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Paleo Summit – Review

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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 points I should have made a note of.

This is my quick review of the presentations in the summit.

Sarah Fragoso – Author, Everyday Paleo; Paleo, Kids, and the Family.

Despite not having children, I really enjoyed Sarah’s talk, in fact I wish all families making a move over to a healthy lifestyle would be able to listen to her.  She’s very realistic and everything she talks about is very accessible – as she’s been through the transtition to Paleo herself (with amazing results), with her own family.

Dr. Jack Kruse MD – Neurosurgeon; Leptin Circadian Cycles

I’ve been following Dr. Kruse’s blog for some time now and have been fascinated by his Leptin Reset.  I sometimes find his blog quite hard to read (I often have to make notes and reword it, to make sense of it), so was interested to learn how his ideas would be conveyed by spoken word, rather than text.  I thought he was a great speaker and that his ideas came across really well in his presentation.  He spoke a lot about inflammation, which is something I’m really interested in.  Dr. Jack Kruse seems to be on the bill at lots of Paleo events this year and I’m looking forward to hearing more!

Paleo Summit

Denise Minger – Author, Death by Food Pyramid; How to Win an Argument with a Vegetarian

After reading Denise’s critique of the China Study, I was looking forward to hearing her talk at the Ancestral Health Symposium last year – only for her presentation to clash with Mark Sisson’s!  I was so pleased to hear her as part of this summit.  She has a very different role in the Paleo-sphere, with her amazing ability to evaluate studies showing how what the media reports is often not what the data really shows.  He talk covered a lot of Vegan/ Vegetarian studies and the issue of confounding variables and was one of my favourites from the summit.  I’d love to invite her to (Paleo) dinner with some vegetarian friends!  I can’t wait to hear more of Denise Minger.

Jimmy Moore – Podcaster, The Livin’ La Vida Low-Carb Show; How To Break Out Of The Grips Of Morbid Obesity And Embrace Healthy Living For Life

Whilst I listen to Jimmy’s podcasts regularly, it was nice to hear him as the interviewee for a change.  I think Jimmy is a great speaker and I enjoyed hearing his transition from more of an Atkins low-carb approach, to a Paleo low-carb approach.  I don’t think Paleo is, or should be a low-carb for everyone approach, but it was interesting to hear Jimmy Moore’s take all the same.

Keith Norris – Trainer, Efficient Exercise; Health versus Performance

I met Keith at the Ancestral Health Symposium, but hadn’t heard him present before, so had high expectations of this talk.  It was interesting to hear about the difference between health and performance – and how so many athletes are actually not healthy.

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Dr. Catherine Shanahan MD – Author, Deep Nutrition; The Paleo Diet vs. Top-Selling Drugs — Who Wins?

I think this was my favourite presentation.  Very pertinent too as I know a few people who have been prescribed some of the specific drugs discussed in the talk.  If only all doctors had this much knowledge and this approach with their patients.  I'd love to hear Dr. Cate Shanahan talk again, hopefully she'll be talking at more Paleo events in the future. 

Mark Sisson – Author, The Primal Blueprint; Ancestral Living Defined

I think Mark Sisson is a great communicator and is responsible for introducing Paleo/ Primal to so many people.  I enjoyed his talk – this is another one I’d want people new to Paleo to listen to early on in their journey.

Erwan Le Corre – Founder, MovNat; MovNat: Moving Naturally

I saw Erwan’s talk at the Ancestral Health Symposium and was looking forward to hearing his accent again!  An interesting talk, but I think his topic is best demonstrated, rather than talked about – to that end I’m really looking forward to having a MovNat session with him at PrimalCon in April!

 Nora Gedgaudas – Author, Primal Body-Primal Mind; Safe Starches: To Eat or Not to Eat?

I’m a huge Nora Gedgaudas fan after hearing her at the Ancestral Health Symposium and again when she toured Australia last year with Nourishing Australia.  She is such a good speaker, with a great skill in making the science understandable and accessible.  I was glad the issue of safe starches was tackled in the summit, as there seems to have been a huge shift in the Paleo-sphere on the issue, with Paul Jaminet taking an opposing view.  I’m still somewhat on the fence regarding safe starches; self experimentation is needed I think.

Paul Jaminet, Ph.D. – Author, Perfect Health Diet; The Evolutionary Evidence for the Optimal Human Diet

Paul Jaminet is so logical, rational and fantastic to listen to.  I found his talk so interesting and valuable – this is one of the talks I need to listen to again, with a pen in my hand.

Diane Sanfilippo – Author, Practical Paleo; Practical Paleo Implementation

This would be another great talk for those new to this lifestyle to listen to.  I’m looking forward to her book coming out.

Chris Kresser – Integrative Medicine Practitioner; An Update on Cholesterol

I always enjoy Chris Kresser’s appearances on Robb Wolfs the Paleo Solution podcasts, so I knew I’d enjoy his talk.  This was a hugely interesting talk about Cholesterol that I wish CW doctors would listen to!

Mat Lalonde, Ph.D. – Research Biochemist, Harvard University; Invalid Inferences: An Organic Chemist’s Perspective on Paleo

I got to hear Mat speak at the AHS, I really like his style and approach.  It was also interesting to hear how Mat actually eats himself!

Dallas & Melissa Hartwig – Health Educators, Whole9 Life; Paleo for Vegetarians

The Whole30 founders put out such good information (I was really pleased to get a free copy of their Whole30 success guide when I downloaded the Summit files) – it was interesting to hear another perspective on vegetarianism, which is often seen as the polar opposite to Paleo.  I might have to play this one to my vegetarian friends…

Dr. Thomas O’Bryan – Gluten Sensitivity Expert; The Musculoskeletal Connection to Autoimmunity Disease

This was another highlight, not only did he explain gluten and auto immune responses he spoke at length about exactly what an allergy is, compared to sensitivites.  I learn a lot from this talk and found Dr Thomas O'Bryan to be an excellent speaker who was very skilled at getting his message accross.

Matt Stone – Independent Health Researcher; Matt Stone Debunks The Paleo Diet

I'm glad the summit included a different perspective on Paleo, but this is a talk I won ‘t be in a hurry to listen to again.  I found all of his ideas completely anecdotal – there didn't seem to be any science or studies to support his argument.  He didn't seem to be debunking Paleo per say, but more low-carb – or people dogmatically refusing to change their macro-nutrient ratios.  I just don't think it works like that.  I'd be super interested to hear what you thought of Matt Stone's talk in the comments below.

Amy Kubal, RD – Registered and Licensed Dietitian; Paleo for Endurance Athletes

I'm really glad this was included.  The more into fitness I get, the more I hear people talking about how you can't do Paleo and endurance sport – well Amy clearly shows otherwise, having won a marathon on Paleo herself!  I wish all athletes would listen to this!

Reed Davis – Founder, Functional Diagnostic Nutrition; Stress, Hormones, and Paleolithic Man

Very interesting talk looking at the stress modern man is under versus the stress the Paleolithic man would have experienced.

Paul Chek – Founder, C.H.E.K. Institute; Living Primal: Instinct Before Intellect

There were some interesting points raised in this talk about getting back to the basics, but wonder if some people might find the start a little difficult to get into.

Dr. Allison Siebecker – Naturopathic Doctor; Paleo Digestive Troubleshooting

This was a very interesting talk that I learnt a great deal from.  So many people seem to have digestive issues, which Dr Siebecker talked about at great length.  Anyone with any form of digestions issues needs to listen to this presentation!

Dr. Daniel Chong – Naturopathic Doctor; Earthing as an Essential Nutrient

I've been hearing more and more about earthing, so was interested to hear this talk.  This probably isn't one I'd recommend to someone skeptical of the Paleo lifestyle, but it made so much sense to me!

Stephanie Greunke, RD – Registered Dietitian; Ditch the D Word!

Perhaps this would be a useful perspective to someone new to this way of life, but I didn't learn anything new from this talk.  I'm not bothered whether you call it a diet, a nutrition plan or a regime – the name makes no difference to how I eat!

Dean Dwyer – Blogger, Beyond Primal; The Inner Game of Paleo

I'm glad someone like Dean was included in this summit.  Dean was overweight and did a lot of research, finding a sustainable way to live – and getting to the right weight.  A lot of people in the Paleosphere came into it without needing to lose weight, so it's good to hear from someone who is an example of how it can be done.

If you missed the presentations the upgrade is still available with all of the files.
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Have you made your way through the presentations yet?  Which ones did you like (and dislike?) – and who would you like to hear next time?

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Primal Smoothies

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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 the post work-out window – I often miss this valuable time, in my return from the gym.

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Today I tried a smoothie from Primal Toad's Toadally Primal Smoothies ebook, the “Clumsy Popeye”. I thought this one would be a good choice after an early morning gym session, as it is packed with antioxidants – and protein in the form of protein powder.

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I put water, frozen blueberries, cashew butter, Chocolate Primal Fuel, spinach coconut milk & ice in my blender for a few minutes – and then served, with some shredded coconut on top.  It doesn't get much easier than that!  I thought the spinach taste might not be to my liking, but the main tastes were the chocolate, coconut and cashews – I really enjoyed it and will definitely be making this one again.  There's a whole section on green smoothies, which I'm keen to try – it seems like a good way to get in lots of good nutrients.

Do you often have smoothies?  Are they something you have as a meal, or as a post workout recovery drink?

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Paleo Doughnuts donuts recipe sugar gluten free-min

Paleo Doughnuts

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Why pick the fake version when you can have Peach Doughnuts instead?

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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: Salt, Leavening (Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda), Defatted Soy Flour, Wheat Starch, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Cellulose Gum, Soy Lecithin, Guar Gum, Xanthan Gum, Artificial Flavor, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative), Enzyme, Colored with (Turmeric and Annatto Extracts, Beta Carotene), Eggs; Strawberry Icing: Sugar, Water, Corn Syrup, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Contains 2% or less of: Maltodextrin, Dextrose, Soybean Oil, Corn Starch, Salt, Titanium Dioxide (Color), Sodium Propionate and Potassium Sorbate (Preservatives), Citric Acid, Polyglycerol Esters of Fatty Acids, Agar, Soy Lecithin (Emulsifier), Natural and Artificial Flavor, Red 40.

PEACH DOUGHNUTS INGREDIENTS: Peach

I know which one I'd rather!

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12 Ways to Eat Paleo on a Budget primal diet ideas suggestions-min

12 Ways to Eat Paleo on a Budget

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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 in my lifelong health (not to mention the cost of sick days I've not required). So, doing Paleo on a Budget?

These are a few ways I've found to keep it Paleo – and economical.

1. Buy less popular cuts of meat.

The popular cuts are expensive because everyone wants them.  White meats like chicken breast and tender meat (from the parts of the animal that do little work) such as loin and fillet are the most expensive, as they can be cooked quickly with good results.

Whilst a lot of the cheaper cuts could be tough (if you cooked them in the same way as the expensive meats), when you change how you cook you can make the meat amazingly tender and juicy.  Slow cooking is a great way to cook these types of cuts, without making them tough and dry.  It almost seems a waste to make casseroles and stews without using mutton, shoulder, brisket, chuck, blade, skirt or topside steak!  Most of the animals we eat can (and should) be eaten nose to tail – even the bones are great to make bone broths and stocks with.

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Chicken necks – a cheap option

My butcher doesn't display the less popular cuts, but can always provide me with inexpensive cuts like forequarter chops, pork hock, beef and pork cheeks and organ meats like liver and heart.  I've not yet been brave enough, but brains, onglet (from inside a cows ribcage), pigs trotters and tripe are also used in recipes and have great nutritional profiles!  I get bones for next to nothing from my butcher.  I've also found kangaroo to be a really cheap meat here in Australia.

2.       Move away from the supermarket/ grocery store

Whilst it’s definitely quicker and easier to get everything you need from under one roof, it is rarely the cheapest option.  They are less likely to have the cheaper, more unusual cuts of meat and non-uniform vegetables – and you’re not likely to have much idea where to produce came from.  Where they may sell some items at very cheap, competitive prices – often the price reflects the quality.  Look to butchers, greengrocers, farms, health food stores, online stores and farmers markets.

3.       Research

Don’t just buy from the first place you find, ask around and find out about other local sources.  Prices vary significantly between shops/ farms/ online stores – find out which source is best for which item.  I was surprised to find a few things are actually cheaper to have shipped from America, instead of buying locally – even with the shipping fees.

4.       Buy in bulk

Big-ticket items such as coconut oil vary wildly in price, and often have sales and discounts for buying in bulk.  Look out for offers and stock up when there is a chance.  Another great saving can be had by buying large quantities of meat – such as half a cow.  If you have a freezer this will keep for a long time and you’ll have a great variety in different cuts.  You can join together with friends to save even more by sharing the meat; perhaps you can even come to an arrangement where your friends store some for you (if you don’t have a big enough freezer).  There’s also a time saving to be had as grocery trips won’t need to be so frequent with a fully stocked freezer.

5.       Buy at the end of the day

Farmers markets and stores often reduce prices significantly just before they close for the day.  If you delay your shopping you can often save a lot of money with some great bargains; just make sure you freeze or use the produce straight away before it passes its best.

6.       Buy direct

Cut out the middle man and buy directly from the farm!  There may be a CSA scheme near you, a farmers market, or a farm shop.  Not only can this be cheaper, but you’ll know exactly where your food comes from and will have a lot more confidence in the quality.

7.       Eat seasonally

If you want to eat strawberries in the middle of winter – you have to pay for it!  Keep an eye on what is in season and adjust your menus accordingly.  Not only is eating in season cheaper, the produce is likely to be local and there are many biological arguments to support only eating food that is in season.

8.       Plan your week

So much food is thrown away – a huge waste of money.  I now spend time at the weekend working out what I’m doing for the week ahead and planning what I will eat each day.  I then buy just the food I need for those meals (or plan to defrost meat from the freezer).  This has significantly reduced waste and saves a lot of time too.

9.       Be flexible

If you’d planned beef, but lamb is on special – be flexible and take advantage of the offer.  Not only will you save a lot of money, but you might also discover a great new dish you’d never have tried otherwise!

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10.   Make more

When I cook, I always make more than I need for one meal.  I then either eat it again for dinner the next night (or even breakfast), or freeze it ready for an instant home cooked meal in the future.

11.   Stop buying lunches and coffees

I don’t know how expensive lunches are where you live, but here in Sydney buying lunch is about $10 a day – and despite making a Paleo-friendly choice, I'm always dubious about the quality of the ingredients.  I now make lots of lunches at the weekend and bring these into work each day.  I've probably saved enough to buy a grass-fed cow since I've been doing this, as each lunch costs under $2 to make – and has far superior ingredients.

Fortunately I don’t like coffee – but I'm amazed how much people seem to spend on this each and every day, it seems like such an extravagance when they could easily make their own – or dare I suggest drink water instead (spot the non-coffee drinker)

12.   Stop eating out

Eating out is so expensive and is so often such a compromise on nutrition – particularly when you have to please non-Paleo friends.  I've recently been having friends over for dinner – and going to their houses for dinner.  I find this so much more enjoyable.  You get to showcase your cooking, make food that is Paleo, from great ingredients – and perhaps even demonstrate to your friends exactly what Paleo is.  Once you rotate with a few different friends you’re likely to have saved a lot of money – and probably had far more enjoyable evenings!

Do you find Paleo expensive?  What tips have you found to reduce the cost?

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Paleo comfort foods recipe book cook book review

Paleo Comfort Foods

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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 was going.  The bacon wrapped dates recipe looked perfect.  I usually try to steer away from dried fruit as it is so high in sugar, but in serving something like this before dinner each person only has two or three, so the sugar impact is minimised.

These are so many different variants of this meat wrapped dish – angels on horseback (oysters wrapped in bacon), devils on horseback (prunes of figs wrapped in bacon) and even the British favourite pigs in blankets – cocktail sausages wrapped in bacon.  The version in Paleo Comfort Foods is very simple, using just dates, bacon and almonds inside.

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I quite simply pitted the dates, replacing the stone with a couple of raw almonds.  I then cut some organic bacon to size and wrapped it around the date, holding it in place with a cocktail stick (actually, several cocktail sticks!).  I put these in the oven to crisp the bacon, turning a couple of times.

I find Australian bacon seems to contain a lot less fat than American bacon (I'm always surprised American’s get enough bacon grease left over to be able to use it for other things).  This makes it harder to mould the bacon around the date, but using more cocktail sticks did the job!

I also made the Carrot & Fennel salad (again!) from the Everyday Paleo Cookbook, which is fast becoming a favourite!  Why have a boring salad, when you can have something a bit different?

I love to take time cooking, but sometimes it’s nice to have Paleo dishes that can be made quickly and simply.

My Paleo Comfort Foods book is full of paper markers on all of the recipes I intend to try – hopefully I'll get a chance to try some of the sauces – Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Gravy and Barbecue sauce this weekend – handy recipes to have up my sleeve as they can go with so many meals.  I'm also interested in the Paleo bread recipe – I wonder whether this would be a good alternative to offer to those friends who find bread to hard to give up?

Have you tried any of the recipes from Paleo Comfort Foods yet?  Which is your favourite cookbook?

Paleo comfort foods recipe book cook book review

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Is It Paleo?

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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.

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A Return to SAD Foods?

The food raising the question generally seems to be some kind of snack or sauce, perhaps a nod towards the person’s previous SAD diet.  Often the first ingredient is arguably “Paleo”, perhaps some kind of meat, vegetable – or as it often the case in processed foods – water.  But the further down the list you go, the ingredients become less and less agreeable.  There is often some form of sugar or sweeteners, preservatives, stabilisers, my favourite “natural flavours” – which really could mean just about anything  – and perhaps the catch all “spices”.  So maybe there isn't a lot of wheat; but not a lot is still some wheat!  Things like gluten seem to linger in the body for a long time, so complete abstinence makes a lot of sense – there’s no such thing as low-gluten.

The other issue is that nutritional information panels don’t display the quality of the ingredients.  If they don’t specify that the beef is organic and grass-fed – I think we can assume it almost certainly is not.  Would you have bought the ingredients yourself – and if not, why are they suddenly acceptable just because they’re in a packet or bottle?

Unless you've made something, from ingredients you've sourced and understand; can you ever really know what you’re eating?

No Time?

Processed foods are, no doubt, easier, quicker and cheaper.  That’s surely part of the reason we’re in this nutritional mess in the first place.  As with lots of things in life, the best things generally aren't the easiest things!  Yes, you can buy mayonnaise for a few dollars and use it instantly – or you can invest time and make your own Paleo Mayonnaise knowing exactly what you’re eating – and what you’re not.  I know which I’d rather.

I often wonder whether the person asking the question is hoping to gain approval to revert, at least in part, to their old pre-Paleo ways.  Whilst some processed foods are clearly a lot more Paleo-friendly than others, I do wonder where to draw the line.  If you “allow” a mass-produced tomato sauce with a few dubious ingredients – perhaps that canned chicken soup doesn't look so bad?

So, is it Paleo?

Almost everything I buy doesn't have a nutritional label.  Meat from the butcher, eggs and vegetables generally don’t come in packets with nutritional information – and if they do, they are the only ingredient – or I don’t buy it.  The only exceptions in my supermarket trolley that I can think of are coconut milk (if I could grow my own, I would!) and nut butters, which I very rarely use.

As a general rule, I think it’s fair to say; if you have to ask, it isn't Paleo!

Are there some border-line foods that you consider Paleo?  What do you buy that has an ingredients list?

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Intermittent Fasting

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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 and sunshine – they’re even more interested.  This is the point at which I've learnt to stop.

Every time I've mentioned Intermittent Fasting they look at me like I'm crazy – and I realise I've completely lost them.  To someone carbohydrate adapted the thought of not eating every few hours is unthinkable.  The response I often hear is how dangerous fasting is, as, apparently, your body will immediately go into “starvation mode”, storing fat and using muscle for fuel.  They never have any evidence to back up this belief, it’s seems to be just a repetition of conventional wisdom they once heard.  From a source they can't remember.

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I did a lot of research before I first tried Intermittent Fasting.  I think it’s best done on easy, stress-free days and as yet, I've not fasted on training days.  My preferred method of Intermittently Fasting is to have my evening meal and then not eat again until my evening meal the following night.  Because my diet is very low in carbohydrate (so I don’t have to worry about avoiding wild fluctuations in my blood sugar levels), and not shy in fat, I don’t feel hungry and find it easy to wait until the evening for my first meal of the day.  I also find on the day of the fast and the day after, I often have a lot more energy than usual.

I think fasting is a good exercising in learning hunger isn't something that must be feared and avoided.  It makes a lot of sense to me from an evolutionary standpoint – we haven’t always lived in times where food was constantly available.  I'm also very interested in studies suggesting fasting  appears to be very beneficial from a biological perspective.

What do you think about Intermittent Fasting?  Do you fast?  How do you explain it to people?

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The Paleo Summit

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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 drugs!

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My favourite presentations so far have been Denice Minger, Nora Gedgaudas and Mark Sisson – but unfortunately I've been really busy this week and haven't had a chance to catch them all in time.  I'm especially annoyed I missed Dr. Jack Kruse as I've been really interested in reading his ideas on Leptin, so had high expectations for his talk.

Anyway, if you haven't already, there's still time to register and catch the last few days.  It's free to register and the videos stay online for 24 hours.

If like me you've had a busy week and have missed some or all of the summit, you can upgrade and download audio files, transcripts and videos which you can enjoy at your leisure.  I plan to listen to the 23 audio files on my way to work, that should provide several weeks of great listening!

Have you been listening?  Which have been your favourite presentations of the Paleo Summit so far?

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Paleo Elevator Pitch

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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 challenged myself to do in this video – this is my Paleo Elevator Pitch!

I'd love to see your video responses on YouTube – and what your Paleo Elevator Pitch would be in the comments below….

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Paleo Babies v SAD Babies

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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 been around children much since I found Paleo, but knew the whole junk food thing was likely to be an issue with small children.  However, what I saw, was very different to what I was expecting.  And sadly, not in a good way.

I expected to see babies picking food up from the floor and putting it in their mouth.  I expected to see toddlers demanding brightly coloured and attractively presented party food.  I expected to see some children being given junk food and some children being given real food.

What I saw was far more upsetting.

The infants were interested in gaining possession of the squeaky giraffe.  Opening the door.  Closing the door.  Opening the door.  Closing the door.  Sliding on the wooden floor.  My car keys.  Trying to reach the toy at the very bottom of the toy box.  They were not interested in the party food.  A few of the babies were interested in the shiny colourful chip packets, but not the contents.

The-Hand-That-Feeds-paleo babies SAD baby

The parents however, continually gave the small children chips and biscuits and sweets.  The children didn't ask – the parents just gave.  The parents genuinely seemed to think they were being kind, giving the children something nice at a party.  When given this food the children stopped their exploring, ate the food – clearly enjoying it (it’s designed to taste good after all) – and either resumed their playing, or indicated they wanted more.  Hardly surprising once they’d been given that first taste.

What I was most shocked about was seeing parents giving party “food” to other people’s small children.  In fact, this seemed to happen before they gave the food to their own child.  It seemed to be done as an act of good manners, much like opening the door for someone instead of going through it yourself, first.  I didn't once see a parent ask another parent if it would be ok to offer the toddler some (soy!) chips.  I didn't see any parents looking concerned that someone else was giving their child party “food” either.

I would have loved to have seen the blood sugar levels of these babies throughout the party.  Lots of the babies started to get tired and irritable towards the end of the party, which seemed expected and normal by the parents.  I can’t help wondering how much of this was “normal” and how much was impacted by the huge (especially relative to their small size) sugar rush they’d been fed.  Do strict Paleo-fed babies get over-tired as regularly, I wonder?

One mother decided her baby was teething and needed to chew on a breadstick to help, offering breadsticks to any other babies who might have the same complaint.  I'm quite sure our ancestors got through cutting teeth without the need for bread; wouldn't bones be something more effective to chew on in this situation?  Surely giving a teething baby bread, just creates other problems?

I realise when you have children you can’t control what other parents do.  But I thought you’d be in complete control of what your own child ate.  Are you supposed to make a speech at the start of a party, expressly forbidding any well-meaning friends from feeding your child?  Should you hand out cards to everyone with these rules?  Does someone sell baby-grows with the slogan “Don't Feed Me!  I'm Paleo”?

Paleo baby babies SAD diet nutrition pregnancy pregnant-min

I imagine it’s could be hard to explain to other parents why you don’t want your child to eat grains, sugars, dairy and processed foods.  Particularly when talking to parent who feeds their child a CW “healthy” diet of organic whole grains and low fat foods.  I’d hate to be perceived to be criticising other parents – though I guess this is exactly what I am doing in this post!  Perhaps I would take the cowardly way out and pretend my child had severe allergies to gluten and dairy.  People often seem to be a lot more sympathetic about allergies than they are about choosing to omit certain “food” groups.

I think my main issue is that at such a young age children are completely dependent on their parents for their nutritional requirements.  It’s also, I’d imagine, the most crucial stage in their development.  I just wish more parents would understand that their baby has no requirement for grains or processed foods.  They've never had them before – they don’t know what they taste like – they certainly don’t crave chips!  Once a child is old enough to think logically for themselves I think a degree of responsibility can pass over to them for their nutrition.  But this certainly doesn't happen before they can run – or even walk!

I can’t remember if it was Sarah Fragoso or Chrissy Gower speaking at the Ancestral Health Symposium last year about their children and eating Paleo.  One of the was describing how her child had been strictly Paleo since birth and the lady at the check-out had commented on her surprise that the child was not asking for candy.  She replied that her child didn't know what it was, having never had it before.  This really got me thinking, if you don’t know what something is, you won’t miss it – or need it.  I think there is an argument to let older children try SAD food, but when the child is so young they can’t even speak or walk, I absolutely think these foods should be strictly absent from their diet.

Anyway, I don’t have children.  What would I know?  Perhaps when I do I’ll realise how completely impractical and ridiculous my nutrition ideas are and start buying bulk packs of bread sticks and cereal with pictures of cartoon characters on the box.  I kind of doubt it though.

I’d love to hear your comments on this.  If you have small children, how do you deal with other parents?  Is it common for other well meaning adults to feed your child?