Paleo has been creating a huge buzz in the health and fitness community for the last couple of years now. Paleo is short for Palaeolithic Diet; also commonly known as the Caveman diet. The philosophy is based around the principles of eating the way our early ancestors did in the Palaeolithic era, before farming and industrialization. The foods you eat are the only ones that would have been available through hunting and gathering; specifically meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds; excluding dairy, grains, legumes and any foods grown through modern day farming or processing practices. There is a myriad of resources available these days to set you on the path to this style of clean eating, but what happens when these resources become so overwhelming you just don’t know where to start? Questions start running around your head like – Why would I choose to eat like this? Do I have to give up foods I love? What are the benefits of eating this way? Fear not and read on, I’m about to give you 3 benefits of the Paleo diet that can help you decide if this eating style is right for you:
- A PALEO STYLE DIET IS HIGH IN NUTRIENT DENSE FOOD:
Choosing to eat a Paleo style diet exposes you to mountains of fresh foods. By avoiding packaged and processed foods, you’ll expose yourself to the greatest range possible of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants your body needs to work, rest and play. Quality is always encouraged – fresh over frozen and choose organic, free range, grass fed or wild caught meat and seafood where possible to maximize your intake of nutrients. Paleo can also help to broaden your discovery and experimentation with new foods you may not have tried before. It can offer ways to swap out refined ingredients like white sugar and flour and vegetable oils, and replace them with whole foods sources, like almond and coconut flour and coconut oil to achieve the same results with all the added benefits of their included nutrients.
- A PALEO STYLE DIET CAN IMPROVE YOUR ENERGY:
Combining this specific selection of proteins, complex carbs, fibre and good fats, and excluding refined sugars and grains, encourages stable blood sugar levels across your day. By promoting a healthy insulin response, you can begin to see benefits including eliminating that pesky 3 o’clock slump, better memory and concentration, improved sleep, more energy and better recovery for exercise. One small randomized, crossover study showed the benefits of the Paleo diet on people with type 2 diabetes. The participants trialled a Diabetes diet and then a Paleo diet for 3 months each, consecutively, using insulin markers, triglycerides, waist circumference, blood pressure and weight to measure outcomes. When the outcomes were analysed, the Paleo diet resulted in lower blood pressure, triglycerides, weight, waist circumference and insulin markers when compared to the Diabetes diet.
- A PALEO STYLE DIET MEANS LESS EXPOSURE TO ADDITIVES AND PRESERVATIVES:
Eating a Paleo style diet means that you’re exposing yourself to a cocktail of synthetic additives and preservatives from processed and packaged foods. The world of Paleo allows you to learn how to create variations of all your favourite snacks and sauces, without any of the nasties. Consuming a diet low in or void of man made chemical compounds, means less burden on your body’s detoxification pathways – the liver, kidneys, gut and skin; allowing them to perform their functions in optimal health for growth and repair. Another benefit of excluding processed foods from your diet means less risk of adverse reactions to “Franken-foods” or developing lifestyle related conditions down the track; for example, skin rashes, fatty liver, digestive issues, fatigue and insulin resistance. Sticking to a balanced diet of fresh, whole foods will encourage better energy, improved mood and performance and healthy heart function just to name a few!
Want to find out about how Paleo could help you improve your health? I’ll be presenting a seminar on all things Paleo on Wednesday 25th March at 6:30pm. To book your place please contact our reception team on 33667970 or book online at www.vibenaturalhealth.com.au
RESOURCES:
- http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1475-2840-8-35.pdf)
