Let me start off by saying that I am very new to the paleo way of living and eating---I just finished week three! What is certain is that I am already experiencing the benefits, which is why I am really excited to talk about my journey in every issue of this e-zine in hopes of helping someone out there who is considering starting to eat Paleo or has just begun and is looking for some encouragement.
My whole life I have struggled with chronic fatigue, nagging depression, and a lot of anxiety. I've tried exercise (helps some, but not enough on its own), alcohol (anxiety gone, hangover bad), amino acid supplements (HELPS ALOT at first, but tapers off), and counseling, which I highly recommend for developing coping skills and exploring emotions, but NONE of these on their own has had a LASTING effect throughout the entire day like eating PALEO has for me! So let me start out with some basic knowledge and reasoning behind Paleo or "Primal' eating and then focus on my pretty pyramid to the right that I made for you folks so you know what foods are loved, liked, tolerated, and yes, 'hated' on the Paleo diet--though, I do not like the term diet and prefer 'lifestyle' as eating Paleo tastes great! Trust me it is far from a fad diet that teaches you how to starve yourself or worse, give up all the foods you love!
I digress. In short, Paleo refers to our Paleolithic ancestors who were primarily hunter gatherers—most of you probably know this is where the name came from, but if you didn’t, now you know! So, the most strict of Paleo enthusiasts advocate only eating that which you can pick or hunt in ‘nature’ therefore, avoiding foods that cannot be eaten raw, those that are highly processed, and likewise, prefer meat products from animals that were fed their natural diet (grass NOT grain fed). However, there are many variations of the Paleo diet with different philosophies on things like saturated fat, dairy products and starchy vegetables such as potatoes.
Now, let’s start with what you can eat as this is the most satisfying. One website I came across when I started learning about Paleo said rather humorously, “Eat Meat, Not Birdseed.” Animals that eat grass and leaves are the very best for you, which translates to the majority of red meat: beef, lamb, bison, venison, goat, etc. The reason for this being that ‘ruminants,’ as they are called, are better at converting plants into essential nutrients and complete protein than humans are. Try to eat grass fed meat when you can afford it. Do not be afraid of animal fat either! Low-fat versions of Paleo have been dubbed the “Faileo diet” because cutting out fat not only deprives you of essential nutrients, but also will mostly likely make you crave fatty junk food and empty calories! Pork and Chicken are great too, in moderation, but have a higher omega-6 count so just keep this in mind. Fish is just fine if you love it and can afford it---just be careful of your intake of mercury! As for vegetables…all are permitted, yet, non-starchy are preferred. Where protein is not on your plate, fill it up with veggies and add some coconut or olive oil with Celtic or Pink Himalayan salt (salt in its most raw form has lots of minerals!). All nuts except peanuts (peanuts are legumes) are allowed in moderation. Do not make the mistake of some converts and fill up on nuts though as they are filled with fat and can spike your omega 6 intake if not careful. If you love peanut butter like me, try almond or cashew better instead as a special treat. Just beware of versions that add sugar, you want the most natural form you can find.
A BEGINNERS JOURNEY INTO PRIMAL LIVING
By: Daniela DeMaria