I want to start by saying I dislike the word diet because it is generally looked upon as a fad or trend. To me, diet is a way of life.
There is no way to deny that our ancestors relied on nature to survive. The survival skills that our ancestors developed were passed down from one generation to the next. They did not have the processed foods we have today, the painkillers, the anti-depressants, the vitamin supplements and so on; they had nature. This reminds me of the quote “let food be thy medicine,” every plant, to include fruits, herbs, and trees, has a purpose – either medicine, food, shelter, or protection. We are meant to work in harmony with nature, in ways that are sustainable and prevent unnecessary waste. In today's world there are tons of mysterious illnesses, autoimmune disorders, and many unknown causes. We have been disconnected from nature and have lacked the nutritional and medicinal knowledge that has been passed down from our ancestors. Thankfully, there are an increased amount of people following their intuition and gaining the proper education to guide us back to nature, our true nature.
The ancestral diet focuses on relying on nature for health and nutrition, not processed foods and cure-all pills and diets. Our ancestors were hunters and gatherers and their diet aligned closely with what we now call the paleo diet. The ancestral diet consisted of 35% fats, 35% carbohydrates, and 30% protein (Petersen, 2022). Their carbohydrates came from wild organic fruits and vegetables. The high fruit and vegetable intake with minimal grain and dairy supported an alkaline environment within the body, unlike todays’ acid-producing eating patterns (Petersen, 2022). This diet is packed with vitamins, minerals, and natural sugars that support high energy and functioning. The meat is lean, grass-fed, natural grazing, and wild caught, and the fat intake is good fats found in nuts, grains, clean dairy, avocadoes, potatoes, etc.
Not only do we consider their diet and food intake but also the natural daily exercise they gained through hunting and gathering and their daily activities. Walking is a powerful form of exercise and highly underrated, it is important to get at least 10,000 steps a day. One study showed that our ancestors averaged around 17,000 steps a day (O’Keefe, 2020). It is also important to incorporate weight training a few times a week, outdoor exercise, running if possible, and plenty of rest and sleep.
References
Petersen, D. (2022). Holistic Nutrition (21st ed.). American College of Healthcare Sciences
O’Keefe, E. L., & Lavie, C. J. (2020). A Hunter-Gatherer Exercise Prescription to Optimize Health and Well-Being in the Modern World. Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42978-020-00091-0
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