We would like to think that we have evolved considerably since our earliest ancestors roamed the earth. However, as different as we are from those ancestors that lived so long ago there is some debate about whether our bodies have adapted to the foods that are available to us in modern society or whether we would fare better if we ate a diet that more closely resembled that of our early ancestors. Proponents of the Paleolithic Diet (commonly referred to as the Paleo Diet) believe that our bodies have not yet adapted to modern foods and can not utilize them for nutrition as well as they can utilize the foods that we have been eating since our earliest days on Earth.
What did our Paleolithic ancestors eat? Fish, free range meats, eggs, fruit, vegetables and nuts. They hunted and gathered these things wherever they could. There were no amber waves of grain, nor were there any herds of dairy cattle. Processed foods certainly did not exist either. Our Paleolithic ancestors lived in a world without agriculture.
Proponents of a Paleolithic Diet say that natural selection and genetic adaptation are very, very slow processes. Our bodies simply have not had enough time to adapt to all of the new foods that we have incorporated into our diet over time. This results in “diseases of civilization” like diabetes, obesity, cancer, and heart disease.
Of course, our early ancestors moved around a lot more than we do. They had to hunt and gather their food, and they lived a very active lifestyle. People who eat Paleo also often incorporate more activity into their days through exercise.
For almost a month now, I have been following the Paleo Diet rather closely. I’m enjoying what I eat and I’m feeling healthy. The principles behind the Paleo Diet make sense to me, especially the part about how our bodies may not yet be adapted to modern foods. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to go back to my cave and cook up some dinner. Thank goodness Paleolithic Man had fire, I’m not sure that I could learn to appreciate eating raw meat.
Photo by Irish_Eyes on morguefile.com.