Kerri WaldronA paleo diet avoids whole grains, legumes and dairy and eliminates processed, artificially sweetened foods. Clinicians should not encourage their patients to be this restrictive, as eliminating certain food groups can lead to nutritional deficiencies and long-term health consequences.
Paleo-friendly foods include lean unprocessed meat and seafood, leafy vegetables, berries, fruit, healthy oils and eggs. It excludes legumes, grains, processed sugar and salt.
The paleo diet is one of the most popular in the world. In 2013, paleo was the most Googled diet term, and as many as 3 million Americans currently follow the stripped-down, back-to-basics way of eating, a State University of New York online survey says.
It’s not really a new way of eating so much as a rediscovered one.
In recent years, the so-called caveman way of eating has seen an surge. People are forsaking modern foods, including dairy products and anything processed, in favor of just the foods that can be hunted and gathered — even if the consumers are not the ones doing the hunting and gathering.
Paleo eating effectively eliminates commonly eaten foods that arose when farming emerged about 10,000 years ago.
The basic foundation of paleo eating calls for the inclusion of lean meats such as chicken, seafood, fresh fruit, non-starch vegetables like cauliflower and spinach, nuts, seeds, eggs and plant-based oils like coconut and olive. Items generally shunned from the paleo menu include dairy products, sugars including honey, legumes, beans, grains like oats and wheat, salty foods, and anything processed or containing trans fats.
Skin health
People who follow a paleo diet often cite weight loss as a perk, as well as improved focus and sleep.
One benefit that is not referenced as much, but which has its share of believers, is better skin. Reduced blemishes, smoother skin and even more of a “glow” are cited by people who have started eating a paleo diet and have cut out high-glycemic foods, including processed items containing ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup.
Amy Mayo of Satellite Beach says she stumbled upon the paleo way of eating in 2011 when she was researching ways to improve her skin. Since her early 20s, she suffered cystic acne along her jawline and had already spent hundreds of dollars trying to fix it with tonics, creams, laser treatments and more. Mayo had heard of the paleo diet before but was never in the market to lose weight. But when she found people online who were praising the paleo plan for how much it improved their skin, she was ready to give it a try.
“I began to read testimonials about the paleo diet for skin and was ready to cut everything non-paleo out that very minute. If your ‘why’ is important enough, the ‘how’ just works itself out,” Mayo said.
Mayo started her paleo approach with a round of Whole 30 — an elimination diet that helps followers determine problem foods that impact digestion, skin and overall health. Many of the items that Mayo eliminated stayed that way and she morphed her own eating to follow a paleo pattern.
Now in her 40s, Mayo follows paleo eating strictly. She has taught herself to cook many paleo-friendly meals that her husband and son eat, too.
“I chase nutrients all day, every day. I eat tons of vegetables, seafood, poultry, eggs, coconuts, avocados, sweet potatoes and fermented foods,” Mayo said.
Monique Judge, a licensed esthetician at Balance MedSpa in Orlando, encourages her clients to switch from the standard carb-heavy, processed American diet to one that carries a lower glycemic load.
“While eating a paleo diet won’t guarantee a clearer complexion or better skin in general, it does eliminate several different reasons some people experience inflammation and breakouts,” Judge said. “One is the reduction or elimination in refined sugars. By reducing your simple sugar intake, you can reduce the inflammatory response to the excess sugars. Less inflammation means less acne.”
There are other reasons paleo followers may see skin improvement, including the reduction of dairy products that are linked to sebaceous gland activity, which has been linked to an increase in acne. Judge says gluten is also an item that can cause inflammation and skin reactions and its elimination can improve the appearance and feel of skin.
She points to a study published in the scientific journal Acta Derm Venereol with the results from a 10-week study of patients who switched to low-glycemic, paleo-style eating. At the end of the research period, the patients showed reduced acne, lower levels of acne causing hormones and decrease in the size of their oil glands.
“By eliminating sugars, dairy and gluten, to name a few, many people experience a much better complexion. Also by consuming a more nutritious diet, the cellular processes of the body are more effective,” Judge said.
Other benefits
Amelia Votapka is a registered dietician who works with clients all over the country, including many in Central Florida. She follow a strict paleo diet and says that in addition to weight maintenance, it has boosted her energy and immunity.
“The paleo diet eliminates the unhealthy, processed and prepackaged food-like substances that can send your blood sugar on a roller coaster ride,” Votapka said. “Our bodies are smart and can recognize, easily digest, and utilize the energy and nutrients from whole foods, and it can do a better job than when forced to process less nutritional foods like potato chips or cookies.”
While some people tout a paleo approach for weight loss, Votapka warns against measuring its effectiveness with that yardstick.
“Some people may lose weight following a paleo approach, but paleo is just a template and not a prescription,” Votapka said. “One of the major benefits of following a paleo lifestyle is because the basic guidelines can help resolve digestive problems and stabilize blood sugar. These are two of the most prevalent diet-related health problems I encounter in my practice.”
No two people are alike so while some benefits of the paleo lifestyle are documented among followers, there are no guarantees.
“The most important thing about any dietary plan is to find what works for you,” Votapka said. “The right balance of protein, healthy fats and good carbohydrates can help you maintain well-balanced blood sugar throughout the day.”
Paleo detractors
Lauren Popeck, a registered dietician with Orlando Health, says the paleo palate is not for everyone — nor something she recommends.
“Paleo is not my top choice because it cuts out dairy, beans, peanuts and other foods I consider to be healthy in moderation,” Popeck said. “Often I see patients that have trouble sustaining it and really missing the fruits they love or things like oatmeal.”
Instead, Popeck recommends more of a Mediterranean style of eating that includes whole grains, fish, legumes and vegetables.
“Of course if a patient wants to try paleo and is set on it, I help facilitate that. It is just a difficult diet to maintain,” Popeck said.
Votapka admits that adopting a paleo lifestyle can be more difficult than other food tweaks but she maintains that after the learning curve, the benefits are worth it.
“While it may seem contradictory, eating simple foods can actually be quite daunting for some. Learning to prepare food or meals in advance can be a challenge for some because they cannot rely on the convenience of a drive through or takeout after work,” Votapka said. “The easiest approach is shopping the perimeter of the grocery store and focusing on whole foods like vegetables, fruits, meats, fish and healthy fats.”
Source: orlandosentinel.com
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