‘People all over the world were becoming weight-conscious. Way back in 1919, the Continental Scale Company saw a market being created and introduced the first bathroom scale, called the “Health-O-Meter”. Then in 1942, the Metropolitan Insurance Company started using weight tables in their calculations of premiums – the closer your were to the “ideal weight”, the lower your premiums. Industry was cashing in on the weight-loss consciousness.’
The Paleo Dietis based upon eating wholesome, contemporary foods from the food groups our hunter-gatherer ancestors would have thrived on during the Paleolithic era, the time period from about 2.6 million years ago to the beginning of the agricultural revolution, about 10,000 years ago. These foods include fresh meats (preferably grass-produced or free-ranging beef, pork, lamb, poultry, and game meat, if you can get it), fish, seafood, fresh fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts, and healthful oils (olive, coconut, avocado, macadamia, walnut and flaxseed). Dairy products, cereal grains, legumes, refined sugars and processed foods were not part of our ancestral menu.
Decades of research by Dr. Loren Cordain and his scientific colleagues demonstrate that hunter-gatherers typically were free from the chronic illnesses and diseases that are epidemic in Western populations, including:
- Obesity
- Cardiovascular disease (heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, atherosclerosis)
- Type 2 diabetes
- Cancer
- Autoimmune diseases (multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, etc.)
- Osteoporosis
- Acne
- Myopia (nearsightedness), macular degeneration, glaucoma
- Varicose veins, hemorrhoids, diverticulosis, gastric reflux
- Gout
http://thepaleodiet.com/getting-started-with-the-paleo-diet
While our books on The Paleo Diet provide much more detail on the foods you should and shouldn’t eat, here is a basic scheme of things:
EAT:
- Grass-produced meats
- Fish/seafood
- Fresh fruits and veggies
- Eggs
- Nuts and seeds
- Healthful oils (Olive, walnut, flaxseed, macadamia, avocado, coconut)
DON’T EAT:
- Cereal grains
- Legumes (including peanuts)
- Dairy
- Refined sugar
- Potatoes
- Processed foods
- Salt
- Refined vegetable oils (listed in The Paleo Diet Cookbook and The Paleo Diet for Athletes)
I guess for me I have an issue with anything that tells me DON’T EAT SOMETHING, especially things that are important like dairy! Granted, I don’t eat much dairy personally, but still, and legumes–really? I need to read more…
‘To summarize, the Paleo Diet’s based on what we “think” cavemen ate, based on some historical data and studies of modern-day hunter-gatherers, as well as trace evidence found in archeological digs and a whole lot of guess-work and theory.’
I guess what I’m not getting is, haven’t we evolved? So, wouldn’t our bodies and diets have changed? Wouldn’t this diet have changed to fit that, or doesn’t that matter?
This is the basis for the diet from what I can gather– I am generalizing. The thing is this– I just don’t believe in something that makes you give up something.
I know, I know, there are vegans and vegetarians, but I do believe that is different since I can speak from that experience, at least mine–it’s for moral reasons and because I don’t want to get cancer ( but this we will get into later.)
I guess I am just confused about this diet for I know it’s popular. But I also know, anytime you sacrifice food groups you will lose weight.
Like before, I will come back with reviews in a few days and see what others think, if anyone else has done this– please let me know. I am curious– maybe I’m just not understanding enough about it??
That is all for now….
xoxooxox
Traci
PS, haven’t worked out, I tweaked my knee so I need to figure out things to do that don’t hurt it, sigh. I do have a few ideas I’m going to try.
The Walker Lady 
I followed the Paleo diet for awhile and their are many misconceptions about it. I will agree that it is not for everyone, the same as vegan/vegetarian is not the same for all. It is really more of a choice of lifestyle like a vegan as opposed to a diet for weightless; however, just like everything else people use it strictly for weightless purposes. The whole point of not eating certain foods is because it is taxing on your digestive system. The gist of it is that our bodies aren’t designed to digest the foods they tell you not to consume, and over working you digestive system can cause health concerns/conditions. In all honesty when you cut out the foods and add them later you can tell a big difference on digestion and how those foods make you fell. Also while I do like dairy and still eat it I do have to admit that it is not necessary for a healthy diet/ life. If you think about we as humans are the only species that drinks milk past infancy, and we are also the only species,that drinks milk other than our mothers so our bodies aren’t designed to need animal milks. I have several books on this diet so a lot of the information is true and great but again not for everyone. I hope this helped you with some questions you had about it! 😊
Oh thank you Helen, like I said, I wasn’t trying to be ‘negative’ really and was hoping someone would come and explain it better to me for what I was finding was not really giving me enough information.
I didn’t see anything about ‘ adding it in later’ so that helps me. I thought ‘if you give it up’ of course you will lose weight, but when you go back to regular food, then WHAM!
You mention the milk and I only say this for my husband and I had this same discussion last night for as a lot of people know I have been following a vegan lifestyle for quite sometime. And what you said here though it may come from the Paelo diet, it also is what got me to start being a vegan as well ( I am leaving out the cancer part of it that I will go into later, time is an issue right now.) But he talks of the milk reasoning just as you did and he calls it ‘processed’.
The reason I say this is because I am thinking very hard of going back to just being a clean eater and not being a vegan/vegetarian for the most part–will explain later, have to get to work.
So, really I thank you for what you have said and please forgive me if I seemed harsh it wasn’t the intent. I believe there are so many ways to eat–I will never know them all, or there are combinations!! 🙂 I was just trying to understand this diet better and you really helped me Helen…
xoxoxooxox
Traci
I am glad I could help out a little! I didn’t think you we’re being harsh at all, I too have some of the same questions/concerns when I hear about new diets and such. I came across the paleo plan due to researching about some digestive issues I was having myself, and while I do not follow it strictly it is a good plan when used appropriately. Of course Paleo followers are like vegans/vegetarians and talk passionately about giving up the foods on the no list and never turn back. Myself….I am a lover of yogurt, quinoa, brown rice, etc, so personally I do still eat those foods when I want. I just try to watch the weekly intake so as not to disturb my digestion…..does that make sense?…lol!!
Thanks Helen,
Yes it does and I agree, that is why I started this, so many out there just see the ‘ latest diet’ and think, ‘oh I have to try that’ without really getting into the hows and whys…I wanted to get into some of these diets and see what they were really about. I haven’t tried some of them, but I wanted to check them out. I am going to do Weight Watchers and Eat Clean the pros and cons, both of them I have done, as well as the doing a Vegan or Vegetarian lifestyle just so people can have a better understanding instead of just guessing…
Thank you my dear!! 🙂
Traci