Paleo diet

Grokette

I could go to Wikipedia now and edit an article to say something completely ridiculous and untrue. And unless someone was specifically moderating that page right after me, it would hang out there until it was discovered.

None of my information comes from wikipedia. I don't use wikipedia because I know that most of it is untrue.

inlander

I think the foods proposed by the diet are better choices than anything else, but in reality it's based on the assumption of a gastroenterologist who probably really doesn't know what paleolithic people could eat. Apparently meat was a rarity, but the Paleo diet promotes eating meat regularly. So it's not the same, but it's a good way to market and advertise an eating program.

However, I was reading some paleo-diet sample menus the other day and one included mayonnaise. WTF. That doesn't sound very paleolithic to me.

bcattoes

Ok, you are just trolling and trying to pick an argument................

Okay, yeah maybe a little. But when people make silly statements like "eating grains will give you leaky gut syndrome" it's really hard not to.

It is not a silly statement and it is very real.............When a person eat grains, especially "whole grains" it causes perforations and tears in the stomach, intestines, colon, etc and causes leaky gut syndrome.

Stop trolling and do some reading and research. Are you afraid to be proven wrong? Don't start an argument saying silly things - it is ignorant.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Many of my clients ask what leaky gut is and how so many different symptoms can be associated with it. The answer to these questions is both simple and complex. The simple part of the answer is that the cells of the small intestine that normally allow the small nutrient molecules of digested food (the amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids) to pass between them and enter the blood stream become damaged. This creates a more permeable or 'leaky' intestinal wall and larger, undigested food molecules, toxins, bacteria and other substances are able to pass through these 'leaks' in the intestinal lining and enter the blood. Because these substances do not belong in the blood, our immune system creates antibodies against them and they are carried to the liver where they are metabolized. If the 'leaks' in the intestinal wall are not healed or become larger, over time the continual barrage of these unwanted substances overworks our immune system, overburdens our liver, and stresses the many and varied systems in our body.

Now for the complex part. We are all biochemically unique and things like genetics, our medical history, our lifestyle and eating habits, and our overall state of health can make some systems and organs in our body weaker than others. And so, while you and your friend may both have a leaky gut, it's very possible-- and even likely-- that you will experience different leaky gut symptoms.

Below are just some of the conditions and symptoms that have been associated with Leaky Gut Syndrome:

abdominal pain • aggression • allergies • alopecia • anxiety • arthritis • asthma • attention deficit disorder (ADD) • bed-wetting • bladder infections • bloating • brain fog • carbohydrate intolerance • chronic fatigue syndrome • chronic pain (abdominal, joint, muscle) • colitis • confusion • constipation • cramps • Crohn’s Disease• diabetes • diarrhea • eczema • fatigue • fevers • food sensitivities • fuzzy thinking • gas • headaches • indigestion • inflammation • irritability •Irritable Bowel Disease • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) • Lupus • memory problems • migraines • mood swings • multiple sclerosis • nervousness • nutrient deficiencies • psoriasis • poor immunity • rheumatoid arthritis • scleroderma • skin rashes

Surely you can see how ridiculous this sounds to anyone that, like me, eats grains and does NOT have holes in their gut. I know the research on grains. And it comes from medical studies, doctors and scientists, not a book or web blog.

You don't know that. If you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms, chances are you are suffering from leaky gut syndrome.

The information I posted did come from a blog, however this same information is in a pamphlet given to me by my doctor.

The only one of those symptoms I have is cramps, but only once a month. Plus I've had my gut checked so I don't have to wonder if it's leaking. I know it's not.

I know that there are people that have trouble with grains, though I suspect it's mostly wheat and gluten and they just blame all grains. But I also know, and I think you probably know too, that there are just as many and probably more people that don't.

darling_nickie

I only know a little about it...I did Atkins a while back and my problem with these "diets" is that they are difficult to stick to. If you are eating nutritious foods, getting plenty of fiber/healthy fat/protein etc and you can commit to the lifestyle change and most importantly it WORKS then more power to you. I love whole grains and am not big on meat so I can't see myself commiting to it. Listen to your body, if you feel great chances are you're doing something good for you.

Now where did I put my toast...?

darling_nickie

Ok, you are just trolling and trying to pick an argument................

Okay, yeah maybe a little. But when people make silly statements like "eating grains will give you leaky gut syndrome" it's really hard not to.

It is not a silly statement and it is very real.............When a person eat grains, especially "whole grains" it causes perforations and tears in the stomach, intestines, colon, etc and causes leaky gut syndrome.

Stop trolling and do some reading and research. Are you afraid to be proven wrong? Don't start an argument saying silly things - it is ignorant.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Many of my clients ask what leaky gut is and how so many different symptoms can be associated with it. The answer to these questions is both simple and complex. The simple part of the answer is that the cells of the small intestine that normally allow the small nutrient molecules of digested food (the amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids) to pass between them and enter the blood stream become damaged. This creates a more permeable or 'leaky' intestinal wall and larger, undigested food molecules, toxins, bacteria and other substances are able to pass through these 'leaks' in the intestinal lining and enter the blood. Because these substances do not belong in the blood, our immune system creates antibodies against them and they are carried to the liver where they are metabolized. If the 'leaks' in the intestinal wall are not healed or become larger, over time the continual barrage of these unwanted substances overworks our immune system, overburdens our liver, and stresses the many and varied systems in our body.

Now for the complex part. We are all biochemically unique and things like genetics, our medical history, our lifestyle and eating habits, and our overall state of health can make some systems and organs in our body weaker than others. And so, while you and your friend may both have a leaky gut, it's very possible-- and even likely-- that you will experience different leaky gut symptoms.

Below are just some of the conditions and symptoms that have been associated with Leaky Gut Syndrome:

abdominal pain • aggression • allergies • alopecia • anxiety • arthritis • asthma • attention deficit disorder (ADD) • bed-wetting • bladder infections • bloating • brain fog • carbohydrate intolerance • chronic fatigue syndrome • chronic pain (abdominal, joint, muscle) • colitis • confusion • constipation • cramps • Crohn’s Disease• diabetes • diarrhea • eczema • fatigue • fevers • food sensitivities • fuzzy thinking • gas • headaches • indigestion • inflammation • irritability •Irritable Bowel Disease • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) • Lupus • memory problems • migraines • mood swings • multiple sclerosis • nervousness • nutrient deficiencies • psoriasis • poor immunity • rheumatoid arthritis • scleroderma • skin rashes

Surely you can see how ridiculous this sounds to anyone that, like me, eats grains and does NOT have holes in their gut. I know the research on grains. And it comes from medical studies, doctors and scientists, not a book or web blog.

You don't know that. If you experience any of the above mentioned symptoms, chances are you are suffering from leaky gut syndrome.

The information I posted did come from a blog, however this same information is in a pamphlet given to me by my doctor.

The only one of those symptoms I have is cramps, but only once a month. Plus I've had my gut checked so I don't have to wonder if it's leaking. I know it's not.

I know that there are people that have trouble with grains, though I suspect it's mostly wheat and gluten and they just blame all grains. But I also know, and I think you probably know too, that there are just as many and probably more people that don't.

I have none of these symptoms except menstrual cramps...I eat lots of whole grains. It keeps me regular. I won't cut out a food group just because there is a new fad in town. If it works for you, good.

darling_nickie

Wow, I swear, extremists on both ends of a spectrum complicate things way too much. All paths in life are not a one way, single lane highway. To each their own. People need to stop acting like "Method A" is always better than "Method B" and getting so cut-throat about their lifestyle choices being pushed onto others. Just chillax people! You'll end up much happier :bigsmile:

I do have to say, it's made my afternoon reading entertaining :laugh:

And WTH is "leaky gut syndrome?" Not knocking whatever the heck is is, but that doesn't sound like it actual medical term for a diagnosis of anything.

Agreed!

Leanne1795

1. Could anyone who has not tried certain ways of eating not just go on the attack please?
2. Could people do some research before commenting please?

I am an Atkins lady but I have researched the science behind Paleo and other LIFESTYLES like it. The science is sound. Grokette and others, myself included, can testify to the increased energy and health benefits. I am diabetic and these types of lifestyle are perfect for tight control and I am most certainly not the only diabetic that will tell you that.

bunchesonothing

There are a great deal of those leaky gut things that can be caused by other things. So, no, just because someone has anxiety, it does not mean it's automatically a product of leaky gut. Nor, abdominal pain, nor bladder infections, confusion, cramps, gas, headaches, indigestion, migraines, mood swings, nervousness or rashes. Just because these symptoms exist, do not mean they're from leaky gut.

I get abdominal pain and my during my TOM and usually only then. Bladder infections are caused by bacteria that normally start outside the body and work their way in. I get gas when I eat certain foods, not necessarily grains. I get headaches and/or migraines when I'm stressed, took a meal too late or have a head cold. My life is plenty busy enough to cause nervousness and stress on its own. When you make the proof so broad, sure, it's easy to see its effects.

darling_nickie

Paleo diet has it flaws, but it's an improvement over what the average American eats....which is a lot of garbage. I think what the paleo diet teaches is that one should try to eat real foods instead of packaged, processed junk. It's a good starting point for someone who feels as if some guidance is in order. However, once you get into the groove of things, it is ALWAYS better to tailor your eating plan to your unique, individual body's metab.

I eat at what Mark Sisson calls the insidious weight gain level of starchy carbs, but I've yet to experience that type of weight gain. In fact, I find that I have more energy for my workouts and daily life when eating a moderate amount of carbs. Not everyone has the genetic gifts to do wind sprints like Sisson while not eating any grains.

So yea, eating natural unprocessed foods is better for you than hamburger helper and a cola. But I don't think that necessitates the elimination of whole grains. After all, Paleo-man DID eat grains too.

I was gonna say, hasn't some form of bread been around for centuries? If not longer? I'm not a historian but even the Vikings baked bread inside of tins underneath hot volcanic rock (no oven seems pretty cool)...and most cultures have their rudamentary breads that have been around for ages "pitas" "tortillas" "matza" which is just ground up grains mixed with water for the most part

bunchesonothing

That being said, I have nothing against a paleo diet. But there are some flaws with the way the material behind is being presented.

Zeromilediet

To the OP, the best way to determine if it's appropriate for you is to try it. That's what I did and have been pleased with the results. Aside from weight loss, the impact on my health has been enormously positive. The biggest hurdle to success are people who have never tried it and can't wrap their mind around the concept that nutrition is the most important element of good health. To suggest that the paleo diet as commonly referred to in these forums is all literally hunting and gathering is facetious at best, and deliberately contentious at worst.

I'm not going to get into it with posters who willfully refuse to be open minded about giving up twinkies, Starbucks, and HFCS but are gently tolerant toward who are vegans/pescetarians/ovo-lacto vegetarians/etc. or whatever. Despite decades of paleo-anthropological and pathological evidence demonstrating that homo sapiens have the brain, gut, skeleton, teeth, and jaw of omnivores.

For those who criticize without taking the time to research why the paleo diet works, or even to try it, here's some non-blog, non-profit motivated reading regarding the impact of grains on the intestinal tract (leaky gut):

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21248165

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20613941

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16635908

And proposing that gut permeability has links to psychiatric  disorders--which may explain the inexplicable aggressiveness of grain eating individuals toward the paleo diet:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21832903

Drunkadelic

And proposing that gut permeability has links to psychiatric  disorders--which may explain the inexplicable aggressiveness of grain eating individuals toward the paleo diet:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21832903

lulz :laugh:

MrsPhan11

Wow another paleo thread...

freerange

2. Half of your plate should be veggies, the other half should be some awesome meat (with yummy fat)

Would meat comsumed during the paleolithic era have had a lot of yummy fat since it would have been wild game? Most wild game is a lot lower in fat than farmed meats. It actually would surprise me if meat were e a huge part of the caveman's diet since plants are so much easier to come by.

I'm not surprised, that would surprise you. Wild game is low in inter-structural fat, true, but the human of the paleolithic era (since you want to go there) would not have thrown away the over-layer of fat, or the fat surrounding the organs, or the brains, or the marrow,,,,,,, education is a great thing.

Grokette

2. Half of your plate should be veggies, the other half should be some awesome meat (with yummy fat)

Would meat comsumed during the paleolithic era have had a lot of yummy fat since it would have been wild game? Most wild game is a lot lower in fat than farmed meats. It actually would surprise me if meat were e a huge part of the caveman's diet since plants are so much easier to come by.

I'm not surprised, that would surprise you. Wild game is low in inter-structural fat, true, but the human of the paleolithic era (since you want to go there) would not have thrown away the over-layer of fat, or the fat surrounding the organs, or the brains, or the marrow,,,,,,, education is a great thing.

freerange

Paleo diet has it flaws, but it's an improvement over what the average American eats....which is a lot of garbage. I think what the paleo diet teaches is that one should try to eat real foods instead of packaged, processed junk. It's a good starting point for someone who feels as if some guidance is in order. However, once you get into the groove of things, it is ALWAYS better to tailor your eating plan to your unique, individual body's metab.

I eat at what Mark Sisson calls the insidious weight gain level of starchy carbs, but I've yet to experience that type of weight gain. In fact, I find that I have more energy for my workouts and daily life when eating a moderate amount of carbs. Not everyone has the genetic gifts to do wind sprints like Sisson while not eating any grains.

So yea, eating natural unprocessed foods is better for you than hamburger helper and a cola. But I don't think that necessitates the elimination of whole grains. After all, Paleo-man DID eat grains too.

True and false, I like the fact you are not attacking Paleo anymore, but it is false to say not everybody cna do wind sprints without eating a any grains, it would be true-er to say not everybody wants to do them without eating grains. And you should qualify what you mean by "DID eat grains too" they did not eat them in any widespread amount.

freerange

Ok, you are just trolling and trying to pick an argument................

Okay, yeah maybe a little. But when people make silly statements like "eating grains will give you leaky gut syndrome" it's really hard not to.

It is not a silly statement and it is very real.............When a person eat grains, especially "whole grains" it causes perforations and tears in the stomach, intestines, colon, etc and causes leaky gut syndrome.

Stop trolling and do some reading and research. Are you afraid to be proven wrong? Don't start an argument saying silly things - it is ignorant.

What is Leaky Gut Syndrome? Many of my clients ask what leaky gut is and how so many different symptoms can be associated with it. The answer to these questions is both simple and complex. The simple part of the answer is that the cells of the small intestine that normally allow the small nutrient molecules of digested food (the amino acids, glucose, and fatty acids) to pass between them and enter the blood stream become damaged. This creates a more permeable or 'leaky' intestinal wall and larger, undigested food molecules, toxins, bacteria and other substances are able to pass through these 'leaks' in the intestinal lining and enter the blood. Because these substances do not belong in the blood, our immune system creates antibodies against them and they are carried to the liver where they are metabolized. If the 'leaks' in the intestinal wall are not healed or become larger, over time the continual barrage of these unwanted substances overworks our immune system, overburdens our liver, and stresses the many and varied systems in our body.

Now for the complex part. We are all biochemically unique and things like genetics, our medical history, our lifestyle and eating habits, and our overall state of health can make some systems and organs in our body weaker than others. And so, while you and your friend may both have a leaky gut, it's very possible-- and even likely-- that you will experience different leaky gut symptoms.

Below are just some of the conditions and symptoms that have been associated with Leaky Gut Syndrome:

abdominal pain • aggression • allergies • alopecia • anxiety • arthritis • asthma • attention deficit disorder (ADD) • bed-wetting • bladder infections • bloating • brain fog • carbohydrate intolerance • chronic fatigue syndrome • chronic pain (abdominal, joint, muscle) • colitis • confusion • constipation • cramps • Crohn’s Disease• diabetes • diarrhea • eczema • fatigue • fevers • food sensitivities • fuzzy thinking • gas • headaches • indigestion • inflammation • irritability •Irritable Bowel Disease • Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) • Lupus • memory problems • migraines • mood swings • multiple sclerosis • nervousness • nutrient deficiencies • psoriasis • poor immunity • rheumatoid arthritis • scleroderma • skin rashes

Surely you can see how ridiculous this sounds to anyone that, like me, eats grains and does NOT have holes in their gut. I know the research on grains. And it comes from medical studies, doctors and scientists, not a book or web blog.

You had your gut checked for holes? Why?

questionablemethods

And proposing that gut permeability has links to psychiatric  disorders--which may explain the inexplicable aggressiveness of grain eating individuals toward the paleo diet:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21832903

lulz :laugh:

Ditto.

tgh1914

OK. I've gotta ask.

Why are so many people (and the whole premise of Paleo eating) so in love with mimicking cavemen? This is my honest question, not trying to pick a fight.

I just don't get why we'd want to emulate cavemen whose life expectancy was about half of ours. What makes us think they were healthier? They died of diseases. And if we're thinking that they had better physiques, I'd ask how you know that. I hope we're not relying on Hollywood's imagery of cavemen, are we? Enlighten me.

And please don't take my comments to be a plug for eating processed crap, it's not.

jamk1446

OK. I've gotta ask.

Why are so many people (and the whole premise of Paleo eating) so in love with mimicking cavemen? This is my honest question, not trying to pick a fight.

I just don't get why we'd want to emulate cavemen whose life expectancy was about half of ours. What makes us think they were healthier? They died of diseases. And if we're thinking that they had better physiques, I'd ask how you know that. I hope we're not relying on Hollywood's imagery of cavemen, are we? Enlighten me.

And please don't take my comments to be a plug for eating processed crap, it's not.

For me, it's not about being like a caveman, they did face many things that make me grateful to live in the present- I appreciate modern shelter, medicine, emergency & surgical care, internet, etc. For me, it's not reenacting the caveman lifestyle, but the metabolic milieu (to borrow from Dr. Kurt Harris). Optimizing my health potential by avoiding what we were not designed to eat- industrial seed oils, chemicals, trans fats, excessive sugar, too much grains. Grains were around in the paleolithic, and different peoples did eat them, but not in great quantities like we do today and they are very different than the domesticated grains that we have today (as is true with so many of the foods we eat today). There was no one true "paleo" diet- there was much variation due to environments but the underlying commonality was real, minimally processed food whether it was low carb, high carb, whatever.

I've gotten where I have a problem with the label "paleo" because it does conjure such ridiculous images of people running around pretending to be cavemen (and to be fair, there are those who are doing that) but mostly it's people who believe we can look to our past for clues how to live in the present and be the healthiest we can be.