Six years ago I first heard about the Paleo Diet because one of my sisters was following this diet and she still is. It helps her with her autoimmune disease and makes her feel more energized and it helped me lose fifty pounds. Personally, I follow my own version of this diet.
The Paleo Diet started back in the 1970’s by a Gastroenterologist Walter Voegtlin. The diet was made popular in the early eighties by a Dr. S. Boyd Eaton and he wrote a book about it called The Paleolithic Prescription. Both doctors believed that humans were made to eat the caveman diet. This dietary plan is based on foods similar to what might have been available during the Paleolithic era which dates back 2.5 million to 10,000 years ago. The aim is to return to eating the way of the caveman before farming began also known as cattleman style. The reasoning behind this is that the human body is genetically mismatched to the modern diet that has emerged with farming practices and the lab.
There is no right way to eat Paleo, there are several different types one is called Autoimmune Paleo (AIP) which is stricter than basic Paleo. The reason there are different kinds is because back in the caveman days there were those who ate low carb diets (more animals) and then there were those who were high carb which was more plant based. Both work, you follow how your body’s response to the different foods.
In fact, AIP (Autoimmune Paleo) has you go on a thirty day elimination diet where you cut out:
- Gluten
- Grains
- Dairy
- Legumes
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Night shade vegetables
- Sugar
- Alcohol
- Nsaid Pain Relievers
Here is what you can eat on the AIP diet:
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Vegetables both starchy and non starchy
- Fruits
- Seeds
- Nuts
- Herbs
- Spices
- Healthy fats such as olive oil, coconut oil etc
- Bone broths
- Olives
What not to eat on the AIP Diet:
- Processed foods (Any food that’s processed is usually frozen, canned, dried, baked, or pasteurized.)
- Soft drinks
- Sugar
- Grains
- Most dairy
- Legumes
- Artificial sweeteners
- Margarine
- Vegetable oils like corn and canola
- Trans fat
The AIP (Autoimmune Paleo) is a bit more than just what you eat. The focus on gut health instead of losing weight. Weight loss happens on this diet too.
These things are included in the AIP plan too:
- Getting good sleep
- Stress reduction
- Exercise
The pro’s of the AIP Diet include:
- Getting the essential vitamins and minerals from food.
- It is simple to follow
- Will lower risk of diabetes, stroke, and cancer
The cons of the AIP Diet are:
- One can get easily bored with it, that is why trying new recipes is essential. I have included some great places to get recipes below
- It can get expensive.
- Doctors are concerned about eating so much saturated fat
The Wellness Works NW Team knows that eating well and moving our bodies is essential to our well-being. We understand that it is challenging when you are fighting Chronic Illness. In one of the links I have included there are crockpot recipes that are AIP friendly. Cooking this way, you can make a big batch to freeze or eat for a week. This is one of the things I do with my instant pot or even a crock pot.
Karen G Clemenson is an excellent source for range of motion or any exercise you may need or even a bit of encouragement to keep on moving your body. If you have any questions or need movement ideas or recipe ideas please Contact us. We can help.
Here are some links I would like to share with you:
- 10 Processed Foods to Avoid by Elea Carey and Justin Sarachik and medically reviewed by Gerhard Whitworth, RN for Health Line
- 39 Amazing Autoimmune Protocol (AIP) Friendly Recipes by Primal Palate Staff
- 40 AIP Crockpot Recipes [Autoimmune-Friendly, Nut-Free, Nightshade Free, Egg-Free, Paleo] by Louise Hendon for Healing Autoimmune
- 50+ Essential Paleo AIP Recipes by Irena Macri
- The Complete Paleo Diet Food List: What to Eat and What to Avoid by Lainey Younkin, MS, RD for Eating Well
- How the Autoimmune Paleo Diet Heals the Immune System by Kelly Johnston for Parsley Health
- Image Credit: The Paleo Diet — A Beginner’s Guide Plus Meal Plan by Kris Gunnars, BSc for Health Line
- The Paleo Diet: How It Works, What to Eat and the Risks by Beth W Orenstein and medically reviewed by Kelly Kennedy, RD for Everyday Health
- Paleo diet: What is it and why is it so popular? by Mayo Clinic Staff
- What Is the Paleo Diet? by Alina Bradford for Live Science
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Jamie Holloway is a co-owner of Wellness Works NW and she is also our Research Manager and writes our Chasing Wellness with Jamie Holloway and Dear Jamie columns. Jamie is also an Independent Wellness Advocate at dōTERRA. She lives in the Portland, Oregon area. Since October 2011 she has been sharing her Journey Toward Health and Wellness with Vasculitis through her blog at JamieChasesButterflies.com. We hope you are as inspired as we are with the raw candor Jamie uses in her writing. If you would like to help support Jamie’s writing efforts please Donate now.
