the paleo diet

Paleo Diet

The Paleo diet focuses on going back to our past dietary necessities, during the Paleolithic era dating back to more than 10,000 years.  The Paleolithic period was a time of hunting and gathering food, where your nutritional needs came from animals and plants.  By eating this way, Paleo diet supporters feel they are living a more healthier lifestyle while preventing disease.

the paleo diet

What does the diet include?

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The Paleo diet focuses on eating like the people of the Paleolithic period.  This includes:

– getting protein from meats, fish and poultry.

-getting other vital nutrients from fresh vegetables and fruit.

We hear the reference often with the Paleo Diet, “If a caveman didn’t eat it, neither can you.”  Long ago, the foods above were the only food available.  Paleo supporters feel this is the best nutritional approach for fueling your body because this was the only way to fuel during such an evolutionary period of life.

What does the diet exclude?

 

The exclusions are anything that isn’t listed above.  On the do not list:

-any form of grains, dairy, refined sugar, legumes.  That means, no bread, no pasta, no milk, no sweets, no junk food, etc.

It seems very clear cut and easy to distinguish between what is and isn’t allowed but is it as easy to follow?  Going to lower carbohydrates in a carbohydrate crazed food industry can be very difficult.

Is this diet for me?

That is a question you must decide for yourself.  It is a lifestyle change.  Eating as we did before agriculture and modern civilization can be tough.  If you are convinced that the benefits of a more simple diet and nutritional lifestyle outweigh our love for processed or genetically modified foods that are so easily accessible and low cost, it might be the diet for you.  Supporters of the Paleo diet claim to live a disease free life by following the healthy, more fit diet.

 

What about weight loss, weight gain?

The Paleo Diet does not really claim a result of either.  Since they feel they have a healthier approach to their dietary needs, they feel they are living a fitter lifestyle.   On the contrary, being fit also involved movement, so exercise along with diet is key in being fit.  You can over consume any food on any diet, which can increase calorie intake, which can lead to weight gain.  Should want to build a calories deficit while doing the Paleo diet, you certainly can to support weight loss.

Are there any other health benefits/risks?

Since the Paleo diet is low in sodium and excludes the consumption of refined sugars, it would likely to believe that it can help in aiding the prevention of high blood pressure which can lead to numerous diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke.  However, as this diet support the consumption of protein intake through meat, the increase amount of red meat consumed can also increase the likelihood for hypertension and the diseases listed above.  You can also miss out nutrients that are often found in whole grains as well.   Paleo supports also claim that the diet can aid in fighting against autoimmune disorders.

***The information on any diet listed on this website is for informational purposes only and should not be used as a source for determining your dietary needs.  As with any diet regimen, it is necessary to speak with your doctor as to what is best for your own personal health needs.


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