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319 Paleo Foods – The Definitive Paleo Food List diet free ebook pdf download-min

319 Paleo Foods – The Definitive Paleo Food List

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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 – they are all made with wheat. Hardly variety.

I’ve put this post together to try to demonstrate just how much variety a Paleo diet includes. All it omits is grains, legumes and (for some) dairy. Which means it includes literally hundreds of completely different types of foods.

The basic “Paleo Food List” contains Meat, Fish, Eggs, Nuts, Seeds, Vegetables and Fruit – which I’ve listed 319 different examples of; both different varieties – and in the case of meats different cuts.

Paleo-Carrots-Paleo-Food-List 319-min

Leafy & Salad Vegetables

Amaranth, Arugula, Beet greens, Bok choy, Broccoli Rabe, Borage greens, Brussels sprout, Cabbage, Catsear, Celery, Celtuce, Ceylon spinach, Chaya, Chickweed, Chicory, Chinese Mallow, Chrysanthemum leaves, Collard greens, Corn salad, Cress, Dandelion, Endive, Fat hen, Fiddlehead, Fluted pumpkin, Garden Rocket, Kale, Komatsuna, Kuka, Lagos bologi, Lamb's lettuce, Land cress, Lettuce, Lizard's tail, Melokhia, Miner's Lettuce, Mizuna greens, Mustard, Napa cabbage, New Zealand Spinach, Orache, Pak choy, Paracress, Poke, Radicchio, Sea beet, Sea kale, Sierra Leone bologi, Soko, Sorrel, Spinach, Summer purslane, Swiss chard, Tatsoi, Turnip greens, Watercress, Water spinach, Winter purslane and Yarrow

Flowers and flower buds

Artichoke, Broccoli, Caper, Cauliflower, Courgette flowers and Squash blossoms

Bulb and stem vegetables

Asparagus, Cardoon, Celeriac, Celery, Elephant Garlic, Florence fennel, Garlic, Kohlrabi, Leek, Kurrat, Lotus root, Nopal, Onion, Pearl onion, Prussian asparagus, Spring Onion/Scallion, Shallot, Welsh onion and Wild leek

Root and tuberous vegetables

Bamboo shoot, Beetroot, Burdock, Broadleaf arrowhead, Camas, Canna, Carrot, Cassava, Chinese artichoke, Daikon, Elephant Foot yam, Ensete, Ginger, Hamburg parsley, Horseradish, Jerusalem artichoke, Jícama, Mashua, Parsnip, Pignut, Prairie turnip, Radish, Rutabaga, Salsify, Scorzonera, Skirret, Swede, Sweet Potato or Kumara, Taro, Ti, Tigernut, Turnip, Ulluco, Water chestnut, Yacón and Yam

Sea vegetables

Aonori, Carola, Dabberlocks or badderlocks, Dulse or dillisk, Hijiki, Kombu, Laver, Mozuku, Nori, Ogonori, Sea grape, Sea kale, Sea lettuce and Wakame

Other Vegetables/ Fruits

Bell pepper, Bitter melon/Bitter gourd, Chayote, Courgette, Cucumber, Ivy Gourd, Eggplant/Aubergine/Brinjal, Luffa, Pumpkin, Squash, Sweet pepper (Capsicum), Tinda, Tomatillo, Tomato and Winter melon

Paleo-Fruit-Paleo-Food-List 319-min

Fruits

Apple, Apricot, Avocado, Banana, Bilberry, Blackberry, Blackcurrant, Blueberry, Currant, Cherry, Cherimoya, Clementine, Date, Damson, Dragonfruit, Durian, Eggplant, Elderberry, Gooseberry, Grape, Grapefruit, Guava, Huckleberry, Jackfruit, Jambul, Kiwi fruit, Kumquat, Lemon, Lime, Lychee, Mandarine, Mango, Cantaloupe melon, Honeydew melon, Watermelon, Rock melon, Nectarine, Orange, Peach, Pear, Pitaya, Plum, Pomegranate, Purple Mangosteen, Raspberry, Redcurrant, Rambutan, Satsuma, Star fruit, Strawberry, Tangerine and Ugli fruit

Beef

Blade Steak, boneless, Blade Oyster Steak, Blade Roast, Chuck Steak, Chuck Roast, Rib Roast, bone in, Rib Eye Steak, Rib Eye Roast, Rib Steak, Rib Roast, Sirloin Steak, T-Bone Steak, Sirloin Steak, boneless, Sirloin Roast, boneless, Fillet Steak, Fillet, Rump Steak, Topside Steak, Topside Roast, Silverside, Round Steak, Brisket and Skirt Steak

Lamb

Neck rosettes, Shoulder roast, Shoulder roast, boneless, Forequarter roast of chops, bone-in, Forequarter chops, Best neck cutlets, Rib loin cutlets, Rib loin (rack) roast, Rib loin chops, Rib loin roast, Mid loin chops, Mid loin roast, Chump chops, Chump roast, Leg roast, bone-in, Leg steak, Leg chops, Shank, bone-in and Lamb Breast

Pork

Foreloin roast, Foreloin chop, Loin roast, bone in, Loin chops, Rump chop, Rump steak, Leg chop, Leg steak, Leg, Hock, Trotter, Hand, Belly, Bacon and Ham

Chicken

Whole Chicken, Halves, Breast Quarters, Split Breast, Split Breast without Back, Boneless, Skinless Breast, 8-Piece Cut, Whole Chicken Wing, Wing Drummettes, Wing Mid Section with Tip, Wing Mid Section, Whole Chicken Leg, Boneless, Skinless Leg, Thigh, Boneless, Skinless Thigh, Drumsticks and Giblets

Other Meats

Alligator, Bear, Bison, Crocodile, Duck, Elk, Emu, Goat, Goose, Kangaroo, Ostrich, Pheasant, Quail, Rabbit, Rattlesnake, Reindeer and Venison

Offal/ Organ Meats

Liver, kidney, heart, sweetbread, brain and tripe

Fish

Bass, Dogfish , Eel, Flounder, Haddock, Hake, Halibut, Herring, Hoki, Krill, Lobster, Mackerel, Mackerel icefish, Monkfish, Mullet, Mulloway, Mussels, Nephrops, Oysters, Perch, Pikeperch, Plaice, Pollock, Prawn, Red Snapper, Rock lobster, Sablefish, Saithe, Salmon, Sardines, Scallops, Sea bass, Shark, Shellfish, Shrimp, Sole, Sunfish, Swordfish, Toothfish, Trout and Tuna

Oils and Fats

Avocado oil, bacon fat, butter, coconut oil, ghee, lard, tallow, nut butters, walnut oil, macadamia oil, olive oil and coconut milk/ cream

Eggs

Hens eggs, duck eggs and goose eggs

Nuts & Seeds

Almonds, pistachios, macadamia nuts, brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds (pepitas), pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, chestnuts, cashews and hazelnuts

Quite some variety, isn't it?

When you consider the number of different ways you can prepare and cook your Paleo ingredients – the recipe potential is unlimited.

Have I missed off any of your favourite Paleo foods? Or do you disagree with some of the foods I've included? Let me know in the comments!

 

21 Paleo Diet Lunch Ideas Primal Paleo Network recipes-min

21 Paleo Lunch Ideas

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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!

21 Paleo Diet Lunch Ideas Primal Paleo Network-min

Here are 21 suggestions that you can mix and match to come up with an unlimited variety of Paleo lunches:

1.  Make kebabs with your choice of meat and vegetables on sticks. Easy finger food and delicious cold.

2.  Take in cold meat and veggies – and pour over a hot bone broth from a thermos just before serving.

3.  A big salad with your favourite meat, avocado, eggs, leaves, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Keep the dressing and “crunchy” ingredients separate and mix them together just before you eat. Try extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice or mashed up avocado for the dressing.

4.  Olives

5.  Lettuce wraps – instead of bread, use lettuce to wrap your sandwich filling

6.  Invest in a good thermos/ flask and bring in a hot, ready to eat soup, chilli or stew

7.  Bag up last nights leftovers

8.  Make up a crustless quiche or fritella

9.  Blanch some veggies

10. Make up nori wraps with your favourite meats and vegetables

11. Raw veggies with a almond butter or guacamole dip

12. Breadless sandwiches using cold meat or flat capsicum (bell pepper) for the “bread”

13. Hard boiled eggs

The Paleo Recipe Book
14. An avocado and a spoon

15. Beef – or even kangaroo jerky (make your own to make sure it’s Paleo)

16. Cold cuts of roast meat

17. Mashed sweet potato, pumpkin or parsnip

18. Make a batch of egg muffins with your favourite ingredients

19. Make a trail mix with nuts, shredded coconut and jerky

20. Take in frozen prawns/ shrimps, which should be nicely chilled by the time lunch comes round

21. Or you could take it as an opportunity to Intermittently Fast…

Try buying a bento box with lots of small compartments to encourage lots of variety in your lunch.

Reheat?

If you've got access to a fridge and microwave as a minimum, your options are numerous. You can make batches of stews, soups, Paleo chilli or casseroles, freeze them and simply reheat at lunchtimes. A microwave enables you to reheat last nights leftovers – or even cook a sweet potato.

Buying Lunch

Food courts, café's and restaurants all provide Paleo options, especially where you’re able to make a few substitutions. All day breakfasts are a good choice (think bacon, eggs, avocados or omelettes), roast dinners, salad bars; at a pinch I've even ordered a sandwich – without the bread (but with a few confused looks). The problem with buying lunch is the price – and you can’t always be entirely sure about all of the ingredients.

Emergency Paleo Food Stash

Despite your best intentions, there’s always that day you forget to bring in lunch – or worse still your money – so it makes sense to have an emergency Paleo stash at work. This way when there are no good options around, you can always put together a Paleo snack. Things like tinned mackerel, sardines, salmon and tuna, jars of olives, nuts, seeds, dried fruit and jerky will store for a long time and could be good options.

Brown-Bag Lunches

For a lot of people kitchen facilities aren't available and eating out isn't an option at lunchtime. Which leads to the question, what can you put in a Paleo Packed Lunch? Just because you can’t heat food, definitely doesn't meant you can’t keep it Paleo.

What’s your favourite Paleo lunch? I’d love to hear any tips and Paleo Lunch Ideas that you have – particularly for quick and easy Paleo lunches!

11 Things You Should Give Up To Be Paleo diet follow list-min

11 Things You Should Give Up To Be Paleo

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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 it is so often marked with food – and it’s very rarely grass-fed beef jerky, omega-3 enriched eggs and avocados. Instead of taking in birthday cakes to the office – how about marking your birthday with an impromptu office trip to the park or a social event?

2. Relying on Everything But Your Own Two Feet

So you've got a car and a bus pass? That doesn't mean you should use them all the time. We’re supposed to walk, it’s good to walk; find a way to incorporate it into your day!

3. Trying to Please

When all of your friends eat differently, it’s easy to feel alienated in your Paleo diet. They might suggest a pizza restaurant – or cook a non Paleo dinner for you. In the short-term the easy option is to eat the food and avoid the risk of offending them. But it’s time to think long-term; this is how you want to eat; this is important to you – so be strong and stick to your principles! Who knows, they might even respect you for it.

4. Unrealistic Expectations

If you've come to Paleo looking to lose 15kg in two weeks, think again! Paleo is not a diet, but something to follow for life. It might take a while to achieve the results you seek, but give it time and they will come.

5. Your Doctor?

If your doctor is more interested in treating your symptoms with drugs, rather than finding out the underlying issue; perhaps it’s time to look for a new doctor?

6. The Past

Perhaps you used to struggle with making good food choices, or you used to make pancakes every weekend. Just because you used to do things, maybe now is the time to let go of the past and make some changes!

7. Fears

Whether you have an irrational fear of fat lingering from your conventional wisdom, low-fat days; or a fear of getting ill – there’s no room or purpose for that fear anymore, besides positivity is far more constructive.

11 Things You Should Give Up To Be Paleo diet follow list-min

8. Excuses

It’s too easy to blame a hectic travelling schedule, long working hours or bad finances for making poor nutrition and fitness choices. If you want to make it happen, you can make it happen – drop the excuses!

9. The Middle of the Grocery Store

Unless you enjoy studying packets of junk food, to see how many ingredients you can’t pronounce – it’s time to give up the middle of the supermarket. Everything you need will be on the perimeter – or better still, outside at farmers markets!

10. Avoiding Sunshine

Another phobia it’s time to let go of! Whilst it’s not good to burn, getting some sunshine and making your own Vitamin D is a good thing!

11. Your Shock Absorbing Running Shoes with Nano Technology

How did our ancestors manage without them? Have you tried running barefoot?

What have I missed from the list? What else should you let go of as you embrace a healthy Paleo lifestyle?

The 10 Types of Paleo Followers-min

The 10 Types of Paleo Followers

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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 and grains that includes; and complete lack of animal products – to the complete opposite; eating all parts of many different animals from head-to-toe and no grains or legumes?

When you think about it further, it isn't really all that surprising. Vegans and Vegetarians tend to be health conscious and chose what, at the time, appeared to be the healthiest course of action. It can’t be easy to make such a radical transformation, particularly as being Vegetarian or Vegan almost becomes an identity.

The 10 Types of Paleo Followers-min

 2.       The “I Want a Bikini Body/ Get a Six Pack in 10 Days” Group

Most of these people don’t hang around for long. They are looking for a magic super food they can eat with their usual meals that will make the fat melt away. Overnight. Paleo sounds like a good option – you can’t argue with bacon and eggs for breakfast and the premise that calorie counting is not required. This falls down because Paleo isn't “a diet”, it’s a lifestyle to follow for the long haul. Without addressing the lifestyle factors like sleep, sunshine, stress and fitness, it’s not going to have the same benefits.

A minority of the weight loss entrants do realise there is more to this lifestyle than vanity. Health problems reduce or disappear, energy levels increase and they realise weight loss is just a positive side effect – the real reason for Paleo is health.

 3.        The Scientists

This is perhaps the most influential and loudest group. We all know who they are! Instead of focusing on common ground, this group like to create and resolve contentious issues. Paleo must follow prescribed macro nutrient ratios. Blood tests and specific supplements are essential. A Very Low Carb Ketogenic diet is optimal. Carbs are essential. Cold water immersion. Safe Starches. Food Reward. Fructose. As soon as one debate dies down, another rises.

I'm happy for them to argue these issues out in the background, so long as it doesn't distract from the 99% of common ground they all share. Meanwhile, I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing, experimenting and exploring which brand of Paleo works for me.

4.       The Antagonists

There are both Antagonists within the Paleo community and those Antagonists alone in their Paleo adventures.

The Antagonists within the community are vocal in their outlandish views – and aren't afraid to call out when they feel someone in the community is not right or just. Provocative yet fun – and essential in keeping those in the community accountable.

Others followers come to Paleo as Antagonists. These people positively enjoying riling their fat-fearing friends, by eating copious amounts of meat. Without cutting the fat off. Or pouring away the excess fat. When their concerned friends and family try to intervene and push margarine on the Antagonist, they will be among the first to challenge their friends to a six-pack-off.

 5.       The Covert Paleo

These are the sneaky converts. They've been watching and mocking you for months. They've shot down everything you've said about nutrition and were the first to tell you what a silly idea this Paleo nonsense is. But you've recently noticed you haven't seen them eating bread for a while – and their skin is looking clearer and brighter? That’s right – they've finally realised you were right all along, but feel a bit too sheepish to admit it to you. Best to invited them round for a hog roast and say no more about it.
The Paleo Recipe Book

 6.       The Athletes

They heard Paleo might increase their performance. Despite being sceptical about avoiding the pre-race pasta party they gave it a try – anything to get an advantage is worth a shot. Amazed at the improvements, the next step is minimalist footwear!

 7.       The Formerly Unwell

There is nothing like being sick to force a change. Many people go from doctor to doctor and drug to drug. The net effect is often side effects from the drugs – rather than improvement of symptoms. Fortunately many people reach a point where they take on the role of detective themselves and question the role of their nutrition and lifestyle in their health and stumble upon Paleo and become avid followers.

 8.       The Parents

They may have had no more than a passing interest in nutrition – until they became Parents. Suddenly the responsibility of another person and desire to be healthy to bring the child up spurs them to find out how they can eat and live to thrive as a family.

These are one of the most important groups, with the power to influence the next generation – and the burden of trying to influence the outdated views of the schools and other parents they need to interact with.

9.       The Wannabies

These people love the idea of an ancestral lifestyle and being part of the Paleo community. They’ve even done a Whole30. Apart from at Friday work drinks. And business trips. And family meals. And when they were in a rush to get to work. And when they forgot to go shopping that time.

“Cheats” creep up from rarely, to a daily occurrence. A small amount of good quality dark chocolate occasionally, becomes a daily indulgence in cheap junk chocolate.

They aren't Paleo anymore, but haven’t quite acknowledged it.

10.   Paleo Fanatic

They follow all the key Paleo blogs and are quick to jump in when a friend ponders whether to go for brown or white bread. They find themselves tutting when noticing strangers feeding their children with Neolithic junk and often have to hold themselves back from commenting.

Their bookshelf resembles a who’s who of Paleo authors and they are on first name terms with their local butcher, who knows to put aside chicken feet and heart. Their kitchen is the frequent location for experimental cooking and a scoby isn't a cartoon character.

Which Type of Paleo Follower Are You?

I confess, I was a 2, who was starting to become a 7 – but now I am most definitely a 10 working towards a 6…

Did I miss any groups? Which group do you fall into?

24 Mistakes People Make on a Paleo Diet-min

24 Mistakes People Make on a Paleo Diet

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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 very high in fructose, something that should be minimised to prevent inflammation, insulin response and ultimately conversion into fat storage.

2. Failing to Make Time to Get Organised

If you’re organised, eating healthily doesn’t have to take much time, but prior planning is essential. Being organised and having the ingredients you need at hand, meals planned and contingency plans in place for tricky situations (such as social events) is essential for success. If you find yourself hungry at a party you knew you were going to, you haven’t set yourself up to make the right food choices. I've just finished my first book, the Paleo Breakfast Recipe Book – the aim of this book is to make delicious Paleo Breakfast's possible and easy with a bit of organisation. I'd love to hear what you think of it!

24 Mistakes People Make on a Paleo Diet-min

 

3. Expect to Lose 20kg/ Gain an Athletic Body Composition in 7 Days

I read about a lot of people who are disappointed that they’ve been following a Paleo eating plan for a week and have not lost any weight/ changed their body composition yet. This isn’t “a diet” for short term cosmetic benefits – it’s a lifestyle you can follow for the rest of your life, leading to long-term health benefits. If you’re looking for a diet to get into your bikini in 4-days time (before returning to your previous way of eating and exercising), you’ve come to the wrong place!

4. Try to do Junk Food Paleo

It’s not realistic to expect to replace a junk food diet with paleo equivalents. Whilst you might be able to find packages food that are broadly Paleo these are no substitute for properly prepared foods – with good quality ingredients. There is a place for packaged “Paleo” foods, such as when on the road – but these times should make the exception, rather than the rule.

5. Keep Old SAD Foods in the Pantry

There might be hundreds of dollars worth of pasta, packet meals and bread-making ingredients in the pantry. It might seem wasteful to throw it away – but to really commit to a better way of eating, there is no place for this in your kitchen. Donate it or throw it away, but don’t “use it up” first, or hang on to it “just in case”. Commit. Get rid. Restock.

6. Overdoing Nuts

Nuts are Paleo, but they are calories too, lots of them. It’s all too easy to snack on a few too many nuts. Some nuts also don’t have favourable Omega 3/ Omega 6 ratios – another reason to go easy and limit the nuts to no more than a very small handful each day.

7. Being Scared of Fat

It’s probably not surprising, but after years of being told about the evils of fat, many people are scared of it. Despite reading and understanding the Paleo concepts, when it comes to eating, some people are still wary – and may cut the fat off meat, or cook in as little coconut oil as possible. I think it just takes time and reinforcement – make sure your diet contains adequate fat.

8. Ignoring Portion Control

Calories do matter. I read so many comments where people have been strictly Paleo, but are not losing (or are even putting on) weight. It’s not a correct assumption that you can eat whatever you like – certainly not when you are overweight.

9. Become Fixated with a Certain “Brand” of Paleo

There are lots of different ways of eating, within the Paleo spectrum. Some people may do very low carb for instance, and others may follow an auto-immune protocol. If it isn’t working, move on and try something new. To stick to a set prescription, which clearly isn’t working for you, makes no sense. Experiment. Find what works.

10. Let one Slip Ruin the Day/ Week/ Month

Sometimes things do go wrong. You ate something that wasn’t Paleo, by any stretch of the imagination. Instead of using this as an excuse to eat more SAD food, it is the perfect opportunity to start fresh and move on. There is nothing wrong with occasionally having non-Paleo food, providing it isn’t allowed to ruin the rest of your efforts.

11. It’s a Science not a Renactment

You hear people who start to question everything through Paleo lenses. Computers and modern medicine weren’t around in the Paleolithic era – so we shouldn’t use them? This may be true, but we have the benefit of modern science and research to combine with Paleo, to get the best possible results – it would be foolish not to take advantage.

12. Don’t Sleep Properly

Sleep is such an important part of a healthy lifestyle. I’d argue it’s actually the most important factor. Without sleep, you might be eating a perfect Paleo diet and have a great fitness regime, but you won’t be in the best possible health. Without adequate sleep your body mechanisms won’t function efficiently, you won’t recover properly from exercise – and you won’t deal with stress as well. Working out why you aren’t sleeping properly and taking steps to resolve it will work with your Paleo lifestyle to bring your health forward in leaps and bounds.

13. Trying to Make Things Fit

You know your morning skinny latte or daily glass of wine isn’t in the spirit of Paleo, but you try to make it fit (all those antioxidants must be Paleo, right?). If you have to justify it, you probably shouldn’t have it – at least not so often.

14. Avoid the Sun

There seem to be more studies every week showing us just how crucial Vitamin D is – yet so many people still avoid the sun and cover themselves in sunscreen at the mere mention of the word “sun”. Even in Australia, at the right time of day, for the right duration sun exposure is a good thing.

Paleo-Outdoors-Sunshine mistakes 680-min

15. Refuse to Cook

Not cooking seriously limits eating choices and will makes it so much harder to eat well. Cooking doesn’t have to be hard or time consuming – it can actually be relaxing, fast and very rewarding.

16. Turn a Blind Eye to Social Occasions and Restaurants

It’s all too easy to let a few poor choices slip in when eating out socially – but these can really add up. With steps such as finding out the food options in advance and not going out hungry, you can make good choices and minimise the damage. If it’s too hard to eat differently to everyone else, perhaps arranging social events that aren’t food based – or offering to cook for friends will be a better alternative.

17. Obsessing on a Weekly Cheat

Paleo should not be boring or restrictive – if it is, you need to introduce more variety and try new recipes. When a planned weekly cheat becomes the focus of your week, it’s time to address what isn’t working and fix it. With a varied Paleo diet thoughts of SAD food should be very few and far between.

18. Don’t Move

Fitness is an important part of a Paleo lifestyle. Whilst nutrition is a huge part, the importance of being active and lifting heavy things once in a while should not be ignored. Paleo doesn’t begin & end with food  tweet this quote

19. Don’t Take Measurements

When you feel well, it’s hard to remember how you felt before. If you have blood tests and take a note of your measurements and how you feel every few months, it will be obvious how well Paleo is working for you and what you can improve on.

20. Listen to Conventional Wisdom

Following Conventional Wisdom often isn’t very compatible with a Paleo diet and could get very confusing. Once you decide to stick to Paleo, it’s helpful to filter out many of the health stories in mainstream media, or just read them for entertainment value.

21. Fail to Read and Research

Those who stick to a healthy lifestyle seem to be those who understand the impact it has on their health. The more you read and research, the more you can tweek your lifestyle and improve your health. Following a lifestyle based on someone else’s example, without an understanding of the principles, will be very hard to stick to and follow properly.

22. Don’t Tell Others

In any change, it’s really important to have support. Family and friends will (hopefully) accommodate your nutritional wishes and may even follow your example. If you’re finding it difficult, having a support network is invaluable. Finding others following Paleo is great way of building a support network of people going through the same as you.

23. Not Persevering

Changing diet can be hard. Carb flu is a distinct possibility when moving from a SAD diet, to a Paleo diet. It might feel all too easy to give up at this point – when in reality a bit of perseverance will see this stage end and everything will get easier. Sticking with it, however hard it feels, however many mistakes you make, will be so worthwhile.

24. Hanging onto an Old Favourite

Diet Coke immediately springs to mind as something people often struggle to give up. Products like this seem extremely addictive, but certainly aren’t working with your Paleo nutrition towards your health goals. Whether it’s changing routine, finding an alternative – or going cold turkey, it’s time to let go.

What mistakes would you add to the list?

paleo diet Acronyms jargon guide list-min

The Top 20 Paleo Acronyms

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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 this works just as well with Australian or Anglo too) – i.e. the western diet.

3.       CW  Conventional Wisdom, generally of the “eat more whole grains” variety

4.       GF  Gluten-Free

5.       IF  Intermittent Fasting (though often used talking about any type of fasting, event a regular daily fast – which seems to miss the point of “intermittent”?)

6.       NAD  Neolithic Agents of Disease; Dr. Kurt Harris’s phrase for un-Paleo foods

7.       WAPF  The Weston A Price Foundation

8.       MUFA/ PUFA  Mono-Unsaturated Fat(ty Acids)/ Poly-Unsaturated Fatty Acids

paleo diet Acronyms jargon guide list-min

9.       CLA  Conjugated Linoleic Acid; A beneficial MUFA

10.   SFA  Saturated Fat(ty Acids)

11.   LCT/ MCT  Long Chain Triglycerides/ Medium Chain Triglycerides

12.   EVCO/ EVOO  Extra Virgin Coconut Oil/ Extra Virgin Olive Oil

13.   CLO  Cod Liver Oil

14.   HDL/ LDL  High Density Lipoprotein/ Low Density Lipoprotein

15.   CHO  Carbohydrates (Carbon Hydrogen Oxygen)

16.   LC/ VLC/ ZC  Low Carb/ Very Low Carb/ Zero Carb

17.   CF/ WOD  Crossfit/ Work-out of the Day

18.   HIIT/ HIT  High Intensity (Interval) Training

19.   PWO  Post Work-out

20.   VFF  Vibram Five Fingers barefoot shoes

So, what’ve I missed off the list?  Which Acronyms and Abbreviations keep cropping up in your reading?

8 Criticisms of the Paleo Diet-min

8 Criticisms of the Paleo Diet

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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.

8 Criticisms of the Paleo Diet-min

1. I've lost my productive time between midnight and the early hours of the morning.  Since I've been Paleo I'm now fast asleep far earlier in the evening and I naturally rise early, full of energy

2. I've been forced to donate lots of perfectly good clothes to charity – and spend a small fortune replacing them with smaller sizes

3. I'm really behind on my reading, as I no longer get to read on the bus to work, as I always walk or run in due to having so much excess energy

4. I get funny looks from adults and children point at me when I wear my Vibrams

5. Shopping takes so much longer because I have to read the ingredients of everything – even things I have no intention of buying.

6. I've not had the need to have any sick days from work for a very long time

7. I often don’t notice it’s cold until I see people around me in many more layers than I have on

8. I can’t walk past a fast food outlet without looking in, in amazement at the people “eating” there

Have you also experienced down sides to Paleo?  Please share your complaints in the comments, below.

My paleo book shelf reading list favourite books authors primal diet health nutrition-min

My Paleo Inspired Book Shelf

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I love reading, in fact, reading is how I found out about Paleo almost two years ago.  I’ve now amassed quite a big collection of Paleo Books.  And my Amazon wishlist is just as long again!  I learn so much on blogs and podcasts – but there is something about having a book in your hands that can't be beaten.

My paleo inspired bookshelf

So, these are the books in my collection : –

  1. The Calcium Factor, Barefoot & Reich.  I'm really want to learn more about calcium, but find this book a bit heavy going – I will get through it though!
  2. Nourishing Traditions, Fallon.  This is a wonderful book, although she uses fermented grains most of the nutritional elements are sound.
  3. Dietary Healing, Alexander.  An interesting read that sums up by telling us to eat wholegrains and legumes.  Well, I do like to read lots of different opinions.  Even if they are wrong.
  4. The Complete Book of Raw Food, Rodwell.  I went through a brief raw food stage on my way to Paleo.  There are some good recipes in here that I still incorporate.
  5. Taking the Medicine, Burch.  A really interesting book that made me question the faith and trust we place in our Doctors
  6. Our Troubles With Food, Halliday.  This is a completely different take on nutrition.  Written by a social historian it looks at how society got to where we are today with food.
  7. The Cure, Brantley.  This was one of the first books I read, and whilst it's not Paleo, I still found it really inspirational.
  8. The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer, Whisett.  I got this before I'd understood about chronic cardio.  This book was refreshing as it was mainly about the mental aspect to endurance activities, which I think could be applied to all aspects of life
  9. The Primal Blueprint, Sisson.  This was another early purchase.  I love this book and this is one of my top choices to lend out to friends who are curious about Paleo
  10. The Primal Blueprint Cookbook, Sisson & Meier.  I was given this book at PrimalCon 2011 and it has some great recipes in it!
  11. The Inflammation Syndrome, Challem.  Another topic I'd heard a lot about and wanted to explore in more depth.
  12. Primal Body, Primal Mind, Gedgaudas.  I bought this book at the AHS from Nora herself.  I'm reading it at the moment ready for the Australian conference in November
  13. Sweet Poison, Gillespie.  Another top book, This is a great introduction to insulin and is presented in a really easy to understand fashion.  Another top book to lend out!
  14. The Paleo Diet, Cordain.  Loren Cordain, what else to say!  Definitely a favourite.
  15. Why We Get Fat, Taubes.  I've only just got this book and am desperate to read it.  But I'm really distracted by the “deckled” edge – why can't it just have nice normal pages?
  16. The Diet Delusion, Taubes.  This was my first introduction to Taubes.
  17. Natural Health & Weight Loss, Groves.  An interesting read that starts to go in a Paleo direction.  But then no.  It has a HFLC agenda, but rules out grains only on a carbohydrate basis.
  18. Enzyme Nutrition, Howell.  I was reading a lot about digestion and what happens to enzymes, so thought a bit more reading was in order.
  19. The Vitamin D Cure, Dowd & Stafford.  Particularly since I've moved from the UK to Australia, I've become really interested in Vitamin D.  Should I supplement?  Should I wear sun screen?  I read everything I can on the topic.
  20. Your Body’s Many Cries For Water, Batmanghelidj.  I had high hopes for this book!  However, I found it almost all observational with little evidence to back up the incredible claims.
  21. The Paleo Diet For Athletes, Cordain & Friel.  This book has been particularly useful in the marathon training effort of my housemate.
  22. Born To Run, McDougall.  After having a barefoot running lesson with Barefoot Ted at PrimalCon, this book (along with my first pair of VFF's) was a must buy!
  23. The Metabolic Plan, Cherniske.  This was the first nutrition/ health book I happened to pick up.  It sparked my interest in nutrition and eventually led me to Paleo.
  24. The Vitamin D Revolution, Khalsa.  See, I'm very interested in Vitamin D.
  25. The PH Miracle, Young & Young.  PH is mentioned quite frequently, so I got this book to delve into the topic further.
  26. The Magnesium Miracle, Dean.  I read so much in the Paleo world about Magnesium I thought it would be helpful to learn more.  I've not got very far yet, I'll have to make more effort with this one.
  27. Complete Nutrition, Sharon.  I found this a great introduction into macro & micro nutrients.  Even if it does have some very non-Paleo information in it.
  28. [On Loan!] The Paleo Solution, Wolf.  I love this book!  I always lend this one out too.  I've actually just ordered a second copy as it's such a good overview and more and more friends are asking what this Paleo thing is all about.

I've also just ordered

  • Lights Out, Wiley.  I'm fascinated by sleep and think it's possibly as important as nutrition to get right.  I've heard lots of good things about this book and can't wait to get my hands on it!
  • Exuberant Animal, Forencich.  This was another recommendation that I'm looking forward to reading.
  • Wheat Belly, Davis.  I've read lots of reports about this book and I have it on pre-order.  I'm eagerly awaiting it's release.
  • Food and Western Disease by Lindeberg is at the top of my wishlist – I just wish the price would go down!

How does my book collection compare to yours?  I'd love to know which books I'm missing out on.  I'm really interested in Leptin at the moment, so let me know if you have any good recommendations!

Top Ten Blog Posts Paleo Network-min

The Top Ten Paleo Blog Posts in August

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I spend a lot of time reading as many Paleo blogs as I can fit in everyday and thought I’d share a few of my favourites from last month.  Last month was especially good as it featured the first Ancestral Health Symposium.

Top Ten Blog Posts Paleo Network-min

1.       That Paleo Guy on the Ancestral Health Symposium

Jamie Scott is a Kiwi who gave a great lecture at the AHS.  It was great to meet him in person after reading his blog.  I enjoyed reading his review of the event.

2.       The Diet Doctor on What does Loren Cordain and Lindeberg have for lunch?

I enjoyed this as a. It’s nice to see people practicing what they preach, and b. that’s where I bough my lunch too at the AHS!  After hearing Andreas Eenfeldt’s fantastic lecture I really look forward to his posts.

3.       Tom Naughton on Still Another A-Salt On Science

I’ve been reading Tom Naughton’s blog since watching his movie FatHead and love his writing.  His lecture at the AHS was another favourite too, as funny in real life as he is in the movie and blog.  Only Tom could come up with the scientific conclusion that Hypertension is caused by wearing pants. Brilliant!

4.       Mark Sissons at 58

What a great way to silence the reader who questioned whether Mark was getting fat!  Er, no.  He’s definitely not!

5.       Emily Deans series on Do Carbs Make You Crazy?

Emily Deans is a psychiatrist with a keen interest on evolutionary medicine.  It’s really interesting to read her angle

6.       Everyday Paleo with their version of Larabars

I’ve found some great recipes over at Everyday Paleo and (once I finish my Whole30) am really looking forward to trying these bars.  I tried Larabars for the first time when I was in America for Primal Con earlier this year – they were amazing!  I’ve not been able to find them, or any Paleo equivalent here in Australia (please let me know if you have!) so making my own is a great option! Check out my recipe for my version of cherry larabars

7.       Modern Paleo on Another Bad Journalist Examine the Paleo Diet

A good rebuttal of a d piece of journalism!

8.       Nell Stephenson on Paleo Training Food

This was a very timely article as it appeared at around the time my marathon running housemate was starting out on his Paleo experiment

9.       BTB with The Elevator Speech on No Grains.

Because I’ve tried to have that conversation so many times!

10.   Free the Animal on The Supplements I Take & Why I Take Them

I love Richard Nikoleys blog – he just comes out and says exactly what is on his mind.  No holding back!  I was interested to see which supplements Richard takes, as that is an area I’m continually exploring on my own journey.

Did I miss any good posts?  Let me know – below!