The Standard American Diet(aptly, SAD) got me up to 206 lbs.& very unhealthy- with a diagnosis of Hashimoto's Thyroid Disease at age 24;so I worked harder and exercised and lost some weight, weighing in at around 150 lbs at age 28; but kept the unfortunate health diagnoses. At 30, I was 145lbs when I was diagnosed with Type I Diabetes(LADA). Considering this unacceptable & all of the diagnoses unnatural,I did TONS of research & began my hand at low-carbing (still on the SAD). At 32 1/2 I'd lost too much weight(down to 119lbs. and lost my ability to menstruate, yet doctors kept encouraging me to lose more weight?),and had to correct it all...myself; because to me, it was clear that the medical establishment was dead wrong. In short time, the endocrinologist took me off diabetes meds.,claiming my pancreas as "almost dead" and that it was a waste keep me on the drugs. She said that I would be pumping insulin within 6 months.
Fast forward to now (TONS more research later)I eat ONLY clean, real, organic foods & an ancestral diet. Not that that is an easy feat, as we don't have much money & have to make MANY sacrifices to afford "organic-only". Nonetheless, I've learned to effortlessly maintain a healthy weight,& I'm off meds for my diagnoses.(Yeah, I never became "insulin-dependent" as the nice doctor promised).
I truly believe in a body's innate wisdom & drive to heal itself; all we need to do is give our bodies the proper conditions in which to do so: REAL food, NO chronic stress, & frequent low-level exercise),read: walk and lift heavy things... NO chronic cardio. I now reap the benefits of a low-toxin, nutrient-dense diet everyday in the form of lasting, dependable energy, no blood sugar highs & lows (or the related "I need to eat this instant or I will lash out" feeling that I used to get),& effortless weight maintenance. After 5 years Primal I can easily say, "I'm finally doing this right".