I received an interesting comment pointing me to an article on the website of the Dietitians Association of Australia (update: this has since been removed), all about the Paleo Diet. The four paragraph critique questions whether there is any merit to this way of eating. It concludes that they do not support the diet, as […]
We've finally started to have a few sunny days – the perfect time to get the barbecue out and try out some Paleo Barbecue Recipes! There were a few recipes I’d wanted to try in Mark Sisson’s cookbook, The Primal Blueprint Cookbook, which had been waiting for some sunshine. I amended the recipes according to […]
On Saturday I went across to Melbourne for a series of lectures on Sugar, Paleo and related topics given by a fantastic line-up of presenters. Dr Rod Tayler organised the event and gave the first lecture, which was quite an eye opener into how much sugar the average Australian actually eats. It’s quite frightening to […]
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! I'm very excited to announce the first Paleo Weekend in the Southern Hemisphere will be held on 12th & 13th May, 2012 on the beautiful […]
Since I started considering the mental aspect to Training, I've found I can achieve more reps, better reps, faster reps and lift heavier weights. It still amazes me how much of the hard work is down to my mind and not my body. I thought I was doing everything well in my Training Sessions; I […]
I’ve finally got through listening to all of the Paleo Summit audio files. I’ve mainly been listening to them on my way to and from work, so I now need to go through the transcripts (or listen again with a pen and paper to hand) as there have been so many book recommendations and interesting […]
I've started to have smoothies some mornings when I'm in a particular rush, since they are so quick to make and can be packed with nutritionally dense Paleo foods. I'm also going to start making up a smoothie to take to the gym with me – that way I'll be able to have something in […]
Why pick the fake version when you can have Peach Doughnuts instead? PINK DOUGHNUTS INGREDIENTS: Donut: Enriched Unbleached Wheat Flour (Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron as Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Enzyme, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Palm Oil, Water, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Whey (a milk derivative), Skim Milk, Yeast, Contains less than 2% of the following: […]
It seems to be a common belief that eating a Paleo diet is expensive. It definitely can be costly, but there are many ways you can eat good quality Paleo foods, without spending a fortune. There’s also the consideration of your future healthcare costs – I like to see my Paleo nutrition as an investment […]
I've had Julie and Charles Mayfield’s “Paleo Comfort Foods” cookbook for some time. Despite reading it from cover to cover, I had not actually got round to cooking from it, until earlier this week. I was limited for time, but wanted to make a Paleo friendly appetizer/ hors d'œuvre to take along to a Primal dinner I […]
I'm sure, like me, you've seen lots of question on Paleo forums, asking if a particular processed food is Paleo. Perhaps friends, inspired by your positive changes, are making similar nutritional moves themselves –asking for your guidance on what is and isn't “Paleo” along the way. A Return to SAD Foods? The food raising the […]
I'm love it when people ask me about Paleo, which happens more and more often. They are normally very interested as I explain to them why I don’t eat grains, or avoid fat. I explain about fitness and how I don’t do chronic cardio – they’re still interested. I explain about the importance of sleep […]
I've been really enjoying the Paleo Summit this week! There's still a couple of days left of this free online event, and some great speakers to come – I'm especially looking forward to hearing Dallas & Melissa from Whole9 talking about Paleo for Vegetarians – and Dr. Catherine Shanahan comparing the Paleo diet to prescription […]
An Elevator Pitch is a very brief summary, which describes something briefly and with few words. When people ask me what Paleo is and why I eat the way I do, I could talk for hours – it's hard to summarise something I'm so passionate about in just a few sentences. But that's precisely what […]
I went to a first birthday party at the weekend, which was, as you might imagine, crowded with babies, toddlers and small children. It was actually quite hard to work out which baby went with which grown-up – I’m sure lots of the other guests were probably thinking some belonged to me too! I've not […]
There is so much jargon used in the Paleo-sphere and people often ask what a particular abbreviation means. This is my list of what I think are the 20 most commonly used terms. 1. N=1 This is used to indicate a personal experiment; your own experience 2. SAD The Standard American Diet (but I think […]
Since my new supply of himalayan salt arrived with a big warning on the outside “this does not contain iodine”, I've been craving salty foods. I'm sure this is psychosomatic, but it has lead to quite a lot of reading about iodine deficiency in the last week. It does appear to be quite possible to […]
I’ve seen two examples of cancer charities fundraising by selling sweets, chocolates and cakes, just in the last three days. It makes me so cross – and makes me realise how far we've yet to go in terms of nutritional understanding. From what I understand there seem to be significant links between cancer and sugar. […]
Those lucky Americans seem to have some sort of Paleo/ Primal/ Low Carb event in the United States almost every month. The Ancestral Health Symposium, The Paleo FX, PrimalCon and even a Low Carb Cruise. What about us down here in Australia and New Zealand? If you were feeling left out, you needn't any more – Paleo is […]
I spend a lot of time reading about various supplements, trying to work out what I should or shouldn't take. I really don’t like the idea of taking supplements – it’s not exactly a Paleo activity we've evolved to do! However, I know it is a lot harder not to get all of the micro […]
The widely reported Paleo message is that if you follow a strict Paleo diet, you will effortlessly lose weight. I'm reading more and more comments on Paleo forums from disappointed people, reporting that they have not lost weight – and in some cases have even put on weight. This was my experience too, until I […]
I couldn't resist jumping on the bandwagon & creating what I think are the 6 perspectives of Paleo. How do you find different groups perceive “Paleo”?
Since I've taken such a keen interest in my health over the last couple of years, and particularly since I've adopted a Paleo lifestyle I've come to be surrounded by more and more healthy people. It doesn't take long to realise that these people have a lot in common. I've been trying to understand exactly […]
Have you booked your tickets to see Sally Fallon Morell and Geoffrey Morell yet? They’re touring New Zealand with the Weston A Price Foundation talking about “the Key to Vibrant Health” and tickets are on sale now. Sally Fallon Morell, founding president of the WAPF is going to be talking about Dr Weston A Price, […]
With MovNat coming to Australia in March – and founder Erwan Le Corre teaching at PrimalCon in April – it really is the year of natural movement. Get ready for Ido Portal! I’ve recently found out about Ido Portal. His YouTube videos show the most incredible movement, strength and balance. You can’t watch these videos […]
I got to the gym a few times a week, where I do lots of strength work. This is a great complement to my Paleo diet and is making so many positive changes. I've been giving lots of thought lately to what goes through my mind in the middle of a really hard set. When […]
I can't wait for the day when the “health” magazines start advocating more of a Paleo approach, with real food and eating of fat encouraged. But it seems like we still have a long way to go. I came across the snippet below in the March edition of “Weight Watchers” magazine. Just in case any […]
When I first started with my Paleo lifestyle, I found so many fantastic books and blogs to steer me in the right direct. My one frustration, was that a lot of the information seemed to be geared towards a US audience. So many Paleo-friendly shops (Wholefoods anyone?) and products are mentioned – but just aren't […]
Tired and lacking in energy during the day – then wide awake at night? I wonder how many people opt to take a pill for that? It struck me as completely ridiculous, when I saw how many sleeping tablets and “stay awake” (anti sleeping?) pills I saw in the pharmacy recently. They're even stocked right […]
I don’t wear sunscreen. This is to the absolute horror of pretty much everyone I know. Especially as I’m a fairly pale Brit who has moved to a considerably sunnier Australia. I’ve been having my Vitamin D levels tested for the last year or so, and despite living in Australia – I am still not […]
Last year I got pretty bad about bringing my Paleo Lunch in from home. This meant, most days, I went to one of the many food courts near my office. Whilst I always went for the Paleo, gluten-free options – roast meat and vegetables or salad for instance, it really wasn't the best option. I'm […]
So, whilst I regularly write about the benefits of following a Paleo diet, it wouldn't be fair for me not to be completely honest. Sadly, as with lots of things, there are negatives to this way of life. I thought I’d share my list of 8 bad points of my Primal journey. 1. I've lost […]
Like me, I'm sure you frequently hear people discussing their ill health. Sometimes it’s so glaringly obvious that they would likely benefit from a 30-day Paleo trial. So what do you do? Are you in favour of an Intervention? Last week I was preparing my lunch in the shared kitchen in my office, when I […]
Well, I've never considered wearing mine with an evening dress – but it’s great to see Shailene Woodley wearing Vibrams at a high profiled event! How do you wear yours?
I love looking around my local Asian supermarket. I found a whole section of seaweed and seaweed related products (though the products seem to contain lots of ingredients that are far removed from Paleo). Seaweed is something I've never had at home before – and certainly haven’t cooked with – and I'm curious to try. […]
I was reading the Summer 2012 edition of “Woman’s Weekly Health” earlier, when I came across this double page spread debating whether Margarine or Butter is better for your health. Fighting the corner for butter was a cook, Fran Abdallaoui. Arguing the case for margarine was Barbara Eden, Nutrition Manager at National Heart Foundation of […]
In the UK all Eggs (from a source with over 50 hens) are stamped identifying whether they are organic, free range, from barn or caged hens. The stamps also show the size of Eggs and a code identifying where they came from. I believe some parts of Australia require Eggs to be stamped, but it […]
I was thrilled to see MovNat is returning to Australia early next year. I didn't know much about MovNat until Erwan Le Corre's talk at the AHS earlier this year, but after hearing him talk and watching some of his demonstrations it looks amazing and I can't wait to try it for myself. There are going to […]
It seems that everywhere bottled water is sold, “Vitamin Water” is sold. Every day I see people buying it. It annoys me that these drinks are sold as health in a bottle. They have names like “Energy”, “Calm”, “Power”, “Essential”, “Revive”, “Recoup” and “Focus” and their bottles boast of the amazing health benefits and wealth […]
I was interested to see photos of a typical Breakfast for British Prime Minister David Cameron. Lurpak butter ( Ingredients: Organic butter (69%), organic rapeseed oil (25%), lactic culture, salt (0.9%)) Shredded Wheat Cereal (judging by the rest of the meal, I bet the milk isn't whole fat) Toast with Jam Low-fat yoghurt Fruit That's certainly […]
Well this was a new one for me. I walked past a Gloria Jean’s coffee shop today and noticed this sign for a “Low Gluten” Hazelnut Chocolate Torte. From what I've read about Gluten, it really is an all or nothing protein. Nora Gedgaudas spoke a lot about Gluten in her recent seminar, particularly about how […]
Gluten Free seems to be becoming an increasingly popular way to eat – which can only be a great thing. Gluten appears to not be tolerated well by a significant number of people – far more than realise they have an issue with it. A Paleo diet is gluten-free, so would seem to be the […]
As I've mentioned before, I've been a regular at the gym for a couple of years now. My workouts are primarily HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), which seemed to be unanimously agreed to be the best training method at both the AHS and Nora Gedgaudas’s recent seminar. HIIT is designed to incorporate bursts of high intensity […]
I just saw this packaged Avocado in the supermarket, with added Thickner (401) and Vegetable Gum (415) I must be missing something, is it really that hard to peel and slice an avocado yourself?
Apparently Sally Fallon Morell and Geoffrey Morell will be coming to New Zealand next year on a speaking tour with the Weston A Price foundation (WAPF). Details are still to be announced and it will be between the 24th March and 6th April 2012. The Weston A Price Foundation approach is not the same as […]
I was really pleased to receive a few new Paleo books last week – I've got quite a lot of reading to do! I thought I'd start with Everyday Paleo, which, as a longterm reader of Sarah Fragoso's blog, I've been looking forward to. I hadn't realised how inclusive this book was going to be […]
I’ve just booked my flights back to the UK for a long awaited Christmas visiting my family. Australia couldn’t be much further from the UK, which means almost 24 hours of flying each way. One of the things I hate the most about flying is the very limited Paleo food options. Often airports limit what […]
The more I learn and think about evolutionary health, the more links I find with every aspect of my life. Since I went from more of a Primal diet, to a strict Paleo diet, my previous sleep problems appear to have completely vanished. I'm now tired in the evenings, fall asleep quickly without even noticing, […]
It’s good to see yet another study on the detrimental effects of Soft Drinks. This time a study from the University of Oklahoma compared two groups of women over a five year period. One group in the 4,000 strong study consumed two or more sugary soft drinks, whilst the other group drank one or less. […]
After listening to me talk about Paleo and seeing the positive changes, a few of my friends have been interested enough to actually try Paleo for 30 days, a whole30 approach, to see how it works for them. I got a text message from one of my friends last week, which read: “Hey, I want […]
Yesterday I went to Nourishing Australia’s “Food & Health as Evolution Intended” seminar. The seminar was held at the University of New South Wales in Sydney and featured five lectures by Nora Gedgaudas, and lectures by Bruce Ward on naturally grazing animals and Costa Georgiadis on the importance of where food comes from. I’d heard […]
I'm currently at the “Food & Health as Evolution Intended” Seminar in Sydney. Nora Gedgaudas is the main speaker and has just finished her first two lectures on “Diet and Evolution” and “Fats and Carbohydrates”. After first hearing Gedgaudas at the AHS, it's great to hear a lot more depth on these topics! The lecture […]
Since I’ve been Paleo my cooking has got more and more inventive, and I find I’m using a lot of different Herbs & Spices. This does start out quite expensive if you don’t have any, but I really recommend going out and buying a basic selection to get started with. Just by changing the herbs […]
I went out for a farewell lunch with my team today. We went to a bar in the city centre, with a fairly typical bar menu. So – a Paleo Lunch? I'm quite happy to go almost anywhere to eat, with the knowledge that on most menus, with a bit of staff interaction, a Paleo […]
The one Paleo area I've been completely avoiding has been the whole No Shampoo & No Soap issue. I recently had my hair done for my Birthday and I was quite shocked by the number of products I was smothered in (my hair didn't look that amazing after either): Shampoo Colours for highlights Shampoo Toner Shampoo […]
I've definitely started to notice there are a lot more Paleo friendly stories in the media recently. Perhaps the tide is finally turning? I used to eat a lot of fruit and was always under the impression that you could never have too much. It’s good for you, right? Since I've got more and more […]
Dairy is one Paleo area I've been thinking about a lot recently. A lot of people follow a strict Paleo diet, and include dairy, known as a lacto-Paleo diet. Dairy is also the main difference between a Primal and a Paleo diet (Primal includes modest amounts of high quality dairy). Prior to my trip to […]
Coconut Oil is a huge staple in my house. I generally order a large tin in from my local health food shop, but having realised I’m getting through 700ml in under three weeks, I've started researching and comparing costs of coconut oil. I've been spending $36 on a 700ml tin of Melrose Organic Extra Virgin […]
When I go food shopping, I'm always really interested the see what other people have in their trolleys. Likewise, I get some funny looks, especially when I buy lots of red meat, eggs and coconut milk. I can just see the people wondering what I'm going to do with it all. Surely she can’t be […]
My first ever pair of boxing gloves arrived at the gym last night (er, a Birthday present to myself?)! They’re pink and quite possibly the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. I’ve even got matching pink gloves to wear inside (though on reflection, perhaps that’s a bit silly as I won’t be able to see […]
I hadn't had jerky much before I went to the AHS in August. I’d tried it, but wasn't that impressed. At the AHS the US Wellness Meats company supplied lots of jerky – so I had to try it! It tasted fantastic; completely different to any jerky I’d tried before. The beef jerky I tried contain […]
So, yesterday was my Birthday and I had a fabulous time. I hadn't drunk for a long time, but as it was my Birthday, it seemed only right to have a few drinks at my Halloween party last night! Alcohol and Paleo? Do they mix? I think there are two main problems with drinking whilst […]
It’s my birthday today, which is the perfect time to evaluate my achievements this past year – and to focus on what I want to achieve in this brand new, unchartered year. This past year can be summarised by one word for me: Paleo! I’ve travelled to America twice for PrimalCon and the Ancestral Health […]
Perhaps you avoid nightshades yourself, or have noticed a lot of people do? Is there any reason for avoiding them? Nightshades are in the Solanaceae family, which comprises 2,800 types of plant. The common nightshades include potatoes (which aren't consumed on a Paleo regime, so I won’t be talking about them), tomatoes, all types of […]
I was interested to hear about a study linking consumption of non-diet soft drinks with violence in teenagers. The study found teenagers who drank soft drinks frequently were 9 – 15% more likely to engage in violent activities, than those who were not frequent drinkers. Almost one in three pupils in the study group of […]
I found this enlightening little article in November’s “Good Health” magazine (I wish they’d be more accurate and add “not” before the magazine name). When will they get over their obsession with “Health Whole Grains”? The article tells us to “replace one serving of red meat a day with one serving of nuts, low-fat dairy or […]
I picked up the November issue of “Diabetic Living” magazine yesterday. The piece below tells diabetic readers how good Fruit Slim sweets are, “sugar-free, fat-free, fibre filled”, which will “halt food cravings in their tracks”. It then goes on to say that there is more fibre in five of these sweets, than there is in […]
There seem to be quite a few Paleo Films and TV shows with a Paleo theme. My favourites are: – Robb Wolf in ICaveman As I'm sure everyone has heard by now Robb Wolf was just on ICaveman on Discovery spreading the Paleo message. Tom Naughton’s Fat Head Tom made this film in response to […]
So, you’ve got your Paleo diet tuned in, you exercise Primally and sleep soundly; but what do you cook with? Non stick Teflon frying pans are everywhere. If you don’t cook with them, you’re definitely in the enlightened minority. It’s easy to see why this cookware is so popular. It’s so cheap to buy, depending […]
I recently bought Sarah Wilsons “I Quit Sugar” ebook, which is currently selling for $15. I've been following Sarah’s blog and was very interested to read this book. Whilst I don’t think Sarah would describe herself as “Paleo”, her ideas are very similar. I also really like how she has tried this approach herself, […]
Apparently Prince Harry has just bought some Vibram Five Fingers in California! It’s great to see the increase in popularity of the VFF’s. I can’t wait for the day they become more mainstream. I still get so many funny looks wearing my Vibrams around Sydney. Some people even comment about how they must be damaging […]
When adopting a Paleo diet, soy sauce is most definitely not on the menu, but perhaps you’re looking for an occasional substitution? Coconut Aminos might be just the substitute you’re looking for. Is less salty than Tamari, but can be used exactly as you would use Soy Sauce, for marinades, dressings sauces and stir-fries – […]
One of the best things about following a Paleo lifestyle, is the serious reduction of the time-sap that is the supermarket. There is absolutely no need to go up and down every aisle – unless of course you like to look at the ingredients of Frankenfoods “just for fun” like I do. My Supermarket Route […]
Yesterday was the Sydney Paleo meet-up group’s Paleo Barbeque. We met at beautiful Tamarama beach, where there are a couple of public barbecues, which were in hot demand yesterday! The weather couldn't have been more perfect for the barbecue, with sunshine and beautiful blue skies! I spent yesterday morning making a few dishes from the […]
I’d love to grow all of my own organic fruit and vegetables. Failing that, I’d love to buy everything organic from a really good local source. Sadly, in the real word, financial constraints mean I can’t afford to buy all of my produce organic. I prioritise my spending towards very good quality, grass fed, organic […]
I was very excited to receive a copy of “Make it Paleo” yesterday. I met Bill & Hayley at the AHS and they really were just as lovely as they seem from their blog. I've used quite a few of their recipes, so have been immensely looking forward to receiving the book. I took the […]
I'm so disappointed with Iku. When finding out how I eat, a few friends have suggested Iku, which is a whole food, “healthy” outlet, with a few locations around Sydney. I'm not disappointed with options like McDonalds, as I doubt anyone goes there to fulfil their aim of having a healthy, wholesome nutritious lunch. Iku […]
I think most people realise fizzy Soft Drinks like Coke, Pepsi and Sprite are bad. But I see so many people going for the diet versions of these drinks. The word “diet” on the can, seems to make people think it’s not an unhealthy choice. If something has zero calories – well that’s healthy isn’t […]
Breakfast seems to be the meal people struggle with when moving over to a Paleo diet. The word breakfast may be synonymous with cereal, toast, pancakes and many other refined carbs – but it really doesn't have to be. Breakfast is simply the first meal of the day the “break” the “fast” you've carried out […]
Despite trying not going overboard talking about my Paleo diet, it often comes out, especially when I'm out in a group, quizzing waiting staff about exactly what is in each dish and how it’s cooked. It also becomes quite obvious when I'm the only person tucking into fish and vegetables – instead of eating pizza! I'm […]
With Denmark having just been the first country to introduce a “Fat Tax”, the online community has been awash with criticism. Will governments in Australia and New Zealand impose similar legislation onto us in the future? What’s happening in Denmark? Denmark already had additional taxes on sugar, chocolate and soft drinks, but they have just introduced […]
As I mentioned in my previous post, I love tea! I used to take my tea with skim milk and two sugars, then I “progressed” onto sweeteners with whole milk. Now, I have it on it's own – I don't think I could go back to how I drank it before, my tastes have changed […]
In addition to walking & running, I have two or three sessions a week of high intensity interval training style workouts, which I love. I’ve been doing this for over a year now and have made significant progress. The more progress I make however, the more my fitness ambitions grow. Originally I wanted to be […]
When Mark’s Daily Apple launched this video competition, it seemed like the perfect excuse to learn some new Mac skills, after buying my first ever MacBook Pro a couple of weeks ago. I’d been thinking about making a video of my commute into work, as the sun rises behind the Sydney Opera house, whilst I […]
What is Raw Milk? Most milk readily available for sale is pasteurised. Pasturisation is the process where the milk is heated to high temperatures, to destroy harmful bacteria that may be present. However, as well as bacteria, the process of pasteurisation changes the nutritional profile of the milk and the insulin response. Raw milk is […]
Another gem from my afternoon of reading “health” magazines in all of their Conventional Wisdom glory. This one was in the October issue of “The Australian Healthy Food Guide”, in an article all about fat. Choose a canola, sunflower or olive oil reduced fat table spread instead of butter This sounds very similar to the […]
I couldn't help myself. I read through October's Issue of “Good Health” magazine today. Our ideas on what constitutes good health couldn't be much further apart. I thought conventional wisdom was starting to come round to realising that natural, animal fat maybe isn't so bad after all. Clearly not. So, let's compare the ingredients: – […]
During the three years I've lived in Australia, I've spent a lot of time wearing Sunglasses (or, as they're more commonly known in Australia, Sunnies). Even in the winter here, it's often very bright and sunny (even if the air is cool). In the summer, it gets really bright and sunny. Sunglasses – well, that's […]
Check out the newly listed events down under…. Lectures on Sleep, Sugar, Vitamin D, Allergy Workshops, Health & Fitness Expo & the Australia Beef Expo in NSW, VIC, ACT & QLD Have you heard of any Paleo related events in your area? WA, TAS, NT, SA and New Zealand seem to be a bit under […]
There's an interesting talk at the Sydney Opera House tomorrow, as part of the Festival of Dangerous Ideas. The talk is entitles “What We Are and What We Eat”, by Jonathan Safran Foer. Foer has written a book called “Eating Animals”, and it sounds like he has a strong vegan, anti-Paleo agenda. From what I've read, […]
