Tuesday, October 8, 2013

THE PALEO LIFESTYLE

My dear friends, I have come upon a new "diet" program that is absolutely miracle-working, and it is NOT a diet at all. It is a freedom-to-eat-real-food lifestyle that is dramatically changing my health, and as a side effect I am losing weight.

I was introduced to this new trend by my daughter, Laura, who knew I was struggling with several health issues and, of course, my weight. She sent me two gifts, a juice extractor and a wonderfully-easy-to-read book by the name of It Starts with Food, by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig. This book has revolutionized my eating habits and over the week that I have been following this lifestyle I have already lost 10 pounds, my blood sugars are in absolute control, and my high blood pressure has resolved itself.

The eating plan promoted in this book is simple and straightforward and I spent only half of my food budget obtaining the foods that I now eat. The plan is not a diet but a way-of-life that is simple and straightforward and does not require you to eat weird foods, or things you do not like.

The Paleo lifestyle takes our eating habits back to what our ancient ancestors ate and thrived upon. What you eat are: meat, fish, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, butter, and olive oil. What you do not eat are dairy (except for clarified butter), sugars and sugar-substitutes, grains, processed foods, and legumes. At first look, this might seem awfully restrictive, but on the plan I do not have cravings for sugars or other foods and my energy levels have skyrocketed. One day's plan is an omelet with peppers, onions, sausage, and avocados and the juice from a grapefruit, cranberries, and an apple for breakfast; hamburger patty with spinach, kale, tomatoes, onions and asparagus for lunch; and a beef steak, mushrooms, sweet potato, carrot and raisin salad, and fresh-greens salad with apple cider vinegar and olive oil dressing, followed by a slice of watermelon for "dessert". I can eat all that I can without regard for calorie-counting and you feel so full all of the time that you do not crave refined foods at all.

In just two days of eating this plan my blood sugars came in complete control and I moved from taking 36 units of insulin a night to 21 units a night-and I suspect that I will be taking less and less insulin as the days go by. I have lost 10 pounds this week. My blood pressure has lowered by 20 points, and my energy levels are hitting the roof. I feel so "up" that I do not even think about candy bars or soda, cake or pizza (there are recipes for cakes and pizza using almond flour so you don't really have to give up any of your favorite flavors.)

There is no calorie-counting on this plan and you can eat when you get hungry; as much as you are able to eat. What happens is that the foods you do eat are so satisfying and so filling that you find yourself eating only normal amounts of food, and three times a day. You can always have a handful of nuts if you feel hungry between meals; or a carrot or apple if you'd rather.

There are hundreds of cookbooks available to create fabulous desserts, and treats like ice cream or birthday cakes, etc. These items can be added to the plan after an initial period of 30 days during which you stay within the basics of the plan. This is to give your body a chance to rejuvenate and heal. I went to the store and no longer bought all of the sweetened and processed foods that were my norm, I actually spent much less than I usually do and my refrigerator and shelves are packed with delicious, health-promoting foods. Having this much food around actually gives me a psychological boost as I no longer have to worry about running out of food before the next paycheck arrives. I have on hand sugar snap peas, avocados, asparagus, sweet potatoes, winter squash, cranberries, mangoes, pomegranates, and dozens of more options. So many different options that I want to try them all at once. Things I love to eat, but had never bought before, or in very small amounts, because I felt that I needed other foods more. Now, I eat the foods that I loved as a child and feel really great about it.

I am going to pursue this new way of eating and I will let you know if there are any stumbling blocks or problems with this new lifestyle. I feel that I will be radically changing my health...for the better, but I will let you know of any problems I might have.

Have a truly excellent day and maybe spend a moment and Google "Paleo Diet" to see further what I am talking about. Thank you for listening to my story and good fortune on attempting a new, healthier, lifestyle.

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