Topic: paleolithic diet

[Tsingle93]

This thread caught my attention, and I am currently trying out the paleo diet as of this morning, with a couple exceptions, mainly dinner food. Anyways, I decided to see what arguments there were against the paleolithic diet, and found this. It was kinda discouraging, would someone like to disprove this article?            http://www.westonaprice.org/bookreviews/paleodiet.html

[Chris Salvato]

Sounds more hateful than critical...

Just stick to eating whole foods without much processing and you will be a step ahead.  You will feel better if you do paleo for 30 days -- but going without things like salt is a bit absurd -- just avoid processed foods, grains, dairy and legumes and you will get the "paleo" experience.

[Tsingle93]

yea that's true. The only thing that I really took out of that article that seemed it could have a point is that the hunter gatherers did not only kill animals with lean meats, but also animals with fatty meats as well. Anyways, I am starting paleo mainly in breakfast and lunch. This morning, I had 3 scrambled eggs, a banana covered with peanut butter, and water. Is this a pretty balanced/paleo meal? I think it is, the only thing is when I try to generally balance carbs, fats, and proteins, oftentimes in breakfast and lunch I have difficulty finding a source of fat, I don't really like nuts for breakfast much. Any good ideas for how to eat a more balanced/fatty breakfast and lunch? I am not trying to gain weight or lose weight, I just want to gain muscle in general and be the best I physically can be and I want to get the most benefit from what I eat. Thanks
- Tsingle

[Tsingle93]

oh also when you say dairy do you include eggs? cuz I thought eggs were a good thing in a paleo diet??

[Chris Salvato]

oh also when you say dairy do you include eggs? cuz I thought eggs were a good thing in a paleo diet??

Eggs are not dairy.  Dairy is something that comes from the utters of an animal like a cow or a goat.

Your breakfast seemed fine.  If you are going to eat fatty meats you should make sure you supplement with omega 3 fish oils every day -- at least 2000-5000 mg of EPA+DHA or buy grassfed meat.

[Faithkeeper]

So I've been trying this diet out recently...

Unlike some others, I haven't felt too bad in the first 2 weeks (thus far). I had a really minor headache once, but that's all. (But the lack of negative side effects could be because I've been getting plenty of sleep all along and didn't drink much caffeine.)

I do, however, have one interesting bit, that I call a complaint, but it may also be a blessing: After a small while on the diet, any time I "cheat" I get stomach aches. Usually within an hour of the meal. Is this normal?

[Rafe]

Steven just wanted to point out that is misinformation on hunter forager life spans mortality rates mean life span is was probably around 30 years for most of our history, if you lived to 15 you were likely to live into your 40's and 50's and living in to the 70's was not uncommon but was certianly not the mean.
http://johnhawks.net/weblog/reviews/life_history/aging_evolution/hill_2007_hiwi_mortality.html
http://www.anth.ucsb.edu/faculty/gurven/papers/GurvenKaplan2007pdr.pdf

[Steven Low]

thx for the info Rafe.

So I've been trying this diet out recently...

Unlike some others, I haven't felt too bad in the first 2 weeks (thus far). I had a really minor headache once, but that's all. (But the lack of negative side effects could be because I've been getting plenty of sleep all along and didn't drink much caffeine.)

I do, however, have one interesting bit, that I call a complaint, but it may also be a blessing: After a small while on the diet, any time I "cheat" I get stomach aches. Usually within an hour of the meal. Is this normal?

Yup, I get that too. That's normal.

Eating trash food makes you sick.

-----------------

BTW, for those of you interested in practical implementation of Paleo and surround issues you should listen to Robb Wolf's podcasts:

http://robbwolf.com/?feed=podcast

There's 8 so far so only 8 hours of listen. Very good stuff.

[Faithkeeper]

Yup, I get that too. That's normal.

Eating trash food makes you sick.

What's interesting about that (to me) is that most of the food I cheat with is better than what I used to eat. (It's how I justify cheating)

[Michael H. HIPK]

I would think about going Paleo but I'm at a lack of money being still sixteen and no job. Though I'm looking for one so once I do that and my mom cooks something I can have just bought my own food and cook that. Though of course I can easily give up soda and milk (maybe, depending on what she cooks and if she adds milk.) Pasta might be a bit trouble, I grew up on it. And we have it about twice a week. That will be a challenge to drop.

Though I have a question, I'm under weight (hardly on the age to weight scale). So is it actually wise to try this diet or maybe find some other eating habit that's still healthy

[evilpenguin]

I'm not really contemplating the paleo diet but I am thinking about trying to eat at least a little healthier. Problem is that I'm trying to gain muscle and I've heard milk is good for a little extra weight (plus its how I get most if not all of my calcium and vitamin D and also it's pretty much my favorite drink). If I cut out foods like mcdonalds, candy, soda, etc would the milk be too much of a problem?

[Chris Salvato]

You may want to read this article first - it will help you move away from bad foods before going into something like paleo, atkins, or whatever else you are contemplating.

http://www.eatmoveimprove.com/2009/05/eating-right-how-to-get-started/

[sparta98]

First, I just want to ask if there are any objections to these?
To me, it just makes logical sense, based on human history, to eat foods that were only available as a primitive being.


Anywho,
Milk's gonna be the hardest for me to back off of, it's a great alternative to water, mainly because of consistency and unique taste.
Have to say, didn't know peanut was a bean.
I completely backed off of bread/starch/grain stuff, and haven't had a problem. I personally feel a lot better (must be the lack of sugar spiking) =D


So, simply put, what are the benefits and lack of detriments?
Also, can someone help clear up which vegetables are legit, and which aren't?

peanuts are actually legumes

[Woody369]

I was just going to put that peanuts and cashews are legumes so are not paleo. They contain toxins which may be poisionous to humans.

However some sources also say bell peppers, tomatoes and egg plant, as part of the night shade family aren't paleo, but they have too much awesomenuss to cut out.

In addition, I didn't read all the pages, but if it wasn't mentioned, even authors of paleos books don't recommend strict diets for athletes. Pre and peri workout nutrition (before and after) need a quick carb source, beans maybe, or oats, potatoes brown rice..

Cutting them out completely is not recommended by most for athletes. So then it is a decision between eating something that may contain poisons and disrupt our bodies, and giving our body what it needs to repair after heavy work.

Also never having carbs will decrease your insulin sensitivity so the time you can only get hold of a bagel the spike will be crazy.

[Chris Salvato]

I was just going to put that peanuts and cashews are legumes so are not paleo. They contain toxins which may be poisionous to humans.

However some sources also say bell peppers, tomatoes and egg plant, as part of the night shade family aren't paleo, but they have too much awesomenuss to cut out.

In addition, I didn't read all the pages, but if it wasn't mentioned, even authors of paleos books don't recommend strict diets for athletes. Pre and peri workout nutrition (before and after) need a quick carb source, beans maybe, or oats, potatoes brown rice..

Cutting them out completely is not recommended by most for athletes. So then it is a decision between eating something that may contain poisons and disrupt our bodies, and giving our body what it needs to repair after heavy work.

Also never having carbs will decrease your insulin sensitivity so the time you can only get hold of a bagel the spike will be crazy.

Botanically speaking, cashews are a seed, not a legume.

[Trevor McDowell]

Question: I know milk is a dairy product but I would like to add milk to my paleo, for calcium, is it good to drink 1% or skim for this?

[Chris Salvato]

Paleo dieters claim they don't need calcium from milk.  Milk establishes an acidic environment so most of that calcium doesn't even get absorbed.  An alkaline environment with calcium is more beneficial, usually.

[Trevor McDowell]

Ok. Cool. Thanks!

[Woody369]

If you really want to add milk. Try to get hold of raw milk (from non drugged up cows). The fats are about the only good thing about it. Calcium and protein content are pretty useless. And the carb content from milk sugars isn't a good source either.

Ideally avoid it. If you only want milk for calcium you are better off eating almond, broccoli etc. Or egg shells, small fish with bones...

[Rafe]

If your lactose tolerant whole milk preferably raw is good for you. Dairying cultures have arguably the best overall health profiles compared to agrarian and hunter foragers. In east africa for instance, pastoralists are about 5^8 on average, agrarian peoples are about 5^5 and hunter foragers are about 5^2(male heights) while not a perfect guide height is often used a metric indicating overall health of population. Reading through ethnographies you will find that the pastoralists are often remarked upon as being not just tall but well built, symetrical and having excellent teath and skin compared to other groups.

You have to have the genetics to digest milk and you have to get clean dairy sources but dairy is pretty beneficial food source from what I can see.

Also if you want to grow muscles there is no better food.