Most types have so many additives, I wouldn’t recommend touching them with a ten foot pole.  Even if you’re not remotely Paleo, the mere fact that most chewing gums are little bursts of chemicals and don’t have any nutritional value, I can’t say there’s really any good reason to chew gum.

Just to summarize, here are some of the ingredients in a popular chewing gum, which I feel would serve as reasons you might want to not partake of this habit:

• The sugar alcohols sorbitol, and maltitol which are a lower calorie than sugar sweetener, also used as a binding agents, wreak havoc in the GI tracts of many people (cramping, bloating, gassiness…)  I find it quite interesting to note that they can also be clinically used as a laxative.
• As if that weren’t enough, many also have extra artificial sweeteners added, often in the form of aspartame (Nutrasweet)
• Artificial flavors and dyes.   Do you really want to swallow “E171″?  Do you know what it is and where it came from?  I don’t.  I’ll pass.
• Here is the actual list: 

Sweeteners (Maltitol, Sorbitol, Aspartame, Acesulfame K), Gum Base, Stabiliser (Glycerol), Flavourings, Gelatine (Bovine), Acids (Citric Acid, Malic Acid), Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin), Colours (E171, E104), Glasing Agent (Carnauba Wax), Thickener (E466)

If you’re chewing gum in an attempt to cure halitosis… check to see first that you’re hydrated, and not eating poor food choices, both of which can be culprits.  In addition, if you take any prescription meds, this can play a role in less than lovely breath.

If your body is healthy, hydrated and has the proper pH, it’s unlikely for you to have chronic bad breath, and if you do, try and sort out why, instead of trying to cover it up with a gum band-aid.  

Of course, even the healthiest of us will have something to show for it if we’ve eaten a particularly garlickly or oniony meal, but this is different from someone who just has an issue all the time.  Not the same thing.

Go paleo, get healthy and if you must chew something, eat a mint leaf.

We think about Paleo eating and Paleo moving, but how many of us think about Paleo bathing?

In other words, are the products we use on our hair and bodies Paleo?   Given my penchant for a nice Decleor facial and lovely-scented Phyto hair care products, I’d have to admit that in this regard, some of my products of choice would not fit into a Paleo category, per se…and further, I’ll also admit that I’d never given any thought to a soap being classified as Paleo specific!

Recently, a company called Wash of the Day reached out and asked me to sample their soap.  

Creatively packaged- and you Cross Fitters out there will appreciate the acronym that founder Alicia Frye uses as her logo- ‘WOD’, with humorous quips on the box, like  ”Wash of the Day paleo soap is handmade with pure, organic, sustainable products for the conscious who clean on a semi-regular basis (at the very least)” with subtle, fresh scents, the soap is definitely a wash worth trying!

As a special Paleoista promo, you can save 20% off any order today through May 31st by entering promocode CHEATDAY when you check out.

For more info, click here!

The next day was spend lying on the coach and taking my dog out for a 10 minute walk felt exhausting.

Luckily, I came around rather quickly and felt pretty good by the time two more days elapsed.

Almost back to normal, but I suspected I still had a little trace of some nasty little bug in my gut.

Being the huge advocate of natural healing that I am, balanced out with some basic testing to rule out any parasites or bacterial strains that may have required stronger meds (this is one case where I’d personally rather kill the little invader asap rather than wait months for homeopathic remedies to kick in, and I say this after doing the latter years ago with giardia), I sought some natural remedies to help the gut feel better.

 I’d already taken activated charcoal as well as a ginger root tea, but I wanted more.

Enter peppermint oil.

Wow.

Not only does it taste great and not have side effects, it also happens to serve as a digestive aid, dispel gas, ease stomach and bowel spasms and is the best cure for an upset stomach.

*Keep in mind here that this post is intended as a suggestion for stomach ailments like a one-off case of food poisoning which, sadly, can even happen when one is Paleo, not as a go-to for stomach pain that one experiences after eating non-Paleo foods, which happens all too often!   Nor is it meant to suggest that chronic GI distress will suddenly evaporate with a few drops of the green tincture!

In addition to the digestive help, peppermint oil also offers the following health benefits:

• Source of vitamins A and C, omega-3 fatty acids, and minerals including potassium, manganese, iron, magnesium, calcium, and copper.
• Benefits the respiratory system through the menthol it contains. It clears the respiratory tract, acts as an expectorant and provides relief during a regular bout of cold and cough.
• Relieves  headaches when inhaled.
• Can help treat stress and pain: soak yourself in a bath or shower after applying some drops of peppermint oil to your body to refresh and relieve pain.

Head to your local natural pharmacy and pick some up.  Inexpensive and with so many uses, it’s worth keeping on hand.   By the way, gum and mints don’t count….nor are they Paleo!

In particular, fried chicken, which would traditionally have any number of different batters and/or coatings applied to it, none of which are remotely Paleo, before being drenched in a vat of scorching hot, refined oil, seems far from a likely candidate to become Paleoized.

Let’s begin with a disclaimer.. I’m not going to suggest you deep-fry it at all, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a plain, boring, tasteless boiled breast of chicken with celery sticks.

Using the following tips, see if you can’t concoct your own version of a Paleo made-over version of your own family’s tradition.  With Memorial Day just around the corner, you’ve got just enough time to tweak it here and there and serve it up at the holiday barbecue.

• Don’t be afraid of the dark meat or the skin.  Sure, prepare some chicken breasts, too, but keep the skin on all the meat and be sure to use the thighs, drumsticks and wings, too.  The darker cuts have a juicier quality by nature and by keeping the skin on and bone in all the parts, none will be lacking in in texture.
• Skip the buttermilk bath and go for fresh coconut milk.  Yes, it imparts a bit of a tropical flavor, but going sans dairy is something all of us can benefit from.
• Nix the  breadcrumbs, crushed cereal or crackers that you may have shaken up in a brown bag with the chicken in it to give it that extra crispy coating.   Instead, pulverize raw walnuts into a chunky meal consistency and use for a gluten-free option.
• The sky’s the limit in terms of herbs and spices.   Add some heat with chili powder, or an element of the Mediterranean by including oregano, basil and dill.

Once the prep is done, grill outdoors, alongside plenty of veggies, like peppers, squash and onions and you’ll be well on your way to a healthy and delicious variation of a dish that won’t leave your taste buds wanting for anything.

Lots of people use the high temps as a reason to head straight to one of the many yogurt shops to cool down with something frosty to eat, kids in tow…

While I, too, have fond memories of the few occasions that my parents took us out for ice cream (few because being a true hippie mother, my mom wasn’t that keen on letting her daughter have sugar, hardly ever!),  the idea of having it now as an adult, and as a meal, no less, kinda makes me feel sick at the mere thought of it.

Even for someone who choses to continue to ingest dairy, the sugar content or (even worse?) the sugar free options serve as a poor substitute for  a healthier, balanced Paleo meal.   

But what about the occasional treat?  Is there no room for something special now and then?

Of course there is!

Even better, if you’re looking for some ideas as go-to summer treats, consider the following Paleo options that will quench your thirst and offer that something sweet you may be looking for while actually offering some nutrition at the same time:

• Frozen fruit.    Grapes in particular tend to acquire a rather decadent quality when frozen.  Next to no prep; just wash and place on parchment paper and freeze.  Berries also make nice options.
• (Veggie) juice pops.   Blend up those berries and throw in some spinach or kale, a dash of cooling peppermint oil and freeze in the tupperware popsicle tray you used to use for ‘creamsicles’.   Or, use a paper cup with a stick in it!  Both make kid friendly options, too.
• Homemade fruit granita.  No need to add sugar nor buy any new kitchen toys. Simply puree your fruit, pour into a large, flat baking tray and place in freezer, stirring with a fork roughly every 30 minutes for  a few hours to make a natural ‘fruit ice’.

Save the super decadent treats for a special occasion and make the options above something you can have as the ‘something sweet’ part of a meal for the whole family.

But what about other oils, like sesame oil if you’re in the mood for an Asian twist on a meal or some walnut oil for a bit of French flair on your frisee?

As with all nuts, once in a while and in small quantities, these types of oils can be used as part of your Paleo regime.

Why?

• All nuts and seeds are high in Omega 6s, which are inflammatory and low in Omega 3s which are anti inflammatory.
• All nuts and seeds have high levels of anti nutrients, not unlike grains.   The reason we can have nuts and seeds in moderation, compared to having no grains or legumes, is quantity.  A handful of raw walnuts now and then compared to cups of pasta or bagels is the mere fact that eating less of the actual food means less anti nutrients are consumed.
• In terms of cooking, some of the nut and seed oils have very low smoke points, like flaxseed, safflower and sunflower, all of which begin to burn in the low 200s at which point they begin to create free radicals…not good.  (Click here for a handy chart of smoke points of all oils).

If you do partake of any of the oils of the nutty or seedy genre, just make sure that at some point during the day you get a whopping dollop of fish oil into the mix to balance out that Omega 3:6 ratio.

That, in addition to the other ingredients (Cultured Low Fat Milk, Water,Calcium Citrate, Modified Corn Starch, Whey Protein Concentrate, Kosher Gelatin, Natural Flavor, Fruit Juice and Vegetable Juice (for color), Malic Acid, Potassium Sorbate (to maintain freshness), Sodium Citrate, Vitamin D3) is supposed to make it a healthy thing to give our little ones.

Have to disagree.  

Sure, on the one hand you might argue that at least most of the items in the list above are at least words we can identify, compared to some which show items starting with an ‘X’ and ending with an ’80′, yet it’s still far from a good, healthy option.

Unless we’re talking about youngsters that are of the bovine persuasion, dairy isn’t something any of us humans should be ingesting.

Refer to the words of Dr. Frank Oski M.D., who stated the following in his book, Don’t Drink Your Milk, about the reasons not to include dairy in one’s diet:

• The drinking of cow milk has been linked to iron-deficiency anemia in infants and children
• It has been named as the cause of cramps and diarrhea in much of the world’s population
• It is the cause of multiple forms of allergy
• It may play a central role in the origins of atherosclerosis and heart attacks
• In no mammalian species, except for the human (and the domestic cat), is milk consumption continued after the weaning period [the period of breast-feeding]. Calves thrive on cow milk. Cow milk is for calves.”

I think that just about sums it up!

For a healthier version of yogurt, make some yourself with coconuts!

Twenty plus years later and from what I can tell, things on the drug market do not seem to have improved that much.

To clarify, I’m not saying for a second that sometimes the drugs do work; rather, the issue at hand I have is that the focus is still incredibly biased toward taking drugs as the solution.

This, despite the fact that people are finding incredible relief for MS as well as other autoimmune conditions by following the Paleo Lifestyle.

If you caught the recent Dr Oz Show, for example, you may remember the last segment in which two women discussed how they’d found relief from their thyroid dysfunction and MS by adopting this common sense regime.

These two women are not alone.  They may be in the anomaly, but MS patients around the world are finding the same thing.

If you, too, have found relief, let’s work together and get the message out there, because far too many people are getting more and more sick and taking more and more meds, and they could be helped tremendously.

Imagine if the knowledge that we have on the positive impact of the Paleo diet was made accessible to everyone?  As in, even the Western-based MDs?  Consider how fantastic it would be if we flipped open the new issue of SHAPE magazine and rather than seeing two young girls sticking their tongues out to MS as part of the new ad for the MS Medicine, Gilenya, we saw a healthy woman surrounded by fresh veg, fruit meat and fat and a little blurb about how now she no longer needs her wheelchair?

Um, hello?

PS- Following the Paleo diet does not have the following potential risks (which Gilenya, as an example, does):

• Decreased white blood cell count
• Liver Dysfunction
• “Serious Infections” (not sure what that even means!)
• High Blood Pressure
• Breathing problems
• Slow heart rate

How to get the message out if you’re a believer?  Reach out to anyone and everyone!  Write an essay and send it into your local paper.   Start a blog.  Start a Meet  Up group… if we keep shouting, someone’s got to hear at some point!

Rather unfortunate, as many rely on this publication to get into the nitty-gritty of what any given product really has to offer, it’s pros and cons, whether or not something is fairly priced and if it’s a must-have or a must-skip.

True, certain brands have slightly less offensive versions than a hydrogenated potato chip, but still, a batch of dehydrated or baked, sliced beets, yam and taro, salted and tossed in canola oil does not quite count as a serving of veggies.  Sorry, guys… 

After their wrap of and review of a couple ‘healthy’ chips, there are some recipes for dips featuring sour cream and Neufchatel
 cheese.

Can’t we just call a spade a spade?  If  the choice is made to eat chips and dip, what’s the use in pretending it’s a healthy snack?  I don’t think mind over matter works in this instance…

Missing that crunch?  Stick a carrot in some guac- now, that’s what I’d call a healthy option!

In addition to having a hard time thinking about anything other than where you’re going to get your next sugar and caffeine fix, you’re completely preoccupied with the discomfort in your body and the last thing you can do is be productive and get caught up on that last bit of email or finish the presentation your boss needed yesterday.

What to do?

Stand up!

Yes, of course, the eating (or not) and 4pm blood sugar crash is something all too many of us are familiar with; we need to eat regularly and make our meals and snacks balanced and Paleo friendly so as to avoid this horrible afternoon occurrence in the first place.  Another blog topic, which I’ve written about before.

Let’s get back to this post’s theme!

Get out of your chair and stand up.  

• At the office, ask for a standing desk, and make sure it’s at the right height so you don’t end up with a tweaky neck or carpal tunnel syndrome.  Find out if your company can have an ergonomic specialist come in and check out all the angles to double check your set up.
• At home don’t use a desk.  Choose a place that is conducive to being productive and make it a priority to procure the proper desk or table to accommodate.
• If you have to sit, at least make sure it’s a good chair or ball and that you’re not slouching and get up as much as you can to wiggle around.
• Incorporate core strengthening and flexibility training into your regime.   You know by now that if your core is strong, you’re far less likely to have back issues.
• Make regular body work a top priority.  There is no reason to be in pain and just put it down to ‘I’m getting old’ or “I have a bad back”.  Why settle? 

On a very basic level, if you’re standing and not uncomfortable, you are going to be more alert and thus more productive than if you’re slouched over trying not to fall asleep.

Now, get moving!