Before we get to the good stuff, I feel it necessary to drive home a certain point. That is, the dietary prescription that we follow and share with the rest of you is not a high protein diet. What we advocate at the Fort ends up being a high fat, moderate protein, lowish carb approach. It is true that you may consume more meat than you did in the past, but that does not make your current way of eating high protein. In fact, if you were to look at the numbers, some of you are actually consuming less protein now that you have eliminated the grains, dairy, and soy from your diet. Again, what we are suggesting is absolutely, positively, not a high protein diet.

Now that we have that out of the way, we are free to explore the stones. No, I'm not talking about Mick Jagger and the boys, but rather kidney stones, gallstones, and gout.

According to the Mayo Clinic:

Kidney stones are small, hard deposits that form inside your kidneys.

There are several types of kidney stones based on the type of crystals that form the given stone. The two most common types of kidney stones account for more than 90% of all stones and are composed of calcium oxalate and calcium phosphate crystals. A third type, formed from uric acid, accounts for another 5-10%. The remaining miscellaneous types of stones will not be covered in this post.

• Calcium Oxalate - This is the most common form of kidney stones. When calcium and oxalate are ingested, they will bind together in the intestines, forming a compound that is no longer absorbable by the body. However, if there isn't adequate calcium to bond with an excess of oxalate in the intestines, the oxalate will be absorbed into the blood and then excreted through the urine. High levels of oxalate in the urine greatly increases the likelihood of kidney stones. If you suffer from calcium oxalate stones, it is advisable to increase your dietary calcium intake while limiting dietary oxalate intake. In fact, there are 8 foods that have been shown to be most at fault for raising urine oxalate levels. They are beets, chocolate, nuts, rhubarb, spinach, strawberries, tea, and wheat bran. Other foods high in oxalate include legumes, soy products, and grains.
• Calcium Phosphate - Similar to calcium oxalate stones, but the calcium obviously bonds with phosphate in the kidneys instead. Avoiding phosphate rich foods (i.e. grains, legumes, nuts, dairy, chocolate, and sugary beverages) while maintaining adequate calcium levels is advisable.
• Urate - This type of stone is caused by an increased level of uric acid in the urine. Reference my discussion on gout below for what causes an increase in uric acid.

No matter what kind of kidney stone you are suffering from, staying adequately hydrated is very important.

As for gallstones, they occur when bile in the gallbladder becomes over saturated with cholesterol. Naturally, this leads people to wrongly assume that foods which are high in cholesterol and fat should be avoided. In fact, a low-fat diet will actually prevent the gallbladder from emptying, allowing the saturated bile to sit there for a long time and become crystallized, forming gallstones. It is actually the insulin response to the sugars that we eat that causes this super-saturation of the bile. Therefore, a diet that is high in sugar and low in fat is a double whammy of sorts and sets the table beautifully for the development of gallstones. On the other hand, a high-fat diet will result in a gallbladder that will empty on a regular basis and there won't be any over-saturation of the bile.

It is important to also know that once gallstones are created, moving to a high-fat diet will cause the gallbladder to empty, with the stones, and this may be quite painful. Whatever you do, don't misinterpret this pain as being from the high-fat diet. Instead, realize that the pain is from the gallbladder's elimination of the gallstones that a high-carb diet created in the first place. Sticking to a low-fat diet will keep the pain down, but only temporarily as the gallstones continue to increase in both size and number. It is important that you understand this and make the necessary dietary changes sooner rather than later.

If you remember back to February, I explored gout in a post titled, "Your Feet and Meat". In it, I concluded that gout is caused by insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and fructose.

And remember the importance of genotype and phenotype. Some of us are predisposed, genetically speaking, to certain conditions. This cannot be changed and simply limits what you can get away with in terms of your diet. Therefore, if you are someone who is predisposed to any of the conditions above, following a basic Paleo diet may not be enough. You may need to play with further restriction of your nut, fruit, and veggie intake. Either way, it is in your best interest to eat a healthy, high-fat, lowish-carb, animal centered diet.

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The following excerpt is from Eat Wild. Do your health a favor and put in an order for some grass-fed beef from TheMeatGoat.

Fresh pasture and dried grasses are the natural diet of all ruminant animals. In factory farms, animals are switched to an unnatural diet based on corn and soy. But corn and soy are not the only ingredients in their “balanced rations.” Many large-scale dairy farmers and feedlot operators save money by feeding the cows “by-product feedstuffs” as well. In general, this means waste products from the manufacture of human food. In particular, it can mean sterilized city garbage, candy, bubble gum, floor sweepings from plants that manufacture animal food, bakery, potato wastes or a scientific blend of pasta and candy.

Here are some of the “by-product feedstuffs commonly used in dairy cattle diets in the Upper Midwest.”*

• Candy. Candy products are available through a number of distributors and sometimes directly from smaller plants… They are sometimes fed in their wrappers…. Candies, such as cull gummy bears, lemon drops or gum drops are high in sugar content.
• Bakery Wastes. Stale bread and other pastry products from stores or bakeries can be fed to dairy cattle in limited amounts. These products are sometimes fed as received without drying or even removal of the wrappers.
• Potato Waste is available in potato processing areas, and includes cull potatoes, French fries and potato chips. Cull fresh potatoes that are not frozen, rotten, or sprouted can be fed to cows either whole or chopped. Potato waste straight from a processing plant may contain varying amounts of inedible or rotten potatoes. French fries and chips contain fats or oils from frying operations.
• Starch. Unheated starch is available from some candy manufacturers and sometimes may contain pieces of candy.
• Pasta is available from pasta plants and some ingredient distributors as straight pasta or in blends with other ingredients, such as candy.

*This list is excerpted from “By-Product Feedstuffs in Dairy Cattle Diets in the Upper Midwest,” published in 2008 by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences at the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

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Garlic Mushroom Chicken with Butter

• 814g boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 140g butter
• 160g mushrooms, diced
• 34g garlic, diced
• Trader Joe's Chicken and Poultry Seasoning

Instructions: It doesn't get much easier than this. Dice the mushrooms and garlic. Toss in dutch oven with chicken and butter. Season well. Cover with lid and cook in oven at 350 for about 30-40 minutes depending on size of chicken breasts used.

One last note. Please, please, please, be sure to eat/drink the melted butter with your chicken. It not only tastes delicious, but is required if eating such a lean protein source.

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I think the pictures speak for themselves, and I cannot believe the progress in only three months (and only one hour a day, 5 days a week). My colleagues at work actually commented that my pictures looked like an ad from a magazine or infomercial. I couldn’t have done it without Bill, Jennie, and Zach!!! I would also like to thank all the CrossForters who constantly push and cheer me on each and every day! You won’t ever see this kind of support at a Globo Gym!

To conclude, let me go on the record as saying that CrossFit is the future of working out and becoming fit in America and around the world! People just don’t know it yet or have the courage to try it! My brother, a former college athlete (and I love him to death), has yet to even set foot in CFF because I know he is afraid of the metabolic conditioning. Some day, I hope he can experience the excitement, competition, and camaraderie that goes on at the Fort each day, because it is something that has really changed my life for the better!

I consider CrossFit a sport, but the unique thing is; it has not become commercialized. There are no fancy marketing schemes, just results.

And these results are what will keep me coming back forever!

90 day transformation

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Before I found CrossFit, I was never into working out. The idea of lifting weights was totally foreign to me, I thought “only BOYS do that!” I couldn’t have been more wrong!

In only 11 months I went from a size 12, to a size 4. I’m stronger, faster, and more fit than I have been in my whole life. I’m proud to say that CrossFit has made me more fit at 30 than I was at 18!

11 month transformation

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I’m turning 40 this year and thanks to Bill and Jennie, I’m in the best shape of my life. Bill’s nutritional advice was a revelation that has completely changed my diet, lifestyle and looks. I’m leaner than ever with little effort and feel better. I’m rarely sick anymore. I also spend a lot more time in the kitchen putting together all sorts of inventive and delicious meals. I’ve made major improvements in strength, endurance and speed but continue to strive for more and with the programming at the Fort, I’m sure I’ll continue to push past my goals to attain levels of fitness that would have been unimaginable before coming to Crossfit Fire. Thanks Bill and Jennie for all you do!

Before photos, and then 60 days of strict nutrition

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I joined CrossFit Fire in October of 2009. I really had no idea what I was signing up for…I’m not gonna lie, I was scared/nervous! I had never been an athletic person in my life (cheerleader for life yo!) and I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to do anything at CrossFit Fire. The first day I walked in...I thought to myself for a split second… “no one saw me walk in yet- so I could run out of here” Then Jennie came around the corner and welcomed me in.

In 20 minutes, a few times a week I was watching myself transform. In January I realized that I had lost about 12 pounds. But the difference was my whole body was changing and I was loving what I was doing!! I have really good friends I work out with, and have also made new friends at the Fort. The people and the challenge of CrossFit Fire are what keep me coming back. I feel like I cant wait to get there and work out with my group!

In February a Better Body Challenge was starting and I knew this would be the last step I was looking for to feel better about myself. I thought to myself, “I have to do this challenge- this is it I know it. After three weeks following Bill's nutritional advice I dropped 13 pounds!! AFTER ONLY THREE WEEKS!!! This is amazing stuff!!! At the end of 90 days I took an after picture to truly see my results. What did I see…a hot crossfitting paleo chick in my after picture!! I finally feel like I won my personal battle!! I am now 125 pounds and wearing size 3 dresses!! I have never felt better about myself! I completely owe it to CrossFit Fire and my new Paleo eating lifestyle. Thanks to Bill for the nutrional advice (the main reason I look so much better)- and thanks for Jennie for helping me stick it out and making me feel beautiful and strong NO matter what I was doing!!!

90 day transformation

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