Out of the Cave and into the Fields
As soon as our populations increased and we became less nomadic, we had to figure out a way for our tribes to survive. I don't blame our ancestors for becoming farmers and adopting an agrarian, sedentary lifestyle. When I first came across the Paleo lifestyle I was confused at how a group of intelligent people could suddenly throw away such a healthy way of living for one based on crops which yielded much less nutrition.
But, after doing some more research, I discovered that it was more about survival as a species and less about sticking to one way of life. With animal extinctions increasing all over Europe, Asia, and North America I'm sure it made food sources incredibly hard to come by. Not only did our ancestors face possible starvation from lack of once plentiful nutrition sources, but their population density was increasing too. Perhaps they had no other choice but to have more masses of predictable foods available so their community had something to eat when daily hunts didn't result in killed game. When I look at it in a more compassionate way, I begin to understand a little better about what drove them to become less nomadic and more sedentary. Not only was their society changing but the climate was changing too. Trees and plants started to die and new ones took their place. Where coniferous forests once thrived, deciduous plants began to take over. Planting crops which have a much higher yield than a single animal and foraging can provide is a very logical step. It really does make sense for people to have made the switch 10,000 some years ago. But now things are different, and not in a small way.
Back 10,000 years ago the crops our ancestors planted weren't the seeds we use today. Maybe there are some lone survivors (remember, I'm not an expert), but the majority have been forced to change via genetic engineering. I'm sure you've heard of Monsanto and Dupont. If not, Google the companies and a wealth of info will become available to you. I really want to go on a super rant about Monsanto and Dupont because they are the scourge of the Earth, but I'll save that for another post on another day. Anyway, genetically engineered crops have not been created so we can have better nutrition; they were created because companies needed more money and more available "food" meant more in the bank for the "fat cats". Don't believe me? Take corn for example. Corn of our ancestors used to be high in protein (yes PROTEIN) and low in carbohydrates. Now it's the exact opposite. Not only is it a waste of energy for your body to process corn, but it doesn't do anything to benefit the expenditure. Why? Because it's now a filler. I no longer even consider corn safe to consume because it has been so genetically modified that it hardly resembles food. In fact, genetically modified foods such as sugar beet, corn, soy, canola, and cottonseed should NEVER be consumed. It has become incredibly toxic because of the genetic changes made by companies who don't have your health in mind. It's challenging, but those items should be avoided at all costs. After all, you wouldn't be reading this post if you weren't interested in a challenge to your eating practices, right?
There were two societies which were recently discovered to have lived in about the same region of the Ohio Valley thousands of years apart. When anthropologists made this find it was really quite incredible and rare. Here, in the same basic place, were two very different groups of people: paleo-indians and new agrarians. It was easy to see the differences in their diets and ways of life because the evidence was right there to compare. The agrarian society showed evidence of shorter stature (height), more diseases, and many more cavities in their teeth. They were also found to be nutrient deficient. The paleo-indians seemed to have a longer lifespan, were taller, had much less disease, and very few cavities. They were found to have had a nutrient rich diet with well-balanced varieties of foods. Not only were they healthier, but they were probably much happier than our more recent agrarian ancestors. Even though it is harder to come by big game than going into a barn to slaughter an animal and harder to forage for wild plants than to pick something out of a field, hunter-gatherer societies have always shown more evidence of happiness than those who lead more sedentary lives.
When I say sedentary, I don't mean sitting on the couch watching tv. I mean staying in one place versus being nomadic. I know it seems like it should be the other way around, but it's not. As a sedentary, agrarian society we have to work much harder, experience longer amounts of high stress levels, and don't receive a well-balanced diet. Hunter-Gatherer societies may not have grocery stores at their disposal, but they are adept at finding foods which give them the sustenance they need. And, because they aren't as focused on growing crops in one very specific place, they are able to move their homes should hunting turn less fruitful. There have been studies of these communities by anthropologists which has evidenced that they have more time to relax and enjoy life than we do. Imagine this:
It's early morning at the break of dawn. You and your extended family awaken to a new day which will be filled with a little bit of food finding and a lot of relaxation. The men in the tribe head out for a day or two long hunt while the women and children forage fresh wild nuts, seeds, berries, and juicy insects. The men return with a small offering of meat which will feed the whole tribe. You begin to roast the meat over a hot fire while a side of delicious, locally foraged food is being prepared. When dinner is ready, everyone sits and eats together and shares stories about their ancestors or their experiences throughout their day. Darkness starts to fall and the stars come out with all their brilliance in a gorgeous night sky. You start to get sleepy because your brain senses darkness and knows it's time to relax. Slowly, you fall asleep. You stay asleep for 8-10 hours because that's what your body needs. You awaken the next day refreshed, happy, and loving life; not to an alarm clock that signals your time for preparation to a job you don't like; not sleep deprived from staying up too late; not stressed and angry about the balance in your bank account.
I don't know about you, but that doesn't seem a bad lifestyle. Even during the times when hunts don't go well or foraging yields a small amount of food, it sounds like a great way of "being". When is the last time your entire family had a meal together? For me it was last Christmas season which was six months ago. We should revel in our elders' stories of their lives. After all, that's your history! But I digress...
Modern Stresses vs Running from an Angry Predator
When our Paleo ancestors went on a hunt they experienced high levels of stress but it was for very short periods of time. It was a very necessary response of survival which we don't usually experience today. Fight or flight is a natural stress response but habitual, chronic, deadly levels of stress is just that: deadly. Our bodies haven't evolved to carry extended stress levels from jobs we don't want to do, a bank account that isn't high enough, etc. I know this sounds cliche, but we really aren't evolved to sit at a desk for 8 hours a day or watch non-stop tv. Getting lots of exercise is important because we physically and genetically NEED the activity. Now, I'm not suggesting that you go out and start training for a marathon... but walking every day and doing moderate cardio a few times a week will not only make your body look great but it gives you a natural high from serotonin boosts. So, instead of grabbing that piece of chocolate cake (yummy, I know) grab a piece of fruit and go for a run or walk. Think of it as a modern hunting experience! Not only will exercising help you feel better physically, but mentally it's a great way to work off the stresses of the day.
Paleo Nutrition
Let's talk about the food you shouldn't be eating from a Paleo standpoint. I'm sure most of you are aware of the food pyramid. It may have had a big makeover from when I was in school, but it's still incorrect. Wait... What? - I know, I know... This section is going to be challenging! Everything you thought you knew about the food pyramid is wrong. Take a deep breath - inhale - exhale. Just in case you need to read that again: Everything you thought you knew about the food pyramid is wrong. Ok, maybe not everything, but a lot is really, really wrong. Let's take a look at the typical food pyramid as I explain what's wrong:
Grains
For me and every other human person, grains have a toxic reaction in the body. They don't want to be eaten, they want to reproduce over and over again. When we eat grains they create bloating and inflammation through out the entire body. They also cause weight gain. I don't care if you're 100 pounds or 400 pounds; if you just cut out breads and grains from your diet you will see a huge drop in weight. Why? Because your body doesn't know how to react to grains and when they're no longer in your system your body can function correctly! Grains have the habit of also reacting like a drug in your system. It's a bit of an addictive substance because it becomes nothing more than sugar when consumed. Everyone knows what happens when we give small children sugary foods, right? They get a huge burst of energy and act as though they've lost control. Then they want more, and more, and more of that sugary "goodness". But when we don't give it to them, they have a massive fit. They really can't help it because their brains are telling them they need more and must get it no matter what. This has the exact same effect on adults. Why? Because, for our Paleo ancestors, sugary foods were hard to come by. Refined sugar simply didn't exist, and it's my belief that we haven't evolved to consume as much sugar as is available to us on a daily basis. There's even sugar in conventional milk - YUCK! Now, where I differ from many other Paleo practitioners, is that I consume honey. Bees have been around, well, for a very long time. So I find it hard to believe that our ancestors never came across bee hives on their foraging outings. But that's all the sugar I consume because I don't want any other forms. It's a difficult habit to kick, but if you can do it you will be able to reap the rewards!
I have to be honest with you. When I first started on my Paleo journey I freaked out a little bit when I discovered I shouldn't eat grains. At the time my family and I consumed at least three loafs of bread a week. And it didn't matter if it was store bought or homemade. We were huge bread consumers! In fact, I went through withdrawal from not eating bread or grains in some form every day as I was accustomed. If you also choose to kick the grain habit, be ready for the cravings and withdrawal in your own body. But I have a couple helpful hints that worked really well for me and may do the same for you:
No, this is not me, though it's what I probably looked like when going through grain withdrawal.
1) Instead of telling yourself you can't have something, switch to saying you don't want that something. Changing your thought process is a big help when it comes to such a large lifestyle change as this.
2) Focus on the adventure! When you convince yourself that something is going to be a negative experience, it will probably turn out that way. But if you approach this with excitement and a positive attitude, you will have a lot of success and be so much happier!
Beans
Back to the pyramid! Beans are another thing we just shouldn't consume. I'm talking about chick peas, lentils, peanuts, red beans, fava beans, butter beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, etc; not green beans - they are fine to consume. Beans react in a similar was as grains but without the euphoric effects. Think about eating a big bowl or two of chili. Soon afterwards chances are you've started to pass gas and have a bloated abdomen. That's your body having a very negative reaction to the beans you just ate. Beans don't want to be eaten so they've evolved to have a toxic reaction when consumed. Why eat something if it's only going to hurt our bodies? Legumes are also on the list of foods that aren't good for us, and that includes peanuts. There is some difference of opinion when it comes to lentils, which are also a legume. Lentils are one food source that I and a few others find to be acceptable for the Paleo lifestyle when, and only when, they are long soaked. However, most people disagree with this thinking and choose to keep lentils out of their daily food routines, which is ok. I've found that if I soak them for 6+ hours they don't negatively affect my body. But if I let them soak for less time they make me feel bloated and generally unwell. This isn't the same for everyone, so I suggest slowly omitting grains, beans, and legumes from your diet which will not only allow you better success at keeping them out but will also allow you to discover whether or not you have issues with a particular food. And don't let what your body currently feels like fool you into thinking these things have zero effect because they absolutely do. You're just used to feeling that way so you don't notice that something's wrong. It takes 30 days to really get your body into proper working order and it needs those full 30 days, trust me. So there's no mistake, the 30 days begins when all non-Paleo foods are removed from your daily food consumption routine.
Fruit and Vegetables
Another disagreement I have with the traditional food pyramid diagram is the amount of fruit they suggest we consume. Fruits are great sources of carbohydrates and natural sugars, but we should save them for when we need an energy boost. Instead of grabbing an energy drink, try a banana or apple. It has many more benefits and not a mile long list of ingredients. In a book I was recently reading about Paleo eating, it suggested thinking of fruits as a condiment. You wouldn't eat a cup of mustard, so don't eat three or four apples a day either. Adding tons of vegetables to your daily meals is much better. There are very few sugars in veggies, less carbs, and more long lasting nutrients. Now, please don't mistake me for saying fruits aren't good to consume; they're a necessary addition to your diet. But I am saying that less fruits and more veggies will give your body more to work with and therefore can focus more on keeping the mechanics going and less time dealing with insulin responses.
Fats and Meat
Speaking of body mechanics and their responses, let's talk about FAT! I love fat - "good" fats, that is. They're hardly even represented on the traditional food pyramid. And what do they show, but a plastic container full of liquid fat. Does that look appetizing to you? Not to me! Do you know what does sound delicious - bacon! But let me be clear... I am not talking about the bacon you buy from a grocery store. I'm talking about bacon directly from a butcher or plain old pig belly meat. I don't want to get into nitrates too much, but I do have to say that they're not healthy to consume in large amounts. I am one who thinks hot dogs, conventional bacon, lunch meat, etc are not good to put in my body in any quantity. I'm lucky because my husband is a butcher so he has a host of healthy meats available for us. However, you don't have to know someone "on the inside" to eat healthy bacon. Yep! I said healthy bacon!
My favorite thing is to use pork belly meat which you should be able to find at a major grocery store and, if not, you will definitely find it at a small butchery. They will likely not slice it for you (be sure to ask), but that's not a big deal. All you need is a very sharp knife, steady hand, and patience. My husband just slices it as thinly or as thickly as we fancy then places it in the refrigerator or freezer depending on how much we have. You may take a further step and smoke it yourself, but either way it's delicious! It gets just as crispy as conventional bacon if you use a small amount of oil (olive or coconut) and use a medium heat. When we have it readily available, I usually eat three or four pieces every day with breakfast.
Butter is another amazingly good fat! Real butter, not margarine or any other butter substitute (other than coconut butter) should be used liberally. When we have the time and desire we buy cream from cows which have been grass fed and make our own butter. We probably use two or three tablespoons per meal each day. Other great, healthy fats are those from healthy animals (not feedlot animals) such as free-range chickens, antibiotic-free/grass-fed cows, goats, ethically raised pigs, wild-caught fish not on "the red list" (red list link at the end of this post), ethically raised lambs and sheep, virgin coconut oil, and cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil. Stay way from canola oil (usually GMO), soybean oil (usually GMO), cottonseed oil (usually GMO), etc. Those are not considered healthy fats even though the labels try to convince you otherwise.
I'm sure at this point you're wondering how eating so much fat can possibly be considered healthy. Well, think about the liver. What does the liver do? It helps detoxify the body, maintain proper blood sugar levels, and a host of other very important duties. I want to focus on just the blood sugar regulation and cholesterol regulation. It's a common theory that if you eat less fat, than you will have a lower "bad" cholesterol level, or LDL. This couldn't be more incorrect. Your body NEEDS fats to not only survive but thrive. What happens when we limit or omit healthy fats from our body is that the body has to try and find them from other sources. In this case, the liver tries to compensate by producing it's own source of cholesterol which results in elevated LDL levels.
Don't believe me? It's ok, my doctor didn't believe me either. Let me tell you a little history of my personal health. As of the writing of this post I am 32 years old and, at one time, was on cholesterol lowering medication. When I was on cholesterol regulating medication, I was consuming a vegetarian diet heavy in soy and pasta/grains with small amounts of sea food. I have a family history of high cholesterol as well as high blood pressure. It's been seven years or so since I was on cholesterol meds. Naturally, when I was beginning my Paleo journey and eating a ton of "bacon" (belly meat) and way more fats than I was previously accustomed, I was concerned about my cholesterol levels because of my history. My doctor didn't know about my dietary changes, but he felt I should probably get my levels checked since it had been a while. I received some very happy news! My LDL level was only 12 points over the government health recommendations (it was 112 and should be under 100), and my HDL, or "good" cholesterol, was amazingly high. Government health recommendations for HDL levels is 60 and over and mine was around 75. And all of this was from adding good fats and omitting grains. A funny thing my doctor said when I was being read the results was that I should limit my amounts of fats and add more "healthy" grains to my diet. If he only knew my great numbers were caused by me doing the exact opposite!
Dairy
When it comes to dairy, it's generally not included in Paleo practitioners diets. However, I include it in my daily eating routine. Interestingly, humans are the only species that continues to consume milk past infancy. This definitely falls under my theory of "If it negatively affects your body, don't consume it." We consume butter but it comes from healthy, grass-fed, antibiotic-free cows and we make it ourselves. The small company that makes our milk and cream also uses a process of minimal pasteurization which still contains the good bacteria our bodies use to breakdown lactose. Fully or ultra-pasteurized milk no longer has those good bacteria because they were all killed during the super high heating of the milk. Another great but generally illegal form here in the US is raw milk. But if you can get it, it's the closest thing to natural, unprocessed milk a person can get. We also consume small amounts of milk but it comes from the same cows we source for our cream. We eat cheese too, but cheese is fermented milk and fermented foods are generally considered good for us. I'm not talking about processed cheeses with artificial coloring added. I mean Parmesan, cave cheeses, and other naturally aged cheese. Again, think about cavemen and women and what they would be doing to get cheese. We also make our own kefir which is a fermented milk drink. This is not the same thing as the kefir you buy at the store. They use the same starter called kefir grains, but they also add a ton of refined sugar to the end product to make it sickeningly sweet. Making your own kefir is easy and only takes one to two days. If you're interested in making kefir, please send me a message or leave a comment on this post and I'll be happy to assist you.
Need a break from all of this serious information?
Here's a quick, fun video which explains how eating fat does not make us fat:
Video: Fat Doesn't Make Us Fat
Now that we've gone over the traditional food pyramid, let's switch our focus to the Paleo Food Pyramid, or what one would look like:
I really like this diagram, but I especially love the caveman leaping up the side with a spear! It's easy to see that this diagram suggests we eat mostly vegetables, a smaller amount of fruits, a little less meat along with a little less fish, fowl and eggs, then nuts (not peanuts), seeds, healthy fats and oils (like olive and coconut) and the least amount of herbs, extracts, and supplements as one would expect. Notice anything missing entirely? GRAINS!
Let's take a look at them side by side for an easier comparison:
From hereon I will refer to them as TP (traditional pyramid) and PP (Paleo pyramid).There is a much larger emphasis of vegetables and fruits on PP and a huge emphasis of grains on TP. Now, remember when I said earlier that grains break down as sugars and toxins in the body? When we think logically about this, why would it be a good thing to consume so many sugars (remember grains break down and become sugar in the body), especially as a majority of our daily food routine? It doesn't make sense to me. Vegetables break down at a much more efficient rate and provide a multitude of necessary nutrients for our body mechanics. Same thing for fruits, only think of them as I mentioned earlier: quick release foods and energy boosters. As far as the meats and beans on the TP are concerned, I have no idea why they would be combined. Meats are an animal protein and beans are plant protein which react as a toxin in the human body. I don't know about you, but I think one of those things is not like the other. Lastly, nuts and seeds aren't even a category on the TP. Nuts provide countless nutrients to our bodies and are a great source when needing to quickly refuel. I always carry a mini mason jar of nuts, seeds, and dehydrated fruits in my bag for a quick snack. It's delicious and nutritious! Sorry, I just had to say it!
Are you still confused about what's Paleo and what's not? I found an amazing flow chart that is pretty helpful and a little bit funny:
For me, the Paleo lifestyle isn't about being healthier than the person next to me or never, ever having things that don't qualify as a "Paleo food". In fact, sometimes I want pizza with bread and not a base of cauliflower. And sometimes I crave Chinese take away. Do I indulge those desires? Yes - on occasion, and I am always fully aware of the consequences of my indulgences. I feel negative effects in my body 100% of the time. Nothing in life should be so strict that you can't indulge once in a while as long as you're fully aware of the impending results. One thing is for sure: you MUST keep these little moments to a minimum. It takes up to 15 days for grains to leave our system. So next time you want a slice of pizza, keep in mind that it will be with you for a while.
On a very personal note:
When I cut out grains and passed through the withdrawal phase (which wasn't that bad) I found myself to be more aware, more awake, was in better moods more consistently, and lost a significant amount fat weight. How much weight? At the beginning of my journey I weighed 170 pounds. At 5'1" that's a lot more than I would like to weigh just from a personal standpoint. In 4 months I dropped 28 pounds. If I'm honest, I should also tell you that I didn't exercise anywhere near as much as I would have liked. I went for a walk a few times, but other than carrying my 25 pound baby around and getting up and down/vacuuming/cleaning/cooking, etc that was the extent of my exercise routine. Since adding yoga and a bit more cardio to my daily routine as well as adopting a more strict Paleo lifestyle I have noticed an even bigger difference in the way I feel. It just seems to keep getting better and better! I try not to focus on the number on the scale if/when I weigh myself. Fat weighs less than muscle, therefore when a person loses fat and gains muscle they may not notice too much of a shift in numbers. Rather, I try to go with how I feel and the way my body looks. The way my clothes fit is a great indication of weight changes too.
Are you ready?!
If you choose to take the Paleo journey along with me, please let me know! I am happy to be a source of information or even act as a person you can confide if, perhaps, you need a little support. This is a very big change and isn't encouraged by the masses. Doctors don't believe the results even though they're on paper. The government gets kick backs from the pharmaceutical companies so they aren't interested in changing the way they promote nutrition. If everyone ate with a Paleo mindset, there would be less disease, less cavities, much happier people, less people who are obese and overweight, and less money for them to pocket. It's not for everyone and is a major challenge, but the worst thing that could happen is you lose weight, gain muscle, create a more efficient way for your body to do it's job, have a happier outlook, have more energy, and feel so much better!
Helpful Links:
-Stupid Easy Paleo Blog
-Making Bacon from Pork Belly Meat
-Great source for Paleo FAQ's and recipes!
-More info on Nitrates
-Fish Red List
-Book: The Paleo Solution by Robb Wolf
Also check out the recipes found on my blog as many of them are Paleo and/or gluten-free!
Resources:
http://robbwolf.com/blog/
http://public.wsu.edu/~rquinlan/mptoup.htm
http://www.public.wsu.edu/gened/learn-modules/top_agrev/4-Agriculture/agriculture1.html
http://www.mercola.com/article/carbohydrates/paleolithic_diet.htm
Photo Credits:
http://indulgy.com/post/HBoq8RZHU1/paleo-diet-flow-chart-makes-it-easy-sleep-eat-gy
http://howtobbqright.com/blog/?p=1387
http://pinterest.com/neiges1/bread-addiction/
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8187866.stm
http://www.discovergrandteton.org/park-history/prehistoric-indians/
http://paleohacks.com/questions/6279/what-would-a-paleo-food-pyramid-look-like#axzz2VD8utFrF
http://public.wsu.edu/~rquinlan/mptoup.htmhttp://www.cnpp.usda.gov/Publications/MyPyramid/OriginalFoodGuidePyramids/FGP/FGPPamphlet.pdf
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