Paleo, Anyone?

 I have been hearing so much about the Paleo way of eating and it has piqued my interest quite a bit. So, the first thing I had to do was some research into exactly what is involved in the Paleo lifestyle. I know there are so many books out there about the Paleo lifestyle but my research needed to be immediate. The first thing I noticed is that it has been reported to eliminate bloating, clear up acne, eradicate seasonal allergies, stop migraines, and last but certainly not the lease attractive benefit of them all, helps the body to shed a few pounds. Hunger hormone levels should become more stable and balanced and blood sugar should become balanced as well. Sounds good so far, right? Then comes the “ta-da” that I was not looking forward to seeing; no grains, legumes, dairy, and sugar. Here’s where I take a step back because I live on grains, legumes, and some dairy, not so much sugar. I am vegetarian so I do not eat any meat source of any kind. I do, however, love the vegetable, fruit, seafood, egg, nut, seeds, fats, and oils portion of the Paleo lifestyle. Ok, now I’m interested again. I don’t want to turn anyone against trying this diet, nor am I trying to convince anyone else to try it. I merely want to look at the pros and cons of trying it. The easiest way to start this lifestyle change is to rid your kitchen of all those foods the Paleo diet says you should rid your diet of completely. I’m more of an “ease my way into it” kind of person, so I will eliminate one food group per week until I have eliminated them all. Out goes the normal portions per plate of half veggies, one quarter each of protein and whole grains, in comes the palm-sized portion of protein, dollop of fat, and the rest of the plate choke full of veggies. I can live with this because I’m not a meat eater anyway. As far as the fat, I believe the foods I eat throughout the day would incorporate enough fat (avocado, nuts), plus, I have a teaspoon of coconut oil every morning. Meat eaters rejoice! Pasture-fed meats and poultry are great choices for the Paleo diet, but wild meats such as elk, boar, and bison are ideal choices. Fresh fruit can usually stifle a sugar craving for me.

Want to read the article, click http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/beginners-guide-paleo-diet-150900050.html

So with all of that being said, I will give the Paleo diet a try because it closely resembles the way I eat already. I just now have to eliminate the grains and legumes portions of my meals. So long to my oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, couscous, whole grain pasta, and my beloved black beans! Next time you hear from me I will be grain and legume free (at least for a few days) and hopefully feeling much more energetic. Wish me luck!