The Paleo Diet: Lose Weight and Get Healthy by Eating the Food You Were Designed to Eat: Amazon.co.uk: Loren Cordain: Books

Review

Like Ray Audette′s Neanderthin (St. Martins, 1999), this is another "if you can′t find it in the wild, don′t eat it" diet that takes the germ of a useful idea and runs with it. According to Cordain (health and exercise science, Colorado State Univ.), Paleolithic humans were fit and lean because, as hunter–gatherers, they ate what was available: meats low in saturated fats, fresh fruits, and nonstarchy vegetables. Nor did they suffer from heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, the byproducts of our poor eating habits and lack of exercise. Then again, the average Paleolithic life span was about 30 years, not long enough to develop most chronic illnesses. Still, the author asserts that by eliminating grains, dairy, refined sugars, and processed foods from our diets, we, too, can thrive as our ancestor did. Three leavels of diet and six weeks of sample menus, with recipes, are included. (Library Journal, Feb.15, 2002)

Review

"Dr. Loren Cordain, a highly respected, innovative investigator, has clearly articulated an approach to nutrition that is logically compelling, readily understood, and at the cutting edge of health science. Dr. Loren Cordain′s original insights, encyclopedic knowledge, and painstaking research have made critical contributions.... Not all scientists can translate their concepts into a straightforward, accessible format, but Cordain has accomplished this feat brilliantly." ––S. Boyd Eaton, M.D., Clinical Assistant Professor, Emory University; former Medical Director, Olympic Village Polyclinic, 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games (considered the godfather of the Paleolithic nutrition movement)

"The Paleo Diet is a landmark book, written by one of the most brilliant and respected nutritionists in America today. It could save your life. Read it, live it, and buy a copy for everyone you love." ––Robert Crayhon, M.S., Author of The Carnitine Miracle

"The Paleo Diet is at once revolutionary and intuitive.... Its prescription provides without a doubt the most nutritious diet on the planet. Beautifully written, The Paleo Diet takes us from the theory to the day–to–day practice of the native human diet." ––Jennie Brand–Miller, Ph.D. co–author of the bestselling The Glucose Revolution and The Glucose Revolution Life Plan; Professor of Human Nutrition, University of Sydney

"Finally, someone has figured out the best diet for people –– a modern version of the diet the human race grew up eating. Dr. Loren Cordain′s easy–to–follow diet plan cuts right to the chase and reminds us that the healthiest foods are the simplest ones." ––Jack Challem, coauthor of Syndrome X: The Complete Nutritional Program to Prevent and Reverse Insulin Resistance

"The Paleo Diet not only lays out the basic nutrition plan for weight loss and good health, but also for peak performance in athletic competition. It works." ––Joe Friel, author of The Triathlete′s Training Bible and endurance coach

"In a world where we′re surrounded with an information overload of dieting, this is a commonsense and effective weight–control approach that′s easy to follow." ––Fred Pescatore, M.D., author of Thin For Good and Feed Your Kids Well

"Dr. Cordain offers a recipe for improved health based on his assessment of a range of information from modern medicine, anthropology, archaeology, and nutrition science. The Paleo Diet is a compelling read for anyone interested in diet and its linkage to health." ––Clark Spencer Larsen, Ph.D.; Distinguished Professor of Social and Behavioral Sciences and Chair, Department of Anthropology, Ohio State University

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45 of 46 people found the following review helpful

It's working for me 9 Aug 2010

By David Mitchell

Format:Paperback

I'm 67 and my father died of a massive heart attack at that age so I try to look after my health. I've always managed to keep my weight under some sort of control by taking a lot of exercise but arthritis of the knees pretty much put a stop to that about 2 years ago and my weight ballooned. I've tried all sorts of diets and prescription drugs but nothing worked for me. I'm into ancient history and several recent books, including the excellent 'Pandora's Seed, The Unforeseen Cost of Civilization', by Spencer Wells, are starting to present compelling evidence that our Paleolithic ancestors, the hunter gatherers who lived before the introduction of agriculture and man's conversion to a largely grain based diet, did not lead short and brutal lives but were in fact very healthy. Using the latest forensic techniques it's suggested that humanity's general health went into decline for thousands of years after the Paleolithic, when many of the modern diseases like diabetes and cancer started to flourish.

You pays your money and takes your choice but after reading Pandora's Seed, I discovered the Paleo Diet and after five weeks I've lost 14 lbs and not felt hungry at any time. My wife says it's taken 10 years off me already and I'm confident I'll achieve my goal weight. I can't guarantee it'll work for everyone and vegetarians might have a tough time, vegans even more so, as lean meat and fish play a crucial role in the Paleo Diet. I recommend the book and the diet to anyone still seeking their personal answer to weight control.

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47 of 50 people found the following review helpful

Does it Work??? 6 Jan 2010

By L. I. Crombie

I have a lifelong interest in history. So when i developed some health problems
last summer I decided to fashion A diet based on my knowledge of history. Influenced
by the ideas of Dr Atkins I began to realise that 10,000 years is probably to short a time
for us to adapt to the radical change from Hunter/Gatherer to farmer. As more and more people
talked about the 'wonder' of Atkins the penny dropped and I started to look at the largely
negative impact of carbohydrates. I learned some years ago about the dangers of the high fat/
no fruit diet of the Eskimo so i have a much greater emphasis on fruit than Atkins. I rejected
veg except those that are in fact fruit (Cucumber, Peppers and Toms). But the diet i am following is broadly similar to Cordain's.

Does it work??

I took a calorie counting approach to the diet and found i was not getting hungry (1200kcal per day, ish) Cutting sugar increased my appetite for fruit. I have gone from 18st to 12st 12lb in 4 months. If that were all i would say so what eat less lose weight big deal. But the effects have gone beyond expectations and include, better skin, blood pressure, alertness, less sleepy, better mental health and
increased libido. The stone age man in me still loves black forest gateau, which we all know he used to find growing in cappuccino bars twice a week.

I will soon be exercising and eating more but I will be sticking to my principles and adding some important ingredients i missed but Mr Cordain did not.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

Back to the past 26 Mar 2011

By Carolinaxley

I bought this book on the recommendation of my chiropractor to help me use the diet in his holistic approach to my health problems. Suffering from both fibromyalgia and oesteoarthritis I needed to lose weight and eat less inflammatory foods.
The book sets out to explain the Paleo Diet based on the paleolithic way of life of our hunter/gatherer ancestors. First of all it explains how obesity is the curse of the western world and then tries to put forward good reasons for changing your whole way of eating.
The food that you are required to eat is nutritious, and fresh, fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, fresh meat,fish and fowl. Nuts and omega-3 eggs are also included. There is also a chapter on exercise and chapter 10 contains recipes.
I found the book really informative and I feel its author, Dr Cordain puts forward an excellent case for the change to this diet, however, I do think he labours some of the scientific reports and evidence to support his case. The book is written by an American for the American market and therefore lacks local information for the UK. Like where on earth in the UK can you buy Bison steaks?
It has convinced me to try the diet and in 4 weeks I have lost 9lbs, without really trying. I have enjoyed what I have eaten and never felt hungry or deprived. The drawbacks are the time it takes to prepare the meals, the fact that you need to shop every few days for the produce to be fresh and the cost. As I am retired it hasn't impacted too much on my life but I can't imagine a busy mother feeding a family on this diet unless she has a very rich husband but I do think something drastic needs to be done to halt the obesity that is sweeping the UK and affecting all its citizens old and young.