I was brought up on “[Sesame Street](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_Street)”, okay? So that means I have the attention span of a gnat (my apologies to gnats, of which I know absolutely zilch about) and books like “[The Primal Blueprint](http://primalblueprint.com/products/The-Primal-Blueprint.html)”, although quite readable, make my eyes glaze over. (I’ve set it aside, for now, in favor of “[A Dance With Dragons](http://www.amazon.com/Dance-Dragons-Song-Fire-Book/dp/0553801473)”.)
So I’ve finally gone online to research what I can and cannot eat on Paleo, which is all I am really concerned about and, what it comes down to is this: nothing that CANNOT be eaten in its raw state. So meat, seafood, vegetables, fruits, etc. are fine. But grains, legumes/beans, potatoes, dairy, sugar and anything processed aren’t. If you need to cook it or process it to make it edible, it’s out. (Here’s a [short list](http://www.livingpaleo.com/foods-to-avoid-on-the-paleo-diet/) of what not to eat and why.)
So, aside from a few mistakes like the cocoa in my Faster Blaster at [The Spa Chiang Mai](http://www.thesparesorts.net/spa-chiang-mai.php), I’ve been doing well. I’ve mostly been living on salads (without any cheese or croutons, and with only a squeeze of lemon for dressing), eggs, and meat the past few days. Mostly steaks and pork chops, although I did have some _longganisas_ which, I know, are not Paleo at all.
(Internet file photo.)
And then, yesterday, I declared peanut butter Paleo and consumed half a jar in two days . Well, I figured that if all the Paleo experts were worried about were the aflatoxins, then I’d take my chances. And if they can make allowances for honey, then they can surely forgive raw sugar.
WRONG.
As it turns out, peanuts aren’t nuts at all. They’relegumes. (Why, oh god, why???!!!) And the whole Paleo argument against legumes and grains and anything that is a product of agriculture and animal husbandry is that our bodies aren’t designed to digest these things and that they are actually toxic and cause irritation and inflammation in our system.
Gaah!
I wouldn’t really care – if I didn’t know it to be true. (No wonder I get so bloated after eating even a spoonful of peanut butter.) Here’s a more informative article on the dangers of peanut butter.
‘Tis a sad, sad day…
I can tell you right now that it’s a snore and a half trying to find something interesting to eat on Paleo. I wanted to have sashimi the other day but remembered that I couldn’t dip it in soy sauce. Argh!
But I did say that I would TRY my best to do this for, at least, one month. The one thing I did read in Mark Sisson’s “Primal Blueprint” is that I shouldn’t drive myself crazy with the fine print as that would be setting myself up for failure. I will shoot for 100% but if all I can achieve is 80%, that’s fine by me.
And what’s great about Sarah Fragoso’s “Everyday Paleo” is that she recognizes that we still have to live in the real world, and gives options for cheating. For instance, alcohol is supposed to be a big no-no in Paleo but, if you do have to drink (as I do), she suggests red wine. (Maximum two glasses. Yeah, right.) If wine isn’t an option, go for vodka or tequila (- Yay!), neat or on the rocks. If mixers are absolutely required, then soda water would be best. Which would explain the vodka-soda hangover last Saturday.
There are a lot of good websites and support groups out there. I like this site by Don Wiss because it contains a list of links to variations on Paleo. Plus there are Robb Wolf’s blog, Mark Sisson’s and Fragoso’s.
It shouldn’t be so hard really. Fragoso’s recipes seem fairly simple and look delicious. Except that that would entail my taking an active role in planning menus, doing the marketing and buying the groceries and, well, cooking meals which, right now, I am just too lazy to do. Will figure it all out next week. Right now, will stick to eggs and meat. (I’m back at home where all the veggies are cooked in soy sauce or oyster sauce or god-knows-what sauce so I haven’t eaten any vegetables since yesterday. Nor have I seen any fruit in the fridge. Would rectify but I am leaving again on Friday so will deal with it when I get back.)