Paleo Philosophy | The Paleo Mom

TPM Tidbit: How I Feel about Paleofied Baked Goods

September 5, 2012 in Paleo Philosophy, TPM Tidbits

Whether or not there should be a place in our diets for paleofied baked goods is one of the most contentious issues in the paleo community. Opinions differ from one vehement extreme to the other, some believing strongly that there should be no place for these SAD mimics in our diets while others rely on these types of foods as the only way they can “do paleo”. Families looking to switch to paleo often thrive on paleo-friendly muffin and bread recipes and paleo mimics of pizza (recipe coming soon) and chicken fingers to ease the transition. I have noticed that my paleo baking recipes receive way more pageviews than most of my other recipes, but that’s not why I post them. I believe that making paleo sustainable means making room for treats like these from time to time.

In my family, we only eat them occasionally (and when I’m working on a recipe for the blog, I often halve the recipe, freeze leftovers, and/or share the baking with friends and neighbors). Although, I do have to admit that paleo bread is a staple for my husband and kids (not for me due to the carb content and the ingredients restricted on the Autoimmune Protocol). Since my oldest started kindergarten, I have been letting my kids eat more treat foods like chocolate date squares (which I usually make without the cocoa), granola bars, and my daughter’s new favorite protein bars (recipe coming soon) for afternoon snacks.

How frequently you indulge is an individual choice. Your own health issues, your goals (and how far away from them you are), your personal optimal carbohydrate intake, and what you need to make paleo sustainable for you are all important factors to help you gauge how often is right for you. I would like to see you enjoy the occasional treat (I do believe there is a good quality of life argument to be made here), but I don’t want to give you license to eat as much baking as you want because these treats do tend to be higher in carbohydrates and lower in nutrients than the foods that are displaced by them (although much lower in carbohydrates and higher in nutrients than the SAD equivalents). Make this a conscious choice. If you’re ready for a “cheat”, a paleofied treat will not irritate your gut or cause inflammation. But for most people, these should be enjoyed only on occasion.

Tags: Baking, dessert, how much, how often, occasion, occasionally, okay, paleofied, special, treat
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(Re)Defining Paleo

July 12, 2012 in Paleo Philosophy

When someone asks you “what is a paleo diet”, what do you say? The classic tag line is something like “Paleo is eating the way our bodies evolved to eat for optimum health”. As I mentioned in Tuesday’s post, I am not a big fan of couching Paleo in this way. That’s because archeological evidence for this diet is not the proof but instead it forms the basis of the hypothesis. The real data supporting a Paleo Diet is in the thousands of nutritional, biological, and medical sciences peer-reviewed journal articles that each evaluate one tiny aspect of this way of eating. The scientific evidence will only get stronger as more and more clinical trials utilizing a paleo diet are performed (like the ones that Dr. Terry Wahls is performing for the treatment of MS). As we continue to learn more about how food affects our health, we also continue to review and modify the basic principles of a paleo diet (no grains, no legumes, no dairy, no preservatives, no refined sugars, and balancing omega-3 to omega-6 fats). There are foods that we include in our diets now that we may find out later are suboptimal. There are foods that we exclude in our diets that we may find out later are very healthy for us. We are finally trying to define an optimal diet based on scientific studies of the mechanisms of how food affects health. We are not simply recreating history.

So, I’ve been practicing my 30-second definition of paleo for when I get asked in the line-up to pick up my grass-fed meat, or when I find myself chatting about it with the dental hygienist (in between having my mouth filled with cleaning equipment, of course). I want to find a way to define paleo that doesn’t rely on someone understanding (or believing in) evolution. I want to find a way to define paleo that focuses on what we do eat and not the many things that are restricted. I want to entice people to learn more, rather than making them think I’m some crazy meat-eating vegan (yes, I realize that analogy makes no sense, but I’m sticking with it). I also want to find a way to explain what paleo is for you to take back to your family and friends to help them understand it. This is what I’ve come up with (so far):

“A Paleo Diet is a whole foods diet based on what the most current, high-quality nutrition and biomedical research suggests in the best way to eat for optimum health.”

If they let me keep talking, I may follow with this sentence:

“We eat only the most nutritionally-dense and sustainable foods while avoiding any foods that promote inflammation, cause hormone imbalances, and have been conclusively linked to chronic disease.”

I always hope that they will ask what I eat first, since I like to focus on the great foods that I do eat rather than all the things I don’t. But I find most people will ask me what I don’t eat first. I still try and frame it positively:

“We don’t eat the foods that scientific research has shown to be linked to chronic health problems like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. So, we only eat whole, unprocessed foods with no added sugars. We are very mindful of eating high quality protein sources and good fats that help control inflammation. And, we don’t eat foods that cause inflammation or irritate the lining of the digestive tract like grains (especially those containing gluten), legumes or dairy products.”

This is typically met with an aghast “What DO you eat?” question, which I actually like much more. I try and sound enthusiastic as I reply:

“We eat all kinds of meat, fish, seafood, eggs, tons of vegetables and fruit and some nuts and seeds. Lots of variety and as much quality locally-produced food as possible. This is actually based on scientific research looking at the commonalities in diet between all the healthiest and longest-living cultures in the world. Historically-studied cultures that eat this way tend to live a very long time and don’t have any of the chronic illnesses that are so rampant today like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and even cancer.”

Sometimes I get the question “Do you eat low-carb?”.

“Well, less carbs than the typical Western diet, but whether or not you eat low-carb on a paleo diet is an individual choice. Some people like to eat low-carb to help lose weight faster, but in general, carbohydrates are not restricted.”

Sometimes I get the question “Is this the caveman diet?”.

“Yes, some people call this the caveman diet. It’s also called the Paleolithic Diet, Ancestral Diet, Primal Diet and Perfect Health Diet. Most people use the name Paleo Diet because much of the original research done to support this way of eating was performed with an evolutionary biology perspective. But the real science that supports this diet is the thousands of studies that evaluate the effects of specific foods on our health. There is still alot to be studied, but there is enough convincing evidence for me to want to eat like this for the rest of my life. Plus, I am so much healthier, happier, and energetic since I started eating a Paleo Diet! I highly recommend trying it for a month and seeing how you feel!”

Some people will take this information away and let it percolate for days, weeks, or years before they feel the need to investigate further. Others will be so fascinated that we launch into discussions on environmental sustainability, specific health conditions that can be helped with a paleo diet, and even the mechanisms through which certain foods promote a leaky gut and inflammation (and sometimes they just ask me how to make paleo bread). If they are interested, I point the person to some of the wonderful resources for more information (like my blog! Boy, I really should keep some business cards in my purse). I typically recommend The Paleo Answer for people who I can sense want to get into the nitty gritty details of the diet, with citations (that’s what converted my aunt and uncle). I love to recommend The Paleo Solution for its emphasis not only on diet but on sleep quality, stress management and exercise. It Starts With Food is a great resource for people who would do better with a cold turkey approach or who are likely to get bogged down in the science (Dallas and Melissa explain the rationale behind the paleo diet in a very approachable way, in my opinion). I may also recommend the The Primal Blueprint or Perfect Health Diet for those who I sense may identify better with their explanations and versions of this way of eating. I also recommend the books The Vegetarian Myth and The Omnivore’s Dilemma and the documentaries Food, Inc., Fresh, and Ingredients to help with the environmental sustainability arguments. I like to recommend the movie Fat Head just for the explanation of the effects of too much sugars and carbohydrates in our diet and also to help people begin to think of dietary fat as healthy.

I think a very small percentage of the people I talk to about the paleo diet are really ready to try it for themselves. But, I try and frame my explanation in the most approachable way possible. Maybe if they aren’t ready now, they will remember my explanation and come back to this way of eating when they are ready for a change. I feel that if we are to make the paleo diet truly accessible to the majority of people, we need to find a way of explaining it so that anyone can understand and identify with it.

Tags: anecestral, best way to eat, Diet, evolution, explaining, health, Nutrition, optimal, paleo, Paleolithic, perfect health, primal, whole food, without
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The Benefits of Intermittent Fasting

June 9, 2012 in Beyond Paleo, Food Issues, Hormone Regulation, Paleo Philosophy, Weight Loss/Gain

Intermittent fasting, or IFing, is a very popular strategy for stimulating healing, increasing longevity, balancing hormones, increasing energy and mental clarity and losing weight. If you’ve heard this term bantered around paleo circles and have been wondering what it’s all about, then wonder no longer!

How does Intermittent Fasting work? Intermittent fasting provides a variety of health benefits, predominantly due to stimulating a process call autophagy. Autophagy is the process by which a starving cell can reallocate nutrients from cell machinery that is not working optimally to fuel more essential cell processes. The cell degrades its own components, including damaged organelles, cell membranes and proteins, in a tightly regulated process. Autophagy can destroy viruses and bacteria within the cell that are resistant to other ways a cell might destroy them. It can even help the cell identify a viral infection that may have otherwise gone undetected. Autophagy plays a crucial role in immunity and inflammation, balancing the beneficial and detrimental effects of immunity and inflammation, and thereby may protect against infectious, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. It may even prevent cells from becoming cancerous. Autophagy plays a normal part in cell growth, development, and homeostasis, helping to maintain a balance between the synthesis, degradation, and subsequent recycling of cellular products. In fact, failure of autophagy is thought to be one of the main reasons for the accumulation of cell damage and aging. Turning on autophagy is extremely beneficial (whether it’s turned on by intermittent fasting, exercise, ketosis, or straight calorie-restriction). The result is healthier, more efficient cells, which means a healthier, more efficient body.

What are the benefits of Intermittent Fasting? The benefits of intermittent fasting can be inferred from the effects of autophagy. However, more and more scientific studies are being conducted to confirm the effects of Intermittent Fasting and also isolate the optimal strategy for putting it into practice. Many of the benefits listed below have not been directly tested in humans using Intermittent Fasting; however, there is either strong evidence from animal studies or evidence from studies of autophagy itself, combined with anecdotal evidence to support these claims. The benefits of Intermittent Fasting include:

Increasing lifespan.
Increasing insulin sensitivity, which has many health benefits in and of itself. Of interest, the resulting increase in insulin signaling in the brain is thought to be how fasting/calorie restriction works to increase lifespan.
Lowering blood lipids, triglycerides and other markers of metabolic syndrome.
Fighting/preventing cancer. There is also some evidence that fasting before chemotherapy treatments can help reduce the negative side effects.
Increasing growth hormone secretion (which builds muscle and burns fat).
Normalizing expression of the hunger hormone ghrelin, thereby reducing appetite.
Promoting brain and peripheral nervous system health by increasing neuronal plasticity and promoting neurogenesis, which has a large variety of effects such as boosting mood, memory, and mental clarity.
Increasing dopamine production, thereby boosting mood and increasing anticipation and response to rewards (meaning we get more enjoyment from less food).
Increasing energy through regulating metabolic hormones.

Intermittent Fasting is a little like hitting a reset button. It can help curb sugar cravings, restore energy, and even promote deeper sleep.

How do you do it? And how often? There are many options, but in general fasting for at least 16 hours is required to receive any benefits. Fasting beyond 24 hours doesn’t extend those benefits. So consider a fast anywhere between 16 and 24 hours. This includes sleep time, so a great way to intermittently fast is to simply skip breakfast. Ideally, that also means skipping your morning coffee. Drinking water is okay. Expect to feel hungry when you fast. This is different than simply listening to your body’s cues and waiting until you are hungry to eat (although many people are opportunistic about when they fast and simply choose days when they aren’t that hungry anyway). If you want to fast for 24 hours, you can skip breakfast and lunch. In terms of frequency, it is perfectly safe to fast 2 or 3 times per week (in the absence of health conditions that might complicate matters). If you prefer a longer fast, then once or twice per week is fine. Some people opt to have an 8-hour feeding window every day (see Leangains). However, I would argue that a daily fast is no longer intermittent. The body is able to adapt and predict the fast and many of the benefits are dulled. I also want to point out that you can benefit from fasting even if you do it very infrequently. Perhaps you only want to fast once per month, or once every few months. There is no clear evidence that fasting frequently will dramatically improve your health. Try it, see how you feel, see how you feel when you try it the next time, and then decide what is best for you.

What should you break fast with? When you are ready to eat, eat a balanced meal with lots of great protein and tons of veggies. You probably won’t feel very good if you eat too many carbs, so I urge caution with starchy vegetables and fruit. And don’t overdo the quantity you eat; try and aim for a normal meal (or only slightly larger than normal). I actually found in my own experimentation that I wasn’t that hungry and would eat an unusually small meal to break fast (I would then have more appetite for the meal after that).

Is fasting for everyone? The answer to this is a resounding NO! If you are not getting enough sleep or if your stress is not well managed, you may experience exaggeratedly high cortisol production in response to fasting, which can be detrimental. If you have a history of metabolic derangement or adrenal fatigue, I urge caution for the same cortisol-spiking reason. Women may be more likely than men to have an exaggerated cortisol spike in response to fasting (here‘s a great post reviewing women-specific responses to fasting). If you are not currently eating a fairly low carbohydrate diet (say, less than 100g per day), then fasting may have some side effects that mask the benefits (like headaches, fatigue, and nausea, caused by high cortisol). If you have any grains or dairy in your diet, you may experience a withdrawal-like effect because you aren’t consuming the opiate-like substances found in those foods. If fasting does not feel good, then don’t do it. If fasting feels good the first few times, but then stops feeling good, then stop. My own personal experience with intermittent fasting led me to realize that I can only get away with doing a 16-hour fast once or twice per month. Any more frequently and the cortisol spike stops weight loss, wrecks my sleep, and makes the whole experience completely pointless.

Tags: ancestral, autoimmune, benefits, Diet, eat, Fast, Fasting, health benefits, How To, IF, IFing, inflammation, Intermittent, paleo, Paleolithic, primal
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Should You Throw Out Your Scale?

June 2, 2012 in Paleo Philosophy, Weight Loss/Gain

It is all the rage in paleo circles: throw out your scale, stop looking at the numbers. The idea is that we should be gauging how we’re doing based on performance at the gym, how we look and feel, and how our clothes fit. I like that idea in principle, but in practice it just doesn’t work for me.

I have lost 120 pounds, but not all at once. There were lots of plateaus and little ups and downs. There were even some big ups as my habits slid before I could get control again. A scale keeps me accountable and I notice a small change on the scale long before I notice that my pants are getting tight. When stress or fatigue results in my eating habits slipping (for me that means more snacking, snacking late at night, finding excuses for dessert or that spoonful of coconut butter after lunch, and generally just eating way more carbs and fats than I should), the sudden 3 pound weight gain will often shock me into noticing and admitting that I’m slipping. And it is much easier for me to reign in my habits after slipping for a week and gaining 3 pounds versus slipping for 3 weeks and gaining 9 pounds, which is about when I would typically notice the tight jeans and the more difficult chaturanga (that’s a yoga pose, basically a slow tricep pushup). I am not ready to throw away my scale. And I doubt that I ever will be.

I do look at the number on the scale with a grain of salt. I weight myself every day, sometimes more than once, and have come to have a fairly good understanding of the normal fluctuations of my weight. My exact weight depends on my hydration level, time of the month, time of the day, and of course, whether or not I’m wearing any clothes when I weigh myself. The difference between the highest and lowest is somewhere in the neighborhood of 4-5 pounds. I have a pretty good gauge of when to expect the scale to read a bit higher and when to expect it to read a bit lower within that range. Between knowing the heaviest and lightest I normally am, and by being able to somewhat predict where in that range I should be given other circumstances (like whether I’m weighing myself before breakfast or after), I can quickly pick up on whether or not there is a problem. I’m not obsessed with the scale by any means. For me, it’s part of the constant vigilance that I need at this time in my life. My body is still metabolically deranged and my hold on this weight is still tenuous. This will eventually change. Eventually it will be much easier for me to maintain my weight loss and I won’t need this heightened state of awareness. But for now, my scale is a tool that I use to keep me on the straight and narrow.

But I don’t think that weight should be the only metric of success in weight loss or health in general. In fact, weight by itself is an extremely myopic way to evaluate health. All those other tools for gauging success are essential to form a complete picture. I have a scale that also measures body composition and I find this to be extremely useful. While those numbers also fluctuate, it means more to me to see a drop in my body fat percentage than it means to see a drop in my actual weight. As I evaluate my health long term, body composition becomes far more important to me than what weight I eventually manage to achieve. There are some other questions that I ask myself that can let me know if I need to make a change in my diet or lifestyle even if the numbers on the scale are favorable. Weight loss is not the only goal after all. It is actually far more important to me to be healthy and fit, to regulate my hormones, and to prevent disease. These are the questions I ask myself:

Do I lots of energy?
Do I experience a dip in my energy in the afternoon?
Am I enjoying exercise?
Am I getting enough sleep?
Is my sleep quality good?
Do I have food cravings?
Do I crave coffee? Or sugar?
How do I handle stressful situations?
What is my default mood?
Do I have fun?
How do I feel? And look?

So, when you read a book or blog post encouraging you to throw away your scale, take that recommendation with some skepticism. There are studies that show that one of the key behaviors of people who successfully lose weight and maintain their weight loss is weighing themselves frequently. Think about whether or not it’s a good tool for you. I know it’s a very important one for me.