Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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I have to spend 2 months out in the field doing a mixture of hiking and hitting up small towns in rural South America for my research. I'm planning on using it as an opportunity to REALLY get paleo, like as in, maybe not even bring shampoo or anything, but my biggest concern is the food.

The reason I went paleo in the first place is some sort of interconnected GI/thyroid/blood sugar/PCOS disorder, and paleo is the only way to manage it. They eat a lot of rice and beans in most parts of SA, so I've been trying small amounts of that and seem to be doing okay, but I also eat them right before or after exercise. Poor areas definitely don't have as much meat available (although I'm looking forward to trying some guinea pig!), so that's going to be a consideration. And raw produce is a concern due to water borne pathogens.

What would you do for food if you had to spend 6+ weeks traveling? Anyone out there done paleo successfully in SA long-term?

I'm thinking of making pemmican and/or jerky from different kinds of meats, but I'm concerned about 1) the weight of carrying a 6 week supply and 2) how long it'll keep without spoiling. I won't have refrigeration access, and don't have a vacuum sealer (but I do usually suck the air out of ziplocs before locking... close enough!)

Your input and advice are super appreciated!!

flag	asked May 6 2012 at 22:21 Allie 61●1●6

ladyp · Answer 1 · 2012-05-06 23:42:48Z UTC

I don't eat nuts and I don't feel great after eating fat (pemmican) so on a few expeditions abroad I've done this:

Ordered a bunch of salmon jerky and smoked salmon for a long road trip through corporate chain-store America, which can be it's own desert of decent food. Sweet little company: https://www.justsmokedsalmon.com/products.html

These are decent: http://www.iherb.com/Ostrim-Turkey-Snack-Stick-Applewood-10-Packages-1-5-oz-42-g-Each/36667

I also took cans of sardines from Trader Joes to Japan w/me last year.

Dried anchovies from the Asian market make a great jerky like snack--w/soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil (then redried) Like these: http://www.maangchi.com/ingredients/dried-anchovies-myulchi I prefer the small ones.

Some salami's don't need refrigeration--though I prefer the fish oils to the pork fat...

Take charcoal, probiotics and ciprofloxacin, immodium D too for emergencies. Have a wonderful trip!

Ryan1HD · Answer 2 · 2012-05-07 00:30:43Z UTC

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i spent a year in Latin America. Including some very rural places. I ate paleo maybe 80% of the time.

You can eat Paleo fairly easy there. What I'd recommend-- eat at the local mercados. These are marketplaces where you can buy all kinds of food. This is the freshest and cheapest food you can find, and a great place to just experience the local culture. In addition to all the fresh produce you'll find there, you can get all kinds of meats, especially organ meats! And all really cheap.

They have little restaurant stalls in the mercados that usually have some great stuff all cooked up for you and also really cheap.

Learn a bit of spanish, if you dont speak already-- No arroz, por favor. - no rice please. Verduras en lugar de arroz, por favor. - veggies in place of rice please. Sin azucar. - Without sugar. (latins love putting sugar in everything!)

answered May 7 2012 at 0:30

Ryan1HD
221●2●6

	Great info :-) thank you! If you have any advice concerning Ecuador and the Andean highlands in particular, I'd love to hear it. Only thing about what you said- all travel guides say NOT to eat where the locals eat unless you have a stomach of steel, which I don't. Any thoughts on that? – Allie May 7 2012 at 9:33
	I always eat local, and almost never get sick... and I've been to 65 countries! Just be smart about it. Eat at busy places that you see lots of local people at. If that stall or restaurant has lots of return business, they'll keep their food clean. But in general i find the local mercados safe to eat it... after all, all the food at all the restaurants in that are comes from there anyway. So you are getting it at its source. – Ryan1HD May 7 2012 at 14:49
	When I was in Peru recently, I ate at the mercados with no trouble. The food I got there was at least as good as what I had at most of the restaurants, and a fraction of the price. The one time I did get sick--REALLY sick--was ordering an American breakfast at an inn. Lesson learned: eat like the locals whenever possible. – Ten Bulls May 7 2012 at 15:05
	exactly, no10ox! – Ryan1HD May 7 2012 at 21:28
	Also--take some Now Super Enzymes to keep your stomach acid up--esp. if that's been an issue you for you before. It'll help your digestion in case the stress of a new habitat reduces your stomach acid. Probiotics should help boost your intestines and immune system with good bacteria. – ladyp May 7 2012 at 23:02

Megan · Answer 3 · 2012-05-06 22:48:45Z UTC

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Nuts, dried fruit, jerky, pemmican, ball jars are also super useful.

answered May 6 2012 at 22:48

Megan
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Ball jars? like mason jars? you bring those hiking? – Allie May 7 2012 at 9:30

Moonablaze · Answer 4 · 2012-05-06 22:56:50Z UTC

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pemmican, if kept REALLY dry, should last pretty much forever. get it SUPER dry and then individually pack it with the air sucked out (or see if a friend might let you use their foodsaver before you go). the humidity down there will likely make mold an issue within days of opening.

Produce is gonna have to get cooked, if the hiking means camping then you should be carrying some kind of stove and iodine or other water purification tabs.

answered May 6 2012 at 22:56

Moonablaze
2,168●4●14

	Thanks! Yeah, I'm good to go with the iodine. I might have a friend with a foodsaver... I'll look into it. Do you think my ziploc method would be a decent alternative? – Allie May 7 2012 at 9:35
	I wouldn't bet on it given my results with re-packing comercial beef jerky. Maybe give it a trial run packing a few bars and leaving them in a cupbord for a few weeks (assuming you have that long til you leave) – Moonablaze May 9 2012 at 3:27

Ike · Answer 5 · 2012-05-06 23:17:47Z UTC

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I would love to try that guinea pig too.

answered May 6 2012 at 23:17

Ike
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Carla · Answer 6 · 2012-05-07 00:14:34Z UTC

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Soup is usually a good bet.

answered May 7 2012 at 0:14

Carla
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Soup? as a travel food? I hope you're kidding. – Dan May 7 2012 at 19:01

Kelly · Answer 7 · 2012-05-07 13:54:47Z UTC

One thought that came to mind is that you might have issues getting 'meat' products/jerkey into another country, they generally are checking for food,ask on custom forms and have dogs at the luggage carousels smelling, some dogs are specifically looking for food.

In most places you shouldn't have issues getting chicken, pork or fish, maybe fried. I don't know how remote you are going, but they always have some meat with their rice and beans, lots of avocados as well, plantains both starchy and sweet.

I'd still try to find a way to sterizle fruits that you eat the peel unless you can eat around, but fruit and potatoes will be in abundance.

Long-term travel and packing paleo

7 Answers