Nutrition was an important piece in my personal <\/span>healing journey<\/span><\/a> and one that I focus on with <\/span>every single patient in my practice<\/span><\/i>. Food is <\/span>that <\/span><\/i>important. Food really is medicine when eating optimally.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When I started experimenting with a Paleo diet<\/strong> for myself and my patients, it was clear that this style of eating \u2013 free of processed foods and full of nutrition \u2013 had many benefits to health outcomes. <\/span><\/p>\n Not only did it help to balance blood sugar, decrease inflammation and facilitate gut healing, but it also led to greater immunity. Patients reported far fewer colds and quicker recovery when they changed their diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The immune benefits of a Paleo diet are more important than ever. Since <\/span>COVID-19<\/span><\/a> and Covid-19 variants are still circulating, many people are making better lifestyle choices to encourage a healthy and resilient immune status.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To learn more about how food influences inflammation and the immune system, read my recent article on Immune Nutrition <\/a><\/span>\u00a0or consider signing up for my <\/span>Be Resilient Be Immune course<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To dive deeper into my Paleo approach, keep reading to learn more about:<\/strong><\/p>\n The <\/span>Paleo diet<\/span><\/a> takes a walk back in human history, to a time before agriculture, when people subsisted on what they could hunt or gather. This primarily meant meat from animals and birds, fish and seafood and edible plant foods, including greens, tubers and berries. There weren\u2019t grocery stores, convenience items or highly palatable food – only what was available in the immediate environment.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The modern Paleo diet grew out of the evolutionary biology-based exploration of how our ancestors ate, which greatly influenced their health. While there certainly were dangers ten thousand years ago from accidents, attacks or infectious disease, there wasn\u2019t chronic lifestyle disease like we have today. <\/span><\/p>\n Our ancestors weren\u2019t overweight and didn\u2019t have heart disease.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Researcher, Loren Cordain, PhD. is credited with beginning the modern Paleo movement with his 1999 paper about the nutritional shortcomings of grains and 2002 book <\/span>The Paleo Diet<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n Since that time, we\u2019ve begun to see some research in the scientific literature looking at how a Paleo diet affects health. The research, however, is not robust, simply because it\u2019s hard to secure funding for this type of study versus other, more profitable, research topics.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n One study compared a Paleo diet to a Mediterranean diet in a small sample of post-menopausal women. Although both groups showed improved health markers and sustained weight loss, the women on the Paleo diet had greater improvements after 6 months of diet change.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In diabetes patients, the Paleo diet performs better for glucose and lipid control when compared to a diet that follows the American Diabetes Association recommendations. And a similar study found benefits to the Paleo diet for those with elevated cholesterol when compared to American Heart Association recommendations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n More recent studies from a Functional Medicine colleague, Terry Wahls, shows a modified Paleo diet, reduces pain and inflammation in people with Multiple Sclerosis. Dr. Wahls emphasizes eliminating grains and dairy, while consuming nine cups of produce per day. <\/span><\/p>\n In my practice, I\u2019ve seen similar dietary approaches work wonders for <\/span>autoimmunity<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In a retrospective study looking at outcomes in women who followed a Paleo diet during pregnancy, when compared to those on a \u201cregular diet,\u201d a Paleo diet appeared to promote better blood sugar regulation and iron status.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n With all of these metabolic benefits associated with following an ancestral diet template, it makes sense that there would also be immune benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s no mystery that modern eating habits, full of low-quality processed food, drive obesity and chronic disease. <\/span><\/p>\n Known as diseases of civilization \u2013 metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, for example \u2013 don\u2019t really exist in hunter-gatherer or indigenous populations that continue to eat\u00a0 a traditional diet. When people move out of their traditional food cultures and into Western ones, they begin to develop the same diseases.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n While the link between diet and disease is referring to chronic, non-communicable diseases, it also plays a role in infectious disease. The health of the individual influences the health of the immune system. <\/span><\/p>\n It is clear that those with chronic lifestyle diseases (pre existing conditions) including obesity, diabetes and heart disease, are at a higher risk of developing severe infections and dying from COVID-19.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In an early COVID-19 study of 5700 patients in New York City who were hospitalized for COVID-19, 88 percent had at least two chronic health conditions. This is the trend that we are continuing to see.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Because of the chronic disease \u2013 infectious disease connection, it only makes sense to get to the root of the issue by adopting a healthy lifestyle. Diet, specifically the Paleo diet, is a great place to start.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The best way to experience a Paleo diet is to give it a try yourself.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n What to eat<\/i><\/strong><\/p>\n Quality food is key. You want to focus on whole foods that are grown or raised in a way that is most in line with nature. This might mean prioritizing more for your food budget each week, which is really an investment in your future health.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here is what to eat (and what not to eat) according to my <\/span>Every Life Well Paleo Protocol<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Build meals around:\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n By increasing these foods and focusing on quality, you\u2019ll naturally displace the more processed and unnatural foods that weren\u2019t a part of our ancestor\u2019s daily choices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To truly see the benefits of the Paleo diet, I recommend committing to 30 days. I\u2019ve compiled quite a library of <\/span>Paleo recipes<\/span><\/a> to help you get started.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After the initial commitment, there is room to personalize your Paleo diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Although I believe that the Paleo diet is a great foundation for a modern-day anti-inflammatory, low toxin and immune supportive way of eating, I don\u2019t believe in one-size-fits all approaches. We are all unique and have different needs from our diet. Here are some ways that you might experiment with to personalize your Paleo diet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 1. Adjust your carbs<\/b>. While Paleo isn\u2019t inherently a low carbohydrate diet, it does tend to be more moderate in carbohydrates than a Standard American, high-carb diet. Some with metabolic disease, including diabetes, will benefit from reducing the higher carb starchy veggies and fruits and focusing more on lower-carb plant foods. <\/span><\/p>\n This might look like a low-carb or ketogenic diet depending on individual needs. Remember that balanced blood sugar supports the immune system; so finding your carb \u201csweet spot\u201d is key.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 2. Eliminate food sensitivities<\/b>. While Paleo eliminates many of the common allergens \u2013 gluten, dairy, corn and soy \u2013 many will have other foods that they are allergic or sensitive to. Consider eliminating eggs, nuts and nightshades for a period of time to see if symptoms improve. This version of the Paleo diet is often referred to as the Autoimmune Paleo diet, or AIP.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 3. Play with fasting<\/a><\/b>. Once the Paleo diet is in place, some people will find benefit from simple intermittent fasting practices, such as fasting overnight for 12-16 hours and then eating food in a tighter window of time during the day. Some people are good candidates for fasting, while others might find it more challenging.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 4. Use food as medicine<\/b>. Depending on your body\u2019s needs and health goals, you might want to add in specific foods for their therapeutic benefits. Here are some examples:<\/span><\/p>\n 5. Expand your diet<\/b>. Some people might be able to include occasional gluten-free grains,\u00a0 or legumes. Since what works for me may be different than what works for you, once you see the benefits of Paleo for yourself, are there ways to gently expand your diet while maintaining the benefits?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These are just some of the ways that you can personalize a Paleo diet<\/strong> to fit your unique needs and lifestyle. I\u2019m happy to help guide you in this area, so please don\u2019t hesitate to <\/span>reach out<\/span><\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n While there is so much we can do with <\/span>supplements<\/span><\/a> to help to re-establish the resiliency in the immune system <\/a><\/span>, nutrition is the foundation.<\/span><\/p>\n We eat food, often three or more times per day, every day. Day in and day out, the food we eat influences everything happening in the body from our hormones to our antioxidants. <\/span><\/p>\n Food has the potential to increase inflammation and dampen immunity, or to be our greatest medicine. And since we have to eat, it only makes sense to eat in a way that supports our highest expression of health. <\/span><\/p>\n A Paleo diet is the perfect springboard to a sustainable and enjoyable way of eating.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Download my Essential Immune Support Protocol <\/strong><\/span>here.<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Watch my video “Why the Paleo Diet is Healthy For Your Heart”<\/a><\/p>\n Sources<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
Paleo Diet History And Benefits<\/b><\/h2>\n
How The Paleo Diet Supports Immune Health\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
The Shippy Paleo Diet<\/b><\/h2>\n
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The foods to avoid include:<\/span><\/h2>\n
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Personalizing The Paleo Approach\u00a0<\/b><\/h2>\n
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