Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
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124 | NOVEMBER 2015 nshoremag.com BY KILEY JACQUES Many fitness enthusiasts, celiac and autoimmune disease sufferers, and curious onlookers are turning to Paleolithic nutrition to optimize their health. Primal State in-depth photograph by Doug Levy (above), by Peter Kaskons (right), styled by Natasha Taylor "The health of your gut is the health of your brain."—Emily Deans, M.D., Evolutionary Psychiatrist PALEO DIET DEFINED "Chunks of meat on a plate with almonds" is one way a Paleo meal has been described, and it illus- trates one of the misconceptions associated with the diet. Many people believe it to be all meat, all the time. Not true. According to LIVE Shrimp and cauliflower mash. For this recipe and others, visit nshoremag.com/ paleorecipes/ Robb Wolf, research biochemist and author of the New York Times Best Seller The Paleo Solution, other fallacies include: Fat makes you fat, meat causes cardiovascular disease, and there's no fiber in the Paleo diet. Let's set the record straight by answering the basic question: What is the Paleo diet? It's a matter of eating nutrient- dense whole foods. A balanced ra- tio of lean proteins to healthy fats to carbohydrates is the primary goal. Another is the elimination of all soy, grains, and legumes—all of which are high in lectins that throw off hunger and energy-expenditure signals, making the brain think you're hungry even when the body has more than enough calories. Sugar, dairy, alcohol, and all pro- cessed foods are also to be avoided for myriad reasons. The truth is, the science behind why Paleolithic nutrition is so hugely beneficial is complicated, but the bottom line is: Grain, sugar, and dairy can be difficult for people to digest, which is what leads to autoimmune dis- ease, weight gain, and general poor health, among other issues. So why are people eating a Paleo diet today? Wolf explains it in terms of what went wrong following the agricultural revolution. Referencing Nutritional Anthropology: Contempo- rary Approaches to Diet and Culture, he explains that the last 10,000 years—during which time we transi- tioned from the hunting and gather- ing way of life to an agriculture- based lifestyle—are marked by an enormous surge in degenerative and infectious diseases and autoimmune deficiencies. In fact, the introduction of grains—and, ultimately, pro- cessed foods—into our diet led to a whole host of health complications. "Nutrition and Health in Agricultur- ists and Huntergatherers: A Case Study of Two Historic Populations" examines the skeletons of farmers, evidencing an increase in cavities, bone malformations, and infant mortality rates. Furthermore, their bones indicate iron, calcium, and protein deficiencies. By contrast, the skeletons of our hunter-gatherer ancestors revealed that they were virtually free of cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Additionally, hunter-gatherers Paleo expert and author Diana Rodgers