I’ve written 3 posts about eating in the past 3 months.
No, it’s not because I love eating ice cream, nachos, cheeseburgers, and cake.
Yes, I do love those things (and I continue to eat them on occasions sprinkled into my life).
But really, I’m writing these posts because people in my life are eating differently.
And their lives are changing because of it.
The Human Diet
As a health nut, I’ve experimented with several ways of eating. I have friends who swear by veganism. I’ve seen the raw diet cure diabetes. People attempt Atkins, Slow-Carb, No Carb, High Protein, yada-yada-yada.
Then I discovered the Paleo-diet, or what I like to call “The Human Diet.”
Dogs eat dog food. Fish eat fish food. Humans eat human food.
Makes sense, doesn’t it?
Finally, my life got easier.
Yes, my symptoms of stomach discomfort, bloating, chronic stuffy nose, depression, mental fog, and body composition all improved.
No, this isn’t what made it easy.
My life got easier because I had discovered a way of eating that wasn’t just based on an individual’s advice. It just sounded right.
You see, the Paleo-diet is based on eating what our paleolithic ancestors ate before agriculture began 10,000 years ago.
As hunters and gatherers, we hunted animals and gatherered fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.
There were no twinkie trees. Having not domesticated cows yet, we were unable to milk wild post-partum cows. We were also unable to cook the raw, unedible grains found in nature.
Who knew? Eating the way that my genes had involved to eat resulted in my body expressing health, not symptoms and disease.
In my chiropractic practice, I don’t push the way of eating. I do hint at it if I notice even a slight desire for greater health.
In the past few months, I’ve had more and more individuals eating “The Human Diet” and getting hooked! For nearly any symptom or sign of disease you can imagine, the diet seems to help!
Whether you want to look more handsome or beautiful, have nicer skin or hair, have more muscle, less fat, and less bloating, rid yourself of symptoms of asthma, allergies, constipation, or just reduce your risk of inflammatory diseases such as heart disease, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, “The Human Diet” works.
Look …
I am deeply satisfied when I’m able to help someone’s life. It inspires me and brings me purpose to my life.
You don’t have to believe me. You don’t have to be ready to change your lifestyle. You don’t have to do anything … yet.
But remember, when you’re ready to get healthier for the purpose of living a more fulfilling, happier life, you can have it.
And only action will let that happen.
Robb Wolf is one of the pre-eminent experts on the Paleo-diet.
I have 3 copies of his book, The Paleo Solution, in my practice that I circulate to patients when they’re ready to make a move.
Here is a guide I’ve assembled to help with the transition.
Don’t take my word for it about the Paleo-diet. But damn, the results speak for themselves.
And don’t hesitate to ask me to help coach you through it. As I said, it would make me happy.
How might your health improve if you try eating like a human?
As a Health Coach with an undergrad in Anthropology, I love the concept of the Paleo Diet, but I wouldn’t go 100%. There is too much research of the good that a little bit of grains do for you (and I won’t let you take my morning oatmeal away from me!).
If you wanted to go full Paleo, technically speaking, you’d have to avoid things like avacados, quinoa, and other great New World foods.
That being said, I’m mostly Paleo, and love it!
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Fair enough Paul.
I agree, oatmeal is hard to give up and isn’t too bad of a grain. (Although, nuts, seeds, berries, with almond milk and honey does make a nice replacement).
I also agree, in that I consume avocados, vinegar, cooked meat and vegetables etc.
The theory is why I love it so much. Plus I haven’t seen a diet get results so much of the time.
I’m glad that you enjoy being “mostly Paleo” though. Jealous of your anthropology major and the War Child organization you supported. Sounds like a worthy cause.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..How Big is Your Butt a not so serious post on physiology and evolution
Hey Dr. Christopher,
Loved the post. I had to sneak over and check out the beginner’s guide which also led me to the manliest salad ever and I have to say, THAT spoke my language. (Not the video, the picture!)
I was raised to eat healthy (although we have always been big on whole grains), and that really effected me growing up. It really does make you feel so much more… alive!
But I can see that some changes really are in order. And reading on your blog (and seeing the manliest salad ever) has me ready for that change.
Not so much of a stretch. We eat lots of salad, pasture raised chicken and fish from a local fish farm around here and my salad bowl normally makes people balk at the size.
Hey, thank you for the post and the links. Lots of resources to use and learn from!
Vincent Parker
Vincent Parker´s recent blog post ..Build Yourself Online By Being A Connector
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Vincent,
I’m happy you enjoyed it! Yes, that salad speaks volumes to me everyday. And always hits the spot!
I’m smiling right now reading that you’re ready for the change. Please do me one favor: let me know how you’re doing after a good effort at trying it? I know you won’t be disappointed if you dive in.
And again, let me know if you need guidance and help. I’ll be your Tony Robbins in this realm if I can.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..How Big is Your Butt a not so serious post on physiology and evolution
One thing that stuck with me for awhile, is that if it didn’t exist 1,000 years ago, then it probably isn’t healthy for you.. all of these frozen processed foods that you see in the grocery isle are just horrible for you.
I was never much a fruit and vegetable eater, one tip I found to make it easier to eat them was investing in a blender, it’s amazing how much better fruits and vegetables taste when you have them blended with a little bit of ice.
Fit Dave´s recent blog post ..Where To Buy P90X Cheap
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Interesting about the blender Fit Dave. I know that smoothies taste good. Haven’t thought to take it further beyond juicing and put different types of vegetables in there.
Whatever works though. I know that for some people, experimenting with different vegetable recipes is KEY towards finding veggies that one really likes. Keep at it.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..How Big is Your Butt a not so serious post on physiology and evolution
Twitter: AlexGheorghitan
says:
I was hoping you would reveal more of this wonder diet in your post. I was expecting to see daily diets or “what to/what not to” eat. I read something about Wicca religion and they also say that you get to know yourself better by following their “food pyramid”. As you reach the top of the pyramid you create a better harmony between your mind and body.
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Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Alex, my purpose for this post was not go into depth about it. Just to let people know that there is a diet that not only makes common sense, but the results speak for themselves.
I’ve assembled this guide here. http://www.humbleobserver.net/beginner-guide-to-the-paleo-diet/
I also can’t recommend robbwolf.com and his book “The Paleo Solution” enough.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..How Big is Your Butt a not so serious post on physiology and evolution
I did the paleo-diet or caveman diet when I first had problems with IBS. I lost 50 pounds! The trouble is I don’t like vegetables or fruits all that much (meaning I don’t like them at all
, and eventually added corn and rice back into my diet because I was losing too much weight.
It’s great for what ails many.
Shawn´s recent blog post ..Bloated Belly
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
I’m happy you lost weight with it Shawn! Did it help your IBS?
Not getting enough calories is a common problem.
Usually I recommend a few things:
1. Eat more. (Especially protein, which satiates you).
2. Add beans. (Tim Ferriss recommends the slow-carb diet which is very similar to Paleo, but with beans). If you do use beans, I recommend soaking and sprouting them to make them more digestible.
Most corn is genetically modified and destroys eco-systems because farms raise corn as it’s only crop. I tend to stay away from it for these two reasons.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..How Big is Your Butt a not so serious post on physiology and evolution
Thanks for the tips about the beans. Usually they cause me a lot of distress. I eat protein until I’m sick of it.
I’ve never thought of trying to eliminate the GM corn. Thanks for that too.
Shawn
Shawn´s recent blog post ..Bloated Belly
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Let me know the results Shawn. I’ll be curious to hear.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..Move The Earth Before It Moves You
Got it printed out, my skin is dry and my doctar says that I should eat vitamins, now I see why, I never used to eat vegs..thx for the info Dr. Christopher
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Twitter: humble_observer
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Happy to help the Wise!
I used to have eczema as well. I thought it was the nightshades (tomatoes, potatoes, eggplant). Then I went paleo, continued to eat the nightshades, and the eczema left.
Speaks for itself. Let me know how it goes!
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..How Big is Your Butt a not so serious post on physiology and evolution
I find this very interesting. I have PCOS and it is very difficult for me to loose weight, even though I am active and try to eat healthy. I have maintained my weight for 3 years with that, but can not seem to get it to go down anymore. I will defiantly look into this. I love veggies and fruits.
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Hi Erica,
Although using nutrition specific for conditions is not my specialty, I do vaguely remember from school that PCOS is strongly correlated with insulin resistance, increased blood sugar, and diabetes. It is also an inflammatory condition.
The paleo-diet naturally keeps your body very sensitive to insulin since you’re body will get most of its energy from fat like it should, not sugar. It is also inherently anti-inflammatory.
Please look into this. I would be surprised if it didn’t help. And let me know when it does.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..Move The Earth Before It Moves You
Hi,
Eating healthy is very hard, especially these days when people are over-stressed and we don’t have enough time and tend to eat junk food and other unhealthy products. Indeed, eating like a human can change your life, I tried it myself and it showed some great results both physically and mind. Thanks for sharing, very interesting article!
Best regards,
Maria
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Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Maria,
Eating well is even MORE important when you’re stressed. Why had more sympathetic load to your nervous system by eating inflammatory, sugar-laden foods when you can eat foods that actually support health.
Happy you tried it and you got results from it Maria!
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..Move The Earth Before It Moves You
Dr. Christopher, thanks for posting this, and the link to your guide. I’m always looking for ways to improve my health nutritionally. That breakfast scramble you describe sounds delicious!
Abbie Waters´s recent blog post ..How Much Does IVF Cost
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
Abbie,
I’m happy to help. And the breakfast scramble IS delicious!! Try it for yourself!
Again, let me know how it goes when you try it!
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..Move The Earth Before It Moves You
I am fascinated but not convinced. I guess the best thing would be to actually try it before I shoot my big mouth off, but I have a life-time of being told that most fats are bad (saturated as in bacon) and then the Paleo diet comes along and declares war on grain. I understand that some people are gluten intolerant, I am sorry for that, but this diet seems to suggest that all grains are bad and then we add in dairy as taboo and the whole thing begins to sound strange. Please understand I am a chef by profession, cooking with butter and oils, thickening with flour for sauces and soups are an integral part of my daily work.
A good part of this is poor marketing strategy IMHO. Glorifying our caveman ancestors who had a 30 year life expectancy at the expense of their descendants who learned to farm and domesticate grains and…live to be 70 is not necessarily a credible story.
On the other hand I completely agree with Nikki about processed foods. Junk food, should be assiduously avoided, as well as the more chemically altered “lite” and “fat-free” substitutes which are laden with all kinds of chemical question marks.
Maybe instead of a notion of “Human” diet we could talk more about the reasons why eating this type of diet is beneficial to your body; what it actually does for you in terms of digestion, building healthy cells for xy or z. The bottom line is that the whole process is still a mystery. A trip to the USDA website will convince you that much confusion still exists, they won’t even endorse vitamin supplements.
Thanks for listening to my rant.
Michael Brown
http://greatcookingtoday.com/caveman-cooking-a-paleo-diet.php
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
I greatly appreciat this comment Michael. OK, a few things ….
1. In chiropractic school, I had several friends who were going through both the chiropractic program and masters in nutrition program. Because of their education in the nutrition program, most of these individuals now adopt the Paleo Diet.
One of them blogs here about the research behind the Paleo Diet:
http://coactivehealth.com/healthy-recipes/committing-paleo/
I agree, some people are less intolerant of grains or dairy than others. It’s now being realized that intolerance is NOT a yes or no question, but a question of how intolerant you are on a spectrum.
2. Individuals living in the paleolithic era died in their 30′s from trauma and bacterial contamination (especially water), not from an absence of grains.
3. I am so happy you brought up the USDA. PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION to the STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK. They discuss expanding markets, financing, and job opportunities before they ever get to nutrition and health. While health is one concern, they’re interested in several different aspects to their operations.
Here is the USDA’s vission, mission, and strategic framework, from:
http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/!ut/p/c5/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os_gAC9-wMJ8QY0MDpxBDA09nXw9DFxcXQ-cAA_1wkA5kFaGuQBXeASbmnu4uBgbe5hB5AxzA0UDfzyM_N1W_IDs7zdFRUREAZXAypA!!/dl3/d3/L0lDU0lKSWdra2trIS9JSFJBQUlpQ2dBek15cXhtLzRCRWo4bzBGbEdpdC1iWHV3RUEhLzdfUDhNVlZMVDMxRzdMQzBJQ0VMOU9PVDIwNDYvc2EucmV0cmlldmVjb250ZW50/?PC_7_P8MVVLT31G7LC0ICEL9OOT2046005915_navtype=RT&PC_7_P8MVVLT31G7LC0ICEL9OOT2046005915_navid=MISSION_STATEMENT&PC_7_P8MVVLT31G7LC0ICEL9OOT2046005915_parentnav=ABOUT_USDA
4. The purpose of the Paleodiet is to increase health as much as possible so that you can live the longest amount of time without sufferring. Symptoms of going on this diet include ridding of many diseases, not only intolerance, but heart disease, diabetes, stroke, inflammatory disorders etc. The reason this is all physiologically true is because the Paleodiet is anti-inflammatory. Grains and dairy have inflammatory sugars and proteins that essentially punch holes in the intestines, where most of the immune system resides.
5. The results speak for themselves. If you’re ever interested, try it Michael.
Nonetheless, I appreciate your opposition as it creates good discussion.
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..Move The Earth Before It Moves You
Very interesting and informative post indeed! Today more and more people are moving towards healthy diet since they have started understanding its importance in long run. Even I have started taking oat meal and lots of salads. It is healthy and helps me in maintaiing my weight as well.
Twitter: humble_observer
says:
I’m happy to hear this Alex.
Working out of a gym, I’ve realized no matter how much or how hard someone works out, or how much I treat them, a patient can never achieve health unless they address diet first.
Keep up the good work!
Dr. Christopher´s recent blog post ..Move The Earth Before It Moves You