Canibais e Reis

Many aspects of the Paleo Diet reduce your risk of disease to improve mental and physical function in later life, while reducing the suffering and debilitation that often accompany illness.

Longevity diets include aspects of the Paleo Diet

Many diets associated with longevity contain characteristics of the Paleo Diet. For instance, major aspects of the Mediterranean diet are similar to the Paleo Diet. Both diets provide a low omega-6:omega-3 ratio, and emphasize fruits, vegetables and monounsaturated fat¹. In a comparison study, though, the Paleo Diet was found superior in improving glucose tolerance².

Similarly, the traditional diet of Okinawa has a low omega-6:omega-3 ratio and avoids trans fatty acids much as the Paleo Diet does. The Okinawan diet is composed of fruit, vegetables, fish, and some pork, which is similar to the Paleo Diet.

Like the Paleo Diet, the diet of Okinawa excludes potatoes that contain harmful glykoalcaloids, as well as gluten-containing grains. However, the Okinawan diet does include rice, a high-glycemic food that may contribute to insulin resistance, and that is avoided by those eating the Paleo Diet.

Caloric restriction and lifespan

Restricting calories is the only method proven to extend lifespan in various animals, including primates^3-8. This is one of the reasons why Okinawans may live longer, on average, than people in Japan: Okinawans consume fewer calories⁹.

Intervention studies have shown that when people consume the food groups available in the Paleolithic era, the result is that they consume fewer calories, even without being specifically directed to do so^{10, 11}.

Weight management and long-term health

Overweight and obesity are linked to an array of health problems known as metabolic syndrome, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and blood fat levels, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease¹². Linked to 400,000 deaths annually, obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the U.S¹².

Several aspects of the Paleo Diet make it easy to maintain optimum weight. By emphasizing low glycemic load foods and avoiding high fructose foods, the Paleo Diet helps to keep energy levels balanced so you don’t experience an energy crash. This not only makes it easier to avoid eating unhealthy foods, but it also increases stamina and improves mental focus.

The diet’s correct balance of carbohydrate, protein and fat improves blood-lipid profiles, helps you feel full for longer periods between meals, and enables your body to burn more calories. People in our Paleo Diet Implementation Program routinely report loss of body fat, without going hungry or consciously cutting calories.

A Paleolithic lifestyle improves health

Beyond diet, the lifestyle of our hunter-gatherer ancestors included other factors shown to improve health. They enjoyed enhanced vitamin D production from sunlight, more exercise, and better sleep patterns. Although they experienced acute stress, they had less exposure to chronic stress than is prevalent today.

The diet, exercise, sleep, and sun exposure needs of living organisms are genetically determined. While there have been a few genetic changes since the Agriculture Revolution^13-19, most of the human genome is composed of genes selected during the Paleolithic^20-25 in Africa^26-40.

It is being increasingly recognized that the profound changes in diet and lifestyle of the last 10,000 years have occurred too recently for the human genome to have adapted^41-58. There are no genetic adaptations that protect us from our modern lifestyle because our genome suits the primitive environment of our ancestors.

Changes in the human genome have not supported longevity

Most of the genetic alterations that occurred post-agriculture were not in response to changes in diet, exercise or sleep patterns⁵⁹. They occurred in response to pathogens, diseases, and a harsh environment⁵⁹. The goal of these changes was not to increase longevity, or resistance to chronic degenerative diseases⁶⁰. It was to increase survival and reproductive success, even if such changes resulted in a liability in post-reproductive years^{20, 24, 60, 61}.

These single gene mutations are important for health practitioners treating patients. However, they are imperfect models to prevent chronic degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, etc. The clinical symptoms of chronic degenerative diseases normally affect post-reproductive years, and involve hundreds of genes⁶⁰.

Hunter-gatherers and other populations minimally affected by modern habits exhibit superior health markers, body composition and physical fitness in comparison to those consuming a typical Western diet. When hunter-gatherer societies adopt a Western lifestyle, their risk for chronic degenerative disease is similar or even greater than that of more Westernized populations^{25, 62-84}. Their risk markers for chronic degenerative disease sometimes improve, though, if they return to their original hunter-gatherer lifestyle^{85, 86}.

Improving mental and physical function in later life

To optimize your health and decrease your risk of disease, here are some key steps. First, let the Paleo Diet helps you maintain optimum weight. With the Paleo Diet, you’ll also be eliminating substances (such as dairy, grains, legumes, etc.) thought to contribute to inflammatory and autoimmune diseases.

Beyond diet, emulate the lifestyle of our Paleolithic ancestors by getting some vigorous exercise on a regular basis. It’s also important to make time for plenty of sleep not only for your health, but also for learning (the Paleo Diet improves sleep quality for many people). Taking action to reduce chronic stress, and to lessen its impact on your health prevents disease, as well.

Maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D is also critical. Low levels of vitamin D have been associated with increased risk of death from all causes⁸⁷.

Getting just 15 to 20 minutes of sunlight a day may be enough to convert a form of cholesterol in the skin into vitamin D⁸⁸. If you’re not getting adequate sunlight, we recommend taking approximately 2000 IU of vitamin D per day.