All Right, Team, Let's Pull This Thing Together!
Over the last month, we have covered a lot of ground. We have been working our way through the Paleo Lifestyle Approach and, more specifically, how it looks at eating. Let's sum it up!
First, the Overarching Principles:
- Eat real, whole food, not processed products
- Eat local, seasonal food
- Eat animal protein that was raised according to their species needs; ie, not living in restrictive pens or forced to eat drug infused inappropriate foods
- Eat organic food grown in a nutrient rich soil
Next, the Food Pyramid:
Nuts & Seeds Fruit FATS Meat and Fish V-E-G-E-T-A-B-L-E-S
Some Additional Suggestions:
- Pick one thing from each of the lists above (Overarching Principles of Eating, Paleo Pyramid) to start working on.
- Don’t go for the jugular! For instance, if you aren't really that invested in your breakfast cereal, consider changing it out for free range scrambled eggs (you can get free range chicken eggs at Walmart).
- Don’t try to make your spouse or kids comply. It just won’t end well, it really won’t. Pick a meal that you usually eat by yourself. For example – lunch is usually safe. If you don’t eat enough vegetables, make a point to start having at least one fresh vegetable with lunch most days.
- Don’t beat yourself up! Remember the 85/15 rule: it doesn’t have to be spot on all the time, just the majority of it. If you are one of those people who start out having to do the things, all or nothing, you are going to have to plan to fail part of the time. Life is hardly, if ever, an all-or-nothing event. You are in it for the long haul!
A Quick Check Sheet to Keep on the Fridge!
Some people just want the facts. The facts are that food can really cause a lot of health problems. The facts are that most of what we eat in the standard American diet is not very healthy and is, in fact, often times toxic. The fact is that the traditional food pyramid is wrong, at least, if you want to avoid diabetes, arthritis, possibly Alzheimer's (any diseases that are inflammatory based). The facts are that a healthy diet is simple. The facts are that it takes discipline, especially in the beginning!
| EAT THIS | NOT THAT |
|---|---|
| Fresh or lightly steamed vegetables (organic, if you can) | Heavily cooked vegetables in sauce (cheese, etc.) |
| Fresh fruit; no-sugar fruit sauce (organic, if you can) | Canned fruit, jams, fruit wraps |
| Fish, chicken, beef, pork (organic/grass-fed, if you can): baked or grilled | Fried or battered meat, lunch meat, hot dogs, Slim Jim's, etc., fast food |
| Water | Pop, fruit juice, alcohol |
| Caffeine-free herbal tea | Caffeine drinks |
| Raw nuts and seeds, nut butter | Salted nuts, peanut butter |
| Gluten-free "baked products," oats, rice and gluten-free "baked products" (sparingly) | Wheat and wheat products (cereal, crackers, chips, cookies, cakes, pies) |
| Butter, spices, fresh salsa, wine marinades | Margarine, cheese, gravy, BBQ sauces, bottled marinades |
| Flax meal, ground chia seed | Pre-packed store-bought baked products with a shelf life |
| Free-range/omega-enriched eggs | Caged white eggs |
| Olive oil, coconut oil | Vegetable shortening |
| Dark chocolate | Candy (especially brightly colored) |
*Items in bold represent the worst of the worst.
I hope you have been enjoying this series as much as I have been enjoying bringing it to you! We have been going through material found, in large part, in the special addition of Paleo Magazine called "Go Paleo: The Step-By-Step Guide." The outline we are using is:
- Eating
- Sleeping
- Unplugging
- Connecting with others
- Sunlight
- Movement and Play
Next week, we will start on Sleeping.
Remember, you don't have to make it all work in one day, pick a piece at a time and see how it goes! Yours in Health, Doug Williams, D.C. Care Chiropractic Lafayette, Indiana