Paleo Diet

The Paleo Diet was created by Dr Loren Cordain as a high-fibre and high-protein meal plan that focuses on the simplicity of eating well instead of complicating it with formulas and special ingredients or products.  

Literally dubbed 'The Stone Age Diet' or ‘Caveman Diet’, the diet firmly stands out for its belief system that eating the food those most healthy before us did without losing calories and you can shed the pounds and eat well at the same time.   It is also very adamant on cutting out processed food as well as inflammatory culprits such as grains, dairy, legumes, wheat, salt and refined sugar.  However, you can eat nuts and seeds, lean meats, fine oils, eggs, fish, fruits and vegetables.  

 Although there is no calorie counting, you do need to spend most of your energy preparing the meals to keep to your schedule, which in the beginning is flexible, allowing you to have some meal freedom to yourself.  Because of the focus on meat, eggs and fish, the diet thus requires one to eat animal by-products, as traditional vegetarian alternatives aren't allowed in the diet.  It also requires a person be able to afford the grocery bill of eating meat and fish so often, however compared to other diets, is a sound investment.  If eating nothing but meat and fish is a little much for you, or you have a smaller appetite, Dr. Nell Stephens has come up with her own branch of the diet with her book 'Paleoista'.  

There are health benefits as well as it is both low is glausemic and because of the high fruit and vegetable intake, rich in disease and illness-combative nutrients that make our immune system stronger, claiming to combat heart disease and diabetes as well.  It's also very rich in Omega 3 fatty acids, which help in lowering inflammation and cholesterol.

Unlike the Atkins diet, another 'fad diet' that was protein-dominant to hit the market, the Paleo diet is more balanced again because of the fruits and vegetable intake.  

"If this is a 'Fad' diet," Dr Corbain said on Dr. Oz's television program," then this is longest-living fad we've ever had, it goes on from about 2.5 million years ago up to about ten thousand years ago."

There are several resources both online such as http://book.nomnompaleo.com/ and in publication such as by Dr Stevenson and Dr Corbain for you to research if this is a diet worth trying.  As always, if you have any questions or doubts, talk to a health care professional before starting any new diet.