This installment of the Paleo diet will piggyback on the smoothie. A home-blended shake is the Paleo Way for a refreshing quick snack or meal replacement, but it has to taste good. Thanks to valuable feedback from my readers, I want to clarify how to make a most superior smoothie.
I’m using as examples my two favorite options for home shakes, the Chocolate Almond and Spicy Tomato. One sweet, the other savory, both high in fat with substantial protein and low in carbs with no sugar.
Cold Equation
A few factors will factor into your success with homemade shakes. Ingredients are key. Precision in measurement is important, but you might have to make some adjustments. And finally, decent equipment will always aid the food process.
Ingredients Are Key
Using my two favorite recipes as examples let’s take a look first at Chocolate Almond.
This is a coconut milk-based concoction. The best coconut milk I have found is Thai Kitchen coconut milk. Get the organic if you can, but you definitely want to get the full-fat version, unsweetened. It can be found in your grocery in the ethnic food aisle. Shake the can really well before you start because the milk separates.
The lite version is mostly water so it’s devoid of flavor and the creamy consistency and useful fat that your body needs.
Next, the recipe calls for three tablespoons almond butter, but it can be quite bitter if you add too much. You will definitely experience an acrimonious aftermath if you OD on almond butter.
Whole Foods 365 almond butter, unsalted, is the best brand I’ve found. Buy the creamy and add it with discretion. Almond butter gives you your protein and lends a rich earthy deep flavor to the shake, but too much can be overkill and once it’s in the mix it’s hard to rectify the matter, even by diluting with other ingredients.
The almond butter should contain only dry roasted almonds as its ingredient. There will be some separation on the top of the jar with the natural oils that rise to the top. Give it a good stir to distribute well for a creamy consequence.
While I was in Arizona recently for the distinguished Tucson Gem & Mineral Show, I noticed the almond butter seemed stronger and more pungent than in the San Francisco Bay Area. Maybe it’s a regional thing, an isolated incident in the batch I bought, or perhaps it was just my imagination, but whatever the case I found I needed to use less product. So when handling almond butter, proceed with caution.
With regard to the cocoa powder, I’ve tried a few varieties but keep coming back to good old Hershey’s. It’s been around since 1894, and a fixture in my mom’s kitchen for as long as I can remember. I don’t think we’ve ever used anything else, and the results are reliable.
Now let’s examine my second recipe, the Spicy Tomato.
It’s undeniably unique as far as smoothies are concerned and exactly opposite of what you’d expect a smoothie to be, but trust me when I tell you that it’s mucho rico.
When choosing spinach, I prefer frozen over fresh.
That way, I always have some on hand and don’t have to worry about it spoiling, plus, it only adds to the thick, cool, frothy result that you’ll relish with gusto. Aim for organic.
The ingredients in the Spicy Tomato smoothie are more forgiving for miscalculation than Chocolate Almond. A little experimentation may be necessary to achieve the taste you desire. I always end up adding quite a bit of salt, just because that’s the kind of girl I am.
Adjustments
With both shakes you want to start by following the directions at first, then take liberties later, making alterations for good taste.
Decent Equipment for a Smooth Operator
For smooth, satisfying texture, you’ll need a decent blender. The Vitamix 5200 is the Rolls Royce of blenders, but at around 500 bills, that’s a hefty price tag.
Being in the market for a good smoothie blender myself, I will probably end up purchasing the Hamilton Beach Dual Wave Blender, $79.99, but it’s currently sold out.
It’s got a wide jar for adding ingredients with ease and two side-by-side dual-action blades that tag-team to pulverize ingredients for a smooth finished product. I hate big chunks of ice in my smoothies, and this blender promises to destroy them. Although it’s not considered the best for all-purpose blending, it’s a top-achiever for frozen drinks, and that’s what I’m seeking.
Sometimes things don’t turn out quite the way you’d hoped, which can be disappointing. If your shake tastes bad you’re not going to want it, which defies the concept of a quick healthy Paleo meal.
Hopefully these tips will help. Please keep the comments coming, and see you soon when we get back to the Food Predators.
Hi guys. Today I am writing you from Tucson, Arizona. I’ve attended the annual world-renowned Gem & Mineral Show, and discovered a handful of gifted artists whom I will share with you.
I’ve met some unforgettable new people, and connected with some old friends. I’ll be delighted to introduce you to them as we continue our journey together.
Due to this little detour, the nutrition installment regarding Food Predators will be delayed. Because of valuable reader feedback, I’ve decided instead to give you tips on how to Shake Things Up, With Precision.
There are a few factors to consider if your shakes don’t possess their desired flavor or consistency, consistently. So stay tuned for that little morsel on meal replacement. We’ll get back to the Food Predators later.
In the meantime, I’d love to tell you about some of my discoveries and purchases at the Gem Show, so keep reading!
Welcome back. As a continuation of the healthy Paleo diet, today we are exploring smoothies and conducting an investigation on The Original Smooth-Talker.
The Best-Laid Plans
Even the best-laid plans will be derailed if your food doesn’t taste good, or if it’s not convenient to execute your goals.
For a quick meal or great snack option you can always reach for a nutritious home-blended shake.
All About Smoothies and The Original Smooth-Talker
Alive with moist mouthfeel, and lots of flavor, the at-home smoothie can make the perfect breakfast or nightcap.
Beware the pitfalls of pit stops like Jamba Juice. Purveyors of seemingly healthy, ‘nutritious’ fast food are often deceptive.
The convenience is tempting but nutritionally nullified by evil sugar-laden juices, among other things, that actually sabotage the healthy lifestyle they impersonate.
You need a shake that is high-fat, with lots of quality protein, and low in carbs and sugar, exactly opposite of what you will find at a place like Jamba Juice.
Believe it or not, you want 50-70% of your shake calories coming from a good fat source. This will make a super-creamy concoction with a desirable texture.
It must be high in fat, with no added sugar. Remember that eating fat will not make you fat. The human body needs healthy fats. They will satisfy and satiate you and provide lasting energy. Your fats can be coconut milk, nut butters, avocado or a combination of these. You should really check out Mark Sisson’s five smoothie recipes on his website devoted to healthy life choices, especially diet and exercise, called Mark’s Daily Apple. Here I will include a few of my favorites.
Tastes Like Nirvana
Coconut milk, almond butter and cocoa powder are an amazing mixture. I had one this morning, and it’s nothing short of decadent.
Coconut milk alone is rich, heavy and velvety. It’s like a glass of heaven. High in heart-healthy fats, it makes a great base for smoothies, and is extremely low in sugar and carbohydrates. Shake the can really well before you open your coconut milk, because it does separate, and make sure to buy the full-fat variety of coconut milk. You want it nice and smooth and creamy for best results.
Add to that some cocoa powder and protein-rich almond butter, ice, and give it a whirl. Almond butter provides both protein and an additional fat source, and in this shake gives the mixture a unique, earthy flavor not unlike a coffee confection.
Cool and rich, this shake comes out with a texture thick and fluffy yet dense, similar to a loose whipped cream.
I sweeten mine with liquid stevia. Stevia, remember, is an all-natural herbal supplement that is incredibly sweet and pure-tasting. It has zero calories, zero carbs, and scores zero on the glycemic index–making it a perfect choice for diabetics.
The result is positively luscious with a complex melange of deep flavors, and it tastes much better than a chocolate-coffee-peanut butter shake from the ice cream shop.
I Think We Have A Big Misunderstanding
You might wonder why peanut butter would not be used in such a shake. Peanut butter, an American staple, contrary to public opinion, is not a patriotic protein. Even organic peanut butter, without added sugars and hydrogenated oils, is a food faux pas.
Peanuts are the least nutritious nut. In fact, did you know that they aren’t really classified as a nut? They’re technically a legume, and carry a lot of issues with regard to food allergies.
Another misunderstood food player in the Paleo way is the avocado. Long-considered a vegetable, the avocado is actually a fruit. Rich in vitamin E, avocado is a nutrient-dense food that’s great for your skin, especially in the winter months, and it acts as a ‘booster’ by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble skin-nurturing nutrients that are available in the other foods you eat. Avocados are great for your heart as well, because they contain both monosaturated and polyunsaturated fats.
Gone Green
Using the avocado in your home-made smoothie is easy as pie, without the awful aftermath to your torso. Coconut-avocado is a divine experience. It may sound odd, but avocado, when mixed with coconut milk, takes on a unique sweet-savory that I can only describe as mmmm.
The Spicy Tomato recipe from Mark’s website, also with an avocado base, is more heaven-in-a-glass. It’s like drinking the richest spiciest guacamole you can imagine.
Food Predators: The Original Smooth-Talker
Repetition is often repetitive, and maybe you’ve forgotten, but we have already touched on the Food Predators–sugar, grains, gluten and processed foods–the counterfeit offerings found in your convenience stores, grocery and many so-called healthy establishments like Jamba Juice.
They’re a real Smooth-Talker. But do not confuse them with a genuine, healthy, real food item.
The Original Smooth-Talker would be your juices–both fruit, and vegetable–energy boosters, soy powder, dairy. An offering from Jamba Juice and its ilk is simply a sugarcoma in styrofoam. ‘Live fruitfully’ is their motto. Pardon me while I laugh. It should really be ‘Diabetes in Disguise.’
These foods deserve an Oscar for Best Actor, because they’re doing a good job at acting important, yet they’re devoid of redeeming value.
In fact, lectins, little known to the public at large, are the common natural agents found in many foods like grains, beans and legumes–especially soy–that actually rob you of the ability to digest nutrients.
Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, describes lectins as “the cloaked thugs of the anti-nutrient underworld,” and considers them extremely dangerous.
These healthy-looking foods prey on the public, representing themselves as your friend, when in reality they’re just a cart full of killers who hide behind specious food labels and a do-good image.
Eating Your Own Words: Turning the Table on Your Enemies
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. By that, I mean, understand the Food Predators. They don’t like you at all, but they pretend they do. It’s funny, isn’t it, the irony being that they can never satisfy you. Sugar will release an endorphin response that makes you feel better temporarily, but it is very short-lived. It’s not fulfilling, and half the time it doesn’t even taste good. You just give in to temptation, and before you know it, you’ve made a huge mistake that you’re going to have to live with for a while.
I don’t even crave junk food anymore. Those foods used to be tempting, and I didn’t even care that they were bad for me, I just wanted them. But with the many delectable options available in the Paleo diet, you simply don’t need unhealthy foods.
You must be realistic and realize consequences. After you’re finished with these toxic foods, you’re just going to feel worse. They will make you sick, give you a disease, if you let them, and ultimately, they will kill you. That, my friend, is not an overstatement.
Be Afraid. Be Very Afraid.
Food Predators are a bad enemy to have. But together, we are more powerful. They can’t hurt you now.
You see, the informed public drives commerce, and if you take a vote by refusing to financially support these evil foods, they will shrivel up and die. They’re powerless against you.
Trust me when I tell you that they’re all working together to keep you sick and fat.
Can you imagine what would happen to them if these food criminals were exposed for what they really are?
Walk away from them, and leave them standing where they are. They don’t deserve you; say goodbye. If you ignore them long enough they will cease to be a part of your dietary vocabulary.
Please, Come Again
We still have a lot to learn. Meet me back here next Friday as we advance upon The Vicious Circle–the treacherous clan of fraudulent Food Predators to watch out for and avoid at all costs. I’ll expose the ‘Cart Full of Killers’ for who they really are–I’ll even name names–and discuss the concept of Moderation. Strap up cuz it’s going to be a long ride. We’re not done yet.
It’s time to put Paleo to practice. Hopefully you’ve had the chance to do some shopping and pick up the basics for your new way of eating in 2012.
Your kitchen should be stocked with all the things we talked about last week–a lot of vegetables and some fruit; seafood, meat and poultry; eggs; healthy oils; herbs and spices and of course a few little indulgences.
What You Might Need
Now it’s time to flesh out your food wardrobe with a few more items that will make healthy eating a delicious and easy way of life. Here are a few of my favorite things. I like to think of them as necessities. They are: Snacks, and Condiments.
Snacks
Nuts. Grab some walnuts, almonds and macadamia nuts for additional protein and omega oils. They provide a portable, convenient snack and will make your skin glow. In addition, the fatty acids found in nuts promote cognitive function and maintain a healthy heart, among other things.
Macadamia nuts, pictured above, are my favorite. Unfortunately, they are also quite expensive. The good thing is, you really should not feast on nuts, which makes it a slightly more affordable habit.
Remember that nuts do not have a perfectly balanced ratio of omega fats for the human animal, and while they may suit the squirrel quite well, you should enjoy them in moderation.
Sauerkraut. Perceived as a Germanic food, sauerkraut is a tangy staple in my refrigerator. Packed with probiotics–the beneficial bacteria that aid immunity–sauerkraut is merely pickled cabbage, but it’s the fermentation process that gives it all those wonderful microorganisms that prevent cancer and keep your digestion on track.
In addition, the cabbage itself is a good source of vitamin C, manganese, vitamin B6 and folate. Bubbies is my favorite brand. You can get it at Whole Foods. I snack on it all throughout the day.
Kale chips. Kale chips are so yummy, I’m absolutely addicted to them. I get the Kale Krunch Cheezy Chipotle ones from my local Whole Foods, made by Alive & Radiant Foods. They’re kind of expensive, but Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, has a reader recipe for making them yourself, if you are so inclined.
Kale provides an impressive 194% of the recommended daily allowance for vitamin A per one cup serving, which is pretty amazing. In addition, it’s packed with vitamin C for immune support and vitamin B6 and manganese, which are important for fat metabolism. It’s a great source of dietary fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamin E, so the chips make a great snack.
Condiments
Stevia. I love my Stevia. I’ve used it for as long as I can remember, and boy has it been a life-saver.
I have an incredible sweet tooth, and Stevia is an extremely sweet, herbaceous plant that originated in Paraguay. The people there chew on the leaves because they are so sweet. The great thing about Stevia is, it has no calories. No carbohydrates. It scores zero on the glycemic index, meaning, it will not raise your blood sugar, making it perfect for diabetics and everyone else. It’s completely natural and you can buy it in liquid or powder form. Get it at the health food store, or order your Stevia online.
You can use it to sweeten tea, smoothies and desserts. I get the liquid version and carry one in my purse all the time for dining out.
Tabasco, Tapatio, and salsa. If you know how to scramble an egg, you’re good to go for your Paleo breakfast. Adding a spicy sauce or fresh salsa makes it taste delish. Just look for all-natural versions, and ones that are free of sugar.
Beware of Strangers With Candy
Of course your mother warned you, but you’d be surprised at just how many innocent-looking foods contain hidden sugars. Commercial mayonnaise, believe it or not, is a known registered offender. Its accomplice, ketchup, is even worse.
Lots of names in the food industry are completely corrupt, and even foods that claim to be good for you are often not your friend. It really saddens me, but sometimes I feel like you can’t trust anyone, so I suggest you read your food labels. I guess, ultimately, you can’t expect anyone to watch out for you. You have to do it yourself.
Maybe you’ve heard this phrase: Today is the first day of the rest of my life…So with that, let’s get started now.
In The Beginning
Often heralded as the most important meal of the day, breakfast is most definitely the first step toward starting your metabolism, and it represents a new beginning.
Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution, recommends a high-protein, high-fat, low-carb meal, with no added sugars or grains.
Make it a solid breakfast that will set your hormones and neurotransmitters for the day.
You could always opt for a healthy smoothie, but when starting out Robb recommends limiting your fruit intake, and instead enjoying the savory side. He said that most people are battling some kind of metabolic derangement–such as obesity, diabetes, fertility issues or depression–and sugar, even if it is only the sugar you find in fruit, just makes it worse.
As you get leaner and healthier, you can introduce more fruit, but Robb explained that there is no nutrient in fruit that is not available in vegetables, so try to keep your sugar levels down initially.
Eggs and meats are a good breakfast choice. Every bodybuilder I’ve met eats a ton of eggs, and there are a multitude of ways to prepare them. Poached, hard-boiled or simply scrambled, let your imagination go wild. But leave the toast and the potatoes behind, and eat a reasonable amount of fruit, or a bit of berries, instead.
There are so many ways to prepare your eggs. Make an omelette or frittata and be creative, using vegetables like mushrooms or zucchini, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, onion…you can’t go wrong with the incredible, edible egg.
I’m a fiend for great Mexican food. Huevos Rancheros fits perfectly within the Paleo plan. Just ditch the beans and the tortilla, sub in a little sliced avocado, and you’ve got an ideal meal.
A side of bacon, ham, chorizo or sausage could complete it, and will provide a lasting sense of fullness because the fat in the meal will satisfy and satiate you, while the protein gives your body all the necessary amino acids to build muscle and remain strong.
Remember: eating fat does not make you fat. Cook your eggs in the fat from the bacon, or use refined coconut oil.
Coconut oil won’t flavor the food–in fact, it is very neutral-tasting–and is the prime choice for cooking due to temperature stability and a host of healthy benefits. Spectrum makes the best brand.
What To Drink, and What Not To Drink
Water works. Teas are a perfectly safe choice, as long as they are devoid of sugar, artificial sweeteners and chemicals. You can sweeten them with Stevia.
Sodas are completely unhealthy for a variety of reasons, especially the diet variety, and as far as juice goes, seriously, you might as well be drinking soda. Bottled juices are heated for safety and stability. Their nutritional value is completely destroyed by the time they get to the grocery store, and all that’s left is sugar.
Milk creates an insulin response–any diabetic knows what that is–and contrary to widespread opinion and oodles of celebrity endorsement, milk doesn’t ‘do a body good.’
If you are going to have a glass of milk, be aware that it may not be as bad for you as soda, but it’s still just comfort food, and we don’t need it.
A Gentle Reminder
Have you thrown out all your junk food yet? All your ‘heart-healthy’ grains? Boxes of cereal, crackers and refined foods? You should.
“You may want to dismiss this,” Robb said, “but think about it like this: Most people feel like they can stay in a monogamous, lifelong relationship. Well, what if we dropped you off at the Playboy mansion–I don’t care what gender or sexual orientation you are–and let’s say we got you falling down drunk and dosed you to the gills on Ecstasy. Would you remain monogamous? Highly unlikely, and this is my point: refined carbs are like an ecstasy-soaked beer binge at the Playboy mansion. This is a battle,” he said, “that you will not win.”
So if you haven’t already gotten rid of all that trash, please do. It’s for your own good.
Join me next Friday for another exciting nutrition installment…The Original Smooth-Talker: All About Smoothies. We’ll explore both sweet, and savory. See you then.
In keeping with our continuing theme on better self care, welcome to the next installment on the Paleo diet. Today we are going to take a closer look at the foods to keep in your kitchen.
There is a lot of info for you to chew on in 2012 as I embark on my new healthy life. I hope you will come along.
The Wicked White: From Cocaine to Sugar
We are almost powerless when it comes to food, says Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution. “Some do better than others, but the reality is our ancestors never faced the types of foods we pack into our pantries. The sugar, the refined carbs. They are completely new and they are addictive,” he stated.
“We worked with a woman who was, no joke, addicted to crack at one time,” he said. “She overcame that addiction only to succumb to a massive sugar addiction. She started working on her food, and in her own words, she found kicking sugar and refined grains to be much harder than quitting crack.”
He continued, “This may sound preposterous, but the same receptor sites in our brains that respond to heroin and opium–the opiate receptors–are triggered by wheat. This combo is made more powerful when there is sugar present. Junk food is really addictive. You need to plan if you want to succeed.”
Let’s Go Shopping
Anyone who knows me knows that I love shopping, and grocery shopping is no exception. So with Robb’s advice, let’s get started.
The first step toward Paleo living is to stock your kitchen with lots of produce and high-quality protein, as well as some healthy oils, spices, and a few indulgences, that will make the Paleo diet a delicious way of life.
Vegetables and Fruit
When buying produce, Robb recommends focusing mostly on vegetables, with a judicious amount of fruit, especially if your goal is that of fat loss.
Buy organic if possible. “Do not use a lack of organics or a prohibitive price on organics to forgo fruits and vegetables in favor of brown rice or Little Debby Snack Cakes,” he said.
Brown rice, long thought to be a ‘healthy’ grain, is not a health food.
Said Mark Sisson, author of The Primal Blueprint, “If your average unhealthy person were to ask for the top three things to avoid in order to get healthy, I would tell them to stop smoking, to stop drinking their calories–as in soda or juice, and to stop eating grains. Period. Full stop. They really are that bad.”
In order to obtain the fiber you need in your diet, turn to vegetables and fruit.
When buying your produce, Robb advises buying seasonal. “Watermelons are not in season in North America in January,” he emphasized. Seasonal produce is the most nutritious and natural option for you.
Do the best you can. If you have a local farmer’s market, that’s even better. You are guaranteed fresh seasonal offerings at your farmer’s market. You really can’t go wrong with vegetables and fruit. Buy what you love, but avoid starchy foods like potatoes, and eliminate the grains, like corn. Contrary to popular thought, corn is not even a vegetable. It is a grain.
Seafood
Robb recommends sardines, mackerel, pacific salmon; shellfish such as shrimp, mussels and clams, and the delicate white fish that I adore, petrale sole.
When buying seafood, Robb cautioned, “There are mercury bioaccumulation issues with larger species such as tuna and swordfish. Look for smaller, shorter-lived fish because they tend to accumulate far fewer toxins.”
‘Wild’ fish is definitely superior to farm-raised fish. Look for ‘wild’ when you are buying fish. Farm-raised fish is fed a diet of refined grain products, which alters their omega fat ratios.
As with your produce, if you cannot find or afford wild-caught fish, it should not be a deal breaker. This is one of the common arguments that Robb hears when consulting clients.
“Oftentimes people strive to be perfect just so they can ‘fail’ and give up. Don’t do it–don’t complicate this stuff. Tackle the refinements in steps so you do not get overwhelmed,” he said.
Meat & Poultry
Seek leaner cuts of conventional meats, such as London broil, pork loin, lean ground beef, and whole or parts of chicken and turkey, like breast and thighs.
Grass fed meats are a great choice. “This typically refers to beef, bison, and similar grazing animals,” Robb explained. “It should mean that all the critter has eaten is grass and similar nongrain feed. Why does this matter? Because grains make critters fat and sick, just like us,” he continued. “The animals get so sick from eating grains, it’s a race to get them fat enough for slaughter before they die from digestive complications.”
Eggs
Add to your cart some omega-3 enriched eggs. The yolk of the egg, which contains all the fat, is very healthy and provides much-needed vitamin D.
Oils
Olive oil is “a great source of monounsaturated fats and disease-fighting phenolics and antioxidants,” Robb stated. Robb smartly recommends buying two types of olive oil–an inexpensive one for cooking and a second, pricey version for dressing salads. Pacific Sun olive oil is the brand he recommends for your high-end.
Coconut oil. This short-chain saturated fat is perfect for high-temperature cooking. Look in your health food store, or you can order it from tropicaltraditions.com.
Coconut milk can be found in the Asian foods section of your grocery store. Delicious in curries and stews, coconut milk “has potent antimicrobial action and helps to heal irritation in the digestive tract,” Robb stated. I love eating it with fruit.
Herbs & Spices
Be sure to stock up on things that add flavor to all the great healthy foods you’ll be eating. Ginger, basil, cilantro, onions, shallots, garlic, peppers, mint and rosemary are a few things to consider while you’re in the produce section.
In addition, load up on dry spices so you’ll really love the way your food tastes.
Little Indulgences
Because we’re all only human, Robb advises grabbing a few bars of 85 percent dark chocolate, and if you would enjoy a little red wine or a good bottle of Tequila, please do so, in moderation. But don’t forget the limes.
What Belongs In The Trash
Throw away your low-fat granola and your boxes of cereal and cereal bars, energy bars, ‘meal-replacement’ bars.
Even so-called healthy cereals, like oatmeal, or those with wheat or oat or bran, are considered toxic by experts as we learn more about what constitutes a healthy diet for the human animal.
Anything that’s filled with sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, additives, preservatives, chemicals, and things you can’t pronounce should also go in the trash.
Get rid of your pasta, your rice, and your processed foods, and meet me back here next Friday for ideas on how to use your healthy new foods deliciously, as part of the Paleo way of life. I can’t wait for us to get started.
There are many contrasting philosophies when it comes to diet and exercise.
The low-fat, high-carb thinking is a thing of the past, and it’s ineffective. Research proves that a low-fat, high carbohydrate diet is not the answer to looking or feeling good. In addition, our notions about exercise are flawed as well.
There are two great books worth reading that clear up all the nutritional noise and exercise mayhem that’s out there.
The first book is The Paleo Solution, by Robb Wolf. Having grown up in a family full of illness and surgeries due to unhealthy lifestyle choices, Robb was determined to defy the fate of his parents. He got his degree in biochemistry, was a California State Powerlifting Champion, and had become a devout vegetarian.
Robb candidly described another motive behind his vegetarian tendencies in The Paleo Solution: “My move toward vegetarianism carried the ‘prize’ of hippy girls,” he admitted. “Hippy girls who tended to be both vegetarian and pretty hot. I traded in my BBQ grill for a rice steamer and pressure cooker. As a bonus, I scored a host of medical problems.”
Through his own struggle with crippling health problems, Robb achieved nutritional enlightenment. Struggling with high blood pressure, “debilitating” depression, and a myriad of other illnesses by the time he was 26, Robb studied at top macrobiotic institutes and spoke to countless experts in the fields of both Eastern and Western medicine, who could not understand why a normal young man eating a practically ‘perfect’ vegetarian diet of hearty whole grains, beans and tofu, and tons of fresh vegetables, was, quite simply, near death.
At last, Robb abandoned everything he had learned from the best schools and doctors, ditched the government-recommended complex carb meals, and took instead to eating…meat: beef, pork, chicken and fish.
As politically incorrect as it sounds to some people, the bottom line is, the human body needs the protein, fat and nutrients that you get from meat. You will not get what you need from fruit and vegetables alone.
Aside from incorporating meat into his diet, Robb eliminated grains and dairy, and embraced the gluten-free Paleo diet, based on what our ancestors, the hunters and gatherers, ate.
Now in excellent health, Robb, above, coaches athletes at the highest levels of competition and consults with Olympians and world champions in mixed martial arts, triathlon and other sports. He has dedicated his life to educating others on the power of going Paleo.
Mixed martial artist Glen Cordoza is one of Robb’s most vocal advocates. “Like most people that have been sold on the food pyramid or other diets that stress whole grain products, I met the Paleo diet with harsh criticism,” he said. “I questioned everything, and was highly skeptical. I mean, who was this guy telling me that whole wheat and grains are bad for you? It went against everything that I’ve been taught. He told me the benefits that I would receive and suggested that I try it out for a month to see if it worked. I did, and almost immediately I felt like a new man.”
“Now that I have been a student of his for two years, I no longer consider Paleo a diet,” Glen said. “It has become a lifestyle.”
But what if I’m a vegetarian, you may be asking.
Get over it. I converted to vegetarianism once. It lasted seven days and I hated it the whole time. It wasn’t a health decision on my part by the way, it was an ethical dilemma. I just felt it was wrong the way our world abuses and uses innocent animals. I wanted to take a stand against corporate farming. Now I make a statement by supporting companies that have integrity. I buy my meats from intelligent, humane sources, such as U.S. Wellness Meats, where sustainability and biodiversity are maintained.
Look for an upcoming article on lifelong farmer and founder of U.S. Wellness Meats, John Wood. He’s a true visionary.
The Paleo Solution also discusses the importance of exercise–specifically, smart cardio and flexibility–in addition to strength training for muscle mass. And finally, every good girl needs her sleep.
Forrest Griffin, former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion said Robb “helped me understand just how critical diet and sleep can be to your overall health and life.”
The second book you must know about is The Primal Blueprint, by Mark Sisson. Mark is founder of MarksDailyApple.com, a health and fitness blog with three million monthly page views.
At age 55, Mark has an amazing body and an incredibly hot 53-year-old wife, Carrie. They practice what they preach, and it shows.
Carrie’s body is not the result of plastic surgery, but rather, what they call Primal Living. She’s given birth to two kids and looks better at age 53 than many teenagers I’ve seen.
Primal Living is basically eating Paleo–it’s a diet rich in fats, high in quality protein, filled with fresh produce, and devoid of the “healthy” grains, which are, in fact, contrary to good health…but this approach allows dairy.
The plan must include sensible exercise, such as some cardiovascular work, weights and yoga…
And again, adequate sleep is key.
“Since we started focusing on Primal Living,” Carrie said, “I feel better and am stronger than any other time in my life.”
Visit BSSTW next Friday as I unearth more about the Paleo Diet and arm you with your first nutrition assignment: grocery shopping, and cleaning out your kitchen. It’s out with the old and in with the new, in 2012.
As part of my New Year’s resolution for better self care, I will be taking a closer look at the Paleo diet. It is not only nutritionally sound, but also proven by evolutionary science.
Our early ancestors were not barraged with heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and other illnesses that plague modern society.
Today we are inundated with diet books, nutritional scams, infomercials and much misinformation. But what I will be investigating is based on the foods that our ancestors ate, and compelling data that has surfaced recently.
Exercise and good nutrition are the ultimate path to good health. Hippocrates said “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”
If you start this way of eating, you are going to love the way it tastes and the way it makes you feel. You will lose weight and be healthier.
I will break it down and discuss specific foods later, and I’ll be providing resources and recipes, as well as tips for grocery shopping and dining out that will make this form of eating a way of life, and an easy and tasty transition.
Look for it here, in my forthcoming nutrition installments each Friday on Beauty Shall Save the World. Talk to you soon.
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