Paleo Diet
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We really don't know how much grain early humans ate. But almost as soon as they started farming, and not just being hunter/gathers, humans grew grain.
Anyway, I really don't understand why we should eat what stone age people ate when there is such a rich history of food that humans have been consuming for thousands of years that are not part of the Paleo plan. To me, Paleo is just another fad diet that makes big money for the people that write books about it.
Most people that write these books are actually giving their information away for free, so technically no one really needs to buy any of the books, so that shoots your theory right out of the water.
And 2.5 million years is a long time for a fad, don't you think? There haven't always been frozen pizzas, cake mixes and hamburger helper..................
There was a time (not too long ago either) where people ate what they could farm and grow right on their own land, which included meats, fruits and vegetables mostly.0 -
Check out nerd fitness, here's a specific link on paleo: http://nerdfitness.com/blog/2010/10/04/the-beginners-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/0
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I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There are NO nutrients found in legumes or grains that aren't more abundantly found in fruits, vegetables, proteins or fats.
And did you know that the pharoahs in egypt ate a lot of grain products and drank a lot of beer and they were discovered to have had high incidents of heart disease also................Ten or twelve years ago we wrote in Protein Power about the data contained in the vast amount of ancient Egyptian mummies. We pointed out that several thousand years ago when the future mummies roamed the earth their diet was a nutritionist’s nirvana. At least a nirvana for all the so-called nutritional experts of today who are recommending a diet filled with whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and little meat, especially red meat. Follow such a diet, we’re told, and we will enjoy abundant health.
Unfortunately, it didn’t work that way for the Egyptians. They followed such a diet simply because that’s all there was. There was no sugar – it wouldn’t be produced for another thousand or more years. The only sweet was honey, which was consumed in limited amounts. The primary staple was a coarse bread made of stone-ground, whole wheat. Animals were used as beasts of burden and were valued much more for the work they could do than for the meat they could provide. The banks of the Nile provided fertile soil for growing all kinds of fruits and vegetables, all of which were a part the low-fat, high-carbohydrate Egyptian diet. And there were no artificial sweeteners, artificial coloring, artificial flavors, preservatives, or any of the other substances that are part of all the manufactured foods we eat today.
Were the nutritionists of today right about their ideas of the ideal diet, the ancient Egyptians should have had abundant health. But they didn’t. In fact, they suffered pretty miserable health. Many had heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes and obesity – all the same disorders that we experience today in the ‘civilized’ Western world. Diseases that Paleolithic man, our really ancient ancestors, appeared to escape.
The press has been filled with reports of the recent discovery – thanks to DNA analysis – of the mummy of Queen Hatshepsut, who ruled Egypt for around 15 years 3500 years ago.
According to the New York Times, Hatshepsut’s mummy is that of an obese, diabetic 50 year old woman with bad teeth. All the conditions that nutritionists today would have us believe would be prevented by Hatshepsut’s diet. It certainly didn’t work for her. And she is not a special case – most Egyptian mummies show the same disorders, especially the bad teeth. The skeletal remains of Paleolithic man, who consumed a meat-based diet, showed strong, perfect teeth. Bad teeth are the hallmark of carbohydrate consumption.0 -
but for me I am thinking there is a big difference in eating 1500 calories of whole grains vs eating 1500 calories of meat, veggies and good fats....
That's a ton of middle ground you're excluding.
True...very true - I was using a more absolute trying to highlight what i was talking about before that - the "calories in - calories out" way of thinking...that if you go by that way of thinking then if I eat 1500 calories/day of a diet more centered on whole grains/carbs/etc...and my total burn creates a 3500 deficit during a week I should loose 1 lb a week...yeah that doesn't work for me - it may work very well for others...
The thing is the orginal poster asked about the Paleo lifestyle - it IS NOT a "diet" in a typical sense other then to say your food diet consists of....the thing is people who "diet" aren't going to loose weight and keep it off...people who make lifestyle changes to their eating habits are going to be the most effective...the benefits from any way of eating is through prolonged use of that way of eating...
I never said grains are bad...I don't think they are bad - but since the OP asked specifically about Paleo maybe they have read about it - maybe they have Celiac or other intolerances that are leading them to ask about the Paleo way of eating...
Simply put there is a reason why the rate of obesity started increasing at about the time processed foods became widely available...why it does matter what you are putting into your body in the form of nutrients, vitamins, minerals...all things that people need to read about on their own...from a variety of sources....I have spent the past 2 years reading a variety of books on the subjects of nutrients and how our bodies react to various chemicals, minerals, vitamins, etc...I've read pros and cons about a lot of different things....eggs are bad for you...coffee is bad for you...no wait eggs are good for you...coffee is good for you...oh no it is better to eat a 100 calorie pack of low fat chemical snack than 100 calories of avacado...
to each their own...I know personally I have a few friends that ahve been on the paleo/primal lifestyle for a while now and it has done them wonders...I have yet to meet someone who follows a paleo/primal lifestyle who finds it a drag or gotten sick because of it...
to the OP - do a Google search on Paleo - there are lots of good sites and sites that list pros and cons...if you aren't already eating a fairly clean diet I would not recommend just jumping in without lots of support...my suggestion would be to clean up your diet in stages to get to a point where you have things like sodas, breads, processed foods, pastas already out of your typical daily diet....and then push it a little further...I have spent the past 2 years working towards a cleaner eating style - not to say I haven't said to myself - I really want that bagel...and have said bagel...it is all about choices...is it a choice to have a bagel every day or week - or have one maybe every 6-8 weeks....0 -
Check out http://www.marksdailyapple.com/ and http://robbwolf.com/ Both are great sources of info.0
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The best diet is one that works for you and you can build a lifestyle around. If you can maintain the requirements of Paleo and it works for you, then it is great. If you can't sustain it as a lifestyle, then it is not for you.
Thank you! I agree completely! I think sometimes people forget that the original poster is asking for help, not an opinion about something the people replying have never even tried/don't know all the facts about! I tried going Primal and felt great while doing it but it was too difficult for me personally to maintain. I think if it works for you to achieve your goals and you feel great, then go for it!! Good luck and wishing you great success!!
This. What works for me, may not work for you. The way that I eat does not work for my boyfriend, we eat totally different things for dinner half the time because he can't eat the way that I eat and be satisfied, and vice versa. It's all about trying different things and finding what is right for you and your body!0 -
Thanks for the websites. I'm planning to start Paleo in a couple of weeks so I'm researching. I have some books that explain the science of the lifestyle but could always use recipes. Please share any good ones you have for dinner or websites that can offer some.0
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I've just started this too, though a slightly less extreme version as set out in Dr John Briffa's books. It seems a bit scary at first, but am loving it so far...0
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Try it properly for 1 month.
No cheating.
If you lose weight and feel better like I did, then it's for you.
You're welcome to look at my diaries. Join the MFP group for more info.
Keep an open mind!0 -
I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
The grains humans used to eat lots of many years ago never went through being genically modified.0 -
Yes, but aren't a lot of the meats, fruits and vegetables that you're allowed to eat on the Paleo plan modified too? Ever since selective breeding was discovered, humans have been creating all sorts of new kinds of produce AND livestock breeds.
I'm not saying that Paleo is a bad or unhealthy plan, but there's no way you can really have access to exactly the same kinds of food people ate in the stone age.
Besides that, stone age people in different part of the world most certainly ate different foods.0 -
I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There is nothing wrong with paleolithic intakes... Im pretty much paleo myself under doctor's supervision and its served me quite well....0 -
I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There is nothing wrong with paleolithic intakes... Im pretty much paleo myself under doctor's supervision and its served me quite well....
I wasn't saying that it's impossible to get everything your body needs on Paleo -- but unless you have allergies to the foods that diet forbids, why would you not want to enjoy them, at least on occasion? Many of the foods Paleo forbids are high in nutrition -- they aren't all empty calorie junk foods0 -
Why does anyone follow the diet they do? I've been a vegetarian for years, for a variety of reasons. Is it restrictive? Sure, but it works for me. I know several people who swear by paleo, and that's what works for them. In the end, isn't a healthier lifestyle the point, however it's accomplished?I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There is nothing wrong with paleolithic intakes... Im pretty much paleo myself under doctor's supervision and its served me quite well....
I wasn't saying that it's impossible to get everything your body needs on Paleo -- but unless you have allergies to the foods that diet forbids, why would you not want to enjoy them, at least on occasion? Many of the foods Paleo forbids are high in nutrition -- they aren't all empty calorie junk foods0 -
nomnompaleo is a great blog with paleo recipes for all occasions. I have been doing a grain free diet for about 2 months now (occasional corn eaten) and mostly eat primal. I haven't been able to give up my dairy!! But I have switched to full fat dairy, which tastes so much better anyways. Feel free to friend me or take a look at my diary. I love eating this way!0
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I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There is nothing wrong with paleolithic intakes... Im pretty much paleo myself under doctor's supervision and its served me quite well....
I wasn't saying that it's impossible to get everything your body needs on Paleo -- but unless you have allergies to the foods that diet forbids, why would you not want to enjoy them, at least on occasion? Many of the foods Paleo forbids are high in nutrition -- they aren't all empty calorie junk foods
You certainly can eat some of these food on occaision. I follow Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint guildlines and he says, 80% of the time, eat Primal (much like paleo but slightly less restrictive). The other 20% of the time, do what you want, just don't overdo. Truth is, after a while on the program, you feel so good, you don't want to mess it up.
Mark and some of the research his progream and book are based on would say that, to some degree, we are all allergic to these grains and beans. Some more severely than others. They all contain inflammatory propreties. For example, I and I am a bean lover, beans hav e saccarides that are undigestible by humans. That is why they cause us so much gas. Pretty much all whole grains contain phytates which inhibit the absorbtion of minerals by the digestive tract.
So, it's not that these food are all empty calories. It more that, according to the theory, they are not foods that our bodies were designed to eat. They contain some natural defense compounds that are inflammatory to humans, Inflammation in our diets can be responsible for everything from a little indigestion and gas to things like arthritis, health disease and cancer. I'd highly recommed Mark's Daily Apple, his blog and forum to get more insight. Mark is definitly not a humorless advocate of a strict diet. He says enjoy life. One his 10 primal rules is to Play Regualrly (papraphraing) and when you do enjoy some food item off program, enjoy it! Guilt free! Then get back on program for the 80% of the time.
I have come back from almost having my health destroyed by a health condition that was treated by allopathic physicians with a stready stream of anibiotics and antihistamines. At 52 I felt like I was 82. Through the help of my Osteopathic/ homeopathic physician and eating a cleaner diet, at 60 I am in the best health I can remember since my 20s. The Primal Blueprint diet and exercise plan is just the icing on the cake of a complete restoration of my health at age 60. I look and feel much younger than my age. Not atributing all of my improvement to The Primal Blueprint and not saying this is something everyone should do, but it sure has worked for me. You may want to consider giving it a closer look.0 -
We really don't know how much grain early humans ate. But almost as soon as they started farming, and not just being hunter/gathers, humans grew grain.
Anyway, I really don't understand why we should eat what stone age people ate when there is such a rich history of food that humans have been consuming for thousands of years that are not part of the Paleo plan. To me, Paleo is just another fad diet that makes big money for the people that write books about it.
The research and findings that have been done on mummy's that ate grains and drank beer shows high evidence of tooth decay and heart disease. They were people that ate a HIGH grain diet that could be possibly reminiscent of how many people eat today and heart disease is very high in this country and it is not caused from fat or cholesterol.
With pushing the "healthy grain" mantra, there is MORE money in grain subsidies and companies such as Monsanto and food manufacturers than there are with people writing books..................if you follow that money trail it leads back to Monsanto, General Mills, Kelloggs, and the BIG Pharmaceutical companies.......................
Things that make you go hmmmmmmm0 -
I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There are no nutrients in grains that can not be obtained from meat, fat, vegetables and some fruit.0 -
I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There is nothing wrong with paleolithic intakes... Im pretty much paleo myself under doctor's supervision and its served me quite well....
I wasn't saying that it's impossible to get everything your body needs on Paleo -- but unless you have allergies to the foods that diet forbids, why would you not want to enjoy them, at least on occasion? Many of the foods Paleo forbids are high in nutrition -- they aren't all empty calorie junk foods
I don't enjoy bread, pasta or other grain foods. They actually are bland and have no flavor. Most "grain" foods are just carriers for other flavors.
I would much rather have spaghetti squash with a marinara sauce than to eat pasta with that same marinara sauce.
I am getting way more nutrition there and no achy joints and water retention the next day.0 -
I would not recommend the Paleo diet. It might be OK if someone is allergic to grains, but if you are not, you will be missing out on a lot of good nutrition by removing all the whole grains, beans, and some other healthy food groups from your diet.
Archeologists have discovered that humans have been eating grain for thousands of years, so I don't get why the Paleo people are saying it's so terrible now.
http://thespartandiet.blogspot.com/2010/10/its-official-grains-were-part-of.html
There is nothing wrong with paleolithic intakes... Im pretty much paleo myself under doctor's supervision and its served me quite well....
I wasn't saying that it's impossible to get everything your body needs on Paleo -- but unless you have allergies to the foods that diet forbids, why would you not want to enjoy them, at least on occasion? Many of the foods Paleo forbids are high in nutrition -- they aren't all empty calorie junk foods
I don't enjoy bread, pasta or other grain foods. They actually are bland and have no flavor. Most "grain" foods are just carriers for other flavors.
I would much rather have spaghetti squash with a marinara sauce than to eat pasta with that same marinara sauce.
I am getting way more nutrition there and no achy joints and water retention the next day.
Ive known many people and patients who choose not to eat any of the grains and its perfectly healthy to eliminate them whether its for personal reasons or health reasons.
Paleo deals with real wholesome food - plain and simple. No prepackaged-processed-junk foods, no fiber bars, no chips, no dips, no pile-high plates of pasta, breads or rice (they are processed foods), just real food. There's ALOT of health to be found in paleo-styles...
Some of us CANT do the 'moderation is the key' thing. Its either portion-control issues, dont trust theirself around that type of food, or medical problems and reactions.
I didnt even KNOW my body was having reactions when I ate these (wretched, in my opinion) foods... I havent had potatoes, rice, corn, pasta, bread/flour in an extremely long time. Im not a fan of dairy as it is but I will allow myself to enjoy butter once in a while. I eat perfectly healthy, have dropped 64lbs, one of my prescriptions was removed out of four, my total cholesterol panel is 117, all my numbers are within healthy ranges, in fact they improved greatly when I removed those food-items... I feel better, I feel the difference my body is going through as a result of not eating those types of foods... in fact, I had such a sensitivity to them, it was rediculous.
People just need to do what works for them, not be so judgemental about others, nor have negative opinions. Your negative opinions are about as bad as a family member who doesnt support your healthy lifestyle change. Paleo is healthy, Low-Carb is healthy.... why be so negative?0
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