The Paleo diet is all the rage right now. But many people question this way of eating because there’s a lot of confusion about it. I had Jim Judd, clinical nutritionist from Nutritionalprofiling.com, on the radio show to get the facts straight about the Paleo diet. He talked about some of the myths and misconceptions of Paleo and how to do it right. Here’s a summary of what we discussed. Jim’s definition of Paleo is only eating food the body recognizes. Typically, the body does not recognize processed foods and reacts to it. But when it eats natural foods that it does recognize, it can digest and use them properly. Paleo is about eating natural, unprocessed foods that the body recognizes. This means avoiding legumes (beans), all grains, dairy, processed sugars and processed oils.

What foods are really healthy for you?

We’ve been led to believe that foods like grains and beans are healthy for us, but they contain phytic acid, which promotes inflammation in the body. So where do you get fuel and energy from on the Paleo diet if you can’t eat grains and beans? The answer may be surprising. The best fuel comes from eating healthy fats from sources like good quality meat, avocados and coconuts. People are afraid of fat because it’s been portrayed as unhealthy, but fat is our best nutritional friend, according to Judd. It’s good for mood, keeps you full and provides sustained energy without a crash. Grains on the other hand are often genetically modified and have unhealthy side effects such as slowing recovery from exercise as well as metabolism. They also invite disease and inflammation, according to Judd.

Another Paleo myth Paleo is not a high protein diet.

It includes healthy veggies and starches. Sweet potatoes (especially purple ones) are great for athletes to prepare for and recover from exercise. And you don’t have to give up breads or desserts, just replace them with home-made versions baked with coconut flour or almond flour. Many healthy recipes for Paleo brownies and breads are available free online. One popular website with recipes and the science behind Paleo is Paleomom.com. She also provides great resources on transitioning kids to Paleo. Milk is also not allowed on the Paleo diet. Breast milk is still the best food for infants but cow milk should be avoided when babies are weaned.

Is Paleo right for you?

So how do you know if the Paleo diet can benefit you? The body speaks in symptoms.

Here’s a short symptom quiz to help determine if transitioning to a Paleo diet would benefit you.

  1. How do you feel in the morning? Do you feel energetic? Did you sleep well? Do you have a bowel movement soon after getting up?
  2. Do you have food cravings for sugar or salt throughout the day?
  3. How does your skin look, is it healthy and glowing? If you fall short in the answers above, a Paleo reboot may help.

Here are a few tips from Judd on transitioning to Paleo.

  1. Eat foods in their natural state such as fruits, veggies and quality protein. Stay away from processed foods by shopping the perimeter of the store.
  2. Eat breakfast within an hour or rising and drink two glasses of filtered water.
  3. A typical Paleo breakfast is uncured bacon, eggs, avocado and greens with olive oil.
  4. Lunch and dinner should include good quality veggies and protein.
  5. When you eat fat as an energy source, don’t combine it with processed carbohydrates. Then body will then burn fat for fuel and lead to weight loss. Remember science has proven that to lose weight you have to have healthy fats in your diet.