Your Guide to Paleo Basics

New to the paleo diet? Well then you’ve come to the right place. If you’re unsure about what “the paleo diet” entails and hopes to accomplish, here’s an on overview of the basics: how the paleo diet movement started, what foods are and are not encouraged on the paleo diet, and what this way of eating can do to help improve your health.

The primary reason people choose to follow a paleo-way-of-life is usually because they’re hoping to feel better and improve their health in some way. The fundamental idea behind the paleo diet is this: in modern down society our bodies are basically under constant assault, since most of us are consuming more refined and processed foods than ever, under a whole lot of stress, lacking sleep and also exposed to more environmental toxins than generations before us. We’re simply not designed to live this way, and still mostly hardwired to eat the foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate many thousands of years ago.

Why Follow A Paleolithic-Type Diet?

By returning to simpler times, and eating what mother nature intended for us to, we can reduce inflammation, improve digestion, burn fat, identify food sensitivities, reduce allergic reactions, boost energy, regulate blood sugar, ad stabilize our moods!

While technology has come a long way – including agricultural and food manufacturing technologies – our bodies mostly remain the same way they were nearly 1-2 million years ago! It might sound crazy, but our DNA and genetic makeup is extremely similar to those of humans who lived prior to the turn of modern agriculture and food production. And while our ancestors didn’t have access to things like modern health care, antibiotics, medications and an unlimited food supply, they actually experienced pretty great health and vitality overall. Today, as we continue stray further and further from our natural lifestyle – one in which we spend a lot of time outdoors in the sun, get plenty of sleep and eat only whole, real foods – our health continues to suffer. That being said, the paleo diet is about returning to our roots and getting back to basics.

What Can You Eat On The Paleo Diet?

There isn’t one “paleo diet” per say, since people around the world have always eaten different foods depending in what’s native to their region and available to them. Humans are capable of eating all types of foods – exactly why we make ideal “omnivores” – and we’re also accustomed to changing our diets based on the season. The good news is this: you don’t have to eliminate any specific foods on the paleo diet, or include any that you don’t actually like.

There’s plenty of room for interpretation and individual preference when eating a paleo diet. No matter what you do choose to eat, the overall theme of the paleo diet is that you want to do your best to avoid processed “modern foods” as much as possible (like refined grains and pasteurized dairy), which contribute to disease development, weight gain and you overall not feeling your best. Most modern foods are very low in nutrients, yet high in calories, plus they’re hard to digest and can contribute to allergies, intolerances, sensitivities and indigestion.  On the other hand, real foods of all kinds (veggies, fruits, fish, grass-fed meat and coconut or olive oil for example) provide loads of fiber, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals and are much less likely to cause digestive issues.

You don’t need to overhaul your diet overnight – you can take things in steps if it makes it easier. You might choose to try an elimination period at first, or even to clean up your diet for about thirty days during a sort of “cleanse period”, which is on average the time it takes most people to feel the full benefits of a diet-reset. After you experiment with removing certain inflammatory, trigger foods (like sugar or dairy products for example) you can choose to reintroduce some of these foods to see how you react, but the only way to know if you’re truly better off without them is to avoid them for a period of time first.

Foods To Stock Up On, And Those To Skip

While each person’s version of the paleo diet might be somewhat different depending on their needs, tolerances and preferences, here are some general recommendations for getting you started…..

Foods to include:

• Grass-fed meat and poultry: includes beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey, duck, goat, and wild game. Organic and free-range meat is always preferable.
• Organ meats (especially liver): Liver is the most nutrient-dense food on the planet! Organ meat is rich in vitamin A, iron, and all the essential amino acids. Liver is most accessible, but if you’re daring you can also try heart, kidneys, spleen, tongue, and brains.
• Bone-broth: Bone broths differ from stocks in that they’re simmered for a long time and contain glycine, an amino acid found in collagen, collagen and numerous minerals
• Wild fish and seafood: especially fatty fish, like salmon, sardines and mackerel which are high in omega-3s
• Eggs: preferably free-range and organic
• Non-starchy vegetables: either cooked or raw, all kinds, especially leafy greens! Include a variety like artichoke, asparagus, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, eggplant, garlic, green onions, greens (beet, collard, dandelion, kale, mustard, turnip), jicama, leeks, lettuces, etc.
• Fermented vegetables and fruits: these provide gut-friendly probiotics. Look for sauerkraut, kimchi, beet kvass or coconut kefir
• Fruit: choose a wide variety of colors and eat 1-3 pieces of whole fruit daily (not juice!)
• Nuts and seeds: all kinds, but limit to 2 tablespoons nut butter or 1 ounce nuts/seeds to avoid consuming too many omega-6 PUFA fats
• Coffee and black tea: choose organic and in general try to limit these caffeinated beverages to 1-2, eight-ounce cups a day. Skip the added milk and sugar!
• Traditional fats: coconut oil, ghee, red palm oil, palm kernel oil, macadamia oil, lard, duck fat, beef tallow (and olive oil (preferably extra virgin), olives, avocados, and coconuts
• Sea salt and spices: use real spices or dried herbs, but avoid sugar and artificial sweeteners or ingredients

Foods to Avoid:

• Dairy: including butter, cheese, yogurt, milk, cream, and any dairy product that comes from a cow, goat, sheep, or other mammal.
• Grains: including whole grains like whole wheat, rice, cereal, oats, pseudograins, and nongluten grains. Also try to avoid or limit grain products made with any type of flour
• Legumes: including beans of all kinds (soy, black, kidney, pinto), peas, lentils, and peanut
• Sugar: includes cane sugar but also fructose corn syrup, dextrose. Instead use small amounts of coconut sugar, molasses, maple syrup, honey, or organic stevia
• Industrial seed and vegetable oils: soybean, corn, safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, peanut, cottonseed, canola

Sodas and juices: this includes diet drinks! Stick with plain soda water or herbal teas.