What is Paleo?
The Paleo diet, often called the Caveman Diet, dates back to the Paleolithic era, the era of cavemen. Paleo is based on what earlier humans were eating during this time. This diet consists of seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruits, lean meats, and fish – food that could be obtained with hunting and gathering. Paleo does not consist of dairy, legumes, and grains because these did not become available until many years later.
What is the Purpose of This Diet?
The point or the purpose of abiding by a Paleo Diet is to feed the body what earlier humans ate. In theory, this is the diet the human body was designed to function optimally on. However, some believe that human bodies have been “genetically mismatched” since conforming to a more modern diet. Modern farming happened at a rapid rate, and most jumped board. Scientists believe this rapid change in diet did not allow human bodies to adapt appropriately. Modern agriculture introduced dairy, grains, and legumes – which are believed to contribute to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes today.
What to Eat and What to Avoid
| To Eat | To Avoid |
|---|---|
| Fruits | Grains |
| Vegetables | Legumes |
| Grass-Fed Lean Meats | Dairy |
| Fatty Acid Rich Fish | Gluten |
| Oils From Nuts or Fruits | Refined Sugars |
| Nuts & Seeds | Potatoes |
| Highly Processed Foods |
Benefits of a Paleo Diet
We have seen the Paleo Diet change people’s lives. We often suggest Paleo, Keto, and Gluten-Free diets to our patients, depending on their individual needs. The Paleo Diet has many benefits, some of which include:
- Better weight management
- Leaner muscle
- Improved glucose levels
- Better sleep
- Lower/Controlled blood pressure
- Lower triglycerides
- Better appetite
- Helps the body detox
- Less inflammation
- Less bloating
- Improved energy
How Do I Start?
The paleo diet has evolved over the years, some think of it as more of a template to base your diet on. Paleo is a great place to start when changing your diet. Paleo allows your body to eliminate and detox from different foods, therefore it allows you to then reintroduce foods to see what is causing issues in your body. It is suggested to stay on the diet for 90+ days to fully detox before introducing other things back into your diet. However, once you have fully detoxed and you introduce a food back it will be very easy for you to determine what that food does to your body. Keep in mind it can take a couple days to see the effects from a “new” food. You then can make the decision on whether or not you should allow that back into your diet.
Conclusion
Paleo is based on a hunter-gatherer diet. Therefore, it suggested that you should avoid foods from the modern diet like: dairy, grains, legumes, refined sugars, and overly-processed foods. The Paleo Diet is known to help with total body inflammation, weight management, energy, and much more. If you are considering starting a Paleo Diet, meet with one of our providers to see how this diet could help you feel your best.
Compass Human Performance is located in Nashville, TN. To schedule an appointment, give us a call at 615-307-7246 or fill out our contact form HERE.
