A Paleo Primer: Is a Paleo Lifestyle Right for You?

By Anne Baker

If you are reading this post you have likely been researching a Paleo way of eating and are either trying this way of life or contemplating adopting it. And if you have visited the many websites touting Paleo you may be a bit confused about what the approved foods are – I know I was! This post is meant to help you in determining if moving to some version of a Paleo or Primal in your way of eating is a good fit for you. Let me begin by stating that a lifestyle (I do not like the term diet), based on eating foods that can be gathered, picked, hunted and that are clean, wholesome foods is absolutely in keeping with my core philosophy as a nutrition professional. Where I differ is this – I believe the foods a person eats must be based on three things;

1. Current health status – CVD, sugar dis-regulation, auto-immune conditions, digestive problems, food intolerance’s etc…

2. Where you live – the climate, growing season and if your access to food (urban/city dwelling) etc..

3. What is reasonably convenient, affordable and simple to implement given your lifestyle.

I stick to what I believe is the more original intent of the Paleo lifestyle which is four fold:

1. Moving people off grains & processed foods

2. Moving people to consume at least 50% of their food as plant foods (ideally organic) with greens as the foundation

3. Shifting from feed lot and commercially grown animal products (meat, fish dairy) to pasture raised, wild caught.

4. Encouraging consumption of health fats with every meal such as those from cold pressed virgin olive, coconut, macadamia nut oils, avocados nuts and seeds.

There are many books and blogs from the Paleo Purists that seem to forget not everyone lives in sunny California and not everyone can find or afford to be a strict Paleo Perfectionist 100% of the time! But don’t despair because I believe you can derive most of the benefits of eating more Primal foods without this lifestyle becoming overly restrictive. With that said I do think anyone who is considering this lifestyle change should consider the realities of going Paleo. If you answer yes to more than half these questions making the Paleo Shift is probably a good fit for you. Are you buying and eating lots of fruits and vegetables already? Do you enjoy spending time preparing your own home-cooked meals? Are you currently purchasing mostly wild caught, pasture raised animal products vs. factory feed lot animal products? Are the differences in quality and health benefits from eating organic and pasture raised important to you? Have you already transitioned to eating minimal grains or have you been eating gluten free for some time? Is shopping more frequently and spending a little more money on higher quality food a way of life that resonates with keeping yourself healthy and out of the doctor’s office? Realize that unless you live in a more urban area of the country on either the west or east coast; such as New York, Boston, Philadelphia or Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland or Seattle dining out and staying Paleo may be a challenge. So if you are a person who dines out socially or for business or who travels you will need to have a strategy in place for these situations that allows for more flexibility. Please don’t let the Paleo Purists scare you away from trying this lifestyle! Realize that there are “degrees” of this way of eating. For example; some Paleoists do not include any dairy products at all be they fermented diary or raw dairy. Some do not include any dried fruits; while other lists allow these foods. Plus some Paleo food lists exclude starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, all grains including the seed like grains such as wild rice, amaranth and quinoa; while other lists allow these foods. This is where eating seasonally and based on the area of the world you live in comes in. And this is where I think some people not only get confused – they get scared away. Remember changing your eating habits takes time and you’re not in a competition. Just getting started with removing grains and eating more grass fed animal products are tow changes you can make that will lead to better health. This is because eating very low carbohydrate and getting those carbohydrates from vegetables and low GI fruits naturally helps stabilize blood sugar. Eating high quality animal products (grass fed, wild caught) provides your body with the right kind of fats plus eating this way helps increase lean muscle mass. Try not to get bogged down with Paleo Perfectionism. Start slowly with one or two Paleo Principals, like removing grains, or using healthy fats or eating more organic produce. Establish a reasonable goal of beginning to eat this way three days a week and slowly build from there. On days when you do eat following the Primal way of eating notice how you feel. Do you have more energy? Less pain? Sleep better? Before embarking on any nutrition and lifestyle change program please remember that if you have certain conditions Paleo eating may not be the best choice for you! Taking the time to work with a trained clinician in identifying underlying and often hidden food intolerance’s is also important because although a food may be permitted on any program this food may in fact exacerbate your condition. Ready to do a Paleo Shift? Read more about this program here: http://nourishholisticnutrition.com/organic-foods/a-paleo-primer-is-a-paleo-lifestyle-right-for-you/attachment/announcing-paleo-shift/ Contact me about my newest program that can help you make the Paleo Shift. Anne Baker, CN, LE is a nutrition professional and lifestyle coach who works in the Metro Detroit area. She has been trained in non-invasive and functional testing methods to uncover hidden food intolerances, nutrient deficiencies, and GUT problems. Most of the people she works with require special needs diets, including Paleo. Visit her website and read more about her and how her Digestive Restoration Program has helped many back to vibrant health.