THE PALEO DIET

God Bless You Dear Readers.

Firstly, I wish to define Paleo Diet as, the foods which our
ancestors who were hunters, thousands of years ago, used to eat. They
are fish, meat, vegetables, and seasonal fruits.

Our ancestors later discovered farming and so the agricultural
revolution set in. Gradually, they advanced from living in scattered
settlements to forming communities, and gradually the human race
progressed to present day. The bodies of our ancestors became
accustomed to their foods and lifestyle.

In present days, in view of technology, we have migrated from foods of
the past discovered by our ancestors, to becoming dependent on grains
- rice, corn, pasta, bread, etc. As we eat government-recommended 6
- 11 servings of grains daily, our people continue to become
overweight and obese by the day; about 66% of our people are
overweight, 33% obese, and the situation worsens by the day.

There is no doubt that this change from Paleo Diet to present day diet
is taking its toll on the health of our people. The Paleo Diet, the
way we were designed biologically to eat, enables us tap into our
genetic potential, enabling us live a healthier life.

In the past, we never had grains as part of our diet. It is important
to know that grains are composed of carbohydrates turned into a type
of sugar, "glucose," in our body system, used for energy and other
tasks, to help our body function. And glucose not used as energy is
stored as fat. Most grains contain Gluten, a protein found in wheat,
barley, rye; and also contain Lectins which are natural toxins in
grains to defend against consumption.

It is opined that most people may be gluten-intolerant, and as such
this could over time, give rise to some medical conditions such as
joint pain, reproductive problems, acid reflux, dermatitis, etc. In
the case of Lectins, they create problems for our gastrointestinal
tract, causing all types of damage.
Again the Paleo Diet is devoid of sugar consumption; it is best to get
sugar from a fruit. Sugar unless used immediately, wreaks a lot of
havoc in the body.

From the heighlights above, the Paleo Diet does not encourage
consumption of grains, sugar, and processed foods. So many Studies
have revealed that with the food items mentioned out of the way, some
diseases and lifestyles could be reversed. There was a Women's
Hospital at the University of Wurzburg the biggest in Germany, where
Studies were carried out. Cancer patients were put on a diet referred
to as "Ketogenic Diet," which eliminates almost all carbohydrates and
sugar, and provides energy from high-quality plant oils, e.g. linseed
oil, hempseed oil, and protein from animal products and soy. And
this diet yielded positive result by preventing the spread of cancer
cells.

Of course we worry about how we can get energy for our bodies to
perform daily if we are to eliminate from our diet the foods
mentioned. But the fact is that our bodies can opetate without being
overstuffed with carbohydrates daily. In other words, we can operate
on a lower amount of carbohydrates. Our bodies operate in the absence
of carbohydrates by taking stored fat to burn for energy in a process
referred to as "ketogenesis," a biochemical process by which a group
of substances collectively known as ketone bodies are produced by
organisms, through the breakdown of amino acids and fatty acids. This
supplies energy to certain organs of the body like the brain, during
fasting, etc.

So then, with less carbohydrate, and less glucose in the system, the
body can burn fat as its fuel source.

We can get carbohydrates from sweet potatoes, vegetables, and fruits,
which are foods naturally occuring in the wild, and which do not need
to be processed before consumption like grains. So much vegetables
can be consumed without getting fat as they are calorie light and
nutrient dense. For example 6 servings of broccoli (which cannot be
eaten once) has 180 calories and 36 grams only of carbohydrates. While
1 single serving of pasta (and it is not possible to eat just 1
serving of pasta) contains 200 calories amd 42 grams of carbohydrates.

As for dairy, it is not included in the Paleo Diet. Our ancestors
never had cows around them, and milk was consumed only by babies. So
as with grains, sugar, processed foods, the human bodies were not
meant for dairy consumption massively.

So then with grains, sugars, processed foods, and dairies out of the
way, we have only foods produced naturally as follows -

1. Fish - Eat only wild fish as mercury and other toxins can cause
problems in farmed fish.

2. Meat - Eat only meat that are grass-fed, as grains affect animals
just like humans.

3. Fowl - Eat chicken, hen, turkey, duck, that feed on grass, not feeds.

4. Eggs - Eat only omega-3 enriched eggs.

5. Vegetables - Eat plenty as long as they are not deep-fried.

6. Fruits - Since they have natural sugars, they can be higher in
calories. Therefore those trying to lose weight should limit their
consumption of fruits.

7. Tubers - Yams and sweet potatoes are high in calories and should
be eaten to replenish glycogen levels, after a workout.

8. Oils - Use natural oils like coconut oil, avocado oil, olive
oil, soya bean oil.

9. Nuts - These are high in calories, and are good as snacks, but do
not overflog the body system with them.

When we build these food items into our diet and eat as much as we
can, we will feel better, and healthier, and it is not possible to
overeat because the foods are nutritious and filling. If we eat a
large plate of vegetables with yam and a reasonable portion of fish or
meat, this can keep us full for hours. But when we eat a heavy
carbohydrate meal like rice, we are hungry in no time.

A trial of the Parleo Diet, is the only way to convince anyone to
continue and live a healthy and happy life.

Stay Healthy Always And Remain Blessed. Love You All.