Should We Be Eating the Diet of Our Ancestors?
by Pauli Halstead, May 2010
Evolutionary biologists have learned that all ancestral diets shared certain key ingredients. Food sources were limited to wild animals (which included brains, bone marrow, fats and organs), fish and shellfish, foraged wild plants,  eggs, insects, nuts, seeds and wild berries. The primitive diet provided the nutrient dense balance for the critical metabolic processes, which allowed our ancestors to thrive, reproduce, and pass their genes on to subsequent generations.
According to many studies there is supporting evidence that the diet of our distant ancestors may be a guide to the proper nutrition for us today.
Our ancestors ate wild meat, fish and fats, which were rich in omega-3 fatty acids. In fact 35-50% of their dietary intake was made up of nutrient rich animal fats, which retained all the necessary vitamins and minerals for metabolic cell processes. We need these “good” fats and dietary cholesterol to make our bodies and brains function at optimum levels of health.
The Western diet of today consists mostly of refined cereal grains and commercially raised meats and dairy products. As a result consumers may no longer be getting sufficient omega-3 fatty acids and other nutrients essential for appropriate metabolic processes to occur. These metabolic disorders are playing a major role in the deteriorating health of the American public.
What does all this mean for us?
It means we can achieve a sustainable diet that will give us a life that is symptom free and full of vibrant energy.
What can we do?
- Eliminate most grains (especially grains containing gluten) from our diet and include smaller amounts of quality protein, healthy fats, and lots of non-starchy vegetables.
- Replicate the diet of our ancestors by eating specifically grass-fed meat, sustainably fished wild seafood, “pastured” dairy and poultry products, organic produce, nuts, seeds and berries.
What foods should we choose?
- Gluten-free grains: Quinoa, buckwheat, rice
- Quality proteins: Exclusively grass-fed meats, "pastured" eggs, wild caught fish (not on the endangered species list & not farmed)
- Healthy fats: pastured butter (ex: Kerry Gold), coconut oil, cold pressed sesame oil, the fats from grass-fed meat & pastured chickens
- Non-starchy vegetables: kale, broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, celery, chard, spinach, lettuces.
 Cuisine for Whole Health: Recipes for a Sustainable Life  by Pauli Halstead. A great reference/recipe book for anyone who chooses to eat sustainably.
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