The fashionable Paleolithic diet: an overview
The paleolithic or “paleo” diet is that of our ancestors: the caveman. It is through an article by Xavier Collombier published via France 3 (1) that we are reminded that this “gatherer-hunter” regime is particularly fashionable. With this strong desire, on the part of the consumer, for a healthier life which is accompanied by a balanced diet , this return to ancestral nutrition, at the origin of our lineage, seems promising.
The basic principles of this mode of feeding
In fact, consumers imagine going hunting to bring meat and fish back to their homes. This hunt is followed by a gathering of berries, vegetables and fruits, essential plants for their vitamins, nutrients necessary for the proper functioning of any living organism.
This need for authenticity is not a coincidence since a scientific study is at the origin of this trendy diet which meets the current needs of our society, victim of pollution, pesticides and other endocrine disruptors.
The explanation for this craze is simple to admit: the original human genes are no longer adapted to contemporary foods . On the other hand, those of the Paleolithic (period between -3 million years and -10,000 years) are in line with our genetic heritage. The contribution of such a diet is a significant weight loss while allowing the luxury of fighting against chronic societal diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension (Hypertension), obesity…
Thus, foodstuffs which have not undergone any industrial processing are authorized, such as, for proteins, lean meats, products from the sea and fish. Regarding fruits and vegetables, these must be starch-free and gluten-free. Sugar, dairy, pulses and cereals are prohibited because they do not belong to the Paleolithic but to the Neolithic .
A current from the USA
The ancestral diet comes from New York City. In “ bobo ” neighborhoods, hipsters and other hipsters in search of authenticity develop more than a diet. It is a principle of total life that they seek with this food of yesteryear. Moreover, the “New York Times” grants, in its Sunday supplement, a complete article relating to the “paleo community”. On the many search engines, it is the terms “paleo diet” which, at the moment, come up most often. It’s very simple, in the United States, the Paleolithic is a way of thinking.
This diet does not originate in the imagination of any doctor. No, it is rather the result of extensive and scientific research that mixes paleontology and nutrition in order to better understand the various habits of “hunter-gatherers”.
It all started in 1985 , with one of the publications by Doctor Boyd Eaton from the University of Georgia. He hypothesizes that to maintain his health and stabilize his weight, the perfect diet would be that of our ancestors of the Paleolithic period. For him, our genes are very close to the man of the hewn stone age. However, all our food has changed over time as well as the design of it. Following the glorious thirty years, it was industrialization that changed our meals, our food intake, our basket of provisions.
Even more, for some individuals, it is the very comfort of modern life that is called into question. No more telephones or alarm clocks…it’s the light of the sun that guides the days and nights of those convinced of ancestral naturalness. Endocrine disruptors oblige, perfumes, creams, toothpastes are replaced by eggs, baking soda, white vinegar or cider. What homemade!
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.