We thrive when we eat in a certain way. The profound sickness so endemic in Western society is something our ancestors didn’t face. We were never meant to eat the sugar, refined flour and industrial seed oils that are the mainstays of the modern diet. We were never meant to work around the clock under the glare of artificial lights, or spend half our lives sitting staring at computer screens.
Combine the eating guidelines of the paleo diet with these six lifestyle rules and you will enjoy better health for years to come!
Heal your gut
Identify the factors that can damage gut-barrier integrity, leading to leaky gut syndrome. The standard western diet has been shown to cause undesirable changes in the gut microbiota. These changes, in turn, make the gut barrier permeable and may increase the risk of auto-immune disease and other problems associated with a leaky gut. On the other hand, traditional diets rich in fruits, vegetables and soluble fibers with very little processed, modern food, cause beneficial changes in the gut microbiota, which preserve barrier integrity and improve overall health. avoid foods that harm the gut, including refined flour, industrial seed oils, and sugar, and eat more foods that instead nourish the gut, including bone broths, fermentable fiber, and fermented foods.
Try gluten free
Many people are gluten intolerant and are not even aware of it. To find out if you are gluten intolerant, refrain gluten-rich foods or completely remove it from your diet for about two to three months. After three months try to start having gluten foods and check if you feel better or worse. If you do not feel better or feel worse it means you are intolerant towards gluten. Even if you feel good, do not overeat gluten-rich foods, you may have it occasionally but never regularly.
Eat fat
Saturated and monounsaturated fats from meat, poultry, animal fats, nuts and seeds, avocados, coconut, olives and dairy products should form the foundation of your fat intake. Eat pastured meat to obtain conjugated linolenic acid, a healthy form of fat. Avoid industrial seed oils which are devoid of nutrients and associated with numerous health problems. Eat between 280g and 550g of cold water, oily fish like salmon, mackerel, herring, anchovies or sardines each week. Avoid high doses (more than 3g per day) of pure fish oil, which can actually promote oxidative damage.
Move like your ancestors
We were meant to sit behind a desk.
Stand for half of your day.
Take standing breaks every 30-45 minutes.
Aim to walk 10,000 steps a day (five miles).
Aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week, or 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or 30 minutes of highest-intensity activity per week, or some combination of the above amounts and timings.
Sleep more deeply
Make sleep priority
Keep the bedroom slightly cool and use white noise or earplugs to reduce sound from outside.
If you are having difficulties, avoid caffeine, chocolate, tobacco and other stimulants.
Get plenty of physical activity during the day.
Control your exposure to artificial light at night by minimising the use of electronic devices before bed, dimming or covering anything that emits light in your bedroom, using blackout curtains to darken your bedroom and wearing orange-tinted glasses that filter out blue light.
Cultivate Pleasure
Pleasure is the antidote to chronic stress. It causes us to release endorphins which improve immune function by producing anti-bacterial substances and enhance the ‘Killer instincts’ of various white blood cells that fight infection, including B-cells, T-cells, and natural killer cells. Even seemingly day to day, mundane activities such as playing with a pet, watching a funny film, listening to music, visiting a favorite place or connecting with loved ones causes us to release endorphins.
Be a hugger: cuddle your spouse, kids, friends, anyone you love. It raises oxytocin levels and lowers blood pressure, as does receive massage, which is great for your health.
Get professional help if you are struggling in your relationship. Plodding along in a toxic, hurtful relationship is harmful to your health.
Adopt a pet: the health rewards are endless.
Listen to music: It’s amazingly therapeutic.
Make pleasure and connection as much a priority as eating well, managing stress and getting enough sleep and exercise.
Paleo Eating
These are basic guidelines on what to include and what to avoid
Have Liberally
- Meat and poultry: Organic and free range.
- Organ meats, especially liver, the most nutrient-dense food on the planet.
- Bone broth soups: They contain glycine, amino-acid important in maintaining healthy gut lining.
- Fish, especially oily and preferably wild.
- Organic eggs
- Starchy vegetables like yams, sweet potatoes, and parsnips.
- Non-starchy veg: Either cooked or raw such as broccoli, celery, and beetroot.
- Fermented vegetables and fruit: this includes sauerkraut and coconut kefir which are full of ‘good’ bacteria.
- Traditional fats: coconut oil, red palm, and olive oil.
- Avocados, coconuts, and olives.
Eat in moderation
- Processed meat: no more than two servings a week.
- Whole fruit
- Nuts and seeds
- Green beans, sugar snap peas, and mange-tout
- Coffee and black tea
- Vinegar: cider vinegar is the best
Avoid completely
- Dairy
- All grains: no bread, pasta, cereal or pizza
- Pulses, including beans of all kinds, and peanuts
- Sweeteners
- Chocolate milk
- Processed or refined foods
- Industrial seed and vegetable oils: soy, corn, safflower, sunflower, rapeseed, peanut, cottonseed, and so on.
- Fizzy drinks and fruit juices
- Alcohol
- Processed sauces and seasoning