Some Basic Paleo Guidelines

Written By Elise Doppel

I’ve heard some people say that “Paleo” is an outdated term -- that, due to overuse and misbranding, it can turn some people off. Well, I’ve never once felt this way about it (and I’d hope that because you’re here reading this, you don’t either), mostly because I don’t look at it as a brand or a cut-and-dry “style of eating.”

In fact, it’s much more than just ancestral food principles to me -- as it should be, either now or someday, for you. We can learn a lot about an overall healthy lifestyle by incorporating some Paleo ideas. We will get into all the pillars that form a well-rounded modern Paleo human, but for now, I wanted to provide some good tips as far as how to eat healthily with this framework in mind. After all, the first thing most people typically think of when “Paleo” comes to mind is food.

Below is a list of nine guidelines that can help you become more ancestrally-aligned while still enjoying your life and not feeling like you’re “giving up everything.”

Again, I will reiterate, this is not a black and white list of “rules” you must follow in order to “be Paleo” -- they’re just some helpful ideas to incorporate into your daily life that can align you with your DNA.

1. Buy as much local and/or organic foods as your time and wallet allow.

We’ve covered the benefits of this recommendation in previous posts, so if you’re looking for more explanation, I will direct you to the first few posts on the blog.

2. To the best of your ability, avoid refined and processed carbohydrates.

Refined carbs are things like modern breads, crackers, pastries, cereals, pastas, etc. that you find on grocery store shelves. No, “Wheat Thins” are not an exception. The basic premise of this guideline in the Paleo community is DNA mismatch (along with the next guideline). Our species evolved consuming real, whole foods (see previous blog posts for clarification on this topic), with minimal intervention and processing, which allowed our bodies to flourish. When we provide inputs they’re not accustomed to metabolizing, havoc erupts. Consumption of these foods is linked to obesity, diabetes, autoimmunity, cancer, psychosocial disorders, and many more.

3. Again, to the best of your ability, avoid refined and processed industrial seed oils.

As I mentioned before, not only does our evolution not include the consumption of these oils, but they cause arterial damage due to oxidation and free radical production.

Industrial seed oils are all the cheap oils touted as “healthy” that are far from it, like canola, soy or soybean, safflower, peanut, and any form of corn. Unfortunately, these man-crafted fake foods have been promoted over natural fats for 50-60 years due to bad science and fear of standing out against the grain (no pun intended).

When able, choose to cook with animal fats like butter and ghee (clarified butter with most of the solids removed), beef tallow, pork lard, and duck fat, and stable, unprocessed, and unrefined versions of whole-plant oils like coconut, olive, and avocado. Your heart and your mind will thank you for it.

4. Anything that has been canned or packaged in some way should be, at the very least, approached with some level of caution.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a known endocrine disruptor that can be found in the linings of canned foods, and even if the label proudly touts “BPA Free,” it likely has its nasty cousin substitutes, including BPS. Even veggies packaged in plastic can introduce disruptive plastic components onto your food!

There are plenty of delicious whole food options that are packaged in cardboard, wax paper, or hell -- not packaged at all! This is where that recommendation to stick to the perimeter of the grocery store comes into play -- this is where most of those non-plastic packaging options are available.

Luckily for both humans and the planet, plastic is really being challenged nowadays, and more people are bringing their own reusable tote bags to the grocery stores and farmer’s markets to collect their food for the week. Give this a shot! If you don’t own any, many grocery stores also sell them at the checkout counters, or you could donate to a good charity that will likely send you one with its organization’s name on it! Win-win!

5. If possible, stay away from low-fat, pasteurized, and/or homogenized dairy.

A traditional Paleo template doesn’t include dairy, however some people do really well -- if not better -- when they include it. Unfortunately I am not personally blessed with this outcome, but if you enjoy dairy, thrive on it, and want to remain consuming it, I’d consider the following:

Low-fat and skim dairy varieties have the fats removed and replaced with -- guess what? -- typically refined carbohydrates or fillers. Why is that? Because removing the fats removes both nutrients and flavor, and those things need to be replaced if food manufacturers are going to get you to repeatedly buy their products. The flavors are attractive for a biological reason -- they ensure our brains and bodies will seek out these nutrient-dense sources of energy. (Fat in general has been wrongfully demonized for decades, which we can get into later.)

Additionally, if you can find it “legally” in your area, raw and non-homogenized dairy keeps the beneficial bacteria in the milk product while allowing you to scoop off natural cream at the top. If you’ve ever opened a can of full-fat coconut milk, you’ll know what that’s like.

6. Foods labeled as “fortified with _____!” are likely processed and contain synthetic vitamins to fool you into thinking the food product is healthy.

If we’re eating a whole-foods diet, vitamins are found naturally in required amounts, appropriately balanced with its other vitamin counterparts to ensure optimal absorption into and utilization by your body.

Food “products” have these precious nutrients removed during the processing, only to be “fortified” back into it later when the product is complete. Humans literally “put” nutrients back into fake foods in order to sell more of them -- but unfortunately, these are often synthetic versions of the nutrients (for many reasons, including product stabilization) and don’t get added with the needed cofactors alongside it. Without the interplay between certain nutrients, we don’t absorb them well, if at all.

7. You’ll know you’re eating a minimally processed, nutrient-dense, whole-foods diet when there are little to no additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, or food colorings on the label (if the food requires a label).

Anything that says “natural flavors”, a color and a number (i.e. Red #40), or some kind of term that seems like it could be a form of sugar (which it probably is), run away. Those “foods” do not have your best health in mind and contain additives that serve to gradually lower your vitality, not enhance it.

8. Swap out your traditional white iodized table salt bought in those giant silo jars for a package of sea salt.

There are many cool varieties of salt that all taste slightly different! They provide a ton more nutrients than the average table variety, and are actually usable by and healthy for the body. I keep pink Himalayan and Celtic sea salts at home, personally.

9. Give raw and/or fermented foods a try when you’re ready.

This looks like sauerkraut (this is my FAVORITE brand right now, if you don’t make it yourself!), kimchi, and raw dairy as mentioned above. This also includes (real) sushi -- which is super fun to learn to make at home!

When we mention raw foods, we often think of fancy or out-there dishes that aren’t eaten during an average American’s week… but keep in mind this also includes eating your fruits and vegetables raw too! Veggies are also great to can and brine, enjoyed as a fermented product when it’s all said and done.

Don’t forget about raw honey too (this is my favorite)! Not that soupy, goopy golden crap sold at the store, where all the good stuff has been removed and processed to suit Big Food’s needs. I’m talking the stuff with bee pollen still inside, that you have to scoop out with a spoon, whose nutrient qualities are so strong it can be used as a wound healing remedy! (Okay, I’m not recommending you lather up with raw honey after faceplanting off your mountain bike, but there’s traditional cultures who’ve used this food for healing properties. Look it up!)

There we have it, folks. The fifth and final installment for this first nutritional basics series. What are some guidelines you’ve incorporated into your life, and what are your successes and failures with them? What else do you think belongs on this list? What is your version of “Paleo”? As always, feel free to comment or reach out anytime… and #StayCurious!

#PGMW #Paleo #RealFood #WholeFood #Guidelines #Principles #Experiment #Raw #Local #Whole

Elise Doppel
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