Paleo Cookbook For Dummies (28 page)

I feel like I can't eat anything. Am I getting the nutrients I need?
Let me clear up the idea of missing nutrients once and for all:

•
Fiber:
You get plenty of fiber from fruits and vegetables, which are much more digestible sources than grains or beans are.

•
Calcium:
Plant sources such as kale, spinach, and collard greens as well as other sources such as shrimp, salmon, and olives provide you with loads of calcium — without the inflammation dairy brings for so many people.

•
Vitamins and minerals:
Real food equals real nutrition, and what better way to get immune-building nutrients than with lean proteins, healthy fats, vegetables, and fruit? You're definitely covered! You don't need grains, dairy, legumes, or soy when you have nutrient dense foods like the Paleo foods.

But I have my friend's wedding coming up, and I go out to dinner a lot. What happens if I screw up?
Unfortunately, slip-ups mean going back to day 1. If you stop and start, the inflammation isn't going to leave and you're not going to figure out your intolerances or reset your cells. If you want results, you have to do 30 consistent days. That said, rest assured that you'll discover how to get around these situations. Eating protein and vegetables isn't hard — no matter where you go. I carry my own sea salt and oil just about everywhere.

I'm really hungry. Am I supposed to be hungry?
Often, being hungry is your body's way of recalibrating to a new system. You've removed all the carbohydrate-dense, nutrition-poor foods such as packaged, processed, sugary carbs, grains, and legumes that may have been the source of most of your calories. Replacing these calories with healthy fats from grass-fed animal fats, coconut, or avocado plus quality proteins and vegetables fuels your body efficiently and sustains you so your hunger diminishes with healthy raw material.

Be sure to drink enough water. Your body can often confuse the thirst signal as a hunger signal. A general rule is to drink about half your body weight in ounces of water throughout the day. Also make sure you're getting enough protein and fat, which can help sustain you.

I'm a vegetarian. Can I do the Reset?
If your brand of vegetarianism allows you to eat some eggs and fish, being a Paleo vegetarian is pretty simple. Just try to build your plate with those foods as your protein and use the plant-based proteins (such as
tempeh
[fermented cooked soybean], beans, or tofu) only as the exception, not the rule. Eating plenty of eggs and fish along with veggies, fruits, and nuts ensures you get the protein you need.

On the other hand, if you choose not to eat any meat, fish, or eggs, you have to look to other vegetarian protein to get your nutrition. The best choices for following a vegetarian Paleo diet are organic, dense protein sources, like non-GMO plant-based foods, including the following:

• Tempeh

•
Natto
(steamed, fermented, and mashed soybeans)

• Edamame

• Tofu

• Beans: Lentils, black beans, pinto beans, and red beans

• High-quality protein powders, hemp, or pea protein

• Full-fat, pasture-raised yogurt and
kefir
(a fermented milk product) if dairy isn't an issue for you

These aren't the most optimal foods in general because many of them are mucus forming and cause inflammation. But you do need to get protein somewhere, so if you can't fathom eating any kind of meat, these are your best bets. Just be sure you're getting vitamin B12 and eating Paleo approved healthy fats to reduce any inflammation. (I recommend seeing your health practitioner to get your B12 level checked as a baseline; many vegetarians tend to run a bit low on B12. If you are a vegetarian and need a non-food source of this vitamin, B12 shots tend to have the best absorption.)

Some protein options just aren't healthy for anyone. Period. In fact, the following options aren't even foods. They're
food products
— what I like to call
frankenfoods
— and are usually a mixture of a wheat protein with a subpar oil.

Soy milk

Tofu hot dogs

Veggie bacon

Veggie chicken

Veggie chicken wings