Debunking the Paleo Fad

The theory behind the "paleo" diet is that since our paleolithic ancestors ate a diet heavily oriented toward meat and supplemented by whatever plant foods they could find, we are designed to eat that way and will be healthier today if we do. The digestive abilities of anatomically modern humans, however, are different from those of Paleolithic humans, which undermines the diet's core premise. In addition to that, meat today is not what it was then. Even if we accept that we are genetically adapted to eat meat - for the sake of argument, not because it is true, what kind of meat are we adapted to eat? There was no paleolithic grain-fed beef or pepperoni.

According to Dr David Katz, a preventive medicine specialist at the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center in a recent interview in Bottom Line Personal, a typical cut from a grain-fed steer gets about 35% of its calories from fat, much of which is saturated fat. That same cut has almost none of the healthy polyunsaturated fat - omega-3 fatty acid - that reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.

In contrast, steak from wild game contains almost no saturated fat and a significant amount of omega-3s.

Conventional grain-fed beef and wild game are both technically "red meat" but are radically different nutritionally. Wild game is free ranging, lives off a wide variety of wild plants and gets the exercise that it needs. The next best thing to truly wild game would be bison, which is nearly always grass feed and free range.

Most of the world's longest living people live in areas - the so-called "blue zones" - where the typical diet includes meat as an occasional part but consists primarily of beans, lentils and fish as their primary protein source. How many of our paleolithic ancestors lived to be 100 years old?

In the Bag

Washed, prepared and prepackaged greens and basic salads have become a popular item among busy people who are trying to get more vegetables into their diets. They certainly offer convenience. But do they have the same nutritional content as whole ingredients that you prepare yourself?

According to Sharon Palmer, a registered dietitian in Duarte, CA, all vegetables lose some of their vitamin content as they age. But the precut, packaged ones lose some vitamins like C, B vitamins and folate faster than whole vegetables and greens. This happens because the leaves undergo chemical changes that deplete vitamins more quickly because of the cut surfaces.

Still, there is nothing "bad" for you in the packaged greens, just less good. And anything that helps you to eat more of them is, on balance, a good thing. So go ahead and buy by the bag if that helps you consume more healthful greens and vegetables. To minimize the nutritional losses, refrigerate them immediately upon returning home and try to eat them within 2 or 3 days. If you intend to do any additional chopping, wait until right before you are going to use them.

Here is one case where you do not have to sacrifice healthful for convenience.

Two Myths That Will Kill Your MLM Business

Network Marketing is like just about any other undertaking. Some people succeed and others will fail and everyone is looking for the magic secret to success. Its the same with advice. There is good advice and not so good advice, and just because everyone agrees about something and it comes from your company doesn't make it good advice.

Here are two pieces of advice that I was given by just about everyone when I started with my MLM business. I heard this advice at every company training and event. Unfortunately, it is wrong. And taking it cost me a lot of wasted time and unearned money.

1. Slow and Steady Wins the Race.

“Just keep working it consistently. Do it in your spare time. Weave it into the cracks of your life.”

No! Slow and Steady is the way to starve in Network Marketing. Airplanes do not get into the air at 20% power no matter how long they keep at it. Success loves speed! If you do not get your business to critical mass, it will never be successful.

2. Just Don't Quit.

This is lunacy. Its not enough to just keep at it. 

Network Marketing is filled with people who haven't quit and never go anywhere. This is why the failure rate is so high in MLM. If you are not doing it

right, doing it more will not change your results!

Things Happy People Have in Common

While I focus mostly on nutrition and related issues, attitude and outlook are also important building blocks of a happy life and a wellness lifestyle.

Sonja Lyubomirsky, a psychologist at the University of California Riverside studies happiness as a "positive psychology", focusing on what gives people a sense of well being rather than on dysfunction. She has identified five things that people who score highly on tests designed to measure their satisfaction and happiness with their life situation.

1. Happy people devote significant amounts of time and effort to family and friends. They prioritize relationships.

2. They practice gratitude, making a deliberate and conscious effort to focus on what is going well in their lives rather than what isn't.

3. They practice optimism, and have more positive and compelling expectations for what their future holds than less happy people.

4. They are physically active people. They get out of the house, they participate in events and sports, and they keep moving.

5. They savor the pleasures of the moment rather than dwelling in the past or worrying about the future.


Another conclusion of Lyubomirsky's research is that our circumstances account for only about 10% of our satisfaction and happiness, while over 40% can be attributed to our outlook and attitude.

I don't know if all these things make a difference or not. But while some of them may cost a bit of time, none cost you much in the way of money.

If you'd like a measure of your own happiness, you can take the Authentic Happiness Inventory questionnaire from the University of Pennsylvania. Its completely free but you will have to register. The results might surprise you.

Five Menu Items to Avoid

The Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington, D.C.-based non-profit watchdog and consumer advocacy group that advocates for safer and healthier foods, has just released its 2018 Extreme Eating Awards. Since eating out is such a nutritional minefield, between misleading menus, gigantic portions and limited nutritional information, I though I would share their five "winners".
You've been warned.

1. Worst Way to Start Your Day Award

Restaurant: The Cheesecake Factory

Item: Breakfast Burrito

Main Offenses: 2,730 calories, 3 1/2 days worth of saturated fat and 2 days supply of sodium.

Comparison: Equivalent to 7 McDonnalds Sausage McMuffins.


2. Worst Special Effects Award

Restaurant: Yard House

Item: Vampire Taco Combo

Main Offenses: 2,040 calories, 1 1/2 days worth of saturated fat and 1 2/3 days supply of sodium.

Comparison: Equivalent to eating 9 Taco Bell Beef Tacos plus 3 cans of Budweiser.


3. Worst Cinematic Snack

Restaurant: AMC Theaters

Item: Bavarian Legend Soft Pretzel

Main Offenses: 1,920 calories, 1/2 day worth of saturated fat (a relative bargain so far, but wait for it!) and 4 days supply of sodium.

Comparison: Equivalent to eating 6 Auntie Annie's Original Soft Pretzels.


4. Least Creative Mashup

Restaurant: Chili's

Item: Honey-Chipotle Crispers & Waffels.

Main Offenses: 2,510 calories, 2 days worth of saturated fat, 2 days supply of sodium and a special bonus, 2 days worth of added sugar.

Comparison: Equivalent to eating 5 Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts smothered in 30 McDonalds Chicken McNuggets with 5 packages of BBQ sauce.


5. Worst Adapted Pizza

Restaurant: The Cheesecake Factory

Item: Chicken Parmesan Pizza Style Chicken

Main Offenses: 1,870 calories, a 3 day supply of saturated fat and 2 1/2 days worth of sodium.

Comparison: Four pieces of Popeye's Fried Chicken plus 4 bisquits.


With 1,800 - 2,000 calories being roughly what a healthy human being needs per day, it is no wonder nearly 40% of Americans are obese with items like these being sold every day. And these totals do not count your sugary beverage or desert.