Paleo

Paleo. A word that is defined as referring to the ancient or prehistoric. However, when one mentions the word Paleo nowadays, most people associate it with the new diet craze. So, for those of you are unfamiliar with this diet, what exactly is Paleo? Well, this is where it gets confusing. As I have been exploring Paleo blogs, it seems there is not a consensus on an exact definition. However, paleo is essentially a way of eating that is similar to the way our oldest ancestors, the cavemen, ate. It means all food that came about after the agricultural revolution is a big fad no no! No grains. No legumes. No dairy. No added sugars. Essentially, no processed foods. All the meat, nuts, seeds, fruits and veggies, and healthy fats that you can hunt or gather at your local grocery store is allowed.

Where paleo becomes confusing is where you decide to draw the line. Some paleo bloggers and authors say dairy is okay, some argue only certain dairy is acceptable, and others just man up and tell the truth...they're not willing to give up their butter and cheese! Alcohol is another dicey subject. Some paleo enthusiasts argue that different berries were sure to have fermented on the vine and so our cavemen ancestors were sure to have ingested alcohol from time to time. To me, I think paleo, like all food choices, is deeply personal and so for someone choosing to follow this diet, they have to decide for themselves where to draw the line and what are their reasons for following this food plan.

 This will be mine and Katy's first foray into the world of fad diets. We will become Paleo for the next three months, which, coincidentally, will bring us right to the start of the holidays...thank God! We are going to do our best to be 100% pure paleo, which means we are not going to allow dairy along with the other restrictions.

One caveat I must mention...with football season fast approaching and my last year of college ahead of me, I will make exceptions from time to time to partake in alcoholic beverages. I will try and stay away from beer for the sake of staying honest to the "no grains" rule...however, this is one area I will definitely cheat in from time to time.

Throughout this paleo phase I am going to read different cookbooks and try new recipes, all of which I will blog about. I am doing this blog purely because of personal interest and because I hope to learn from this experience. I am not doing this as a secrete vegan or a closet paelo hoping to sabotage the other fad diet by writing negatively about one over the other. I am doing this out of curiosity, with an open mind, and with the passion of a future nutrition professional.

As I have been telling my friends who are wondering why I want to do this, "The best way to learn about something is to live it."