With all the different types of modern diets that have developed recently the question begs as to which one is the best for our health? The latest research has created a fascinating twist to the debate. Several researchers have argued that the Paleolithic diet, also known as the hunter and gatherer diet, so named after diets common in the late stone age before the beginning of the agricultural revolution, has proven to reduce blood pressure, insulin resistance and body mass index, to name but a few, which means less risk of diabetes, heart attack and stroke, not to mention better overall health. It also proved more effective at reducing certain risk factors measured in the blood when compared to modern diets which are considered to be healthy ones such as the Mediterranean diet and diabetes diet.
Anthropological records show that the agricultural growing of crops such as grains and animal husbandry only began about 10,000 years ago. From an evolutionary genetic perspective this is only a short period of time for adaptation to take place on a genetic level to a change in our diet from that of a hunter and gatherer and only represents less than 1% of total human evolution with 99% being devoted to a hunter-gatherer diet. It has been speculated that the rise in chronic disease is a misalignment between ancient genomes that humans possess and their modern diets. These researchers have suggested that a diet most suitable for modern humans to consume is the hunter-gatherer diet that has been the most prevalent in our entire 2 million year history and thus the diet we are genetically designed to ingest. In addition around the same time, about 10,000 years ago another discovery was made which was the cooking of certain foods such as potato made them edible which had not been previously eaten until this discovery was made.
A paleolithic diet typically includes lean meat, fish, shellfish, seasonal fruit and vegetables, roots, eggs, nuts and seeds. It excludes all other foods such as grains including bread, pasta and noodles, dairy products, potatoes, salt, yeast, refined sugars and fats which all became staple foods with the agricultural revolution and the cooking of foods. The consumption of milk only occurred with the domestication of sheep, goats and cows around 10,000 years ago with the first evidence of dairy consumption being only 6000 years ago. The consumption of grains began about 11,000 but not until recently was used as an all year round staple, not to mention only within the last 200 years or so the milling of grains changed to produce refined white flour. Analysis shows that 70% of a typical western diet would not have been consumed pre-agricultural boom and thus is relatively foreign to our genes.
As a practitioner I see many patients with chronic illnesses with food being a contributing factor to their ill health. Dairy, gluten, yeast are the main culprits which should be avoided as we are not genetically designed to ingest them.
Carbohydrates, including sugars, are responsible for the release of insulin from your pancrease which then aids their transport into muscle and fat cells to be burnt off for energy production. As your cells become resistant to insulin your body reacts by producing more and more of it in order to maintain your blood sugar levels. This is known as insulin resistance which is the stage that precedes diabetes. Insulin resistance is harmful to your body as the spikes and crashes of blood glucose levels disrupt sex hormones, increases adrenal cortisol stress response, cause the over production of inflammatory hormones known as ecosonoids which increase inflammation in the body which is the precursor to cardiovascular disease, not to mention weight gain, increased blood pressure, etc, etc. It is therefore vital to maintain low insulin levels and thus a diet relatively low in sugar and carbohydrates is also recommended.
For those who have developed their clairsentience, and thus able to feel the effects of these foods on their body energetically, will know they are very harmful energetically also. They add dampness to the body, bury emotions and prevent true vitality.
As a general recommendation we recommend the following diet:
Foods Containing Protein
We recommend a reasonably high protein intake up to 60% of your calories coming from a lean protein source. Animal foods are rich in protein include: chicken, turkey, fish and sea food, eggs, lamb and beef (eat sparingly). Other acceptable protein sources are beans, tofu, and low-fat meat substitutes. Only eat grass fed red meats as grain fed meats may be contaminated with fungi and their mycotoxins from the grains they are fed.
Vegetables
One can include a large quantity of vegetables in your diet, such as asparagus, peppers, eggplant, cucumbers, cabbage, onions, celery, pumpkin, green-leaf vegetables, legumes such as beans and lentils. Cauliflower and broccoli are allowed in limited amounts. Ideally, vegetables should form the largest food group in your diet; they should cover at least half of the plate. A good example is a large salad with protein meal and dressing. Vegetables to be avoided are the starchy ones, such as potatoes and rice, while corn, carrots, and peas may be eaten sparingly.
Fruits:
Consumed only in limited amounts as they contain a lot of sugar. One can eat fruits that are low to medium in sugar such as green apples, berries, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, tomatoes, grapefruit, lemons and fresh lemon juice, limes and coconut. The fruits which contain the highest quantity of sugar should be avoided and include all dried fruit (for instance, raisins and figs, among others) and tropical fruits, such as bananas, oranges, mangoes and pineapples.
Nuts and Seeds
One can eat raw nuts such as walnuts, cashews, almonds, and pistachios. These provide valuable healthy fats, fibre, magnesium and potassium. Roasted nuts may be baked with hydrogenated oils which are bad trans fats so should be avoided. Avoid peanuts as they can contain large amounts of fungi/moulds and their mycotoxins.
Fats
It is important to satisfy your needs for essential fats like Omega-3 fats by eating fish – salmon and mackerel or by using flax seed oil. Foods with a high amount of monounsaturated fat, such as olive oil, avocado, and nuts, have indisputable health benefits.
I am aware that many would find this type of diet, which is really a lifestyle choice, too restrictive and unable to stick with it long term. Unfortunately many people live in total disregard of themselves which is not self loving. They tend to over indulge in foods they know are not good for them but do so anyway. Ultmately this results in a spleen condition which affects the adrenals, nervous system, etc.
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