I didn't have any chronic illnesses before I started LCing (besides an overabundance of FAT), but I did have an interesting experience after about 6 months on LC. I wrote about this when it happened but it's worth repeating...

I started LCing in June 2003. In November of last year, I had a large (1" diameter) cyst removed from the back of my neck. I had had cysts removed previously from the same location twice over the past 10 years. My doctor said that the previous cyst removals had left a "hole" under my skin that allows new cysts to develop in the same place. Her solution was to keep the wound open after the cyst removal last November, to allow the wound to heal from the inside and keep another "hole" from forming. After the cyst removal, she packed the wound (which was REALLY big, as you can imagine) with gauze and I had to go into her office every 48 hours to have the gauze changed.

So 48 hours after the surgery I went in to get the gauze changed. My doctor removed the dressing from my wound and said, "uh oh." (Words that you do NOT want to hear when you're in the doctor's office!) The 2-inch long surgical wound, after only 48 hours, was more than halfway healed. The doctor said that she had NEVER seen a wound heal so fast, and she agreed that my high protein diet was helping the healing process. By my next doctor visit (2 days later), the wound had closed completely.

Now, this wasn't exactly GOOD news, since I'll probably form another cyst in the same area in a couple of years. But my doctor was absolutely amazed by this. And, as a footnote, after treating me she started LCing and lost 20 pounds (she told me this when I went in for my physical a few months later).

Cool.

Jeannie