This article in Scientific American makes a case that the Paleo and other “hunter/gatherer” diets are fundamentally flawed as 1) we are genetically NOT the same as out paleo ancestors, 2) those folks weren’t so healthy after all and 3) our environment today is different and we have to eat what’s here.
I’m curious to know what you think of the article and the benefit/downside of a diet based on a hunter/gatherer –meat, fish, nuts, seeds, veggies and fruit. Please feel free to leave a comment and if you want to get emails when I post a new article on my blog, go here to subscribe. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I look forward to more of this..
What’s wrong with American’s diets is all the processed food we eat. The chemicals in these processed foods are killings us. We were not created to eat chemicals that the food industry is putting in our foods. The hunter/gather diet is how our God created us to be healthy as we live our lives. We need a balance of protein, fats and carbs to keep our bodies healthy. The “low fat” diets that was pushed with lots of grains and little or no protein is the cause of the heart disease, the epidemic of obesity and Type 2 Diabetes. That’s my opinion.
Thanks for commenting, Barbara! Please feel free to share how this way of eating works for you.
I don’t think I would have called the article a “smack down”. I thought they presented what is known of what our ancestors ate and what is not known quite well. It emphasized human adaptability which has helped us cope over thousands of years. I agree our food sources today are often questionable, but you can shop wisely without necessarily cutting out a type of food group. I eat dairy, meats, fish, veggies, fruits, grains, and sugars, just not every day and not in excess amounts. I do not eat a lot of processed foods, occasionally as a treat. Works for me.
Denise, sounds very reasonable. Thank you. There are a lot of people who can eat a little of everything and do fine!
I have been following most of the Paleo guidelines since January this year. I am not perfect but have done pretty well. On the Paleo diet I have lost over 40 pounds in less than 4 months time and my A1C dropped 2.4 points and I’m almost in normal range. I expect my sugar levels to be under 6 after another 3 months of careful eating. I no longer have digestion issues and rarely experience heartburn. I did notice that I don’t get all the vitamins recommended and use some organic supplements (Zinc, calcium, etc).
Although all of the cooking was overwhelming in the beginning (and to be honest, it still can be a pain in the neck). It is the easiest diet I’ve ever been on. By this I mean that I no longer crave food. I eat more now than ever and couldn’t lose weight. I don’t dread exercise, although I do have challenges trying to fit it in my busy life.
The Paleo slogan “eat like a caveman” and some of the science behind it I still find it a little hard to buy. But I am eating healthy and getting the results I never got on any diet. Basing diet on calorie consumption was the biggest mistake I ever made. Trying to eat organic and getting rid of the processed foods works best for me.
I really don’t think anyone who follows a paleo lifestyle thinks they are eating exactly the same way that pre-agricultural hunter-gatherers did nor do they deny that those diets varied considerably by region. Even among people who consider themselves paleo there is great variation in what they eat. Some are dairy-free while some enjoy raw, grass-fed milk, butter and cheese. Some strictly avoid legumes while others consume them traditionally prepared (soaked and sprouted). I can’t really see how anyone can criticize a diet that virtually eliminates processed foods. Americans did not become obese and diabetic from eating grass-fed beef, wild-caught fish, organic veggies and coconut oil. Our problems are clearly the result of eating heavily processed, chemical laden junk and an unprecedented amount of sugar. These kinds of articles focus too much on the term “paleo” and get hung-up on the caveman premise while ignoring the benefits of an unproccessed, nutrient dense diet.
Thanks for the post Kristen. Absolutely true that the cup is way more than half full with the focus on grass-fed, lean, unprocessed, nutrient-dense food. I haven’t run into too many people who have seen their health take a turn for the worse eating this way!
Thanks for putting your comments up here Tracy! My response to Kristen’s post holds true for yours as well. Those metrics are really impressive. What exercise are you doing? Thanks