Paleo Eating

I'm surprised by the answers here regarding the Paleo lifestyle.
I've been Paleo for seven months and absolutely love it.
I don't find it restrictive at all...what's restrictive about "don't eat processed food"???
As far as high cost goes, Paleo recipes and recommendations often tell us to purchase organic meats and produce, however, that's not really necessary. The reality is, you should purchase high quality meats and produce which doesn't necessarily mean organic. Buy lean meats, even if it means having to ask your grocery store butcher to grind a steak into hamburger. But you don't *have* to eat organic, exotic, or free range anything. You should get your produce at a farmer's market because it's not covered in pesticides but, again, that's a recommendation, not a requirement.
I can't afford all organic groceries, feeding a family of four, two of which are growing almost-teens. But I can buy local produce, lean meats, and have money for some organic items.
Figure it this way, if I'm not buying two boxes of cereal, two boxes of crackers, two boxes of granola bars each week, I can convert all that saved money to a "splurge" on a pound of organic apples, a pound of organic strawberries, and a pound of organic grapes.

Paleo isn't a "diet" for me. It's our new lifestyle. This is how we will always eat, whether we're trying to lose weight or just to maintain "feel good" bodies.

I don't have headaches, I sleep solidly at night, my son's eczema has cleared up for the first time in his life, my skin is clear, my back doesn't ache, my PCOS has done a 180...I could go on and on.

I think if you follow the plan correctly and don't shrug it off as "too" anything, anyone could find benefits in it.

Hope whatever you decide to do helps you to be healthier and happier!

Grass fed beef is expensive. I do not follow eating trends, ever, but if one is going to tout eating "Paleo" then one is supposed to eat grass fed beef, a la Paleolithic times when cattle or buffalo or what-have-you ate grass and not corn, which cattle eat now.

Organic is expensive too. It's great on paper but in reality it costs to much jsut to be able to say "hey, I'm Paleo."

I am currently doing the Whole30 elimination, and plan on taking on a Paleo/Primal way of eating when done. I buy grassfed meat, when available and buy my family milk from grassfed cows, which I have been doing before I started the Whole30. I also purchase what produce I can from local farmers, who may not be certified organice, but follow the organic way of farming. I do this for the health of myself and my family...not so that I can say "hey, I'm Paleo"....because I'm not. I care about my family and myself and have made the choice to stop feeding them chemicals and laboratory produced "foods". I made the choice that if we are putting something in our bodies it will be for nutrition and flavor, not for empty calories and preservatives designed to make us crave more and more of those things. I made the choice to stop feeding them meat that has less nutritional value, and a greater chance of being tainted, due to the living conditions of the animals themselves. Is it more expensive to buy organic or grassfed? Yes. But, when I look at what I'm saving on cereal, freezer meals, snacks, and all the other processed junk (including "diet" stuff) I refuse to buy now, it's a wash, especially if we all are benefiting from better health and less cravings for the processed junk that has little to no nutritional value.

I only eat junk after I've met my nutritional requirements. It's not that hard to do.

Which is great for you. I myself have no desire to eat the junk. I choose not to eat a food loaded with preservatives, sodium, sweeteners, etc. Not because of weight loss, but because of the health benefits of not eating them.

So, please tell me what negative health effect a person has by eating said "junk"?

If it's limited amount of that persons daily calorie intake, eaten after micros and protein are met then - none!

Unless they choke to death on it!

"Paleo is restrictive" translation : " I HAVE TO COOK ALL MY FOOD MYSELF !?!?!!!????"

I like it, it hard to stick to but the results are very noticeable, weightloss, digestion, ect.

practical paleo by Diane Sanfilippo is a very good starter read for anyone interested. Half the book is very easy recipes.

Can I cook quinoa? No. Can I cook beans? No. Can I cook anything with cheese? No.

This is a restrictive diet. It's a low-carb diet masked by "cavemen ate this way!" so people think it's "the way everyone should eat" and it becomes borderline obsessive/dogma. Blah blah blah almond milk is okay but not cow's milk. Cavemen didn't have access to enough almonds to make milk and they sure as hell didn't have blenders. Cavemen were also not advanced enough to figure out how to farm or how to milk other animals. That's why they didn't drink milk, that's why they didn't eat grains.

It's a hypocritical lifestyle full of people who are always like "I do paleo, but my *own* version of it..." So okay, no one can really follow paleo 100%, so why even say you're doing paleo? To be super kewl? :noway:

My digestion, skin, hair all are better too, but it's just from losing weight and I eat everything in moderation.

Me too.
If someone is experiencing some kind of difficulties or if eating a certain way fits his or her lifestyle and he or she finds it beneficial, that's great.
But the whole "it's better because cavemen" is just crap.

While ancient people didn't have Little Debbie snacks, they didn't have antibiotics, either. Too much of either one isn't a good thing.

No but they did have bone broth! just saying.

Arguments against the diet because of its 'spurious' suggested origins is a bit weak.

There is no denying that the diet ticks are the boxes for nutrition and leaves nothing of any relevance out.

Unless anyone can suggest anything it has left out?

I make fun of the "caveman" aspect, because it's silly as hell but that really isn't my issue with the diet. I think it's lame because no one can follow the actual diet without making some kind of adjustment because it is so unsustainable and restrictive. So why even say you're doing it, if everyone is doing it differently? It's a fad, a label like "clean eating" that makes no sense and means something different to everyone.

People make adjustments for two reason:

1. we live in the real world!
2. we are adults and have freedom of choice!

These are the very same reasons you are allowed to not follow the diet!

Wow, don't we live in a great world.

Because where do the adjustments stop? I guess everyone can say they eat Paleo but with adjustments.

Yes you're right. But if everyone wants to do that what does it matter? It doesn't affect you, it doesn't affect me.

There's too many things in this world incorrectly named to worry about them and let them stress you out.

At least with Paleo, its healthy.

In fact as far as strict paleo goes the only thing I personally feel they avoid and which detracts from an optimal diet is saturated fat!

I make fun of the "caveman" aspect, because it's silly as hell but that really isn't my issue with the diet. I think it's lame because no one can follow the actual diet without making some kind of adjustment because it is so unsustainable and restrictive. So why even say you're doing it, if everyone is doing it differently? It's a fad, a label like "clean eating" that makes no sense and means something different to everyone.

Wait. Doesn't clean eating just mean eating whole foods and leaving the fast food and junk food alone? What the heck is wrong with that?

This thread is going to turn into a *kitten* storm.

There is no clear definition to clean eating. People say it means "no processed foods" and then eat yogurt or almond milk, which are both processed food. Why not just eat what you want in moderation? At the macro level there is no difference between processed and unprocessed foods.

But the macro level doesn't account for health.

There's a difference at the micro level - which does account for health.

The thing is not everyone follows diets like these for simple weight loss alone. You can loss weight eating anything in a calorie deficit!

I'm surprised by the answers here regarding the Paleo lifestyle.
I've been Paleo for seven months and absolutely love it.
I don't find it restrictive at all...what's restrictive about "don't eat processed food"???
As far as high cost goes, Paleo recipes and recommendations often tell us to purchase organic meats and produce, however, that's not really necessary. The reality is, you should purchase high quality meats and produce which doesn't necessarily mean organic. Buy lean meats, even if it means having to ask your grocery store butcher to grind a steak into hamburger. But you don't *have* to eat organic, exotic, or free range anything. You should get your produce at a farmer's market because it's not covered in pesticides but, again, that's a recommendation, not a requirement.
I can't afford all organic groceries, feeding a family of four, two of which are growing almost-teens. But I can buy local produce, lean meats, and have money for some organic items.
Figure it this way, if I'm not buying two boxes of cereal, two boxes of crackers, two boxes of granola bars each week, I can convert all that saved money to a "splurge" on a pound of organic apples, a pound of organic strawberries, and a pound of organic grapes.

Paleo isn't a "diet" for me. It's our new lifestyle. This is how we will always eat, whether we're trying to lose weight or just to maintain "feel good" bodies.

I don't have headaches, I sleep solidly at night, my son's eczema has cleared up for the first time in his life, my skin is clear, my back doesn't ache, my PCOS has done a 180...I could go on and on.

I think if you follow the plan correctly and don't shrug it off as "too" anything, anyone could find benefits in it.

Hope whatever you decide to do helps you to be healthier and happier!

Grass fed beef is expensive. I do not follow eating trends, ever, but if one is going to tout eating "Paleo" then one is supposed to eat grass fed beef, a la Paleolithic times when cattle or buffalo or what-have-you ate grass and not corn, which cattle eat now.

Organic is expensive too. It's great on paper but in reality it costs to much jsut to be able to say "hey, I'm Paleo."

I am currently doing the Whole30 elimination, and plan on taking on a Paleo/Primal way of eating when done. I buy grassfed meat, when available and buy my family milk from grassfed cows, which I have been doing before I started the Whole30. I also purchase what produce I can from local farmers, who may not be certified organice, but follow the organic way of farming. I do this for the health of myself and my family...not so that I can say "hey, I'm Paleo"....because I'm not. I care about my family and myself and have made the choice to stop feeding them chemicals and laboratory produced "foods". I made the choice that if we are putting something in our bodies it will be for nutrition and flavor, not for empty calories and preservatives designed to make us crave more and more of those things. I made the choice to stop feeding them meat that has less nutritional value, and a greater chance of being tainted, due to the living conditions of the animals themselves. Is it more expensive to buy organic or grassfed? Yes. But, when I look at what I'm saving on cereal, freezer meals, snacks, and all the other processed junk (including "diet" stuff) I refuse to buy now, it's a wash, especially if we all are benefiting from better health and less cravings for the processed junk that has little to no nutritional value.

I only eat junk after I've met my nutritional requirements. It's not that hard to do.

Which is great for you. I myself have no desire to eat the junk. I choose not to eat a food loaded with preservatives, sodium, sweeteners, etc. Not because of weight loss, but because of the health benefits of not eating them.

So, please tell me what negative health effect a person has by eating said "junk"?

I'm surprised by the answers here regarding the Paleo lifestyle.
I've been Paleo for seven months and absolutely love it.
I don't find it restrictive at all...what's restrictive about "don't eat processed food"???
As far as high cost goes, Paleo recipes and recommendations often tell us to purchase organic meats and produce, however, that's not really necessary. The reality is, you should purchase high quality meats and produce which doesn't necessarily mean organic. Buy lean meats, even if it means having to ask your grocery store butcher to grind a steak into hamburger. But you don't *have* to eat organic, exotic, or free range anything. You should get your produce at a farmer's market because it's not covered in pesticides but, again, that's a recommendation, not a requirement.
I can't afford all organic groceries, feeding a family of four, two of which are growing almost-teens. But I can buy local produce, lean meats, and have money for some organic items.
Figure it this way, if I'm not buying two boxes of cereal, two boxes of crackers, two boxes of granola bars each week, I can convert all that saved money to a "splurge" on a pound of organic apples, a pound of organic strawberries, and a pound of organic grapes.

Paleo isn't a "diet" for me. It's our new lifestyle. This is how we will always eat, whether we're trying to lose weight or just to maintain "feel good" bodies.

I don't have headaches, I sleep solidly at night, my son's eczema has cleared up for the first time in his life, my skin is clear, my back doesn't ache, my PCOS has done a 180...I could go on and on.

I think if you follow the plan correctly and don't shrug it off as "too" anything, anyone could find benefits in it.

Hope whatever you decide to do helps you to be healthier and happier!

Grass fed beef is expensive. I do not follow eating trends, ever, but if one is going to tout eating "Paleo" then one is supposed to eat grass fed beef, a la Paleolithic times when cattle or buffalo or what-have-you ate grass and not corn, which cattle eat now.

Organic is expensive too. It's great on paper but in reality it costs to much jsut to be able to say "hey, I'm Paleo."

I am currently doing the Whole30 elimination, and plan on taking on a Paleo/Primal way of eating when done. I buy grassfed meat, when available and buy my family milk from grassfed cows, which I have been doing before I started the Whole30. I also purchase what produce I can from local farmers, who may not be certified organice, but follow the organic way of farming. I do this for the health of myself and my family...not so that I can say "hey, I'm Paleo"....because I'm not. I care about my family and myself and have made the choice to stop feeding them chemicals and laboratory produced "foods". I made the choice that if we are putting something in our bodies it will be for nutrition and flavor, not for empty calories and preservatives designed to make us crave more and more of those things. I made the choice to stop feeding them meat that has less nutritional value, and a greater chance of being tainted, due to the living conditions of the animals themselves. Is it more expensive to buy organic or grassfed? Yes. But, when I look at what I'm saving on cereal, freezer meals, snacks, and all the other processed junk (including "diet" stuff) I refuse to buy now, it's a wash, especially if we all are benefiting from better health and less cravings for the processed junk that has little to no nutritional value.

I only eat junk after I've met my nutritional requirements. It's not that hard to do.

Which is great for you. I myself have no desire to eat the junk. I choose not to eat a food loaded with preservatives, sodium, sweeteners, etc. Not because of weight loss, but because of the health benefits of not eating them.

So, please tell me what negative health effect a person has by eating said "junk"?

Well, let's see, for starters:
Sodium, which leads to high blood pressure, edema, swelling, etc.
Excess sugar contributes excess calories with no nutritional value, and increases fat storage, raises blood sugar levels, can lead to diabetes and higher cholesterol levels.
Soy mimics estrogen in its make-up, which can lead, obviously, to hormonal problems, breast cancer, etc.
Preservatives/additives chemicals which cause an increased risk of cancer. Nitrates have been linked to narrowing and stiffness of blood vessels.
"Junk" is generally high in fat, calories, sugar, and sodium, all of which are not healthy in high amounts
Transfats in processed foods will raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol

I don't know about you, but I consider each of those negative health effects.

I'm surprised by the answers here regarding the Paleo lifestyle.
I've been Paleo for seven months and absolutely love it.
I don't find it restrictive at all...what's restrictive about "don't eat processed food"???
As far as high cost goes, Paleo recipes and recommendations often tell us to purchase organic meats and produce, however, that's not really necessary. The reality is, you should purchase high quality meats and produce which doesn't necessarily mean organic. Buy lean meats, even if it means having to ask your grocery store butcher to grind a steak into hamburger. But you don't *have* to eat organic, exotic, or free range anything. You should get your produce at a farmer's market because it's not covered in pesticides but, again, that's a recommendation, not a requirement.
I can't afford all organic groceries, feeding a family of four, two of which are growing almost-teens. But I can buy local produce, lean meats, and have money for some organic items.
Figure it this way, if I'm not buying two boxes of cereal, two boxes of crackers, two boxes of granola bars each week, I can convert all that saved money to a "splurge" on a pound of organic apples, a pound of organic strawberries, and a pound of organic grapes.

Paleo isn't a "diet" for me. It's our new lifestyle. This is how we will always eat, whether we're trying to lose weight or just to maintain "feel good" bodies.

I don't have headaches, I sleep solidly at night, my son's eczema has cleared up for the first time in his life, my skin is clear, my back doesn't ache, my PCOS has done a 180...I could go on and on.

I think if you follow the plan correctly and don't shrug it off as "too" anything, anyone could find benefits in it.

Hope whatever you decide to do helps you to be healthier and happier!

Grass fed beef is expensive. I do not follow eating trends, ever, but if one is going to tout eating "Paleo" then one is supposed to eat grass fed beef, a la Paleolithic times when cattle or buffalo or what-have-you ate grass and not corn, which cattle eat now.

Organic is expensive too. It's great on paper but in reality it costs to much jsut to be able to say "hey, I'm Paleo."

I am currently doing the Whole30 elimination, and plan on taking on a Paleo/Primal way of eating when done. I buy grassfed meat, when available and buy my family milk from grassfed cows, which I have been doing before I started the Whole30. I also purchase what produce I can from local farmers, who may not be certified organice, but follow the organic way of farming. I do this for the health of myself and my family...not so that I can say "hey, I'm Paleo"....because I'm not. I care about my family and myself and have made the choice to stop feeding them chemicals and laboratory produced "foods". I made the choice that if we are putting something in our bodies it will be for nutrition and flavor, not for empty calories and preservatives designed to make us crave more and more of those things. I made the choice to stop feeding them meat that has less nutritional value, and a greater chance of being tainted, due to the living conditions of the animals themselves. Is it more expensive to buy organic or grassfed? Yes. But, when I look at what I'm saving on cereal, freezer meals, snacks, and all the other processed junk (including "diet" stuff) I refuse to buy now, it's a wash, especially if we all are benefiting from better health and less cravings for the processed junk that has little to no nutritional value.

I only eat junk after I've met my nutritional requirements. It's not that hard to do.

Which is great for you. I myself have no desire to eat the junk. I choose not to eat a food loaded with preservatives, sodium, sweeteners, etc. Not because of weight loss, but because of the health benefits of not eating them.

So, please tell me what negative health effect a person has by eating said "junk"?

Well, let's see, for starters:
Sodium, which leads to high blood pressure, edema, swelling, etc.
Excess sugar contributes excess calories with no nutritional value, and increases fat storage, raises blood sugar levels, can lead to diabetes and higher cholesterol levels.
Soy mimics estrogen in its make-up, which can lead, obviously, to hormonal problems, breast cancer, etc.
Preservatives/additives chemicals which cause an increased risk of cancer. Nitrates have been linked to narrowing and stiffness of blood vessels.
"Junk" is generally high in fat, calories, sugar, and sodium, all of which are not healthy in high amounts
Transfats in processed foods will raise bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol

I don't know about you, but I consider each of those negative health effects.

I'm surprised by the answers here regarding the Paleo lifestyle.
I've been Paleo for seven months and absolutely love it.
I don't find it restrictive at all...what's restrictive about "don't eat processed food"???
As far as high cost goes, Paleo recipes and recommendations often tell us to purchase organic meats and produce, however, that's not really necessary. The reality is, you should purchase high quality meats and produce which doesn't necessarily mean organic. Buy lean meats, even if it means having to ask your grocery store butcher to grind a steak into hamburger. But you don't *have* to eat organic, exotic, or free range anything. You should get your produce at a farmer's market because it's not covered in pesticides but, again, that's a recommendation, not a requirement.
I can't afford all organic groceries, feeding a family of four, two of which are growing almost-teens. But I can buy local produce, lean meats, and have money for some organic items.
Figure it this way, if I'm not buying two boxes of cereal, two boxes of crackers, two boxes of granola bars each week, I can convert all that saved money to a "splurge" on a pound of organic apples, a pound of organic strawberries, and a pound of organic grapes.

Paleo isn't a "diet" for me. It's our new lifestyle. This is how we will always eat, whether we're trying to lose weight or just to maintain "feel good" bodies.

I don't have headaches, I sleep solidly at night, my son's eczema has cleared up for the first time in his life, my skin is clear, my back doesn't ache, my PCOS has done a 180...I could go on and on.

I think if you follow the plan correctly and don't shrug it off as "too" anything, anyone could find benefits in it.

Hope whatever you decide to do helps you to be healthier and happier!

Grass fed beef is expensive. I do not follow eating trends, ever, but if one is going to tout eating "Paleo" then one is supposed to eat grass fed beef, a la Paleolithic times when cattle or buffalo or what-have-you ate grass and not corn, which cattle eat now.

Organic is expensive too. It's great on paper but in reality it costs to much jsut to be able to say "hey, I'm Paleo."

I am currently doing the Whole30 elimination, and plan on taking on a Paleo/Primal way of eating when done. I buy grassfed meat, when available and buy my family milk from grassfed cows, which I have been doing before I started the Whole30. I also purchase what produce I can from local farmers, who may not be certified organice, but follow the organic way of farming. I do this for the health of myself and my family...not so that I can say "hey, I'm Paleo"....because I'm not. I care about my family and myself and have made the choice to stop feeding them chemicals and laboratory produced "foods". I made the choice that if we are putting something in our bodies it will be for nutrition and flavor, not for empty calories and preservatives designed to make us crave more and more of those things. I made the choice to stop feeding them meat that has less nutritional value, and a greater chance of being tainted, due to the living conditions of the animals themselves. Is it more expensive to buy organic or grassfed? Yes. But, when I look at what I'm saving on cereal, freezer meals, snacks, and all the other processed junk (including "diet" stuff) I refuse to buy now, it's a wash, especially if we all are benefiting from better health and less cravings for the processed junk that has little to no nutritional value.

I make fun of the "caveman" aspect, because it's silly as hell but that really isn't my issue with the diet. I think it's lame because no one can follow the actual diet without making some kind of adjustment because it is so unsustainable and restrictive. So why even say you're doing it, if everyone is doing it differently? It's a fad, a label like "clean eating" that makes no sense and means something different to everyone.

Wait. Doesn't clean eating just mean eating whole foods and leaving the fast food and junk food alone? What the heck is wrong with that?

This thread is going to turn into a *kitten* storm.

There is no clear definition to clean eating. People say it means "no processed foods" and then eat yogurt or almond milk, which are both processed food. Why not just eat what you want in moderation? At the macro level there is no difference between processed and unprocessed foods.

But the macro level doesn't account for health.

There's a difference at the micro level - which does account for health.

The thing is not everyone follows diets like these for simple weight loss alone. You can loss weight eating anything in a calorie deficit!

Why is eating processed foods, like yogurt and almond milk and dark chocolate, worse for your health than not eating those foods? For that matter, why is eating peas or lentils--which might not even be processed, I grow peas in my garden--bad for your health? Vegetarians and vegans would likely argue that eating more beans and less meat is "cleaner" and better for your health.

I don't think eating those things are bad! my point above was relating to the comment that at the macros level there is no difference between processed and unprocessed.

If I make a Sheppard's pie from scratch and compared it to a store bought processed Sheppard's pie, the likelihood is the micro nutrient levels will be different and also as I mention above in one of my other comments - what has the food been cooked in (i.e. polyunsaturated fat) is there a level of 0.5 or below of trans fats in it).

Eating a little of those things or junk in general is fine - a lot of people (and I would exclude most on MFP as they are here educating themselves) eat too much processed foods.

(2) Those that judge others as not being "Paleo" enough -- though it usually comes from those who don't follow any of the concepts at all. It's like they're atheists walking into a church, synagogue or mosque and telling people that they're not Christian, Jewish or Muslim enough. Because, hey, if you're not the strictest orthodox that adheres to the 100% letter of the law principles, then you can't be a Jew, Christian or Muslim.

(4) It's sooooo restrictive. Of course, completely ignoring that fact that EVERY diet/lifestyle is restrictive in some way or other other -- whether it's calories, macros, moderation or food groups.... Very few tend to actually debate the diet claims and theories.

Oh, I don't know. I wrote a whole long post upthread where I said that it wasn't the restrictions that were the issue--restrictions are fine if there's a good reason for them and lots of people eat pretty limited diets for whatever reason. Instead, it's that restrictions should be based on some reasonable rationale. For those who feel better not eating grains and legumes and dairy and potatoes and tomatoes and pepper and fattier cuts of meat (tennisdude's point) or factory farmed meat or whatever, well, that's great, that's your rationale. Be happy! But I don't think that most people feel better without those foods, or at least without some portion of them. Personally, I feel better WITH dairy, and the others are neutral or positive additions in at least some respects (I always feel great when I eat steel cut oats, although I do eggs much more often).

So it comes down to the health claims, and the poster to whom you are responding specifically asserted that paleo is healthier, just basically anti-processed common sense!

As I stated in that other post, I'm not convinced by the health claims, specifically that there's a health reason to avoid all of the many foods banned by paleo (some of which are processed, others which are not, or no more than all food we eat). So I asked that poster to explain her basis for that assertion.

I think that counts as an effort to debate (or discuss, really) the "diet claims and theories."

In that I tend to get my protein mainly from meat, eggs, and, yes, dairy (with the exception of fish and the occasional game, all sourced from local farms), I'd certainly be pleased, even, if you were to convince me that this is really healthier than if I did better about using vegetarian sources like legumes. I suspect it's not, though. At best it's probably a wash.

(2) Those that judge others as not being "Paleo" enough -- though it usually comes from those who don't follow any of the concepts at all. It's like they're atheists walking into a church, synagogue or mosque and telling people that they're not Christian, Jewish or Muslim enough. Because, hey, if you're not the strictest orthodox that adheres to the 100% letter of the law principles, then you can't be a Jew, Christian or Muslim.

It would have its similarities to this if people were going into groups to say this. In a general discussion forum, it's like someone proclaiming to be a practicing Catholic priest and others saying, based on objective facts, "Um, you sure? You're married with kids."

People don't have immunity from questioning when they say they are Paleo but don't actually follow the diet as much of the time as not. People have been criticized for questioning the Paleoishness of diets that frequently included hundreds to thousands of calories of candy, pizza, baked goods, and beer.

But in any case, I think I can complain, because as a vegan I eat Paleo, I just include peanuts, lentils, beans, potatoes, soy milk, and tofu.

Wouldn't that be ridiculous if no one could question that statement?

Let me see...

I started my morning with oatmeal (processed) with brown sugar (processed), chopped pecans (processed), and raisins (processed). I also enjoyed a large coffee (processed) with cream (processed) , sugar (processed) and hazelnut shot (processed).

I'll let you know what have for lunch.

This is what drives me nuts....of course in this day and age you are going to eat "processed" food, whether Paleo or not. Unless you're a farmer who grows/raises everything you eat and does all of the butchering, etc, yourself, you are eating processed food. I think everyone has enough common sense to know that what is meant by processed, in this discussion, is the chemical/sodum/sugar laden food that is abundantly available, like chips, cookies, freezer meals, and many other forms of convenience foods. Of course our meat, nuts, raisins, coffee, etc are processed, because we don't do it ourselves. There is a big difference between processed chopped pecans and processed oreos. For example, tuna in a can....something healthy for you, full of good for you stuff, so why do they feel the need to add vegetable broth (which has lord knows what chemicals and additives) and soy to it? Why can't we just get tuna in a can with water or olive oil?? Thankfully some companies do that, but the majority of them add stuff. Dates is another example...they are super sweet on their own, so why does the bag I bought the other day have sugar added??? It's unnecessary and unhealthy.

Medicakes --- this is because you're new. This is one of the very common red herring arguments that is often presented in Paleo discussions. A few others that you'll often see in these discussions:

(1) The idea of what "clean eating" is. "Everyone has such different ideas, that the whole concept is meaningless".
(2) Those that judge others as not being "Paleo" enough -- though it usually comes from those who don't follow any of the concepts at all. It's like they're atheists walking into a church, synagogue or mosque and telling people that they're not Christian, Jewish or Muslim enough. Because, hey, if you're not the strictest orthodox that adheres to the 100% letter of the law principles, then you can't be a Jew, Christian or Muslim.
(3) Those that complain that they speak out against Paleo and its variations because people that follow those are just trying to be kewl or are overbearing in pushing their views on others. There is a great irony and hypocrisy there.
(4) It's sooooo restrictive. Of course, completely ignoring that fact that EVERY diet/lifestyle is restrictive in some way or other other -- whether it's calories, macros, moderation or food groups.
(5) Arguments about the factual basis of paleolithic man -- how since some paleolithic people ate grains, etc., the whole diet concept is bunk. Or how the average life span of ancient people's were less, the diet doesn't make much sense (of course, not accounting for sanitation, antibiotics, infant mortality, modern medicine, etc.)

It's pretty ridiculous. But apparently some people think these faux arguments are quite clever and illuminating. Very few tend to actually debate the diet claims and theories.

You know perfectly well that people have supplied peer reviewed article debunking the inflammation, etc claims of Paleo. You have yet to supply any original research supporting paleo health claims.

I could copy and paste these links, but it's kind of a waste of time and provides less of a dialogue than asking somebody to explain how their definition of "clean" and their argument that "clean is healthier" isn't arbitrary.