My partner and I decided to try the Paleo diet for 30 days to see how it would affect our health
We were intending to take a month off of alcohol and made the decision to abstain from grain, dairy, and legumes as well. It had been something I wanted to try for some time, and it was an interesting experience.
During our paleo experiment, I felt more energetic, had increased mental focus, and had drastically reduced instances of binge eating. After just over 3 weeks, we decided to reincorporate a small amount of grain in the form of wild rice and quinoa, as we were dealing with loose bowel movements.
The most interesting aspect of the diet was reincorporating foods back into our diet
In order to determine how each food type would impact our digestion, we slowly reintroduced foods one at a time. After eating quinoa and wild rice, both of which I felt fine after consuming, I decided to go with dairy next. I started with grass-fed butter before eating cheese.
The butter went down fine without any issues, though eating cheese was a bit more difficult on my stomach. I felt slightly sluggish, with a heavier feeling in my stomach. I intend to consume dairy, though a reduced amount of cheese, and try to purchase grass-fed and raw versions when possible.
Next, I consumed gluten, in the form of an IPA Beer
Drinking a hoppy beer was something I was greatly anticipating, as I appreciate well-crafted beer. My first reaction to drinking alcohol for the first time in a month was of slight disappointment. The taste of the beer was not as delicious as I remember it being, and the taste of alcohol was much more noticeable.
After consuming just two beers, I was feeling mildly intoxicated, and it wasn't an overall pleasant experience. Though I intend to drink occasionally, it was a stark reminder of how much alcohol is a poison and doesn't aid in my mental and physical development. My digestion wasn't any different as a result of drinking, but my mood was impacted a bit, as booze is a depressant.
Finally, I decided to consume wheat
This was the food category I was most interested in reincorporating. I've read all about the negative effects of wheat and was curious to see if it would be obvious after not consuming it for a month. Check out the book "Wheat Belly" for more on this topic:
Sure enough, my first experience with wheat brought on sluggishness and mental fog. My thought processes were not as crisp as they were without wheat, and I could tell my digestive system was working hard to process it.
This diet reincorporation has convinced me to avoid wheat as much as possible, and eat limited grain and dairy, and consume less alcohol, especially if it contains gluten
I knew I wasn't going to stay on a strict paleo diet forever, as I do not want to give up all grains, dairy, and alcohol, and instead intended to modify my consumption levels of these products. The experiment has confirmed to me that hype about wheat being terrible for you is very real.
If you want to see how certain foods impact your body and mind, I highly recommend trying a paleo diet for 30 days and slowly reincorporate items. It's worth the sacrifice, and if anything, you'll learn a few new recipes for your repetoir.
All pictures from the pixabay.com