Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

6

2

OK, people, a simple one (in terms of the question, at least): Hack Epi-Paleo! What does it mean to you? Is it the next chapter in paleo - or just more hype?

flag	asked Aug 29 at 6:05 CICO Suave 1

3

For those of us who don't know what it is...what the bleep is it? – Mscott Aug 29 at 6:13

3

It's a Jack Kruse-ism - jackkruse.com/…. Pretty sure it has something to do with fish, but can't for the life of me find a clear, concise definition. It is, however, being presented as the Next Huge Thing. – CICO Suave Aug 29 at 6:16

10

Since Kruse has been proven to be a pathological liar and scientifically incompetent over and over and over and over again, I don’t see why anyone would bother to read his latest nonsense. Did you people not see his TEDx talk? He referenced a fiction novel in detailing magical abilities of Sherpas, he totally misinterpreted Wim’s endotoxin experiment, he claimed he had to put on a lot of weight before being allowed to receive liposuction surgery, he claimed he injected himself with MRSA, etc, etc, etc… It boggles my mind that people still pay attention. – Paleo2.0 Aug 29 at 18:58

6

I suppose he is espousing high fish consumption. I have nothing to say against that. But Kruse is a whacko of the highest degree. Fifth degree black belt style. Look up the craziness he used to spout here on PH. His tedx thing is icing on the cake. His inane, arcane, plain old silly method of writing is hilarious. Idiot straight up. He's what dumb people think smart people sound like. – ben61820 Aug 29 at 19:25

I'm all for eating seafood, I just don't get the way he paints epi-paleo as distinctly different than paleo. Is it because in paleo eating seafood is optional and in epi-paleo eating seafood is necessary? His diet is still falling under the broad umbrella of paleo, despite his attempts at dichotomizing the two. – Mscott Aug 29 at 20:29

show 1 more comment

Alex · Answer 1 · 2012-08-29 18:10:09Z UTC

20

You Know You’ve Embraced Epi-Paleo When...

... you're spending $248 per month for a membership in Swami Quiltananda's Temple of Woo.

answered Aug 29 at 18:10

Alex
5,659●1●6●17

1

Wish I could upvote this more. – Canis Minor Aug 29 at 18:12

3

He's gotta get to earthing pretty soon, no? Combined with the cold thermo it'd be rad: barefoot, naked on top of a frozen lake. Ice fishing. Going right down his checklist no? – ben61820 Aug 29 at 19:28

1

haters gotta hate...downvote – akman Aug 29 at 20:46

akman · Answer 2 · 2012-08-29 18:51:55Z UTC

Kruse's "epi-paleo" protocol was the missing link for me. I was fully on board with paleo ala Primal blueprint, safe starches, IF and all that jazz. Epi-paleo just added a new layer...seafood...and debunked the safe starch theory. Jack's writing/blogging has gotten a lot better in the past year and his forum rocks. He is a constant presence on his own forum, unlike Sisson who never goes there.

Epi-paleo should appeal to most following PB or any paleo iteration. It favors a healthy gut flora and is tracked by labs. Not rocket science but a point lost on most paleo blogs.

I have to thank Jack. I've never spent a penny on him, but he has given me a new lease on life and a roadmap I will follow for the rest of my life.

Winter: Ketogenic seafood only diet, no fruit, fermented veg, cheese, chocolate, deep cold

Spring: Ketogenic seafood heavy, eggs, green leafy veg, cheese, chocolate, mild cold

Summer: Seafood heavy, lots of fruit, lots of leaves, garden veggies, heat&sunshine

Fall: Seafood heavy, tapering off fruit, eating corn, potatoes, rice, cabbage, mild cold

August · Answer 3 · 2012-08-29 15:57:30Z UTC

One of these days Kruse needs to admit to himself and everyone that he is just completely lousy at promotion. This 'epi' prefix is lame. The argument about DHA being so important isn't lame- it is pretty interesting. But Kruse's self-promotion is so bad that he shouldn't even be allowed to pick his own outfits. I've seen used car salesmen who look more reputable. Epi-paleo is just low carb paleo + hey, everybody, let's eat more seafood- which is pretty much just low-carb paleo. Because seafood is paleo, ya know?

I read his stuff, too. I just wish he'd be more like Peter @ hyperlipid, or Lucas Tafur. Those guys are on my list of people I'd probably pay to blog, if I had any money.

Eugenia · Answer 4 · 2012-08-29 07:23:10Z UTC

5

I like Dr Kruse. And I believe that he's on the right spot proposing fish and shellfish over meat. Consider that the Cretans, who had the best diet in the world until recent years (before the Western World caught up with them), lived to be over 100 years old, and ate red meat very few times in a month. Fish/shellfish, veggies and lots of fruits is what they most ate, even if they had goats/sheep that they could easily slaughter. They used their animals mostly for (fermented, right casein) dairy.

answered Aug 29 at 7:23

Eugenia
11.4k●1●5●18

2

Oh, except for those pesky ppl who do better with ruminant meat and organs, and don't respond well to milk sugars... – dsohei Aug 29 at 21:28

2

That's the key though. Cretans (and where I'm from, in mainland Greece) did not have people who were dairy intolerant. When you have grown up eating a proper diet, milk intolerance is not common at all, especially since the dairy is fermented (no lactose) and from the right animals (goats/sheep have the right casein, more compatible with the human digestion). – Eugenia Aug 30 at 1:25

1

well hooray for the pristine ones, may they live well & prosper for all time on their goat farms. meanwhile, the rest of reality moves this way... – dsohei Aug 30 at 3:30

2

dsohei needs a dose of reality. – Monte Aug 30 at 3:42

meta · Answer 5 · 2012-08-29 07:29:44Z UTC

I wouldn't say it's the next chapter in paleo. Nutrigenetics, epinutrigenetics and enterogenetics should fill that chapter.

But it's a structured variant that promotes a predominantly seafood diet aimed at lowering inflammation and optimising nutrition for the brain. It restricts certain food according to seasonality and promotes strict avoidance of US dairy, nightshade vegetables and all grains.

The evolutionary rationale behind this food plan is the claim that it best supports nutrition for the brain - and it is the human brain that has undergone the most dramatic evolution. There is no evidence to suggest it does not support brain nutrition.

I think it's certainly better than "I'll just decide what paleo is for me" type of regiment.

meta · Answer 6 · 2012-08-30 00:43:23Z UTC

A comment needs to be made on the term "epi-paleo".

As most of you know, the "epi" prefix is most commonly associated with the term epigenetics, which includes a type of genetic regulation that can be transmitted between generations without changes on the DNA sequence. The implication is that rapid changes in gene expression are possible without needing to have changes occur to the genes themselves.

To a geneticist, epi-paleo would imply a version of the paleo template that incorporates individual epigenetic status. For example, it may be that a gene or genes associated with insulin response may be down-modulated (and insulin response blunted) due to long term consumption of refined carbohydrates. If it were possible to diagnose the epigenetic status of such genes one could prescribe an appropriate compensatory paleo template.

This is not what epi-paleo is about. Epi, in its strict definition means above, and I believe it is being used to denote that this form of paleo is above, i.e. superior to other paleo interpretations. However, a strictly marine based diet is not consistent with the broad geography, flora and fauna that ancestral man existed in and it would be inept to suggest that a temperate zone coastline is where human genes were forged.

I would suggest that meta- or para- is a more suitable prefix for this paleo variant.

Monte · Answer 7 · 2012-08-29 15:28:39Z UTC

2

It ain't hype, it's DHA.

http://jackkruse.com/brain-gut-5-paradigm-drifts-paradigm-shifts-epi-paleo/

http://jackkruse.com/brain-gut-6-epi-paleo-rx/

edited Aug 29 at 15:28

answered Aug 29 at 6:42

Monte
2,197●3●10

3

Actually it's about fueling your body with nutrients that we evolved with. Look up the Aquatic Ape Theory. Then read Brain Gut 5 and Brain Gut 6. – Monte Aug 29 at 15:24

3

Aquatic ape. Holy hell, here we go again. That is a load of nonsense. Is Kruse, admittedly so whacked already that I shouldn't be surprised, really espousing the aquatic ape idea? Gets better and better. And we wonder why serious people laugh at the whole paleo blogosphere. – ben61820 Aug 29 at 19:32

1

my vestigial gills have been waiting years for this! – dsohei Aug 30 at 3:32

1

Do you guys even know what the aquatic ape theory is about? It just means that humans adapted to swim/dive in the ocean, and lost body hair because of it (because fur would drag). It also indicates high shellfish/fish consumption - that's all it really is. There's no gills involved. What's so insane about that? We do swim, we do eat fish, we do lack fur. Where's the controversy in that exactly? – raydawg Aug 30 at 12:17

1

Yeah, you're right Ben, it's such a kooky theory, that's why pro swimmers never shave themselves before swimming: adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/… – raydawg Aug 30 at 18:00

show 3 more comments

Aggjc · Answer 8 · 2013-03-01 19:30:54Z UTC

Regardless of whether Kruse or his philosophies are whack, one should do with the information he provides as one does with all other information - Analyze it, critique it, then decide best how it fits into your life and what you take away from it.

You Know You’ve Embraced Epi-Paleo When…

8 Answers