The Paleo diet has become one of the new schools of thought when it comes to nutrition. The thought process is that if we eat like our ancestors did 10,000 plus years ago, that we will be healthier, lose weight and prevent disease. The basics to this program are pretty simple, “If cavemen didn’t eat it then you shouldn’t either” says Academy Spokesperson, Jim White, RD, ACSM/HFS. This by definition would be things that were hunted and gathered such as meat, fish, shellfish, poultry, eggs, veggies, fruits, berries and roots. On the list of do not eat is legumes, grains, dairy, salt, and sugar. Proponents of this lifestyle claim that by eating those types of items listed in the do not eat list, they have caused the rise in health related issues.
The benefit to this way of eating means people will be consuming more fruits and vegetables, which can have numerous benefits such as reducing cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. They will also help sustain a consistent blood sugar level, which can lead to improved mood and well-being.
One of the problems of this diet is that a typical plan will exceed the recommended allowances for fat and protein intake. It would also fall short on the regular daily allowance of carbohydrates, which can also be problematic. If you cut out dairy, legumes, and grains you are missing out on vital nutrients that then need to be supplemented in order to maintain a consistent balance of vitamins and minerals. Among other potential issues, is that grains and dairy can have major roles in maintaining the body’s normal metabolic function and help reduce the risk of heart disease, cancer , and diabetes.
The last issue I will bring to the forefront is that of sustainability, which is the common problem with most diets. Diets eliminate things that can be beneficial to you if consumed in normal quantities. If you relate diets to over-consumption of food, how come no one has come up with a solution to over-consumption of alcohol? I guess if you consider rehab then maybe that is a potential solution to over-consumption. As with many things, it is all in the way you skew the facts. Is this diet successful? It can be. Should you do it? The funny part about diets is that they all contain some good proponents as a basis. Should you eat more fruits and vegetables and less soda, ice cream, and cookies? Absolutely. Should you try to consume things they are not heavily processed and as natural as possible? Absolutely. The problem is that until restaurants, fast food places, and schools change to items that are better rather than more convenient it appears that we are stuck in a holding pattern. You have to make better decisions for you and your family because you want them to have less health issues. Unfortunately, many people choose things out of convenience rather than healthy.