Paleo Diet

By YangHaddish AbadiAkobi Akakpo

Introduction• Human health and life is precious• Taking care of the next generation is our

responsibility.• Great consumption of Processed Foods causes

health problems.• Changing our eating habits to Paleo Diet, helps

us keep our body healthier and stronger.

1. Processed Foods and its Disadvantages

• Eating too much processed food often leads to obesity, cancer and diabetes.

• So how do you start eliminating these foods and making healthy food choices?

• We shall see this under Paleo Diet.

What are processed foods?

• Heated (e.g. processed canned and dried food)

• Milled (e.g. white flour)

• Pressure treated (e.g. milk)

• Irradiated (e.g. herbs, spices, herbal infusions)

• Contain food additives (e.g. noodles, dairy products,

cooking sauces).

• Processed foods are nearly always in a

package.

Why do we process foods?

a) To make them safer, keep longer, or more convenient.

Processing:

kills harmful bacteria or other

microorganisms.

Important for food traveling long distances

or sits in supermarkets for long periods.

to be preserved in order to be safe to eat.

…Why do we process foods?

b) To Extend shelf life.

The natural fats in many whole foods go rancid

within a few days,

so removing them and replacing them with cheap,

stable trans fats extends shelf life by months.

o Trans fats are fats created by overheating vegetable

oils, and changing the molecular structure of the fat.

o Trans fats cause heart disease and cancer.

Artificial additives are often used.

Disadvantages of Processed Foods

50-80% Important nutrients and vitamins

are lost in each processing step.

over 60% of vitamins are lost in the

extraction of flour from wheat.

affects taste and properties of the food.

cheap or artificial sugars, salts, fats or

additives to:

• disguise the taste of low quality ingredients

The dangers of processed food

Processed foods often contain food additives,

some of which can be harmful or even life-threatening.

Harm can come from simply eating the additive.

Example:

The preservatives known as sulphites are linked

symptoms like headaches and irritable bowel

syndrome, skin rashes and behavioural problems,

and asthma.

Solution Eliminating processed foods is

the first step in making healthy food choices.

Avoid packaged foods as much as possible, and look for fresh food alternatives.

Paleo Diet is the best Alternative that keeps people healthy and live long.

2. Advantages of Paleo Diet

What is Paleo diet? •Paleo diet is the healthiest way you can eat because it is the daily nutritional approach that works with your genetics to help you stay lean, strong and energetic.

•Cordian (2010) specifies the content of paleo diet as:- Diet rich in fresh fruits, vegetables, lean meats and

seafood, and - low in refined sugars, grains, saturated and trans-fats, salt,

high-glycemic carbs, processed foods and dairy products.

…Advantages of Paleo Diet

According to Rob Wolf:• research in biology, biochemistry, ophthalmology, dermatology etc. indicates that our modern diet is full of refined foods, trans-fats and sugar,•Robb Wolf says the food is the root of degenerative diseases such as obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, etc.

Why do we choose Paleo Diet?a) Lean proteins:

- Support strong muscles, healthy bones and optimal immune function.

- Protein also makes you feel satisfied between meals.

b) Fruits and Vegetables

- Are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients- Decrease the likelihood of developing a number of degenerative

diseases including cancer, diabetes and neurological decline.

c) Healthy fats from Nuts, Seeds, Avocados, Olive Oil, Fish oil and Grass-fed meat

– Increases vitality, provides energy, builds strong muscle and bone

Health Benefits of Paleo Diet

According to Robb Wolf:– diets rich in Monounsaturated and Omega- fats dramatically reduce the

instances of obesity, cancer, diabetes, heart disease and cognitive decline.

– Paleo Diet reduces Cardiovascular Disease

•According to Smith (2009) using paleo diet:- gets your weight and blood sugar under control- reduces waist sizes and lowers blood sugar in heart disease and blood sugar

problems.- improves cardiovascular risk factors

If you have taken gluten out of your diet, you already have started a step toward eating Paleo.

…Health Benefits of Paleo Diet

Paleo Diet increases Autoimmunity- Autoimmunity is a process in which our bodies own immune

system attacks “us”.- Eating Paleo dies helps the immune system to identify a

foreign invader, attacks it, and ideally clears the infection Additional health advantages include:

- Anti-inflammatory- Burn off stored fat- Reduced allergies- Clear skin, better teeth- Improved sleep patterns- Balanced energy throughout the day- More efficient workouts

Conclusion

• We have seen that Processed Foods are causing health problems including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure and many other diseases.

 • The history of Paleo Diet which our ancestors used to eat by

gathering and hunting tells us that they stayed healthy and lived longer.

• Current study on gatherers and hunters as well as from the users of Paleo Diet has shown that people do not show any type of disease which are currently an issue from eating processed foods.

• Eating Paleo Diet is, therefore, the best

ReferencesCordion, L. (2010) The Modern Take on the Paleo diet. Vol 33, Issue 1, p7 www.environmentalnutrition.com http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/ http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/pyramid/ Smith, M. (2009) Better Nutrition: Way to go, Paleo. Vol 71, Issue 10, P52-53.  http://robbwolf.com