What is Paleo?

The paleo diet is also known as the “primal diet” or the “caveman diet.” Except, I hate using the word diet because when people hear the word diet, their initial reaction is, “Oh, you’re trying to lose weight???” In today’s society, the word diet holds the connotation of losing weight, getting skinnier, eating less. A diet is none of that. The definition of a diet is “the kinds of food that a person, animal, or community habitually eats” (thank you, dictionary.com). The paleo diet is not a means to lose weight. Yes, weight-loss is an added benefit, but the we encourage the paleo diet as a means to live a more healthy lifestyle and to feel better about your overall well-being.

Pronounced PAIL-EE-OH, the etymology (study of word origin) of paleo is “ancient.” The reason why the paleo diet is also known as the primal/cavemen diet is the idea that biologically, our bodies adapt best to the foods our ancestors ate thousands of years ago. We, as humans, will function most optimally if we are eating whole and natural foods. Our bodies were originally built to only eat, digest, and break down those types of foods.

In a nutshell, a paleo diet encourages us to eat natural foods and avoid processed foods. To my understanding, the rule of thumb is if you can technically eat it raw, then it is more than likely paleo-friendly. In the words of Michelle Tam of Nom Nom Paleo, “Eat whole, unprocessed, nutrient-dense, nourishing foods. Prioritize grass fed and pastured meats and eggs, wild-caught seafood, and vegetables. Enjoy fruit, nuts, and seeds in moderation.”

Check out these websites that can give you better information on Paleo:

Robb Wolf

Nom Nom Paleo

The Paleo Diet

Paleo Mag Online


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