The initial question would be, "Is it possible?" The short answer is, probably not. We live in a modern, convenience filled, tech world. One could, I suppose, really live like our stone age ancestors, if one was willing to forego society, probably family, medical treatment, and comfort pretty much altogether.
Not many people would be willing to do that, and in my opinion, anyone who goes to that extreme has some other agenda or issues separate and apart from living a healthy life. These articles aren't about doing such a thing. I, for one, am not willing to give up the benefits of living in the current age on a Quixotic quest for "Paleo-health". What we are about here is showing that, with some effort and creativeness, as well as a bit of commitment, you can access many of the benefits of living as you were evolved to live, while still being part of modern society. That's a lot of what I get from John Durant's book, "The Paleo Manifesto". I have read it once, am going to read it again, and will be doing a review in upcoming weeks, by the way.
The main thing about "Paleo" is, at least from my point of view, a new way of looking at the world. There is currently too much food available and not enough demanded from us in a modern environment. Our food sources are cheap, plentiful, and mostly carbohydrate loaded. Fast food restaurants are on virtually every corner, and the food industry spends billions of dollars per year to convince us that our palates should beg for sugar, wheat, and other simple carbohydrates. Billboards and commercials are filled with sumptuous looking cinnamon rolls, waffles, bread, pie, burgers on a huge bun with mystery sauce dripping from the side, candy, cake, you name it.
Switching to Paleo is not hard. Let me repeat that IT IS NOT HARD. It doesn't take long to get used to, either. You can lose those carb cravings in short order. It just takes a bit of creativeness and some commitment.
1. First of all, you gotta dump the crap in your pantry. If it's there, it might be eaten. If it's gone.........it won't.
2. Learn how to shop. If it's in a package, chances are, you don't need it. Stick to meat, fish, poultry, vegetables, fruit, nuts, eggs, and honey. You probably don't even need to go into those interior aisles of a grocery store where the other stuff is sold. You know, the bread, snack, cereal, canned food aisles.
3. Change how you view "food". Humans are an omnivore. We can live on pretty much any kind of food. Too many of us have been living (if you want to call it that) on highly processed, salt and additive-filled carbohydrates like instant ramen, macaroni, bread, and sugar-filled desserts. It takes a little leap at first, but you can easily get to where you need to be by no longer looking at those things as food sources. We weren't evolved to live on them, and you can't do it an remain healthy for long. Look around at the obesity rate, heart disease, high blood pressure, etc. As I say repeatedly throughout these articles, I am not a medical doctor, and won't tell YOU what is right for you. I'm looking at basic truths, and giving MY opinion, sharing MY views on how to get healthy. An African lion wouldn't stand on the shore, see a blue whale spout in the distance, and view it as a food source. (OK, the likelihood of THAT little scenario is pretty remote, but work with me here. I'm trying to make a point.) You shouldn't view those junk-type "foods" as a food source. I read someplace a while back, "Don't sacrifice what you want MOST for what you want NOW." My apologies to whomever wrote that, for no attribution, but I don't know the source. How true it is, though! Breaking over and eating that pizza may momentarily satisfy some misplaced craving for carbs and salt, but certainly won't help you in your Paleo lifestyle. It won't be as satisfying as you thought, either.
4. Movement, movement, movement. I use the tag "Simulate The Hunt" (c) at the top of the page. You need to move around to expend energy. If you take in too much and move too little, your body will store it for later. Simple simple simple. You've heard this before, but you have to move. Your body was made to move, to work, to climb, to run, to swim, in general to move through your environment. It is capable of amazing physical feats. Don't sit when you can stand, don't drive when you can walk, use hand tools instead of power tools when it's reasonable to do so. Increase your energy output. Walk, walk, walk. Run if you can, even a little and then increase it. Carry heavy (within your ability) objects. Move things, climb things. Jump, play, chase.
5. Enjoy your life.
6. Spend time out in nature. Even if it's a park in the middle of a city.
7. Get your bare feet and your hands in the dirt.
8. Use natural materials when you can.
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