Since I get asked this question all the time, I decided I would write a post to explain it simply. I will do some follow-up posts that go deeper into the science of exactly how and why this way of eating works.
First of all, I really hate the word "diet". It has been so diluted and misused in our society that it is now a useless word. So, for the remainder of my posts, I will use the term "Paleo Lifestyle". I realize this is fairly inaccurate, but bear with me.
Now, back to it.
So, what exactly IS the "Paleo Lifestyle"?
Frankly, it is so easy, my 5 year old grasps it in it's entirety.
Simply put:
NO Grains (This includes rice)
NO Beans
NO Dairy
NO Potatoes
NO Processed Foods
NO White Sugar
NO Peanuts or Soy (These are legumes, not nuts)
I know what you are thinking...
OMG WHAT AM I GONNA EAT????
Well that's easy...
Plenty of lean beef, fish, chicken, etc. (Yes, bacon is OK)
Plenty of fresh vegetables
Plenty of fresh fruit
Plenty of tree nuts
Do you have to be creative? Yes.
Do you have to be committed? Yes.
Do you have to be mindful of what you are putting in your body? Yes.
The point is to understand how the Standard American Diet (SAD) is slowly killing us. The "foods" that are generally available are so modified through centuries of hybridization and genetic fiddling, they are practically unrecognizable. Humans have not altered their genetic makeup to adapt to the rapidly changing food landscape. We are still, in many ways...cavemen.
So, if we tailor our eating habits to be more in tune with how our body *actually* uses and processes our food, we can give our bodies the tools necessary to return to homeostasis. Each cell yearns to be in balance. The best we can do is to stop fighting with ourselves.
Jen, good overview of the Paleo lifestyle. A couple of thoughts:
ReplyDelete1. This describes Paleo "re-enactment" more than Paleo nutrition. See Kurt Harris' blog entry on "The Only Reasoanble Paleo Principle": http://www.paleonu.com/panu-weblog/2010/3/28/the-only-reasonable-paleo-principle.html.
2. Some Paleo nutritionists believe that humans in the Paleolithic era ate (and relished) high-fat cuts of meat. As Wikipedia states, "[I]t has been argued that hunter-gatherers would selectively hunt fatter animals and utilise the fattiest parts of the animals (such as bone marrow).
3. Though Paleolithic humans had very little access to dairy, high-fat dairy (e.g. cream, butter, and ghee) is currently a readily-accessible way of mimicking some of the nutritional aspects of the Paleo diet. High-fat dairy products have a good balance of omega-3 vs. omega-6 fatty acids, contain conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), and are a rare source of vitamin K2.
4. Have you seen Kurt Harris' twelve steps? Check out http://www.paleonu.com/get-started.
Hi Jen! Followed you over here from your tweet today. I see some resources in the comment above, but do you have any other resources that were particularly helpful in getting you started down this lifestyle change? I've been reading quite a bit, but am wondering if you found any excellent resources you'd be willing to share.
ReplyDeleteHi Roger!
ReplyDeleteYes, I am aware of several of these things which is why I made sure that folks understood that this is a general overview & not an in-depth analysis of the diet itself. :-)
Yes, I also understand the high-fat principle as well. The caveat here is this: The high- fat containing cuts of meat at your standard grocer are usually grain-fattened and contain little of the CLA's found in grass-fed, pastured beef. Beyond that, the use of steroids and antibiotics in this meat can produce negative consequences when consumed regularly. This is why I tend to advocate toward the leaner cuts and / or hormone-free pastured beef.
The issue with dairy is the exorphin factor. I have no doubt that it is an excellent source of the omega fats, but I would rather acquire them in other ways.
Thank you so much for the comment! I appreciate it! And yes, I have read Kurt's stuff thoroughly. :-)
Jen
Hi Kelley!
ReplyDeleteMost of what I found was through a general Google search. I was able to cobble together the information that way. I will be writing some additional posts soon that go into much greater detail of the diet itself as well as the science behind it.
There is a great deal of information out there & no two Paleo eaters does it the same. :-)
Jen
Kelley,
ReplyDeleteThe best book I've found so far on paleo is Robb Wolf's The Paleo Solution. He's funny and entertaining, but explains a lot of the science behind the diet (and does it in a way laypeople can understand). I would recommend checking out his blog and podcast at robbwolf.com. Best of luck!
Hi Angela!
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information. I tend to do most of my research online, so I have not read his book. Rob's site is very informative as well. Appreciate it!
Jen
Jen, good point about the grain-fed meats having a poor balance of omega-3 vs. omega 6. I buy almost all of my beef from Burgundy Pastures. All their beef is 100% grass fed and is processed on site. Check 'em out.
ReplyDeleteWith respect to dairy and exorphins, Kurt Harris has pointed out that the high fat dairy products have minimal or no exorphins. The idea is to avoid ordinary or reduced-fat milk but favor cream, butter, and ghee.
Hi Roger!
ReplyDeleteI will, thanks for the link. I'll have to research the high-fat dairy / exorphin thing for myself (I am kinda hard-headed like that, haha). My husband has a dairy intolerance, so that may not work for us. My son & I seem to tolerate it reasonably well, depending.
I am trained in Chinese Medicine as well and there is a connection between consuming dairy and mucus production, which all of us in our family struggle with.
I assume that you consume these things in moderation? Or, is it a steady part of your diet?
Jen
Kurt Harris calls dairy cream "Diesel #1". He drinks it in coffee and straight up, as do my girlfriend and I.
ReplyDeleteOur diet is ketogenic (very low carbohydrate, adequate protein, high fat). It is extreme relative to the standard American diet but perhaps normal by Paleolithic standards. (Some argue that ketosis is human's "normal" state.)
By the way, my digging into Paleo nutrition evolved into a orgy of research into ketogenic diets. Very interesting stuff. When we learned in school about glucose, ATP, mitochondria, etc., they left out some vital information about ketones.
Check here for the skinny on high-fat dairy and casein- and lactose-intolerance.
ReplyDeleteVery cool Roger, Thanks for the info!
ReplyDeleteJen