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Is Paleo For You?

It seems like a new diet is hitting the marketplace every other day, and every new diet seems to be dubbed as the one that works. There are so many diets out there, that if you want to lose weight, it can be hard to decide where to begin.
The latest dieting craze to hit the marketplace is called Paleo, and many people are wondering if they should give it a try.

What is the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet basically refers to only eating the foods that our historic ancestors ate, which includes fruits, vegetables, meat, fish and nuts. This means that you should cut out legumes, grains and dairy. Basically, you want to eat only those items that can be hunted or gathered and refrain from eating anything that has been processed or sealed (so no canned vegetables). Fresh foods contain more vitamins and nutrients than those that have been processed, and they’re more healthy for you than those that tell you they’re healthy.
What’s the point of the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet doesn’t cut out fat or carbs. Instead, it relies on you eating a healthy amount of food in order to maintain a decent body weight. Eating these foods will increase your metabolism and give you more energy throughout the day. And since you tend to eat more fruits and vegetables than whole grains, you may actually cut out a good deal of the carbs you eat on a regular basis.
Along with keeping you at a healthy weight, the Paleo diet is also known to reduce the risk of major diseases, such as heart attack, stroke and diabetes. By keeping your food intake simple, you are not clogging your body full of supplements or processed foods.

What are the benefits of the Paleo diet?

The Paleo diet doesn’t require you to count points, read labels or consume a great deal of protein shakes. The foods used in the Paleo diet are simple and real, and you know exactly what you’re getting.
Preparing Paleo-approved meals is simple. Choose a meat, choose a vegetable and you’re done. There is no need to read a ton of cookbooks or think too long about what to prepare for dinner. This will also help you decide what to eat more quickly when dining out at restaurants. Rather than spend a great amount of time reading over the menu, you can choose the option that fits best with the Paleo diet.
Is the Paleo diet right for me?

The Paleo diet hasn’t hurt anyone, so as long as you’re okay with eating meat and vegetables and cutting out dairy, grains and  legumes, trying the Paleo diet shouldn’t be that hard to accomplish. And since there is not counting points or reading labels, you can choose Paleo-approved foods more easily than other diets. People have been using the Paleo diet for years. If you start the Paleo diet, you will see an increase in your energy levels, and you’ll start to look better too.

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Vitamin D: The Only Thing That Could Be Missing From Your Paleo Diet

The importance of vitamin D in a well-designed paleo meal plan cannot be overstated. Within paleo diet circles, you’ll frequently hear discussions about the significance of incorporating vitamin D, and for good reason. Is Vitamin D Missing From Your Paleo Diet?

Now, you might wonder why this nutrient is emphasized. Well, the primary reason lies in what serves as the primary source of vitamin D—sunlight. Individuals who have limited exposure to sunlight often find themselves deficient in this essential nutrient, which is integral to our overall health.

Missing from you Paleo Diet

The process of vitamin D production occurs when UVB rays interact with the cholesterol in your skin. Yes, cholesterol plays a vital role in maintaining good health, and interestingly, efforts to lower cholesterol levels can inadvertently lead to vitamin D deficiency.

When you apply sunscreen, you impede the absorption of vitamin D into your skin. Thus, it becomes important to find a balance and spend some time in the sun without sunscreen.

Of course, it’s essential to exercise caution and avoid excessive sun exposure that may result in sunburn, as that is detrimental to your health. Rest assured, our bodies possess a natural defense mechanism called a natural tan, which helps protect us from excessive sunlight.

Here’s how the natural tan process works:

Vitamin D and vitamin B9 (folate) are in constant competition within our bodies, both being crucial for our well-being. When you expose yourself to sunlight, your skin darkens, reducing the absorption of vitamin D to prevent folate deficiency.

Remember to retreat from the sun once your skin gains a slight coloration.

The other natural way to obtain vitamin D is through the consumption of fatty fish since the vitamin is stored in the fat.

The significance of vitamin D lies in its role in maintaining bone health, regulating calcium and phosphate levels, minimizing inflammation, and controlling cell production and turnover.

While some recommend a daily dose of at least 200 IU (international units) for individuals aged 13 to 50, and 400 IU for older individuals, it is important to note that these doses are quite low.

Research suggests that those residing in the US and Canada should aim for 2,000 IU, and even higher doses such as 10,000 IU are considered safe. In sunny regions, individuals can naturally obtain as much as 12,000 IU daily. Rest assured, our bodies have inherent protective mechanisms to shield us from excessive sun exposure.

For those who do not experience year-round sunny weather, it is advisable to consider a vitamin D3 supplement, ranging from 2,000 to 5,000 IU, preferably in gel capsule form as fat is required for optimal absorption.

However, the ideal approach to ensuring adequate vitamin D levels is to bask in the sun daily and regularly include wild salmon or other fatty fish in your diet.

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