What Is The Paleo Diet?
The
Paleo diet is the
healthiest way you can eat because it is the ONLY nutritional approach
that works with your genetics to help you stay lean, strong and
energetic! Research in biology, biochemistry, Ophthalmology, Dermatology
and many other disciplines indicate it is our modern diet, full of
refined foods, trans fats and sugar, that is at the root of degenerative
diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s,
Alzheimer’s, depression and infertility.
Building A Healthy Paleo Diet
Lean proteins
Lean proteins support strong muscles, healthy bones and optimal
immune function. Protein also makes you feel satisfied between meals.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals
and phytonutrients that have been shown to decrease the likelihood of
developing a number of degenerative diseases including cancer, diabetes
and neurological decline.
Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil and grass-fed meat
Scientific research
and epidemiological studies show that diets rich in Monounsaturated and
Omega-3 fats dramatically reduce the instances of obesity, cancer,
diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline.
Saturated fat has been demonized by our health authorities and media.
What is the basis for this position on Saturated fat? Are current
recommendations for VERY low saturated fat intake justified? How much
saturated fat (and what types), if any should one eat? Without a
historical and scientific perspective these questions can be nearly
impossible to answer. In this paper Prof. Cordain looks at the amounts
and types of saturated fats found in the ancestral diet:
Saturated fat consumption in ancestral human diets: implications for contemporary intakes.
One of the greatest deviations away from our ancestral diet is the
amounts and types of fat found in modern grain feed animals vs. the
amounts and types of fats found in grass fed or wild meat, fowl and
fish. What we observe is wild meat is remarkably lean, and has
relatively low amounts of saturated fats, while supplying significant
amounts of beneficial omega-3 fats such as
EPA and DHA.
In this paper Prof. Cordain and his team analyze the complete fatty
acid profile from several species of wild deer and elk. The take home
message is that free range meat is far healthier than conventional meat:
Fatty acid analysis of wild ruminant tissues: Evolutionary implications for reducing diet-related chronic disease.
Health Benefits
For most people the fact the
Paleo diet delivers the best
results is enough. Improved blood lipids, weight loss and reduced pain
from autoimmunity is proof enough. Many people however are not
satisfied with blindly following any recommendations, be they nutrition
or exercise related. Some folks like to know WHY they are doing
something. Fortunately, the Paleo diet has stood not only the test of
time, but also the rigors of scientific scrutiny.
With a very simple shift we not only remove the foods that are at
odds with our health (grains, legumes, and dairy) but we also increase
our intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here is a great
paper from Professor Loren Cordain exploring how to build a modern Paleo
diet:
The nutritional characteristics of a contemporary diet based upon Paleolithic food groups. This paper also offers significant insight as to the amounts and ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat in the ancestral diet.
Come on! Our Ancestors lived short, brutal lives! This is all bunk, right?
The Paleo concept is new for most people and this newness can spark
many questions. We like people to not only read about and educate
themselves on this topic but also to “get in and do it.” Experience is
perhaps the best teacher and often cuts through any confusion
surrounding this way of eating. Now, all that considered, there are
still some common counter arguments to the Paleo diet that happen with
sufficient frequency that a whole paper was written on it. Enjoy:
Evolutionary Health Promotion. A consideration of common counter-arguments.
Does it work for diabetes?
A great question to ask is “Does the Paleo diet work”? Here we have a
head to head comparison between the Paleo diet and Mediterranean diet
in insulin resistant Type 2 Diabetics. The results? The Paleo diet group
REVERSED the signs and symptoms of insulin resistant, Type 2 diabetes.
The Mediterranean diet showed little if any improvements. It is worth
noting that the Mediterranean diet is generally held up by our
government as “the diet to emulate” despite better alternatives. You can
find an abstract and the complete
paper here.
Cardio Vascular Disease
According to the
CDC,
cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United
States. Interestingly however, our Paleolithic ancestors and
contemporarily studied hunter-gatherers showed virtually no heart attack
or stroke while eating ancestral diets. The references below will
explore these facts to better help you understand the heart-healthy
benefits of a Paleo diet.
Autoimmunity
Autoimmunity is a process in which our bodies own immune system
attacks “us.” Normally the immune system protects us from bacterial,
viral, and parasitic infections. The immune system identifies a foreign
invader, attacks it, and ideally clears the infection. A good analogy
for autoimmunity is the case of tissue rejection after organ donation.
If someone requires a new heart, lung kidney or liver due to disease or
injury, a donor organ may be an option. The first step in this process
is trying to find a tissue “match”. All of us have molecules in our
tissues that our immune system uses to recognize self from non-self. If a
donated organ is not close enough to the recipient in tissue type the
immune system will attack and destroy the organ. In autoimmunity, a
similar process occurs in that an individuals own tissue is confused as
something foreign and the immune system attacks this “mislabeled”
tissue. Common forms of autoimmunity include Multiple Sclerosis,
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Lupus, and Vitiligo to name only a tiny fraction
of autoimmune diseases. Elements of autoimmunity are likely at play in
conditions as seemingly unrelated as Schizophrenia, infertility, and
various forms of cancer.
Interestingly, all of these seemingly unrelated diseases share a
common cause: damage to the intestinal lining which allows large,
undigested food particles to make their way into the body. This is
called “leaky gut and the autoimmune response”.
Here is a 7-part video series by Prof. Loren Cordain describing the etiology of Multiple Sclerosis. And please watch this
TED talk by Dr. Terry Wahls, MD
as she describes how she reversed her Multiple Sclerosis with a paleo
diet. If you have an autoimmune disease you might consider trying the
autoimmune protocol of the paleo diet. If you do, please tell us about your experience.
DON'T FORGET Sebastien Noel's Paleo Recipe Book HERE and OUR FULL REVIEW of all the great paleo recipes in it.
