Ever wondered, “Why Should I try the Paleo Diet?” Today’s testimonial comes from a doctor, Gerry Farris, who does Paleo himself. He explains why he recommends Paleo to all his patients, and why it is completely worth it.
I became aware of the Paleo diet about three years ago through a local Crossfit. It was intriguing, and then I underwent the 8 week Paleo challenge. It was truly amazing to see the body transformation and energy levels change. Then, I educated myself by reading Robb Wolf’s book and bought Sarah Fragoso’s cookbook. My medical view is that there is some great validity to this eating plan. I hate to use the word diet as it creates a negative connotation.
So, here’s my take on the subject. Medicine and medical research is discovering that the root cause of most disease is related to inflammation in the body. Inflammation is the byproduct of daily living, but it has reached critical levels in our society. Thus, there is an epidemic of modifiable diseases: Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity. Medical studies are proving that heart disease, autoimmune disease, arthritic disease, and even cancer have their origin from inflammation. In essence, the reactions to the stimuli placed upon it by environmental factors, but stresses can override the system.
Processed food, high carbohydrate diets (aka. American diet), fast foods and GMO (genetically modified organisms) have increased inflammation to epic levels in the body. Our digestive system was not made to process the amount of junk in our American diet. But, we continue to eat poor quality food and suffer the ravages of disease. The prevalence of obesity is America is 35% and type 2 diabetes is reaching epidemic proportions. This can be traced back to the food pyramid of the 1980’s where grains accounted for the majority of the caloric intake. Now, there is a new portion plate instead of the old food pyramid. But, my patients don’t want to eat right; they just want another pill to fix the problem. Medicines can help, but they don’t address the root cause of the problem. So, why don’t patient’s address the problem? Because the answer, proper nutrition (Paleo), takes some time and effort.
So, the question is: “is it worth my time?”. And I will tell you that the answer is a resounding yes. There are so many health benefits to proper nutrition. Weight control, cardiovascular protection, low insulin levels, mental clarity, less joint pain, and low cholesterol to name a few. When I counsel patients about this, there is always trepidation. My advice is always “You will never know how bad you felt until you feel really good”. After 8 weeks of proper (Paleo) diet, most patients will not go back to the American diet. If they do, they immediately see negative results. The Paleo diet can truly change your life for the better.
OK.. So why listen to me? Education and Experience.
I have been a physician for 20+ years and am both Board certified in Emergency Medicine and certified in Age Management medicine. My athletic background was an amateur triathlete for 26 years competing in local events to World championship races. I have been a member of Team USA as both an athlete and physician.
Paleo works! Just give it a try. You will never go back.
arlene says
love this article, thanks for sharing. i’ve been paleo for almost 3 months now and it has made a huge difference in my life…even my hubby and kids have gotten on board
my mom has MS and i’m trying to convince her this is the way to go….i’ve got my work cut out for me,lol!
Monica Bravo says
Glad you enjoyed it! That’s wonderful that you have helped change your family’s lives too.
Gerry Farris says
Arlene,
There have been several anecdotal reports of MS in remission with the Paleo diet. One is by an neurologist with wheelchair bound MS who is back to teaching. She credits her success to Paleo.
Have your mother give it a 8 week trial.
Doc
Robert Louque says
Is Dr. Farris in Louisiana?
Monica Bravo says
No he is actually in North Carolina