Paleo Conclusion

On Thursday, September 30 2012, I will have completed my 30 day Paleo Challenge. It has been a learning experience and a wonderful challenge. The lifestyle was simple to incorporate, just eat whole foods that provided better fuel for my body and avoid processed, refined nutrient lacking factory foods and dairy products. This included avoiding grains, legumes (beans), refined sugar and pasteurized dairy products. Most of these items, such as dairy, I had already crowded out of my diet, but some I found to be more challenging, like grains. I am an Indiana girl so I love corn!

The main two principles of the Paleo diet are eating to maintain proper digestive function and proper blood sugar regulation. Everyone's body is unique and food that is great for one person may be another person's poison. You must determine which foods your body can and cannot tolerate to achieve optimal health. Experiencing symptoms of food intolerances (gas, bloating, diarrhea, foggy feeling etc.) is your body's own way of letting you know that you are disrupting your digestion. Constantly irritating your gut can suppress your immune function and lead to conditions like seasonal allergies and inflammatory and autoimmune conditions. This is why the Paleo diet focuses on maintaining proper and optimal digestive function.

Out of control blood sugar can have many effects on the body, such as inability to think clearly or even maintain a positive mood. High blood sugar levels can cause you to feel foggy and/or sleepy. You might experience this effect after eating a high carbohydrate lunch like pasta. You find yourself wanting to fall asleep at your desk an hour after lunch. Low blood sugar levels can make you feel irritable and light headed. You can only think about eating because you feel ravenous. The Paleo diet suggests you plan your meals to control blood sugar levels by planning around a source of protein, add some good fats and follow it up with some healthy carbs. Paleo is not about counting calories or fat grams etc., but if you are a person who needs more direction, then aim for at least 20 grams of protein for women and 30 grams of protein for men and 10 to 20 grams of carbs. If you are a more active person, then aim for 30 to 60 grams of carbs. This will help to keep you off the blood sugar roller coaster and having enough fuel to get you through until your next meal.

Some other great things I have learned while living Paleo are the following:

• The best choices of meat are 100% grass-fed, pasture-raised and local. Pasture raised means animals can roam freely in their natural environment and eat nutritious grasses and other plants and bugs.
• The best choice of eggs and poultry are pasture-raised and local. If this is not available to you, then the next choice is free range and organic. Free ranges means the poultry must have access to the outdoors at least 51% of the time and not in feedlots. There are no restrictions on what the birds can be fed, but beak cutting and forced molting through starvation are allowed.
• The best choice of seafood is wild. This indicates the fish lived and was caught in the wild. Wild-caught (different then wild-fish) means the fish lived some part of their lives in a fish farm before being returned to the wild and eventually caught.
• The best oil choices for cooking at a high temperature are coconut and palm oil. For cold uses, organic, extra-virgin, cold pressed forms of olive, sesame, macadamia, walnut, avocado and flaxseed oils.
• Sweeteners are recommended to be used sparingly. The best choices to use are dates (whole), honey, grade b maple syrup, molasses and green leaf or stevia extract.

Stay tuned for my last follow up next week on Paleo. Will I remain Paleo?


Reference: Sanfilippo, D. (2012). Practical paleo: A customized approach to health and a 
     whole-food lifestyle. Las Vegas, NV: Victory Belt Publishing Inc.