Top 6 Tips for Eating Paleo: 3 Things To Avoid and 3 Things To Do.
The Paleolithic Diet is all the rage for some people. Lots of people find that it really works for them, while others are more skeptical. In my opinion, it is entirely individual just like every diet is. In short, the paleo diet is a contemporary nutritional approach that imitates the eating habits of humans who lived in the Paleolithic era. It is also known as the Caveman Diet, Stone Age Diet, or Hunter-Gatherer Diet because the cavemen were hunters and gatherers!
Their diet consisted mostly of raw meat, vegetables, fruits, fungi, nuts, and root crops. That era was a very simple time, so as you can imagine everything to do with food processing and preservatives were not included in their diet.
The reason that there is so much controversy surrounding this way of eating is because it promises the health benefits enjoyed by humans that lived in the Paleolithic era, while at the same time stirs doubts about safety. With eating plentiful raw foods, especially raw meat, there is a risk of illness caused by various bacteria. So it’s no wonder why some people think it’s crazy to eat this way.
If you’re thinking about going paleo, I encourage you to take the following into consideration:
1. DON’T Read Myths and Wrong Assumptions
Because of its popularity, myths about the paleo diet are easy to find on the internet. You can find anything from the paleo diet curing cancer to prolonging life span and increasing libido. However, none of these are scientifically proven to be true. That being said, changing your diet does indeed have the potential to make radical changes within your body, but... that takes time and nothing is ever guaranteed.
2. DON’T Go Cold Turkey
Ceasing the way you used to eat one moment and the next subscribing to the paleo diet has its dangers. You can get diseases from raw meats and other foods suggested by this diet. Instead of improving your health, you may worsen it if you flip the switch too fast.
3. DON’T Associate The Paleo Diet With Instantaneous Good Health
Improving your health requires discipline and perseverance. Chronic illnesses don’t happen overnight, but rather they are a cumulative effect of many years of a certain lifestyle. The same goes for good health. You can’t have it immediately just because you started eating a “miracle” diet.
Now that we’re clear on what not to do… here’s what I recommend you do!
1. DO Research On What The Paleo Diet Really Is
Developing a solid knowledge of what the paleo diet really is will help you know if you can practice it or not. Knowing a diet inside out will help to prevent any potential future problems such as suffering from the side effects you never knew existed. Remember, applied knowledge is power!
2. DO Know If A Paleo Diet Is Suitable For You.
How? Consult a health coach. Health coaches will help you determine your metabolic type and the diet suitable for your unique body. They are your greatest allies, advocating for your optimal health and stopping at nothing to get you there. Interested? We offer this type of coaching at The Art of Good Health.
3. DO Research Your Options!
Consider all types of diets when you are looking to improve your health. Why? Because the goal is to improve your health, right? We advocate that you eat and live the way that will get you to where you want to be. The paleo diet will not be a good fit for everyone, so don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Always have a Plan B.
There are many great aspects of the paleo diet, but it’s important to keep in mind that no diet, including the paleo diet, works for everybody. We are all so unique that it’s impossible to “blanket” any way of eating across any number of people. I encourage you to be aware of the fact that you can modify any diet. You don’t have to follow what the book says. If there’s something in there that you know doesn’t agree with your body, then don’t eat it. You hold the power within you.