The Paleo Diet (Caveman Diet)

Nutrition science continues to reveal new findings - almost daily - about healthy eating. However, some experts say all we need to do is eat like our stone age ancestors to be healthy.
The Caveman diet, also called the Paleolithic (or Paleo), Stone Age, Hunter Gatherer or Warrior Diet, is a plan based on eating plants and wild animals, similar to those cavemen are presumed to have eaten around 10,000 years ago.
Why turn back the hands of time and eat that way? The premise is that our bodies are genetically programmed to eat like our Paleolithic ancestors.
Proponents claim it's the biologically appropriate diet that suits us best, with the proper balance of nutrients to promote health and reduce the incidence of chronic diseases.

Paleo (Caveman) diet: What supporters say

Eating like our ancient ancestors, is healthy says Professor Loren Cordain, author of The Paleo Diet. He says: "Clinical trials have shown that the Paleo diet is the optimum diet that can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, markers of inflammation, help with weight loss, reduce acne and promote optimum health and athletic performance."
Supporters of this nutritional approach have published papers and books and created web sites, to promote it. They argue that today's typical Western diet is responsible for the epidemic levels of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health problems.
The Paleo or Caveman diet is not without controversy. Some nutrition experts assert that humans have adapted to a broader diet, including whole grains, dairy products and legumes. Others question the evidence for the diet’s evolutionary logic.
Even though grains and dairy seem healthy, Professor Cordain says our "genome has not really adapted to these foods, which can cause inflammation at the cellular level and promote disease".

The Caveman diet: What you can eat

The diet is based on the foods that could be hunted, fished and gathered during the Paleolithic era - meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, tree nuts, vegetables, roots, fruits and berries.
However, a true paleolithic diet is impossible to mimic because wild game is not readily available and most modern plant food is cultivated rather than wild and meats are domesticated.
At best, you can eat a modified version of the original diet that's gluten-free and includes lean meat, organ meats, fish, poultry, eggs, vegetables, fruit and nuts.
You won’t find any dairy, grains, sugar, legumes, potatoes, processed oils or any foods that were grown after agriculture started.
On this diet you'd skip salt and any drinks other than water, coconut water or organic green tea.
You can satisfy your sweet tooth with raw honey or coconut palm sugar, but only in limited quantities.
Some versions of the plan encourage fasting, eating raw foods and eliminating "nightshade" vegetables (tomatoes, aubergine).
Some plans allow a little flexibility, like adding some processed oils from fruits and nuts, such as olive and flaxseed oil.
Supporters suggest eating organic plant foods, wild-caught fish and grass-fed meats because they're closer to the nutritional quality of the foods of our ancestors.

The Caveman diet: How it works

Supporters of the Paleo diet say people are genetically programmed to eat like cavemen did before the agricultural revolution. They also say it's a way to cut the spiralling cases of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions.
That's because a diet rich in lean protein and plant foods contains fibre, protein and fluids that work together to satisfy, control blood sugar and prevent weight gain and type 2 diabetes.
You may not need to eat this way all the time. According to Professor Cordain, eating like our ancestors 80% of the time offers health benefits. He suggests trying the diet for two weeks to see if you feel better on the plan.
The plan also encourages people to be physically active on a regular basis. After all, hunter-gathers had active daily lives seeking food, water and shelter.

The Caveman diet: Experts' views

Nutrition experts have been clamouring for years for a cleaner diet based on whole foods, lean meats, fruits, vegetables and less sugar, sodium and processed foods.

However, they also typically include low-fat dairy, legumes and whole grains, based on the wealth of research that supports the role of these foods in a healthy, well-balanced diet.

Dr Áine O'Connor, nutrition scientist with the British Nutrition Foundation tells us: "The Paleo or paleolithic diet has some positive aspects in that lean meats, fruits, vegetables and foods containing less sugar and salt are encouraged, but it has limitations, namely by excluding certain food groups such as milk and dairy foods, which can lead to nutrient deficiencies in the long term.
"Overall, the Paleo diet is not sustainable due to lack of variety and the potential for nutrient deficiencies."
The British Dietetic Association refers to the Caveman diet as a fad diet. It says it comes in several variations but, in general, is based on eating one main meal per day between the hours of five and seven in the evening, when hunters are thought to have come back with the goods. The remainder of the day involves grazing on foods such as nuts and dried fruit.

It says the key to losing weight and maintaining weight loss long term is having regular meals and cautions that nuts and dried fruits, though high in nutrients, are also high in energy (calories) that can add up.
David Katz, author of Way to Eat, says eating more foods direct from nature is far better than the diet most people typically eat, but adds: "How the Paleo-type diet compares in terms of long-term outcomes to an Asian, Mediterranean, vegan or other optimised diet, we just don’t know."

The Caveman diet: Food for thought

A diet that includes whole, unprocessed foods is the basis of most healthy diet recommendations, but so are whole grains, low-fat dairy and legumes.
Including these food groups will help meet nutritional needs and contribute to a well-balanced diet plan. You can satisfy dietary requirements without these foods but that requires careful planning and supplementation.
If the Paleo or Caveman diet appeals to you, consider supplementing the plan with calcium and vitamin D after speaking to your GP or a registered dietitian.
Eliminating all grains, dairy, processed foods and sugar will probably lead to weight loss but it may be tough to follow this plan long term due to the diet's restrictive nature.


 

By Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD
WebMD Feature

Medically Reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks

Kathleen Zelman is director of nutrition for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.

 

SOURCES:
Heather Mangieri, MS, RD, American Dietetic Association spokeswoman; owner, Nutrition Check Up.
Keith Ayoob, EdD, RD, associate professor, Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Dr David Katz, MPH, director, Prevention Research Center, Yale University School of Medicine; author, What to Eat.
Loren Cordain, PhD, author, The Paleo Diet; professor, Colorado State University.
Eaton, S. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, February 2006; vol 65: pp 1-6.
The British Dietetic Association.
Dr Áine O'Connor Nutrition Scientist, The British Nutrition Foundation.

Reviewed on January 11, 2012

© 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

 

10 diet rules meant to be broken

Some food dos and don'ts are best ignored, experts say.

WebMD Medical Reference

Medically Reviewed by Dr Rob Hicks

Do these diet truisms ring any bells in your mind?:

• Don't eat before bedtime or you'll gain weight.
• Missing meals will help you lose the pounds.
• If you want to stay on a diet, eat at the same time every day.

Experts say these are among dozens of silly food 'rules' we often try to follow to the letter. Some are half-truths, some are complete myths, and some are clearly more harmful than others, but most of them won't help you lose weight or make dieting any easier.

10 food rules to ignore

 

1. Eating at night will pile on the pounds.
It's the total calories you consume over a 24-hour period - and more often, over a week - that causes you to gain weight, and when you eat those calories doesn't matter. That said, because you may be more tired at night, your resolve may be lower, so you may tend to eat larger portions, or more high-calorie foods, than you would during the day. But as long as you keep an eye on calories and portion size, feel free to set your hunger alarm to the time that suits your lifestyle.

2. It's best to eat at the same times every day.
Eating when you're hungry rather than when the clock says it's time to eat is a better strategy than eating at the same time every day. While it can help to keep some consistency to mealtimes, forcing yourself to eat when you're not hungry - or forcing yourself to wait when you are - only makes it harder to stick to your diet. If you must eat at a certain time,  for example, during a set lunch break at work - cut yourself some slack the rest of the day and eat only when your stomach says it's time.

3. Dieting with a friend always makes weight loss easier.
No one doubts that companionship and common goals can pay off for dieters. But there are some instances in which the buddy system may work against you and your friend.
If one friend fails and the other doesn't, it could upset the balance. Also if one friend falls off the diet wagon, the other may follow suit. Ultimately, weight loss is a personal journey. If you find it's easier with a friend, remember to compete only against yourself - not each other.

4. Dietary fat keeps you feeling full longer, so you'll eat less.
This was a well-accepted food rule for many years but new research has challenged this logic. It has shown that while fat does take longer to digest, it's actually the least satiating of any food group so it won’t help you control your appetite. The foods likely to stave off hunger the longest are protein foods, followed by carbohydrates, then fats.

5. When you disrupt your diet, you might as well wait until the next day to get back on track.
Nothing could be farther from the truth. Every meal matters, so if you ate a big piece of birthday cake at lunch time, you can still get back on track with your next meal. You don't have to have a full day of healthy eating in order for it to count.

6. Refusing food at a party or when visiting is rude.
If you had diabetes, or a severe food allergy to something, you wouldn't think twice about turning down food you weren't sure of - and you should feel that same sense of priority in turning down a food that you know will disrupt your diet - most people will understand.

7. Missing a meal every now and then will help you lose weight.
Missing a meal means you will be so hungry at the next meal that you are likely to overeat, say experts.  Not only that, missing meals can actually help lead to a slowdown of your metabolism, meaning you'll burn fewer calories.

8. Bread is fattening, nuts are fattening, pasta is fattening.
It's not what you eat that contributes to weight gain, it's how much you eat that matters most.
Whole wheat bread, for example, is a great source of nutrients, and it won't make you gain weight more than any other food with the same number of calories.

9. All calories are equal.
While it's true that 1,400 calories is 1,400 calories, experts say certain foods have a greater ability to fill you up before they fill you out. These tend to be fibre-rich, water-rich foods, like fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.
All calories are equal if all you're doing is counting calories to lose weight but if you care about how you are losing weight, or controlling your hunger, or the health of your body, then all calories are not of equal value.

10. If you don't clean your plate, you're wasting food.
Tying emotions to eating (like when you feel guilty about leaving food on your plate) sets the stage for emotional overeating. If you've been taught that cleaning your plate is the best way to show appreciation for a meal, consider showing your gratitude with verbal praise instead.
Food is simply a source of fuel for the body - not an emotional payoff or payment. If you don't feel right leaving the table until you've cleaned your plate, put less food on your plate to begin with.

SOURCES: Elizabeth Somer, MA, RD, author, 10 Habits That Mess Up a Woman's Diet. Abby Aronowitz, PhD, author, Your Final Diet; director, SelfHelpDirectives.com; Samantha Heller, MS, RD, senior clinical nutritionist, New York University Medical Center, USA.

Reviewed on February 20, 2012

© 2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Preventing Weight Gain

 

If you're currently at a healthy weight, you're already one step ahead of the game. To stay at a healthy weight, it's worth doing a little planning now.

Or maybe you are overweight but aren't ready to lose weight yet. If this is the case, preventing further weight gain is a worthy goal.

As people age, their body composition gradually shifts — the proportion of muscle decreases and the proportion of fat increases. This shift slows their metabolism, making it easier to gain weight. In addition, some people become less physically active as they get older, increasing the risk of weight gain.

The good news is that weight gain can be prevented by choosing a lifestyle that includes good eating habits and daily physical activity. By avoiding weight gain, you avoid higher risks of many chronic diseases, such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer.

Choosing an Eating Plan to Prevent Weight Gain

So, how do you choose a healthful eating plan that will enable you to maintain your current weight? The goal is to make a habit out of choosing foods that are nutritious and healthful. To learn more, visit Healthy Eating for a Healthy Weight.
If your goal is to prevent weight gain, then you'll want to choose foods that supply you with the appropriate number of calories to maintain your weight. This number varies from person to person. It depends on many factors, including your height, weight, age, sex, and activity level. For more, see Balancing Calories.

Get Moving!

In addition to a healthy eating plan, an active lifestyle will help you maintain your weight. By choosing to add more physical activity to your day, you'll increase the amount of calories your body burns. This makes it more likely you'll maintain your weight.

Although physical activity is an integral part of weight management, it's also a vital part of health in general. Regular physical activity can reduce your risk for many chronic diseases and it can help keep your body healthy and strong. To learn more about how physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight, visit Physical Activity for Healthy Weight.

Self-monitoring

You may also find it helpful to weigh yourself on a regular basis. If you see a few pounds creeping on, take the time to examine your lifestyle. With these strategies, you make it more likely that you'll catch small weight gains more quickly.
Ask yourself—

• Has my activity level changed?
•  Am I eating more than usual? You may find it helpful to keep a food diary for a few days to make you more aware of your eating choices.

If you ask yourself these questions and find that you've decreased your activity level or made some poor food choices, make a commitment to yourself to get back on track. Set some reasonable goals to help you get more physical activity and make better food choices.



Resource: http://www.cdc.gov/healthyweight/prevention/index.html