For those of you who don't know, or have never heard of the Paleo Diet, it is essentially a lifestyle choice that mimics the food consumption habits of those of primitive mankind i.e. the caveman ... who would be studied by Paleontologists ... hence the origin of the name and this diet. If it didn't exist in pre-historic times, then don't eat it! The 3 main food groups that are axed in this diet are dairy (as Louis Pasteur didn't make his way into history until the 1800's) refined sugars and grains. The diet is based on the foods that could be hunted, and gathered during the Paleolithic era -- meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruits, and berries.
Why axe sugar?
The Paleo Diet also almost completely eradicates sugar. Unless you're getting your sugar from a fruit, forget it. Sugar causes an energy spike and crash in your system, turns to fat unless it's used immediately, and wreaks all kind of havoc in the body. There is also research in the connection between sugar and the formation of cancerous cells.
Why axe grains, aren't they good for you?
Canada's Food Guide recommends 6-8 servings of grains every day, but there are theories that government pushes this amount of servings on the population to support local farmers, manufacturers, commerce....and increased tax dollars. Grains have been linked to high insulin levels, and complications with Gluten. Victoria will speak to this point in upcoming posts once completed "The Wheat Belly".
Why axe dairy?
Apparently axing dairy completely is somewhat controversial and depends on how devout you are. The argument is that our bodies are designed for massive amounts of dairy consumption. Although it's the first nourishment we receive as children, there are claims that our bodies just don't need it after infancy. Also, the food intake of dairy cows is something that devout Paleos denounce, though those who are more mixed in their views still avail of dairy's dietary benefits, especially for those looking to use dairy as a form to bulk up some mass as milk has been deemed just as good (or better) post-workout supplement that many protein powders on the market.
The benefit...
Paelo's claim that the pre-historic human was tall and muscular as their primary duties were hunting and gathering food. The agricultural revolution changed history, and mankind as we see today. By adopting the Paleo diet, a more cut physique is promised due to the "clean eating" lifestyle.
The cons...
The Paleo diet is very strict, and will prove difficult to those who tend to be less regimented in terms of any kind of diet. Like anything, it's lifestyle choice and not a "fad diet". There are also studies that show transition to Paleo very difficult and reports of headaches, fatigue and overall lack of energy in the first month (kind of the opposite of what I would think). Other critics say that the results from the Paleo diet are simply aligned with good nutrition anyway. If someone reports they lost 10-pounds in a month because they stopped eating a loaf of bread a week, stopped drinking pop, and 3 lattes a day .... well it's not rocket science why.
One good news story...
I came across a very compelling story of Dr. Terry Wahls, a woman who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis and is now treating the illness with no western drugs, but just by diet change alone. In 2007 she was bound to a wheel chair, and today she is participating in cycling marathons. She has since developed her own line of diet programs and books. For more information on Terry, visit her website at www.terrywahls.com
New diet I only discovered this week
While at the Dentist, my Hygienist was going on about various diets, and mentioned the Blood Type Diet. This diet consists of a plan to eat according to your blood type, and the types of foods you should avoid. There's not a lot of research in this, and because of it some criticism...but an interesting theory all the same.
Blood group O is described as the hunter. This blood group eats a higher protein diet. The group is alleged to be the first blood type and to have originated 30,000 years ago, although research indicates that blood type A is actually the oldest.
Blood group A is called the agrarian or cultivator and this type dates from the dawn of agriculture, 20,000 years ago. Individuals of blood group A should eat a diet that emphasizes vegetables and is free of red meat, a diet more closely vegetarian.
Blood group B is called the nomad and this group arrived 10,000 years ago. He states that this type is associated with a strong immune system and a flexible digestive system. He also asserts that people of blood type B are the only people able to thrive on dairy products; this is contradicted by the fact that while people with blood type B tend to be from Asia (specifically, China or India), lactose intolerance is most common among people of Asian, South American, and African descent and least common among those descended from northern Europe or northwestern India.
I tried to research into it more for myself...but I forget what blood type I am. :( Oh well.
-Allan Kirkpatrick
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