The Ancestral Table: Traditional Recipes for a Paleo Lifestyle Read Online Free
Author: Russ Crandall
nutritious—a bone broth cooked for ten hours, for example, is more nutrient-dense than a broth cooked for one hour. Finally, cooking is a skill that’s been passed down from generation to generation since the dawn of humankind. Somehow we’ve lost this tradition over the past 100 years. It’s time to take it back.
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Environmental factors
I believe that our rise in food intolerances and allergies are the result of our modern environment. Today, we are more susceptible to and affected by problematic foods because we’re not connected to nature in the same ways humans have been throughout history.
Plenty of access to the great outdoors, constant contact with livestock, and the consumption of a wide variety of fresh, seasonal, and naturally fermented foods were all staples of the human condition until our modern era. We’ve further weakened our gut flora (the bacteria that helps us digest foods and absorb nutrients) by misusing antibiotics and overusing antibacterial products, which kill off both good and bad bacteria. The foods we eat today are less nutritious due to soil depletion and negligent mass-farming practices. We don’t get enough sleep, and we live in a constant state of low-level stress. These factors contribute to a weakened system and an increase in food allergies and autoimmune-related health issues.
Prioritizing your food choices
If I had to put foods into categories, I’d have three: Good, Great, and Bad. You should eat mostly Good foods, supplement with Great foods as much as possible, and avoid Bad foods.
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GOOD: MEATS, VEGETABLES, FRUITS
Grass-fed ruminants (beef, lamb, and bison) and pastured pork and poultry are ideal.
Berries are preferred over other fruits.
Nuts, alcohol, and chocolate are okay if consumed in moderation and treated as pleasure foods.
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GREAT: FISH, SEAFOOD, FERMENTED (PROBIOTIC) FOODS, ORGAN MEATS, BROTHS, SEAWEED, EGG YOLKS
Wild, sustainably-caught seafood is ideal, with the exception of molluscs, which are more sustainable when farmed ( see here ). Consult the Seafood Watch Program run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
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BAD: CEREAL GRAINS, LEGUMES, DAIRY, PROCESSED FOODS, SUGARS, ADDITIVES
Cereal grains (wheat, barley, rye, corn, and so on) are becoming increasingly problematic for our digestive systems due to the weakened composition of our gut flora.
Rice is the only grain I feel is completely okay to eat, as it is extremely low in toxins, especially white rice ( see here ).
Oils derived from seeds and grains (vegetable, corn, soybean, canola, and the like) are highly inflammatory and likely contribute to the rising rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke throughout the world.
Fermented legumes (tamari, miso, natto, and tempeh) are acceptable, as most toxins are destroyed in the fermentation process. Soy is extremely disruptive to the endocrine system and should be avoided as much as possible. Beans that are prepared traditionally (soaked overnight) are superior to canned beans, but they may still cause issues for some people. Green beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, and even green peas are low in toxins, and I consider them acceptable to eat in moderation.
Some forms of dairy are better than others, and dairy tolerance is highly individualized ( see here ).
Certain natural sweeteners, like honey, maple syrup, and coconut palm sugar, are fine in moderation.
To sum it up, I think maintaining health is easy and fun: Eat a variety of good foods. Spend time outdoors. Get a lot of sleep. Minimize stress and addictive behaviors.
For further information about the science behind my dietary and culinary principles, I suggest consulting the following resources:
The Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat, by Paul Jaminet, Ph.D. and Shou-Ching Jaminet, Ph.D.
The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet, by Robb Wolf
Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit
----
Environmental factors
I believe that our rise in food intolerances and allergies are the result of our modern environment. Today, we are more susceptible to and affected by problematic foods because we’re not connected to nature in the same ways humans have been throughout history.
Plenty of access to the great outdoors, constant contact with livestock, and the consumption of a wide variety of fresh, seasonal, and naturally fermented foods were all staples of the human condition until our modern era. We’ve further weakened our gut flora (the bacteria that helps us digest foods and absorb nutrients) by misusing antibiotics and overusing antibacterial products, which kill off both good and bad bacteria. The foods we eat today are less nutritious due to soil depletion and negligent mass-farming practices. We don’t get enough sleep, and we live in a constant state of low-level stress. These factors contribute to a weakened system and an increase in food allergies and autoimmune-related health issues.
Prioritizing your food choices
If I had to put foods into categories, I’d have three: Good, Great, and Bad. You should eat mostly Good foods, supplement with Great foods as much as possible, and avoid Bad foods.
----
GOOD: MEATS, VEGETABLES, FRUITS
Grass-fed ruminants (beef, lamb, and bison) and pastured pork and poultry are ideal.
Berries are preferred over other fruits.
Nuts, alcohol, and chocolate are okay if consumed in moderation and treated as pleasure foods.
----
GREAT: FISH, SEAFOOD, FERMENTED (PROBIOTIC) FOODS, ORGAN MEATS, BROTHS, SEAWEED, EGG YOLKS
Wild, sustainably-caught seafood is ideal, with the exception of molluscs, which are more sustainable when farmed ( see here ). Consult the Seafood Watch Program run by the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
----
BAD: CEREAL GRAINS, LEGUMES, DAIRY, PROCESSED FOODS, SUGARS, ADDITIVES
Cereal grains (wheat, barley, rye, corn, and so on) are becoming increasingly problematic for our digestive systems due to the weakened composition of our gut flora.
Rice is the only grain I feel is completely okay to eat, as it is extremely low in toxins, especially white rice ( see here ).
Oils derived from seeds and grains (vegetable, corn, soybean, canola, and the like) are highly inflammatory and likely contribute to the rising rates of cardiovascular disease and stroke throughout the world.
Fermented legumes (tamari, miso, natto, and tempeh) are acceptable, as most toxins are destroyed in the fermentation process. Soy is extremely disruptive to the endocrine system and should be avoided as much as possible. Beans that are prepared traditionally (soaked overnight) are superior to canned beans, but they may still cause issues for some people. Green beans, snow peas, sugar snap peas, and even green peas are low in toxins, and I consider them acceptable to eat in moderation.
Some forms of dairy are better than others, and dairy tolerance is highly individualized ( see here ).
Certain natural sweeteners, like honey, maple syrup, and coconut palm sugar, are fine in moderation.
To sum it up, I think maintaining health is easy and fun: Eat a variety of good foods. Spend time outdoors. Get a lot of sleep. Minimize stress and addictive behaviors.
For further information about the science behind my dietary and culinary principles, I suggest consulting the following resources:
The Perfect Health Diet: Regain Health and Lose Weight by Eating the Way You Were Meant to Eat, by Paul Jaminet, Ph.D. and Shou-Ching Jaminet, Ph.D.
The Paleo Solution: The Original Human Diet, by Robb Wolf
Your Personal Paleo Code: The 3-Step Plan to Lose Weight, Reverse Disease, and Stay Fit
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