Q & A - My Version of Paleo

Am I Paleo?
I would not label myself 100% Paleo by any means.  I try hard to stay away from all processed foods, most simple carbohydrates, sugars, grains, rice, corn, etc.  If I were going to label our diet, I would say that we are Primal.

Primal vs. Paleo (this is how I interpret it for my lifestyle)
There is not quick, easy answer to this, but I will short and try to be concise.  I base my diet around animal proteins & fats, vegetables, fruits and tree nuts.   So, basically if it occurs in nature in a consumable state, it's fair game.  If has to be processed for human consumption, I try to stay away.  So, soy, most grains, sugars are not acceptable.  But, I have found fair substitutes for most things!  Always try to keep it organic where possible!

Paleo says NO to all dairy.  We do incorporate minimal dairy into our diet.  We try to keep the dairy items we consume to the least processed forms and always organic where available.  So soft cheeses, kefir, yogurt and half & half for my coffee ;).  Do I snack on a cheese stick, no, but I do use 1-2 tablespoons of watered down creamy dressing in my salad sometimes, and I will add feta cheese to my Greek salads, and blue cheese in some recipes.  However, my children do consume a little more dairy right now than we do as adults!

Are we perfect all the time? No....definitely not.  But we aim for an 80/20 ratio of perfect foods.  Yes, my children have eaten under the golden arches, less times than you can count on one hand, but they have.  Yes, there are non-primal things in our fridges and pantry.

Why?
After having the girls, I suffered from terrible headaches, which we finally realized were a result of hypoglycemia.   While taking care of 4 children under 2 years old, I wasn't able to eat frequently.  I was grabbing convenience foods from the pantry that I could consume while at play with my son, or while I was feeding the girls.  I was burning out quickly, always tired and having daily headaches.  You see, the body burns carbs very quickly, and then is left with nothing at the ready, and a spiked insulin response.  Fats and proteins burn slowly and evenly, giving you more consistent energy and low glycemic response.  When I changed my diet to a Primal selection, the headaches were gone.  Common misconception - you ARE consuming carbs, they are just in great sources like vegetables and fruit, natural sources, that cause a much slower insulin response.

I have always had digestive issues, dating back years and years.  Of course, back to back pregnancies did not help the situation.  After having the girls I was having to take daily doses of digestive aids and stimulants to keep my system going.  Since turning to a Primal diet I have not once taken a stool softener or any laxative.  I just take a daily dose of probiotics and try to eat fermented foods fairly regularly.

Once I made the change, and got over the initial sugar withdrawal, it made me feel SO much better.  Truth: The withdrawal physically and mentally from sugar and processed foods was not fun and took about 10 days to get used to.  However, once my body was adjusted to the new diet, my energy levels are beyond amazingly better.  I feel much more alert, I don't get those mid-afternoon energy crashes, I feel awesome about what I am doing for my mind and body; moreover, my performance during workouts is way better!  Plus, I loved the challenges of trying to cook around the new guidelines and find substitutions for common meals.  Hence, I have made up many, many recipes over the last few years.

I could go on forever about why I think diet should be comprised of the things that were put on the Earth for us to eat, that doesn't make it easy or an answer for everyone.   But, because this is how we base our diet, most of the recipes you will see here will be based around these guidelines.  I have dear friends who are pescatarian and vegetarian, and a nephew who is allergic to nuts, so I will offer alternatives and options where I can.  I will also try to incorporate some recipes that are free of animal proteins, that can easily be added back for our omnivores! ;)

I used to bake for people, a lot of people ;)....and I get asked for those recipes A LOT...so sometimes you will see those here too!

Want to know more?
We have been following www.Marksdailyapple.com for years.  He is the Primal Guru and really the person who developed the Primal Blueprint and made it readily available for general understanding.  Warning: Primal Lifestyle is not just about diet, although Mark Sisson credits diet with being the most important aspect of healthy living, it also includes Primal movement, exercise, and other habits similar to the caveman! Check him out! Start here!