monkeydharma Member

Most of your replies have been from 'Whole30' types, so I'll give you a different approach. I've been 'primal' for over a year now. I've eliminated cow dairy from my diet - but I still use butter, yogurt and cheese occasionally. How? I use goat dairy. Better nutrient profiles, more easily digested. I don't use a lot…

No problem.

While quinoa is not technically a grain, it still has a nutritional profile similar to grains and so should be treated the same as grains. Meaning: avoid.

Helps if you at least check out the forum ;) http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/423769-difference-between-primal-and-paleo

Indeed. Grassfed meat is much higher in omega3's - which is what we want. When you can get grassfed, enjoy all of that fatty goodness. When you have to buy grain-fed (we all do sometimes), buy the leanest cuts you can, remove visible fat, and then cook in a high-omega3 oil like extra-virgin olive oil or coconut oil - or…

You might look into goat and sheep dairy. Both are more easily digestible than cow dairy, and a lot of dairy-intolerant people are allergic to just cow. If you look around world-wide, more people use goat and sheep products than cow. Both goat and sheep are grazers, and are difficult to 'feedlot', so even if the label…

Good list!

There's no rule that says you HAVE to drink coffee - if you don't like it without the adulterants, then don't drink it. If you're needing that caffeine kick, there's also tea (not Lipton - higher quality teas are very flavorful and don't need cream/sugar), or Yerba Mate. But, like you are finding out, as your body adjusts…

@PitBullMom: not everyone gets it. It depends on how you were eating before you started paleo/primal, and how resistant your body is to the change. Neither my wife nor I had it, but we were already following a 'South Beach' style diet so we were half way there already. People living on twinkies and fritos can have a harder…

Yeah, I didn't make the context of that clear. What I was thinking was: my daughter, who believes cooking is of the devil, told me she was going to make me some fancy cake for my upcoming birthday party. Basic conundrum: do I tell her no thanks, since I don't eat cake, or encourage what is obviously a big gift (her…

I'm a 'drink it black' guy, but my wife was stuck on cream and sugar. Eventually she replaced the cream with lite coconut milk (in the can) and the sugar with a dusting of cinnamon (which strikes the nose/tastebuds as sweet). This is at home. When we're out, she has to use cream - but now she either avoids the sugar, or…

Also, adding a 1/2 cup of red wine or sweet vermouth to the cooking broth can really add to the depth of flavor.

I have a hard time with the whole CONCEPT of 'cheating'. Eating this way is a life choice. One either does it or not. I expect to give it the same dedication I give my wife - and no, I'm not planning to cheat on her, either. :) That being said, there ARE times when I decide that a meal might contain foods I have decided…

There are two types of cravings - physical and psychological. Physical cravings will subside once you have cleared your diet of all foods that can trigger the cravings. Doing '80%' won't really help - because the other 20% will cause your body to continue to want grains and/or sugar. You gotta do it 100% - there's no other…

Been on a hunter/gatherer diet since 5/2011 (primal/paleo). Lab results for cholesterol/triglycerides 6 months ago and this week: Triglycerides: 125 to 63 Total cholesterol: 200 to 128 HDL: 37 to 43 (cool!) LDL: 138 to 72 (even cooler!) Ratio: 5.4 to 3.0 I haven't lost any weight since thanksgiving (in fact, I gained 10…

Just so you know, 'nitrate free' is anything but. It is a legal wording runaround that specifies that they haven't used sodium nitrate or nitrite. What they use instead is celery powder, which contains nitrates - but doesn't have to mention it since it naturally occurs. They then add a starter like lactic acid so that…

Steelhead salmon used to be known as steelhead trout. It has only been recently that DNA testing determined the difference. Landlocked steelheads are also known as rainbow trout; in fact that is their common name. The term 'steelhead' is used to differentiate between those rainbows that stay in fresh water permanently and…

While I'm not adverse to occasionally getting a few strips if a recipe calls for it, for the most part I've sidestepped the entire issue by ordering pork bellies from my butcher (also known as side pork or fresh bacon). This is the part of the pig used to make bacon. I have them slice it, then I baggie it in usable…

Yeah, it was funny when I posted it a couple of months ago as well :) It still gives a chuckle. ;)

If you've just started the diet, the 4 lbs is probably water. Your water weight will fluctuate during the month (you know why), plus if you are eating healthier you most likely are using less salt - so you won't need to retain as much. If you are still losing weight in a couple of weeks, the solution is simple: EAT MORE.…

You're right - I shoulda googled before opening my mouth... From wildpacificsalmon.com: "Alaska wild salmon are caught only in specific, tightly regulated areas within state waters up to three nautical miles offshore. They are harvested by commercial and sport fishermen; many of whom are families and Alaska Natives. Most…

From the FDA website: "N51. What do the terms “Fresh Frozen” and “Quickly Frozen” mean? Answer: FDA's regulation specifies that “fresh frozen” or “frozen fresh” means the food has been quickly frozen while still fresh (i.e., recently harvested when frozen). Appropriate blanching before freezing is permitted. “Quickly…

Beer, being grain-based, is not generally considered a part of the paleo/primal lifestyle - mostly because since it is not a distilled beverage, most of the things that makes grains a bad thing are still there. Wine, although made from fruit, is more accepted because the primary no-no - sugar - has largely been converted…

The main issue is: is it 'wild caught'? Nearly all Pacific Northwest salmon is - so verify that your source is wild-caught Alaskan salmon. Wild Alaskan is best because it has the least amount of pollutants - but basically any Pacific Northwest salmon (Canada or Washington) will be just as suitable. Fresh if you can get it…

Thanks for your response. I think that maybe some or our differences may be semantic, but even it not - we all have to make our own decisions on what and how we eat what we eat. ;) Well, that's what we get if we decide to buy that stuff. There are occasions when I'll do the same (not chicken - I get free-range from a ranch…

I don't do 'programs' - I just continue on, constantly refining my goals and methods. Life is a spectrum, and a journey. We all have way too many opportunities to 'fail' - I don't need to introduce even more artificial ways to do so. ;) No one is 100% paleo. Besides not knowing with 100% accuracy how primitive man ate, the…

Polite: if you had something healthy to eat, I'd be MORE than willing to support the fundraiser... (smile) Me: here's a buck - now get the %^& out of my face! I made it a point early in my working career to NEVER buy fundraising products from anyone. Besides being philosophically opposed to the concept of parents doing…

Cheese: I cut back on the amount I eat, and switched to goat and sheep cheeses. Both goat and sheep dairy are easier to digest than cow, and both are more 'paleo' than cows in that they could be taken with a hunter/gatherer group - unlike cows who need the post-agricultural anchor of a farm. Chips: no real replacements.…

Research them. I had a friend who offered me some turkey eggs - he had the idea that maybe he could commercially sell them. I quickly googled them for nutritional data, and found out they were twice the calories - and FOUR times the cholesterol. Which is probably why no one sells them commercially. Emu eggs might be…

Taste. Greek-style yogurt has moisture pressed out so that it is thicker, but otherwise it's pretty much the same as standard yogurt.. I use goat yogurt myself, it is milder than cow yogurt (more like sour cream than yogurt, really) and is more easily digestible than cow yogurt. Actually, all goat and sheep dairy is more…