Paleo: The Natural Way to Revitalize & Heal Your Mind & Body
If you’re suffering from aches and pains, burnout, you’re exhausted, mentally fatigued or you just seem to have a never ending lineup of body niggles, switching to the Paleo diet could make a huge impact to the way you feel both mentally and physically.
By Jenn Bruer
Have you heard about Epigenetics – a new branch of genetics that’s been called the most important discovery since DNA? The reason why it’s so important is because we used to believe we were stuck with the genes we were born with, but epigenetics shows that lifestyle factors have a massive part to play. The majority of the part to play. The MASSIVE majority!
Deepak Chopra and Rudolph Tanzi explain in their book on the subject that –
Only 5% of disease-related gene mutations are fully determined, while 95% can be influenced by diet, behaviour and other environmental conditions.
If we can influence the way 95% of our genes behave, that means we have so much control over the health of our bodies. A huge part of that is our diet – if we can learn to control our biological expressions, we can enhance our physical and mental health with the Paleo diet.
I have experienced first hand that changes to food and diet can be a powerful tool towards healing the body.
Why Paleo?
I know what you’re thinking – you’ve heard of paleo before and as it’s a ‘diet’ you’ll probably have to starve and cut things out of your life that you don’t want to and within 6 months you’ll be back to where you were or even worse. I don’t blame you for thinking that, after all that’s what happens with most diets!
Well let me tell you with Paleo – this lifestyle change is not about restriction. This is not a ‘diet’ in the sense that you restrict what you eat and make yourself hungry, because what’s the use in that. Sure, the idea is you do cut out certain foods, but you don’t have to deny yourself treats every now and again. The point is that for the most part, you’re fueling your body with food and drink that will help you to become a healthier version of yourself.
“Take care of the body. It’s the only place you have to live” – Jim Rohn, entrepreneur and motivational speaker.
Shortly after realising I had become burnt out back in 2011, I changed to a Paleo diet which dramatically altered my life! I went from a size 20 to a size 10. I noticed phobias vanish, mild depression lift, mood swings disappear, morning stiffness fade away, cystic acne vanish! I was emotionally and physically stronger in ways I didn’t know were possible.
I’d previously struggled with obesity from the age of 12, trying every diet imaginable – the cabbage soup diet (don’t do it!), vegetarianism, Canada’s food guide (an absolute disgrace), Weight Watchers, Atkins, drinks, shakes, fasts…
Paleo is the only thing that worked.
Which is why I’m so happy I found it when I did, because I believe the crescendo of healing that followed would not have happened if not for the newfound energy and enlightenment that Paleo brought me.
What is Paleo?
Paleo means to eat like a caveman did. According to Paleo theory, we were not designed to eat grains, beans and legumes because in the natural caveman world they would have been too labour-intensive and required too much processing to be considered food. It makes sense – if something requires a lot of processing to become digestible, is it really meant to be eaten?
Some doctors and medical professionals even think that wheat for example can cause systematic inflammation and other biological issues that can lead to the development of disease –
“Grains also contain wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), a lectin protein in wheat. The lectin proteins of grains are, by design, nature’s form of bodyguards. These toxins discourage molds, fungi, and insects from eating seeds of plants… I call wheat and its closely related grains not just perfect chronic poisons, but also perfect obesogens: foods that are perfectly crafted to make you fat, especially in the abdomen, what I call a wheat belly.” – Dr. William Davis Quote
The Paleo Way
The Paleo Diet consists of a Four Point Plan –
1. DO EAT – anything that can be hunted or gathered as cavemen did: meat, fish, nuts, leafy greens, fruits, veggies, tubers and seeds.
2. DO EAT – fermented foods like kombucha, sauerkraut, kimchi, pickles (to restore healthy gut bacteria).
3. DON’T EAT – pasta, cereal, sugar, beans, legumes, dairy and candy.
4. DON’T EAT – anything that didn’t exist in caveman times.
Simple! That’s why I like this diet – not much to remember and it’s easy to integrate into your life. And don’t worry if you don’t follow it religiously – the point is that it’s sustainable, so if you want some cheese or candy every now and again then I’m sure it won’t kill you! I certainly still eat a healthy amount of carbohydrates, mainly from complex carbs where I can like sweet potato. The point is that you aim to eat and drink better most of the time, to become a healthier version of yourself.
“Does food have the power to heal your body? Yes!”
– Jenn Bruer.
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There may be many different reasons why you’re looking to change your diet, but we all share the same goal – we want to improve our health. After switching to Paleo, I met many people in this wonderful new community who had been sick and improved their health conditions, some were cured of disease, some experienced weight loss, some benefited from increased energy. What do they all have in common? Everyone felt better!
So no matter what your reason for considering the Paleo diet, you’re doing the right thing. There’s a whole community of us out here that are doing it with you!
change your life!
Jenn is a Paleo Diet Advocate, Recipe Mastermind, Burnout Prevention & Recovery Strategist, Author and Wellness Trainer from Toronto, Canada.
Find out more about her book on inspiration and healing –
Helping Effortlessly.