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Table of Content

ThePaleoDiet

HealthBenefitsofthePaleoDiet

Pg4 Pg6 Pg8 Pg9

FruitsandVegetables ConsumingaModernDayPaleoDiet

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The Paleo Diet

Thepaleodietisoneofthemostintriguingdietsthathavecomeoutinrecentyears.Its revelationsmayseemnew,buttheformulationisactuallybasedontheeatingpatternsofour mostancienthuntergathererancestorstheearlyhumansofthepaleolithic(stoneage) period,whoroamedtheearthmillionsofyearsago. Overthecourseofhumanevolution(untilaround10,000yearsago),allhuntergatherershad thesamedietaryapproachtheyconsumedonlythosefoodsprovidedandavailableby nature.Theyobtainedtheirfoodfromhuntingwildgameandgatheringdiversefruits, vegetables,plants,nuts,andseedsavailableovertheseasonsoftheyear. Thefoodsourancestorsconsumedremaintobethefoodsbestadaptedtoourmetabolisms today.Humangeneshavenotchangedenoughoverthelastfewthousandyearstoadaptto ournewagriculturebaseddiet.Infact,ourpresentgenesarestill99.99%identicalinmakeup tothoseofourpaleolithicancestors. Researchfindingsprovideampleindicationsthathuntergathererswereveryhealthy.They weretaller,hadbetterbuildsandbiggerbrains.Althoughtheirlifeexpectancywasshorter, deathswereoftencausedbyoutsidefactorssuchasextremeweatherconditions,accidents, infections,andpredatoryanimals.Theydidnotsufferfromchronicordegenerativediseases suchasdiabetes,cancerorheartdisease.Thesediseasesemergedonlywhenweshiftedto agriculturemoderndiseasesaretheconsequenceofcivilization,theresultofamismatchof ourgeneticmakeupandourlifestyle. Ourancestorswerealwaysphysicallyactivehuntingandgatheringforfood.Theirphysical challengeswereextreme,astheyracedtohuntwildgame.Somehuntergathererswouldwalk approximately19km(12miles)adayonaveragelookingforprey,includingburstsofquick activityandrunningspeedswhengamewasspotted. Humanshaveevolvedtomeetthechallengesandopportunitiesofournaturalenvironment. Ourancestorsbodieswherefueledbyhealthyprimalfoodswhichallowedtheirbodiestowork atpeakefficiencyallthetime.Theirbodieswereperfectlyadaptedtothefoodtheyate,not forthefoodsmoderntechnologybrings. Thedietaryhabitsofourancientancestorshavebeenthoroughlystudiedinrecentyears.The phenomenalabilitiesofourancestorsarerootedinthediettheyconsumedandthelifestyle theylived. Meatfromwildgameaswellasfishgavethemproteinsandessentialfattyacids.Nutsand seedsprovidedoilsandotheressentialfattyacids;fruitsandberriesforlowGIcarbohydrates andnutrients.Theydidnothaveanydairyproducts,grainsorprocessedfoods,asthesecame onlywithagricultureandthedomesticationofanimals. Accordingtonutritionexpertsspecializingintheeatingpatternsofthepaleolithicperiod,the averagehuntinggatheringtribehadadietthatverylikelyconsistedofonethirdhuntedfood andtwothirdsgatheredfood.

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 Meatcomprisedof65%ofourancestorstotalenergyintake.Thereisakeydifferenceinthe energyandnutrientcontentfromthemeatofwildgameandthemeatwecommonlyconsume fromourdomesticatedanimalstoday.Wildanimalsproducemeatthatcontainslessthan10% totalfatontheaverageourcurrentdomesticatedcattleaverageabout30%totalfat.Thereis alsoaqualitydifferenceinthefattyacidmakeupoftheanimaldomesticatedanimalscontain mostlyfullysaturatedfats,whereaswildgamehasahigherproportionofpolyunsaturatedfat. Asaresult,ourdietarychoicestodayresultinushavingfourtimeslessomega3fattyacids comparedtoourancestorsand1.5timeslessmonounsaturatedfat.Someofthenutsand seedsourancestorsconsumedalsocontainedomega3fattyacids,whiletheywhere consumedinrawform,theretentionoftheseheatsensitivefatswasmaximized. PaleolithicnutritionresearcherDr.LorenCordain,PhD,providesthefollowingcomparative dailynutritionalintakeofourancestorsandthecommonwesterndiet. (%ofdiet) PaleolithicDiet AverageWesternDiet Protein Fats Carbohydrates

31 38 31

16 35 49

[FromThePaleoDiet(2002)byLorenCordain]

Theavailabilityofmeatourancestorshadwasdependentonhuntingsuccessandtheseason. Sinceanimalsupplywasnotsteadyyearround,thegreaterpartofthefoodconsumedoften camefromuncultivatedvegetablefoodsgatheredfromthewild,suchasberries,bulbs,seeds, fruits,flowers,melons,nuts,leaves,roots,stalks. Oneimportantpartaboutthedietofourancestorsisthefactthattheirfoodscouldnotbe storedforalongtime,sofoodwasdistributedandconsumedfreshafterforagingorafterthe hunt. Foodwasverydiverseandvariedwidelywiththechangingoftheseasonsandbythelocality whereourancestorslived,allowingthemtoconsumeagreatvarietyoffoods. Thepaleodietcanbefurthercharacterizedbythefollowing: Caloricintake(around65%),camefromeatingalltheediblepartsofvertebrateanimals (wildgameandfish). Asignificantpartofourancestorsdietconsistedoffreshfruits,plants,nuts,seeds,flowers, leaves,andbulbs.Thesewereallconsumedraw,whichmaximizedtheretentionof nutrientrichcontentanddiseasepreventingcompounds. Grainswhereneverpresentinanysignificantquantity.Eventhoughtheywherearound, thegrainsandsmallseedswerenevermilledorgroundintofineparticlesandcookedin ordertobeconsumedsafely. Sodiumsalt,whenpresent,wasinveryminimalamounts.

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Health Benefits of the Paleo Diet

Agriculturehasintroducedwidesweepingchangesinthewayweeattoday,yetourgenes havenotchangedasrapidly.Ourbodiesarestilldesignedforthehighprotein,low carbohydratefoodconsumptionpatternofourhuntergathererancestors.Thismeansweare geneticallyillequippedtohandlethehighcarbohydrate,lowproteindietofmoderntimes. Thisstateofbetterhealthistrueevenamongtheindigenousculturesthathavesurvivedinto thepresentdayandcontinuetofollowadietoffoodsavailabletothemintheirnatural surroundings.Whenanthropologistscomparetheseprimitive,huntinggatheringpeopleswith theirmodernized,graineatingneighbors,thecloseassociationbetweendietanddiseaseis veryclear.Youwillnotfindheartdisease,cancer,diabetes,arthritisorotherdiseasesof civilizationamongthehuntergatherers.Butalltheseconditionsexistamongtheir modernizedrelatives,withtheirdietsofgrainproducts,sugarladenandprocessedfoods. Modifyingourdietsoitbecomescloserandmoresimilartothedietarypatternsofour paleolithicancestors,whoateonlynaturalnotmanufacturedfoods,ourbodywillbe healthierandwewillbeatlowerriskofsufferingfromthemanyillnessesanddiseasesin societytoday. ThepaleodietprovidesthebodywithhealthylowGIcarbohydratesfromnaturalfood sources,whileavoidingourmoderndietsoverconsumptionofhighlyprocessed carbohydrates.Ourbodiesarenotgeneticallyequippedtohandleprocessedcarbohydrates, letaloneanexcessofthem.Yet,weareoftenconsumingexcessiveamountswhichcanresult inaweakenedimmunesystem,diabetes,obesityandmanyotherchronicillnesses. Excessivecarbohydrateconsumptionisrarewiththepaleodiet.Themainsourceof carbohydratesisfruitsandvegetablesthesamewayitwasforourancestors.Fruitsand vegetablesgenerallyhaveamuchlowerglycemicresponsethancerealgrainsanddairy productswhileprovidingplentyofantioxidantsandassortedphytochemicalswhichprotect againstfreeradicaldamageandthecarbohydrateneedforthebodyonadailybasis. ThepaleodietwillprovidethebodywithahigherproportionoffatthantheaverageWestern dietwhichprovidesforanadditionalhealthbenefitasthisisthebodyspreferredenergy sourceandiswhatwillhelpthebodyperformoptimally.Thefatsourcesfoundinourmodern dietisgenerallyunhealthy;consistinglargelyoftransfats.Itisimportanttorealizethatthe humanbodyneedsacertainlevelandqualityoffattoenablemanybodyprocesses,for example;fatsolublenutrientssuchasvitaminsA,D,E,andKandthecoenzymeCoQ10cannot beabsorbedwithoutfat,andeachofthesevitamins(andmanymore)areextremelyimportant inorderforthebodytoavoidnutrientdeficiencies. Ourancestorsevolvedwithomega3fattyacids,andmanyfundamentalbiochemicalprocesses inourbodiesstillrequirethisfattyacid.Theconsumptionofomega3fattyacidsinthe moderndietissubstantiallylowerthanthatofomega6fattyacids;anotherfamilyof polyunsaturatedfattyacids.Thedietofourancestorsshoweda1:1ratioforomega3to omega6.Themoderndiethasamuchlowerratioof1:20,orevenless.

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Omega3sareknowntobenefitthehumanbodyinmanyways.Cordainbelievesomega3 fattyacidswerekeyfactorsinincreasingthebrainsize.Theyprovidedthedietarysupportthat allowedtheformationofbraintissue.Theyareessentialinmaintainingstructuralfunctions, suchascreatingthemembranesinyourcellstokeeptissueshealthy,aswellasinsupporting biochemicalprocessesandbodymetabolism.Afavorableomega3:omega6ratioisimportant forphysicalaswellasmentalhealth,includingbutnotlimitedtooimmunesystemstrength, cardiovascularsystemstrengthandahealthydigestivesystem. Themoderndiet,withitsexcessiveconsumptionofsugarandsimplecarbohydratesand dangerousfatsupsetsthenaturalbalanceofthebodiesecosystem. Oneofthemosteffectivedietarysolutionstothehealthproblemswefacetodaycanbefound withinthepowerwithinthepaleodiet.Itisnecessaryforgoodhealthtorestorethehigh protein,highfat,andlowcarbohydratebalanceandtoregainthequalityofthenutrients whichhasbeenlostinmoderndayfoodprocessingandfarming.Bystrivingtoduplicatethe nutritionalintakeofourhuntergathererancestors,thepaleodietenablesustohaveaclear pathtowardstransformingphysicalandinternalhealth.

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Fruits and Vegetables

Itisnotalwayseasytodeterminewhichfoodsfitinthepaleodiet.Forpuristfollowersofthe diet,theruleistoeatonlythosefoodsthatourancientancestorshadavailabletothem, however,wearenowatanadvantagegreaterthanourancestorsinthatwehavetheabilityto consumeagreaterrangeofnutritionallyrichfruitsandvegetablesandusethemtocreatea nutritionallyrichmeal. Itsimportanttonotehowever,thatstarchytubersusuallyarenotrecommendedforinclusion inthepaleodietastheyaretoxicwhennotcooked,holdahighglycemicindex,arelowin phytosterols,whilealsocontainingenzymeblockersandlectins.Sweetpotatoes(yams)holda highernutritionalvaluetothatofpotatoesandsomeothertubersandarerecommendedas analternativefoodsourcefornutritionallydeprivedhighcarbohydrateswhenneededsuch asforathletes. Fruitsareacceptableforinclusioninthepaleodiet,howevershouldbeconsumedsparinglyto avoidahighcarbohydrateintakeaswellasprovidingthebodywithanoverloadof fructose/sugarsandadailycarbohydrateexcess. Nutsandseedsshouldbeconsumedsparingly,astheywouldhavebeenforourhunter gatherers.

InterviewwithGregBattaglia

Consuming a Modern Day Paleo Diet

GregBattagliaisaCertifiedLevelICrossfittrainerandaDieteticsstudentatImmaculata Universitywhoispassionateaboutconstantlyexploringwaystoimprovehumanhealth andperformanceandhelpingotherstoachievetheirhealthandfitnessgoals. Thepaleodietisdefinedbyeatingmeat,fish,vegetables,fruits,plants,nutsandseeds.But shouldwebeconcerned,oratleastawareofthemodernmodificationsweoftenimplement tocreateameal?Areweeatingpaleowithtoomanymodifications,ordoweholdtheability tocreateanevenmorenutritiouslydensemealandobtainbetterhealththanourancestors? Whatifwecouldfindouttheexactfoodsourclosestgeneticancestorsateandmimicked thattoourdietascloseaspossible,wouldweobtainthesamegoodhealthourancestors had,orhasourenvironmentchangedtoomuchthatourbodiesnowrequiremore? ToobtainabetterinsightIspokewithGregBattaglia. Thepaleoorpaleolithicdietisonewhichbasestheconceptofthefoodsavailabletoour huntergathererancestors,whichultimatelybreaksdowntofoodsprovidedandfoundin nature,withoutthenecessityoradditionofmodernfoodtechniques,chemicals, preservativesorprocessing.Thefundamentalsofthepaleodietprovideuswiththebasic guidelinesandprinciplesweshouldapplytoourdietsandlifestyletoday;notnecessarilythe exactfoodsavailabletoourancestorswithintheirenvironment. Butthequestionthenarises,areweultimatelyinapositionnowwherewearefortunate enoughtohavealargerangeoffoodsourceswecanchoosefromandhavetheabilityto achieveevengreaterhealththanourancestorsbecauseofthis.Orshouldwepossiblybe avoidingmanyofthefoodsourcesourancestorswouldn'thavehadavailableand/orinthe amounttheywouldhavehadavailable,becauseourgenesarestilladaptedfromthemore minimalfoodsourcesourancestorsconsumedandhadavailable? Itisknownthatourancestorshadgoodhealthanddidn'tsufferfromchronicillnessaswe dotoday.Ultimatelythedietofourancestorsvariedsomewhatdependingonwherethey lived,theirenvironmentalclimatesaswellasotherfactors. AncestorslivingaroundCanadawouldlivemostlyoffreshsalmon,deer,elk,berriesand plants.WhereasancestorslivingaroundAfricawouldhavelivedonplantrootsandanimals. AndthentherearetheAboriginalsinAustraliawholiveoffthelandwhoeatanimals,bugs, plants,nativenutsandhoney. Butresearchshowsallourancestorshadgoodhealthbecausetheywhereeatingnatural foodsourcesavailable.Butifthischanged,andAboriginalssuddenlylivedinCanada,eating salmonandberries,andancestorsinAfricasuddenlylivedintheoutbackofAustralia wouldtheyallstillhavevibranthealth?

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ThisisagreatquestionthatI'veponderedmyselfselfmanytimes.Ican'tsaythatIhavean exactanswer.Ipersonallylookatpaleoasanexplanationforwhycertaindietarystrategies workratherthanaprescription,perse.Forinstance,thefactthatmanypeoplearegluten intolerantcanbeexplainedusingthepaleomodel.Ifglutendidn'tcauseanyproblemswe wouldn'ttellpeopletonoteatgrainssimplybecauseourancestorsdidn't.IguesswhatI'm sayingisthatthepaleomodelcanguideourideas,butultimatelysolidsciencemustbethere toconfirmit. Intermsofdietsdifferingbasedongeographiclocating,thereissomeevidencethatisolated groupsdevelopadaptationstocertainfoods.Forinstance,thepeopleontheislandofOkinawa havedevelopedasalivaryenzymethatisusedspecificallyforbreakingdownstarches containedinrice,whereaspeopleofEuropeandescentdonothavethisspecificenzyme.This isobviouslyduetothefactthatOkinawanshavebeeneatingalotofriceforalongtimeand somehowwereabletodevelopsomeadaptationstoit. Ithinkit'salsoimportanttoconsiderthatprobablynotallofourancestorsinthePaleolithic werenecessarilyhealthy.Someprobablyhadtosurvivelongperiodsonlimitedfoodsources andindeeddevelopeddeficiencies.Othersprobablysurvivedinalushenvironmentwitha widevarietyofnutrientdensefoodsandflourishedwithexcellenthealth.Ithinkattheendof thedaythegoalisthis: 1.Getallessentialnutrientsneeded 2.Avoidthingsthatcauseproblems(possiblygrains,dairy,legumes) Whetherallofourancestorswereabletodothisornotisirrelevanttoourmodernneeds.The factthattheAustralianAboriginals,theInuit,andtheKalahariBushmenwereabletosurvive forsolongsuggeststhatalloftheirdietsmetthe2previousrequirements.Iftheydidn't,they wouldhavediedoffprettyfast,asI'msurehappenedtoplentyofculturesthatfailedtothrive. Ithinkthemainreasonthatpaleoworkssowellisbecauseitsimplyremovesthestuffthatwe knowtocauseproblems.Whetheryoueatlotsoffish,broccoli,spinach,andcollardgreensor lotsofbeef,cauliflower,carrots,andsweetpotatoes(notsayingthatyoucaneatjustthose foodsandmeetallnutritionalrequirements)andendupmeetingallyourmacroand micronutrientandcalorieneedsyou'llbehealthysinceyoumetyourneedsandavoidedthe stuffthat'sgoingtocausedamageinthefirstplace. Ourcurrentenvironmentandlifestyleisfardifferentfromthatwhichourancestorshad. Whatotheraspectsofourhuntergatherer'slifestyleshouldweconsidertoimplementin additiontofollowingthepaleodietfoodprinciples,whichcouldultimatelyenhanceour healthevenfurther? Ithinkanareathatismajorlylackinginmanydiscussionsofevolutionaryfitness(butcertainly notall)isthepsychologicalaspectofevolutionaryfitness.Weoftenhearaboutwhatwe shouldeat,howweshouldexercise,howmanyhoursofsleeptogeteachnight,what supplementstotake,andothertangibles.Butwhatwedontoftenaddressistheprimalmind andhowourevolutionaryenvironmenthasshapedourmindsandwaytooptimizethe functionofmindtoadapttoindustriallivingwhileremaininghappyandhealthy. SomethingthatIvenoticedandIsaythisoutofcompassion,notcriticism,isthatwe sometimesadoptaprimallifestyleinthetangiblesensebutdonothingtochangeourmind set.Westillattachouridentitytomaterialthingsandseekhappinessandgratificationfrom externalthingslikeshopping,watchingTV,drinking,andpossessions.Weevenidentify ourselvesbyhowmuchmoneywemake,orwhatclothswewearandattempttousethisasan

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attempttoattainfulfillment.Contrastthiswithourhuntergathererancestorswhohadfew possessionsandlivedanomadicexistence.Theonlythingstheyneededforhappinesswere foodandshelter,socialinteractionwiththeirtribeandintimaterelationships.Nowdontget mewrong,Ifallintothesesamematerialisticandconsumeristholessometimes,andIm certainlynotperfect,butIdofeelthatitiscriticaltotakesomemeasurestotakeastepback andmakenoteofwhatisreallyimportantinourlivesandputourmainfocusonthosethings. Indeed,researchhasshownthatmoneyonlyimproveshappinesstotheextentthatithelps oneachievetheirbasicsneedsoflivingandcomfort,whereashealthisamuchmoreaccurate indicatorofhappiness. So,inessence,thetakehomemessageofthisisthatourmentalperspectivesshould,ideally, befocusedonthethingsthatreallymatterinlife,likehealth,family,friends,andwhatwere passionateabout.Thatsnottosayweshouldalljustgoliveinshacksomewhereandnotmake money,butthatweshouldnotlosesightofwhatismostimportantandnotsacrificequalityof lifejusttomakemoremoneythatisnotreallyneededforhappiness. Agoodwayofimprovingourprimalmindsthatourancestorsdidnthavetouseismeditating. Ourancestorscertainlywerentsittingaroundmeditatingorpracticingstrategiestobecome morepresentmindedtheyhadenoughdowntimeduringtheirdailyactivitiestonotneedany stressrelieftechniquestokeeptheirstressresponseincheckbutmeditationhasbeen supportedbyscientificfindingstolowerthestressresponse,promoteastrongerimmune system,decreasebloodpressure,reducechronicpain,improvecognitivefunction,and improvesleepquality.Thegoodnewsisthatyoudonthavetositaroundwithyourlegs crossedlikeaBuddhistmonktogetthebenefitsofmeditation(unlessyouwantto,ofcourse). Thefollowingaresomegreatwaystomeditate: 1. Focusonyourbreath.Whenyoufeelstressedandarethinkingaboutamillionthingsjust slowdownandfocusonyourbreathing.Dothisforatleastaminuteandfocusonbreathingin deeplyandthenimaginethateverybreathoutisareleaseofallthebuiltuptensioninyour body.Becompletelyawareofyourbody..feelyourbody,sotospeak,andfeelitbecome relaxedandloose.Thiscanbeveryhelpful. 2. Becomemoreawareofyourbodyandsurroundings.Agoodquotebythefamous psychologistErikEriksonswife,JoanEriksonisGetoutofyourmindandintoyourbody. Whatthismeansisthatyoufocusonyoursenses.Mostpeopleinwesternsocietieshaveso manyresponsibilitiesthatourmindsarealwaysactivetothepointwherethebodygoesinto autopilotandwecompletelylosetouchwiththepresentmoment.Webecomecompletely focusedon,andworriedabout,whatwehavetodoforthefutureordwellingonthingsthat happenedinthepastratherthanfocusingsolelyonthepresentmoment.Thekeytotakinga breakfromallthisconstantthinkingistofocusonoursenses.Whatdowesee,hear,feel, smell,ortasteatthismoment?Focusonitandyoullbepresent. 3. Practiceflow.Flowisamentalstateinwhichapersoniscompletelyimmersedinan activitythattheyarecurrentlydoingandanyconceptoftimehasbeenstrippedaway.Itisan intenselyenjoyablestatetobeinandeveryonehasfeltthisatonetimeoranother.Thekeyto activatingitistodoanyactivitythatyouenjoybutthatalsooffersachallenge,butnotso muchofachallengethatitstressesyouout.. 4. Acceptfullywhatevercircumstancesariseinyourlifeatanypointintime.Thatsnottosay thatyoudonttrytochangeundesirablecircumstancesifyourecapableofdoingso,itjust meansthatyoudontcomplainorworryaboutwhateverishappeninginreality.Forinstance, letssayyousetupapicnicandtellallofyourfriendstocomebecausetheressupposedtobe

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niceweather.Yougeteverythingsetup,bringyourgrill,aFrisbeeforsomefunafterward,etc. Beforeyouknowitstartspouringrainassoonaseveryoneshowsup.Thenaturalinstinctisto flipoutorcomplain,getagitated,feellikeavictim,etc.Butthisdoesnothingbutmakethe situationworse.Instead,ifwesimplyacceptthesituationforwhatitisandtakeactiontofixit asbestpossiblewewillavoidmuchsuffering. Ifsomethinggoeswrongwesimplytakeactiontofixitifpossible,orifwecantfixit, completelyacceptitforwhatitis.Ifweemotionallyresistasituationthatcannotbechangedit onlycausesunneededstressthataccomplishesnothingotherthantodecreaseourqualityof lifeandhealth.Ifwecomplainorfeelbadforourselvesitonlyintensifiesournegative perceptionofthesituation.Thissoundslikecommonsense,butwehumanscanbehighly irrationalbeings,andthisresistancetowhateverthecircumstancescurrentlyareinlifeis widespreadinwesternculture. Anothergreatwaytoimproveyourhealththatisntalwaysmentionedbyproponentsof Primallivingisbyfosteringgoodrelationshipsandcompassionforotherhumanbeings.Inour technologicallyadvancesocietiesitbecomesincreasinglyeasyandtemptingtojustthrowon theTV,computer,ipod,orwhateverotherdistractionsareavailableandignoreotherpeople. Infact,manypeopledojustthisonadailybasisandhaveminimalinteractionwithother humanbeings,atleastonanysortofcompassionatelevel.Instead,turnthatstuffoffandtalk toafriend,familymember,orjustsparkrandomconversationwithinterestingpeoplethatyou meet.Dothingswithpeople,staysociallyactive,laugh,smile,complimentpeopleandgowith theflow.Peoplewillsensethisandgoodrelationshipswillbeborn. Also,Iknowthisresponseisabitphilosophicalinnatureoverall,butanothergoodonethat ourancestorsprobablydidntthinkabout,ordidnthavetoatleast,waswhattheirpurpose wasinlife.Havingapurposeinlifeissomethingthatcanpropelusforwardandkeepsus happyandmotivatedindaytodayliving.Manypeopleinoursocietyaretoldwhats importanttothem,howtheyshouldthinkandact,andwhataspirationstheyshouldhavein life.Mostpeoplegotoajobeverydaythattheyhatejusttopaythebills.Theyusetheirjobas ameansformakingmoneyonly,anddontenjoytheprocess.OnMondaytheycantwaituntil theweekendbecauseoftheirundesirablecircumstances.Thisisanothercauseofthelackof presentmindednessmentionedabove. Ourhuntergathererancestorslikelyfoundpurposeintheirdailyhuntingandotheractivities andenjoyedtheprocess.Inourcultureweneedtothinkaboutitanddevelopanhonestidea ofwhatsimportanttousinlifeandthenembraceitfullyandputallofourheartintoit.Itruly believethatisamajorkeytobothhealthandhappinessthroughoutthelifespan. Onamoretangiblenote,somethingelsethatIthinkisgoodforpeoplelivinginmorenorthern climatesisalightbox.Somepeopleinnorthernclimatesliterallydonotseeasignificant amountofbrightsunlightforweeksormonthsdependingonthelocationandseason.A 10,000luxlightboxcanbeusedtosimulatetheeffectsofsunlightandhasbeenwell researchedandshowntohaveprovenbenefitsinimprovingmoodandpreventing/treating depression.Thegreatpartisthatsomeinsuranceplanscoverthesethingsifyourdoctor prescribesit.Itcanbeturnedoninthemorningwhileeatingbreakfastandstimulatessensors intheeyesthathelptoregulatecircadianrhythm,resultinginmorealertnessandenergy duringthedayandaneasiertimefallingasleepatnight. Ipromisethisisthelastone,butIthinkrecreationaldancingisagreatadditiontoaprimal lifestyle.Ourancestorshadritualisticdanceceremoniesaroundcampfiresduringthenightto entertainthemselvesandhonortheirgods.Impersonallyaterribledanceranditsnot

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somethingIeventakeseriously(Itdoesntreallyneedtobeforourpurposesanyway),butifI goouttoabarwithagroupoffriendsandmusicisplayingIlloftendancearoundandhavea goodtimejusttosortofjokearoundandhaveagoodlaugh.Itsgreatexercise,itmakesme laugh,andmyfriendsgetakickoutofmyterribledancingskills,whichtiesinwiththewhole socialaspectofprimalliving.Idontthinkthisoneisnecessary,butforpeoplewhoaremore outgoingitsdefinitelysomethingfunandisactuallyreallygood,pumpyexercisethatgetsthe circulationgoing. Withalltheoutsideenvironmentalfactorswearefacedwithonadailybasiswhichimpacts onourhealthnegatively,i.e.stress,pollutionandradiation,weareinapositiveposition wherewehavetheabilitytotakeextranutritionthroughsupplementationwhichcanbea meansofhelpingtobalanceoutthenegativeimpactourenvironmenthasonourbody. Whatsupplementsshouldweconsidertoaddintoourdietstohelpincreaseournutrition? Fishoilseemstobeabigone. Whenitcomestohealth,Ibelievethatsupplementsshouldbekepttoaminimum.Themain purposeofanysupplementwithinthecontextofprimal/paleoeatingistoputsomethingback intoyourdietthatyouwouldbegettingifyouwereeatinganoptimalpaleodietbasedonall ofthehighestqualityfoodslikepasturedanimalproductsandorganicplantfoods. Unfortunately,notallofuscanmanagetodothatandinevitablysomesupplementswillbe neededtooptimizehealth.Likeyoumentioned,fishoilisanexcellentonthateverypaleo dietershouldbetakingiftheyaren'teatingallpasturedanimalproducts.3gperdayiswhat moststudieshavefoundtohavethehealthbenefitsoftakingfishoils. Anotheronethathasworkedwellformanypeopleisahighqualityprobiotic.Ourpaleo ancestorsconsumedtheorganmeatsofthewildanimalsthattheyhuntedandthebeneficial bacteriathatcamealongwiththecertainorganslikethesmallintestines.Theyalsoconsumed adequatedietaryfiberfromnoncerealplantfoodsandneverhadachancetoconsume refinedsugar,whichcandisruptthebalanceofintestinalbacteria. Anothersupplementthatisanabsolutemustinmybook(alongwithfishoil)isvitaminD. Indoorlivinghasdramaticallyreducedourexposuretosunlightandconsequentlyresultsin lowserumvitaminDlevels.2000IU's/dayisasafeupperlimitforvitaminDsupplementationif youhaven'thadabloodtesttomeasureyourvitaminDstatus.However,forsomepeople 2000IU'swillnotbeenoughtobringserumlevelintotheoptimumrange.Thatbeingsaid,I highlysuggestthatallpeopletakingvitaminDgettheirbloodlevelstestedperiodicallyto determinethedosagethatisappropriateforthem. Otherthanthat,thereareafewsupplementsthatareoptionalbutcouldbeverybeneficialfor somepeople.OneoftheseisZMA,whichshouldbetaken30minutespriortobedtime.It helpstoimprovequalityofsleepandrecoveryfromexercise,whichisveryusefulforhighly activeindividualsandathletes. Lglutamineisanaminoacidthatcanbetakenduringthetransitionphasefromatypical westerndiettoalowercarbohydratepaleodiet.ThebodycanuseLglutaminetofuelthe brainduringtheadaptationperiodtofatmetabolism,whilebloodglucoselevelwillbelowand cognitionwillsuffer.Itbasicallyhelpstoeasethesymptomsexperiencedwhileswitchingto beingafatburnerinsteadofasugarburner.

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Creatinemonohydratecanbeusedtoimproveworkcapacitywithinananaerobicdomainand hassomeniceresearchtobackitup.Italsomayhaveotherhealthbenefitslikeimproved cardiacfunctionandcognition. Althoughourancestorswouldn'thavecombinedfoods,wearenowabletoeatmorethan onenutritiousfoodsourceatanyonetime.Additionally,combiningcertainfoodscanhelp thesynergyofnutrientsandhelpwithdigestibility.Withthatinmind,shouldwebe concernedwithhighcaloriemeals,highcarbmealsorliquidmealsevenif100%ofthe ingredientsarepaleofriendly?Anddoesthisultimatelybegintogooutsidethebasic principlesofthepaleodiet? Whenitcomestofoodcombining,Ikeepaverysimplerule:nevereatamealthatisbothhigh infatandcarbs.Allmealsshouldbeeitherhighinfatandproteinorhighinproteinandcarbs, butneverhighinbothfatandcarbs.Thereasonforthisisthattheinsulinspikethatfollows carbconsumptionsignalsforfatmoleculestobestoredatthenearestadiposesites.Ifblood insulinlevelsandbloodfatlevelsaresimultaneouslyelevatedbodycompositionwillsuffer alongwithperformance,asthebodywillberunningonglucoseratherthanthemore consistentburningfat. Don'tgetmewrong,caloriesstillcountwhenitcomestofatlossandbodycomposition,butso domacronutrientsratiosandcombinations.However,it'salsoimportanttounderstandwhen toconsumeaprotein/carbmeal.Thebesttimeispostworkoutifyouhaveaperformance goal.IfIdon'tworkoutonaparticulardayIkeepallofmymealshighinproteinandfatand lowincarbs,sincemymuscledidn'tneedanyglycogentobereplace,hencetheabsenceofa postworkoutmealcontainingstarchycarbs. Herewouldbemyrecommendation: Forgeneralhealth/longevity:90%ofthetimeeathighprotein/highfatmeals,evenpost workout.Eatmealshigherinpaleocarbsoccasionallytorecalibrateinsulinsensitivity. Forperformancegoals:Eatahighcarb(starchypaleocarbssuchassweetpotatoes,squash, yams,etc.)/highproteinmealpostworkoutaftermetabolicconditioningworkouts,butnot afterstrengthwork.Therestofyourmealsshouldbehighprotein/highfat/lowcarb. Forfatloss:Keepitlowcarbandzigzagyourcalorieintake.Forinstance,ifyouneedto consume1500caloriesperdaytoloseweightyouwouldeat1000kcalsoneandthen2000 kcalsthenextdayto"trick"yourmetabolismandhangontomusclewhilestilllosingfat.This actuallyhasworkedverywellformeinthepastandIhighlyrecommendit.WhenIkeepmy calorieintakethesameeverydaywhilecuttingIstarttonoticeproblemswithwaterretention, andindicationofexcessivecortisolproduction.Ialsotendtolosemusclemasswiththat method.OnthezigzagapproachIlosefatandkeepmusclemucheasier. Whenitcomestoliquidmealsandhighercarbpaleomealstheabovesuggestionshouldbe considered.Itreallydependsonyourgoals.Fromahealthperspectiveliquidmealsaretobe avoidingduetoinsulinspikes,andlikeIsaidhighercarbpaleomealsfromsolidfoodshouldbe keptoccasional.Somepeoplecanbenefitfromliquidpostworkoutmeals,butotherswillstill presentsignsofhypoglycemiaandhyperinsulinemia.Thatbeingsaid,wholefoodisalways best,unlessyourrunningamarathonorsomeotherlongdistancedeathgrindthatrequires highcalorie/carbintakeonthegothatdoesn'trequiretonsofdigestion.

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Ithinkit'simportanttounderstandthateverythingisgoaldependent.Ifyouwanttolivereally longandbesuperhealthyyou'regoingtohaveadifferentplanthanifyouwanttoruna marathonandadifferentplanthanifyouwanttobecomesuperstrong.However,sincethe paleolifestyleisonebasedonhealth,longevity,andqualityoflifeIthinkit'skeytostaywith hebasics. Eatwholepaleofoods,keepcarbandfatmealsseparate,moderatecalorieintakeanddon't gorge,loaduponveggiesandpasturedmeats,incorporatesomeintelligentintermittent fasting,developsomestressreducingtechniques,exercisejustenoughtogetthebenefits,but notenoughtogetinjuredorcauselongtermwearandtear.Whenyouhavegoalsthatgo beyondthat,suchasperformanceorbodycompositiongoals,youhavetostretchthepaleo conceptandmakesomecompromiseswithyourlifestyleandsometimeswithyourhealthand longevity. The Paleo Cookbooks provide you with a range of dishes for every occasion - from light no-fuss meals through to dinner parties, family celebrations and summer salads. Using foods provided by Mother Nature that provide the framework and principles for healthy living, these exciting and flavorsome recipes using foods which are basic to our biology and our digestive system will help you experience wonderful results in your health and help to achieve positive results such as: Increased Energy - Increased Sex Drive - Clearer, Smoother Skin - Weight Loss Results - Better Performance and Recovery from Exercise - Stronger Immune System
These paleo recipes are easy to follow and use wonderfully fresh ingredients, with the emphasis on flavor and visual appeal. The Paleo Cookbook provides a wealth of ideas and recipes for a collection of mouth watering meals. Simple and Easy to Create Recipes with clear step by step instructions you will be able to produce paleo friendly meals that get rave reviews from friends and family every- time!
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