The Paleo Diet Basics

The "paleo" diet has gained significant popularity in recent years, particularly among women over 40 looking for a way to lose the belly fat and reduce their food intolerances. Although its name originates from ancient hunter-gatherer traditions, recent studies have validated some of its health benefits. This article will outline the paleo diet basics for you.

Essentially, the paleo diet emphasizes the consumption of whole, nutrient-rich foods and eliminates processed foods. This is a healthy approach, especially for women over 40.

If you're curious about the paleo diet basics, let me share some of its benefits with you so that you can make an informed decision.

And if you're interested, be sure to check out the delicious muffin recipe at the end of this article. These muffins are perfect for breakfast, as a snack, or even as a dessert.

The Paleo Diet for Women Over 40

If you're a woman over 40, you may have come across the popular "paleo" diet while looking for ways to lose weight in perimenopause or menopause. While it gained a lot of attention in 2013, you might be wondering if it's just another passing fad, or if it could be the right choice for you.

 The paleo diet is a nutrient-rich approach to eating that emphasizes whole foods such as quality meats, seafood, eggs, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and seeds. By avoiding most processed and refined foods, it provides complete nutrition while reducing inflammation, gut and hormone disruption.

The name "paleo" comes from the paleolithic era, when earlier humans were hunter-gatherers and had a different approach to nutrition than the agricultural period. In its simplest terms - what I tell my clients is that if you can grow it, pick it or hunt it - it's probably going to be a good choice for you. 

On the paleo diet, you can enjoy a wide variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat (including organ meats), seafood, healthy fats, fermented foods, herbs, and spices.

However, you'll need to avoid processed and refined foods such as sugar, vegetable oils, and artificial sweeteners, as well as grains like wheat, oats, and rice, dairy, and most legumes like beans and peanuts.

While the paleo diet provides a template to follow, there is room for experimentation with healthy whole foods. Some variations include adding high-quality dairy, white rice, or potatoes.

One of the benefits of the paleo diet for women over 40 is that it's easy to follow and has few negative side effects and can help with weight loss. There's no need to count calories or carbs, and the variety of nutritious foods available ensures that it doesn't get boring. (Try out the delicious and nutritious muffin recipe at the end of this article as a perfect paleo breakfast or snack)

How Does the Paleo Diet Affect Women's Health and Hormones?

Numerous clinical studies have investigated the health benefits of following the paleo diet. The findings have been encouraging, with some studies suggesting that the diet can aid in weight loss and reduction of belly fat, which could be a compelling reason to give it a try.

In addition to weight loss, the paleo diet has shown promise in reducing the risk factors associated with modern chronic diseases. For instance, it may improve heart health by reducing cholesterol and inflammation, regulate glucose tolerance, and alleviate symptoms of autoimmune diseases, inflammation and poor gut health.

The paleo diet is also known to be gut-friendly as it includes a wealth of high-fiber foods, such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. It also contains fermented foods that are rich in probiotics, making it a great choice for maintaining a healthy gut microbiome.

Should you consider the paleo diet basics?

The paleo diet is often recommended for women with food intolerances or autoimmune diseases, and those who are at high risk of developing heart disease or diabetes may benefit from trying it out.

If you're sensitive to gluten or lactose, the paleo diet basics eliminate both by excluding all grains and dairy. Even if you decide not to follow the paleo diet, striving to eliminate added sugars, processed, and refined foods from your diet can still be a beneficial goal to work towards.

In conclusion

The paleo diet is inspired by the diet of ancient hunters and gatherers, consisting of whole foods that are nutrient-dense. Its focus is on consuming fruits, vegetables, eggs, nuts, seeds, meat, seafood, and fermented foods.

Scientific studies have demonstrated that the paleo diet can aid in weight loss, decrease the risk of heart disease, improve glucose tolerance, and reduce inflammation.

Even if you choose not to adopt the paleo diet completely, striving to eliminate added sugars, processed, and refined foods from your diet can still be an excellent goal to work towards because it is simple, it eliminates many inflammatory foods and helps to bring your body back into balance with nature.

Recipe (Paleo): Banana Muffins

Serves 12

3 large eggs

5 mashed bananas

½ cup almond butter

¼ cup coconut oil

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup coconut flour

1 tbsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

pinch of sea salt

Preheat oven to 350F. Line 12 muffin cups with liners. In a food processor or stand mixer, blend eggs, bananas, almond butter, coconut oil, and vanilla.

In a large bowl mix coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add blended wet ingredients to dry ingredients and stir until combined.Spoon batter into muffin tins, ¾ full. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden.

Serve & enjoy!

Tip: You can top muffins with walnuts before baking.

References

https://authoritynutrition.com/5-studies-on-the-paleo-diet/

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