Paleo fans say a healthy future starts with a diet from the past.

Most people have heard about paleo. In fact, if you haven’t gotten wind of the paleo diet, get out of that cave!

Although throwing on a loin cloth and clubbing a woolly mammoth for dinner might be a stretch, paleo refers to eating like a caveman. Instead of limiting calories and fat, the paleo theory is based on consuming only foods that were hunted, fished or gathered.

For example, a day’s eating would be limited to what advocates consider “real” food; grass-fed and pastured meats and eggs, wild-caught fish, organic veggies and fruits, nuts and seeds. Forbidden would be things that adherents consider harmful and pro-inflammatory, such as grains, dairy, sugar and legumes, as well as anything processed or concocted in a laboratory.

Is it a “diet” in the sense of it ending when you’ve reach a goal?

It is for those who use the diet to experience quick weight loss or for some other short-term outcome. But paleophiles say most people are using it as a means to a healthier long-term lifestyle by only allowing foods in their bodies that are free from chemicals, pesticides, antibiotics and hormones, and not processed to the point of having little natural nutrition.

Cari Austin of Auburn has been a “paleoholic” for about three months and says she has reaped the rewards of ancestral eating.

“I have Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, which is an autoimmune disorder where my body attacks my thyroid. Recently, I got so bad I had been spending most days on the couch, too exhausted to do anything. When my boys came to me crying, saying: ‘Mama, it makes us sad that you’re always too tired to play with us,’ I knew I had to change something. That started my search, which inevitably ended with my discovery of paleo.”

In less than 10 days, Austin felt better than ever.

“The biggest thing I’ve noticed is my energy is back, and in a big way. Aches and pains, headaches and constant exhaustion were gone. Before, as I dragged myself out of bed, I’d be planning out my next nap. Now I jump out of bed before my alarm with a list of projects to do! And as an added and unexpected bonus, I lost eight pounds and 10 inches of inflammation in the first month.”

“I have learned so much!” Austin added. “If it says fat-free, there is probably a chemical in it. If it says sugar-free, what replaced the sugar? Reading labels is scary. If it even has a label, it’s probably not a real food . . . and I stay away.”

Luke Robinson, certified nutrition specialist and owner of WolfPack Fitness in Auburn, says the diet is not about eating less, it’s about eating better. And he is not at all surprised that Austin in now full of energy and down a few pounds.

“Food is not supposed to be punishment to our bodies or detriment to our health, it’s supposed to be nourishment, a celebration of the human body. What Cari is experiencing is what paleo leading national authority Sarah Frago of Everyday Paleo always says: ‘Get healthy by choice and you’ll get hot by accident.’”

Robinson says he has also seen clients’ acne fade away, allergies vanish and sports asthma disappear.

“I literally had a client who spent thousands of dollars and years of brutal treatment to get pregnant with her first child and swore she’d never put herself through that again. Then after just three months of eating real food, her cycle regulated, her body felt amazing and she decided to try for another child with her husband. Fast forward six weeks and she was pregnant with her second little one with zero treatment other than changing the way she ate.”

How tough is it to leave behind bread, pasta and junk food?

“I don’t crave carbs or junk anymore,” smiled Austin. “There are just too many real foods to experiment with. “I serve sweet potatoes with my meat and veggies, I use spaghetti squash in pasta dishes, and instead of bread, I stuff chicken salad into an avocado or have a BLT salad. Instead of cereal for breakfast, I put bacon around the edges of muffin tins and fill with beaten eggs and veggies and bake them . . . yum!”

“I now eat because I’m hungry,” she added, “not because I think I’m hungry and crave something sweet.”

Robinson said a diet devoid of sugars and empty carbohydrates, and full of nutrition, is better at telling your body you’ve eaten enough.

“Real foods, especially high-quality proteins and fats, do a really good job of telling your body that you’re full. The presence of actual nutrients in the blood stream turns on the “full signal” to the brain. Junk food is so devoid of nutrients that this signal never gets activated and you just keep eating until your stomach is practically bursting. That’s why it’s so easy to crush an entire box of Oreos. Sugar can be as addicting as cocaine, and with some form of sugar being in virtually every processed food you buy, many people are not (so much) hungry as they are just reacting to hormonal addictions to refined or processed foods. Eliminate that sugar in favor of more proteins, fats and vegetables, and your body will tell you when you’re hungry or full, not just simply satisfy an addiction.”

Not all health professionals agree with all aspects of the paleo diet — that all dairy, grains and legumes should be avoided, for instance. Anyone interested in pursuing the diet should do their own research and talk to a health care professional if they have questions or concerns.

For those who try the diet, cooking paleo has never been easier, with a variety of cookbooks and recipes available. In that respect, Austin has met the paleo diet head-on by bringing a passion for creative cooking to the table.

“Instead of focusing on the foods I should be avoiding, I celebrate with the ones I can. There are thousands of recipes out there! Spices are my new best friend and I’ve found that I love roasting vegetables, especially green beans. I’ve made things like coconut chicken nuggets, primal short ribs with portobello mushrooms and sweet potato fries. There are so many healthy options to experiment with and millions of combinations. . . . I’ve even made a promise to myself to try every conceivable vegetable and truly decide if I like it or not.”

Or, it can be as simple as what Julia Child used to say: “You don’t have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces – just good food from fresh ingredients.”

“That’s more my style,” laughed Robinson. “I don’t make anything complicated, especially in our go, go, go world. My favorite meal is what I call taco-less taco salad. Soften onions, peppers and spinach leaf with coconut oil. Add in ground, grass-fed beef and sausage. Season with crushed red pepper, sea salt and oregano then add in crushed tomatoes, black olives and garlic and voila! Tasty, simple, and the whole family will go gaga for it.”

But is it reasonable to think we can all do 100 percent paleo?

Everybody’s needs are different,” said Robinson. “For those with an auto-immune condition like rheumatoid arthritis or Hashimoto’s, then a stricter version of paleo is required. Foods that cause a negative reaction (breads, dairy, etc) need to be eliminated permanently. Most people do great on what many folks in the ancestral health field are calling a ‘paleo template.’ Eliminate common, problem-causing foods for one to four weeks, then reintroduce them to test and assess for any problems. If we don’t notice any differences or changes with or without a certain food, then we keep it in. The idea is not to create unnecessary restrictions; the idea is to find out what makes you feel best.”

“Look, I love ice cream, cookies, pizza and pies,” he added. “And I still eat those foods, but I use them as treats. Like anything from alcohol to drugs, the substance is not evil by nature. It becomes a problem when it is abused. Ultimately, it’s up to the individual to decide who they want to be.”

For any life change to take hold, it needs to truly be enjoyable.

“Eating paleo may seem terrifying at first,” Austin said. “But with a little wiggle room and creativity, it can be a great health choice. For me it was a necessity, for others it may just be a choice. Overall it is choosing to feel better, both mentally and physically.”

Robinson agrees.

“By and large, eating real food will lead to increased energy levels, less body fat, regulated hormones and better chances for long-term health. All of these things together lead to a humble appreciation for the gift of human life, which ultimately leads to a lifetime of health and happiness!”

Primal short ribs with portobello mushrooms

2 teaspoons coconut or olive oil

3 1/2 pounds beef short ribs

1 medium onion, diced

6 garlic cloves, crushed

2 ribs of celery, diced

3 small carrots, diced

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1/3-1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 1/4 tablespoons dried thyme

5 cups beef broth

6 large portobello mushroom caps

1 tablespoon coconut or olive oil

Fresh parsley or chive for garnish

Salt and pepper

Instructions:

Sprinkle salt and pepper on ribs and deeply brown in a large, deep pan with oil.

Remove from pan.

Saute vegetables and garlic in drippings until soft.

Add paste and water, scrape bottom of pan and cook 3-4 minutes.

Add vinegar and thyme. Boil for 5 minutes.

Return ribs deep into the pan, reduce heat, cover and cook until meat falls apart, about 4 hours.

When done, remove ribs and shred meat from bones with two forks.

Strain veggies and return sauce to pan. Boil till thickened. (Discard veggies.)

While that is thickening, brush mushroom caps with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast for 10-13 minutes.

Replace meat to sauce.

Remove mushrooms and mound shredded meat on top. Smother with sauce and garnish.

Caveman coconut chicken

1 pound of boneless chicken thighs

1 egg

1 tablespoon almond milk

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 cup almond flour

Dash of salt and paprika

Coconut or olive oil

Instructions:

In one shallow bowl, mix coconut, flour, salt and paprika.

In another shallow bowl, whisk egg and milk.

Cut chicken to desired nugget size. (Try to keep same size.)

One by one, dredge each piece of chicken in egg mixture.

Then coat all sides with coconut mixture.

Cover bottom of large, nonstick pan with oil and heat on medium.

Once the pan is hot add nuggets – don’t crowd the pan.

Brown both sides 3-5 minutes (depending on size)

Paleo ranch dressing for BLT salad

1/2 cup paleo mayonnaise (recipe below)

1/2 cup canned coconut milk (shaken)

1 tablespoon fresh dill (or 1/2 tablespoon dried)

1/2 teaspoon vinegar

1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more if desired)

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: Whisk all ingredients together.

Makes about one cup.

Use with a salad made of chopped fried bacon, tomatoes and lettuce.

Meat-eater’s mayonnaise

1 egg at room temp (about 1 hour)

2 tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice (room temp)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup olive oil (must be light)

Instructions: Place egg and juice in blender.

Add salt and blend again.

Once blended — do not stop blender — pour in olive oil, very slowly.

Stop when it reaches desired consistency. About 10-15 seconds.

For a zestier mayo, add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard with salt.

Refrigerate mayo. Good for one week past expiration date on eggs.

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