Week 1 Day 2!

Hope all of our Cavemen & Cavewomen are enjoying the benefits of Paleo/Zone lifestyle! If you aren’t well maybe this could help. 

If you are one of the many at CFWS that have chosen to eliminate grain from your diet BRAVO! If you’re not to sure why we want you off the “crack” or how you’re going to go about doing it continue reading.

I guess we should first have a clear understanding why grains are so unhealthy.

Q. What is the point to all this grain madness? Is there a good reason for anyone with access to meat, fruit, and vegetables, that is to rely on grains for a significant portion of their caloric intake?

A. Unequivocally, undeniably no!! We do not need grains to survive, let alone thrive. In fact, they are naturally selected to ward off pests, whether they be insects or hominids. I suggest we take the hint and stop eating them.

“But it forms the foundation of the governmental food pyramid!” “Governmental endorsements are not points in your favor, grain-eater; they are strikes against you. They are completely and utterly pointless in the context of a healthy diet.” Mark Sission

Lemme break it down. Generally speaking the last thing living things want to do is be consumed by other living things.  To avoid said consumption, living things employ various self defense mechanisms in order to avoid being eaten. Think of any animal, most have defense mechanisms whether it be teeth, claws, posion, scales, wings, venom, you name it they probably have something that keeps them from being consumed. They run, fight, jump, climb, fly, sting, and even bite.

Plants, though, are passive organisms without the ability to move must employ different tactics to ensure propagation, and they generally have to rely on other means to spread their seed. Grains have the toxic anti-nutrients, lectins, gluten, and phytates.  So its easy to understand why fruits are tasty, nutritious, and delicious. It’s so that animals will eat them whole and poop out the seeds, preferably into some fertile soil.  No seed “wants” to be digested, because this would defeat the purpose. They “want” to be swallowed, or borne by the wind, or carried by a bee to the next flower, but they do not want to be digested. FREE THE SEEDS! Why aren’t there Grainatarians…Maybe if grains had represented a significant portion of our ancestral dietary history, things might be different; however this is not the case.  We simply do not have the wiring necessary to mitigate the harmful effects of lectins, gluten, and phytate.

Lectins are bad. They bind to insulin receptors,  bind to human intestinal lining, and they seemingly cause leptin resistance.  Leptin is a hormone generated by the body to achieve a balance between energy expenditure and food intake. Leptin basically plays a major role in regulating appetite.

Gluten might be even worse. Gluten, found in wheat, rye, and barley, is a composite of the proteins giladin and glutenin. About 1% of the population are celiacs (people who are completely intolerant of any gluten). In celiacs, any gluten in the diet can be disastrous. Just because you’re not celiac doesn’t mean you aren’t susceptible to the ravages of gluten. One study showed that 29% of asymptomatic (not celiac) people tested positive for anti-gliadin IgA in their stool. Anti-gliadin IgA is an antibody produced by the gut, and it remains there until it’s dispatched to ward off gliadin – a primary component of gluten. Basically, the only reason anti-gliadin IgA ends up in your stool is because your body sensed an impending threat – gluten. If gluten poses no threat, the anti-gliadin IgA stays in your gut. And to think, most Americans eat this stuff on a daily basis. Pretty gnarly stuff!

Phytates are a problem, too, because they make minerals bio-unavailable. So much for all those healthy vitamins and minerals we need from whole grains!

With all that said….Because we live in the culinary culture we do, cutting out grains can mean more than changing your lunch. Family barbeques and holiday menus will need tweaking. Maybe you’ll need a script for annoying family members’ digs. Once you’ve made the transition and are enjoying the advantages, I’ll bet you won’t be complaining, however…. below are some tips on how to de-grain.

1. Load up

Get your butt to the grocery store and stock up on the best, most appetizing Paelo goodies you can find. Believe it or not there is life after bread.

2. Get the rest of your house in order.

When you’re rushing out the door in the morning, kids arguing, papers flying and blood pressure rising, you’re most likely not going to make the most Paleo perfect food choices. These are the times when crack comes in handy. Get your entire family on the same team. If it isn’t possible try dividing cabinet spaces. Adopting a healthier diet that allows for more stable energy throughout the day can actually help you tame the other pressures in your life.

3. Plan the logistics.

Always have Paleo/Zone friendly foods at your fingertips. Make shopping lists be ahead of the game with Paleo/Zone alternatives in case you forget to take the meat out of the freezer. Anticipate hurdles like  party cake at the office or dinner out with friends. Research menus before your get to the restaurant. Always have something Paleo on hand in case you wind up in a predicament.

4. Make your motivation manifest.

AKA keep a Journal. It can both remind you why you’re doing this and how far you’ve already come. These are important to see what exactly you’re putting into your body. Where you might need to make small tweaks and changes to the macronutrients you’re consuming. 

~Coach Beezy

Info stolen from marks daily apple