Eating ‘Paleo’… Primal Nourishment in Modern Times
By Dr. Stephen Stern, Men’s Health and Fitness Editor – “the Wilder Elder”
In recent years, the paleo / primal approach to diet has been gaining popularity. For many people, eating like our ancestors has helped them lose weight, improve digestion and lower blood pressure. It has provided benefits for people who have suffered with autoimmune and metabolic disorders. Along with physiological improvements, people report improved mental clarity, deeper sleep, increased energy, and an overall greater sense of well-being.
On a personal note, for over 25 years I was vegan. I ate no red meat, chicken, turkey, fish, or eggs. My diet was low-fat, high carb, with grain/bean/legume protein sources and no sugar products. Most considered me healthy and fit, however I was always thinking about food and was very limited in what I allowed myself to eat. A couple of years ago, as I began to exercise with more intensity, I realized my body was asking for a different type of nourishment. Over a two to three month period, I ate more and more animal products and to my surprise it was a smooth and effortless transition. My body leaned out and my focus and concentration improved. As I included more (healthy) fats, the sense of being satiated was very satisfying. Eventually, I did a 180 from my vegan days and I feel substantially better. Today, my daily macro-nutrient level is lower carb, high fat, moderate protein. I don’t have a sense of always being hungry as I did when I was vegan. I don’t have to eat every few hours to keep my energy up. I enjoy a variety of great tasting foods (with no calorie-counting or portion-control) and have a sense of freedom and flexibility that was missing for more than 25 years.
The basic premise of a ‘paleo diet’ is that our bodies function better on foods that are more in line with what our ancestors ate in the Paleolithic Era (the time of hunter-gatherers) as compared to what is generally consumed today. Through evolution and our genetics, we are programmed to eat a diet similar to that of Paleolithic times. A ‘paleo diet’ restricts use of foods that emerged during the Neolithic Period (about 10,000 years ago beginning with the rise of farming). This would include grains, legumes, starchy tubers, dairy products, and seed oils. 10,000 years is a blip on the screen of the evolutionary time scale and our genes have yet to adapt to these type of foods. Grains contain anti-nutrients which can negatively impact insulin reaction, harm the lining of the intestine and compromise vitamin and mineral utilization.
A ‘paleo diet’ includes nutrient dense foods from animal sources, which along with vegetables and fruit, provide practically all the essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber that the body needs to function optimally. Vitamin D is the only nutrient that is more abundant in a typical modern day western diet. If you get outside in the sun for 20 minutes you’ll get more than ample Vitamin D. Check out this link for a sample daily food comparison: Getting Enough Nutrients in Your Paleo Diet
Proponents of paleo diets see the benefit of eating animal sources that have been grass fed and free-range. This food provides more ‘good’ fats and fewer ‘bad’ fats. They are richer in antioxidants; including Vitamins E, Beta-Carotene, and Vitamin C. And, they do not contain traces of added hormones, antibiotics and other drugs. Source: Eat Wild
Some people have a lot of passion around what is, or isn’t, a ‘paleo diet’. There is no one right way to eat ‘paleo’. Chris Kresser, L.Ac, offers a simplified Paleo Template:
– Don’t eat toxins
– Nourish your body
– Eat real food
You can read the details at: Beyond Paleo – Moving from a Paleo Diet to a Paleo Template
Food is just one aspect of the paleo approach to living a healthy and vibrant life.
There are different perspectives with regard to Paleo related diet and lifestyle choices. To learn more… check out the resources below. Keep learning and discover what works best for YOU!
Enjoy the adventure!
~ Stephen
My website is: Dr. Stephen Stern
Books to check out:
The Primal Blueprint by Mark Sisson
The Paleo Diet Solution by Robb Wolf
The Paleo Diet For Athletes by Loren Cordain, PhD and Joe Friel, MS
Each author provides a different slant, however all present the info in clear, understandable fashion.
Blogs:
Mark Sisson has a website called Mark’s Daily Apple Much of what he writes goes against Conventional Wisdom. There’s lots of interesting info at this site with easily accessible links to learn in greater depth.
Here are other links that you might find helpful:
Definitive Guide to the Primal Eating Plan
Primal Blueprint 101
A good website is found at: Rob Wolf Rob also offers…
FREE PODCASTS (i-Tunes Store) to learn about the Paleo Perspective:
Latest In Paleo … hosted by Angelo Coppola Provides varied and interesting info in an entertaining fashion.
Everyday Paleo… hosted by Sarah Fragoso and Chrissy Gower Provides info with regard to feeding families from infants on up.
The Paleo Solution… hosted by Robb Wolf Rob answers questions with regard to the biochemical impact of how the body responds to food, exercise, stress, sleep, etc.
The 2011 Ancestral Health Symposium is a link to 48 video talks.
Miscellaneous
Metabolic and Physiologic Improvement from Consuming
a Paleolithic, Hunter-Gatherer Type of Diet (from PubMed.gov)
How To Boost Brain Health with the Paleo Diet
The Fear of Saturated Fat and Cholesterol
Why Grains Are Unhealthy
How “Heart-Healthy Whole Grains” Make Us Fat
Evolutionary Genetics and the Paleo Diet
What Are The Benefits of the Paleo Diet
The Weston A. Price Foundation – Health Topics
Paleo Diet Review: Pros and Cons
Good hunting and gathering!
Stephen Stern, DC, graduated with honors from Life Chiropractic College in 1983. A new warrior for over 15 years, a former Center Director, he is presently an active elder in MKP New England. He serves as a volunteer and on the Board of Directors for the Jericho Circle Project, which brings men’s work to prisons. As a doctor of Chiropractic, he honors the innate intelligence (inborn wisdom) within each individual by offering a healing spirit and gentle touch. Focusing on family and wellness care, he encourages everyone to find their passion and Truth. His background includes weight training, kettlebell, running, martial arts, yoga, meditation, macrobiotic, vegan, and paleo/primal approach to nutrition and lifestyle. His professional memberships include Association for Network Care and Massachusetts Alliance for Chiropractic Philosophy. Dr. Stern has been married for 32 years with one daughter.
– is a deeply personal issue that everyone decides for himself. Sometimes the price is high, sometimes low. But this is not very important for life. Life is an interesting thing. And the price on Viagra – too.
