Not just a Diet, a Lifestyle
Uriia Underhill, B.Sc
I quite often hear people jumping into Paleo and refer to it as a “fad” and while this may be true for many of the diets out now days, I want to stand firm in the fact that Paleo is not one of them!
Let me start of by saying that the term Paleo, is very limiting to what this lifestyle actually does. It is also very contradicting in the fact that we of course have so many more luxuries than what a “Caveman” would of had. It seems that most articles that involve talking about Paleo are quick to jump into the whole “well a caveman would not have really eaten a Paleo diet.” Well no joke, Cavemen didn’t sleep on memory foam beds either. Along with a LONG list of other perks we get to living in this time. Oh and we don’t go around chomping on raw meat either. So just to get that out of the way!
I really wish there was another name for the lifestyle. Not only because of the reasons mentioned before but on the fact that this lifestyle is not a fad, it is based on years of scientific research. There is a reason why a majority of Health conscience people choose to eat lean meats, vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds and healthy fats.
A body needs something out of each of these foods groups! Now I’m not one to be very restrictive and I do indulge occasionally. The fact is that avoiding anything overly processed is beneficial for your body.
Most Dairy- overly processed Wheat, Grains, Rice- overly processed
Not to mention the majority of people, upward to 75% are in fact lactose intolerant. Why? It has an abundance of unnecessary hormones It is high in Saturated Fat Calcium is not as important for bones as once thought- You need Vitamin D but of course the sun version is far more superior than the supplement. It creates mucus inside the body, which cancer actually thrives on. It spikes blood sugar. We actually stop producing the enzyme to break down milks sugar after infancy.
Wheat is not what it used to be. The actual wheat plant has been genetically modified, which means now it is full of junk that back in biblical days was not present. I want to specify biblical because many people use well it says to eat bread. While this may be true back in a time of extreme famine, we are not lacking in food sources these days. Not to mention we have added so many other things to the product that our bodies do not even recognize it as a food at this point, if it ever did. I see Wheat, Grains and Rice as a “filler food” or even a caulk. Meant to fill up the space in your belly but not actually provide you with necessary vitamins and minerals, unless it’s fortified which again hits the OVERLY PROCESSED spectrum.
It contains a Super Starch – amylopectin A that is super fattening.
It contains a form of Super Gluten that is super-inflammatory.
It contains forms of a Super Drug that is super-addictive and makes you crave and eat more. (Hyman, M., 2013)
Eating One slice of bread does to your blood sugar, what two teaspoons of pure sugar would. NOT GOOD!
So, Meat has necessary vitamins and minerals. It is researched that our body is able to break down and use things that can only be found in meat. If you have to overly supplement your eating habits with vitamins and minerals then something is missing from your diet. Also the fact that our teeth are actually designed to chew meat. Not solely meat, like say a dog but a variety of foods.
Vegetables and fruits again with necessary naturally occurring vitamins and minerals, etc.
Nuts, Seeds, and Healthy Fats provide lubrication throughout the body. Bind to unhealthy LDL and some cholesterol. Also provides your body with energy.
Each of those are staples in the “paleo” type lifestyle.
Oh another great thing is cutting out the stuff that your body doesn’t recognize as food also means that really you can throw out the calories too. No counting here! When you eat the things you are supposed to eat, calories have no meaning. Go ahead and eat 6 cups of spinach after a Steak with mixed vegetables and coconut oil. Its hard to even get close to a 2,000 calorie a day plan, when eating like that however your body will be FULL of the vitamins and minerals you need.
In a nut shell, Paleo (or the eat what is naturally put here for us to eat) “diet” is not a fad, it is scientifically proven to
stabilize blood sugar eliminate many dietary caused illnesses (high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, just to name a few) and improve overall well-being
So find another “fad” diet that does all those things… ehh, it won’t happen!
Really it should be the “Health” diet because you can’t hide these facts. This will definitely not fade over time or only result in short term success.
Reference
Hyman, M. (2013) Three Hidden Ways Wheat Makes You Fat, Retrieved January 31, 2014 from http://drhyman.com/blog/2012/02/13/three-hidden-ways-wheat-makes-you-fat/
Hyman, M. (2013) Dairy: 6 Reasons You Should Avoid It At All Costs, Retrieved January 31, 2014 from http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/06/24/dairy-6-reasons-you-should-avoid-it-at-all-costs-2/