Tuesday, May 13, 2008

Why Eating Like A Caveman Is Your Best Bet


In 1 word….EVOLUTION.

Yep, our bodies evolved over millions of years with our genes stretching back an estimated 2.6-4.5 million years, adapting to our environment all along the way. This is the key to how we as a species are supposed to eat.

I understand the argument from all those vegetarians and vegan types out there that it’s cruel to eat animals and there are more modern ways to eat. But the bottom line is, if you eat like a caveman, you’ll increase your health, reduce your weight and finally be feeding your body what it was designed to eat. Your physiology was actually developed out of our specific adaptations to our diet. A diet of fresh fruit (mostly berries), fresh veggies and animal protein from animals that ate their natural evolutionary diet (you see, your health also depends on the health of your food's food), throw in some nuts, seasonal eggs, the (very) occasional honey comb (stingers included) and all the work it took to hunt and gather these foods and you have a clear blueprint to health.

What we aren’t supposed to eat has pretty much been invented and introduced into our diet over the past several hundred years and research shows the downfall of our diets dating back to the inception of the agricultural age 10,000 years ago. We simply haven’t had the luxury of time for our anatomy and physiology to properly adapt. That takes hundreds of thousands of years to happen.Until then, we'll suffer from what's called "adaptive physiology" where you body does its best to adapt to something foreign and results in the abnormal changes we call disease. 


This week in a newsletter from Men’s Health Magazine, a new study was reported on where volunteers were put on a hunter-gatherer diet of berries, nuts, lean meat, fish, and vegetables. The volunteers cut out cereals, dairy products, and refined sugar. After only 3 weeks they had lost 5 pounds, their waistlines were slimmer, and their blood pressure was lower.


This however, was not a controlled study. The results weren't compared to a standard low-calorie diet, and the long-term effects of this “hunter-gatherer” way of eating still need to be tested (you'd likely fall short on calcium without some dairy in the mix). However cavemen probably ground (or chewed their veggies) and plants longer, breaking up the cellular matrix and releasing the calcium that typically goes undigested in our modern day unhealthy guts. So, when you eat that salad, think about grinding your greens longer (yes, like cows do). The study group size was small—only 14 people were included—so take the results with a grain of salt, as more info from larger study groups is needed.


But let’s look at the big picture. The basic findings would help anyone lose weight: Nix the hydrogenated fatty, processed crapola, unhealthy oils, any grain products, the enhanced processed sugar and high fructose corn syrup sweetened junk (this includes Agave Nectar which has higher levels of fructose than HFCS) in favor of whole & healthy foods, and make the healthy stuff convenient (this means prepare ahead of time).


As Men’s Health put it, even Fred Flintstone would have opted for a Whopper if it meant he didn't have to hunt for his dinner.

‘nuff said, now where the (grass fed) meat…!?!?


DocT


Dr. Narson is a 2-term past president of the Florida Chiropractic Association’s Council on Sports Injuries, Physical Fitness & Rehabilitation and was honored as the recipient of the coveted Chiropractic Sports Physician of the Year Award in 1999-2000. He practices in Miami Beach, Florida at the Miami Beach Family & Sports Chiropractic Center; A Facility for Natural Sports Medicine.

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