My father is turning eighty this year. He has the gammit of the normal maladies that affect old age: heart desease, high blood pressure, weakness in his legs, general tiredness. Yet, he has an unbeatable sense of life that makes you cherish his presence and want to fight to preserve that life as a value to yourself and all those around.
I watched him deteriorate over the last six months. Always talking about being tired, giving up major values to avoid extra driving, even his sense of life began to dim. Now, I am a huge fan of Paleo. Yet, I do not have sufficient knowledge to stand up to all the medical advice he is receiving and ask him to listen to my new theories in the face of serious problems and disease. One day, though, I had had enough. Hearing my dad simply decline and disintegrate, I remembered a scene in Atlas Shrugged, when Dagny shoots the guard not for resisting her, but for failing to make a decision or pick a side.
"Dad, I said, I have something I'd like to share with you..." And so it began.
The difference in his demeanor was startling after two weeks. Actually, it was quite funny: "Dad, how are you feeling? Can you tell a difference in your energy?" "Me? Well, you know me. I've been full of energy my whole life! I mean, certainly, I might take a nap on occasion, but I am not one to complain." I laughed with relief... Paleo was working. He sounded like he was himself again!
Today I would like to share some of the specific advice I gave my dad to help him ease into Paleo without going through some of the difficulties that I first faced. Perhaps, this will be useful to those who would like to win family members over to this side or are contemplating moving forward themselves but can't quite make the leap. I also found this advice extremely useful during my pregnancy (12 weeks now and feeling like a million bucks!) when things got a bit tougher.
"Dad, Paleo is different. It isn't about what you don't eat as much as it is focused on what you should eat. And what we eat is the whole animal. Make that the focus. Don't give up your carbs too fast. Your body needs to learn to extract the good long-lasting energy out of fat and protein and it'll take a few weeks. So don't go low-carb. Go high-animal.
"Be sure that each meal is centered about the animal. Eat that part first - following up with vegetables and other carbs if you do not feel full. Your body might resist this change and will want some short-term energy from carbs to feel like things are going ok. I still love finishing my meals with yogurt and berries, though it is no longer absolutely necessary.
"Avoid grains. Giving up grains cold turkey is hard. They are known to actually be addictive. So stick to small portions of your favorite bread - with a nice hunk of meat on top, of course! Immediately give up bowls of pasta, rice and other big grainy side dishes with little nutritional value.
"Drop the potatoes. They are not substantially nutritionally different from candy due to their high glycemic index. I know you love squash and its relatives. Try out sweet potatoes - I grew to love them. I know my step mom makes yummy califlower that's a nutritional wonder compared to its pale competitors. Continue exploring different vegetables each week. Forage far and wide. Your taste palates will change as you continue Paleo and you will crave nutritious options while things that are bad for you will strike you as yucky.
"Finally, give up sweets to the extent possible. Your body won't miss them. No side-effects there! And enjoy yourself. Paleo is about good yummy food, not sacrifice. If you sin, no need for a confessional. Just find a yummy animal to decorate your next meal - and let bygones be bygones."
I love you, dad, and I hope that you decorate this world we live in, putting a smile on the faces of those who meet you for a good long time!
No comments:
Post a Comment