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PRIMAL NUTRITION
By Anthony Bondioli
This is not a “diet,”
but a style of eating based on the science of human evolution and physiology. Modern
humans are descended from omnivorous hunter-gatherers. The advent of agriculture
– and the more recent dawn of industrialism and our largely sedentary lifestyles – is relatively new, in the scope
of our evolutionary timeline. We are still, for all intents and purposes, the
same physical beings that strode the earth nearly 200,000 years ago. Our bodies
are still beautifully adapted to the feast-or-famine conditions that were an all too common reality for our prehistoric forbears. Unfortunately, the realities of modern life have actually made calories too easy to
come by, without the balance of physical activity that was, up until 100 or so years ago, typically the cost of gaining food. The result? Our bodies, which have evolved
to store excess calories in the form of fat in order to survive lean times, are suffering from obesity-related diseases which
were virtually unknown just a century ago. The solution? Learn to move your body the way it was designed to be moved, and take a look back at the foods that fueled
our evolution.
So what did our ancestors eat? The typical diet of early, modern humans consisted largely of raw fruits and vegetables,
roots and tubers, berries, insects, fish, fowl, red meat, the occasional egg, and water.
Whole grains made up a part of the diet as well, but not nearly to the extent that grains are consumed today (often
in highly-processed, refined form).
Am I telling you to eat the
same types of foods eaten by prehistoric humans? For the most part, and to the
extent that you can, yes. As mentioned above, our genetics have remained virtually
unchanged over the past 200 millennia. The nutritive fuel that made us what we
are is still the best thing for us. Am I telling you to never eat foods that
were unavailable to our ancient progenitors? Not at all. Modern science has given us insights into nutrition that were, obviously, unavailable to prehistoric man. By all means, drink skim milk, have a bowl of oatmeal, and take a daily multivitamin. Not only that, but the occasional piece of chocolate cake or Grandma’s famous
tollhouse cookies aren’t going to kill you, either. However, most of your
diet should consist of a balance of the above-mentioned foods (well, you can skip the insects, if you’d like). Eat healthily on most days, and if you feel so inclined, treat yourself to the occasional
culinary indulgence, in moderation. In fact, one good way to maintain both a
healthy diet and your sanity is to allow yourself a “cheat day” once per week.
Eat really well 6 days out of the week, then eat whatever you want on the 7th. Or if you’d like, allow yourself 3 “cheat meals” spread throughout the week, instead. Just make sure you get “back on track” when the party’s over.
In a nutshell, the bulk of your
diet should consist of complex carbohydrates, such as vegetables, fruits, and berries.
Some grains are okay, but try to stick to whole grains such as whole wheat, millet, quinoa, rye, barley, and oats. The USDA recommendation of 6 to 11 servings is really quite a bit more than optimal—3
to 5 would be better—but if it’s a choice between whole wheat bread or a bag of potato chips, stick to the bread. As for protein, shoot for about 3 to 5 servings (a serving is about 4 ounces) of a
lean source, such as beans, fish, poultry, lean red meat, eggs. Low fat or skim
dairy products are a good source of protein as well, not to mention essential calcium and vitamin D, but they can be mucus-forming,
so avoid them if you have a cold or are feeling congested. A handful of nuts
every day is also a good way to get a little extra protein, plus zinc, healthy fats, and added fiber. Drink plenty of water, enough that your urine runs clear or a light straw color. For most people, this means at least 2 or more quarts per day. Avoid
excessive amounts of simple carbohydrates (sugars and refined grain products) and fats, especially saturated fats. Most of the fats you consume should be mono- or polyunsaturated; olive oil and canola oil are good sources. Finally, round things out by taking a high-quality daily multivitamin. For added antioxidant protection, green tea, grape seed extract, tomato-derived lycopene (especially in
tomato paste), and vitamins C and E are also a good idea.
A good rule of thumb regarding
just how much you should eat is this: When you eat, eat healthy foods, only when
you are actually hungry, and only to the point of “satisfaction,” not “fullness.” Don’t worry about counting calories, fat grams, carbs, or ultramegathiacticbenzowhogivesacrappas. Don’t worry about how many times a day you eat.
If you get hungry only 2 times in a given day, only eat twice. If you
feel hungry 5 or 6 times the next day, eat 5 or 6 times. The key here is to pay
attention to how your body really feels, and to ask yourself why you are eating. Be
mindful, and eat with intentionality. If you’re hungry, eat nutritious
foods. Stop when you’re satisfied, not full. Don’t eat again until you are truly hungry. Drink plenty
of water. Thirst is often mistaken for hunger, and a glass of water just might
quell that craving you’re having for something from the snack food aisle.
A typical day of eating the
PRIMAL NUTRITION way might look something like this:
· Water
· Meal One: Banana
Skim milk
Multivitamin
· Water
· Meal Two: ½ Chicken breast or bean salad
Steamed broccoli
Brown rice
· Water
· Meal Three: Apple
Handful of raw almonds
· Water
· Meal Four: Big mixed-green salad
Lean beef steak
Baked sweet potato
Skim milk
· Water
· Meal Five: Apple
· Water
Keep in mind, this is just an
example! To truly live the PRIMAL FITNESS way, you must learn to listen to your
body and follow your intuition. Depending on your fitness goals and your level
of activity, a day of eating such as this might be excessive, or it might not even come close to meeting your energy needs.
Fasting is another physical
adaptation for which we have evolved. We are physiologically designed to go without
food from time to time. Top veterinarians say that the best thing you can do
for your pet is to fast it one day a week, providing it with plenty of water, but no food.
The same holds true for humans. In fact, the only dietary mechanism proven
to consistently and significantly increase life span is calorie deprivation. Recent
research has demonstrated that occasional fasting can provide the same longevity-boosting effect as a consistently low-calorie
diet. If this is something you would like to practice, do so with caution. I recommend a 24-hour fast, no more than once per week. Make sure you have eaten healthily the day before your fast. Pick
a time in the evening (say, 7 o’clock) as the time at which you will stop eating.
Continue to drink plenty of fresh water over the next 24 hours, but do not eat until 7 o’clock the next evening. Eat a small, light meal of fresh
fruits and vegetables. The next day, resume normal eating, the PRIMAL NUTRITION
way. Note: I am not advocating starvation
diets! Once a week is the most often you should do this. In fact, just once a month will provide tremendous cleansing benefits.
If you have a history of eating disorder, I do not recommend you try fasting without the direct supervision of a qualified
medical professional.
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