So my body hates American food...

Seriously.  Since I've been back I've had countless digestive upsets.  Oh how I miss Tesco and good English food!  I think it's all the corn and soy additives in things that are doing me in, possibly the high sugar content as well.  Either way, my body doesn't like it, and won't have it, thus I am forced back to the one diet I despised: Paleo....ish.  I'm not quite going full paleo, at least not right away.  I will be keeping beans and legumes.  I will also be keeping tapioca, and occasionally teff and quinoa.  Unfortunately I will be giving up all other grains once I've eaten what I've bought.  I will also be strictly avoiding highly processed foods for now.  If and when I decide to eat processed things again they must contain no more than 5 ingredients.  Oh joy.

Luckily for me, Paleo has gained some popularity since last I attempted it, so there should be a greater variety of recipes to choose from.  I know from experience I will feel a thousand times better, lose a healthy amount of weight, whittle my middle, and quite possibly end up incredibly bored with my food.  I sincerely hope that there are some decent new recipes to try.  I have found a few websites with some delicious-looking things though, so there is hope.  Luckily my mother's going to do the diet with me, and we'll do weekly rewards as we did last time. $10 per week...that's a movie ticket :)

Here are the rules of Paleo for those of you who are interested (from http://robbwolf.com/what-is-the-paleo-diet/):

What Is The Paleo Diet?

The Paleo diet is the healthiest way you can eat because it is the ONLY nutritional approach that works with your genetics to help you stay lean, strong and energetic! Research in biology, biochemistry, Ophthalmology, Dermatology and many other disciplines indicate it is our modern diet, full of refined foods, trans fats and sugar, that is at the root of degenerative diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, depression and infertility. – Robb Wolf

Okay To Eat	Avoid
Fruits	Dairy
Vegetables	Grains
Lean Meats	Processed Food & Sugars
Seafood	Legumes
Nuts & Seeds	Starches
Healthy Fats	Alcohol

Building A Healthy Paleo Diet

Lean proteins

Lean proteins support strong muscles, healthy bones and optimal immune function. Protein also makes you feel satisfied between meals.

Fruits and Vegetables

Fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that have been shown to decrease the likelihood of developing a number of degenerative diseases including cancer, diabetes and neurological decline.

Healthy fats from nuts, seeds, avocados, olive oil, fish oil and grass-fed meat

Scientific research and epidemiological studies show that diets rich in Monounsaturated and Omega-3 fats dramatically reduce the instances of obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline.
Saturated fat has been demonized by our health authorities and media. What is the basis for this position on Saturated fat? Are current recommendations for VERY low saturated fat intake justified? How much saturated fat (and what types), if any should one eat? Without a historical and scientific perspective these questions can be nearly impossible to answer. In this paper Prof. Cordain looks at the amounts and types of saturated fats found in the ancestral diet:Saturated fat consumption in ancestral human diets: implications for contemporary intakes.
One of the greatest deviations away from our ancestral diet is the amounts and types of fat found in modern grain feed animals vs. the amounts and types of fats found in grass fed or wild meat, fowl and fish. What we observe is wild meat is remarkably lean, and has relatively low amounts of saturated fats, while supplying significant amounts of beneficial omega-3 fats such as EPA and DHA. In this paper Prof. Cordain and his team analyze the complete fatty acid profile from several species of wild deer and elk. The take home message is that free range meat is far healthier than conventional meat: Fatty acid analysis of wild ruminant tissues: Evolutionary implications for reducing diet-related chronic disease.

Image courtesy of The Food Lovers’ Primal Palate http://www.primal-palate.com

Health Benefits of a Paleo Diet

For most people the fact the Paleo diet delivers the best results is all they need. Improved blood lipids, weight loss, and reduced pain from autoimmunity is proof enough.  Many people however are not satisfied with blindly following any recommendations, be they nutrition or exercise related. Some folks like to know WHY they are doing something. Fortunately, the Paleo diet has stood not only the test of time, but also the rigors of scientific scrutiny.
With a very simple shift we not only remove the foods that are at odds with our health (grains, legumes, and dairy) but we also increase our intake of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Here is a great paper from Professor Loren Cordain exploring how to build a modern Paleo diet: The nutritional characteristics of a contemporary diet based upon Paleolithic food groups. This paper also offers significant insight as to the amounts and ratios of protein, carbohydrate and fat in the ancestral diet.


P.S. I will also be keeping wine, Barefoot's cheap again.

Here are some other helpful websites:
- NerdFitness
- ThePaleoDiet
-PaleOMG Recipes
- Elana's Pantry Recipes