The Paleolithic Diet: The Caveman Diet. Living Primally in Modern Society

 Quite simply, the Paleolithic Diet is eating the way our ancstors did a hundred thousand years ago.

It is the removal of processed food - bread, dairy (cheese, butter, cream) and pasta - and food that has to be cooked to become edible - rice, some legumes, some nuts, corn, potatoes etc.

Of course, Paleo people don't eat their meat raw, and there is evidence that Paleolithic man used fire and therefore perhaps cooked meat, but they did not have the technology to grind cereal crops to make bread, pasta etc. Paleo people eat food in as natural a state as possible, and this strips toxins and high levels of fat and salt from their diets.

As can be seen from the illustration above, most protein, and therefore energy, comes from meat. This is tempered by high levels of fruit and vegetables, and smaller amounts of nuts and berries. This is  naturally a diet low in carbohydrate, with the energy coming directly from burning the fat in food consumed.

 Within ten days of starting my paleo diet, I'd lost weight and was full of energy. My skin and hair was in better condition, I was sleeping well and feeling clean - inside and out. Bloating, digestive sluggishness and general lethargy all disappeared.

By eating more meat, it is easier to build lean muscle and find the energy to exercise, thus toning that muscle. By cutting out carbohydrate, refined sugar and excess salt and 'bad' fat, the body is performing better, detoxifying and returning to its natural state.

The Paleo Diet focuses our attention on the fact that we are ANIMALS. You can feed a dog fish food and he'll survive, but he won't be a healthy dog. The same goes for us - feed us bad fat, processed food, dairy and carbs and we'll survive, but we won't be healthy.

Returning our bodies to a natural way of eating reawakens it, revitalises it and reminds us of the power and importance of the natural world.   

There are many books and websites out there dedicated to Paleo eating and living, so firstly check those out. The www.cavemanpower.com website focuses on breaking our psychological dependence on junk food through a three stage plan.

On stage 1 you graze through the day on Paleo foods - nuts, fruit, salads etc and then gorge on whatever you want - junk food or not - in the evening. The aim is that your body detoxifies during the day, and the junk food you've been craving then leaves you feeling lethargic and sick. You teach your body to crave good foods.

Stage1 and it does work. I have no temptations whatsoever for chocolate or crisps, chips or cheese. This, for me, is a miracle. The other stages complete the body's adaptation to the Paleo Diet and way of life.

There are also several good cook books available for the Paleo Diet, and these are a very good starting point to see just how much variety is available on the diet.

 This is not difficult, though at first it might seem so.

Order the steak, but hold the chips - ask for extra mushrooms instead. Have a curry, but no naan bread or rice. Spaghetti bolognese - without the spaghetti. Chinese takeout - without rice.

The most important thing to remember about this diet that it isn't the calorie or fat content you need to keep an eye on, it's the type of food you eat. And with a few exceptions, you can eat anything you want.

I started the Paleo way of life in December. To date, I have lost 20lbs and feel fantastic.

I fall off the Paleo wagon once in a while, but the results leave me feeling nauseous with stomach cramps. Bad food actually makes me feel bad now. This naturally makes it easy to climb back on the wagon.

Paleo is more than a diet - it's a way of life.