Jen from Jen’s Paleo Kitchen, is our guest author dropping some serious knowledge bombs! Here are 5 Myth’s of Paleo!

I’ve been thinking about the general public perception about living Paleo lately, how confusing it must be as a person wishing to transition to a Paleo or Primal lifestyle, with often misguided advice from mainstream nutritionists, dieticians and practitioner. While it’s easy for mainstream health to throw scepticism towards the Paleo way of life, the truth remains that living Paleo for the first time ever presents the opportunity for humans to live, breathe and eat in such a way that moves them closer to their natural dietary and lifestyle requirements.

Mimicking that of our Indigenous ancestors of the world, users who live a Paleo lifestyle report outstanding health benefits including the return to normal blood pressure, weight loss, decrease in pain and inflammation, clearer skin, the removal of brain fog, depression and anxiety as well as a general increase in energy, positive thought processes, athletic performance, workplace productivity and sex drive. I wanted to clear up a few of the most common comments and suggestions to hopefully make it a little easier to understand the Paleo perspective, and aide you in making a transition to a healthier lifestyle.

MYTH 1. THE PALEO DIET PROMOTES THE HIGH CONSUMPTION OF RED MEAT.

Actually the Paleo diet promotes the consumption of a variety of quality animal protein from naturally raised sources. These could be in the form of beef, duck, chicken pork, fish, kangaroo, snake or eggs of various animals. It’s important that the amount of protein is styled to your body type, activity level and healing requirements. It’s also equally important that for protein in your daily intake it is met with plenty of fresh vegetables and fruit. With these foods combined makes for some awesome cell nourishment.

MYTH 2. PALEO IS THE LATEST WEIGHT LOSS CRAZE

While I admit, the Paleo way of life attracts a lot of folk wishing to lose weight, the goal of the lifestyle was never to lose weight, but to better the health of humans wishing to improve their health, happiness and longevity by adapting a lifestyle as close as possible to our natural selves. Usually weight loss is symptomatic of better health if the user was previously more obese than their personal weight level.

MYTH 3. THE FRUITS VEGETABLES AND MEATS ARE NOTHING LIKE THE FOODS CONSUMED BY OUR ANCESTORS

This is true, but the Paleo community only talks of consuming food that is as close to it’s natural state as possible. Because of the domestication of the planet as a whole, we are forced for the most part to buy farmed animals and crop grown foods. If i had my way we would all be hunting down ancient varieties of game meat, consuming natural locally grown fruits vegetables and seeds.

But we can thank western society for the destruction of these resources, and since humans themselves have become a domesticated version of our former selves, we have to settle for the domesticated versions of the foods we eat. Last time I checked the foods we consume are a lot closer to our natural food sources than say, a highly refined factory produced chocolate bar, margarine, or a hot dog with over 20 unpronounceable ingredients. To find a grain that was consumed in starvation times prior to the 10,000 years ago is nearly impossible.

MYTH 4. GRAINS HAVE ALL ALLOWED HUMANS TO SURVIVE FOR 10,000 YEARS; THEY ARE AN IMPORTANT SOURCE OF FIBRE AND NUTRIENTS.

This statement, and statements similar are very frequent because we are told from birth that we need to consume grains for an optimal level of fibre and nutrients. Any mainstream nutritionists will tell you to consume whole grains for your daily intake of fibre, which would be okay if grains weren’t loaded with gut damaging, anti nutrients that simply aren’t available to the human body. We can gain an ample amount of both soluble and insoluble fibre from most fruits and vegetables without needing to touch a single grain.

Furthermore grains have allowed humans to survive for 10,000 years, but that isn’t the same as allowing humans to thrive for 10,000 years. Prior to modern agriculture, ancient grains (which as I said above are almost impossible to source due to heavy grain manipulation through GM technology) were consumed through starvation periods, times of famine, through winter, when animals and plants were scarce. Now we base grains in practically every meal we consume.

MYTH 5. WITHOUT DAIRY THERE IS NO WAY TO MEET YOUR DAILY RECOMMENDED CALCIUM INTAKE

For those Paleo folk who stay away from real cows milk, being milk that has come directly from the cow without being pulled part, heated and treated and reconstructed. The health authorities advise you that you will suffer calcium deficiency without your regular moo juice. I argue that with the avoidance of grains and the inclusion of more protein you allow your body to absorb more calcium (amongst other things) than that of a high grain, low protein consumer. Regular consumption of foods from the Brassica family (e.g. Kale, cabbage, cauliflower) allows the human body to consume ample calcium and avoid deficiencies.

Jen Shaw / Paleo Coach – www.jenspaleokitchen.com.au

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