The “Paleo Diet”

8 November 2012
lauren
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Remember your high school jean size? Instead of planning New Year’s Resolutions, maybe we should go back in time this Holiday Season! Waaaaaaay back……

The Paleo Diet originates from the basis of human evolutionary theory set in the Paleolithic era. From 2.6 million years ago until the advent of agriculture about 10,000 years ago, our ancestors survived by means of eating what they could hunt and gather from the land.  Besides the fact that cavemen were tall, jacked, and athletic, evidence demonstrates that these populations of hunter-gatherers did not suffer from many of the chronic diseases that today’s Western populations face, including:

  • Obesity
  • Cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis)
  • Type 2 diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
  • Osteoporosis
  • Acne
  • Myopia (nearsightedness), macular degeneration, glaucoma
  • Varicose veins, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, gastric reflux
  • Gout
It is going to take a looooong time for our genetics to adapt to the changes in eating that our species has made over a short time.
  • Grains were unknown to our ancestors. These carbohydrates convert into glucose (sugar) when digested. Good news is that some glucose storage can be converted back into usable energy when our bodies require it….like when you exercise. Bad news is that any glucose that isn’t used as energy is stored as fat.
  • Are you aware of the new “gluten-free” craze? Gluten (found in products containing wheat, barley, and rye) is among the top 3 digestive intolerable foods within current adult populations. Dermatitis, joint pain, reproductive problems, and acid reflux are just a few medical conditions currently associated with gluten-intolerance.
  • Grains contain lectins. Lectins are built-in toxins that make digestion difficult and can cause permanent and irreparable damage to the digestive tract.
  • Fruit sugar is the only sugar encouraged by the Paleo Diet. Why? Because sugar causes an energy spike followed by an energy crash. If sugar is not immediately converted into usable energy (via exercise), then it turns to fat.
So far, I am a fan of the Paleo Diet. It is simple, provides variety, eliminates hormones and chemicals, wards of nasty diseases, and provides vital enzymes for important chemical processes within the body.

 

Paleo Diet Menu Items Include:

  • fresh meats: grass-fed or free-range beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and game meat. (4 oz/serving for women and 6-8 oz/serving for men)
  • Freshly farmed fish and seafood (4 oz-6oz/serving for women and 6-8 oz/serving for men)
  • fresh fruits (limit to 2 servings/day if weight loss is your goal)
  • vegetables (4 oz-6oz/serving for women and 6-8 oz/serving for men)
  • seeds and/or nuts: limit fat servings to 1-3 servings/day if weight loss is your goal (1 serving of nuts/seeds equals 1 oz or 1/4 cup)
  • healthy oils: limit fat servings to 1-3 servings/day if weight loss is your goal (try sticking with olive, coconut, avocado, macadamia, walnut and flaxseed oils. 1 serving equals 1 tablespoon)

Items to Avoid

  • Dairy products
  • cereal grains
  • legumes
  • refined sugars
  • other processed foods

 

For Paleolithic recipes, a colleague of mine recommends the book “Practical Paleo” by Diane Sanfillippo.

The good news is that Thanksgiving Turkey is on the Menu! Enjoy!