laboratory animals know exactly how to produce it—by feeding the animals whole grains. In many of the world’s undeveloped countries, where whole grains and legumes are the main sources of calories, rickets, osteoporosis, and other bone-mineral diseases are common.
From the fossil record, we know that these same bone-mineral problems were also common among the first farmers. Not surprisingly, the hunter-gatherers who came before them didn’t have these diseases. Hunter-gatherers never drank milk. They did not have bone-mineral problems because they ate lots of fruits and vegetables—which gave them enough calcium to build strong bones. Fruits and veggies also gave them an abundant source of alkaline base that prevented excessive losses of calcium in the urine. When you adopt the Paleo Diet, you won’t have to worry about your calcium intake. You’ll get all you need from the fruits and vegetables. But more important, you’ll be in calcium balance. You will be taking in more calcium than you lose, and this is essential for bone health.
By restoring lean meats, fruits, and veggies to your diet and eliminating agriculture’s new foods, you will lose weight, feel better, and reduce your risk of developing the diseases of civilization that plague us all.
PART TWO
Losing Weight and Preventing and Healing Diseases
4
Losing Weight the Paleo Diet Way
Here are four reasons why you should make lean protein a major part of your diet:
• It can’t be overeaten.
• It raises your metabolism, causing you to burn more calories.
• It satisfies your appetite, causing you to feel less hungry between meals.
• It improves insulin sensitivity.
Determining Whether You Need to Lose Weight
How do you know if you’re overweight? Scientists have devised a simple measure based on your height and weight that allows you to know exactly how much extra weight you may be toting. This measure system is called the “body mass index” (BMI), and here are the categories:
BMI
Classification
Below 18.5
Underweight
18.5-24.9
Normal
25.0-29.9
Overweight
Above 30.0
Obesity
The BMI is easy to calculate. It is simply your weight in kilograms (kg) divided by your height in meters (m) squared. You can calculate your weight in kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2. You can change your height to meters by multiplying your height in inches by 0.0254. So a 5-foot, 4-inch (64 inches) tall woman who weighs 154 pounds would weigh 70 kilograms (154 / 2.2 = 70 kg), and her height in meters would be 1.63 meters (64 × 0.0254 = 1.63 m). Her height in square meters would be 2.66 (1.63 × 1.63 = 2.66). Her BMI would be 26.3 (70 / 2.66 = 26.3). This would put her in the overweight category. If your BMI is greater than 27, this may be a sign that you are insulin resistant and have (or are at high risk of developing) one or more of the diseases of metabolic syndrome.
A Doctor Loses 30 Pounds: Ben’s Story
Here is what Dr. Ben Balzer, a general family physician from Sydney, Australia, has to say about the Paleo Diet:
In April this year, I reached the end of my tether with my weight. I’d tipped the scales at 222 lbs. My weight for my height should be under 172 pounds. In fact, I’d been too frightened to get on the scales for some weeks, as I knew what they would tell me. I’m sure I hit 225 pounds during this time. I’d been following the standard dietary advice of low-fat dieting reasonably well for seven years. Although it worked well at first, it stopped, and my weight had gradually increased.
As a doctor, I knew exactly what I was in for. I have a strong family history of diabetes, hypertension, stroke. I was 37 years old. Medically, I knew it was inevitable that I would be affected if I didn’t act. I was feeling tired, bloated, and sluggish. It seemed harder to get through each day. I tried to exercise but had trouble finding the time and could swim only 500 meters with difficulty. My feet were also hurting badly. I had had
From the fossil record, we know that these same bone-mineral problems were also common among the first farmers. Not surprisingly, the hunter-gatherers who came before them didn’t have these diseases. Hunter-gatherers never drank milk. They did not have bone-mineral problems because they ate lots of fruits and vegetables—which gave them enough calcium to build strong bones. Fruits and veggies also gave them an abundant source of alkaline base that prevented excessive losses of calcium in the urine. When you adopt the Paleo Diet, you won’t have to worry about your calcium intake. You’ll get all you need from the fruits and vegetables. But more important, you’ll be in calcium balance. You will be taking in more calcium than you lose, and this is essential for bone health.
By restoring lean meats, fruits, and veggies to your diet and eliminating agriculture’s new foods, you will lose weight, feel better, and reduce your risk of developing the diseases of civilization that plague us all.
PART TWO
Losing Weight and Preventing and Healing Diseases
4
Losing Weight the Paleo Diet Way
Here are four reasons why you should make lean protein a major part of your diet:
• It can’t be overeaten.
• It raises your metabolism, causing you to burn more calories.
• It satisfies your appetite, causing you to feel less hungry between meals.
• It improves insulin sensitivity.
Determining Whether You Need to Lose Weight
How do you know if you’re overweight? Scientists have devised a simple measure based on your height and weight that allows you to know exactly how much extra weight you may be toting. This measure system is called the “body mass index” (BMI), and here are the categories:
BMI
Classification
Below 18.5
Underweight
18.5-24.9
Normal
25.0-29.9
Overweight
Above 30.0
Obesity
The BMI is easy to calculate. It is simply your weight in kilograms (kg) divided by your height in meters (m) squared. You can calculate your weight in kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2. You can change your height to meters by multiplying your height in inches by 0.0254. So a 5-foot, 4-inch (64 inches) tall woman who weighs 154 pounds would weigh 70 kilograms (154 / 2.2 = 70 kg), and her height in meters would be 1.63 meters (64 × 0.0254 = 1.63 m). Her height in square meters would be 2.66 (1.63 × 1.63 = 2.66). Her BMI would be 26.3 (70 / 2.66 = 26.3). This would put her in the overweight category. If your BMI is greater than 27, this may be a sign that you are insulin resistant and have (or are at high risk of developing) one or more of the diseases of metabolic syndrome.
A Doctor Loses 30 Pounds: Ben’s Story
Here is what Dr. Ben Balzer, a general family physician from Sydney, Australia, has to say about the Paleo Diet:
In April this year, I reached the end of my tether with my weight. I’d tipped the scales at 222 lbs. My weight for my height should be under 172 pounds. In fact, I’d been too frightened to get on the scales for some weeks, as I knew what they would tell me. I’m sure I hit 225 pounds during this time. I’d been following the standard dietary advice of low-fat dieting reasonably well for seven years. Although it worked well at first, it stopped, and my weight had gradually increased.
As a doctor, I knew exactly what I was in for. I have a strong family history of diabetes, hypertension, stroke. I was 37 years old. Medically, I knew it was inevitable that I would be affected if I didn’t act. I was feeling tired, bloated, and sluggish. It seemed harder to get through each day. I tried to exercise but had trouble finding the time and could swim only 500 meters with difficulty. My feet were also hurting badly. I had had
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