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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
It's nearly the end of the yea, which can only mean one thing – it's time for New Year's Resolutions! Other than the usual quitting smoking* here are my Paleo related goals for next year. I'd love to hear yours too! Sleep I'm realising more and more how important sleep is. It impacts everything. No […]
How are your Manganese levels? Does following a Paleo diet guarantee optimal micro nutrient levels? This week I'm focusing on manganese – and most importantly, how to make sure your levels are sufficient. What actually is Manganese? Did you see the word and thought I had spelt magnesium incorrectly? It is actually a trace mineral […]
How's your Paleo diet going this Christmas? Did you keep it Paleo, or did all the SAD traditional food get the better of you this Christmas? No matter what your intentions or plans, at this time of year it can be easy to get swept along with family and friends – and find yourself eating […]
Continuing looking into deficiencies, this week falls to choline. What actually is choline and what is the effect of being deficient? Even on a strict Paleo diet, is it still possible to be deficient? The precursor for acetylcholine is choline, which is a neurotransmitter that is responsible for memory and it is a very important […]
Whilst you can follow a healthy Paleo Diet with little more than a chopping board and a few pans, there are some great kitchen gadget and tools that surely any foodie would love in their kitchen. Here’s my list. What’s on yours? 1. Dehydrator I've had good results making jerky and kale chips in my […]
I’ve been listening to Jimmy Moore’s podcasts and reading his blog for a few years now. But I’d never met him. I’m always interested to meet people in real life, because often the “online persona” they’ve created is very different to the reality. Jimmy Moore recently left Australia after his trip over for the Low […]
What are your Vitamin B12 levels like? You might follow a Paleo diet, but are your levels optimal? And if not, what can you do about it? Vitamin B12 deficiency is still quite common – with this deficiency occurring even amongst those of us Paleo diet followers who eat the richest source of Vitamin B12 […]
So you follow a strict Paleo diet? Does this mean you’re in optimum health? Perhaps not. It’s still possible to become deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, even with a healthy Paleo diet. By being aware of some of the common deficiencies you can monitor your nutrition to ensure you avoid these. This week, we […]
Following on from last weeks post about Selenium, this week I'm focusing on Magnesium. You might think following a Paleo diet makes it impossible to develop deficiencies – but unfortunately that isn't the case. However, by focusing on common deficiencies, you can adapt your Paleo nutrition to ensure your micro nutrient levels are optimum. Despite […]
Saturday was the Sydney leg of the Low Carb Down Under seminar series, that has been touring Australia. What a fantastic day it was! There were twelve speakers from diverse backgrounds covering a range of topics. I was honoured to be one of the speakers and thoroughly enjoyed the day. Almost 300 people attended the […]
Despite following a healthy Paleo Diet, if not enough attention is paid to getting a wide variety of different foods, deficiencies are still possible. I've been looking into a number of the more common deficiencies to understand how to tweak your Paleo diet to ensure deficiencies don’t occur. This week, I've been looking into Selenium. […]
I live in Sydney and have always found it very easy to follow my Paleo Diet. In fact, I don’t really have to think about it, eating Paleo just naturally happens. Even when I have to find lunch in the city. Great quality food and ingredients are everywhere. Similarly I find Melbourne fantastic for good […]
I’ve just got back from an amazing weekend in Melbourne, where the Low Carb Down Under series started on Saturday. What an amazing day! I’ve listened to Jimmy Moore’s podcasts for a long time, but to meet him and watch him present is such a different experience. He was a great, inspirational speaker – and […]
So you’re following a “perfect” Paleo diet… surely you can’t be deficient in any vitamins or minerals that your body needs? Well, you might be surprised; have you thought about your iodine levels lately? I've been looking into some of the popular supplements that people take, and minerals that some are careful to ensure they […]
After months in the kitchen, I've finally finished my first recipe book all about Paleo Breakfast Recipes. I'm thrilled with the result, an ebook of well over 100 pages of Paleo breakfast recipes to suit every situation and taste, with beautiful photos to tempt you into the kitchen. I know how hard it is to […]
I was excited to receive my copy of the new Paleo recipe book “Paleo Indulgences” by Tammy Credicott”. Unlike many of the Paleo cookbooks in existence, this is most definitely not an every day book. This book is for those occasions when you might otherwise be tempted to go non-Paleo. Birthdays, celebrations and all of […]
Whilst the main elements of a Paleo diet are fresh, local and seasonal – such as meat and vegetables, there are a few important ingredients and supplies that aren’t so easy to find. I used to get these items from health food shops, but I found they could be really expensive, there wasn't much choice […]
It seems fairly common in the Paleo community for people to have a significant other, or family, who aren't quite as supportive with the whole Paleo diet thing. At least not yet… So if you’re convinced that eating Paleo is right for you (and right for most people!) how do you deal with a non-supportive […]
I was alarmed, but not surprised to read an article in the paper at the weekend about mislabelled eggs. Apparently a NSW farmer has been fined by the Food Authority for labelling and selling “barn laid eggs” as “free range”. In this particular case it sounds as thought here has been confusion between the farm […]
Sarah Wilson's I Quit Sugar Cookbook is a beautiful ebook, to follow-up to I Quit Sugar Program. Fancy winning your own copy? The I Quit Sugar Program is an eight week plan to give up sugar – with guidance and advice throughout the process. This is a great first step into Paleo, as initially giving […]
The Low Carb Down Under seminar series is selling out fast – have you booked your ticket yet? Jimmy Moore is going to be coming to Australia from the US to talk in Melbourne, Byron Bay, Sydney, Adelaide & Brisbane in just a few weeks time. Jimmy will be joined by lots of other speakers […]
Pasta is one of the un-Paleo foods there is! Mainly made of the grain wheat, pasta generally contains gluten, which many people don't tolerate well. The lectin in the grains has an inflammatory effect on the gut, upsets the acid balance in the body and of course results in a spike in blood sugar levels. […]
Over the last few years, every company I have worked for has supplied some kind of food. Most commonly free fruit for all employees on a weekly, but usually a daily basis. Most companies have also supplied unlimited free soft drinks (i.e. cans of coke and other fizzy drinks) and a few offices have even […]
I’m often asked which Paleo books I’d recommend. It’s great to have a few introductory books to hand to explain everything you need to know about what Paleo is – and how to start. If you’ve got friends interested in learning more about Paleo, these are the books I’d recommend. Introduction to Paleo Books The […]
With a bit of planning and organisation at the weekend, the entire week of Paleo meals can be planned, ingredients bought and almost all of the cooking done, leaving your weekdays easy and stress free. Being organised like this is not only a far cheaper way of following your Paleo diet, but it also ensures […]
The first time I went to America, I was confused. The restaurant menus all had pages of entrée’s, but no main courses. Fortunately before too long, I realised entrée is American for main course, not a starter course, as I am used to the word. I was also excited to try a new herb I […]
If you work outside the home and struggle with eating foods that support your dietary needs and goals, the question “what’s for lunch” borders on obsession: What is easy to make? Healthy? Fast? Isn't boring? Saves money? Stormy Sweitzer, owner of Maoomba.com, the Real Food for Active Lives blog, and author of Paleo Power Lunch: Easy, Filling & […]
Once you've perfected your Paleo meals, you might need to work on making sure you have a few Paleo snack ideas in your repertoire, to fit it with your Paleo diet. Here is the list of Paleo snacks you've been waiting for! If you're looking for even more ideas and recipes for Paleo snacks – […]
FODMAP is a term that seems to be associated more and more frequently with the Paleo diet. Some people chose to minimise FOMAP’s, in alongside their Paleo diet to help resolve gut issues. In particular a low FODMAPS diet seems to help resolve gut issues such as Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) it appears Crohn’s Disease […]
Salicylates occur naturally in plants as a defence mechanism, to protect the plant against any threat such as disease or pests. Most people have no issues with eating plants containing Salicylates – but some people however can experience all sorts of problems from these natural chemicals, from migraines, hives, IBS, asthma and even sleep issues […]
Initially I was really impressed when I saw Coconut Oil Spray for the first time in Coles, my local grocery store. But on reflection, Coconut Oil spray seems to be a bit of an oxymoron, don’t you think? Why Spray Cans? Spray cans of cooking oil became popular to enable the low-fat brigade to cook […]
It’s nice to eat out at a restaurant occasionally. Sticking to your Paleo Diet shouldn't be a reason to avoid eating out! If you’re going out with a group of friends, try to have some influence over the restaurant you go to. Some restaurants offer so many more Paleo friendly options than others. The Menu […]
Bread. On a Paleo diet – it is one of the first things to go; whereas on a SAD diet it is a staple. It’s no wonder giving up bread is such a shock to people considering a Paleo Diet. “I couldn't live without bread” “I’d never be able to give up bread” “What do you eat […]
What are the correct portion sizes on the Paleo Diet? Portion sizes seem to create a lot of confusion when people transition from a SAD diet to a Paleo diet. Conventional wisdom diet plans (Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, Tony Ferguson, Lite & Easy, Lighter Life, Slimming World, Slimfast… in fact, pretty much all of them) […]
Exciting news! There are now Paleo meet-up groups in every state in Australia! Wherever you live, you can now meet up with local people who eat the same way as you do. The meet-up groups arrange local dinners, barbecues, picnics, talks – you can even suggest a meetup of your own to the group. Meetups […]
Coconut Oil is by far the best oil for cooking with. It has a high saturated fat content (this is a good thing) and can withstand far higher heats, meaning it won’t oxidise and go rancid in the same way that other oils would. Coconut Oil has got so many health benefits when eaten and […]
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that is full of good bacteria – so great for your digestive system. It's really easy to make too… Ingredients: – • 3 litres of distilled water • 125g Sugar • 4 tea bags (try Pekoe, Oolong, Black or Green) • Kombucha mushroom (also known as a Scoby) – […]
I was very interested to read that the top Tennis Player Novak Djokovic has a gluten-free diet – and credits it with making significant improvements to his performance. Given that gluten intolerance can manifest as aches, fatigue, joint and muscle pain, it makes a lot of sense for athletes in particular to avoid gluten. Especially as […]
If it wasn't for struggling to come up with different Paleo Breakfast Ideas, I'm sure more people would make the transition over to Paleo. Unfortunately, Breakfast seems to be associated with cereal, toast, bagels, crumpets and sugar laden foods. Breakfast doesn't have to equal grains! tweet this quote I think a lot of people also […]
I was amazed to read about a new weight loss perfume. Apparently for about $50 you can get slim – just by wearing perfume. The ingredients include caffeine, carnitine & spirulina which they claim active enzymes that are involved in lipolysis (to break down your fat cells, I assume). Other ingredients apparently release B-endorphines and […]
I was really surprised to see this poster advertising the popular Tony Ferguson weight loss diet. It advertises that with the joining fee you get a free lifetime membership. Surely a weight loss program should “work” within a finite period? For a program to be working, I'd expect a successful dieter to lose at least […]
Many of the emails I get concern pregnancy, babies and children. It seems Paleo is becoming increasingly popular amongst those trying to conceive and expectant mothers keen to give their baby the best possible start. I'm commonly asked if Paleo is safe during pregnancy and for breastfeeding mothers. Whilst I don’t have children and am […]
I have always viewed dairy as a collective dietary no-no. Since I initially went Paleo and my asthma vanished, I've been resolute that dairy is problematic – and something I should avoid. Recently however, I've been reading a lot about hard (i.e. cheese) and soft (i.e. milk) dairy. It seems that many people find they […]
Just a heads up that I've just updated the free Paleo Guide to Australia (and New Zealand) ebook. The current version now stands at 32 pages full of Paleo information – specific to where you are. Following on from your suggestions, I've added more listings of Paleo suppliers in each state of Australia and New […]
Many people start the Paleo Diet with one aim. Weight loss. Programs like the Truth About Abs are gaining more and more popularity, demonstrating just how many people out there are desperate to lose weight. The more popular the Paleo movement becomes, the more frequently I see questions on Paleo and Primal forums like: “Why […]
Whenever I'm asked about Paleo, or if people comment that they doubt Paleo would help them with their health issues, my response is always “try it”. I think everyone should try Paleo for 30-days and then assess how it’s working for them. If it doesn't work, then nothing is lost (yet I've never heard of […]
I've got a friend coming to stay next week, so I've planned a 7-day Paleo Menu Plan to showcase my Paleo diet. It’s all too easy to eat similar meals over and over, so I'm looking forward to a week of lots of variety. I'm going to over-make everything, so I have lots of left-overs to […]
Now that more people have heard of Paleo, I've notice it is often assumed to be a different name for the Atkins Diet. “Oh, so you’re doing Atkins…”. Well actually, no. I follow a Paleo Diet, which is completely different to Atkins. 1. Low-Carb? The main difference between Paleo and Atkins is that Atkins IS […]
I used to buy so many cookbooks as it’s great to have lots of different sources when trying to put together a recipe. In the last year or two however, almost all of my cookbooks have been in ebook format. I'm a bit of a messy cook, so in my cookbooks it’s easy to see which […]
I created this Paleo Food List after getting fed up with people commenting on how restrictive they think my Paleo diet must be. Especially when you consider that the bulk of a SAD diet seems to contain just one ingredient: Wheat. Bread, pasta, pizza, cakes, cookies, pretzels, muffins, scones, breakfast cereals, donuts, waffles and crackers […]
After the fantastic Paleo Summit a few months ago, Sean Croxton is about to launch another health conference – the Real Food Summit. This is aimed at anyone interested in real, whole food and is free to attend. There are so many great speakers I’m really looking forward to learning from, including: • Chris Kresser talking […]
I've had a few emails in the last couple of weeks asking for Paleo lunch ideas, so I thought I’d make some suggestions in this blog post. I've also written the “Paleo Lunch Recipe Book“, so take a look if you'd like lots of lunch recipes to brighten up your lunchtimes! Here are 21 suggestions […]
One of my favourite blogs is Notes from a Hospital Bed, which was started by a journalist during a long stay in a UK hospital. You won't be surprised to hear that he wasn't served Paleo Hospital Food! The blogger was shocked about the food he was served each day, so took photos and posted […]
As I mentioned in my Paleo Pets post, I’m currently house sitting and looking after someone’s dogs I always look in peoples shopping trolleys with interest, but living in someone else’s house offers such a unique insight into what people really eat. The pantry in the house I'm staying in could not be any further from mine. […]
I'm looking after some dogs at the moment, in the owners home. I'd assumed animal nutrition – Pet Food – would be difficult to get wrong – but I couldn't have been more incorrect with that assumption. Surely dogs are supposed to eat raw meat? That would make a lot of sense, as in the […]
Good news if you're in Australia, Coconut Oil has just got a bit easier to find. Woolworths now stock a small jar of Spiral Coconut Oil in the Asian Foods section. I've also seen it in Harris Farm and some IGA stores. Hopefully Coles will get in on the act and start stocking Coconut Oil […]
Since I've been following a Paleo diet, I thought catching Cold & Flu were a thing of the past. But, sadly no; I've just got over my first cold in over two years. I recovered far quicker and felt nothing like as bad as I had in my pre-paleo days, but it was frustrating to feel […]
Welcome to those who've found the site through the article in this weekends “The Age” newspaper. It's great to see Paleo getting more and more publicity and for more people to consider removing the grains and changing their diets. If you're interested in finding out about Paleo there's lots of information on the site and […]
Whenever I write about sugar, I get a lot of spam comments trying to advertise brands of “natural, healthy” sweeteners that, apparently, are simply bursting with healthiness. I’m also constantly aware of people choosing artificial sweeteners to avoid sugar; as well as people choosing “natural” sweeteners over artificial, or just regular sugar. So what is […]
A lot of people seem to prefer to jump straight into Paleo. To clean out the kitchen, buy new cookbooks and go cold turkey on the grains all on the same day. For others however, jumping straight in is a scary prospect. After eating a certain way for an entire lifetime, a slow, gradual transition […]
One of my readers told me about the Conscious Parenting Summit, which starts today. The talks are free to listen to online for 24 hours; and there seem to be a couple of interviews a day on all sorts of parenting aspects. Whilst the nutrition seems to be more geared towards raw food than Paleo, […]
I was really interested to discover a fantastic blog, by a nine year old British schoolgirl, Neverseconds. She’s been taking photos of her school dinners and posting them onto her blog. As someone with a passionate interest in nutrition, but no children, this is such an interesting insight. The blog obviously isn't written from a […]
This way of eating, this lifestyle, is given so many names. You might follow a Paleo Diet or a Primal Diet – or perhaps you eat an Ancestral Diet or eat like a Caveman? Does it matter what it’s called? And do the different terms even refer to the same way of eating? Paleo Diet The […]
I've been reading a lot about Dr Terry Wahls recently. Dr Wahls was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 2000 and immediately went on a quest to learn as much as she could about the chronic neurodegenerative disease – and how she could delay what seemed to be the inevitable decline to the illness. After extensive […]
Ok, so obviously grains, legumes and perhaps dairy are no longer on the agenda – but what else should you give up as you embrace a healthy Paleo lifestyle? 1. Marking Every Event With Food Birthdays, Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day – it’s all become about the food! Whenever there is a celebration of any sort […]
In the last three weeks I've been fortunate enough to meet and learn from two former Olympians. To become one of the best in the World – competing in the Olympics at a particular discipline, they clearly know a lot about what that takes. If I can learn just some of that and apply it […]
One of the things I liked so much when I started researching about Paleo, was the ease and simplicity. The books basically tell you to eat a simple diet, of the natural foods we've evolved to eat. I found there really was nothing confusing or contentious. As well as reading the Paleo and Evolutionary health […]
With the month of May rapidly approaching, I feel it’s the ideal time for another “Whole 30”. What is a Whole 30? The Whole30 is another word for “strict Paleo” for a month. This is a popular approach recommended across the Paleosphere as a way to initially get into Paleo, to identify any food intolerances […]
On the way to LAX airport from PrimalCon, my new friend Jennifer and I stopped off in Santa Monica for coffee (Jennifer) and tea (me). We got talking to an interesting couple, who seemed keen to find out about us, as soon as they realised we had different accents to them. They were asking what […]
Whenever I watch the Biggest Loser and they show the former diet of the contestants, I'm always struck by the colours of the food. Almost everything they ate is beige, brown and anaemic yellow in colour, broken up with the black of the cokes they drank (usually diet, clearly that worked) and a few fluorescent coloured […]
After a 14-hour flight, five movies, no sleep and more intermittent fasting than planned (more on that in a future post) – I made it back to Sydney from PrimalCon yesterday, exhausted – but very inspired! This was my second year at PrimalCon, so I had a better idea of what to expect this year – and […]
Note: This is an old post – the next weekend has not yet been finalised, but please sign up to my newsletter if you are interested in the next event! With just over three weeks left until Australia’s first Paleo Weekend, I’m delighted to announce two new tickets Choose to come to Cockatoo Island for […]
I've very excited to be a nominee in the Best Australian Blogs 2012 competition! I seem to be the only Paleo/ Primal blog in the competition, so it would be great to get into the final, so more people find out what this Paleo thing is all about! If you feel inclined to vote, I'm […]
I often wonder what will happen with the Future nutrition of the Western Nations. With mounting evidence and the growing popularity of Paleo, surely the mainstream conventional wisdom has to shift? People used to believe the World was flat and that smoking was healthy. Before the internet came along the minority have been able to […]
Since I started eating this way and got more involved with the Paleo community, I can’t help but notice several distinct types of Paleo Followers. 1. The Ex Vegetarians and Ex Vegans I am always amazed at how many people fall into this category. To go from a Vegan diet, with all of the legumes […]
I went across to Auckland, New Zealand at the weekend to hear Sally Fallon-Morell, of the Weston A. Price Foundation, speak. As with the Melbourne Sugar lectures, the audience was full of people new to the concept that the government approved low-fat diet is not the right approach. It is great to see so many […]
Here in Australia a commercial that I find particularly irritating, is for a brand of Margarine, MeadowLea. Their advert is centred on concerned mothers promising to switch from butter to margarine. If the product was pixelated out and the words replaced, you could easily think the mothers were pledging to give up hard drugs for […]
Note: This is an old post – the next weekend has not yet been finalised, but please sign up to my newsletter if you are interested in the next event! JUST ANNOUNCED! Limited number of seminar only tickets for the Paleo Weekend; $145 for Saturday/ $95 Sunday or $195 both days! I'm very excited to […]
I propose a Paleo style diet, based on a Zero Fat, Low Carbohydrate, Moderate Protein and High Lipid intake, when compared to a SAD diet. I think it’s time to replace the word “Fat”, when discussing dietary fat, with the word “Lipid”. A straight swap. Find. Replace all. Despite the increasing understanding of the importance […]
Are you making any of these Paleo Diet Mistakes? 1. Increase Fruit Intake When starting any “healthy eating” regime, so many people seem to make mistakes, like replace the junk food with endless fruit salads, fruit smoothies and snacks of whole fruit. Just because it’s natural, it doesn’t mean it’s a good choice. Fruit is […]
