Paleo Diet

The Paleolithic diet, or Paleo diet, has been gaining publicity in the past few years as an effective weight loss diet and nutritional plan. It is also known as the hunter-gatherer diet, the Stone Age diet, and the caveman diet. This nutrition plan  is based on a diet full of plants and animals, similar to the diet of nomads and cavemen who lived before the time of agriculture. The diet focuses mainly on fish, grass-fed pasture raised meats, fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and excludes grains, refined sugar, and dairy products. The purpose of this diet is to prevent those common health problems in the United States: obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cancer.

While many people have positive opinions after trying this diet, it is still not highly accepted and encouraged. As with the gluten-free diet, if it is not medically necessary to cut food groups because of a food intolerance or allergy, then it is not advised to do so. It can often do more harm than good. Specifically, the Paleo diet eliminates grains and dairy products (which make up approximately 70% of the foods we eat daily in the US). Since this makes what you can and cannot eat restrictive, it is difficult to follow the diet long-term. It isn't feasible to continue to avoid foods for a lifetime. The most successful diets are those that are not restrictive and keep you from feeling deprived. Long-term weight loss and maintenance most often follows a typical diet while watching portion sizes and getting regular physical activity.