Have you heard of the Paleo diet? If you haven’t, then I’d like to know what rock you’ve been living under. It would be nice to get away from the world every so often. The Paleo diet is becoming more and more popular as people are embracing it as the ultimate diet for losing weight, building muscle, and keeping your body at peak health. Some people consider it the ultimate tool for taking your body and resetting it back to zero. It sounds impressive for sure, but what is Paleo? Here’s what you need to know about the Paleo diet.
The Paleo diet has a pretty simple concept. It’s the same diet that our early ancestors ate. While the human body has evolved a fair bit and we no longer look like our Neanderthal cousins, the founders of the Paleo diet believe that our body still works in much the same manner. At least as far as the digestive system goes. It’s definitely true that early Man was strong and powerful, and that this was mostly down to the way they lived; including their diet.
Paleo comes with a pretty simple rule; if it didn’t exist back then, then you can’t eat it now. The Paleo diet is an all-natural diet where followers avoid eating preservatives, artificial sugars, and food colorings. It also means that foods later invented by humans are not allowed either. Grains and other cultivated foods are not allowed. If a caveman couldn’t find it and eat it then you can’t either.
History
The Paleo diet is one of those tried and tested diets that have proven themselves over time, much like the Atkins Diet. The first references to Paleo date back to the 1970s. While people have been following it for years, it wasn’t until the turn of the millennium that it began to really pick up steam. It was around this time that the book The Paleo Diet was released. The book outlined the diet properly and detailed all the information about the diet. It brought the diet into the mainstream and made it more accessible.
Even now Paleo continues to pick up steam. A diet can’t exist for over four decades unless it works. Most people who have tried Paleo are happy to tout its benefits and how well it works. It grows as more and more people adopt it and add their own experiences. There are plenty of online resources that teach you more about Paleo, including the rich history of the diet.
Balance
One of the best things about the Paleo diet is that it is very balanced when you take a good look at it. With rules like “you can only eat what a caveman could” you would think there is nothing but meat here. You would be wrong in that assumption however, as it includes plenty of fresh leafy greens and even some fruit. Let’s not forget that fruit and vegetables grew naturally before people started farming them!
Paleo offers a ton of choice when it comes to your diet. The average Paleo cookbook features around 200 great recipes spread across breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even snacks. If that’s not enough, then take a look through online databases and websites to discover thousands more recipes. It couldn’t be easier to get started with Paleo. Some Paleo cooks have become so creative they can even create Paleo-friendly alternatives to your favorite foods; meaning that you miss out on nothing. It’s not like meat-free meat either; these alternatives still taste just as great. They’re just healthier for you is all.
Friendly to Everyone
What truly separates Paleo from any other diet on the market is that it is friendly to everyone. It doesn’t matter if you have gluten intolerance, dairy intolerance, are vegetarian, or even if you’re vegan. The diet is really made for people with lactose intolerance and other dairy intolerances. Milk and cheese are a product of human agriculture. They were developed by humans and, as such, are not allowed on paleo.
There is plenty of choice out there when it comes to gluten free and shellfish free paleo recipes as well. As anyone who has tried to go gluten free – whether for health reasons or as a personal choice – knows that grain is one of the biggest culprits. Everything with grain and wheat has gluten. Getting rid of the wheat and grain in your diet for Paleo cuts out almost all the gluten in your diet. It’s not hard to push it that one step further and eliminate it entirely.
Does Paleo Work?
If you were to read a Paleo review or two suggests that the diet is really effective. It’s important to remember that there’s no such thing as a perfect diet though. Everyone has different dietary needs. Paleo will work for most people, but there are some that will see less success than others. Don’t forget that being healthy is that it takes a little more than just a good diet. The Paleo Diet is a diet based on historical facts and backed by science, but you will need to do a little bit of work of your own to make it really work for you.
Conclusion
Now that you’re informed about the Paleo diet, you’re ready to make the choice if it’s right for you or not. There is plenty of advice and help out there for those who need it. Just run a few online searches, find a great community, and be encouraged by those around you.
One last thing; a diet is only as good as you let it be. Stick to the diet if you expect to see results. Consistency is key!
