With all the fad diets out there, it can be daunting to choose one that works for you and actually achieves your goals. Whether you want to lose weight or just get healthy, the Paleo diet has been proven to be successful.
The Paleo diet is based on the foods our ancestors used to eat, so it consists of natural plant and animal foods and no processed ingredients to clog you up.
The Proof Is in the Paleo
There are numerous advantages to switching to a Paleo diet. Initially switching can cause some discomfort as your body removes toxins and adjusts to more efficient digestion and absorption.
This transition is thankfully temporary and within a few days you will feel more energized, healthier, and will have a leaner physique. After a few weeks and months, you will essentially be a whole new person.
1. Support weight loss: The problem with most diets is that you are left hungry, as foods are taken away from you. With the Paleo diet, the foods you eat provide fullness without calories, so your hunger is satiated and you avoid overeating.
Hunger is the main culprit for cheating on diets, but with Paleo meals, you are full, happy, and losing weight.
2. Balanced blood sugar: By cutting out refined sugars and processed foods, your blood sugar levels can even out. Sugar spikes and crashes are dangerous for your health, especially diabetics and obese individuals. Controlling blood sugar also contributes to weight loss.
3. Disease prevention: The Paleo diet naturally cuts out inflammatory foods and increases intake of those that prevent and control inflammation. Typical Paleo foods are also high in antioxidants which help protect you from free radicals and oxidative damage.
The most serious diseases we face are linked to oxidative damage and inflammation, so by eliminating these, your body is better protected against disease.
4. No more empty carbohydrates: Cutting out fast food, junk food, and processed food eliminates large quantities of carbohydrates from your diet. In the Stone Age, these foods did not exist, which tells us that they were not required for evolution. If they were not necessary then, they are not necessary now.
Despite tasting good, these foods are full of empty calories that interfere with digestion and nutrient absorption. The Paleo way is full of organic animal and plant foods, which are clean, thereby keeping your insides clean, clog-free, and full of useful calories or energy.
5. Detox: Sugar, caffeine, gluten, and MSG are all common in the Western diet, and they slow your system down. Each of these items is essentially toxic to your body.
Increased intake of fresh fruits and vegetables with the Paleo diet increases the efficiency with which your body can remove these toxins and restore health to all your internal systems.
In fact, it is the initial detoxification process that is uncomfortable when you go Paleo, as toxins are pushed from your body. Once this passes, your body runs at optimal levels, and you feel healthier and more energized.
6. Healthy fats: You don’t need carbohydrates and sugar for energy. While these do give energy, they also cause crashes that can leave you drained. To get energy all day long without fatigue, you need to fuel your body with healthy fats and oils.
The Paleo diet delivers essential fatty acids, digestive enzymes, and healthy fats that keep you full, provide useable calories and energy and help support weight loss. More efficient fuel for your body means more optimal functioning, and you get the energy you need all day long without the caffeinated drinks or sugary snacks.
7. Sleep better: What you eat impacts your day as well as your night. Poor diets full of unhealthy, processed foods can keep you up at night and cause major sleep disturbances.
Chemicals and additives in these foods stimulate your brain. Too much sugar each day causes spikes and crashes that can interfere with natural sleep cycles. Poor sleeping habits can damage your physical and mental health, and going Paleo is a natural way to get the sleep you need.
Great Taste the Paleo Way
Many people think that meals under the Paleo diet are bland, but this could not be further from the truth. Just because it is healthier does not mean you have to compromise on taste. The recipe below offers a perfect example of getting great taste and a bowl full of nutrition.
Mushroom Cauliflower Rice Skillet Recipe
Ingredients:
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 stick celery, sliced
½ cup onion, chopped
1 big garlic clove, minced
3 cups mushrooms, sliced
14 oz. (400g) cauliflower rice (see instructions below on how to make the cauliflower rice)
1/3 cup organic vegetable broth
Soy sauce to taste (If you are on Whole30 or following gluten-free/paleo diet you should use Coconut Aminos or Teriyaki sd a soy sauce alternative.)
2 cups spinach
Salt and black pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Directions:
1. Pulse the cauliflower florets in a food processor for about 25-30 seconds until they are a rice-like consistency and set aside. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat, then add onions and celery and cook until tender (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds, then add the mushrooms and sauté until it’s cooked through.
2. Add the cauliflower rice to the mix, the vegetable broth, and soy sauce, stirring as you add ingredients. Allow the cauliflower rice to absorb the vegetable broth and then cook until it is soft, but not mushy. Add the spinach and cook for another two minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper then garnish with chopped fresh parsley and serve.
The Bottom Line
Going Paleo is a great option for those struggling with weight issues, health conditions, and those that want to reach optimal health levels. Impacting every system in your body and improving functionality, your body will soon be a lean, efficient machine.
Energy, boosted mental and physical health, and overall better quality of life come with a Paleo diet, and you don’t have to compromise taste to get it.
