The Paleo Diet
 

The Paleo Diet is based on the fact that the human genome has not changed since the time of our Paleolithic (Stone Age) ancestors. Our bodies are basically the same as theirs and yet our diet is vastly different.
They ate a natural diet of meat, nuts, seeds, berries, small fruit, roots and leafy vegetation. The ate very little if any grains since they had to be processed by grinding and easily became rancid. Legumes were also rarely eaten since they had to be soaked and cooked for a long period. They did not drink milk after mother's weaned their children at about 2-3 years of age, so did not consume dairy products. Many modern dietary related illnesses were not present during Paleolithic times and came into being after the beginning of agriculture. Our Paleolithic ancestors were tall, muscular and strong. They died of broken bones, infections or because they were attacked by wild animals but not from poor nutrition. Many researchers believe that if modern humans returned to the diet of their ancient ancestors they too could avoid dietary related problems and poor health. The Paleo Diet is very simple. Just eat meat, eggs, fruit (eat less fruit if you have a lot of weight to lose), non-starchy vegetables and avoid sugar (except for a little honey) and grains. Also avoid processed packaged and canned food as much as possible because of added salt and sugars. Make water your main beverage (a little brewed coffee or tea is OK though).

I hope you will join me on the Paleo Diet. I will include articles about it as well as recipes in future posts.

Subscribed to thread. :D

do let us know how you do, what you eat and how much. plus all the info you have.

Paleo Diet Resources
 

Want to learn more about the Paleo Diet?

Here are some links to websites about the diet. There are a few variations, but they all have one thing in common---eat a diet of meat, eggs, fruit & vegetables and nuts, but DO NOT eat any grains or dairy products. Some versions of the diet allow beans or legumes but I am going by Loren Cordain's book, The Paleo Diet which can be found here:

The Paleo Diet | Paleolithic Diet, Paleo Diet, Caveman Diet, Hunter Gatherer Diet, and Ancestral Diet - all are terms that ultimately refer to the science of Paleolithic Nutrition

Also, here is a comprehensive description of the Paelo Diet found in wikipedia:

Paleolithic diet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

If you need help in knowing what to eat or recipes (although technically Paleolithic people didn't use recipes) you can find it here:

Paleolithic Eating Support Recipe Archives

I will be posting more links and some of my own recipes and tips in future posts.

Sounds interesting, Fluffy!

Today's Food- 1/22/09

8:30 AM- scrambled eggs, hot brewed tea

11:30 AM- small Clementine orange, water

1:30 PM- broiled hamburger patty with sauteed onions, chopped broccoli, water

3:30 PM- about 1/4 cups almonds, water

5:30 PM- pan fried cube steak, tossed salad with a little olive oil, water

your menu sounds good

Here is a link to a blog by another paleo dieter. It shows his weight loss progress:

At Darwin’s Table

and here is another one:

Paleo Odisea

You're eating good, Fluffy!

Paleo Cereal- It's what's for breakfast
 

Friday's Food

B-blueberries with almond "milk"
L- steamed fish filet, leftover broccoli
D- chili, tossed salad
Snacks- banana, chopped walnuts

Today's Food

Sausage and fried eggs, orange juice
Liver & onions, stewed apples
hamburger patty, lettuce, tomato, onion

Sunday's Food-1/25/09

B- Homemade trail mix, herbal tea

L- fried catfish, coleslaw

D- cube steak, salad

Snack-coffee

Monday's Food
 

Breakfast: fresh blueberries and Greek yogurt (the yogurt is not paleo), coffee

Lunch: fried smelts, salad, water

Supper: ground beef patty, salad, water

Snacks: cashew nuts

fluffy, it's been a month now, right? are you liking the results? i like the plan but would not be so low fat as cordain suggests. at the same time, too much causes me some indigestion.

Hi jem,

I answered you under the "Natural Eating" thread.

I'm doing fine and enjoying this diet and losing weight. :)

Subscribing - fluffy you have some great threads!

It has been awhile since any activity on this thread.

The more I am reading the more I am moving to Paleo style eating. I still have a ways to go but I will get there. How is everyone doing? Are there other folks interested as well? I would love to have more Paleo discussions, recipes, tips, good blog sites etc. Anyone else interested?

I'm not taking issue with the Paleo Diet as one can do worse, but saying that it's a 'fact' that the human genome hasn't changed since the stone age is utterly false.

Actually my post was based on The Paleo Diet book by Keith Cordain. The book IS controversial for several reasons. I have learned since reading his book that there have been adaptations--such as for dairy and (this will hit the fan) for grains. If you wold like to elaborate on your post to show what you know about variations in the human genome I would love to hear back from you.

p.s. I have since started the Biggest Loser Diet (which is also controversial in its own way :D).

The whole genome project is way above my pay grade, but I do know people that have worked in the field. They've chatted about 'recent' changes in the human genome from something as simple as our shrinking noses to the thought (eek!) that we might lose our pinky finger. The good news is that if that happens, it won't happen in our lifetime.

As for the Biggest Loser Diet, I'm not an diet ideologue. I think the best diet out there is the one that works for you over the long haul. Atkins worked for me (so far), but others have been equally successful in such things as the SAD diet or Weight Watchers. So who am I to poo-poo on their parade. (Oh, I love the BL show and I'm currently watching the UK version. It's not as polished as the US or the Aussies', but that's not what I find entertaining.)

Good luck with your journey!

Biggest Loser Diet is nothing more than counting calories and portion control with an emphasis on protein and and no white stuff (ie potatoes, sugar, white rice and white flour). But I find the BL books helpful.

As far as the human genome goes, so far humans have not adapted very well to grains since the beginning of wide-scale farming ten to twelve thousand years ago--thus diabetes and other problems. However that too may be changing as time goes on and humans adapt more to grains. I personally do not have the time to wait for evolution to work in my brief lifetime.

First, let me say I am not any more knowledgeable about the genome than anyone else here. I have bought some books (which I have not yet read) on the subject so I am no expert. I would say of course the genome has changed, it always has and will continue to do so. I believe the idea regarding Paleo diets is that as a species we have only been engaged in agriculture for about 10,000 years. This works out to something like 400 or 500 generations. At this point the changes are VERY minor with regards to things like how our bodies handle fat, cho and proteins, our digestive enzymes, how we respond to stress etc. In another 10,000 years the genome will be different from today. People may develop the ability to handle grain lectins and such. But my physiology is set for me. If I want to optimize my health I got to do what's right for this body that is here now. Each of us has to make our own choices but the more I research, the more I am aligning myself with Paleo type eating. Just my 2 cents!

Well I started this thread, so I WAS aligned with the Paleo Diet for several months and I liked the concept very much and think its quite workable for those who can follow it. After all what could be wrong with eating nothing but protein foods and fruit & vegetables? Its VERY healthy IMO. However in a recent colonosocopy the doctor found colon polyps as well as evidence of diverticulosis. He said I had to eat more fiber, preferably whole grain breads and bran. (I know I will get arguments for people here who don't believe whole grains and bran are the answer to these problems but I am doing what my doctor thinks is best and feeling good--before I had a lot of digestive problems) I tried just eating a lot of fiberous fruits and veggies and it just didn't work. I loved researching the Paelo Diet. I love the evolutionary basis of it. But unfortunately by the time I found it, my body had already developed physical problems. Keith Cordain who wrote The Paelo Diet is a sports nutritionist for atheletes at the University of Colorado. He is an avid runner. I was a sedentary middle age lady when I first read The Paelo Diet. I tried it and although it works, I needed something else because of my pre-existing health conditions. For those of you who can do The Paleo Diet--go for it and good luck! :up:

Hi fluffybear,
I am sorry to hear about your troubles. You must first take care of yourself and do what you think is right by your own body. Have you tried the one-minute flax muffin to increase fiber too? I know seeds can be an issue in diverticulosis but in the muffin they are ground into a powder - just a thought. I used this when I first started doing LC last June and it was a life saver. Wishing you the best on your journey!
Laura

Yes, flax is also a regular part of the Biggest Loser Diet. Sometimes it works TOO good. :eek:

p.s. Thanks for the good wishes and the same to you on your journey to health!

I am glad you are feeling better now and will not tell YOU that YOU should change what you are doing if you are well and happy.
What I want to say is (#1) doctors learn what is taught them in school and depending on when and where he graduated (followed by his what he reads currently and what he has experienced... even how he was raised), he will have varying ideas and opinions about nutrition (not just nutrition, but since that is what we are talking about, I'll leave it at that) Bottom line: Doctors are people, not gods.

Again, plz understand I am not saying don't listen to your doctor. If you are doing well, you are doing something right for you. Right?

(#2) It is an easy to defend fact that fruits and veggies have more fiber that typical breads and grains- just look on the packaging at the nutrition facts!
You can go to http://www.nutritiondata.com/facts
to look up the nutrition facts for any food item.

For the same number of calories per food, fruit and veggies have more fiber that any bread or grain (even whole grain breads)

The problem is, people just LIKE to eat more bread and grains than fruits and veggies. ALso Breads and grains are cheaper.

(#3) One last thing: I read that persons with digestive issues () may find that digestion meat is the real problem...at first anyway. SO the recommendation is to remove all breads and grains from your diet and decrease the meat but supplement with pre-digested protein supplements for a while, then gradually add one kind of meat at a time. The removal of breads and grains of all kinds is the key. You will eventually be able to digest the meat again but the grains interfere.

** I am a person with digestive issues of my own. I had to have my own surgery last August and am still trying to get back in shape.
WIll power is certainly a factor. I love sweets and baked goods, they are like an addiction for me and thus hard to break away from!
Having been healthy and fit only 2 years ago (123 lbs, 9% body fat, Fitness instructor) I know I can be and believe eating Paleo-like was the key for me then. I did not know about Paleo then but ate no simple carbs (breads and grains) or dairy. I did eat complex carbs (fruits and veggies) and easier to digest meats (fish and fowl) I also ate soy products.

ALl it takes is a little stress in my life and a splurge on ice cream or chocolate and I start down a terrible spiral!!!!

If nothing else, I hope someone who reads this finds what I've said comforting or can empathize.

Hi!

Glad to find others doing the paleo, I'm here too. :)
And by the way....I love it!

Hi and:welcome:

I started doing LC last June and really started reading and researching. I was drawn to paleo/primal and I love it too! Not all the way there but that is my goal. I have already made major changes in the right direction for which I have been rewarded with normalization of blood sugar levels and will find out about blood lipids in the next month plus I have lost some of my weight. My main reason for these changes is primarily for my health, knowing that the weight will come off as I get healthier. For me this is not just a "diet", to give up some stuff to lose weight. This really is a total change in my way of eating that I plan for the rest of my life. I am not really sure how many paleo/primal folks lurk around here but I am glad to have "met" you!

How long have you been eating paleo?

Ive just started the Paleo Diet myself