Tuesday, September 27, 2011

What is the Paleo Diet Program? A Guide for Beginners

By Sean R Mackey


The Paleo diet, or Paleolithic diet, is a more of a lifestyle than an actual diet. The diet is meant to mimic what our ancient ancestors, in Paleolithic times c 2,000,000 - c 10,000 B.C., once would have eaten prior to modern agriculture. In the most basic of terms it is a very low carbohydrate diet that puts more emphasis on lean meats and vegetables while allowing some fruit and starchy foods like tubers. Grains, sugar and dairy are commonly avoided due to the fact they would not have been cultivated, or processed during that time.

Modern day Paleo diet tries to get as near as it can to those occasions. It emphasizes grass fed meats, free ranged chickens, pastured pork, or fishing and hunting for your own food. There is strong emphasis put on eating a good piece of organ meats for they are nutrient dense too. These meals are considered closer to what our ancestors would of eaten because they are free from antibiotics, artificial hormones and are feed their natural diet. Meat is not consumed raw this is a common misconception, as ancient man would of utilized fire for cooking food. While it is some occasions difficult to find sources for these types of meats, it is often acceptable to eat conventional meats if it is all you can afford.

vegetables and many fruits ought to be organic if purchased although it is best if you can grow your own garden organically. Tubers and starchy veggies, such as potatoes and sweet potatoes, must be consumed but in constrained amounts. Organic is preferred due to the heavy spraying and mainly because of genetically modified foods that would not be otherwise found in nature. Still even conventional produce is far better than none at all so it is often advised to eat the best quality you can afford, just like with meats and seafood.

Sugar and Dairy are typically avoided or otherwise extremely limited. Some people who follow paleo do consume dairy, and it is often said there is no reason not to unless it bothers you health-wise. While some paleolithic peoples may of consumed honey it is still often avoided or used in moderation due to its high carbohydrate count. Some Paleo followers often use stevia as an alternative sweetener to honey and sugar.

Grains, wheat, rye and barley, specifically, are thought to be Neolithic foods which neither our bodies, nor animals have adapted to eat. This is why our bodies react poorly to grains within our daily diets and more than likely is why it is one of the top 5 allergens in the planet These days. Wheat, and like grains are also crammed with anti-nutrients which is a part of the plants natural defense mechanism. This is why those following Paleo eating plans do not eat grains grains.

The Paleo diet tunes into a time where our ancestors had to hunt and gather their food. They had no supermarkets and for the most part did not raise their own food. They relied solely on fishing, hunting and finding other edible forage such as nuts, berries and vegetation. They moved around everyday, received plenty of sunshine and had little health problems. Their diet is given the most credit for their exceptional health.




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