Paleolithic diet

              

          Most Americans struggle with their weight most of their lives and doctors blame the leading cause of diabetes and obesity is by eating fast food and processed food.  Being on a diet is hard especially with a lot of temptations that surround us. Burger King, Mc Donalds, KFC and more fast food chains are available to cater to our fast pace lifestyles.  In addition, most parents feed their children with fast food and frozen dinner because it is cheaper and easy.  According to Dr. Kerri Boutelle, assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School, Fifty-one percent of families surveyed reported eating fast food as a family meal one to two times a week. Seven percent said they had fast food for dinner three to four times a week. The study was designed to show the effect of fast food to the overall health of the subjects and their family. My doctor suggests having a healthy diet helps avoid clogged arteries, heart attack, diabetes and other preventable diseases. The first time I heard about the caveman diet is during the CBS news and how Dr. Kim Mulvihill (website) tried to eat healthy and at the same time lost weight. So I was intrigued with the topic that drives me to research more. So I tried to do some more digging and get substantial information about the diet. Furthermore, I want to share all the information I learned.

The Paleolithic also known as the Caveman diet is based on eating vegetables, a lot of proteins and high fat. This diet is based during the Stone Age in which our body should be programmed to eat like our caveman ancestors. Paleo diet restricts some of the food that our body needed. The diet is based on meat, fish, shellfish, eggs, vegetables, roots, fruits, and berries. Any carbohydrates, dairy, grains, sugar, legumes, potatoes and processed oils are not allowed. As a student, I used to remember in my health class that carbohydrates are very important and one of three sources of nutrients and energy necessary for human survival. The food pyramid shows low carbohydrates intake can lead the body to breaking down fat for energy instead of carbohydrates; this process will disrupt normal blood acidity. Critics and supporters have mixed reviews about the diet. 

The news article says that both pros and cons of the Paleo diet.  According to Loren Cordain, PhD, Colorado State University, she supports the Paleo diet and considered it healthy and appropriate. “Clinical trials have shown that the Paleo Diet is the optimum diet that can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, markers of inflammation, help with weight loss, reduce acne, promote optimum health and athletic performance," Cordain says. The theory behind the diet is very controversial so opponents are arguing the methodology. According to Dr. Keith Ayoob, a pediatric nutritionist at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine argues that people who eat dairy have better bone density because diary is a great source of calcium and vitamin D. He also claims that people who eat grains reduced the risk of having neural tube defects. Both Ayoob and Salge consider beans as a cheap source of protein and have so many good qualities.

 I want to share with you my experience with the diet. However, the diet is not for everyone. I tried the diet for one week but it is hard to avoid not eating any carbohydrates because coming from an Asian family carbohydrates are the main source of our diet. During breakfast, lunch and dinner carbohydrates are always present in meals whether its bread, pancakes or rice. After one week of depriving myself of carbohydrates I can feel the toll in my body. I felt that I don’t have any energy to keep up with work and school. Beware this diet is not for everyone. Eating a balanced diet meal and exercising are better ways to get fit and maintain your weight.