Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

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My first thought is that people with certain eating disorders might be better off not going down the road of a very restricted diet that might end up reinforcing the very food issues that they are trying to deal with.

I'm curious about you're thoughts on that.

I often think that the paleo template is so universally applicable that everyone should be doing it. But are there any other situations where it would be better not to be paleo?

flag	asked Dec 11 2011 at 12:13 Dave S. 20.9k●1●11●65

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Foodies, the dining-out type rather than cook-your-own type. – dav Dec 11 2011 at 13:30

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I'm a dining-out type foodie and I benefitted very much from paleo, though whether it would have had stronger benefits if I chose to stop eating out could be debated. When I cured my GERD, I didn't even have a kitchen. – Bread-Eating Beelzebub Dec 11 2011 at 17:26

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Fair enough. But the foodies I know would have a very hard time restraining themselves from gluten-filled desserts, what's more the variety of vegetable-oil fried foods out there. – dav Dec 12 2011 at 4:34

UncleLongHair · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-11 13:21:39Z UTC

Depending on how you define a Paleo diet, I don't think it is for everyone. For example some folks would not do well on a high fat, high protein, low carb diet. Kids for example just have different metabolisms than adults and I think they need more carbs and more frequent meals. Serious athletes also often need more carbs.

But if you are talking about just eliminating processed foods, improving omega 6/3 balance, and eliminating or cutting way back on gluten, but leaving room for variety within that definition, I think nearly everyone can benefit from that. The main benefit of the Paleo diet in my opinion is improving overall nutrition by both eating more nutritious foods and improving nutrient absorption, and decreasing systemic inflammation. Everyone can benefit from that.

Firestorm · Answer 2 · 2011-12-11 12:59:09Z UTC

Ironically, I think it was the level of control over my food afforded by ancestral eating that finally helped to heal some of my disordered thinking about food -- or maybe the higher-fat diet helped to heal my brain... I don't know. I do know that, regardless of years of anorexia and binge/purging, I hated my body and my relationship with food -- now, even without a perfect body, I feel like food and I aren't total enemies any more... like I finally eat to nourish, occasionally to enjoy... but not so much to -punish- myself.

Beth-WeightMaven · Answer 3 · 2011-12-11 13:18:03Z UTC

Dr. Lynda Frassetto addressed this at AHS this past August. Her abstract says:

Not everyone on a Paleolithic diet improves to the same extent. Our studies suggest that those people with risk factors for metabolic syndrome (elevated blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high blood sugars, cholesterol and/or triglyceride) improve more than healthier people. And those subjects whose blood pressures change with changes in salt intake seem to be those most likely to benefit.

She specifically notes that those with kidney problems should avoid a paleo diet due to its high potassium load.

As far as eating disorders go, I think a paleo diet might actually be a good one as it is helpful in providing the necessary nutrients for better brain chemistry. This can be a good foundation for other protocols (in my case, I wound up doing neurofeedback).

thhq · Answer 4 · 2011-12-11 16:12:06Z UTC

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Would Jack LaLanne have benefitted? He was more restricted than paleo, dropping red meat and fats in addition to grain, processed foods, milk and refined sugar. It's hard to say whether adding sat fat would have extended his life past a healthy 96 years.

answered Dec 11 2011 at 16:12

thhq
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	I consider him an example that there's more than one way to be healthy and you have to find the way that's best for you. It is fun to consider whether he'd have done even better eating ancestrally. – Nance Dec 11 2011 at 16:19
	+1 for anything Jack LaLanne! – Dave S. Dec 11 2011 at 18:36

Matt · Answer 5 · 2011-12-11 16:40:20Z UTC

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There are those who benefit relatively little from a paleo diet. If one is gluten/grain/dairy/soy-tolerant, the benefits are rather limited. Some folks can eat a SAD diet with loads of vitamins/minerals/omega-3s and likely get the same outcome as paleo, in my opinion.

Strict and dogmatic paleo isn't for everybody, very few people probably require that level of paleo dedication.

answered Dec 11 2011 at 16:40

Matt
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	I agree that few people need to be dogmatic, but many people over 40 find that they have mild-to-severe health issues that date to assumptions they made in their 20s and 30s. I, after all, had no general health problems until my early 40s but have moderate-to-severe ones now depending on my diet. – Nance Dec 11 2011 at 16:46
	Nance, I think that you will find that some younger paleo's on some versions of the diet will find this also to be the case when they get older. – The Loon Dec 11 2011 at 17:56
	The huge benefit of paleo lifestyle/diet is getting rid of obesity, and that works for almost everyone at any age. I think it's also a good general lifestyle for young people. – thhq Dec 11 2011 at 18:31

Dragonfly · Answer 6 · 2011-12-11 18:04:28Z UTC

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A person with PKU would likely have problems with a Paleo diet.

answered Dec 11 2011 at 18:04

Dragonfly
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AndyM · Answer 7 · 2011-12-11 12:21:00Z UTC

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Neanderthals perhaps?

answered Dec 11 2011 at 12:21

AndyM
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See also: mega-fauna. They didn't do too well out of it. – AndyM Dec 11 2011 at 12:26

But if trilobytes had adopted it, who knows? Maybe they would still be around... I hear the Russians and Japanese are going to clone a wooly mammoth next year. I really can hardly wait until I get can grass fed organic mammoth at Trader Joe's. Then I can REALLY eat paleo! – Dave S. Dec 11 2011 at 12:34

Surely even your freezer couldn't hold a whole mammoth carcass? And good look fitting the bones in the slow cooker. – AndyM Dec 11 2011 at 12:40

I beg to differ! Being one of the millions who read every article including the word Neanderthal/Neandertal, I'd say it sounds like they ate a perfect paleo. Homo sapiens has been corrupting it every since. :-)) – Nance Dec 11 2011 at 16:14

Okay, my next question is: "Who wants to sign up for a mammoth-share?" Followed by: "Mammoth Recipes - how do you cook it?" and "Where the heck can I find a kettle big enough to make broth from these mammoth bones I just got at the farmer's market?" and "Is it okay to eat mammoth if I can't afford grass-fed?". – Dave S. Dec 11 2011 at 18:35

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The Loon · Answer 8 · 2011-12-11 17:58:10Z UTC

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Information on health/sat.fat is still muddled. Folks on a high satfat and higher carb diet may be in for a surprise if they don't check their lipid values. One single way isn't optimal or even healthy for everyone.

answered Dec 11 2011 at 17:58

The Loon
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Is there anyone who would not benefit from a paleo diet or lifestyle?

8 Answers