Could We Just Add A Little Common Sense?

Paleo is one of the worst diets, and Jenny Craig is one of the best.

Following an eating plan rich in local, seasonal veggies and wild proteins is dangerously low in fiber and calcium, so we’re better off including plenty of enriched bread and bovine bodily fluids, respectively, to make sure we get enough of these vital nutrients.

Avoiding white sugar is far too restrictive, so it’s a great idea to have just a little every day, so that we don’t feel deprived.

Finally, what we put in our bodies doesn’t play much of a role in whether we are healthy or sick, and certainly wouldn’t have anything to do with our ability to heal from debilitating illness, so if we are faced with any medical challenges, really all we need to do is take some pills but not change our eating or exercise habits.

You know I’m being facetious, I hope…

Statements like what I’ve written above, though they may  be an exaggeration (or maybe not), aren’t too far off what we’re told on a regular basis.  

We hear it in the news, as results of studies and clinical trails and, of course, in ads for the latest drug we can take with a host of horrible side effects, melodically announced by a fast-speaking narrator to tells us to stop taking X drug and tell our doctor,  should we experience uncontrolled bleeding, insomnia, heart attack or stroke.

Let’s just take a step back here and apply a little common sense.

Forget about the word “Paleo” for a second and arguments such as:

• Cavemen ate wild meat that was of a superior quality compared to what we eat now therefore what we call the Paleo diet isn’t a real Paleo diet (does that mean that we should forget about eating wild bison and just not eat any meat?)
• People around the world have been eating bread for thousands of years; bread and grains continue to be the sole food source for billions of people globally (ok, true… but that in and of itself doesn’t mean that those of us who are fortunate enough to live in the US or other first world countries should eat the stuff regularly…or at all)

Just think.  

Which arguments are relevant and how much significance should you apply to these statements?  How do we weigh what the latest study says compared to how we feel eating what we’re eating?

For example, if you’ve gone Paleo and have lost weight, improved your skin condition, reduced the symptoms you had as a result of the autoimmune condition you have or no longer have migraine headaches and then read a study which informs you that Paleo is a bad way to live, are you going to go with what your body tells or or take the advice of an ‘expert’ who tells you the exact opposite?

Sure, keep reading the research, but do so with a critical eye.  Who funded a particular study?   Who serves to benefit financially?  

When it comes to all the trash talking about Paleo, how it’s a fad, a trend, and certainly not sustainable, ask yourself if it really makes sense to say that living off a balance of fresh veggies, protein and fat is not the healthiest way to go.

If you’re don’t think that this is precisely what the modern day implementation of True Paleo is all about, then you’re probably following a different type of regime that is not Paleo in the first place.