The Paleolithic diet, sometimes referred to as the Paleo diet for short, or also known as the caveman diet, stone age diet or hunter-gatherer diet, is based on the assumption that human beings should be eating the foods that our ancient ancestors ate, because that is the diet that we were genetically designed to eat.
It teaches us, and I agree, that most of modern day diseases and health conditions are the result of eating a diet that is not compatible with our biochemistry, gastrointestinal tract and metabolism.
I am a firm believer in the Paleolithic diet because I have the seen the truth of it in my life in numerous ways. I didn't decide one day that I should try the caveman diet and see if it works, I discovered it slowly over the years by listening to what my body told me. I had arrived at a diet that worked for my body and then discovered that it actually had a name, the Paleolithic diet.
In my own life, I had developed numerous addictions including alcohol, street drugs, prescription drugs, sugar, caffeine, nicotine and food. I found that the key to sobriety in all addictions lies in diet and lifestyle. Primarily, you must balance the neurotransmitters in the brain and that balance is achieved by eating a diet and living a lifestyle that does not cause overstimulation to or disruption of the neurotransmitters in the brain.
Cravings for your substance of choice cease to exist when this is done. I have maintained 23 years of uninterrupted and craving-free sobriety by following a caveman diet and living an environmentally conscious lifestyle. The diet that restores balance to neurotransmitters and stops cravings is one that consists of primarily meat protein and vegetables, some nuts, seeds and small amounts of fruit.
Additionally, over the years I have dealt with a variety of other health issues including fibromyalgia, irritable bowel, Candida overgrowth, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, hypoglycemia and migraines and my son had hyperactivity attention deficit disorder. Again I found that the diet you eat is a primary factor involved in each of these conditions as well.
Through my healing journey I tried numerous diets including the macrobiotic diet, vegetarian diet, raw diet etc., but each of these made me feel ten times worse and exacerbated all my conditions. Over time I discovered the diet that made me function most optimally and provided the most relief for any and all of my health issues was a diet that resembled that of the hunter-gatherers diet and consisted primarily of meat and vegetables. I resisted this truth for many years and tried over and over to eat otherwise, but my body would not allow it. The message from my body was loud and clear -- eat nothing but meat and vegetables and small amounts of nuts, seeds and fruits.
I am not the type of person who believes something because someone tells me it is so. I must experience something first hand and find it to be my own truth and that is the case with the Paleolithic diet. My body tells me that the healthiest diet without a doubt is the caveman diet.
Why does the hunter-gatherer diet address such a large variety of health conditions? Because all health conditions, both psychological and physiological, have two primary roots -- diet and environmental toxins. When you eat garbage food that is not compatible with your biochemistry and loaded with toxins like pesticides, additives, and preservatives, it destroys your organs and systems, which results in degradation of health.
The caveman diet consists only of organic foods that your body was genetically meant to eat, therefore it does not disrupt or impair organs, neurotransmitters, gastrointestinal function, hormones like insulin, cortisol, progesterone and estrogen, immune function, blood sugar, circulation and blood vessels, metabolism, nervous system function etc.
The answer to how does the caveman diet work is very simple and basic. It's about getting back to our roots in nature and honoring the wisdom of our bodies.
Professor Loren Cordain, the worlds leading expert on the Paleolithic diet who has published numerous publications in the best scientific journals around the world, tells us that the caveman diet works because it is the diet that Mother Nature designed, not man. This diet was not created by anyone trying to make money or a passing fad.
The Paleolithic diet is based on extensive scientific research of the type of foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate, and this research tells us that when humans ate this diet they were free of all the degenerative health conditions that plaque our society today.
It is the diet that we are genetically designed to eat through the process of evolution and natural selection. The modern day diet that most of society consumes came about by man with the advent of agriculture and farming practices that were not part of natures original plan for our bodies and this has been detrimental to our physical and emotional health.
By going back to the caveman diet, you are giving your body what it needs to function optimally physically, mentally/emotionally and spiritually.
I encourage you to learn more about the Paleolithic diet by reading Professor Cordain's book - The Paleo Diet.
You'll also want to note that some experts believe that some of the population has evolved and adapted to a diet that includes grains, beans and dairy, but if that is true this is a very small percent of the population. Professor Cordain tells us that the Paleolithic diet was eaten for more than 2 million years, while the current modern day diet which includes grains, beans and dairy has only been eaten for about 10,000 years. "That means for 99.6% of our evolutionary history" we have been eating a diet of meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds. Furthermore, prior to the introduction of grains, beans, sugar and dairy, the onslaught of degenerative health conditions that we see in society today did not exist.
If you are having health issues, particularly, obesity, food addiction, alcoholism, irritable bowel, Crohn's or any bowel condition, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, food sensitivities, type 2 diabetes, addiction of any kind, anxiety, depression, hyperactivity, manic-depression, heart disease, high blood pressure, Candida overgrowth, adrenal fatigue, neurotransmitter imbalances, hypoglycemia, memory problems, hormonal imbalances, arthritis or acne etc., this is sign that the diet you are eating is not working well for you.
You will find some slight variances in the allowed and disallowed list for the hunter-gatherer diet depending on who you talk to, but here are the general guidelines and what I have found to be true in my own body.
The general rule of thumb for determining if a food you want to eat is on the paleolithic diet foods allowed list is this -- (if it can be eaten in it's raw and natural state and if it doesn't have to be cooked to be eaten, then it is allowed. This doesn't mean you have to eat it in its raw form, it just means that you can.)
Processed foods of all kinds should be avoided, you should be eating foods in their whole and natural state as much as possible.
Slightly more than half of your meal should consist of meat protein and the rest should be vegetables, with a small amount of nuts, seeds, fruits, and healthy oils. In my personal experience, my meals consists of about 6-8 ounces of meat and about 5-6 ounces of vegetables with healthy oil and some meals include a small serving of fruit and/or nuts. My meal must contain a minimum of 6 ounces of meat or I cannot maintain proper blood sugar levels.
With all that being said, following the caveman diet is not the answer to all diet related conditions. It is the largest and most important piece of the puzzle, however, there are other factors that must be taken into consideration as well.
I encourage you to learn more about the hunter-gatherer diet to understand the science, truth and reasoning behind it, but keep in mind that although the basic guidelines will encourage health for most people in the general population, additional modifications and restrictions are likely to be needed for certain health conditions.
Although following the general guidelines of the caveman diet will lead to better health you must fine-tune it to fit with your unique biochemical needs to achieve optimal health.
For example, the Paleolithic diet encourages the eating of "unlimited" amounts of fruits and vegetables. Anybody with Candida overgrowthmust limit their consumption of fruits, because it will flare yeast overgrowth. They should stick to fruits that are lower in sugar and reserve high sugar fruits for special occasions. Additionally, people with Candida usually can't eat nuts that freely because of their mold content. For some people they feed the yeast and many others are sensitive to them. So they may need to be restricted or avoided as well.
People with food addiction, sugar addiction and compulsive overeating would also need to restrict their fruit intake, as the natural content of sugar in these foods can trigger a binge.
Those dealing with hypoglycemia, adrenal fatigue hormonal imbalances anxiety disorders,depression,attention deficit hyperactivity disorder,or other neurotransmitter issues or any type of autonomic nervous system dysfunction usually need to restrict their fruit intake as well, because the natural sugar content tends to aggravate these conditions, if eaten too frequently or too much quantity.
Although traditionally, alcohol is not allowed, the author of The Paleo Diet allows a small amount of alcohol on an occasional basis. Although this may be acceptable for the general population, this is not acceptable for people with Candida, adrenal fatigue, sugar addiction, food addiction, insomnia, addiction of any kind, food sensitivities, alcoholism, hypoglycemia insulin resistance, anxiety disorders depression and hormonal imbalances. Alcohol is a sugar; the most refined sugar you can consume, and thus it will aggravate all these conditions.
On the flip side, although the traditional Paleo diet restricts salt intake, people with adrenal fatigue and some other health conditions may not have enough salt and need more salt in their diet. However, traditional table salt should be avoided, as it is stripped of its nutrients. Sea salt or rock salt should be used. I prefer a salt called, Real Salt.
Although flax seeds and flax seed oil is considered one of the healthiest oils you can consume on the caveman diet, flaxseeds are very high in phytoestrogens and therefore anyone who is estrogen dominant may have trouble with this food, because they upset the balance of hormones. That has been my experience personally. I can't consume flax seeds or oil, because I'm estrogen dominant and it increases my already too high levels of estrogen. This is important, because much of the population is estrogen dominant, due to the high levels of endocrine disruptors in our food and air.Additionally, many people have undiagnosed food sensitivities, intolerances or allergies that need to be identified to achieve optimal health. Just because a food is on the allowed list of the Paleolithic diet doesn't mean it is a healthy food for everyone. For example, eggs, garlic and chicken are on the allowed list, but many people don't tolerate these foods and when they are eaten they contribute to degenerative health conditions. So one needs to identify their unique food sensitivities and then remove those foods from their diet as well. This can be done through an elimination diet or with a test like the ALCAT test.
As mentioned above, honey is on the allowed list in the traditional Paleo diet. However, only on an occasional basis. Our ancestors did not eat honey on a regular bases. It was something they had access to only once in a while. Honey is a sugar and therefore causes an increase in blood sugar and insulin, a disruption of neurotransmitters and stress on the adrenal glands, thus if eaten in excess on a regular basis can lead to insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, obesity, heart disease, etc., just like any other sugar. It will also exacerbate depression, anxiety, adrenal fatigue, hypoglycemia, alcoholism and addiction, because of the impact on neurotransmitters and the autonomic nervous system. In most people with sugar addiction or food addiction, honey will trigger cravings and a binge. Additionally, honey of any kind will feed Candida significantly, and should be avoided or restricted to a special occasion.
Although fish is encouraged on the Paleolithic diet and healthy in most respects, it is nearly impossible to find fish that isn't contaminated with mercury and other toxins from our polluted bodies of water that will disrupt neurotransmitter functioning, the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. So, unless you can find a source that guarantees safety, fish needs to be restricted. Additionally, fish is treated with formaldehyde in its processing. When you buy fish, it should not be farmed fish. It should say "Wild Alaskan Fish" as that is the safest and cleanest fish you can find. It is especially important for people who have heavy metal toxicity to have clean fish sources.Be sure eat lots of sulfur foods like broccoli, cauliflower, eggs, cabbage, garlic, because sulfur attaches to heavy metals like mercury and removes them through your elimination process.
A couple of other points you want to be aware of: There is not agreement in the Paleolithic community about what types of meat should be eaten. In one camp they say that meat should be lean and in the other camp they say it should be high in fat. Personally, I take the middle ground on this issue. A certain amount of animal fat is essential, so I don't want to cut it all out. I do eat fatty cuts of meat, but I don't like chicken skin, so I remove it. In one camp they say you should eat the chicken skin and in the other camp they say you should remove it. So you have to make a judgment call on this issue and do what feels best.
Additionally, dairy is not part of the traditional Paleolithic diet, however butter and full fat yogurt are good sources of fat and protein and have a variety of health benefits if tolerated. Many people don't tolerate dairy products, so these people should avoid them. However, if you have no digestive or immune issues with dairy, then butter and full fat yogurt can be beneficial for those with adrenal fatigue, low cholesterol, hypoglycemia, fatty acid deficiencies and depleted neurotransmitters. The same applies to cheese, but cheese and yogurt are high in lactose, which is milk sugar, so if it is eaten it should be moderated. The lactose can be a trigger for a craving for some people with sugar, food, alcohol or drug addiction and it will feed Candida if eaten in too big a serving on too frequent of a basis. Lactose will also trigger insulin. Even if one includes dairy in the diet, I don't recommend consuming it every day. I try to keep it to three times a week. When dairy is consumed, it should be the raw and cultured type, like full-fat yogurt and cheese. Dairy should never be eaten as "low fat." The fat needs to be present or otherwise you're left with nothing but the sugar. Full-fat is much healthier for you in every way. I never encourage the consumption of milk.
Some strong Paleoists restrict the consumption of the nightshade family, which includes foods like tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, paprika and cayenne and potato because they were not around during the Paleolithic times, which means our bodies are not genetically adapted to consume them. Many people experience arthritis, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, and a variety of other undesirable symptoms in response the level of alkaloids in these foods. However, not everyone has problems with the nightshade family, so this is another gray area where you should make a judgment call. If you don't have symptoms from these foods, then you may want to include them, if you do, then you may want to avoid them. But again, like many things, moderation is the key. They probably should not be eaten every day. However, potato should also be restricted because it is almost as high in sugar as sugar itself, so it is not healthy for you in many ways.
Another very important point to consider -- the Paleolithic diet states that you can eat as much as you want until you are full, as long as you are eating from the "allowed" foods list. Although this may work for healthy people, for many people who have an appetite switch that is malfunctioning from years of ingesting unhealthy foods like sugar, caffeine, white flour and exposure to environmental toxins, this will not work right away.
Some people, like those with neurotransmitter imbalances, Candida overgrowth, food addiction, compulsive overeating, hypoglycemia, alcoholism, hyperactivity, addiction in general, sugar addiction, adrenal fatigue, hormone imbalances, etc. don't feel full until they have overeaten. Their appetite switch never says "full."
Once you start eating healthier, it takes time for the body to regain homeostasis. In my personal experience, following the Paleolithic diet does "reset" the appetite switch, but it takes time. So in the early stages of transition, self-discipline on how much food is consumed will be required.
Sometimes, other factors need to be taken into account like what is "realistic" and "doable" and you may want to allow yourself some leniency. It may not always be possible or desirable to be on a "strict" Paleolithic diet. For example, I personally follow a caveman diet on a day-to-basis, however, I do allow butter and yogurt in my diet a couple times a week, and once in a great while I will eat something made out of whole wheat and some legumes. On Thanksgiving I will eat pie with unbleached wheat crust and sweetened with chicory root and I'll bake a fresh sweet potato. On Easter I may make lasagna with whole grain spelt noodles. So there are occasions when I may stray, but 95% of the time I adhere.
So, although some people may say you should follow a strict Paleolithic diet every day, I say you should allow yourself to be flexible and realistic to some degree. However, when you do stray, you want to remain within reason. You'll notice that when I do stray that my choices are still very healthy foods, I never allow white sugar, bleached flour, caffeine, alcohol, artificial sweeteners, flavors and dyes etc., and neither should you. Follow the caveman diet the majority of the time, but a little straying here and there will not be too detrimental.
If you're new to the caveman diet, you don't have to change everything overnight. You can do it in steps if you need. Get rid of the really bad stuff first like sugar, caffeine, white flour etc., and then work on the other things each week. In Professor Cordain's book, The Paleo Diet, he suggests you transition to the diet in phases and has what he calls "open" meals. I think this is a really good idea and that is what I recommend as well. Change is a process and takes time, so be patient and kind with yourself, but also be disciplined and consistent.It is my belief that we should try and stick as close as possible to Paleolithic eating as often as possible, but we don't have to be perfect
Cynthia Perkins, M.Ed. is an author, holistic health counselor and sobriety coach. She holds a bachelor's degree in psychology, a master's degree in counseling and has researched the role of diet, nutrition and environmental toxins on our physical and mental health for more than two decades. Talk with Cynthia One-on-One.
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