What Is the “Paleo Diet”?

It seems as though everyone is talking about the “paleo” diet these days. You might be wondering what it is and if you could benefit from trying it. The answer is that, yes, the paleo diet might be beneficial for individuals who are trying to decrease their percentage of body fat. Let’s take a closer look at what it entails.

Eat Like a Caveman (or Woman)

“Paleo” refers to the Paleolithic era, otherwise known as the Old Stone Age. Thus, the paleo diet is based on the idea of eating as if one were living during the Paleolithic era. Given that our Stone Age ancestors were hunters and gatherers (and not farmers), this means eating only food items that could be hunted or found in nature (versus those that are farmed and / or processed). Basically, if a caveman did not have access to a certain type of food, individuals following the paleo diet will not eat it.

Foods That Are Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Individuals following the paleo diet eat:

• Fish and other seafood
• Grass-fed meats
• Fresh veggies
• Fresh fruits
• Eggs
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Healthy oils, such as olive, coconut, avocado, flaxseed, walnut and macadamia

Foods That Are Not Allowed on the Paleo Diet

Those on the paleo diet do not eat:

• Legumes (including peanuts)
• Cereal grains
• Dairy
• Refined sugar
• Potatoes
• Processed foods
• Foods high in salt content
• Refined vegetable oils
• Candy / junk food

The Philosophy Behind the Paleo Diet

In order to understand the philosophy behind the paleo diet, envision the timeline of humanity as a 12-month calendar. For the first 11.95 months, our human ancestors were hunters and gatherers. It is only in the past .05 months of the year that we have started farming. Farming has caused a dramatic transformation in our diets, which now include processed grains and dairy products, neither of which were part of our early ancestors’ diets. Adherers of the paleo diet posit that although our diet has changed as a result of agriculture, our genetics have not had time to adjust to the new diet; therefore, the human body still responds best to the type of diet our Stone Age ancestors followed.

Learn More About Healthy Living

For individuals recovering from bariatric surgery, following the paleo diet can be beneficial to their weight loss efforts. For more information about available bariatric surgery options, such as the Lap Band System or gastric bypass, contact Dr. Kuzinkovas of Advanced Surgicare. He will work with you to devise a weight loss surgical treatment plan, complete with nutritional counseling, to help you lose weight successfully and keep it off over the long run.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kuzinkovas to learn more about your weight loss surgery treatment options, please contact Advanced Surgicare by calling 1 300 551 533.