Below is a blog post I wrote over on my own site Renew Whole Health last year to educate my audience on what the Paleo diet is.
Enjoy the read and if you would like to know more, join us Sat. at 11:30 at The Market. Into gardening as well? At 10:30, Michelle will be talking about what gardening needs to be done in the month of Oct.
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One question I am frequently asked about is the "Paleo Diet". What exactly is it and whether it is a fad diet with a cool name. My answer to that is NO!
The "Paleo Diet" name first came on the scene about 15 years ago, but in reality this way of eating has been around for tens of thousands of years. Hence the name. What it emphasizes is a diet in fresh, whole foods that humans have been consuming forever. It is a way of eating that brings our bodies back to being healthy the way God intended us to be and creating homeostasis within us.
I personally have been eating this way for the last couple of years and have seen a dramatic difference in my weight and energy, as well as no longer being dependent on medicines for hormonal imbalances and depression. With that said, it is not for everyone.
As one goes digging into and researching the Paleo Diet, they will find a lot of confusion. There seem to be two sides to the debate.
- some say no dairy, others say in moderation is ok
- some say absolutely no sugar, others say using a natural sweetener is ok in moderation
- some say no wheats or starches, others say rice and potatoes are ok and others say soaked and sprouted grains are ok
- some say no legumes, others say in moderation as long as they are soaked and sprouted
This is where bio-individuality comes in. I have spoken about this before, though we are all human, we are all our own unique individual. Not everybody is going to have the same reaction to the items listed above and the only way to find out what you can and cannot tolerate is through an elimination diet.
I truly believe in this way of eating. I have an issue with the name of the diet, but only because I have seen countless people turned off by trying this way of eating simply because of the name. Take away the name and you are left with a way of eating that is wholesome, nourishing, free of preservatives, trans-fats and all the other crap that is fed to us.
Keep in mind two things. First, if you are not eating grass fed animal products or organic vegetables but avoiding packaged, processed foods, you are still ingesting a ton of toxins into your system. Second, if you are not doing anything to "heal your gut" from years of eating a Western diet, this will inhibit you from enjoying the full benefits of this new dietary lifestyle.
To your health,
Sandra
