A New Age

Picture found on easyhealthoptions.com

There are lots of sites devoted to the Paleo diet, so you may be wondering why you should look at mine, and why "New Age" Paleo?  Good questions that I'm happy to answer!  First, I have a unique way of putting things together.  I don't just like to pop up a recipe but rather I like to explore all the ramifications of a diet or lifestyle and make connections between things that you may not think of.  I feel that this is my gift as an educator--tying together food, music, art, literature, exercise, nature, history, anthropology--anything and everything that helps us to navigate our crazy world.  As for "New Age" we need to be honest: we don't live in the same world as our paleo ancestors.  Nor would we want to!  We have to watch out for idealizing and glamorizing the past.  We cannot truly eat or live as early man did because of our intelligence revolution, our agricultural revolution, our industrial revolution and our technological revolution.  However, instead of bemoaning this fact or treating it as a loss, consider the following:

• Early humans had limited foods available to them.  No tropical fruits, unless you lived in the tropics.  No fresh fruits or vegetables at all during the cold months.  And remember, less than 10% of botanicals are edible for humans. Imagine the test-tasting that determined which ones were toxic! (Must have been reserved for the least-liked members of the tribe).
• No antibiotics, no painkillers, no tetanus shots, no vaccinations.  People succumbed to body trauma such as broken limbs, childbirth and infections.
• Limited transportation and travel.
• No refrigeration, and limited food supplies, meant eating that which was not always at its peak!
• Exposure to the elements (I'm not wanting to go back to cave-living and fur clothing).
• Short life spans (due to body trauma, exposure, disasters or animal threats).

We think our lives are hard but few of us would want to have to make a flint ax, or weave a basket, or kill, gut, clean and skin an animal, or build fires day and night, or search for some form of shelter on a regular basis, or gather limited nuts, fruits and berries for sustenance, or wander place to place in search of food, water, fresh firewood and safety.

We should appreciate all of the variety and comfort of our modern era, while also recognizing the genetic and physiological makeup of our bodies.  We weren't built to live on french fries and soda, but we also don't have to give up our possessions, throw on a loin cloth and pretend we're living in the stone age.  We cannot turn back the clock on progress but we can choose to use that which is supportive and eschew that which brings us down, physically and mentally.  What are some of the best things about living Paleo in a New Age?

• Access to all sorts of natural foods that are naturally good for us.  Meats, fish, fowl and eggs raised for quality.  A whole range of fruits, vegetables and nuts from various parts of the world.  And the luxury of the time and facilities to prepare them in interesting ways.
• "Basic" Seasonings like salt and pepper (two basics that used to be treated as precious as gold)
• Clean water (though this is NOT a given for everyone in the world, and never forget it!)
• Exercise made pleasant with lots of options (and the leisure to do this FOR pleasure!)
• Access to a range of medical options including traditional medicine and modern medicine--and yes, there is a place for each that is of very great value.
• Permanent shelter and comfort.
• Supplementation when needed.
• Technology that allows us instant access to information and knowledge.  Knowledge is power after all.
• The ability to travel for enrichment and fun.

These are just a few things, but I think you get the point.  Our lives are so different from our paleo ancestors that they might as well be aliens.  However, there is still a link between us and them and that connection is living in a way that suits our physiology.  

So, want to go Paleo?  Here's just one thing to try this week: Give Up the Grains.  I'll say it again, Give Up the Grains.  The starting point of agriculture (and thus civilization) was grain production.   It allowed for many modern aspects of human life, both good and bad, but one thing is for sure.  Grains are hard on our systems.  They pump too much sugar into our bloodstreams, they are hard to digest, they can contribute to poor dental health, and they don't always satiate hunger. Think about it .  Would you eat three pounds of salmon in a sitting ?  Three steaks? Three racks of ribs?  Four bowls of cabbage?  Three apples in a row?  Two cups of nuts?  Yet most of us have not trouble plowing through multiple bowls of cereal, pasta, rice, or slice upon slice of bread.  So, New Age Paleo--Give up the Grains.  Try a new fruit or vegetable--they will be your primary sources of fiber.  Now watch your skin, digestive system and energy level respond beautifully. Less gas, less bloating, fewer breakouts, fewer highs and lows in terms of energy.

Recipe for a grain-free morning:

Chia Breakfast Pudding
2 tablespoons of Chia seeds, 1 tablespoon of unsweetened coconut, optional: almond or vanilla extract, 1/4 tsp.
Add enough unsweetened almond milk to cover well, let soak overnight.
In the morning stir, and then add a touch more milk if too thick.  Top with fresh berries, a few nuts and/or seeds, and cinnamon.  The texture may take some getting used to but this is a really nice breakfast once you do.  In the winter months add dried fruit with the seeds and coconut in lieu of fresh.

Welcome to the New Age of Paleo!  Lisabeth