Paleo Diet. Is it for You?

When someone says “you eat like a caveman”, It’s not necessarily a bad thing. Many centuries ago, the human diet consisted of mainly whole foods. Processed foods were not an option. This led to a healthier lifestyle and less disease-related health issues. The caveman was the founding father of the paleo diet.

While there are literally hundreds, if not thousands of diets that are designed for everything under the sun, from helping you gain 6 pack abs, to giving you the libido of a 25-year-old, the ultimate goal for most people going on a diet is to lose weight. I’ve never seen a depiction of a caveman that was obese (Except maybe Fred Flintstone), our neanderthal ancestors may have been on to something with this paleo diet thing.

Let’s face it, the hardest part of sticking to any diet is usually because it requires you to eat food that you don’t really like to eat. The paleo diet actually encourages you to eat foods that you already eat. Here are some foods that make up a paleo diet.

Paleo Friendly Foods:

• Meat: (Beef, Chicken, Turkey, Pork, Lamb, Goat, etc).
• Fish: ( Salmon, Trout, Snapper, Cod, Haddock- (Wild caught is best).
• Vegetables: (Broccoli, Kale, Cauliflower, Cabbage, Brussel Sprouts, Spinach, etc).
• Fruits: (Oranges, Apples, Berries, Pears, Kiwis, Bananas, etc).
• Eggs: (Free range is preferred).
• Nuts: (Macadamia Nuts, Sunflower seeds, Pumpkin Seeds, etc). Be careful with the nuts though, some nuts are high in lectins, which can cause inflammation and can cause digestive problems.
• Healthy Oils fats: (Olive oil, Sunflower oil, Coconut oil, Avacado oil, etc).
• Tubers: (Potatoes, Sweet potatoes, turnips, yams, etc.) Be careful with tubers, as they have a high starch content.
• Spices: (Garlic, Rosemary, Thyme, Sea salt, Tumeric, Allspice, etc)

Paleo Friendly Beverages:

The most obvious and sensible beverage to drink for any diet is good old H2O, water, agua,….you get the point. Water should always be your beverage of choice, as it flushes out toxins from the body, as well as boosts your immune system. It is also known to promote healthy skin, and weight loss management.

• Coffee: Coffee is a huge source of antioxidants. Studies also show that coffee reduces your risk for Type 2 diabetes if you already have Type 2 diabetes coffee may have an adverse effect on your health, so be mindful when consuming coffee. Coffee has also been known to improve your energy levels.
• Tea: Green Tea, in particular, is extremely high in antioxidants.
• Kombucha: Kombucha is a fermented green or black tea which is said to originate in the Orient. Specific strains of bacteria, yeast, and sugar are added to to the tea. This an excellent form of probiotics, and is a good aid in weight control, and sugar intake control.

Paleo Friendly Snack:

• Baby Carrots
• Hard Boiled Eggs
• Fruits
• Nuts (in moderation)
• Dark Chocolate
• Vegetable chips
• Seaweed snacks
• Trail Mix

 

Benefits of a Paleo Diet:

The main benefit of adhering to a paleo diet is the fact that you will not be eating foods that have preservatives or additives. You will be consuming healthier and cleaner foods, which the human body was originally designed to consume.  The foods you will be eating will be higher in protein, iron, and antioxidants which will help you boost your immune system. Your carbohydrate intake will also be lower and replaced by protein-based food, which will help with increased energy and aid in weight control.

 

Paleo discipline:

Like any other diet, the paleo diet is only effective if you adhere and stick to it. It is not uncommon for many of us to be gung ho, and enthusiastic when first starting a diet. The important thing to remember is the “reason” why you started the diet in the first place, which is “you want to take control of your health”. Controlling what we put into our bodies is the first step to achieving our ultimate goal. You can do this, you can stick to this diet. The food choices with a paleo diet make it easier to get results than a lot of other diets. Remember, it’s your body and you control what you put into it. It will not be easy to stay disciplined, but it will also not be as difficult as you think. Heres to healthy eating.

 

Paleo Diet Explained:

Check out this very useful and informative video by Pete Evans as he breaks down the Paleo Diet.