The Paleolithic diet includes only the kinds of foods that would have been eaten by our ancestors thousands of years ago, before the invention of agriculture. Better known by its abbreviated name, the Paleo diet has been successful in helping many people to lose weight and find freedom from a variety of ailments.
A modern-day Paleo diet includes foods like grass-fed beef, pastured chicken and eggs, wild-caught fish, vegetables, and fruit. Some people choose to include dairy, depending on their body's ability to tolerate it.
The Paleo Diet is Effective for Weight Loss
Many of the people who adhere to the Paleo diet will tell you that it is more of a lifestyle than a diet. There is no need to gulp down tasteless and unpalatable foods or starve yourself, as is often the case with conventional diets.
Certain foods should be excluded from your daily menu if you are trying to lose weight. Microwavable meals, grains (e.g., bread and pasta), starches, and sugary foods are some examples of items that will work against you in your weight-loss efforts. These are high glycemic foods that will raise your blood sugar levels and increase body fat. Even those "healthy" grains will contribute to this chain of fat-building events.
Eggs and bacon, steak, chicken, and seafood are all items that may be included while following the Paleo diet. Eating high-protein foods helps you to feel full for a longer period of time. No empty calories here--Paleo meals are packed with nutrients and flavor without chemical additives or sugar.
Refined sugar is an addictive substance. Often, there are both physical and emotional attachments to its effects. A little bit of fresh fruit may help you to wean yourself off of sugar, although completely abstaining from all kinds of sugars will help to take those pounds off faster.
Removing these items from your daily food intake will not only melt away pounds, but will also help to increase energy, clear your mind, and improve your health.
The Paleo Diet Eliminates Substances That are Harmful to Your Health
The Paleo diet gets rid of gluten, reduces lectins, and cuts out refined sugar. These common elements of the standard American diet tend to be at the root of all modern diseases.
Gluten and lectins are two of the major contributors to food allergies today. Gluten is found primarily in wheat and several other grains, but it is also commonly used in many processed foods, making it almost impossible to avoid. Lectins are in all foods in differing amounts. Items that are high in lectins include legumes (e.g., peanuts and beans), nightshade vegetables (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant), dairy, and wheat.
Gluten and lectins damage the cells that line the intestinal tract, destroying healthy bacteria and the villi that absorb nutrients. This results in a chain of events that can lead to a variety of health issues, including irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), depression, fibromyalgia, allergies, and arthritis.
The sugar content in an average American's diet continues to increase dramatically each year. Recent estimates place the current amount consumed at 156 pounds annually. A large portion of this huge quantity is contained in many of the products that are often used on a regular basis, including condiments, energy drinks, and salad dressings. Sugar consumption has been linked to a variety of health issues, including diabetes and heart disease.
