Is A Paleo Diet Good For Older Adults?
One of the major pros of the paleo diet is its low sodium content. Though it can be expensive, supplementing your nutrients can be of great benefit to anyone who can maintain it. The big question remains: Is a paleo diet a good choice for older adults?
What Is Paleo?
Whether you call it the caveman diet, the Palaeolithic diet, or simply the Paleo, it encourages dieters to choose natural foods. Basically, if a cave dweller could eat it, so can you. This makes the diet high in both protein and animal fats, but low in carbohydrates. The Paleo diet rejects the consumption of any unnatural foods. The central premise is that if you find it in a box, you can’t eat it. This means the food commonly eaten by Paleo dieters is fish, wild fruit, nuts, eggs, vegetables, and game meats. Calorie counting and portion control aren’t generally taken into consideration.
You absolutely cannot consume legumes, cereal grains, peanuts, wheat, oats, soy, brown rice, rye, kidney beans, black eyed peas, navy beans, or pinto beans. The other no-nos are sugar and vegetable oils. What is encouraged, though, is exercise. You should be physically active every day, just as the troglodytes were.
Is Paleo Safe For Seniors?
The entire premise of the Paleo diet is that many ailments that we deal with today are due to the diets we eat today. We’ve shunned the diets our ancestors enjoyed to indulge in grains, sugars, or dairy products. The diet is built on the premise that by eliminating these types of foods, you can eliminate ailments, thus prolonging your life and being healthier.
Research from USC has demonstrated that reducing carbs can mimic the life-prolonging benefits of calorie restriction. Additionally, Newcastle University studies show that it can help people with diabetes eliminate the need for insulin.
Some nutritionists and dieticians suggest that humans have evolved to digest foods differently as we grow older. For instance, we know that young people digest milk easily, but as we age, our bodies cannot handle it. Older people get their nutrition from other foods, but babies and children do not, which is why it is essential for them. Moreover, seniors do not need as many calories, and they also face an increased risk of diabetes.
The Paleo Diet is low-calorie and low in carbohydrates, which can address both issues seniors face. Additionally, as it’s low in sodium, the Paleo diet is great for the heart and the body.
There is a study showing there is a strong relationship between Alzheimer’s and insulin, and a high-carb diet; thus, the Paleo diet can help stave off Alzheimer’s.
Additionally, WebMD points to the benefits the Paleo diet has for weight loss, cardiovascular disease, blood pressure, inflammation markers, and promoting optimum health.
Conclusion
As with every diet, the Paleo diet is simply a guide, not a rulebook. Animal fat and protein can be hazardous to your health, so you must choose the right types of food when adhering to the Paleo Diet. While it allows for red meat, you should still limit your intake and focus on lean proteins and fish.
The proper Paleo diet is impossible to follow unless you raise your own wild game and grow your own fruits and vegetables. The food that we eat has been cultivated and then tampered with in a variety of ways. However, following a Paleo diet is still a healthy option. Be careful when you cut key foods from your diet; there is a lot of research showing the value of low-fat dairy, beans, and whole grains. However, with any change in diet, you can take supplements to fill in the gaps.
In essence, the Paleo Diet is an excellent, safe option for older adults.