Comments on: Study shows a ‘primal’ diet can bring rapid weight loss and health benefits

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Fri, 23 May 2008 13:53:28 +0000

Thanks for that, Neil. I’ll google him.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 18 May 2008 10:09:20 +0000

Malcolm,
surely on a paleo type diet, you’ll be burning fat as your basis for fuel for energy??

Stephen Phinney (I think) has worked with cycling and low-carb diets in the US, try googling his name.

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Fri, 16 May 2008 15:27:29 +0000

The paleo diet seems spot on to me, John, and I’m doing my best to follow it. However, next year I plan to cycle Land’s End to John O’Groats. How can I ensure that my muscles will have sufficient glycogen stores to ride 100 plus miles per day without eating loads of cereal-based carbs?

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 15 May 2008 18:17:37 +0000

I tend to serve a somewhat paleo-inspired diet to my family, though we do include dairy fairly frequently. Most of the time, I do source our meat and dairy from pastured sources, not grainfed or from feedlots. Most of our dairy consumption is raw and whole, though (even the fluid milk) and much of it is fermented /cultured (cheese, yogurt, etc.) and some of it is home-prepared (fresh cheeses, cultured dairy). So while I don’t stick hard and fast to all paleo details, but it is extremely helpful to use a “paleo lens” to decide which foods to consume regularly, which forms are more like those found in nature, and which to limit or eliminate.

I also find the “fad” label ironic when applied to paleo diets. Regarding wine, since many fermentation is a process that occurs in nature even without human intervention, and no doubt paleo humans chanced upon and perhaps sought out naturally fermented foods, I think it is reasonable to include some wine if one wishes. I doubt one “needs” to include it, though. I am finding that maintaining my weight is much easier without a glass of wine with dinner, though. I now tend to limit wine to once or twice a week, or even less frequently (my husband doesn’t drink alcohol very frequently because he often does some work-related writing in the evening). Additionally a glass of wine at home with dinner induces too much sleepiness too early in the evening for me now, unless there is enough of a social atmosphere.

By: New Zealand Honey Shop

New Zealand Honey Shop — Tue, 13 May 2008 22:43:44 +0000

At least you point out the limitations of this particular study, i,e the small numbers. It always amazes me when these types of limitations are omitted from reports /news releases for most studies.

There is another point I’d be keen to find out more about when it comes to diet issues, and that is the way that we eat our food. With many modern ‘meals’ people tend to scoff them down. I’ve recently seen a comment in a book that if we chew our food properly, and equally, concentrate with our minds / thoughts on what we are eating, the flavour and texture of the food, and enjoying it (as opposed to thinking about work, whats on tv etc etc) then that is also very beneficial to us. I’m guessing that it’s how our ancestors probably ate - concentrating on the task at hand and the process of eating. Would you know of any studies / evidence that would support this? Would it be something to promote alongside the contents of suggested diets?

By: Rose (Morris)

Rose (Morris) — Mon, 12 May 2008 13:54:32 +0000

What about eggs? And what about cold-compressed olive oil, and, actually, other oils such as sesame and avocado?
Thanks for terrifically interesting stuff on health!!!

By: Pauline

Pauline — Sat, 10 May 2008 15:18:33 +0000

I think it is a mistake to be a slave to any particular diet, although acknowledging that wheat and dairy have been introduced into the human food chain only comparatively recently I find no difficulty in recognizing that they are not necessary and may even be deleterious to the maintenance of optimum health. If Hilda eschews the drinking of wine then I fully accept her right to point out it’s dangers although for myself I prefer to gain some comfort from knowing that a French lady who lived to the great age of 122years actually imbibed upon a daily basis whilst also enjoying a cigarette or two!

By: Dr John Briffa

Dr John Briffa — Sat, 10 May 2008 06:32:08 +0000

Daisy
The reason that pulses are forbidden on the paleo diet is not necessarily on health grounds, but on the basis that they’re not ‘paleo’ foods.

By: Daisy

Daisy — Fri, 09 May 2008 21:18:09 +0000

Is this is a diet you have to follow 100%? Because although convincing, it also looks pretty hard to follow. Do paleo people ever go to restos?
But most urgently, can you answer my question on pulses? In previous posts you have extolled their virtues, and yet they’re forbidden in this diet.
Thanks!

By: Neil

Neil — Fri, 09 May 2008 19:19:18 +0000

I am not sure that a paleo diet would include flaxseed and rapeseed oil, even as dressing! or that fatty meat would be excluded for 6 days out of 7.

Sounds like the study authors are part of the “Sat Fat is bad” brigade!

Still, at least a step in the right direction

By: Dr John Briffa

Dr John Briffa — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:48:58 +0000

Chris - thanks for the link.
I love this: describing a diet similar to the one we’ve been eating for the vast majority of our time on this planet as a ‘fad’.

Plus, look at how the author suggests: “More importantly, a high dropout rate suggests that there is something about the diet that makes six out of 20 people disinclined to complete a three-week study.”

It clearly states in the paper what the reason for the dropouts was though: “One subject did not start, one missed the laboratory test, four broke the study, three because of illness and one could not fulfil the diet.”

So, did the author of this piece not read the study or just ignore what was written? Well, you won’t be able to ask the author because he/she remains nameless.

By: James H

James H — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:32:43 +0000

Surely for a Paleo diet, how the meat animal is raised needs to be considered. For example battery farmed chicken - fast growing, fat due to lack of movement and feed on grain. Surely that can’t be considered Paleo ?

By: Chris Highcock

Chris Highcock — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:28:36 +0000

I take yoru point John.

By the way - notice how the establishment do not like this study:

http://www.nhs.uk/news/2008/05May/Pages/Cavemanfaddiet.aspx

By: Hilda

Hilda — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:11:58 +0000

I too agree with the Paleo diet but , while trying not to be unpleasant, be careful not to think of wine as a sort of health food. One person said ‘I try to….drink wine’. Alcohol is a poison which has to be detoxified in the liver. THe antioxidants come from the grapes so just eat black grapes.

How would be get wine in the stone age?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 09 May 2008 17:01:47 +0000

This is pretty much how I eat, too. No potatoes, though — my blood glucose doesn’t react well to them. And I will indulge in a little cheese every once in a while. I was ovo-lacto vegetarian for 20+ years, and my current physician (who encourages the paleo way of eating for ALL her patients) believes the high carb/low fat way I ate for all those years contributed to my hypothyroidism (a lot of soy!) and may have played at factor in developing diabetes. I also gained weight — something that hadn’t been an issue before adopting the high carb/low fat way of eating.

I had no trouble loosing the weight I needed to lose once I switched to a paleo-centered way of eating. The diabetes “beast” is under control, with my a1c ranging between 5.0% and 5.2%. Lipid profile is very good, with the exception of HDL which is still low and has my physician and me stumped.

So, I’m a big fan of paleo eating and find I don’t even miss the pasta, bread, etc. that I used to make the centerpiece of my meals.