Paleolithic Lifestyle : Key Health Benefits on Hormonal Health.

What is a Paleolithic Lifestyle?

People that follow a Paleolithic lifestyle usually follow the presumed diet  consumed on the ancient Paleolithic era where modern agriculture did not exist.

Most popular foods included are: grass fed meat, organic and free range fish and eggs, most vegetables, nuts and seeds, good quality oils, plenty of water and herbal teas. All the other food groups are excluded especially grains and processed dairy.

The whole concept of this lifestyle is to eat the least amount of processed foods and include  mainly organic and free range produce.

Key Health Benefits:

• Improved mood, energy levels and sleeping patterns
                        

There is no doubt, excessive carbohydrate consumption will make you feel tired and sluggish unless you are a marathon runner or an endurance athlete where you constantly need to replenish your glucose stores. In the real world we do not need to consume 5-6 portions of the recommended carbohydrates daily as we simply don't need it and it will end up in our fat storage sites.

When we eat a large carbohydrate meal blood sugar levels spikes for approximatively 2-3 hours (it much depends on the individual person), followed by a severe hypoglycaemia which triggers the hormone cortisol (stress hormone ). This happens because the pancreas has to release  large amount of insulin to keep blood sugar levels under control (which can be dangerous if left on the circulation for too long). If we don't burn off these carbohydrates during the day they will be converted into triglyceride and will be stored in your fat cells.

In the long run it can cause fatigue, low energy especially after lunch, and poor sleeping patterns (usually feeling an energy burst after 9pm). The Paleolithic lifestyle does not include these heavy carbohydrates, instead it includes little amounts from vegetables and fruit. So basically your blood sugar will not spike throughout the day and you will have more energy, feel more concentrated and sleep better.

This could be very beneficial for Lipedema sufferers considering the tendency to have hormonal imbalances, showing high cortisol, low DHEA and estrogens levels. This may may suppress sex hormone synthesis and in turn affect the overall hormonal balance. Therefore the Paleolithic lifestyle could possibly be the best approach to support any hormonal imbalances over a long term period of time.

• Reduce Overall Inflammation
  
  

One of the most important food group to reduce overall inflammation is FAT, not hydrogenated or refined but instead from good sources especially the Omega-3 type.

In the modern world Fat still has a bad reputation, linked to bad health habits and health issues. However more and more health care professionals are now recognising the health benefits of eating a diet high in beneficial fats. For many years low fat diets were promoted in order to loose weight, reduce cholesterol and avoid Health diseases. The results was increased obesity rates, hormonal issues and increase in inflammatory related health conditions.

It is very important to note that a large part of the human body is made of fat, which can only be manufactured from dietary intake, so it is not surprising that we need to get the right amount of the good ones in the diet. The Omega-3 fatty acids can be obtained from fish like wild salmon, anchovies and sardines, however some amount is contained in nuts and seeds but it is not absorbed as efficiently as the animal one. 

This type of fat helps the body to manufacture anti-inflammatory hormones and suppress the pro inflammatory ones. Recommended intake vary from person to person but as a general rule eating fish at least 3 times a week will provide you a good amount of Omega-3 fats. It is also important to eat both good quality saturated fats (from organic butter and raw coconut oil) and mono unsaturated ones from avocado, olive oil, cold pressed nut and seed oils. These will also provide some key antioxidant fat soluble vitamins such as Vitamin E, Vitamin A, Vitamin D and K.

Lipedema is an inflammatory condition and it is therefore important to try and minimize inflammation. The Paleolithic lifestyle includes all these essential fats which should be consumed daily so would be highly recommended for this condition.

• Weight loss particularly fat loss and increased lean mass
  
  
  
  

Counting calories is a thing of the past as you don't need to do it when you follow a Paleo lifestyle. The focus is to eat more whole foods which make you feel fuller for longer and avoid the need for frequent snacks, which are the ones that tend to cause issues with weight gain. You should be able to have 3 normal meals which includes plenty of vegetables, protein and fat and some fruit. It's the quality of calories that you eat that will have a huge impact on your satiety levels, blood sugars and energy levels and will make you succeed in your fat  loss.

Exercise has a huge impact on fat loss so it is important to have a routine and stick to it, incorporate it to your lifestyle and find the best exercise that suit your body.

Lipedema sufferers often have reduced mobility so it is important to consider a low impact exercise which can be done more frequently. Fat tissue is able to manufacture a number of hormones, as it is composed of live cells, so it's important not to shift too many chemicals too quickly in order to avoid unpleasant side effects.

To have  your personalized plan you can contact me via email: virginianutritionaltheraphy@gmail.com or phone  00353-85-1139088.