Gemini Rising

Eat Like a Caveman - The Paleo Diet

I first heard about the Paleo diet in DEC 2014, and it sounded like it was something I could do. I like meat, fish, veggies and fruit, but eating Paleo isn't just about the food. It's a lifestyle change that makes a lot of sense to me.

The whole concept behind Paleo is that our bodies were designed to eat food which were consumed by early humans (aka cavemen). They include fruits, veggies, meats, seafood, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats including coconut, avocado, and olive oil.

The modern diet includes processed foods like grains, dairy, alcohol and starches. Our newfound diet is a result of our advances in agriculture. These foods should be avoided as our gut often finds them challenging to digest.

And there lies the issues! While modern foods are digestible, they don't help us out much. Our intestines (aka gut) have to work that much harder to break down the food and digest them.

When I'm good with my paleo menu, I notice a lot less bloating. I hate bloating, especially at this age. Keep in mind bloating is a sign of inflammation which is telling you that your gut is having a hard time digesting your food.

Finding foods and variety can be a challenge on modern schedules. Trust me, I'm on the go from 330 am to bedtime which is 8 pm. A good rule of thumb is the 85/15 % rule. Try to shoot for 85% of your diet to be paleo, 15% non paleo. This is a good way to transition to the diet too.

I try to keep the menu simple. B-Fast is usually Greek yogurt, bananas, or oatmeal. Lunch is meat and veggies, snacks: carrots, grapes and celery, and dinner is meat and veggies. I also drink water throughout the day. Paleo is a challenge for me because of my schedule, but I keep trying. There's so much to get into but not enough space.

Question: Does anyone have any thoughts about eating Paleo they'd like to share?