I have been receiving a lot of questions about My new lifestyle so here is a quick update...
I received an email from Dan a Nutritionist helping me live a more Paleo/Primal lifestyle and this is what he asked.
"Chris as always we at MDA love your blog and seeing someone in each phase of change, but as you become more aware of your daily eating choices and lifestyle we are wondering if you would be opposed to using the word Primal instead of Paleo. You have given a lot of credit to the Primal Blueprint to map out your new lifestyle we just want to make sure your readers are clear and know where to look if they have any questions about your new exciting health." Since the first day you emailed me, You have been a constant Primal Role Model and we hope to use you to help others reach a place where they can live a happy lifestyle GROK style.
For starters I was introduced to
http://www.marksdailyapple.com/#axzz2RJGPyPVN by my wife and then went to work researching Paleo and decided to make the jump. I got a copy of The Primal Blueprint and went to work reforming the way I eat. Since the 1st time I emailed Mark, he and his team have been nothing but helpful. When People ask why I eat the way I do or why I seem to be low carbing I tell them I went Paleo. If they want me to better explain I say actually a hybrid of Paleo called Primal created by a ex endurance athlete Mark Sisson I then explain some of how I eat. Staying away from wheat and highly processed foods etc. So for the record I am living the PRIMAL lifestyle but paleo is a good starting point. Here is an article to explain the differences.
Paleo Vs Primal
The Paleo Diet and Primal Blueprint, it’s true, are based on similar evolutionary science. The story goes something like this. Our modern Western diet bears little resemblance to the eating habits of early humans throughout 100,000+ years of evolutionary history. Instead, since the agricultural revolution some mere 10,000 years ago, we’ve adopted a nutritional regime that our physiology wasn’t and still isn’t adequately adapted to. When the basics of our diet return to the patterns of our pre-agricultural ancestors, we’re operating with, instead of against, our natural physiology. More simply:
eat as our ancestors ate, and we’ll be healthier for it.
More specifically, the Paleo Diet and Primal Blueprint both suggest, limit carb intake (especially
grains), eat more
protein and include
lots of veggies as a base. But in the midst of this common ground are some significant interpretational differences and approaches. Association, comparison – sure. But conflation? Not so fast.
A fundamental difference? The role of saturated fats. Cordain and many within the paleo community continue to harbor a fear of
saturated fats as the bogey that raises
cholesterol and instigates heart disease instead of a critical source of nutrients for neurological functioning and other essential physiological processes. Partaking of only lean meats, eschewing
butter and
coconut oil (two Primal Blueprint favorites based on health benefits supported by extensive research), restricting
egg consumption – this is not your Granddaddy Grok’s diet.
As many critics of the Paleo Diet have pointed out, early humans left virtually nothing of the animal carcasses they were so fortunate to bag. And the fact is they favored not the lean muscle meat but the richer
organ meats, bone marrow and even fat deposits themselves.
Grok, after all, was just trying to get enough calories and nutrients to stay alive from one day to the next. The denser in energy, the more valued the food. (And, can we add here, more tasty?)
And then there’s the
discrepancies surrounding other fats. Sure, there’s a general agreement about the importance of
omega 3:6 balance, but the particulars diverge. In the Primal Blueprint, unlike Cordain’s version of the Paleo Diet, omega 3 sources like
canola oil are suspect. The fact is, the deodorization process that canola oil is nearly always subjected to removes the omega 3 content. But when you’ve written off saturated fat sources (like good old coconut oil), you’re pretty much stuck wading in the murky waters of processed polyunsaturated products. What’s wrong with this picture?
Also at issue is the role of diet sodas (allowed by Cordain) and other artificial sweeteners. The opinion of many in the paleo community is that as long as it’s not sugar, it’s acceptable. Working around the problem like this seems to be nothing more than a manipulation. Although the Primal Blueprint doesn’t demonize the occasional use of
artificial sweeteners, it makes the stipulation that its use should be limited to foods or beverages that will inherently add something positive to the diet. In other words, if you aren’t getting anything positive from the meal or drink, you shouldn’t be taking the risk of the artificial sweetener. A better angle? Expand your cooking repertoire. Train your taste buds in the right direction, and don’t let the artificial stuff get in the way of that progress.
Finally and most importantly, the Primal Blueprint works as a broad, holistic approach to living and not simply a list for eating. While the majority of the underlying assumptions and suggestions of the Paleo Diet are generally sound, the diet encompasses only a fraction of what it takes to live a healthy life in the modern world.
And isn’t it a comfort to know that power over your health is seated in more than diet? The big picture of a healthy, fit and happy lifestyle involves more than isolating a specific issue.
The Primal Blueprint was designed for the purpose of offering a guide for all elements of healthy living. Let’s face it, some days life makes it particularly difficult to have the perfect diet. We like to think of the Primal Blueprint design as a comprehensive cover, so to speak. The knowledge and efforts you exert in each area (diet, fitness, supplementation, stress management,
sleep, etc.) can make a difference when the realities of day to day life keep you from doing a 100% in a given area.
Please feel free to ask me any questions either by emailing me with the link on the top left of this page or leaving a comment... Thanks
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