Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard about the Paleo Diet. It’s the most searched diet on Google.
Today, I want to break it down, because in my view it’s not just a diet. It’s a way of life.
And it’s not something you have to do every day. In fact, if you want to be “Paleo,” it’s recommended that you even have a cheat day (I’ll explain later).
It’s also something that you can slowly integrate into your life as a healthy, anti-aging choice.
The term Paleo comes from Paleolithic, which was the prehistoric era between about 2.6 million and 200,000 years ago.
And this is where the Paleo diet comes from. Our ancestors, the cave dwellers, were lean, strong and healthy. They ate only what they could hunt and gather. They didn’t have grains or refined sugar. They didn’t eat dairy either.
It’s the most natural diet (and way of life) because it’s how we were designed to survive by chewing, digesting and absorb nutrients.
You see, when we started producing our own food instead of foraging, it began to lack nutrients. Using wheat, sugar and corn was easier then hunting. Later, it became a cheaper way to feed a family.
Thousands of studies have proven that agriculture contributed to the emergence and spread of nutritional diseases.1,2 And, with the evolution of agriculture and the need for more production, it just got worse.
The problem was not only crops, but also with farmed livestock. Many modern diseases developed as a result of the close proximity with which humans lived with their farm animals.
Later, the addition of hormones, pesticides, antibiotics and preservatives made us sick, too – and they continue to do so.
It is estimated that 18 million Americans have gluten sensitivity.3 Many people are also gluten-intolerant.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye. And it’s in many of the processed foods we eat.
Gluten sensitivity can damage your small intestines and has many health consequences, such as inflammation, reproductive problems, acid reflux, joint pain, bone loss, arthritis, dermatitis, fatigue, anxiety, depression and even anemia.
All the more reason to go Paleo.
But not only is Paleo healthy, it will also have you shedding fat and will help keep you lean.
Now what can you eat on the Paleo lifestyle?
It’s easy. Think about the cavemen: If they couldn’t eat it neither should you. So Big Macs, ice cream and fried chicken will not be on the menu.
But, I told you about the cheat day. .
When changing your diet so drastically, it can be hard to stick to it. That’s why it’s O.K. to indulge one day a week. It’ll keep you going and motivated.
Your body will eventually not appreciate this day. But, for now, pick one day a week and have a slice of pizza, a piece of cake or some French fries – in moderation, of course.
You can also substitute white flour with almond flour in many of your recipes. It’s a great Paleo alternative and you can come up with some great almond flour dishes that will satisfy your craving for carbs.
What’s really important to realize, though, is that the modernization of our food supply does make it difficult to eat Paleo.
It’s not enough to just eat meat, fish, nuts, seeds, fruits and vegetables. You have to make sure you are getting them from a source that is hormone-free, antibiotic-free, cage-free, grass-fed and organic.
Nowadays, most grocery stores do carry “clean” foods and maybe you have a WholeFoods in your neighborhood. But if you don’t, there are many places online to order from. One place I really like is U.S. Wellness Meats, which carries all your “clean” meat, fish, butter and produce.
One last benefit to eating Paleo is that you will be cutting out refined sugar. Sugar breaks down your collagen. And when this happens, wrinkles form.
So, whether you want to go completely Paleo or you want to try it most of the time, your body and skin will thank you.
For a more beautiful you,
Sandy DeRose
Natural Beauty Advocate
P.S. I love hearing from you, so please send me an email with any questions or topics you’d like to read about.
1. Executive Summary of the Synthesis Report of the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development” (IAASTD) which was adopted at the Johannesburg plenary session of 7-12 April 2008.
2. Science2.0. Modern Agriculture Has Been Bad For Our Health For 10,000 Years. June 15th 2011
3. National Foundation for Celiac Awareness. Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. 2014