The Paleo/Primal/Perfect Health Diet
There is a revolution brewing in our understanding of nutrition that will dramatically improve human health. It is variously called the: “Paleo Diet”, “Primal Diet”, or “Perfect Health Diet”. It turns the USDA food pyramid (now the “Food Plate”) on its head. (One friend quipped that if you eat the food pyramid, you’ll look like the food pyramid!) In the new approach, saturated fat is good, while gluten, soy, fructose, and high omega-6 oils are bad. Eating this way has dramatically improved my health. I effortlessly lost 50 pounds in 3 months (20 pounds the first month, 20 pounds the second, and 10 the third) with no hunger and with improved energy and mental alertness.
My favorite reference about these revolutionary ideas is the book: “Perfect Health Diet: Four Steps to Renewed Health, Youthful Vitality, and Long Life” by Paul and Shou-Ching Jaminet. He’s a physicist and she’s a biochemist. Their work is totally evidence-based and very practical. Every page of the book is about a third references. I’ve read it twice and am still learning lots from it. Their blog is excellent as well and goes into detail on many of the issues:
Another excellent resource is Chris Kresser who is based in Berkeley and has a blog that expounds on similar ideas:
He’s got an excellent summary series he calls “Steps to Perfect Health” which is well-worth studying:
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-1-dont-eat-toxins
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-2-nourish-your-body
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-3-eat-real-food
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-4-supplement-wisely
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-5-heal-your-gut
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-6-manage-your-stress
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-7-move-like-your-ancestors
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-8-sleep-more-deeply
http://thehealthyskeptic.org/9-steps-to-perfect-health-9-practice-pleasure
I originally learned about many of these ideas from my friend Dave Asprey, whose “Bulletproof Executive” blog is great. Check out his one page illustrated guide to his version of the diet. And check out his “Bulletproof Coffee” which gives you incredible energy and mental acuity. I often also add MCT (Medium Chain Triglycerides) Oil and sometimes a raw egg for an energetic start to the day.
The Paleo blogosphere is blessed with an amazing number of well written, well reasoned blogs. Here are a few others you might enjoy:
Stephan Guyenet’s Whole Health Source
Petro Dobromylskyj’s Hyperlipid
Paleohacks’ Paleo Diet and Lifestyle Questions and Answers
William Davis’ Heart Scan Blog
Robb Wolf’s Revolutionary Solutions to Modern Life
Emily Deans’ Evolutionary Psychiatry
Art Ayers’ Cooling Inflammation
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