out: triggers specific to your problem, the foods that will heal your body, and ways to promote overall well-being. You just have to be patient This book is legit- someone is quoted on the back cover as calling this tome encyclopedic. PREACH. It reads somewhere between a college textbook and bible for those with autoimmune disorders. I appreciate the info but was a bit overwhelmed with the sheer amount of graphics, facts, testimonials, charts, and tables. That said, it guides the reader to find out: triggers specific to your problem, the foods that will heal your body, and ways to promote overall well-being. You just have to be patient and willing to "dig" to find said information. ...more

5

Jul 12, 2014

I don't know if Ballantyne's conclusions are going to be vindicated (the leaky gut hypothesis is still up in the air, I thought) but either way she provided more than enough evidence to get me to follow the approach — and I was a vegetarian. It's been about 5 weeks and I do not see vast improvement yet. However, I haven't had the super major flare up that I have had for the past 2 years at exactly this time of year. I will definitely give it the recommended 6 months.

The science does drone on, I don't know if Ballantyne's conclusions are going to be vindicated (the leaky gut hypothesis is still up in the air, I thought) but either way she provided more than enough evidence to get me to follow the approach — and I was a vegetarian. It's been about 5 weeks and I do not see vast improvement yet. However, I haven't had the super major flare up that I have had for the past 2 years at exactly this time of year. I will definitely give it the recommended 6 months.

The science does drone on, but I'm glad I read it all, and I like that I have complete descriptions of how all the immune processes work handy.

...more

5

Dec 04, 2017

never has a western scientist/researcher spent so much time on understanding herself or so called self biohacking to understanding what does/doesn't that can trigger body' reaction. As a ultrarunner, we spent much time understanding "self"..such as heart beat, liver, stomach situation, digestive condition, urination...etc...at the same time a group of researchers finally start to understanding our bodies act as a mechanism/counter mechanism to "accommodate", "to adjust", "to adapt" etc to the never has a western scientist/researcher spent so much time on understanding herself or so called self biohacking to understanding what does/doesn't that can trigger body' reaction. As a ultrarunner, we spent much time understanding "self"..such as heart beat, liver, stomach situation, digestive condition, urination...etc...at the same time a group of researchers finally start to understanding our bodies act as a mechanism/counter mechanism to "accommodate", "to adjust", "to adapt" etc to the external environment including diet before, during, or post exercise. Sarah spent lots of time to understand the variations of inner body reaction to certain food, exercising conditions, etc. because western medicine ONLY focus (historically ignoring) on "symptoms"..but not knowing why body acts or reacts towards external food, diet...This is a GREAT book and ALL medical professional SHOULD read and own this book. And Sarah is already on the doorstep of eastern holistic medicinal wisdom. Welcome! ...more

2

Mar 31, 2015

First, if you're not a paleo-holic, don't worry. This diet is quite different than paleo as it commonly exists. I find the attitude in AIP circles, including with the author, to be a lot more sensible, no manic enthusiasm or occasional chest thumpers, more acknowledgement (often implicit) that all nutritional guidelines don't apply to absolutely everyone. Why--probably because when you're actually working with diseases and conditions that provide honest feedback, there's less room for all that First, if you're not a paleo-holic, don't worry. This diet is quite different than paleo as it commonly exists. I find the attitude in AIP circles, including with the author, to be a lot more sensible, no manic enthusiasm or occasional chest thumpers, more acknowledgement (often implicit) that all nutritional guidelines don't apply to absolutely everyone. Why--probably because when you're actually working with diseases and conditions that provide honest feedback, there's less room for all that excess and hubris (which other kinds of dietary ideologues also engage in). When it comes to the "eat more of" lists and paragraphs, I think anyone can benefit, even if they're not sick, even if they choose to adapt this and be less meat-centric.

Get the cookbook instead, and if you can take this book out from the library--buy it only if you are sure you want it. The cookbook has all the practical information you need to follow the diet. She also has a talk floating around on youtube that gets the basic ideas across better: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=02szp...

The author is a good scientist (as far as I can tell) and a good writer, but not really a good science writer. (Her scientific diagrams are excellent, though.) It reads like a textbook, and not a great one. Still, it's important that this book is out there.

I did buy it and read it with interest, but mostly it puts me to sleep. ...more

5

Jan 29, 2014

Reading this book (although I'll admit I skimmed a lot of the first part because it was so science-based and technical--I kept thinking of Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad: "Yeah, science! [bitch!]") was absolutely enlightening, and for those who claim there's no research behind paleo or autoimmune protocol AIP)-based diets, Sarah Ballantyne's got you covered. The back of the book is LOADED with references from peer-reviewed journals (which warmed my librarian heart). Not that I needed much Reading this book (although I'll admit I skimmed a lot of the first part because it was so science-based and technical--I kept thinking of Jesse Pinkman in Breaking Bad: "Yeah, science! [bitch!]") was absolutely enlightening, and for those who claim there's no research behind paleo or autoimmune protocol AIP)-based diets, Sarah Ballantyne's got you covered. The back of the book is LOADED with references from peer-reviewed journals (which warmed my librarian heart). Not that I needed much convincing. I've been hearing about Ballantyne (The Paleo Mom)'s approach for reversing autoimmune disease for over a year in my quest to use nutrition as the basis for remission from my ulcerative colitis (since nothing else seems to work for longer than a few months). It turns out a TON of things fall in the autoimmune category, including gastrointestinal disorders, diabetes, thyroid issues, MS, and a huge list of others. This book is ridiculously thorough, and I really thought I'd read enough on the subject before I started it. Turns out, I hadn't! Most traditional paleo books talk about the benefit to health, especially compared to the Standard American Diet, but usually just touch on people with autoimmune disorders. To have an entire book on the subject? Nerd heaven. The first half ("The Cause") of the book is EXTREMELY scientific, and I had some problems following it, but I appreciate her attempts to make it understandable. She's a PhD in medical biophysics, so I'm giving her lots of leeway to get her science on. The second half ("The Cure") was more what I was used to, and I still learned a ton. And she's got great nutritional guides in the back, a huge list of what to eat/not eat, etc. She's coming out with a recipe book in the spring that I might by, even though I promised to stop buying Paleo cookbooks since I have so many.

Here's the thing--this diet is tough. It's like paleo on (healthy, non-westernized) steroids. Not only do you remove all grains, dairy, alcohol, legumes and refined sugars, but eggs and nightshades as well. And frankly, the thought of it has just overwhelmed me, so I've limped along removing some things (gluten) but not others (oats/corn/alcohol/dark chocolate). But the sooner I start (and the less complicated I make it), the sooner I can tell if it works. It makes socializing an absolute b*tch, and it's so restrictive (and I mean 100% restrictive) that it seems almost undoable (as a working woman going to school), but I've been dancing around it for almost 2 years now, so let's just get on with it. Regardless of my personal issues with compliance with the diet, Ballantyne has made an impressive (and necessary) argument for why it will work, and it's a terrific addition to the field of paleo/AIP books. Bless you, Sarah Ballantyne! ...more

5

Jan 07, 2017

“Pharmaceutical treatment has, thus far, failed to inhibit the tsunami of endemic diseases spreading around the world, and no new tools are in sight. Dramatic alterations, in direction of paleolithic-like lifestyle and food habits, seem to be the only alternatives with the potential to control the present escalating crisis.”
– Stig Bengmark, MD, Ph.D

For me, this book has been a life changer. As someone who has had chronic Ulcerative Colitis for almost twenty years & am barely in my thirties, “Pharmaceutical treatment has, thus far, failed to inhibit the tsunami of endemic diseases spreading around the world, and no new tools are in sight. Dramatic alterations, in direction of paleolithic-like lifestyle and food habits, seem to be the only alternatives with the potential to control the present escalating crisis.”
– Stig Bengmark, MD, Ph.D

For me, this book has been a life changer. As someone who has had chronic Ulcerative Colitis for almost twenty years & am barely in my thirties, hospitalized countless times, this book is a godsend. This is due to the many benefits my health as accrued from implementing much of the advice within this book.

As a side note, the evolution of my health progression with UC went something like this: clean fluoride-free water > removal of toxins [aspartame, nitrates, soy, msg.] from dietary choices > removal of all fast foods > removal of processed foods > switching to organic/non-gmo nutrient-dense foods > gluten-free / paleo approach.

That’s just what helped me. We are all different, so different people will benefit at varying degrees. Am just sharing what helped me in order for it to possibly help others.

Now let’s dive in, shall we?

The Paleo Approach – Reverse Autoimmune Disease And Heal Your Body by Sarah Ballantyne, PhD is an absolute tour de force into regaining your health, with a top-down approach that is as extensive as it is deep in scope.

Although a great length of the book almost has a textbook feel, it is that very precision that shows how exact and thorough Ballantyne’s approach is. She details every aspect of the Paleo Diet discipline [if we may call it that] in a manner that is not just easy to follow, but simple to comprehend.

Ballantyne commences with many of the causes for autoimmune diseases as well as what contributes to those type of health complications/diseases. Thence she couples that along with lifestyle changes that could be contributing to the cause of your dis-ease.

Personally, this is the type of book that should be mandatory reading for everyone in High School, let alone college. The previous statement does not mean that this is the only approach, however. There are many [dietary] approaches that can and have helped people. A few of these different approaches helped me at varying degrees, the paleo approach being the last anchor that has solidified my health.

Knowledge is imperative in our day an age. That is why nutrition and diet should be an integral component in everyone’s lives. Am saying this to outline the fact that the public school indoctrination system does nothing remotely substantial to address the lack of health knowledge in basic schooling. Then again they do the same with finance & logic, all three of which would help individuals greatly in attaining health, financial versatility and a range of analysis that is sorely needed in the world we live in.

Getting back on track, Ballantyne makes it a point in stating and restating the fact that diet alone cannot help an individual if that individual is still making poor lifestyle choices. While this might seem ‘common sense’ to some, it isn’t. Countless people believe that if they just change their diet, while not addressing other vital [and just as detrimental] issues, all will be okay. Nothing can be further from the truth.

Stress, for instance, causes deleterious issues to those that do not address this common problem. Ballantyne addresses the stress topic rather poignantly, outlining many solid approaches that have helped many, myself included.

Ballantyne also dovetails into the importance of sleep, which is such an underrated component to health [and thus healing!], as well as not remaining physically stagnant. Moving, doing exercises, heck WALKING outside, all have great benefits. Don’t forget getting ample amounts of sun, for a variety of reasons.

Other issues that are addressed rather trenchantly within this book are the issue of gluten sensitivity [this one affected me greatly] in relation to autoimmune disease and how it affects the intestines, as well as the issue of gut dysbiosis, what it is and how it is caused.

Inflammation is another essential and yet abstruse topic that is focused upon. Ballantyne addresses this issue from myriad directions while also coupling it with stress, sleep and lifestyle choices.

Parasites, as well as persistent infections such as C.Diff are touched upon, as well as the role of probiotics in gut health.

The detrimental side effects of some medications are tackled and talked about in relation to optimal health.

Finally, lest not forget the role of healthy fats, antioxidants, nutrient-dense food, and much, much more.

Ballantyne anchors her book with a thorough nutrient table that’s an excellent reference for anyone, especially those following the ‘Paleo Approach’.

All in all, if you are someone, or know someone with an auto-immune disease, or simply want to live a healthier life, then this book should be at the top of your priority/research list.

The rest revolves around taking the first step, and staying on track.

The choice is yours. ...more

5

Dec 21, 2018

Saved my life! Would recommend for everyone with an autoimmune disease.

3

Apr 07, 2014

The Science in this book is kind of incredible. I love reading books that the author is born to write. In this instance, the author has an uncontested background in immunology and she delivers a strong case for healing autoimmune conditions with a paleo protocol and lifestyle. It's been incredible to see the healing that's come to by body by following her suggestions. After feeling healthy and energized for the first time in a long time, I am more in tune with my body and what it needs.

Caveat: The Science in this book is kind of incredible. I love reading books that the author is born to write. In this instance, the author has an uncontested background in immunology and she delivers a strong case for healing autoimmune conditions with a paleo protocol and lifestyle. It's been incredible to see the healing that's come to by body by following her suggestions. After feeling healthy and energized for the first time in a long time, I am more in tune with my body and what it needs.

Caveat: the book is BIG and not for the faint of heart. And the diet is hard. But she's patient and fairly realistic when it comes to implementation. Be patient with yourself if you dive in because you're liable to be burdened/gifted with increased awareness as a result.

UPDATE: After following the author a bit more and implementing the strategies I realized this is not the all-encompassing approach I thought it was. She ended up going to a functional medicine MD for issues that weren't resolved through her diet alone (something she doesn't cover in the book). This book offers a helpful perspective but it hasn't been a great long-term solution for me. ...more

5

Mar 02, 2014

As someone with autoimmune conditions (Type I diabetes and Hashimotos), both my naturopath and MD have recommended a paleo diet. This is the most comprehensive, well-researched, easy to understand book that I have had the pleasure to read. It gives you a foundation to work from and makes the information accessible - I have enjoyed reading it and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about the Paleo lifestyle, but specifically how it can benefit people living with an As someone with autoimmune conditions (Type I diabetes and Hashimotos), both my naturopath and MD have recommended a paleo diet. This is the most comprehensive, well-researched, easy to understand book that I have had the pleasure to read. It gives you a foundation to work from and makes the information accessible - I have enjoyed reading it and would highly recommend it to anyone looking to learn more about the Paleo lifestyle, but specifically how it can benefit people living with an autoimmune condition. Thank you to the Paleo Mom for writing this! ...more

5

May 17, 2018

This book is a keeper-- I'm going to buy my own copy and use it as a reference book. It's full of scientific information but she writes in a way that makes it easy to understand. It's also well-organized and encouraging. Great resources available including charts, tables, and suggested foods. No recipes in this book, but that's okay with me. There are tons of other opportunities to get Paleo based recipes from other books and websites.

5

Feb 16, 2015

Sara explains the science behind auto immune diseases and then sets out a protocol for treating them using diet and lifestyle changes. The evidence do far seems to be that at very least these changes improve health and for some people the effects can be dramatic and even put their diseases into remission. I've been on the diet for two weeks now and am already feeling positive effects. Would recommend without hesitation to anyone who has an auto immune disease. Excellent work Sara!

5

Jan 31, 2014

Phenomenal-Researched-scientific-and practical Book for anyone who has an autoimmune disease!!!!

Its 'filled' with detail information in understanding how to regulate the immune system --support it --heal it ---and ultimately reverse the disease.

Easy to read -understand -(even the illustrations are beautiful)

Amazing Book!

WOW!!!!! 5 +++++++++ Stars! (VERY useful for me)

THANK YOU to the author!!!

4

Jun 19, 2014

If your struggling with an Autoimmune Disease, this is the book to read.it opens your eyes to so many things.The protocol is not easy to follow, nor does one want to follow it, but the alternative is not easy either. The scientific stuff was hard to wade thru, but after you do,Dr Ballantyne gives you a way out of the misery,and hep for better health. I strongly recommend it.

5

Mar 05, 2017

Good information on the paleo approach, helps alot if just starting out.

4

Jan 26, 2019

***UPDATE***
Be really careful on this diet. At 3 weeks in, things took a drastic change. My GERD came back worse than ever. I was always thirsty regardless of how much water I drank. Hardly peeing in the day and then peeing 4 times a night. Insomnia. Horrendous anxiety. Trouble swallowing. My head felt heavy. Sleep apnea. At 4 weeks, the thirst and trouble swallowing got so bad, and my lower back hurt, I went to the doc - who is a functional medicine MD. I was drinking, at minimum, 102 ounces of ***UPDATE***
Be really careful on this diet. At 3 weeks in, things took a drastic change. My GERD came back worse than ever. I was always thirsty regardless of how much water I drank. Hardly peeing in the day and then peeing 4 times a night. Insomnia. Horrendous anxiety. Trouble swallowing. My head felt heavy. Sleep apnea. At 4 weeks, the thirst and trouble swallowing got so bad, and my lower back hurt, I went to the doc - who is a functional medicine MD. I was drinking, at minimum, 102 ounces of water a day at this point-usually much more, not cheating, 2 solid meals, fruits 1-3 servings and veg 8-12 servings. The fats. The good protein. My thyroid and kidney/liver functions were messed up and I was severely dehydrated. My blood sugar was screwed up. 2 IV drips and 2 days later eating 4 meals of rices, veg, fats, protein to once a day and fruit, I felt okay again. A week later, I went back to the doc and all my blood work was back to normal. Remember, you are not everyone else as Giselle Budchen points out in her book. What can make one person feel better, can make one person deathly ill as I found out.

***ORIGINAL***Let me start by stating three things. First, I have autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. I have asthma, allergies, ulcerative colitis and histamine intolerance. Second, I found and started the diet on the Paleo mom website. I had not tried the AIP Diet before. I HAD tried the Paleo Diet and it made me very sick, just as had a vegetarian and vegan diet and, of course, our US SAD diet. Third, I could never find a doctor or one diet that helped me heal. I jumbled up things as I learned and implemented what seemed to work. I am proud to say I did fairly okay on my own. 15 years and only 2 colitis flares. Only only medication for one year. Diet and supplements kept it at bay. The same with allergies and asthma. Diet and supplements. Occasionally a Benadryl for a histamine food reaction and Claritan during ragweed season. But still, I was on a precipice.

The first week was interesting. On the third night, I woke up and literally felt like I had a furry animal in my mouth. I went to the bathroom and I had white fuzz all over my mouth. I calmly reminded myself that I was most likely detoxing. I rinsed my mouth with sea salt water, brushed my teeth and went back to sleep. The next morning everything was fine. On the fourth day, something miraculous happened! I had the first normal bowel movement in at least 15 years! No kidding. Happy dance. Since that day, I have had the same 2-3 times a day.

The book didn't arrive until a week in and I dove in feeling like I was retaking Anatomy and Physiology in college. A little bit of anxiety there!

Week one, I did have issues with anxiety, insomnia, my first bad acne in decades, hives on my ankles and feet, then suddenly a sensitivity to my 100% free and clean organic laundry detergent and garlic. I had hives on my legs for 5 days from the detergent - been using it for years and years. Then it all went away like magic!

I finished the book last night. I stopped taking my Zantac - GERD is gone. I removed my black cumin oil and aloe vera juice from my regime this week. The aloe was tough. It was a security blanket for me. I have been 100% compliant with the food part of the program because my life depends upon it. I also had to eliminate, at least for now, foods that are high in histamine, and foods with sulfites and salicylates. I'm eating about 15 servings of fruit and veg a day. I started yoga twice a week. Doing a slow cycle 10 minutes a day on my stationary bike. I reduced TV to 2 hours a day. I'm off my phone by 6. TV by 8. I'm meditating 20 minutes a day. Adding an afternoon meditation starting this week. I'm sleeping 8-10 hours a night. I blacked out all of my blue LED lights in my house. Changed my light bulbs from LED to 50 watt incandescent for the evening. I reviewed my supplement ingredients.

Next up. Order a light box, get amber glasses and contemplate eliminating and/or adding supplements.

The results? No more GERD. Normal bowel movements. No potato chip and ice cream cravings. No cravings at all! I'm eating two huge meals a day and I'm never hungry. Sleep is getting better. Goal is to sleep straight through with no getting up to pee, but I drink a ridiculous amount of water. I've lost 10 pounds. No asthma, allergy or sinus issues. My stomach is flat. Most importantly for me - no bowel issues. No bloating, cramping, diarrhea, constipation or pain.

Thank you for helping me heal and not only giving me the whys but also the hows. Allowing me to hope that I can successfully add a few foods I really miss back into my diet.

If you have an autoimmune disease, any disease, try it. 100% though. This is an all in or nothing. It's your life! ...more