Nicole DiPietro Case, naturopath and one half of Paleo Pure busts they myths surrounding the caveman crunch known as paleo.
“In my late 20’s when I was studying naturopathy I had a 70/30 rule; whereby 70%of the time I was aware and happy with what I was eating and 30% of the time I could get away with whatever I wanted,” she says.
“In my 30’s my balance or ratio had to change to an 80/20 rule, otherwise I would put on weight or felt bloated, uncomfortable something of a bodily sign that it was ‘too much’. Today in my 40’s I need a 90/10 rule and that’s just how it is for me.”
Nicole says good health flows into bountiful energy levels, an ability to focus with mental clarity, a healthy body weight and true sense of wellness. How do we get this and maintain it in our lives? So much of health depends of life status quo; work, relationships, goals and so on, but we can directly influence on a daily basis what we eat.
When you don’t have good energy levels you’re starting the day on the back foot.
Common Paleo Myths:
There’s not enough calcium on a Paleo diet – Calcium is readily abundant in many foods other than dairy alone, and is actually absorbed and utilised in the body best in the presence of magnesium, vitamin D and K. Sesame seeds, green leafy vegetables, canned fish, nuts and nut butters are just some sources. Or if you are motivated to, consider making your own bone broth, which is rich in minerals and calcium. When there is such abundance in calcium in several of forms of other foods, milk is not required. There are other reasons to avoid processed dairy food, but this is a whole other topic.
Paleo diets are too high in protein – This is a broad misconception. Nowhere in a well-planned paleo diet are you prescribed to eat a lot of protein. The premise is non-processed, fresh seasonal produce, a little protein and plenty of good fats on each plate. The key is balance, unprocessed and nutrient dense foods. The fat levels are what keep one satiated, not protein. A normal paleo plate would only consist of about 50-100 grams of protein per person. The rest should be made up with vegies and a fat source.
Paleo is another name for a low carb diet – paleo is not necessarily “low carb”, this is a common misunderstanding. Food groups like seeds, nuts and tubers are a great source of non-starchy carbohydrate. Paleo does exclude all grain, as grains can impact on the digestive system in an inflammatory and dysfunctional manner. The main focus of Paleo food choices is nutrient density, non-processed and without refined sugar. It is important to fuel our bodies with the right foods for optimum performance, eating when your body is hungry and not being afraid of eating quality saturated fats.
Paleo is a fad diet – Nothing could be further from the truth. And it is definitely not a diet; it is a way of life. The paleo or caveman “diet” has been around for millions of years prior to agriculture. It is no fad.
In fact it is the most ancient way can possibly eat. We should be eating the foods that our bodies were designed to eat. Food these days has been genetically modified, processed and has morphed into something that resembles “food”. Humans have only been eating highly processed and refined foods like sugar and flour for the last 200 years and look at the result. With such medical advances and scientific technology these days why are we so fat, so diseased and in such seriously poor health? Modern disease is killing us. At the recent Low Carb Downunder Seminar we learned that for the first time ever, the life expectancy of our children is less than an adult. This is cause for serious concern. There is something not right. Humans today consume more sugar, more processed food and more chemicals than ever before.
Sometimes it feels just too difficult for people to make what feels like such a big change to their lifestyle. I recommend taking a 30-day challenge. Read, be informed and try something for 30 days that could potentially significantly positively shift your health markers: energy, immunity, mental focus and mood. Learn to listen to you body. Watch for the positive changes. It does take some time to kick the sugar and carb habit, but I can guarantee you one thing, once you get past the withdrawal stage, you will feel empowered and energized. It is really worthwhile.