Sunday, 12 September 2010

In 50 Words or Less...

It's competition season again on Mark's Daily Apple, and, as ever, lots of decent prizes to be won.

One of them caught my eye, so I entered. The challenge - for which the prize is a selection of books relating to Primal/Paleo - is to:

...in 50 words or less... ...your best piece of advice for folks just starting out with the Primal lifestyle.

Here's my 47-word entry:

"Start out small. Don’t be overwhelmed by the many aspects. Any one of them can make a big difference to your life. Quit wheat. Start sprinting. Either alone is a triumph. It’s a journey, not a change. Assumed truths are not. Question everything, one at a time."
Posted by Methuselah at 13:45 Labels: ,
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Sami's avatar

Sami · 759 weeks ago

I think this is a great way to intro someone to paleo/primal. The message is that this is an all round lifestyle, rather than a fad diet for example. You have highlighted that very well.
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Aimee · 759 weeks ago

hey - your suggestion to just cut out wheat - well - this touches on something i'm trying to figure out.

is there some kind of "bad grain hierarchy"? i have a friend who refuses to go Paleo/Primal all at once. I confess that I have a hard time with all or nothings myself and this brings about a "clause" kind of thinking. For example - I'm eating quinoa again because it keeps me from feeling deprived.

is there a list in Paleo/Primal blog world of grains/legumes in order of unhealthy-ness?

i imagine it has white flour products at the top and things like barley at the bottom.

it would be so helpful for the Paleo newbie to cut out grains one by one... baby steps. small changes...

know of such a list?
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aaron blaisdell · 759 weeks ago

Check out Dr. Kurt Harris' excellent "get started" 12-step list towards going paleo: http://www.paleonu.com/get-started/.
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Methuselah 44p · 759 weeks ago

Aimee - that's a very difficult question to answer because it depends on the individual's own tolerances and even if you look at the science it becomes a subjective exercise because nothing is ever clear cut. I have never seen such a list. My personal opinion would be that cutting out wheat, on the balance of probability, is the most important one. After that, I couldn't say, but for me personally, it's dairy (not a grain, I know) and potatoes that seem to hit me hardest. Hope this helps.
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aaron blaisdell · 759 weeks ago

Yeah, I entered this contest, too. My entry:

"Take note of all of the everyday ailments that afflict you (bloating, gas, afternoon slump, minor joint aches, sun sensitivity, sensitive teeth/gums, etc.). Write them all down on a list. Go primal for one month. Then revisit the list and see if anything has changed. Simple as that!"
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Methuselah 44p · 759 weeks ago

Aaron - nice angle. That was what did it for my wife - she was sold once she realised the impact.
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Matt · 756 weeks ago

I know this is an older post, but I couldn't resist. I'm on the Specific Carbohydrate Diet (similar to Paleo) for medical reasons (Ulcerative Colitis), and I'm allowed no starches or sugars. When I read the company's response, my first thought was, They were putting starches in there before, but new labeling requirements made them tell us. This is disconcerting for me because even micrograms of starch or sugar can send me to the toilet for days. When a company says it's PURE, we need to be able to believe that it's pure. They can cause great harm to someone like me who is sick, when they don't label honestly.
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Methuselah 44p · 756 weeks ago

Matt, did you mean to post this against the Why is there crap in my coconut milk? post? If so, could you add the comment again on that post, and I will post this reply too - just so people have all the info tohether.

I share your concern about this. In fact I was on the phone to the company last week, trying to get an answer to the questions in my latest email that they have failed to respond to. My big worry is that we can have no certainty about ANY of the brands out there. I have just ordered some UHT-based stuff, but there's no ingredients list. It just says "Free from preservatives". But the starch is not a preservative!

I may start contacting some regulatory authorities about this one. Hopefully a follow up post soon.

Good luck with battling the Colitis. I have a friend who totally cured himself of the condition with a better diet, so you are definitely on the right track in my view.

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