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The Paleo Diet is also known as the Stone Age Diet, the Caveman Diet, the Hunter-Gatherer Diet and the Paleolithic Diet. Even though it has been labeled as a fad diet, I personally think this is an excellent diet to use as a base (explained here). I was originally introduced to this diet back in early 2013. My rheumatologist suggested that a lot of my inflammation was probably due to the food I was eating. Given my skin sensitivities, I would have a very hard time doing a typical allergy test so he suggested using this diet as a way to remove all of the toxins from food. I thought this was a great idea; after all, my doctor was also on it.
Where did the idea of this diet originate?
The term “Paleo Diet” was originally coined by gastroenterologist Walter L. Voegin, in his 1975 book, “The Stone Age Diet”. He believed that humans would achieve perfect health if they ate like our ancestors ate prior to the industrial and agricultural revolution. His writings didn’t initially produce a huge amount of reception but, as time went on, this diet began to generate popularity. Eventually, there were people like Dr. Loren Cordain and Robb Wolf who helped this diet gain its current popularity. Today, you can search the web and find thousands of pages dedicated to this diet.
Basis of the diet
The supporters for this diet believe that by following a diet that mimics our ancestors that we can lose weight, improve our health and minimise our risks of diseases. The diet focuses on eating more protein, reducing carbohydrates and increasing the intake of important nutrients. You can eat almost all forms of meat and fish but you should opt for all natural, grass-fed or wild caught versions. Almost all fruits and vegetables are paleo. Wait for it…there is a huge but coming. The diet recommends eliminating nightshade vegetables and those with a high starch content. So this would eliminate things like bell peppers, eggplant, paprika, pepinos, potatoes, hot peppers, goji berries, pimentos and tomatoes. If you do some searching around the Internet you may notice that there are many paleo websites, which give recipes with these ingredients in them. Many of these are actually known to cause inflammation and additional issues for some. It’s a borderline topic but if you truly follow the paleo diet, these guys are out. The diet also eliminates legumes. These include all beans, peas, peanuts, mesquite, soybeans, lentils and tofu. Most sweeteners are also not paleo. The biggest items removed in this diet are grains, anything processed and dairy. Alcohol is also not paleo, however, there has been some dispute over wine. For a full list, I highly recommend the Ultimate Paleo Guide.