Paleo – A Case Of History Repeating?

It has been said in history that those of poor health with diseases of affluence don't change unless they are forced.

There will always those lost souls who will complain about the way they feel, their expanding waistline and why they are emotionally attached to bread, donuts, TV and Hollywood magazines. If we are ever going to change the health and happiness of this world for the better, then the time has come to hang up the DVR and get back to the basics as a nation. Eat real food, create meaningful work to pay your bills, play outside, express yourself, celebrate yourself, figure out how you want to make an impact on this planet and start and make others feel amazing.

Or just stay miserable. Either way, you've made the choice!

Behavior, much like playing the piano, is a learned trait– we eat, laugh, play, love, exercise, talk, cry and do almost anything in our lives emotionally because of a blended mix of our own small evolutionary process via environmental and inspirational cues. Based on the biology of desire, is it so hard to believe that the emotions + behaivor that lead many of us towards self-sabotage and poor health conditions can be shifted or even avoided just by eating a Paleo diet and following evolutionary lifestyle guidelines? Can the facts of improved health, reversal of diabetes and amazing bio-markers rally the nation to adopt a 30 day Paleo challenge? It depends. Before we can answer that we've gotta get deeper than Barry White's low pitch.

When confronted in our early and later adult lives with health issues, whether it be emotional, physical or spiritual, many human beings that were raised to avoid confrontation opt to choose the path of least resistance. That means satisfying hormonal requirements in an imbalanced hormonal state. After years of chips, ding dongs, soda, mars bars and white bread that has altered the composition of the body and most importantly the HORMONES of the body, who can blame them? They are only giving an answer to the immediate question their body is asking…… “Please make me happy and fulfilled?!”

Evolutionary anthropology has shown us that human beings are, in regards to energy out vs. energy in, “genetically lazy over-eaters” -Art DeVany PhD. We are wired at a very basal level to conserve energy and limit stress. The modern day lifestyle of SYMPATHETIC overload and too little play has left many of us burnt out, overweight and unhappy about the future. The paradigm shift in the AMA, ADA and mainstream health care is only going to occur if we create a movement that is based upon the science of true health. In steps the paleo diet and the campus of UCLA this past weekend. Oh, how the wheels of the western diet, myplate.gov and the ADA guidelines for nutrition have fallen off the bus!

After attending the AHS (Ancestral health Symposium) at UCLA this weekend, I was blessed to meet some of the most influential and cutting edge speakers in Paleolithic Nutrition and Exercise Physiology. I attended lectures from Robb Wolf, Gary Taubes, Nora Gedgaudas, CNS, CNT, Andreas Eenfeldt, MD, Loren Cordain, PhD – Colorado State, Stephan Guyenet, PhD, Michael Eades, MD, James O’keefe, MD, Nell Stephenson, BS USC EXSC, ACSM and others. I wasn't necessarily shocked, but was definitely humbled by the mass knowledge that these academic members shared with us. What was the most shocking however, was that out of all of the thousands colleagues that attended the symposium, I only saw maybe less than a dozen people with metabolic dysfunction and obesity. It was very securing and enlightening at the same time because coming from a fitness background and attending conferences for the last 8 years I've seen a lot of overweight, sick and tired “fitness professionals” who follow the SAD (standard American diet) with no success.

Beyond the diet and exercise equation lies something we all can relate to- GETTING MORE PLAY. Mark Sission said it best “We all collectively aren't getting enough play which leads to accelerated deterioration of our longevity.” As you read this, I hope you will remember that without playtime, fun and fitness we continue the cycle of stress, cortisol and fat storage.

Pick up your pen and create 15 minutes to day to just go outside and PLAY! Modern man has many similarities in line with cavemen- We need food, shelter and procreation. To deny any of these basic human needs is to deny the platform in which we can grow after these needs are met- Spiritual expression, positive life memories and bonding time with our family and friends.

The evolutionary progression of our species now will mirror the work we do to mimic the positive lifestyle traits of our past ancestors. The 80% of our genetic expression can be either helped or harmed by the food we eat. Speaking with Robb Wolf before his lecture on the best selling book “The Paleo Solution” at the AHS, I had asked Robb, “I get a lot of push-back from certain training clients about thier buy in on the Paleo 30 day diet challenge, how do you deal with people that accuse the plan of being a fad diet and not having the merit to give it a shot?”

“I have over 48,000 emails right now of people who want help from me with some serious and chronic conditions. If someone is going to argue with me about if the diet works and they are so resistant to even try it then, fuck 'em.” -Robb Wolf

Real, brutal and epic truth from the Biochemist and New York Times Best Selling author who gets up every day in hopes of making this revolution mainstream and accepted by national academia. Maybe I would feel like him as well if I had over 48,000 emails in my inbox. Only a man in his New Balance's will ever know the true feeling. What I did realize from his answer though, was that there are literally millions of willing souls out there who need help and those are the people I want to reach! Energy flows where energy goes. The rest of them will just have to continue on their journey.

In this modern age of total abundance, where if you focus your energy in the right direction you can attain all you truly desire, there are those who choose to remain safely in their happy, yet MISERABLE groove. After a long day of responsibilities, tasks and serving others, all we really desire if fulfillment and vitality. Help will only come to those who are willing and ready. So the question becomes not should you try the Paleo Diet 30 challenge but why WOULDN'T you?

We've all heard the song “Just a little case of history repeating.” Let's not repeat the last 100 years. Let's not stand by while the health of our society is degraded and oligopoly food companies profit. Let's stand together and change this world now. We vote with every meal and every moment we have with the people we care about. Make the moment count and make your food of the highest quality. Turn off the DVR, cancel your cable subscription and go eat some grass-fed steak.

“Action and reaction, ebb and flow, trial and error, change – this is the rhythm of living. Out of our over-confidence, fear; out of our fear, clearer vision, fresh hope. And out of hope, progress.” Bruce Barton

Questions? Start here 

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About Josh Trent

Josh Trent lives in Austin, Texas with his love Carrie Michelle, son Novah, daughter Nayah + a cat named Cleo. He is the host of the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast and the creator of the BREATHE: Breath + Wellness Program. Josh has spent the past 20+ years as a trainer, researcher + facilitator discovering the physical and emotional intelligence for humans to thrive in our modern world. Helping humans LIBERATE their mental, emotional, physical, spiritual + financial self through podcasts, programs + global community that believe in optimizing our potential to live life well.

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