Paleo toothpaste recipe natural-min

Paleo Toothpaste Recipe

Do you use regular shop bought toothpaste? You’re careful about what you eat – but what about what you brush your teeth with?

I just read the ingredients on two brands of toothpaste, Colgate and MacCleans – and was shocked by what they contained. I don’t even know what the ingredients actually are – and I certainly couldn't find them at the farmers market. Here are just some of the common ingredients I saw…

Glycerin, Silica, Flouride, Sodium Methyl Cocol Taurate, Disodium Phosphate, Titanium Dioxide, Sodium Saccharin, Methylparaben, Propylparabem C173360, C174160, Sorbitol, PVM/MA Copolymer, Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS), Carrageenan, Triclosan, Mica, Brilliant Blue and Quinoline Yellow

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Whilst you aren't supposed to swallow toothpaste, it’s fairly obvious that the ingredients can get into your blood stream. And that’s just adults – do children really manage to spit it all out?

Animals don’t use toothpaste – and clearly a few hundred years ago we wouldn't have been using such chemical laden products on our teeth. So is it really necessary?

Fluoride is a very controversial addition to toothpaste, and one that highly concerns me. From what I've read, Flouride seems to be highly toxic – and quite possibly not as great for teeth as the experts proclaim.

What’s The Alternative To Commercial Toothpaste?

Of course when you follow a Paleo diet, you won’t be eating the processed sugary foods that cause damage to teeth – this makes dental care a whole lot easier.

Instead of using a commercial toothpaste, you can go really basic and just floss and use baking soda to brush your teeth with. But baking soda can feel quite abrasive if you use it all the time – and also the taste might not be quite to your liking. You can also just use coconut oil. But, here’s a good recipe that I've tried. The peppermint oil takes the edge off the baking soda and leaves a “fresh” taste.

Ingredients:

  • 8 teaspoons of baking soda
  • 5 teaspoons of coconut oil (exactly what you use to cook with – hopefully unrefined, extra virgin)
  • 10 drops of peppermint oil (adding cinnamon instead is another winning combination)

How To:

Mix the ingredients together thoroughly in a small pot.

When ready to used, scoop out onto your toothbrush with a small wooden stick (or similar)

Remember – It’s not going to taste like what you've been used to in the commercial toothpastes – but you’ll soon get used to it. Your health and teeth will thank you!

What do you use to clean your teeth? If you've got a favourite recipe, I’d love to see it in the comments below!

Paleo toothpaste recipe natural-min

Can You Get Enough Calcium On A Paleo Diet-min

Can You Get Enough Calcium On A Paleo Diet?

If you've told anyone you follow a Paleo diet, one of the typical responses you’ve probably got back, is bound to be “but how can you get enough Calcium?”

As part of any healthy lifestyle it is essential to have a decent amount of calcium in the diet, as it is involved in so many crucial functions. Calcium is known to strengthen the bones and teeth and can help to reduce the risk of suffering from osteoporosis, which causes brittle bones and can be very detrimental in the quality of life for sufferers. It is also thought the mineral can help to prevent cardiovascular disease and other illnesses which can cause a lot of problems in later life.

In order to really get the benefits from calcium, it is important to incorporate it with other nutrients and vitamins, as they work in conjunction with each other to produce the most effective results. Vitamins such as C and D3 help the body to absorb calcium so that the benefits are maximised. If these vitamins are not present in the diet, it won’t be absorbed sufficiently, which means the calcium won’t offer the benefits you would expect from it.

We don’t all require the same intake of calcium; there are factors which affect the level of calcium we should consume in our diet. Children require a lower level than adults and women are usually required to take in more calcium than men. Pregnant women should also try to take in a higher level of calcium as it will be beneficial for both mother and baby.

We know that calcium is essential for the body, but we have been led to believe that we need a lot more in our diet than what we actually need. It is also a misconception that the only way we can get the calcium we need is through the consumption of dairy products and in particular milk, which is not the case. There are many other foods which provide a good quantity of calcium and more than enough to ensure we have an adequate amount in our bodies. It can also be detrimental if we consume too much calcium, as it inhibits the absorption of magnesium. Magnesium is important for a healthy body and a lack of this can have an adverse effect on the body.

As a strict Paleo diet excludes dairy, many people wrongly assume eating this way will result in a Calcium deficiency. However, this simply is not the case. Not only are there some far better sources than milk – when the processed foods are removed from your diet your calcium requirements are actually lower. In fact, it is not calcium intake that is important, rather calcium balance. Processed things such as soft drinks actually use calcium in their digestion – effectively leeching calcium from your body. If you eat a lot of these types of foods, your calcium requirements are clearly going to be a lot higher. When you eat a natural Paleo diet – real food – your requirements are going to be a lot less.

Can You Get Enough Calcium On A Paleo Diet-min

Good Paleo Calcium Sources

There are lots of foods other than dairy products which many people just don’t associate with calcium. These foods act as a good source of calcium and provide us with other health benefits, including providing an adequate amounts of essential vitamins and other minerals.

Leafy green vegetables are a great calcium sources, as are high quantity of fish, such as salmon and mackerel. These can also offer a substantial amount of the mineral, as well as providing us with vitamins and antioxidants which are the perfect way of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Walnuts and hazelnuts are other foods which act as a good source of calcium. It is important not to eat too many of these though due to the Omega 3/6 ratio, so sticking to a low quantity will achieve the desired result. Eggs are also a way of ensuring calcium is present in the body and in particular egg yolks are a good source. It is a good idea to take note of the calcium levels of the foods you are eating, so you know whether you are taking in too much or too little.

Do you eat dairy? Where do you get most of your calcium from? Share in the comments below!

Paleo Diet Indonesia Bali Lombok Java how to eating where healthy suggestions ideas-min

Keeping It Paleo Whilst Travelling – Indonesia

I had intentions of being 100%, strict Paleo on my recent trip to Indonesia. However, it’s all very well deciding that in advance, but when I actually arrived in Indonesia, things didn't go quite to plan…

As I was travelling to lots of different, rural places in Bali, Lombok and the Gili Islands, food options could be quite limited. Most of the places I stayed offered breakfast options of things like pancakes (with banana or pineapple and topped with honey), fresh fruit (mango, papaya, pineapple and other tropical fruits) and toast and a boiled egg.

My initial approach was to order breakfast from the lunch menu – paying extra to get fish and vegetables, or eggs with a side of chicken and veg. This took quite some explaining and was met with some very baffled expressions. Unfortunately, after a few days I was struck down with the dreaded “Bali Belly” (if you don’t know, I'm sure you can guess!). It then occurred to me I was going against my first rule of travelling:

Eat what the locals eat!

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I've travelled all around Asia following this rule and have never been ill. I've always noticed that the tourists who don’t try local food, but order Western dishes are usually the ones to fall ill. I guess because Western food that is rarely ordered, so it doesn't have such a quick turnaround. So, I prioritised “eating local food” above “eating Paleo”. In practice, this mainly meant including rice, as this is such a staple in Indonesia (and Asia generally). I also started to eat a lot of fruit – where as usually I only have one or two pieces a week.

Fortunately the food in Indonesia has a few important differences from a lot of Western food. Everywhere I went, the food was local. I had fish a few times, sitting by the lake or overlooking the sea that the fish came from. The rice came from the rice paddies next door. The eggs, from the hens that were roaming around next to where I ate. I was also very impressed to find that most food is cooked in coconut oil; but not shop bough coconut oil – home made coconut oil!

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My Favourite Indonesian Paleo-ish Dishes

A great Indonesian dish that I had often was Satay. This is meat skewers, cooked over coals and flavoured with local herbs and spices and served in peanut sauce. So whilst the peanut (legume) sauce is not Paleo, the principles of the dish clearly are.

Soy is also quite strongly featured, as tofu or tempe – and whilst it is traditionally prepared (certainly not processed), it was easy for me to steer clear of it.

Despite the rice, I had Nasi Goreng (fried rice), several times, leaving the prawn crackers uneaten. Another popular local dish I enjoyed was Gado-gado, which literally means a mix. It contains lots of local vegetables and a peanut sauce with some delicate herbs and spices. I found quite a few dishes, such as Opor ayam, that were along the lines of a chicken curry – in coconut milk – a great Paleo option.

Whenever fish was offered, I found that a great option, as the whole fish was served, and they were locally caught instead of farmed and imported. Pepes Ikan is a great fish dish cooked in a banana leaf.

I really enjoyed the opportunity to try different fruit, that isn’t so readily available at home. Rambutans are a little like Lycees and were grown almost everywhere. I also tried jack fruit, snake fruit and fresh papaya.

So, my strategy of eating like a local worked well from a short-term health perspective in that I avoided food poisoning. But I found the change of diet hard going. On my Paleo diet, I can go for a long time before I get hungry, as my blood sugar levels remain stable. When I started to introduce so many (relatively) carbohydrates, I found that I would become extremely hungry and shaky – and have to eat every few hours – a clear indication of a drop in blood sugar levels. As much as I enjoyed trying so many local foods, it was good to return to my normal World, where I'm fortunate enough to be able to eat what I want to eat based on Paleo, rather than what is available.

What is your approach to nutrition when you’re travelling? Do you keep it Paleo? Have you been to Indonesia? Please share in the comments below!

Recipe The Paleo Diet Kimchi Korean fermented-min

Recipe: Paleo Kimchi

I hadn’t had Kimchi until I moved to Australia and ventured to some Korean barbeque restaurants. Not only does it taste amazing, as a fermented food, Kimchi is really good for gut health – a great inclusion in a Paleo diet.

One of my New Years resolutions this year was to eat more fermented food, so after coming up with a good Kombucha recipe – it was time to get experimenting with Kimchi.

This is how I made my batch of Kimchi. I’d love to hear how you make yours – and what other fermented food you include in your diet. Let me know in the comments below!

Kimchi Ingredients

  • 1 large Chinese cabbage
  • 4 litres (1 gallon) of water
  • 100g (1/2 cup) of Celtic sea salt (though any salt would be fine)
  • One clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
  • One 6cm (2 inch) strip of ginger, peeled and grated
  • 100ml (1/2 cup) Korean chilli powder (I found this in an Asian supermarket)
  • Dash of coconut aminos
  • Small bunch of spring onions, cut into strips
  • 1 radish, peeled and grated
  • 1 teaspoon of honey (this is needed to get the fermentation going – and the duration of the fermentation determines how much sugar remains in the end product)

How To Make Kimchi

Chop the cabbage into rough pieces, discarding the tough stem.

In a large bowl or stock pot, fully dissolve the salt in the water. Once dissolved, immerse the cabbage pieces in the water, using a plate to keep them submerged. Keep the cabbage underwater for two hours.

In another mixing bowl, mix together all of the other ingredients.

Once the cabbage has been underwater for two hours, remove it, drain it, rinse the salt water off and dry it thoroughly.

Now, mix all of the ingredients together.

Spoon the Kimchi into a clean glass jar and cover it firmly. Keeping the jar in a cool dry place, leave it alone for two days.

After a day or two, check the Kimchi. If it is bubbling, it is ready and can be eaten – or stored in the fridge. If not, it’s not quite ready, so leave it for another day and check again.

When it’s ready make sure you store it in the fridge. I’m sure there won’t be any left after a few days – but it’s best to eat it within two or three weeks before it becomes “too” fermented!

Recipe The Paleo Diet Kimchi Korean fermented-min

Enjoy!

Paleo Primal Diet Health Benefits Massage why good for you healthy natural muscles-min

8 Reasons Why You Should Have A Regular Massage

With a massage in Sydney typically costing over $100 for an hour, it has always been a very occasional treat. On my recent travels to Indonesia however, I found Balinese massages were offered almost everywhere – and the going rate worked out at somewhere between $4.50 and $12 an hour. With prices like that, I thought I’d conduct my very own experiment, which basically involved having as many massages as I could and seeing if I felt any better for it!

The first few were quite sore, probably because I had some muscle tension. By the end of the trip, the soreness had completely gone. I noticed my sleep was better (though being on holiday probably has a big part to play), I felt relaxed and I'm certain I am a bit taller!

Having got back and researched it a bit further, there are lots of reasons for having regular massages.

Paleo Primal Diet Health Benefits Massage why good for you healthy natural muscles-min

The Benefits of Massage:

1. Posture gradually improves as the muscles around the spine become more flexible and less tense.

2. Circulation is encouraged, which is good for muscle recovery and healing

3. Massage encourages deeper breathing, helping oxygen circulate encouraging healing and growth

4. Joint flexibility is increased and tension relieved


5. A calm mind is encouraged by massage along with a completely relaxed body.

6. A massage is claimed to boast alertness and improve attention.

7. The cortisol that is decreased by massage is said to boast your lymph flow and immune cells (though I think the massage I had by the sneezing, sniffing masseuse in Bali probably didn’t have such a benefit to my immune system)

8. The decrease in cortisol and increase in serotonin and dopamine provided by the massage may also reduce stress, anxiety and depression.

If only a daily massage was an affordable option!

What benefits have you gained from massages? Do you regularly have them?

Nasi Goreng recipe Indonesian Fried Rice Bali Java Primal Diet-min

Recipe: Nasi Goreng

In Indonesia Nasi Goreng is the national dish, appearing in every restaurant and food stall. Nasi means rice and Goreng is fried, so it is literally Fried Rice. Whilst everyone has their own take on Nasi Goreng, the flavours are fantastic, so I was keen to recreate a Paleo version of this dish when I got home from my trip. Obviously the first thing to change is the rice!

Nasi Goreng Ingredients
Sauce:

• Pinch of black peppercorns
• Pinch of nutmeg
• 8 macadamia nuts
• 1 small onion, peeled, roughly chopped
• 3cm (1 inch) fresh ginger, peeled, chopped
• Pinch of ground turmeric
• lemongrass stalks, outer leaves removed, core chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 chilli peppers, seeds removed, roughly chopped
• Pinch sea salt (I’m using Celtic sea salt)
• Spoonful of coconut oil (virgin, unrefined)
• ¼ lime, juice only

Rice (Nasi):

• Spoonful of coconut oil
• 4 onions, diced
• Sea salt, to taste
• 300g (11oz) pre cooked cauliflower rice
• ½ litre (20oz) water
• 1 bulb garlic, peeled, finely chopped
• 3 chillies, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 250g (10oz) leftover diced chicken (cooked)
• Splash of coconut aminos
• 6 spring onions, trimmed, thinly sliced

Serve With:

• Dash of coconut oil
• 4 large free-range eggs
• ¼ cucumber, sliced
• 2 tomatoes, sliced

How To

In a pestle and mortar (or food processor if you have one), grind the peppercorns, nutmeg and macadamias until they form a powder. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and blend until they form a smooth paste.

Heat the coconut oil in a medium pan and fry the onions until they turn golden. Season, then remove from the pan.

Make the cauliflower rice and transfer onto a baking tray to cool.

Heat some more coconut oil in the pan and add the remaining onions, garlic, chillis and carrots. Stir fry until the carrot starts to become tender.

Add the sauce into the pan and stir for a minute. Add in the tomato paste and heat through for a final minute.

Into the pan, add the cooked chicken and cauliflower rice, and stir until it is thoroughly heated through. Finally, add in the coconut aminos and spring onions and mix in well. Take off the heat and keep warm.

Fry the eggs in coconut oil.

Dish the Nasi Goreng and top with the fried eggs. Finish with a side of tomatoes and cucumbers.

Enjoy!

Nasi Goreng recipe Indonesian Fried Rice Bali Java Primal Diet-min

CoQ10 & The Paleo Diet-min

CoQ10 & The Paleo Diet

Yet another possible deficiency is Co Enzyme Q10 (CoQ10), even on a strict Paleo diet.

What is CoQ10?

It actually assists with mitochondrial electron transfer and stress reactions that happen biochemically within the body. You cannot have too much Co Enzyme Q10, as it is great for providing better nutrient density to the mitochondria to help us make and burn more energy. It also helps increase our exercise ability and stamina.

Exercising helps increase the oxidation that occurs from our stress hormones with most exercise hermetic when things are in balance and running smoothly. If we are suffering from a co Enzyme Q10 deficiency caused by statins, Neolithic diseases or from just generally being unfit and out of shape there is a need to increase the dietary intake of Co Enzyme Q10 to optimise health.

CoQ10 comes in two forms, Ubiquinone and Ubiquinol, with one being an oxidised form and the other a reduced form – you can tell which is which by the price! Ubiquinol is three times more expensive because it is much harder to make the reduced optimal form. Ubiquinol contains two hydroxyl groups rather than just one; this allows it to bond much better with water molecules making it more readily absorbable by the mitochondria in our cells to help with energy production.

Primal Diet Supplement Vitamin Mineral Deficiency

Ubiquinol is also the biologically superior form of Co Enzyme Q10 because it is an electron donor; this makes it a very effective neutraliser of free radicals. It is the only form of Co Enzyme Q10 that looks for lipid peroxyl radicals that can cause damage to the polyunsaturated fatty acids present in your cell membranes.  When you are eating a Paleo diet this is a wonderful benefit as depletion of cellular Co Enzyme Q10 can’t support basic cellular functions. A Paleo diet together with a higher activity level requires optimal cellular and mitochondrial functions.

At the 5th Annual International CoQ10 symposium that was held in Kobe, Japan findings were released that showed the superiority of ubiquinal when given to a group of seriously ill patients with advanced stage cardiac disorders. If this can help those who are close to death with severe heart failure it is a critical component for any person looking to change their life by adopting a new healthy living plan or diet.

The study revealed that those clinically ill patients who had already suffered from heart failure easily absorbed ubiquinol CoE10 into their blood stream showing excellent improvements in all heath parameters. Another key factor that was announced was those with Hasimoto’s or other autoimmune diseases really need to only use the ubiquinol as they are unable to covert ubiquinone into ubiquinol due to their low B12 and B6 levels. They also need higher doses of ubiquinol more often.

Do you supplement with CoQ10? Please share your experiences in the comments below.

CoQ10 & The Paleo Diet-min

Are We Too Developed paleo diet Indonesia-min

Are We Too Developed?

I've just returned from an amazing trip to Indonesia (I went to Bali, the Gili Islands and Lombok), which turned out to be a great Paleo adventure. As a “developing Country” I was surprised how many differences I noticed compared to how things are done here, in the “developed” World. The surprising thing was how many of these differences actually seemed far better in Indonesia. Perhaps being “developed” in not such a good thing after all?

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Pregnancy, babies and children in Indonesia

I spent all of my time in small villages, completely off the tourist track. In all of my time, I did not see a single pram/ pushchair/ stroller (whatever you like to call it!). Babies too young to walk were tied to their mothers side by a piece of material and their weight supported by the mothers arm. Whilst pavements aren't suitable for pushchairs (thanks to lots of open drainage holes), this does seem to be a far more sensible way of transporting a baby around, don’t you think?

In the “developed” world you always see mothers distractedly pushing along a pram. Often the pram is completely covered by a rain protector and you can’t even see the infant. The mother is busy chatting on her phone or rushing to her destination. I can’t help but wonder how much better it is for the Indonesian babies, who are constantly in physical contact with their family.

Whilst I don’t doubt a pram is very convenient and get for carrying shopping bags, is it best for the baby? I also regularly see rather old toddlers being pushed around, when surely they should be encouraged to walk.

The other striking difference I noticed was that the Indonesian children were given far more freedom then their counterparts in the developed World. They seemed to have a lot more free reign to explore, without being permanently attached to the apron strings.

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I was impressed to see one young mother weaning her baby, by chewing up food herself, before feeding it to her baby. I didn't see a steriliser, jar of baby food, blender or piece of cutlery involved!

I had the opportunity to visit a maternity clinic, which has been set up as a charitable foundation and is supported by volunteers. Compared to a harshly light, sterile busy Western maternity ward, this clinic was far more homely and open planned. In the typical Indonesian style, the delivery rooms were all open at the top of the walls, allowing air (and noise!) to circulate freely. I was interested to hear that women in Indonesia are typically very quiet in delivery, rarely have drugs (epidurals and the like aren't available in the particular clinic I visited) and “100% of women breastfeed”.

Teeth

The other big contract was around teeth and face shape. Almost all of the locals I met had wide faces and the most beautiful teeth I've seen outside of Hollywood. Their teeth were naturally straight, with no crowding – and they were also very white. With a Weston A Price perspective, it seems clear how the right diet helps to form a proper shaped palate – and good teeth.

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Food in Indonesia

For my whole trip I ate local (I’ll tell you more about the food in Indonesia in a future post). Everything the locals eat can typically be found within a few minutes walk of their home. Most families have a plot of land on which they grow rice for their family and perhaps a few other things. There were chickens everywhere and local markets in most villages for everything else. There are (or course) some Western snacks, but these didn't seem to purchased by the locals at all – and certainly weren't in the types of quantities we see in the Western world.

 

Happiness and Family

Another key observation was that everyone seemed happy, with very little stress! People would work hard to get food (i.e. on the rice paddies), but then they would also spend a lot of time sitting in the shade with their family, chatting. How many people get to do that in the developed world?

Indonesian Women

Oh – and you know some people say women shouldn't lift heavy weights? Try telling the Indonesian women that!

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What do you think about how they do things in Indonesia? Do you think we’re too developed?

Are We Too Developed paleo diet Indonesia-min

Estrogen paleo diet oestrogen-min

Estrogen & The Paleo Diet

When people mention estrogen they are more often than not referring to estradiol which is the major form of oestrogen in both men and pre-menopausal women. Today we will talk about estradiol which is the hormone that has the most wide-ranging effects on both woman and men.

What is estrogen?

It’s actually a catch-all type term for a number of chemicals with similar functions and shapes such as estradiol (E2) or estrone (E3). During a females reproductive years her estradiol levels are higher than other estrogens. During menopause however these estradiol levels decrease with the bulk of the woman’s estrogen content coming from E3 and E1. This is important as it is the E2 that the woman’s ovaries pump out and this is what has the biggest effect on her reproducing years – sending fat stores to the hips and thighs rather than to the abdomen. It is the decrease in E2 during menopause that leads to an increase of abdominal fat.

Estrogen is also responsible for maturing the female sex organs and the growth of the uterus. In males while testosterone is responsible for the male reproductive organs estrogens inhibits the death of cells in sperm cells.

Estrogen actually inhibits growth and has been used effectively to stop girls growing too tall. It is also a major part of bone development for males and females and can lead to poor done density as women age as they become unable to produce normal amounts of estrogen. Estrogen replacement therapy usually assists and rectifies the bone density problem.

Women suffering from clinical depression have been found to produce less estrogen – but more testosterone, than normal with estrogen replacement therapy helping their condition. Men who suffer from depression actually produce far more estrogen than normal. Women also have an increase in function of their atherosclerotic arteries which could help explain the increase in heart conditions in pre-menopausal women.

Estrogen has reduced the formation of amyloidal plaque that occurs in the brain of Alzheimer patients. In as many as 80% of breast cancer cases estrogen receptor sites rely on estrogen for fuel, with a rather common treatment for this type of breast cancer being to suppress the production of estrogen. Research has shown that males who received high levels of estrogen whilst in the womb are at greater risk of developing prostate and testicular cancer as adults.

Primal Diet Supplements Mineral Vitamin Deficiencies

Estrogen is very useful and can reduce strength and lean muscle mass while still promoting body fat accumulation with estrogen-dominant males often being obese and under-muscled. It is the large dose of estrogen that throws off the delicate hormonal balance and cause problems. While stunting a Childs growth might sound negative when you first hear about it, unchecked growth can have terrible consequences for the Child's health.

Both males and females need and produce estrogen for a reason as it has some very important uses within the human body. The problems lie in the unnatural amounts of the hormone within the body . Estrogen is essential for both women and men but imbalances – especially in post-menopausal women and in men can lead to muscle loss and fat gain.

Have you had your levels tested? If you've had an imbalance, please share your experience in the comments below – you never know who you might help out!

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Paleo Diet Australia New Zealand kick start New Year resolution healthy-min

How To Kick Off A Healthy (Paleo) New Year

A new year is the perfect time for a fresh start. Whether you want to finally lose some weight, get fit or get on top of some health issues – there's no time like today – right now – to dive into the Paleo Diet

Where To Start

Have you got any lingering treats left from the festive season? Instead of promising to get stuck into a healthy regime, just as soon as you finish that last box of chocolates, throw it away! Your body will thank you for it.

The best way to start is, well – to actually start! Throw yourself right into it.

Organise

Sit down and plan your menu for the next week, meal by meal, then shop for everything you need. If it's in your fridge or pantry it's easy to prepare some great Paleo meals

Look through paleo websites and paleo cookbooks for inspiration for delicious meal ideas. Experimenting in the kitchen is a great way not to get bored. Paleo is no reason to have a bland, boring diet!

Whenever you cook, make at least double what you need. You can take the rest into work for lung the following day, or freeze for future dinners when you don't have time to cook.

Paleo Diet Australia New Zealand kick start New Year resolution healthy-min

New to Paleo?

If you've not yet started a Paleo diet before, depending on how you ate before, you may get “carb flu” as your body adjusts to fewer carbohydrates. You can go cold turkey into Paleo (and remind yourself how much better you're going to feel once you acclimatise) – or you can slowly transition into a paleo diet, gradually reducing grains.

The initial period of following the paleo diet is a great time to read as much as you can about this lifestyle. It's great to understand why it works so well. When changing the way you eat, you're also likely to get a lot of questions from family and friends – so being well read up on Paleo comes in very handy

Unfit?

Instead of launching straight into a hardcore fitness routine, it's often great to start slowly. Walking is one of the best ways to increase your fitness, with the added benefit of fresh air and sunshine.

Weight to lose?

If you have weight to lose, Paleo is a great place to start. Once you reach a plateau – it's time to change things up a little. Some people have great results with techniques like low carb (or even nutritional ketosis) or intermittent fasting. Everyone is different, so it's important to find out what works for you

Where are you right now? Are you new to Paleo, or needing to refocus? What are your health aims for this brand new year? I'd love to hear in the comments below!