The Paleo Diet

     There are two popular MS diets linked to the Paleolithic or “Paleo” diet, The Wahls Protocol and The Autoimmune Protocol. For those interested in following the classic regimen designed by Dr. Loren Cordain, below is a summary.

     Paleo is a way of “clean” eating intended to mimic the diet of prehistoric. The basic background is that for the majority of modern humans’ existence – a period of about 200,000 years – this is how people ate, and it subsequently shaped human genetics and how we respond to foods, prevent disease, and enable vitality humans1-10. It is argued that our genetic makeup has not kept pace with accelerated changes in the food supply starting 10,000 years ago and including the recent industrial and green revolutions. While humans do adapt, these changes take place slowly, often resulting in a mismatch between our physiology and the foods eaten on a typical modern diet in the western world.

Foods to Favor

Paleo-friendly foods are those that are relatively unprocessed, produced naturally and without artificial ingredients, and which do not contribute to sodium (salt), caffeine, alcohol, or glycemic (sugar and starch) overload. These include the following:

• Leafy vegetables

• Fresh fruits

• Seafood

• Grass-fed meat

• Root vegetables, including sweet potatoes

• Free-range poultry

• Free-range eggs

• Nuts, including their unsalted butters

• Seeds, including their unsalted butters

• Healthy oils (avocado, coconut, flaxseed, macadamia nut, olive, walnut)

• Fresh or dried herbs

• Water

• Herbal tea

Foods for Moderation

• Baking replacements (e.g., almond and coconut flours)

• Beer

• Coffee

• Dates

• Honey

• Wine

Foods to Forgo

• Added sodium (salt)

• Dairy products

• Grains and their products (breads, cereals, pastas)

• Legumes (including beans, soy, and peanuts)

• Processed foods

• Refined foods, including sweeteners

• “Vegetable” oils high in omega-6 fatty acids

• White potatoes

References

1.Cordain L. Cereal grains: humanity’s double-edged sword. World Rev Nutr Diet. 1999;84:19-73. doi:10.1159/000059677

2.Cordain L, Eaton SB, Miller JB, Mann N, Hill K. The paradoxical nature of hunter-gatherer diets: meat-based, yet non-atherogenic. Eur J Clin Nutr. Mar 2002;56 Suppl 1:S42-52. doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601353

3.Cordain L, Miller JB, Eaton SB, Mann N. Macronutrient estimations in hunter-gatherer diets. Am J Clin Nutr. Dec 2000;72(6):1589-92. doi:10.1093/ajcn/72.6.1589

4.Cordain L, Miller JB, Eaton SB, Mann N, Holt SH, Speth JD. Plant-animal subsistence ratios and macronutrient energy estimations in worldwide hunter-gatherer diets. Am J Clin Nutr. Mar 2000;71(3):682-92. doi:10.1093/ajcn/71.3.682

5.Cordain L, Watkins BA, Mann NJ. Fatty acid composition and energy density of foods available to African hominids. Evolutionary implications for human brain development. World Rev Nutr Diet. 2001;90:144-61. doi:10.1159/000059813

6.Eaton SB, Cordain L, Eaton SB. An evolutionary foundation for health promotion. World Rev Nutr Diet. 2001;90:5-12. doi:10.1159/000059815

7.Eaton SB, Eaton SB, 3rd, Sinclair AJ, Cordain L, Mann NJ. Dietary intake of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids during the paleolithic. World Rev Nutr Diet. 1998;83:12-23. doi:10.1159/000059672

8.Eaton SB, Konner MJ, Cordain L. Diet-dependent acid load, Paleolithic [corrected] nutrition, and evolutionary health promotion. Am J Clin Nutr. Feb 2010;91(2):295-7. doi:10.3945/ajcn.2009.29058

9.Kuipers RS, Luxwolda MF, Dijck-Brouwer DA, et al. Estimated macronutrient and fatty acid intakes from an East African Paleolithic diet. Br J Nutr. Dec 2010;104(11):1666-87. doi:10.1017/S0007114510002679

10.Ramsden CE, Faurot KR, Carrera-Bastos P, Cordain L, De Lorgeril M, Sperling LS. Dietary fat quality and coronary heart disease prevention: a unified theory based on evolutionary, historical, global, and modern perspectives. Curr Treat Options Cardiovasc Med. Aug 2009;11(4):289-301. doi:10.1007/s11936-009-0030-8