Paleo=clear skin?

I have been prepping for my fall class and doing some lit reviews for my student's Paleo independent study, and I've come across some interesting theories on the Paleo diet's health benefits.  Check out Loren Cordain's "Paleo Diet for Athletes" and "The Dietary Cure for Acne" for claims on health benefits ranging from weight loss to improved sports performance to clearer skin.

The "Dietary Cure for Acne" was of particular interest, as I suffered from pretty severe acne in my early 20's, and mild acne for the past few years (it got a LOT better after I eliminated gluten in 2008).  Every doctor I have been to has told me that my disorder is not related to diet, but the research presented in Cordain's book presents a compelling argument to the contrary.  Given that my acne decreased in severity so greatly once gluten was eliminated and my access to processed, refined grains decreased dramatically, I have to wonder what might happen if I were to remove all dairy, grains and legumes from my diet.  Cordain suggests that dairy, legumes, grains, sugars, and possibly nuts may increase inflammatory hormones, and alter sex hormone and growth factor balance, all contributing to acneic skin.  These findings sure make a good case for "going paleo" for a month to see what happens!

The "Dietary Cure for Acne" book suggests eliminating coconut and tree nuts for thirty days as well, as these may impact hormone levels.  So, for this experiment, I will limit nuts and coconut to once per day.  Totally eliminating these seems unrealistic, but may be worth a try in the future depending on my results!

30 days of fruits, veggies, meats and fish, here I come!  Since I'm not interested in weight loss, but am interested in skin clearing and athletic performance, the key here is going to be getting in enough food with limited options.  August in Western Mass, with its plethora of farmers markets should be a fantastic time to do this!

honeymoon week training (week 2 cfe)

Saturday: warmed up 5 minutes, ran 36 minute tempo (slightly under 7 min pace), jogged 5 min home with 5 by 20 sec uphill striders (1 every minute)

(also biked about 40 miles to see a bunch of the city on crappy hybrid bikes....butt is sore!!!)

Sunday: 12 minute jog, dynamic warmup, 4 by 5 handstand pushups againsta a wall (strict)

Then found a mile long hill and did 6 by 2 block sprints, stopping every 2 blocks to do: 10 pushups, 20 squats, 30 double unders, 40 situps.  

So, ended up getting in about 1000  meters of sprinting uphill, 60 pushups, 120 squats, 180 double under and 200 situps total!  cooled down about 7 minutes to  get back to the inn.

(also walked around the city and Bainbridge Island  a ton....maybe 5-6 miles total?)

Monday: warmed up 12 minutes, sprinted 20 by 30 seconds hard/1 minute easy, jogged home (about 58 minutes total).  This looked easy on paper, but was pretty damn hard!

(also biked about 20 miles and kayaked leisurely for 2 hours)

Tuesday: 15 minute warmup, 3 sets of (20 double unders, 15 squats, 10 hand stand pushups), ran hard up a hill (abut 3/4 mile) and at the top did 3 sets of (20 double unders, 15 squats, 10 pushups), cooled down about 6 minutes

Wednesday: 10 minute jog to warm up, 25 minutes at tempo effort, 6 minute jog back up the hill to get back to the inn

(travel day: walked around carrying a bunch of suitcases for a couple miles)

Thursday: A little bit of a rough one.  Had a severe reaction to some sort of mistakenly consumed gluten containing food last night  (up all night with hives, bathroom trips, all around a pretty bad experience). But, jogged 30 minutes to and from the pharmacy for some antihistamine in the morning and then went to the gym at the hotel and did: 

3 sets of (10 strict pullups, 10 each side lunges holding 40lbs, 10 strict knees to elbows), rested 1 minute and then did 3 sets of (10 strict chest to bar chin up style, 100 single under jump rope, 10 thrusters holding 40 lbs).  

(also walked a few miles around Portland, through Washington Park and to the zoo!)

Friday and Saturday: travel Days and time in LA with Grandma! No workouts. Enjoyed seeing family and last days of our honeymoon :-) Back at it tomorrow!

Paleo Challenge

I have a student researching and writing about the Paleo diet this summer, and I am teaching a"Diet Theory" course this fall that includes the diet.  Although I have made fun of most diet theories in the past, when done right, the Paleo diet is pretty great. It  can help people avoid allergy, intolerance, and chronic inflammation-provoking foods while providing a plethora of nutrient dense options.

In a nutshell, a "Paleo Dieter" eats as a hunter-gatherer from the Paleolithic era would, focusing on nuts, seeds, fruits, veggies and meats while avoiding   legumes, grains, dairy, and sugar. I love the theory (this is simple, clean eating at its best!),  but think the practice can become a little difficult for the average person, who lives a hectic on-the-go lifestyle and doesn't prepare the majority of his or her meals from scratch.  It can also be difficult in terms of cost, as grains and beans are pretty cheap sources of nutrition, whereas high quality fruits, veggies, and meats can be on the pricey side.

Furthermore, some people end up eating a super high fat diet when they "go Paleo", trading in whole grains for baked goods made with almond and coconut flour, and use the diet as an excuse to devour pounds of bacon and burgers.  These foods should be eaten in moderation on any diet.  If non  starchy veggies, fresh fruit, and lean meats act as the "every meal foods", the Paleo diet is a nutrient rich, minimally processed diet with few empty Calories. That gets my. Seal of approval!

 I actually have been recommending a Paleo-ish diet for my weight loss clients for years, but have always focused on removing foods or food groups one at a time rather than all together (I.e. removing dairy or wheat for a week or two and "crowding in" fruits, veggies and lean meats). Some clients seem to do really well on dairy and quinoa and oats, while others find that taking these foods out is a better choice.    Using this methodical approach, I have found some great results including decreased cravings, less bloating, quicker recovery time, fat loss, and more energy among my clients.

Some clients choose to eat a mostly Paleo lifestyle, but need a few treats a week, such as ice cream with a friend, fetuccini Alfredo at grandma's, or a scone from a favorite bakery.  Some people just aren't meant to be food nazi's and rebel both mentally and physically when they are told they "can't" have something.  Typically, I fall in to the "moderation" category with my own diet.  Living without margaritas and sushi and  ice cream is a bit too restrictive for me.  I also enjoy my Greek yogurt, gluten free Canyon Bakehouse bread and Food Should Taste Good multigrain chips on a daily basis :-). 

But then, on my trip to Olympia for a conference,  I ended up eating a purely paleo diet for 6 days due to lack of other options: I have celiac disease and there were no gluten free grains, and dairy choices included sugary yogurt and processed cheese, neither of which were vey appetizing.  So my days included eggs and fruit for breakfast, salad with lots of meat and veggies for lunch, fruit and nuts for snack, meat, roasted veggies and salad for dinner, and a glass of wine to finish off the day....and I felt AWESOME! I needed less sleep, I was able to sit through many hours of meetings each day, and woke up at sunrise each day excited to complete intense crossfit and running workouts!  By then end of my trip, I thought, "There might be something to this Paleo thing".

However, I am going to go back to my old ways and indulge in any (gluten free) culinary delight I choose in Seattle, Portland and LA.  It's my honeymoon, and that's a time to savor every moment, and not a time to inflict dietary restrictions on myself!

Since I am going all out with this CFE (crossfit endurance) program, I am going to go for it 100 percent and take a "Paleo Challenge" for the month of August, removing all added sugar, grains, legumes, and dairy from my diet.  After the 30 days, if the results are great, I will think about limiting some of my grains, treats and dairy on a consistent basis....but I'm sure going to miss my Ice cream visits with the cows at Cook Farm these next 30 days!  I will document my eating habits and share some recipes along the way!