Download nutrition Hunting and gathering in the age of refined foods

nutrition
Hunting and gathering in the age of
refined foods
The Paleo diet uses early man’s meal plan to help modern society shed the pounds.
BY JENNA CONTER
B
EFORE the age of processed foods, meat
mongers and the wheel, there were cavemen. Unable to stop in at the grocery
store for their weekly staples, they were forced
to take time out from clubbing their wives and
go out into the wilderness to hunt for food.
From fruit and vegetables to wild animals, this
was the way early man fed himself. According
to certain experts, this was enough to sustain a
tribe until the invention of electric appliances.
Now referred to as “The Paleo diet,” or The
Caveman diet, the struggles of our ancestors have become the latest diet fad. Toted as
the healthiest way you can eat, this simplified
nutritional approach works with our genetics,
helping us to stay lean, strong and energetic.
to have available in the cave. They are rich in
antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals; upping
your intake of fresh produce has been shown
to keep disease at bay. Though saturated fat
has gotten a bad rap in the media, paleo dieters
incorporate the purest form of this sat fat into
their meal plan. Healthy fats, like those found
in nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil and
grass-fed meat prove to be rich in monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats. Adding these fats,
within reason, back into our diets dramatically
reduce the instances of obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline.
As with any “fad diet”, people who pick Paleo
see results; and for the most part, a smaller
waist size is reason enough to keep eating like
a caveman. Knowing that our ancestors lived to
The typical North American diet, full of
the ripe old age of 30 may, however, give othrefined foods, trans fats and sugar, is proven
ers pause. Fortunately, the Paleo diet has stood
to be at the root of degenerative diseases
not only the test of time, but also the rigours of
such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, scientific scrutiny. Now the chosen diet among
Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression and infer- athletes who opt to replace their carbo-loaded,
tility. The basic approach of the Paleo Diet is
pre-race meals with a more pre-historic option,
to eat the foods that humans would have con- Paleo has also been integrated with the crossfit
sumed before the introduction of agriculture.
lifestyle and by body builders all over the world.
This includes lean meat, fish, nuts, seeds, vegetables and fresh fruits.
With a simple shift, we not only remove the
foods that may be at odds with our health but
To build a healthy Paleo Diet, it is important also increase our intake of vitamins, minerals,
to incorporate lean protein.
and antioxidants. Z
Not only does protein make you feel satisfied between meals, but it also supports strong SOURCE: THE PALEO DIET, LOREN CORDAIN.
muscles, healthy bones, and immune function.
Fruits and vegetables are the next staple