Why Paleo?

Living in modern society comes with its perks. But it also comes with its downsides. And one of those downsides is the processed food world. The modern diet consists of over-processed and lifeless foods. We're eating devitalized foods that are not fresh, with fewer nutrients.  

 

A PALEO trolley

It's estimated that 70% of the "normal" diet have no nutritional value.  These foods produce little enzyme activity and contain little or no fiber. All the natural fiber has been removed in the refining stages, so our digestion is slow and the waste materials stay in our body for longer.  This sets up the perfect environment for toxic materials to form.  Also, processed foods contain huge amounts of chemicals and toxins.

We're eating lots of chemicals like colours, artificial flavours & preservatives that are put into food to make it appear more attractive.  

Even non-processed foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy products, whole grains and meats often contain chemical residues from pesticides, herbicides, hormones and other products used to make them grow.  All of these substances affect our biochemical and physiological processes.

Without enzymes there is no life.   Enzymes run the body.  Every day your body burns enzymes to run our organs like the heart, liver, kidneys, pancreas, as well as the trillions of individual cells that carry on life.  Those enzymes need to be replaced as the body uses them up. 

Enzymes come from raw foods - vegetables, fruits, and meat. 

When there aren't enough enzymes available everyday, your body starts to cut back from it's normal functions.   For eg, hair may become dry, nails may crack and skin may become dry.  Even more critically, the liver will not be able to handle the excretion of waste products.  

This in turn weakens our immune system, affects our digestion - leaky gut and candida overgrowth being all too common problems - and we develop degenerative diseases, illnesses, and cancers. Our bodies become acidic, rather than alkaline.

 

Processed foods and almost all packaged foods do not contain live enzymes. 

Therefore, a raw, (or even Paleo diet - free of sugar, processed foods, grains, dairy, beans and legumes) is one that is rich in enzymes and minerals!

Here's an example of the substitutes I now use to replace common food.

Non Paleo	Paleo
Cereals	Homemade Granola (nuts, berries, seeds) with Almond Milk
Milk	Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Hazelnut Milk
Flour	Almond Meal, Coconut Flour, Buckwheat Flour
Rice	Cauliflower 'rice' (grated), Quinoa (seed)
Pasta	Kelp Noodles, Zucchini Noodles
Potatoes	Sweet Potatoes
Sugar	Agave Nectar, Stevia, Raw Honey, Dates
Dessert	See Dessert Recipes

Before eating a mostly raw, Paleo diet I'd have no enthusiasm to venture in the kitchen. I left it up to my husband. Now that we're converted, I love being in the kitchen, and the creativity is endless! It brings me joy and excitement to know that what I'm creating is 100% completely healthy, and tastes delicious - a smörgåsbord of  flavours and nutrients that was previously missed out on.