The paleo diet is something that has been getting a bit of news
over the last year or some. The general idea is that our first
human ancestor appeared in Africa 1 to 2 million years ago. So we
went at least a million years eating diets that were mostly meat,
fish, and vegetables for at least a million years before the
agricultural revolution that happened in 10,000 B.C. This means
that our bodies have had way more time to evolve while eating meat,
fish, and vegetables than it has eating products of the
agricultural revolution like wheat.
Now even the wheat we are eating today is different than the
wheat our ancestors were eating 10,000 years ago. With genetically
modified foods and the use of chemicals in our farming, our farmed
foods aren't the same as they were.
This means you wouldn't eat anything that isn't organic since we
didn't have non-organic foods way back in the day. Also, food that
isn't organic and uses compounds like Roundup have been shown to
change the gut microbiome in ways that contribute to autism,
depression, cancer, and more [42].
Also, when it comes to meat, eggs and fish, you always want to go
with organic, grass-fed, pasture-raised and wild caught.
I've hinted at it before, but let's dive into why I think the paleo
diet is a great option for your child.
First, it will help out with all the above factors. Eating paleo
forces you to avoid foods that hurt your gut bacteria, foods that
contain MSG, and foods that support a healthy waste removal
system.
However, you could simply eat ground beef 100% of the time and
considered to be eating paleo. You want to make sure you don't just
eat a paleo diet and skip out on all the great protocols above. You
should work the first three steps of this guide into a paleo diet
that includes a wide variety of different foods. Doing this will
give your child the best chance at improving their autistic
symptoms.
The second reason I think paleo is a great option is that it's a
whole diet that the entire family can do together. Since most
people who switch to paleo see good results, there's no reason for
your entire family not to give it a go.
If you do it as a whole family, your child won't feel singled out,
which will make it harder for them to follow. Also, if everyone is
doing it, then you're forced to get rid of junk food and to stop
buying it.
If you make your child eat paleo, but you get to eat junk food,
they'll be way more likely to sneak into the cupboard and eat your
junk food, which will hurt them and impair their recovery.
Another reason I like paleo as an option as it gives you a direct
reference to look for recipes. If you go to Amazon and search for
paleo cookbooks, you'll find a massive amount! On top of that if
you are craving some food that isn't paleo, you can simply Google
"Paleo [food you are craving]" and I almost guarantee you'll find a
recipe that pulls it off. Some examples that I've made are:
* Paleo Teriyaki Chicken
* Paleo Ice Cream
* Paleo Mayonnaise
* Paleo Sriracha
You can start buying healthier ingredients and cooking delicious,
healthy meals that won't only make you healthier, but can have an
enormous impact on your child.
Now I could go on about the paleo diet and why it works for most
people who try it, but that would require to write an entire book
within this guide! Below are some resources that you can check out
to further understand the paleo diet and see what kind of recipes
you can start cooking up!:
* http://www.marksdailyapple.com/
* The Primal Blueprint
* https://chriskresser.com/
* http://robbwolf.com/