In 2003, long before Mike Willesee tackled celebrity chef Pete Evans’ 10 week Paleo diet test (recently featured on channel 7’s Sunday Program), I conducted my own 6 week strict Paleo diet.

My interest; will it improve my day to day vitality, my wellness, headspace, and will it <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/pall.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2694 " src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/pall-300x170.jpg" alt="pall" width="258" height="146" /></a>improve my recovery from training, by boosting my all-critical sleep quality?

But most importantly, will it make me faster? More so, faster over a long distance! Will the results see a prolonging of fatigue? And will my physicality change favourably? eg, leaner, lighter and stronger.

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<span style="color: #008080;"><strong>So what is the Paleo diet?</strong></span>
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<span style="color: #008080;">It is a diet based on the types of foods presumed to have been eaten by early humans, consisting primarily of meat, fish, vegetables, and fruit and excluding dairy, grains, legumes, alcohol, caffeine, and processed food - with refined sugar &amp; gluten products being the pin up bad boys.</span></blockquote>
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Meat options, particularly red meat, certainly occupies the lion share of meal balance, with<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/pa.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2695 size-full" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/pa.jpg" alt="pa" width="259" height="194" /></a> veggies and fruits, while encouraged, offering more filler portions. Real fats are also well promoted – and rightly so.

True Paleo devotees tell me vegan pioneers were simply the sh&amp;t hunters of the village.

OK, let’s cut to the chase;

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<span style="color: #008080;"><strong>Does it work?</strong></span>

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<blockquote><span style="color: #008080;">Well of course it works! Anything that promotes real nutrient dense foods, satiating slow energy releasing options (namely; real fats – both mono and saturated fat), free of unnecessary (and frequent) insulin spikes, and of course free of gut inflaming choices will typically work for most – big time!</span></blockquote>
Ultimately, the key principles, if practiced, will encourage a healthy metabolic tilt towards fat burning energy.
HOWEVER, some 12 years post my initial “Play with Paleo” - and while much of my subliminal foods choices are aligned with Paleo concepts - two relevant questions prevent me from an all-out promotion of Paleo 101:
<blockquote><span style="color: #008080;">1) Is it actually logistically possible to comply with strict Paleo principles (rules) while living a “normal” lifestyle? and,</span>

<span style="color: #008080;">2) Is it still possible to reach and maintain optimum health (or even improve on), while still enjoying (in moderation) dairy, legumes, wholemeal bread, oats, coffee, chocolate, alcohol, and tap water for example?</span></blockquote>
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Because let’s face, while I accept there are possible health risks related to excessive<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/palle.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2693 " src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/palle-300x300.jpg" alt="palle" width="220" height="220" /></a> consumption of the choices listed above, it could also be considered – consumed in moderation – and balance – there may very well be indirect health benefits.

For instance, here’s a couple of my breakfast staples.

I’ll kick off with a glass of lukewarm le Sydney Tap water (and a slice of lime/ lemon). In my opinion, there’s perhaps no bigger hoax than bottled water! It started with Evian spelt backwards and advertising did the rest.
Oats (cheapest is best – it all comes from the same field), coconut flakes, chia seeds, ground cinnamon, almond water, heated in microwave for 1 minute – add fruit of season – often featuring berries or rockmelon. I might also dollop a generous tablespoon of real full fat yogurt. If I’m training heavily I’ll also consider organic honey, or even organic maple syrup.

Alternatively I’ll fry or scramble 2-4 eggs in real butter, throw in some chicken, herb of choice, place it on a wholemeal wrap + avocado, hummus (homemade – chickpeas, garlic, lemon, Himalayan salt, water – blend it up) and maybe throw on a handful of mixed Aussie nuts.

I’ll also enjoy a fully brewed cappuccino - with full fat milk.
<blockquote><strong><span style="color: #008080;">So far I’ve broken a number of key Paleo rules.</span></strong></blockquote>
However, I certainly feel OK, and can’t believe my health or athleticism would be any better if I eliminated dairy, grains, legumes, or high impact real sugar.

<strong>Let’s cut to alcohol.</strong>

Lord Paleo tells me beer is horrendous for my health (a mix of grains, sugar &amp; preservatives), and really, wine also should have minimal place in my culinary week. Yikes! It has been said that prohibition laws kicked in as Cavemen were behaving poo<a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/cave.gif"><img class="alignright wp-image-2697 size-medium" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/cave-300x223.gif" alt="cave" width="300" height="223" /></a>rly on the tins!

It’s my opinion our digestive system has evolved to tolerate (in moderation) many black-banned Paleo foods.

For example, while I accept excessive and repeated alcohol is likely to lead me to potential health risks, I’m certain my healthy liver can tolerate intermittent hits. I’m convinced our digestive system, our metabolism, our gut tolerance, with gradual exposure has evolved over time to tolerant controlled volume of (some) manufactured food.

Certainly if our default food choices are aligned closely to Paleo values, and of course we’re moving regularly, I’m certain this balance (and inclusion of alcohol) can/will result in sustainable good health.

Of course I exclude individuals challenged with absolute intolerances for eg lactose, gluten, alcohol etc. They will clearly be aware of the consequences.

I see the biggest challenge with strict Paleo concepts being compliance in our ever changing world. While I’m sure it’s possible, I find, and my family would find it logistically difficult to uphold.

Finally, I’m also certain there’s a almost soulful benefit to enjoying a beer or two with mates, or a piece of chocolate cake at your kids party.

In conclusion, if you’re moving through your years with both body &amp; brain in reasonable <a href="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sun.jpg"><img class="alignright wp-image-2535 size-medium" src="http://balancehealthprograms.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sun-300x168.jpg" alt="sun" width="300" height="168" /></a>shape, it’s likely your mix of both, 1) food – both “good &amp; bad”, and 2) your moving habits – are well balanced.

Continue....

If body &amp; brain are off your best, well, dial in some new habits – now.

BP